Last night the city council approved the creation of a wetlands ordinance for the city despite major disagreement lingering as to whether or not this will help or harm local wetland areas. James Dostal and Ray "Ish" LaBarge cast the two dissenting votes. Clearly, the ordinance is designed to encourage infill development in centrally located areas and this doesn’t bode well for preserving our existing urban green patches downtown depending on how the ordinance is interpreted by appointed officials. It remains to be seen whose perspective the local media will emphasize in an attempt to frame the issue and influence public opinion.
In another municipal development, several residents have initiated an idea for the city to consider, that is, crafting a "best practices" ordinance or policy or resolution or act or what have you.
Citing as impetus the Hilton Garden Inn planning process, which has resulted in two separate lawsuits against the city, residents asked the council to put in place some sort of precise rules that will not allow such debacles to occur in the future. A late file that councilors did not receive until the meeting due to an error in the mayor’s office, several councilors seemed stunned and confused as to how best to proceed with the impromptu initiative. They delayed action and tabled the matter until their next meeting in order to review what is so far a slightly ambiguous proposal. Seems like a good idea though, one the public should involve itself in if it moves forward.
