Staff writer
Peabody City Council approved a recommendation from Peabody planning and zoning board to adopt the 2006 International Existing Building ordinance and the 2006 International Building code.
Adoption of the 2006 building codes is important to the community because this will be the first time the codes enforce requirements and are monitored in a historic district when upgrades and renovations occur.
Building owners must meet code requirements if they make upgrades or changes to structures.
Existing buildings are grandfathered-in and are not required to meet the codes unless changes are made to the structures.
New construction must meet code requirements.
The codes demand compliance for wiring, plumbing, heating, and other construction or remodeling areas.
More information about permits, code requirements, inspections, and enforcement is available at the city office.
In other business:
- An ordinance was approved to amend court costs, penalties, and fees for the city. Council members also adopted the Standard Traffic Ordinance and the Uniform Public Offense Code.
- Mayor Larry Larsen recommended and the council approved three appointments to the planning and zoning board to fill vacancies. Morgan Marler and Stephanie Pratt each will fill a term that expires April 30, 2013 and Beth Peter will fill a term that expires April 30, 2011.
- Police Chief Bruce Burke will attend a four-hour training session Oct. 14 in Wichita about money laundering and financial investigations. There is no charge for the training.
- Justin Weerts was introduced as a new police officer.
- Burke was asked to contact the city attorney for an opinion on tougher curfew regulations for Halloween because of damage that occurred in 2009.
- The city pool will be open Labor Day weekend and then close for the season. Peter will present a final report Sept. 27 with recommendations for hours of operation in 2011.
- The council received an anonymous letter pointing out several blind spots at intersections where students cross to get to school. The writer asked the city to contact homeowners to trim shrubs, trees, and bushes. Administrator Mac Manning was instructed to work with compliance officer Tammy Whiteside to send letters to people who need to trim vegetation near streets.
- The city will pay $473 toward the installation of ribbon curb at the city park to hold new safe-fall material under park equipment. Peabody Quilt Project and Partners of Peabody Parks will share the remainder of the cost, which is $1,419.
- The request by Biker Bistro for a cereal malt beverage license was approved.
- Councilman Tom Schmidt announced pipe was installed for a drip irrigation system in the “teardrop” area of the city park just inside the main gate. The ground will be tilled and a concrete pad poured to accommodate an iron bench and planter purchased from the Don Gillet memorial fund. Ground cover and stepping-stones will be added.
- Public Works Director Darren Pickens told the council that large culverts had been purchased for the road to the sewer ponds because the culverts installed at the time the sewer ponds were built do not accommodate water from heavy rains. The water washes over the road and carries the gravel into the crop fields, making it nearly impossible to retrieve. The new culverts will go in as soon as the corn crop is harvested.
- Pickens also reported Kansas Rural Water Association had sent representatives to Peabody to begin mapping fire hydrants, valves, manholes, and water meters for global positioning. The city hopes the mapping can identify some of those items that may have been abandoned and long forgotten, but might now be causing some of the city’s water quality problems.
- Shane Marler presented the August report for Peabody Main Street and Peabody Economic Development. He encouraged council members to attend a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to hear Tony Krsnich discuss tax credits, TIF districts, and other funding options for the Baker buildings. Krsnich is the developer who is purchasing the buildings.
- Marler said Rich Holm would be completing exterior painting on the American Legion Building soon. The next phase of that renovation will include replacement windows for the second story.
- Manning said he has been meeting with Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives in an effort to obtain funding for damage from the June flood. He began paper work on the city claims Tuesday afternoon.