Nuisance properties tie up Peabody city council meeting
Peabody City Council slogged its way through the review hearing process on nuisance properties and inoperable vehicles Monday night without making a great deal of headway.
Only two homeowners met ordinance standards.
Council members had viewed improvements by Joe Plume to his home on Vine Street and they heard city inspector Arlen Gfeller had approved progress by Francis Martinez to her Olive Street home. Pending final notice from Deb Buser, health and safety officer, both homes will be off the nuisance property list.
Darlene Sacks' cleanup efforts have come to a standstill because of health and weather as well as problems along the sewer project route which intercepts her property. Council extended her deadline until October, with interim reviews by Buser.
Tammy Yoder returned to hear the council reverse the ruling it made two weeks ago giving her permission to live in her recreation vehicle at the trailer park on Peabody Street.
After further review of zoning regulations and the ordinance governing mobile homes, council told Yoder it only could do what the ordinance allowed, preventing her from living in the recreation vehicle.
Council was split on the decision with councilmen Steve Rose and Edmund Slocombe voting against strict adherence to the ordinance.
However, council members did all agree that other individuals in similar living conditions would be required to abide by the same ruling.
Mayor Tom Schmidt also noted the ordinance is 26 years old and obviously in need of review.
"Some people live in recreation vehicles year around now," he said. "We need to address this issue and authorize an area where people can park an RV for an extended period of time and live in it.
"Trouble is the revisions will take at least 60 days and that won't help Tammy."
Council will begin addressing changes to the mobile home ordinance and zoning issues at a future meeting. Yoder, meantime, will move to another community that permits living in an RV.
Other individuals who appeared before the council for review hearings were David Beckner and David Blythe.
Beckner said he has made no progress on the repair of an inoperable truck and had no timeline to offer the council. The council unanimously approved an extension until July 25, followed by court proceedings if the situation is not abated.
Blythe is the owner of the former Larry Davis property on Maple Street. He gave council a progress report on improvements he has made to the interior and foundation. He agreed to aim for an Oct. 10 review date.
Blythe said he plans to have the house heated and livable by winter and may either live in it himself or rent the property.
Rafael Menjivar was not present for his review hearing. He will be contacted to be present at the July 25 meeting.
A request for permission to have public access to sewer lagoons for bird watching was denied by council members.
"The area will be fenced," said Mayor Schmidt. "Due to health and safety concerns and liability issues for the city, we are not comfortable with public access to the lagoons."
Council will instruct individuals interested in hunting or bird watching at the lagoons to contact adjoining landowners for permission to use their land.
The city will install no trespassing signs in the area.
In other business the council:
— met with Rosemary Saunders of Reiss and Goodness Engineers and approved disbursements for work on the sewer project to Smoky Hill Construction for $12,745.42, Middlecreek Mining for $93,838.97, and Reiss and Goodness for $2,457. They received daily progress reports on the sewer project.
— heard also all paper work has been done regarding boring under Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail bed and work can proceed.
— heard that citizen surveys sent out with water bills are being returned at a steady pace.
— agreed to hire Liquid Engineering to clean the water tower, but not a long term cleaning and maintenance contract.
— will get bids for irrigation wells in city park.
— asked city administrator Jeff Benbrook to find out when Inland Paving will begin work in Peabody.
— gave permission for property owners at 611 Chestnut Street to drill a well for irrigation.
— agreed to pay a bill to Kansas Electric for repairs in January at the home of Brice Foth on Locust Street. No police report was filed when a truck accidentally pulled Foth's electrical service from his house during the January ice storm. Without one, he has been unable to collect for the damage from his insurance company.
— approved ordinance 11-2005 regarding horseback riding in the city limits.
— heard first reading of ordinance 12-2005 Atmos Energy franchise agreement.
— heard that Benbrook met with some Peabody swim team parents about the team's responsibility to the city pool.
— heard the city attorney is reviewing new regulations regarding retail liquor stores and Sunday liquor sales. The state has removed previous statutes regulating these issues and has left restrictions up to individual cities.
