Pinedale Roundup Volume 104, Number 46 - November 15, 2007 brought to you online by Pinedale Online Town Council denies Pine Creek Park Estates To the relief of conservationists in town or locals concerned over their lack of flood insurance, the Town Council voted against the Pine Creek Park Estates addition to the Town of Pinedale at the Council meeting on Tuesday. Although no members of the public spoke against the addition at the Council meeting, multiple residents had expressed concern over the development at last week’s Planning and Zoning meeting, with primary objections to the chance that 12 residential lots south of the Boyd Skinner Town Park could augment potential flooding of Pine Creek into nearby properties. Mark Eatinger with Rio Verde Engineering (RVE), representing the addition’s potential developer James Bowles, pointed out that the lots would sit outside a floodplain and pose no threat to adjacent or downstream homes. But Council member Gary Heuck, who voted against the plat, disagreed that the engineering firm could guarantee that safety without a drainage study conducted of the town. Council member Nylla Kunard, who also voted against the plat, confirmed that though flooding has occurred in areas including her back yard in high water years, the town has yet to pinpoint specific drainage issues. “I agree with Gary — drainage in this town is bad, but we don’t know why,” Kunard said. The Council members determined they would prefer considering developments bordering waterways like Pine Creek after the town undergoes such a drainage study, which Town Engineer Eugene Ninnie said he planned to put out for bid soon. The Council also passed a second reading of ordinance 430, creating the definition of “motel.” The ordinance would specify that motels provide independent access to rental units via an adjoining parking lot, and would offer weekly, daily or hourly rental rates. Robert Brito, owner of the Sundance Motel, raised an objection to the stipulation that motels include “onsite” front desk management. He and his wife run the front desk on their own, he said, and don’t have staff to substitute them when they occasionally need to leave town. Instead, they leave a note on their office door with emergency contact information for nearby motels that agree to look after their establishment should customers have any complaints. “There are nine other motels in town like mine that are individually owned,” Brito said, alluding to an unofficial agreement between the businesses to help each other with housekeeping or management when a situation requires it. “On sight management means we can never leave or go on vacation.” Council member David Hohl questioned the responsibility of Brito leaving customers to their own devices without management nearby. “So, if a customer starts having a baby in her room…?” Hohl proposed. “She’ll dial 911,” Brito replied flatly. Mayor Steve Smith acknowledged the difference between a 19-room motel like the Sundance and a massive national chain like Best Western, and the Council agreed to remove “on sight’ before the third reading at the next meeting. In other Town Council news: — The Council passed a second reading of Ordinance 431 defining a “hotel” as a facility with onsite housekeeping, front desk management and custodial services. Under the ordinance, hotels built after Jan. 1, 2008, would be restricted to weekly, daily or hourly rentals, Council members agreed, and hotels operating prior to that date could only offer monthly rates if had already provided them before the creation of the ordinance. The Council also passed a second reading of Ordinance 429 modifying apartment requirements. The ordinance would stipulate that any building with a unit used as an apartment cannot have any units in the same building also used for hotel or motel use. The Council also passed a second reading of Ordinance 428 to annex adjacent Land Split Diamond Development, and the third and final reading of Ordinance 427 of building and development standards for condominiums. — Council members approved North Sky preliminary plat for North Sky Second Filing. Eatinger, who presented the plat, said North Sky wouldn’t request a building permit until a flood plain study was conducted, and he couldn’t estimate how much time the study would require. — The Council approved the preliminary and final plat to split lots 4-5 of the Redstone Seventh addition into two separate lots for individual sale. — The Council approved the preliminary and final plat to split Lot 7 of the Block 10 Hennick Second Addition into two separate houses. — The Council approved an overhang encroachment n the north side of the Summit Building. See The Archives for past articles. Copyright © 2007 Pinedale Roundup All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means must have permission of the Publisher. Pinedale Roundup, PO Box 100, Pinedale, WY 82941 Phone 307-367-2123 editor@pinedaleroundup.com |