HIGHFILL — Mayor Chris Holland requested that the town council, at its July 16 meeting, revisit its ordinance regarding trailer houses within city limits in conjunction with its ordinances on subdivisions to make it possible for a potential buyer to purchase property in the town and place a trailer house on it.
According to Mayor Holland, a potential buyer wanted to purchase 1.6 acres of land within the town and put a trailer house on it. Current ordinance requires a minimum of two acres per mobile home - it was recently reduced from a five-acre minimum.
The original ordinance was adopted to prevent a propertyowner from subdividing land and putting in multiple trailers or a trailer park at a location which doesn't fit with the town's planning and zoning goals, Mayor Holland said.
The subdivision ordinance is stronger and already regulates trailer parks, according to Mayor Holland and fire marshal and building inspector Rob Holland.
"We can zone where trailer parks are allowed," Mayor Holland said.
Mayor Holland asked if there was any way a variance could be granted so the potential buyer could purchase the land and place a mobile home on it, and the town's attorney, Steve Miller, said a variance really couldn't be granted under such circumstances.
A suggestion was made bythe mayor to reduce the land requirement to one acre, but a number of council members were opposed to any hasty action on the idea and suggested the existing ordinances be studied more carefully and the matter first be brought before the planning and zoning commission and then back to the council.
In other business, the council approved a 35 mph speed limitfor portions of Peterson, Digby and Hendrix Roads. The measure was passed with rules suspended and on three readings with a single vote. An emergency clause, also passed, made the ordinance take effect immediately.
The council also closed some platted streets and alleys which had never been opened - one of which passed through a structure.
Community, Pages 7 on 07/29/2009