Nicky Boyette – Glenna Booth, city economic development officer, presented the new zoning map to the Planning Commission at its July 12 meeting, to which Vice-Chair Pat Lujan commented, “It’s been a long time coming.”
Booth said she originally thought it would be just a simple update, but the project has taken three years of poring through old maps and deeds. However, the finished product is digital, so future changes can be made easily. PDF files will be available to the public, and it will be on the city website.
Viewers will be able to zoom in to any of the 16 sections of the map for small-scale inspection. “You can see blocks in detail,” Booth said.
Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the new map.
Workshop on City Code
Commissioner Susan Harman said at the beginning of the workshop on City Code they needed to establish a plan so they could get through the challenge facing them, uncluttering language in City Code related to lodgings.
She said her understanding was they had so far agreed to establish a category called lodging with definitions of the different kinds of lodging. Also they would throw out the “same or similar.” Harman mentioned commissioner Melissa Greene had suggested no Conditional Use Permits with 200 feet of any other CUP, regardless of what kind it was.
There was back and forth about whether density should be a consideration instead of 200 feet, but Harman pointed out a set distance is easier to determine and enforce. Acord remarked the six-month moratorium on B&Bs means the city would not be getting taxes from any new B&Bs. He said the city needs the tax revenue.
Commissioners agreed at the end to come to the next meeting prepared to establish a plan.
Other items
- Damon Henke represented his property at 6 Douglas to explain he was in compliance with zoning codes. He said he bought the property in May 2015, and lives there. He has two units on the property, one in-house plus a cottage behind the house. He said his taxes are in order, he is operating, and his ads now clearly abide by regulations.
He also put the sign in the front yard back up. He commented he took it down for an insurance photo but never put it back up because no one rents a room because of the sign, renters use the Internet. Commissioners agreed conditions of the CUP were being met.
- Lujan announced his term on the commission was expiring, and he was not sure yet if he would continue because circumstances might take up too much of his time. Since the commission was to have voted on a new chair and it could be him, he suggested they defer the decision until all members were present and he has time to ponder his options. He did say if he were to continue, he would like more clearly-structured discussions.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, July 26, at 6 p.m., with a workshop on City Code at 5 p.m.