Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Tonight's Planning and Zoning Board Meeting (1/4/12)

Click here for live stream.  I listened to a long presentation on the potential for urban agriculture - which included discussion about agriculture in the Park of Commerce - including egg production.  Mr. Waters pointed out that the city really didn't own land in the Park of Commerce, so it might be costly to assemble.  Bees were discussed and Commissioner Jennings commented that bees are regulated by the state and permitted through state inspections.  Any local legislation would require to mirror the state legislation.  She also said that the city should be careful not to stress curb appeal if urban agriculture is allowed - that it would provide a disincentive for people to do this.  She said that it still shouldn't look like a debris field.  She acknowledged that "some people, in some areas" are sensitive to this.  This study is on-going and Mr. Waters stressed that the first priority should be to get the LDRs complete - which are now four months behind.  In my mind, it is more like 7 years.

The other item on their agenda (I guess, see below) is related to a request from MV Transit for vehicle storage on a property off of Barnett Drive.  This is the third time the applicant has been back to the board and each time has not provided some needed information.  Listening to what is going on, it sounds like that lack mostly falls on the applicant themselves.  There are other nearby property owners that are concerned about increased traffic and the interaction with traffic already generated by the middle school.

I am still listening now (7:23 p.m.) and decided to check out the agenda on-line.  It isn't there.  Here are two screen grabs from the city's website:

I was interested in the selection of chair for this year.  Ms. Mahoney is running the meeting now.  I don't know if it has been dealt with yet or not, due to lack of an available agenda.  From various comments, I can imply that the former officers - not sure who is Vice-Chair - have been re-elected.