The Starkville Board of Aldermen will hold its second public hearing on the possibility of amending the current helmet ordinance at its meeting on Tuesday.
In addition, the board will hold its first public hearing on amending the Zoning Ordinance to include exemptions for non-conforming residential rebuilding requirements, and again will discuss the funding for Carver Drive ditch improvements. On Thursday, during a special-call meeting, the board also approved the painting of the intersection of University Drive and Maxwell Street, which will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today as a result.
The board held its first public hearing on amending the Safety Helmet Ordinance on May 2, where they considered sending the issue to the transportation committee. The current ordinance states that all persons on bicycles or other modes of “alternative transportation” must wear a helmet, but in the proposed amendment, brought forward by Ward 4 Alderman Richard Corey, the ordinance would only apply to persons younger than 16 years old.
The board was split 4-3 two years ago when the current ordinance was passed, and the amended ordinance will likely draw a similar outcome if voted on.
Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas voted in favor of the current ordinance, but said if the proposed amendment came to a vote, he would likely vote against it, noting how tough the ordinance is to enforce without any restrictions already.
“My view is you either have all or nothing,” Dumas said. “I am really torn between, but breaking it down to an age division would only complicate things. I think as it stands now we have issues with enforcement, not on the side of police, but just because it is difficult to enforce this kind of thing.”
Ward 3 Alderman Eric Parker voted against the current ordinance in 2010, but said he was going to support the revision if a vote was called.
“I voted against the helmet ordinance to begin with mainly because I felt like it wasn’t the government’s place to tell me or my kids to wear a helmet,” Parker said. “I would still not rather have it at all, but at this point, anything is better than what we have now.”
The board will also hold its first public hearing to discuss amending the city’s Zoning Ordinance and the Code Of Ordinances. The amendment would include exemptions for non-conforming residential rebuilding requirements. Under the current ordinance, no building damaged to the extent of more than 50 percent of its market value can be repaired or rebuilt if it is in non-conformity with the regulation uses of its zone. Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins will be presenting this proposed amendment, which looks to exempt residential structures despite their non-conformity.
If past meetings are any indication, the board will have a good turnout thanks to the discussion of funding for the Carver Drive drainage ditch improvements. The issue is a heated one, with Perkins and Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn leading the push for improvements. During the citizen comment period at the June 5 meeting, eight residents of the Carver Drive area stood up and voiced their concern about the problems in the area, seven more than spoke on any other issue.
After approving the plans for an $8 million municipal complex, Perkins called for a change of leadership at the June 5 meeting.
“All of a sudden we can get $8 million for a new city hall but not $50,000 for the Carver Drive,” he said. “You may not like the messenger but I don’t care … we need new leadership here in Starkville. We have enough capital improvements right now.”
In other board business, painting will begin today at the intersection of University Drive and Maxwell Street after the board approved the painting in a 3-1 vote. No city funds are being allocated for this project because the landscape architecture department at Mississippi State University is hosting a Studio School Summer Camp, and they will be donating labor and materials. The project is part of an ongoing effort to calm traffic in the area.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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