One point mentioned during Planning’s workshop with council last Tuesday was how to determine the start date of the 180-day rule. Code stipulates, “A non-conforming use will be allowed to continue, even with a change of title, until such time as it is abandoned or discontinued for a period of One Hundred Eighty (180) days.” During the regular Planning meeting, commissioner Woodie Acord suggested the start date for the 180-day rule should be the due date for the last City Advertising and Promotion Commission tax payment.
“It starts ticking as soon as they miss a payment,” was commissioner Susan Harman’s interpretation. City Economic Development Coordinator Glenna Booth added the same rule should apply to Bed & Breakfasts as well.
Ann Sallee, who chaired the meeting, suggested they keep the item on their agenda until Chair Melissa Greene is present.
Commissioner Doug Breitling again presented his work on a definition for weddings and private events. He added lawns and gardens as allowed locations and removed a specific decibel number for the noise level.
Commissioners had difficulty putting a limit on the number of attendees. Booth stated that parking requirements were too vague. Breitling said not allowing on-street parking would alleviate stress on the neighborhood, but attendees could be delivered to the site. The point was made the fire marshal determines maximum occupancy inside a building but not outside. Breitling mentioned no fire marshal has ever determined a maximum occupancy for his B&B, and commissioner Tom Buford asked if they reference the fire marshal but he doesn’t do anything, then what are they referring to?
Booth stated they should work more on the parking section to clear up these questions.
Breitling said all he wanted to do was to provide a mechanism for someone planning an event to know what the restrictions were so private events could occur but not disturb the neighborhood.
Sallee added, “If it’s a complicated process, people are not going to do it.”
Next meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m., in the Auditorium lobby.