Yard parking ordinance passes by 3-2 vote

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

The Onaway City Commission met Monday evening and the first item on the agenda was the yard parking ordinance. The ordinance has been on the agenda for several meetings of the commission and after the last meeting the commission asked for revisions to be made to the ordinance and for it to come back for approval.

Public hearings were held at both the planning commission and city commission and no public comment was received on the issue. The ordinance allows for the parking of recreational vehicles in driveways and side/back yards but allows for only one travel trailer or motor home to be parked in a side/back yard.

A resident can keep both a travel trailer and motor home on their property as long as at least one of them is located in the driveway.

Commissioner Bernie Schmeltzer brought up the idea at the last commission meeting that maybe the issue should be presented in the public forum again. City manager Joe Hefele felt that notifying the public through the tax

bill newsletter would be the best. The commission discussed the ordinance and it passed with mayor Wregglesworth, commissioner Chuck Abshagen and commissioner Mel Perkins voting yes. Commissioner Schmeltzer and commissioner Ron Horrocks voted no.

IN OTHER CITY COMMISSION NEWS: ? Manager Hefele, along with department of public works superintendent Clayton Dunn and C2AE conducted the water design kickoff meeting on October 9. During that meeting the discussion of tying into existing services came about. The idea was new one-inch copper line to the property lines and tying into existing private services.

In the central business district some buildings come right up to property lines and existing shutoffs are in the sidewalks. Because the buildings are all on private property neither the Michigan Department of Transportation or United States Department of Agriculture funds will help pay for these services. Hefele recommended, and the commission approved, the city would pay up to $500 in each location, leaving the property owner responsible for any remaining costs. The proposal will be submitted to the engineers.

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