MP City Council adopts no-parking, nuisance abatement fee ordinances

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt Pleasant News

With routine matters dominating the agenda, Mt. Pleasant City Council members swept away the business at hand in under a half hour on Wednesday.

Third readings and adoptions of two ordinances highlighted the proceedings.

Council members adopted an ordinance prohibiting parking on the east side of Lincoln Street 75 feet from the intersection of East Baker Street. Street committee members said the new ordinance cleared up a safety and visibility issue.

Also adopted was an ordinance establishing an administrative fee of $25 to be added onto bills the city submits for nuisance abatement cleanup issues. Mayor Steve Brimhall said the administrative fee, which is much more reasonable than other cities charge, is needed to cover city costs on such issues. ?We don?t get paid for our time dealing with them (nuisance abatements),? Brimhall noted.

The ordinances will become effective upon publication in the Mt. Pleasant News.

In another cleanup matter, City Public Works Director Rick Mullin said sanitation crews are running about one-and-one-half days behind on spring cleanup. He said that was due to a large amount of items collected, including 30 mattresses at one trailer court. Mullin said cleanup should be completed by May 3.

Council members approved one site plan and an amendment on another site plan.

The new site plan concerns the expansion of Veyance Technologies/Contitech at 400 Goodyear Road. The former Goodyear plant will be expanding, which includes a building addition and a new parking lot. Site plan approval for the project was needed because the building addition, with the parking lot expansion, exceeds 25 percent of the existing developed area.

Total developed area is 15.8 acres. The additional parking lot will include 147 regular parking spaces and six handicapped parking spaces. The addition to the building will be finished with corrugated metal siding.

City planning and zoning commission members had approved the plan and the council concurred.

Steffes Auction and Realty also sought an amendment to its site plan approved several months ago. The amendment includes an additional driveway to be added to the west side of the parking lot; rotating the building 90 degrees; using corrugated metal as siding; and adding a ground sign and three raised display areas along Highway 218/34.

The display areas would be used to display equipment that is for sale at upcoming auctions.

?It isn?t anything major,? Jack Swarm, city planning and zoning director said. Planning and zoning and city staff approved the plan Tuesday, and the council also gave its stamp of approval.

Other agenda items had the council passing a resolution of support for the Main Street Mt. Pleasant program. City Administrator Brent Schleisman said a requirement of the program is the passage of a resolution of support from the council every two years.

Two public hearings were set for the next council meeting, which is Wednesday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m. One of the hearings is for proposed rezoning along South Briarwood Street from AR (agriculture-residential reserve) to SR (suburban residential district). City resident Darin Stater has made the request.

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church has also asked the city to consider vacating its right-of-way at the 600 block of South Jackson Street, which will be the subject of the second public hearing on May 11. This portion of South Jackson divides property owned by the church. The church expressed interest in acquiring the right-of-way to build a parish activities center addition on the right-of-way.

Final action had the council approving the appointment of Michael Forbess as a volunteer fireman. Forbess had been serving as a reserve firefighter.

In a related matter, Brimhall said final papers have been signed for the new city fire truck, which will be delivered in 30 days.

Jack Warner of Warner Engineering Associates Inc., of Mt. Pleasant, said construction crews would soon be moving into the second phase of the Mapleleaf Drive reconstruction project. The second phase includes the area around McDonald?s.

Council members meet again in regular session Wednesday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m., in the council chambers of City Hall.