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City Council considers zoning Melodie Phelps News Editor A committee will look at planning and zoning options for the city, following a discussion on the issue by Monticello City Council Monday night. Monticello Mayor Thurston Frye will appoint the committee, which will consist of council members and citizens, during the September council meeting. Neal Cundiff, with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District (LCADD), attended Monday nightıs session to provide the council with some basic information on planning and zoning. Cundiff said that while he was researching the library at the LCADD office he found a zoning plan for Monticello which was drafted in 1979. Cundiff provided copies of that plan, as well as ordinances that help guide cities and counties who are implementing zoning. Cundiff said the first step would be to create a planning commission for the city. "You must have a planning commission in place before you do anything else," stated Cundiff. Cundiff said the commission would look at what the city wanted to accomplish with zoning, like designating residential and commercial areas, prohibiting mobile homes in locations, establishing building codes, and adopting sign ordinances. Different communities have different objectives with zoning, he indicated. "Not everything you do in Monticello is going to work in Lexington or in Albany," said Cundiff. Councilman Gene Jones asked Cundiff about the costs the city will incur to implement zoning. Cundiff said he was unsure, but City Clerk-Treasurer Greg Latham said that the estimate he had heard several years ago was $20,000 to $30,000. Mayor Thurston Frye indicated the city would have to find funding to hire a full-time person, such as a building inspector, to help enforce the zoning ordinances. Planning and zoning came into another discussion later in Mondayıs meeting, when Columbia Avenue resident Don Yancey addressed the council. Yancey said his house is located on the corner of Columbia Avenue and Parmley Street and he has had a continuing problem with some rental trailers in that area. Yancey said he had problems with noise, had seen rats around these properties and noted that sometimes there are cars obstructing the road, which would keep emergency vehicles from traveling along the narrow street. Yancey was accompanied by another resident in that area, Robert Nelson, who voiced concern about a pile of garbage that accumulates constantly in the street. Councilman Jeffrey Edwards stated that without planning and zoning ordinances there is little the city can do to control what property owners do with their own property. Councilman Phillip Duncan said the city can take a look at the street to see if it can be widened. He also stated the city can look into the garbage problem. Also on Monday, the council approved a resolution that authorizes Frye to execute necessary documents to apply for a state grant for the Old Town Springs Downtown Revitalization Project. Frye said the city had learned of this new funding source through the Lake Cumberland Area Development District. The city is seeking $250,000 from the state to continue this project. Frye also noted that the city has applied for several types of federal funds for this project as well. Edwards noted that a representative from the Monticello Utility Commission did not attend the council meeting this month. The MUC has been asked for several months to attend the meeting to discuss the monthly financial statements, which show a loss for the water utility company. Add a comment |
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