March 29, 2008

February 27: Committee of the Whole meeting

Ordinance 08-02, regarding changes to the Commission on Sustainability, was discussed.

1.      Allowing up to 4 members to be residents of the county, outside the city limits (2 of the city council appointments and 2 of the mayoral appointments)

2.      Clarifying that the ex officio member (the representative from the city council) is a voting member of the Commission

March 5: Regular Session:

We voted to approve Ordinance 08-02.

March 5: Committee of the Whole meeting:

We discussed the following ordinances

Appropriation Ordinance 08-01, to allocate a grant received from PetSmart Charities for use by the Animal Care and Control Division in their foster pet care program and pet adoption program.

Ordinance 08-03, to change the number on the Commission on the Status of Women from 7 to 9 (increasing city council appointments by 1 and mayoral appointments by 1)

March 19: Regular Session:

We voted to approve Approp. Ordinance 08-01 and Ordinance 08-03.

Resolution 08-06 was discussed and approved. This resolution called for the protection of the back-country area of the Morgan-Monroe State Forest and the Yellowwood State Forest and asked the state Department of Natural Resources to stop plans for commercial logging in these areas.

March 26: Committee of the Whole meeting:

We discussed Ordinance 08-01, which would change the preliminary development plan of a portion of the Woolery Planned Unit Development (PUD). The plan for Parcel G of this development would change from 19 single-family houses to 38 multi-family townhomes while preserving 2 acres of woods on the parcel.

 Several Council members praised aspects of this revised plan

·        It would save 2 acres of woods

·        The new townhomes would be sold at affordable prices.

·        The amount of parking is less than is technically required by the city’s UDO. It was generally agreed that the parking requirements in the UDO need to be revised.

 There were a few concerns about the plan, though:

·        The layout of the townhome development was very automobile-focused. The private drive into the development would be lined on either side by parking.

·        The developers (Langley Construction) proposed to NOT put a sidewalk in on the east side of Adam Hill Circle, the public street that leads to the development. This was done because there would be less disturbance to the tree preservation area and because there would be a sidewalk on the west side of the street that, the developers proposed, would fulfill all pedestrian needs.

 A few Council members plust the Council’s staff attorney met with the developers yesterday to discuss possible changes to the proposed ordinance.