News is a mite slow on this Emerald City Monday morning, but there are nevertheless a couple of important items coming up on tomorrow evening's city council meeting agenda, for which we'd like to provide our readers a heads-up. On Sunday evening, Councilwoman Dorrene Jeske lodged this comment in one of our lower comments sections, which we now incorporate in pertinent part:
For those of you who have not seen the agenda for Tuesday’s Council meeting, there is a public hearing before the Council decides whether to adopt the petition and ordinance that would increase the number of bars/private clubs in the Historic District. Please attend and let us hear from you during the public hearing, at which time you will have five minutes for your presentation.Notable is item 8 on tomorrow's City Council Agenda:
Also give us input on what should be done with the heating systems at Marshall White Center -- it is not operating properly affecting all the programs at the Center especially those that involve the swimming pool.
Thank you.
8. Reports from the Planning Commission:In plain English, item 8 involves an effort on the part of Thaine Fischer, owner of Historic 25th Street's now defunct Star Noodle Parlor, to persuade the council to enact a re-interpretation of the current 25th Street zoning ordinance, (which currently prohibits more than two private clubs or bars within a "lineal block,") to mean that the term "lineal block" would only apply to one side of the street (rather than both sides of the street under current interpretation.)
a. Definition of a Lineal Block. Petition 2008-19 to amend Section 15-2-1 of the Municipal Code for the definition of lineal block and related language for business code 5-3A-1 and 5-3C-8. (Receive public input, deny petition/request ordinance be drawn – voice vote)
The net effect would be to allow Mr. Fischer to open a new 500-patron private club (bar) on the south side of the street.
Mr. Fischer's effort to double the potential number of bars on 25th Street through this proposed ordinance reinterpretation has of course been the subject of considerable discussion here on Weber County Forum in the past. For those readers who'd like to bone up on the facts, we refer you to our January 9, 2009 article on the subject, where you'll also find some good reader comments. Regular readers will also recall that Mr. Fischer's earlier petition to the planning commission, urging the adoption of the same ordinance reinterpretation, has already been rejected by the planning commission. So in truth, Mr. Fischer's agenda item #8 represents an attempt to urge the council to overrule the commission... to take a second "bite of the apple," so to speak.
While we do believe that it's unlikely that the Council would normally act to reverse a negative recommendation of the planning commission, we also recognise that Mr. Fischer is a Friend of Matt (FOM) (Fischer donated $2170 to Godfrey's mayoral campaign in 2007), so it's hard to predict what a couple of the more "wobbly" council members will do.
For those readers who are inclined to advocate the denial of Mr. Fischer's proposed ordinance reinterpretation motion, we urge you to take up Councilwoman Jeske's invitation, attend Tuesday night's council meeting, and let the council hear your opinions on the subject. You can bet your boots that Mr. Fischer will have his own vocal advocates showing up in force.
As for the second issue raised by Councilwoman Jeske, wherein Ms. Jeske seeks input on what should be done with the heating systems at Marshall White Center, we urge our readers to attend the Tuesday meeting and urge the council to do what's necessary to bring the Marshall White Center up to snuff. The MWC serves a great number of disadvantaged citizens of our community. Frankly, we believe the city administration's continuing neglect of this important inner city facility has been and remains a disgrace. "Urge the council to take the necessary funds out of Boss Godfrey's budget," one reader suggested in a comment downthread. Not a bad idea at all, in our opinion. First things first, we say.
For those readers who will be unable to attend attend tomorrow night's meeting for one reason or another, we of course once again provide our handy Ogden City Council Contact Information Link.
You know what to do. Do it NOW. Believe us; your Emerald City legislators are sitting on the edges of their seats, waiting to hear what you, their constuents think.
And what think our gentle readers about all this?
