New zoning plan approved

By MARTY FINLEY

mfinley@thenewsenterprise.com

ELIZABETHTOWN — City Council members upgraded Elizabethtown's zoning ordinance, effectively revoking a previous ordinance that was passed in 1984. The ordinance creates new residential zones — upgrading the three previous residential zones to six zones — and creates districts called planned neighborhood districts, which offer developers flexibility in their creativity and design if they follow city suggestions, such as building wider sidewalks or implementing a park.

The ordinance also changes requirements related to the number of parking spaces at large lots.

The ordinance also addresses temporary signage and gives the city the right to issue tickets and fines for those who attempt to leave signs up for long periods of time.

Councilman Willie Wood voted against the ordinance. He had a problem with the temporary signage parameters because he felt they were too rigid and do not leave enough flexibility for businesses that may have banners or other items that would be construed as temporary signage under the ordinance, he said.

Despite his disapproval, the ordinance passed 5-1.

In conjunction with the new zoning ordinance, the council passed ordinances approving increases in zoning fines and fees.

The cost of nuisance-ordinance violations was raised across the board, and so were property maintenance code violations.

The fees, such as sign installation fees and neighborhood district fees had not been increased for about five years and did not meet standards determined by the city, City Planning Director Ed Poppe said last week.

Marty Finley can be reached at (270) 505-1762.