2003-11-17 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Session 1901 November 17, 2003 regulations so as to balance business needs against residential quiet. Mr. Munkel said that this business operated for 24-hours for a number of years before it was noted that it did not meet the City statute. It meets the requirements on all sides of its property, but one, and there is a parking lot between the business and the nearest residence, even though it is not a distance of 100 feet. Since he received numerous letters from residents when the business was closed, stating there was no reason for it to close, and he did not receive any letters applauding its closure, he asserted there is an economic issue now to be considered. Another 24-hour laundromat was approved to open just down the street, so he favors granting the variance because the business meets all requirements, but one. Mr. Wagner deferred to Mr. Munkel, but said he hesitates to change the Ordinance. He asked if there was another method of approaching this issue without amending the Ordinance, and Mr. Ollendorff said the Ordinance would need to be amended to grant an exception or the condition would need to be changed or deleted, because they are set by law. Mr. Wagner reiterated that he wants to make an exception without changing the Ordinance. Mr. Sharpe asked Mr. Ollednorff if the people to the south of the business had been surveyed to determine their feelings about the laundromat remaining open for 24 hours, and Mr. Ollendorff said that a petition included some neighbors who were in favor of the business remaining open. Then Mr. Sharpe asked if there had been an outcry from neighbors demanding the closure of this business? Mr. Ollendorff responded that there had not been one, and he doubted if people knew the issue was on the agenda for this evening; he was not aware of opposition. Mr. Lieberman suggested a way to amend the Ordinance: keep the 100-foot restriction, but allow waivers if and when the residences within the 100-foot distance sign up on a two-thirds basis as not objecting. Mr. Ollendorff advised that Council can write this up any way they see fit, and Mr. Lieberman's suggestion is one way of doing it, but the Ordinance cannot be ignored; it must be amended. Mr. Wagner affirmed Mr. Lieberman's suggestion, and asked Mr. Ollendorff to draw up a new bill following this suggestion, but retaining the 100-foot limit and offering waivers. CITIZEN'S COMMENTS Richard Dockett, 6844 Crest Avenue, posed a question about Chief Lee Payne, asking why he had not addressed the Third Ward Coalition about the number of people cited for loitering in the street, as requested August 19, 2003, and on September 29, 2003, when he attended the City Council Meetings. He has yet to receive this information and asked what it will take to obtain it? He cited his participation in a number of citizen's groups and his position as a representative of the Third Ward. He said the citizens on Blackberry Avenue are concerned about the loitering in the street, especially at Christ the King School, which had to change school dismissal hours due to the loitering Page 5