Hillsboro to set hearing for liquor zoning

After a discussion with the city?s planning consultant and representatives from the Plan?ning and Zoning Commission at its Aug. 7 meeting, the Hillsboro City Council directed the commission to conduct a public hearing about zoning regulations regarding liquor by the drink.

Zoning consultant John Riggs said state and county statutes allow liquor by the drink, but cities have the authority to regulate the location of such establishments through zoning.

?You can control it, but you do have to allow it,? Riggs said.

Craig Roble, Planning Com?mission chair, said commission members think the majority of local citizens do not want to see liquor by the drink implemented in town. At the same time, he added, commission members ?don?t want to stop the growth of the city.?

As a result, Roble said the commission has hesitated to develop zoning regulations without some direction from the council, which ultimately would approve or disapprove any recommendation the commission would make.

Roble said the commission had discussed allowing liquor by the drink in designated commercial zones, which would include Hillsboro Heights, an area along the 800 block of D Street, and the downtown business district.

Other business

In other business, the council:

  • set 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, for a public hearing to review the proposed 2008 city budget. The proposed tax rate for 2008 is 40.984 mills, compared to 41.053 in 2007.

  • heard the mayor say it will be necessary to relocate the city compost pile since the land currently designated for that has been sold to Tabor College..

  • approved a common pay agreement to share the salary of Clint Seibel, newly appointed executive director of Hillsboro Development Corp. and Hills?boro Ventures Inc.

    Twenty-seven percent of Seibel?s salary will come from the city?s 1 mill assessment for economic development, while HDC and HVI will split the remaining 73 percent.

  • approved a resolution setting 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, as the time for a public hearing regarding tax exemption requested by Flint Hills Indus?tries Inc., doing business as Hillsboro Industries, for a 22,500-square-foot addition to its plant along Industrial Road. The cost of the project was stated as being ?$500,000 plus.?

  • agreed to hold a public hearing at the Aug. 21 meeting about proceeding with an application to help fund a $420,000 waterline-replacement project along Cedar and Birch streets with a Community Development Block Grant.

    A similar application was turned down a year ago.

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