Council loosens RV parking rules

by Erica Peterson

Dec. 15 special city council meeting

Residents will have more time to park their recreational vehicles at their homes between seasons.

Independence City Council unanimously approved changes to the city’s ordinances regarding the parking of RVs, which include motor homes, campers, boats, snowmobiles and trailers.

Such vehicles are now permitted to be parked at a home for up to 10 days during any consecutive 90-day period “for the purpose of minor maintenance, use preparation or after-use cleanup.” The old rules allowed them to be parked for up to three days a month.

Council member Chris Walchanowicz introduced the measure, saying the three-day window for RV owners to prepare their vehicles for a new season or for winter storage proved challenging.

“We’re just giving them an extra seven days to help that resident not feel like they are under the gun,” he said at a November council caucus.

Council member Tom Narduzzi agreed, saying three days wasn’t enough time to accomplish all that is necessary. “Ten days is not asking for too much,” he said.

Building Official Mike Gero also supported the change, saying the building department routinely extended the three-day requirement out of courtesy.

Sewer department

Council voted 6-1, with council member Dale Veverka dissenting, to approve the 2021 annual appropriations of $25.3 million. The budget does not include money for a new city sewer department. Vice Mayor David Grendel said council members believe more vetting of the idea is needed first.

“In conversations with other members of council, I think we had an uneasy feeling about incorporating the newly created sewer department in next year’s appropriation, at least at this time. It’s a great idea. I don’t think there’s any big opposition to it, but there’s just so many unanswered questions,” he said.

Grendel also said that in light of the pandemic, “I just thought that an increase of $1.5 million in our budget was a little bit too much at this time.”

Mayor Greg Kurtz said he supported the city conducting more analysis of the idea before budgeting money for personnel and the new department. “In early 2021, if we got additional information that we would provide to council through this analysis, we could begin a more robust discussion then,” he said.

Kurtz said an internal sewer department would alleviate the city’s dependence on outside contractors for sewer work.

Veverka said he was “apprehensive” about burdening the city with the “costs of salaries, benefits, equipment, etc. when we are at a time when we really probably should consider stepping back and taking a serious evaluation.”

“The nicest thing about working specifically with a consultant or subcontractor is job done, people gone,” he said. “You don’t have that constant responsibility for those salaries, for those benefits, continued purchase of equipment.”

Chestnut Woods TIF

Council also voted unanimously to approve a TIF agreement for the last phase of the Chestnut Woods residential development.

Economic Development Director Jessica Hyser said that phase includes 12 lots on South Great Oaks Parkway and Acacia Court. “

If we estimate that those homes are in the $500,000 range, the city could probably bring in close to $45,000 a year,” she said at the November caucus.

The homes should be ready for occupancy by fall 2021, she said.

Virtual meeting rules

Council gave first reading to a proposal by council member Jim Trakas to add a section regarding virtual meetings to council’s rules of order.

Since the state has permitted government meetings to be held virtually through at least June, Trakas said council should consider establishing a way to offer audience members the same access to information and public comment virtually as they had at in-person meetings.

“If you go to a public meeting, the legislation that’s being considered is on a table in front of you, and obviously if you are at a virtual meeting, then there’s no table to look at legislation and for the public to have an intelligent understanding of what we are attempting to do and being able to offer public commentary,” he said.

The proposed ordinance requires that all public records provided to the mayor and council members be posted on the city’s website at least 48 hours before the meeting.

It also outlines a procedure for public participation. Council plans to discuss the measure further at its strategic planning meeting.