ALDERMEN NIX EAST MAIN REZONING

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday night unanimously rejected a controversial request to rezone as general commercial a parcel of property along the north side of East Main Street, ignoring a plea by the landowners' lawyer to delay the decision.

Alderman Kerry Hoffman, mayor pro tem in the absence of Mayor Paul Sander, cut off attorney John Lichtenegger's appeal to delay the vote on the land owned by Jack Priest and six others.

"This went through proper channels," Hoffman said. "Now we're going to act on the bill this evening."

Priest operates a business that stores tractor-trailer refrigeration units on his part of the land, a use he says was grandfathered in when the land was annexed. The city questions whether the business was in operation when the annexation occurred.

The board's vote went against the city's Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation for rezoning.

In a letter submitted to the board prior to the meeting, Lichtenegger maintained the vote should be tabled because Planning and Zoning Official Rodney Bollinger had changed his mind and decided to oppose the rezoning after the action taken by P&Z. He said his clients wanted the opportunity to present witnesses and information they didn't bring forth at the public hearing because they thought they had Bollinger's support.

After the meeting, Bollinger declined comment about any change of mind.

"It's irrelevant what Rodney says or I say or you say," City Administrator Steve Wilson said afterward. "All that matters is how the board voted."

The board also unanimously rejected a motion to consider an ordinance to rezone the property owned by Priest et al on both sides of Main Street from R-2 and R-3 to R-3 only.

Alderwoman Val Tuschoff was absent from the meeting, a situation that caused some confusion during one of the votes.

The board also rejected by a vote of 4-3 a request to rezone from R-3 to C-2 land owned by Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Huskey just east of Priest's. Another motion to consider whether a special-use permit should be granted for the land initially was believed to have been defeated because it received only four yes votes. After the meeting, City Attorney David Beeson pointed out to Hoffman that a motion does not require the same five yes votes an ordinance must have to pass.

The ordinance granting the special-use permit for the Huskey land will be voted on at the board's June 20 meeting. It will need five votes for approval.

In other business, the board approved a modification of the Jackson Downtown Parking Plan. The changes in downtown parking will provide additional off-street parking to replace on-street parking to be lost and will begin enforcement of two-hour parking on all downtown streets and merchant lots east of High Street.

Jackson Board of Aldermen Agenda

7:30 p.m. Monday, June 5

City Hall

Action Items

Power and Light Committee

Changed meeting date from Monday, June 19, to Tuesday June 20, at 7:30 p.m.

Authorized interest payment of $10,675 on Jackson Missouri Electric System Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2000, due July 1.

Authorized interest payment of $90,604.73 on Jackson Missouri Electric System Revenue Bonds, Series 2000, due July 1.

Authorized Labor Management Advisory Group to conduct a review and comparison of employee salary and job classifications.

Street Committee

Rejected the rezoning of property situated along the north side of East Main Street from R-2 (single-family residential) and R-3 (general residential) to C-2 (general commercial) as submitted by Edna Hawthorne, John V. Priest, William Francis, Joe Bullinger, Mary Hartje, Pat Tollison and Roy D. Bullinger.

Rejected a motion to consider rezoning the 53.5 acres along East Main Street owned by the above landowners from R-2 and R-3 to R-3 only.

Rejected the rezoning of all the property addressed as 3080 E. Main St. from R-2 to C-2 as submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Huskey.

Approved a motion to grant a special-use permit for the Huskey property.

Authorized Pay Request No. 1 in the amount of $73,707.57 to Lappe Cement Finishing Inc. of Perryville under the 2000 Concrete Street Repair Projects Contract.

Approved the Jackson downtown Parking Plan Modification.