By Terry Schrimscher, For the Tribune
ARGO – Zoning was a major topic of conversation during the Argo City Council meeting held Monday night, Feb. 13. The mayor and council held a work session at 5 p.m. prior to the meeting to discuss the agenda.
The council held the first reading of a proposed ordinance to create a planning and zoning commission for the city. A public hearing on the commission will be scheduled for the next regular meeting of the council on Feb. 27.
“A skilled city planning commission will keep in mind the community’s dominant industry, population, growth rate, and industry need,” said Mayor Betty Bradley, speaking to The Trussville Tribune. “By drafting a city plan based on the many zoning categories created by the state or county, the commission can efficiently and effectively develop a balanced city.
“Zoning is broken down into multiple categories to help balance a city to ensure proper land use and provide value to citizens that own property,”Bradley added. “As well, zoning helps protect the local environment and keep property values stable.”
City Attorney Michael Brymer explained the process for creating the commission. Once the ordinance is passed, the council must then pass a resolution to appoint members to the commission.
Bradley asked Brymer to check with state laws to determine if service on the commission is limited to city residents or if business owners in the city can serve.
Matthew Martin presented a request to the council to de-annex his property to allow his child to attend Trussville schools. Martin’s home is currently zoned for Clay schools but he said his son has experienced bullying and threats on school buses and while at Clay Elementary school.
The council denied the zoning request and advised Martin to aggressively take his concerns to the Jefferson County Board of Education.
Matthew Vincent also spoke to the council with zoning issues. According to his complaint, the city needs to establish construction regulations to protect homeowners whose property is damaged by builders.
Vincent said his property on Cedar Creek Road has suffered damage from mud flowing from a home being built on his street. He also said the city roads are being washed out because there are no regulations protecting property owners.
Bradley also introduced a complaint from residents and property owners on Bush Lane. According to the complaint, a homeowner on the road is stockpiling construction debris and conducting noisy work late at night.
Bradley said the public street has also been damaged by the heavy equipment being moved on the road.
“He has ruined the city roads,” Bradley said. “I’ve had the fire chief go out there and look and he sent me a letter saying it’s getting almost impossible for a truck to get in and out of there for emergency situations.”
Mayor pro tempore Dusty Stinson said the council will notify the property owner of the complaint and follow legal means to address the situation.
“We’re going to put them on notice that there’s a nuisance,” said Stinson. “They will have a time to remedy that nuisance.” He said it will first be brought before the council and then would proceed to court if the property is not cleaned in the designated timeframe.
In other business, the council approved an updated plat map for the Grant Crossing development.
The council also approved $1000 for rock and seed blankets to prevent erosion of landscaping at City Hall.
Argo Fire Chief Scott Payne said the department received a total of 54 calls in January. Payne also awarded Lt. Brent Rejonis with the Firefighter of the Year award for the department.
In the nomination submitted by a fellow firefighter, Rejonis was commended for his willingness to fill in where needed and for taking over the EMS software program.
The next regular meeting of the Argo City Council will be Monday, Feb. 27, at Argo City Hall. The agenda will be discussed in a workshop at 5 p.m. and the meeting will immediately follow.