Rezoning requests dominate MP City Council meeting

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

More housing is coming to West Clay Street in Mt. Pleasant.

During its regular meeting Wednesday, the Mt. Pleasant City Council hosted a public hearing on a request from Matt and Sarah Donnolly to rezone 5.26 acres of land on West Clay Street, adjacent to land owned by Susan Dickson DeWulf, from B-4 (highway service commercial district) to R-1 (single family dwelling).

The land being purchased by the Donnollys is the south portion of a parcel of land owned by the H. Eugene Smith Trust. Access to the proposed Donnolly residence would be from West Clay Street.

Since the northern portion of the land is zoned B-4, which does not permit residential uses, the land must be rezoned. Jack Swarm, city building and zoning administrator, said the commercial land has been undeveloped for years, ?and so an extension of bordering R-1 zoning district seems reasonable.?

Swarm also said the new, small parcel of B-4 land would be created by the zone change would still have frontage on Washington Street and would be large enough to be developed.

He also said the council should consider changing the entire B-4 zoning district in the area to B-3 or other zoning districts. The B-4 district, Swarm explained, is designed to serve the traveling public by providing hotels, gas stations, recreational areas and similar uses. Because the new Highway 34 bypassed the area, the administrator said it would seem appropriate to consider zoning districts that would better serve the local residents, rather than the traveling public.

?Essentially, this is an extension of the adjacent R-1 district,? Swarm told the council. ?Seventy-five percent of the neighbors acknowledged the zoning change and there were no negative remarks received.?

In similar matters, the council passed the second readings of two proposed ordinances. One ordinance rezones land south of East Washington Street and north of the Ashford Park Subdivision from R-1 to B-3 (general retail and service commercial). The other ordinance rezones abutting land from R-1 to R-3 (multiple-family dwelling district).

Council members approved the first reading of an ordinance to establish no parking (at certain times) on the east side of the 800 and 900 blocks of South Adams Street.

The request was made by the United States Postal Service. The postal service said they are having a difficult time delivering mail with cars parked in front of mail boxes.

However, the council is considering having no parking in the area during the day on Monday-Saturday. Parking would be allowed during night-time hours and on Sunday since there is no mail delivery during those hours.

A council member asked whether the ordinance would be confusing. ?We?ve done it before and it has worked,? answered City Administrator Brent Schleisman.

Two encroachment permits were approved. One approves an awning over the sidewalk for a new business ? Simply Thrive ? located at 111 N. Jefferson St., in a building that formerly housed Dodds? Insurance.

The second permit approves the installation of three concrete steps on the south side (East Monroe Street) of the Brazelton building. The building currently has steps on the sidewalk and the owner wants to remove the existing steps and construct a new set of steps in the middle of the building for access to retail space.

In staff reports, a Mt. Pleasant Municipal Utilities representative told the council that the large water tower (located on Winfield Avenue) has been refilled. The interior of the tower was cleaned and repainted this summer.

Gary Grunow, parks and recreation director, said new playground equipment is being installed at East Lake Park. The equipment, partially paid for through the William M. and Donna J. Hoaglin Foundation, is located on the west side of the park near the McCoid Shelterhouse.

Mayor Steve Brimhall said that the North Iris Street project is virtually completed. All that remains is seeding and some work on the recreational trail adjacent to the street.

Schleisman told the council that the new city webpage is being designed and will be activated in the fall.

Council members meet again in regular session Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.