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Mountainboro zoning plan addressed
Published January 16, 2010
The Boaz City Council held a public hearing on the zoning of the former Mountainboro community during a meeting Monday night at Boaz Senior Center.
Two residents expressed concern about increased property taxes because their residential property would be zoned in a business district under the proposed map.
According to the Etowah County Revenue Commission, the zoning designation does not affect property taxes, only the property’s use does. Property used for farm, forest and owner-occupied residences are assessed at 10 percent, no matter what the zoning is.
The council plans to vote on the zoning map Jan. 25. Any new zoning map, when approved by the council, will only affect future use of properties. Businesses and residents in Mountainboro before the plan is approved will be “grandfathered,” meaning properties can continue under their current use.
In December, the Boaz Planning Commission unanimously recommended a map to zone Mountainboro, which was officially annexed into the Boaz city limits on Aug. 14.
In other business during Monday’s meeting:
• The council adopted a resolution renewing the city’s household garbage collection contract with Advanced Disposal for three more years after the current contract expires Feb. 1. The price for residents now is $11.50 per month. The new rate will depend on the Consumer Price Index at the end of January, but officials do not expect any significant increase. Personnel/Purchasing Director Hoyle L. Hayes said if there is an increase, it would likely be 50 cents or less.
“We just have to wait on the figures for January,” he said.
• The council awarded the bid for 24 Taser X26s to Gulf States Distributors, of Montgomery, for $19,318.80, or $804.95 each. Police Chief Terry Davis said an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant will pay for all the Tasers.
“It will give every arrest-powered officer a Taser of their own,” Davis said.
• Eris Putnam said she experienced two break-ins on her property in December and told the council and mayor, “We are very, very short of policemen and firemen. There are a lot of break-ins and just not enough help.”
Mayor Tim Walker said, “I don’t know that we’re that short,” adding the police department will return to four officers per shift when two personnel at academy training graduate in April.
Chief Davis said Thursday, “I don’t think you can ever have enough officers, but I think if you had a 100 you still couldn’t stop some of the break-ins.”
Davis said the department needs an extra investigator due to a rise in caseload, and adding additional patrol officers would allow him to saturate neighborhoods hit more frequently by break-ins.
• Boaz City Hall and all departments, except police and fire, will be closed Monday in observance of Robert E. Lee/Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Next meeting
• What: Boaz City Council
• When: Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.
• Where: Boaz Senior Center
• Contact: 593-8105
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