WILLIAMSTOWN -City council Tuesday discussed making changes to the city's land development regulations as proposed by the city attorney.
City attorney Blaine Myers asked council to considering making a couple of changes to the city's regulations on development of land after a private attorney asked him questions for a client.
"A local attorney has a client seeking to acquire property that has several (house) trailers on it and inquired as to what route to take to make the changes his client wants to make," Myers said. "Clearly this is in response to a specific plan or proposal."
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Williamstown Mayor Jean Ford invites the public to attend the dedication of Armstrong Park at 5 p.m. Friday before the 68 annual Williamstown Volunteer Fire Department’s Ice Cream Social. The new garden park was made possible through thousands of volunteer hours.
The two changes Myers suggested are to change the ordinance that states no more than three properties can be served by one private drive to make it five properties and allow for additional utility services to be placed within 20 feet of existing utility services.
Myers and council have asked for feedback and a recommendation from the city planning commission on these changes, but council does not need them, the attorney said.
"Council can act on the planning commission recommendation but is not bound by it," he said.
Councilman Marty Seufer said he is in favor of changing the regulations on the number of lots served by a private drive.
"With only three listed (in the ordinance), you can't even discuss it; you're strapping yourself," Seufer said. "As long as you require the (land) owners to make the improvements and upkeep of the drive, I don't see why we can't allow more properties to use a private street."
New Councilman Gene Duncan, who was sworn in to the seat prior to the July 3 council meeting, said he is concerned the private drive users will come back to council and ask the city to make the private drive a public street.
"We would never do that take a private drive and make it a city street," said Mayor Jean Ford. "It will never happen."
Seufer made the motion for council to accept Myer's changes as presented with the provision the planning commission look at the land in question and get back to council with its recommendation.
"The attorney came to me just to ask my opinion to make their plans work," Myers said. "They just want council to discuss what can be done."
In other business:
"We have been donated a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria cruiser from the City of Vienna," Ford said. "We here in Williamstown love the Crown Victorias."
A lot of hard work has gone into the gardens and we have been looking forward to this dedication for a long time, Ford said.
"Armstrong Park has been a team of people that have brought that together," said Seufer, who has headed up the project. "I can't thank the volunteers enough because that is completely a volunteer project."
Council approved to close Fifth Street from the intersection with Highland Avenue to in front of the Williamstown Public Library at 4 p.m. Friday to allow the fire department to set up tables in the street for better accessibility.
"It would allow us to accommodate the reunions, folks in the wheelchairs and just make it easier for those who don't want to walk through the grass," said firefighter Paul Jordan.
