James DeVito exhorted council on Monday evening to address the loss of available housing in the city. He said the city population declined by 500 people between 2000 and 2010, which he claimed put a disproportionate burden on a smaller population to support the city’s infrastructure. Commercial encroachment into residential neighborhoods continues to reduce available housing, plus more homes are being purchased as second homes.
Planning asked council to put a moratorium on issuance of new Conditional Use Permits in residential zones, but council did not follow through.
DeVito said the city needs a moratorium because “we cannot afford to lose more residential property.” He acknowledged some folks left town when the Great Recession hit, and the town suffered, and as a tourist town, recovery has been slow because “we sell the first thing people do without during a recession.”
- Harry Meyer told council the dogs that had been a problem at a house on Council Street were now gone, but previous attempts at ordinances which council did not pass could have prevented the problem from ever happening. He said the Historic District Commission certainly did not approve the dog cages covering the entire front porch at that address, and the black tarp still covering the cages did not seem appropriate in a historic neighborhood.
He added that Council Street has become a short cut for folks traveling from Holiday Island to Berryville, and some of them speed. He insisted that something needs to be done, such as issuing a few tickets.
Other items
- Mayor Butch Berry announced there are vacancies on the following commissions: Planning, Hospital and Cemetery.
- He also announced the architect he has been working with on a design for installing an elevator down to of the basement of the Auditorium will make a presentation at the next meeting, Monday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. There will be a budget workshop beginning at 5:15 p.m. prior to the meeting.