A conditional use permit was approved at the Marion City Council meeting Sept. 7 to allow Autumn Hanson to expand her animal grooming business to include the addition of kennels at 435 Forest.
Gary Lewis, chairman of the Planning Commission, said the committee reviewed the zoning laws in place and Hanson?s application met all the requirements.
?The (planning) committee voted to recommend expanding her business,? he said.
Councilor Steve Smith asked Lewis if Hanson established a certain amount of kennels in her application.
Lewis said that nothing was established upfront, but he assured the council that Hanson went above and beyond the requirements by explaining the maximum worst case scenario would be 15 animals at most.
?That would be for one day possibly,? Lewis said, but added that Hanson said that it would be far less than that a majority of the time.
Mayor Mary Olson said she attended the meeting and would recommend approving the permit.
The issuance of a conditional use permit provides the council with a mechanism for ongoing supervision of activities for the specified site regarding the terms of the permit.
Councilors Chris Meierhoff, Smith and Mayor Olson approved the permit. Councilors Jerry Kline and Bill Holdeman were absent.
Night of the Rhino
Marion City Police Josh Whitwell said ?Night of the Rhino? will be held in conjunction with Trick or Treat Main Street Oct. 29 at Central Park.
The event will begin about 4 p.m. and include a costume contest, hot dogs and safety program.
Officials will also be dressed in costume, but many of the details will be announced at a later date.
In addition, Whitwell is planning to do another seatbelt, child safety restraint check in the near future.
?No citations will be issued and child safety seats will be checked,? he said.
The council, in other business:
? approved the appointment of Ruth Herbel to the city planning commission.
? approved the appointment of City Administrator David Mayfield as the liaison information officer with the U.S. Department of Commerce Census Bureau. Acting City Clerk Becky Makovec said a contact person is needed to sign and approve addresses, noting it is important to have someone in place for officials to work with.
? tabled a resolution establishing the Marion Municipal Airport Advisory Board because City Attorney Dan Baldwin, who is also Hillsboro?s city attorney, had overlapping council meetings.
The council also tabled appointments to the marion Municipal Airport Board for the same reason.
? heard from Ruth Herbel who inquired about whether the city holds preconstruction conferences before issuing building permits.
Specifically, she was concerned about streets near the expansion site being torn up from the construction. Herbel noted that while St. Luke Hospital?s expansion is important to the city, she is also concerned about taxpayer expense to repair roadways after the work is completed.
Olson thanked Herbel for bringing this to the council?s attention.
? was asked to determine prices for the auditorium seats removed from the city auditorium.
Economic Development Director Doug Kjellin suggested government or non-profit bulk purchasers of 100 or more could be $15 per seat; Marion business owners or residents buying a few at a time for $20 a chair and one to a few for non-Marion residents at $25 per seat.
Two communities, he said, have considered buying a total of 30 seats.
? heard from Kjellin that he attended a Sesquicentennial meeting Sept. 1. Kjellin said a full slate of events are planned in 2011, culminating on Old Settler?s Day, 2011.
? canceled the executive session for attorney-client privilege because Baldwin could not be present.
? approved the next council meeting to begin at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 21.
