Winslow Commission Votes To Leave Appeal Process Unchanged

By Sam Conner
   Members of the Winslow Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to leave the appeal process for their decisions with the Board of Adjustment. Commissioner Randy Pritchard cast the only dissenting vote on the motion to not recommend passage by the council of an ordinance which would have assigned the appeals process back to the council. Commissioner Elizabeth Campbell was absent and the other commissioners voted in favor of the motion.
   Planner Paul Ferris said that the provision that the council be removed from the appeals process came from an ordinance passed by the council on Jan. 9, 2007. He said that the reason stated was to remove the process from politically elected officials and give it to a “quasi-judicial body,” the Board of Adjustment.
   Prior to the consideration of the ordinance, Kathy Contreras noted that there had recently been a hotly debated issue regarding a conditional use permit. She said that had her side lost, they wanted the appeal to go to elected officials, not appointees.
   Once commission consideration started, Commissioner James Welden said that while he saw justifications for both arguments, he would prefer to keep the appeals from the politically charged body, the city council, and that if they wanted the responsibility back they should have proposed the ordinance.
   Sam Conner said from the audience that the council had been told that the ordinance proposing power was with the planning and zoning commission.
   City Attorney Dale Patton agreed that such was the correct situation.
   The city council may act upon the ordinance, but will have to refuse to accept the commission’s recommendation.
   In other business John Galley complained about restrictions on where people can park vehicles on their property and other matters that he sees as wrong.
   Ferris explained that the Renaissance II project will be delayed until after the Christmas Parade, and that the city will have a tight budget next year.
   Patton explained that there has been a delay in demolition of the Prairie Moon building, but that it is expected to occur next week.