Trimble board passes rezoning request fee, addresses junk cars

Roger Page is asking that the old Billy Boy garment factory, in downtown Trimble, be commercially rezoned. This is the first rezoning request in Trimble in 19 years.

The mayor and all the board members were present, except for Raymond Ballard.

The issue was an application by Roger Page to have the property of the old Billy Boy garment factory commercially rezoned.

This is the first time a rezoning request has happened in the town in 19 years.

The property lies between Pierce and Mitchell Street in downtown Trimble.

Page was absent from the meeting, as he was from last month's meeting.

Mayor James Davis provided a copy of the application to the board.

Davis notified the board that the application was incomplete.

One missing component was the statement of justification, as well as a few more things.

The board has already voted to turn the application over to the planning and zoning board.

The application fee still needed to be worked out among the board.

"The board has to set a fee," said Davis. "That's what I need you all to do."

Trimble City Administrator David Norsworthy showed the board copies of fee prices that other cities have adopted.

Alderman Jody Hinson asked if this needed to be set tonight without knowing what towns like Newbern or Obion have set.

"That's the thing, you don't know how much is going to be involved in any rezoning request," said Norsworthy. "You're going to have to have public hearings and different things for any rezoning request. There's quite a bit of work involved in getting something rezoned."

Davis agreed saying that an advertisement must be run in the paper and certified letters must be sent out to the residents to notify them of a public hearing.

"It may be in place that the person asking for the rezoning may be responsible for it also," said Norsworthy. "And not the city paying for the public hearing and for the notice in the paper. If the city attorney has to get involved in it ... you could get into some money real quick with rezoning issues and that's why those fees are out there."

Alderman Matt Stafford said if it costs $200 in Jackson then he didn't see why Trimble should charge anymore than that.

Alderman Jody Hinson said he was thinking $100 as a fee, but they could split the difference.

Norsworthy said the fee could be set now and changed at a later date.

Alderman Steven Parker said there was no way that $200 would cover lawyer's fees.

Norsworthy said there might not be any lawyer's fees. He also stated the fee would go toward people on the zoning committee to take an eight-hour course.

"That's what that's for, to help generate the fees to do all that stuff," said Norsworthy.

Stafford said $200 would not cover the cost of the zoning committee going to class, unless several people were asking for rezoning.

"You're not talking about enough revenue generated to cover anything that we would have to cover," said Stafford.

Parker stated he thought the board should start out with a low fee and possibly change it if they needed to.

Stafford then made the motion to set the application fee at $150. The motion carried unanimously.

The application will now go to the board of planning and zoning.

However, they are expected to reject it since it is not completed.

Next, Stafford complimented the new swing set at the community center.

Alderwoman Darlene Biggers stated she had complaints of big dogs running loose on Wagner, Church and Mulberry Street.

Davis revisited Biggers' complaints from last month's meeting. First, he recalled Biggers' complaint of the crossing guard not getting out of a vehicle to help children cross the street.

Davis said he spent nine days from 2:30-3:30 p.m., at different locations investigating the matter. He reported that the crossing guard got out of the car for a girl in a wheelchair for six days, one other time for two children and another time for one child. The remainder of the time no children were present needing to walk across the street.

The next issue was about old cars in residents' yards that Biggers had brought up last month. Davis said he researched the ordinance and there are 21 cars sitting in yards in different places throughout town that would be considered junk. The ordinance states the vehicle must be moved a certain distance every 72 hours.

Davis said they are in the process of rewriting the ordinance.

"There's a few of them that haven't been moved in 72 hours," said Biggers.

Davis said somebody would have to mark the tires to see if they have been moved. He also stated if they started marking tires they would have to get all of the vehicles and not just pick and choose. Davis said the board could agree to that action or wait on the new ordinance that will be stronger.

Parker asked if the new ordinance is written, are people going to have to move their cars.

"These are cars that don't work and are sitting up on blocks," said Biggers. "And it's almost caused wrecks at one place. Because it's right on the side of the road, but it's considered their yard I guess."

Davis asked where the car was sitting by the road. Biggers said it was by her house and has been sitting there for four years with some of the wheels gone.

"We're having this town-cleanup and we want our town to look good," said Biggers. "The town is not going to look good if these old cars are sitting on the side of the road."

Parker said the board would run into problems and he agreed that the cars by the road and on blocks should be moved.

Trimble Police Chief Donna Faulkner said she has used the current ordinance in a previous case and the owner had to call a junk man to come get the cars.

Parker said that if a car is on the road then it is unsafe, but if the car is in a backyard it poses a different problem.

"An eyesore to me, may not be an eyesore to you," said Parker. "So, you got to be careful. ... I don't think you can go in somebody's yard, that's my personal opinion, but the law may say different."

Faulkner said the ordinance states that law enforcement can go on private property in regard to the vehicles.

Parker said he agreed that the car by Biggers' house should be removed, but only as a safety issue.

"I think safety ought to be your main thing and not appearance," said Parker.

Biggers said the car is not in her yard, but she doesn't like coming out of her house and looking at the car on blocks.

Hinson said if Biggers felt like it was a safety hazard then it is a problem.

Davis said Faulkner would take care of the car first thing Tuesday morning.

Other items mentioned during the meeting were:

* The Day in the Park is canceled due to poor participation. "I guess it's canceled," said Biggers. "Nobody wanted to get involved."

* The community center has a new generator purchased with grant money.

* Davis said with the playground equipment, new dishwasher and hand sink for the community center, he only went over budget by $11.94.

* Davis stated the Meals on Wheels program at the community center is going well and Biggers said she got a good comment about it.