Very Few Empty Buildings Left On Square: Sue Patrick

In the absence of Chairman James Barrett, Vice Chair Walter Alexander called the meeting of the Woodbury Planning Commission into session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the meeting room of City Hall. Those present were Mayor Harold Patrick, members Sue Patrick, Dottie Duggin and Walter Alexander.

Alexander called for the approval of the last meetings minutes which had been placed at the table before the meeting. Sue Patrick made a motion that the minutes be approved; it was seconded by Duggin and all voted aye.

The mayor updated the commission by telling them about the beer board meeting where a new business, the Scoreboard Restaurant, was scheduled to open in October. At the beer board meeting last week the mayor had asked that the voting process be deferred until a later meeting so that all members could be present to interject their opinions and then vote on the matter.

Mayor Patrick also told the Planning Commission that Woodbury Fire Department was still in the running for the Stimulus Money from the federal government to build a new fire hall.

Sue Patrick addressed the commission and updated them on two new businesses on the Public Square. There is a new Children’s Shop and an Antique store up and running. There are very few building left empty on the square now, she reports.

Les Gilley asked to address the board about his property on Lehman Street which abuts up to another property where they share a carport. Evidently Gilley has been paying taxes on this property all along but did not own it. The neighbor does not want the claim the property; she wants to build her own carport.

The problem is the city is trying to help them come to some agreement without having to redo the plat. They recommended a “quit claim” for the two homeowners that would say that the woman doesn’t want it and the man can have it.

But in order for her to build a carport the city has certain codes and that is that there has to be a certain amount of feet between buildings away from property lines. And something needs to be in writing so that if the property is ever sold there are no oral agreements that will cause problems to any new owner.

A landowner wanted to put a water tap on the property that he owns, but does not want to build until sometime in the future. The question was to the commission; will he have to buy a building permit in order to buy the tap. Director Alan Paschal says he does not; any person who has water available to his land can pay for the tap and have it set.

Building permits are now $3.50 cents on the 100 dollar estimation of how much the materials cost. Two hundred and fifty dollars still goes for inspector fees. People building garages or buildings attached to a garage or an extension to their house have to get a permit.

Donald Preston, tax assessor for the county, asked that the city send him information on whom and where permits are sold so he can have a record of the building improvement to the property. The Mayor said he would get him a copy as soon as one was issued.

Having no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.