Basement apartments lead agenda at Millville zoning meeting

By Jessica Allen

January 23, 2009 | MILLVILLE -- Basement apartments, trees, corner lots and sprinkler systems were discussed by the Zoning Commission Thursday.

Basement apartments were the first item under discussion as the question on why there were so many ordinances and regulations for them were in order. The commission explained that the city doesn't want people coming in and buying a lot of homes and then turning them all into apartments, and that was why many of the regulations were in place.

Trees and the approval of certain ones came into discussion during the meeting as how some owners when they plant them are not aware of the fact that they may be on city land and may have to be dug up later on. Some solutions were brought up on this though as if it is a sidewalk the city is putting there that they could split it and go around the tree, creating a circle around it. A diagram was discussed to be included with the ordnances for people to have a better idea of what they meant.

Harry Meadows, city planner, joked that the when other people looked their diagrams their reaction would be somewhere along the lines of "that hick town has to have a drawing with their ordinances."

Bonnie Farmer, a planning commissioner, brought up sprinkler systems and it was decided to strike having the city put them in to water the city grass.

Jim Hart, a planning commissioner, said that "if you go to tear up a strip and have a sprinkler system there they city will have to pay for it."

Other items that were on the agenda were moved to the next meeting, including sign and maintenance ordinances to be discussed Feb. 12.

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