City Council Regular Meeting Minutes

A regular meeting of the Lenox City Council was called to order by Mayor Douglas on January 14, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall with the following council members answering roll call: Bowman, Ramsey, Vogel, Borland and Custer. Staff present was City Administrator, Allison Kitzman, and City Clerk, Dawne Bowman. Other visitors were Amber Reed, Tyson and Steven Brown, Rick Nelson, Nancy West, Marty and Rhonda Green, John Borland, Dan Jordan, Joe Jordan, Galen Goodvin, Marti Cordell, Dan Carruthers, Mark Curtis, Doug Horton, Deputy Pafford and Colleen Larimer.

Bowman made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Custer, all ayes, motion carried.

Borland made a motion to approve 12/10/18 meeting minutes, seconded by Ramsey, all ayes, motion carried. Vogel made a motion to approve the payment of the bills, seconded by Custer, all ayes, motion carried. Borland made a motion to approve December 2018 Clerk Treasurer Report, seconded by Custer, all ayes, motion carried.

At 5:30 PM a Public Hearing was held for the purpose of Amending zoning regulations to add a new B-2 Downtown Business District and Amending Certified City of Lenox Zoning Map. Comments from the public included Marty Green, Nancy West, Amber Reed, Marti Cordell, Tyson Brown and Mark Curtis. Green owns buildings in this affected area and does not believe city government should regulate private property. Green commented that apartments will work on Main Street and businesses may have a better chance surviving if they were on the highway. West added that of the 25 businesses on Main Street, only 3 of them are considered retail businesses. Curtis, owner of Lenox Hardware stated that in this generation people shop on-line versus going to retail stores; however, Lenox Hardware is the only store open on Saturdays. Reed, owner of Rockin Rollers, mentioned that this ordinance is not uncommon and lower level living is not permitted in most downtown areas. Cordell discussed that Main Street gives the community a sense of belonging and as the business owner of New Life Fitness, would like to see the ordinance passed, as business drives traffic to other businesses. Brown added that the heart of a community is Main Street and would like to see codes put in place to keep buildings from deteriorating. At 6:10 PM Borland made a motion to close the Public Hearing, seconded by Bowman, motion carried.

Kitzman discussed the Iowa Retail Initiative class that was recently held in Lenox and attended by Ramsey, Vogel and herself with Main Street retail in small communities being the focus. Ramsey made a conference call to Jim Thompson, with the Iowa Economic Authority to discuss the zoning of Main Street.

Bowman made a motion to approve 1st Reading of Ordinance 383 Amending Zoning Regulations, seconded by Borland. Roll call vote-all ayes, Vogel nay, motion carried.

Bowman made a motion to approve amending Ordinance 384 to extend south boundary to Illinois Street, seconded by Custer. Roll call vote-all ayes, Vogel-nay, motion carried.

Bowman made a motion to approve 1st Reading of Ordinance 384 Amending Certified City of Lenox Zoning Map as amended, seconded by Custer. Roll call vote-all ayes, Vogel-nay, motion carried.

Custer made a motion to approve Tysen Christensen to the Lenox Municipal Board to fill unexpired term ending 5/2022, seconded by Borland, all ayes, motion carried.

Bowman made a motion to approve Fred Haynes to the Low Rent Housing Board to fill unexpired term ending 9/2020, seconded by Ramsey, motion carried.

Custer made a motion to approve Pay Application #15 to CL Carroll for WWTP in the amount of $70,235.69, seconded by Borland, motion carried.

CDBG Draw Request will be on the next agenda.

SRF Draw Request will be on the next agenda.

Custer made a motion to approve 1st Reading Ordinance 378 Amending Parking Regulations, seconded by Bowman. Roll call vote-all ayes, motion carried.

Bowman made a motion to approve 1st Reading Ordinance 379 Amending Outside Parking and Storage of Vehicles, seconded by Ramsey. Roll call vote-all ayes, motion carried.

Deputy Pafford reported for the Sheriff's Department.

Ramsey moved to adjourn the meeting, Custer seconded, all ayes, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:55 P.M.