City Attorney Tim Weaver Council prepared five ordinances for city council reflecting suggested changes to City Code that the Planning Commission worked on and delivered to council almost a year ago. Weaver said he took what Planning had done and broke it down to manageable parts. The five were presented at Monday’s council meeting, with more to come.
Alderman David Mitchell said five ordinances was a lot to digest, but Weaver said the language was not different from what Planning presented last year. City Clerk/Treasurer Ann Armstrong also mentioned the ordinances had been double-checked to make sure they agreed with the originals.
Mayor Butch Berry suggested council take the five one a time. The first clarified that changes to only the Land Use Plan, Community Facilities Plan, Master Street Plan and other specific plans required a public hearing, not every change to City Code. Vote to approve the first reading of Ord. 2269 was 5-0.
The next two proposed ordinances were not so warmly received. Alderman Terry McClung insisted the next ordinance did not say what was intended, and Mitchell also had concerns with how to accomplish the intent of regulating the number of Bed & Breakfasts in residential zones. Berry said Planning might have newer suggestions coming soon which would require changes with these two ordinances, so council voted to defer them pending further study.
The fourth proposed ordinance amended subsections of section 14.08.01 to add certain categories to the zoning districts, and the first reading of proposed Ord. 2271 was approved.
The fifth ordinance dealt with Planned Use Developments, and enough confusion surfaced that it was deferred until the next meeting.
No moratorium
Planning had asked for a six-month moratorium on issuance of Conditional Use Permits for Bed & Breakfasts in residential zones, or at least a pause until council weighed in on proposed changes to Code. McClung, however, said he did not see any reason for a moratorium because Planning already can approve or deny a CUP.
Alderman Melissa Greene said she had been inundated with comments recommending the city not allow any more B&Bs in residential zones. McClung countered he had not heard any of that from constituents, and insisted Planning only had to do its job using what already existed in Code.
Mitchell commented that Planning was trying hard to listen and respond to public input and make appropriate amendments to Code while council was deferring decisions. He insisted the moratorium would help Planning while council sorted through the proposed ordinances.
Nevertheless, vote to approve the resolution was 3-2, McClung and aldermen Bob Thomas and Mickey Schneider voting No, so the resolution failed.