The Winslow City Council met last week to discuss a reconfiguration of the city’s planning and zoning procedures. Following the discussion, the council moved and approved the preparation of an ordinance replacing the planning and zoning commission with a hearing officer. Councilwoman Melissa Nelson was absent.
The conversation began with information from City Manager John Barkley. He said, “Staff is leaning towards a recommendation about eliminating our planning and zoning commission and moving toward a planning and zoning hearing officer. We think this will be more efficient and get subdivision plans and the like to the council and make the process more seamless to applicants. We will be seeing some higher-level development propositions that are going to need that efficiency.”
Winslow City Attorney Trish Stuhan added, “Frankly, we don’t have planning and zoning meetings often. Every town has a general plan that is required by law. We need to pull out that general plan and see what the zoning and goals are for our industrial and residential areas.”
She continued by explaining what that would look like for Winslow. “You could contract with a planning and zoning officer. Following citizen review, planning and zoning projects would then go to the hearing officer. They would listen to the applicant and public comment, and then make recommendations to the council who would then make the ultimate decision.”
A hearing officer will come with a monetary cost attached and will eliminate the need for a resident led commission. Stuhan expects a mid-June completion time for the ordinance that will address the city code for doing away with the commission.
During the call to the public portion of the agenda, business owner Ralph Milholland addressed the council. “I own Mobile Recycling and I would like to let you know that we don’t have a city-wide recycling program here in Winslow. At Mobile Recycling, we hope to change that by placing bins in public spaces to encourage people to put their recyclables into those bins.”
That was followed by a presentation by Waste Management Public Sector Representative Clark Landry who also encouraged recycling in Winslow and reminded citizens that clean plastics, aluminums and glass are eligible to be put in their recycling toters. To find out more about the program, visit the Waste Management website at www.wm.com.
In other business, the council:
* Proclaimed May 11-15 as National Police Week, May 15-21 as Emergency Services Week and May 21 as Kids to Parks Day.
* Heard a status update from Barkley in which he mentioned discussions city administration has been a part of with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) regarding the floodplain and flood insurance relief in light of the fully funded Winslow levee project. No details of the conversation were shared. However, Barkley is optimistic about receiving some relief in flood insurance for property owners.
* Heard the quarterly report from Winslow Police Chief Ken Arend. In his report, Arend explained that the detectives at the Winslow Police Department investigated 31 cases during the first quarter of the year which resulted in 20 arrests. The department remains understaffed, but Arend hopes to remedy that this quarter by bringing on more patrol officers.
* Was informed by Barkley that a strategic or master plan for the development in Winslow should include an extension of Transcon Lane for future economic growth. No action was taken.
* Heard the financial report for the month of March in which citywide revenues were $1.4 million bringing year-to-date totals to $14 million. Citywide expenditures in March were $2.1 million bringing year-to-date totals to $14.1 million.
* Appointed Linda Chambers Lazzarini to the Agriculture Commission until Dec. 31, 2023.
* Approved a permit for Bojo’s Grill, located at 117 W. Second St., for installation of railing for outdoor seating.
The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24, in the Hubbell Building, located at 523 W. Second St.
