Marion council denies parking for semi-truck

After weeks of discussing the issue, the Marion City Council Monday apparently disapproved of allowing Kevin Steele to park semi-truck trailers on his land.

A motion to allow it made by Councilor Gene Winkler died for lack of a second.

Steele had gone through steps of getting his neighbors to agree to use of land zoned residential on the west end of town away from most development. He said it would be difficult for him to sell his properties in Marion to move to where he could park his truck.

He said he hauls mostly grain from cooperative elevators to destinations such as feedlots.

Winkler had moved that Steele be billed an annual fee of $25 for a yearly permit renewal, and that a clause be written?to the approval by City Attorney Dan Baldwin?that no trailers having hauled hazardous or noxious materials be allowed.

Councilor Bill Holdeman said during later discussion that he only objected to the trucking ordinance because of the fee charged. He said Steele shouldn?t be charged any more than his annual property tax to freely use his own property.

Mayor Mary Olson, apparently on the opposite side of the issue, said constituents have been contacting her objecting to any truck parking in town, therefore persuading her to not allow Steele to park.

Margo Yates, chamber of commerce representative, suggested Steele be allowed to apply for a conditional use permit through planning and zoning. She said that would allow area residents to write opinions without being known to Steele if that bothered them.

Baldwin said the planning and zoning code could be changed to allow it, ?but that would be quite a process in itself.?

Steele said he has been parking on property owned by Darrell Brewer, but would not be able to continue to do so unless it is greatly improved for wet or icy conditions.

Holdeman said, ?We?re just treating truck drivers like trash.?

In a public hearing on Country Club Heights improvements prior to the regular Council meeting, Roger Schwab protested the city doing any street construction without charging assessments to residents there. He said if the city was to make improvements free, then his neighborhood on South Roosevelt deserved the same treatment.

Margie Lundy, who said she had driven from her residence in Kansas City for the hearing because she owns a lot in Country Club Heights, asked that the city be amenable to helping developers with street developments ?so the city can grow.?

She said Country Club residents were promised a street when the addition had at least four houses built.

Councilor Stacey Collett said as far as he was concerned that promise was filled by the gravel road in use now.

Olson said she was of the same opinion.

Winkler pointed out that an ordinance has already been written for Country Club Drive to be black-topped, and the only issue is ?just who will pay for it.?

Holdeman said, ?It?s just something we need to straighten up. We?ve wasted a lot of time on it.?

Olson said she would favor the city paying only the $20,000 on one side of the street, and assessing the residents their $81,000 share for Country Club Drive and the affiliate street of Fairway Drive.

She moved to do so, and upon second by Councilor Jerry Kline, the Council voted to do so 5-0.

The Council accepted a bid from Pilsen State Bank for a lease purchase agreement of $254,519 at 5.1 percent, based on 30 years amortization for five years, on a building at the industrial park to house Arlies Inc., a body shop business.

The councilor then, by a second vote of 5-0, with Olsen asking that a clause on disposing of defective material be clarified, approved of Hett Construction producing the building.

The councilor also approved a bid of $31,600 by Middle Creek Mining to construct 427 feet of linear sewer line on the south side of Batt Industrial Park over a bid of $37,483 from Hett Con?struction.

Street Superintendent Marty Fredrickson said sewer line replacement will be needed eventually in the Jex Addition where a line is exposed to the surface in a parking area.

The councilor voted 4-1, Holdeman against, to allow Economic Development Director Jamie Williams? job description to include promotion of businesses on the Internet.

Williams said a $200,000 safe routes to school state grant has been approved, plus sufficient surveys were returned to allow the city to apply for $400,000 in community block development grant funds.

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