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Saturday
March 20, 2010 Since 1922 |
MB council denies mobile home code variance
By Kari Griffin
Baytown Sun Published April 10, 2007 The Mont Belvieu City Council heard citizens’ concerns and reviewed current city policies at its meeting Monday.
One of the most discussed items on the agenda was the council’s consideration of writing a variance clause in the city’s Code of Ordinances regarding the standards for manufactured homes on a single-family residential property. As it stands, the ordinance calls for mobile homes to be placed on engineered concrete foundation. Two residents approached council to ask that they reconsider this aspect of the code, explaining that the concrete foundation is unnecessary when securing a mobile home. They informed city council that the structure would be secured by tie-downs and anchors designed to protect the homes from high winds, storms and hurricanes.
In the situation being discussed, the new home was purchased to replace the dilapidated building that previously resided on the lot.
Council members Cecil Parker Jr., Position 4, and Tommy Grimes, Position 5, were in favor of discussing the possibility of amending the ordinance to include a variance, specifically when the instance involves replacing a decaying home with a newer model.
Parker said other mobile home owners might be apprehensive about replacing their current residence with an improved structure if they knew they would be facing these issues and additional expenses.
Council members Mike Pomykal, Position 1, Lydia Schneider, Position 2 and Charlotte Carley, Position 3, were against making an amendment to the ordinance on manufactured home standards, which is based on the Federal Housing Administration’s criteria.
The motion was denied 3-2, with Parker and Grimes voting in favor of and Pomykal, Schneider and Carley opposed to the consideration of a variance.
Another hot topic at Monday’s meeting was the fence for Eagle Pointe Golf Course that council approved in this year’s budget. The plan is to construct a fence around hole 8 in the southeast corner of the golf course.
“We were building it because we have had trouble with 4-wheelers on the grass,” City Administrator Bryan Easum said.
Easum said the course suffers high-dollar damage about once a year and other council members said they have witnessed young adults driving the four-wheelers and golf carts across the grass.
Council previously agreed to build a fence around the specific area of the course that vandals have access to and approached home owners with residences overlooking the southeast section of the course with designs of the split-level concrete barrier that would eventually surround it, Easum said.
William Bowes Sr., one of the five homeowners with a view of the green, expressed his concerns about a concrete fence and ask council to reconsider their choice.
“I’ve made a major investment, not only in the land, but on the house,” Bowes said. “It was the most expensive lot in the subdivision.”
Bowes said he and other residents affected by the fence would prefer that an iron fence be placed around the facility, or no fence at all.
“Why not spend the money for a security system?” Bowes asked.
Council members and Easum said they did not think his view would be obstructed by the fence, but plan to go over the design with Bowes and other residents to see if they can alleviate some of their concerns.
Another item on the agenda was the city’s employee handbook. After a lengthy discussion, council members voted unanimously in favor of increasing the salary of temporary supervisors, setting general office hours from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and allowing members of the Mont Belvieu Fire Department to use their discretion when answering calls while serving as a temporary department head.
Council agreed that qualified individuals with any necessary certification would receive a two grade pay increase, about $2 per hour, beginning on their third day serving in the role of the head of their department. It was also decided that qualified employees would rotate when filing the position. They also decided that when the head of the fire department was absent, the person filling his role would only answer emergency calls.
Baytown Sun Published April 10, 2007 The Mont Belvieu City Council heard citizens’ concerns and reviewed current city policies at its meeting Monday.
One of the most discussed items on the agenda was the council’s consideration of writing a variance clause in the city’s Code of Ordinances regarding the standards for manufactured homes on a single-family residential property. As it stands, the ordinance calls for mobile homes to be placed on engineered concrete foundation. Two residents approached council to ask that they reconsider this aspect of the code, explaining that the concrete foundation is unnecessary when securing a mobile home. They informed city council that the structure would be secured by tie-downs and anchors designed to protect the homes from high winds, storms and hurricanes.
In the situation being discussed, the new home was purchased to replace the dilapidated building that previously resided on the lot.
Council members Cecil Parker Jr., Position 4, and Tommy Grimes, Position 5, were in favor of discussing the possibility of amending the ordinance to include a variance, specifically when the instance involves replacing a decaying home with a newer model.
Parker said other mobile home owners might be apprehensive about replacing their current residence with an improved structure if they knew they would be facing these issues and additional expenses.
Council members Mike Pomykal, Position 1, Lydia Schneider, Position 2 and Charlotte Carley, Position 3, were against making an amendment to the ordinance on manufactured home standards, which is based on the Federal Housing Administration’s criteria.
The motion was denied 3-2, with Parker and Grimes voting in favor of and Pomykal, Schneider and Carley opposed to the consideration of a variance.
Another hot topic at Monday’s meeting was the fence for Eagle Pointe Golf Course that council approved in this year’s budget. The plan is to construct a fence around hole 8 in the southeast corner of the golf course.
“We were building it because we have had trouble with 4-wheelers on the grass,” City Administrator Bryan Easum said.
Easum said the course suffers high-dollar damage about once a year and other council members said they have witnessed young adults driving the four-wheelers and golf carts across the grass.
Council previously agreed to build a fence around the specific area of the course that vandals have access to and approached home owners with residences overlooking the southeast section of the course with designs of the split-level concrete barrier that would eventually surround it, Easum said.
William Bowes Sr., one of the five homeowners with a view of the green, expressed his concerns about a concrete fence and ask council to reconsider their choice.
“I’ve made a major investment, not only in the land, but on the house,” Bowes said. “It was the most expensive lot in the subdivision.”
Bowes said he and other residents affected by the fence would prefer that an iron fence be placed around the facility, or no fence at all.
“Why not spend the money for a security system?” Bowes asked.
Council members and Easum said they did not think his view would be obstructed by the fence, but plan to go over the design with Bowes and other residents to see if they can alleviate some of their concerns.
Another item on the agenda was the city’s employee handbook. After a lengthy discussion, council members voted unanimously in favor of increasing the salary of temporary supervisors, setting general office hours from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and allowing members of the Mont Belvieu Fire Department to use their discretion when answering calls while serving as a temporary department head.
Council agreed that qualified individuals with any necessary certification would receive a two grade pay increase, about $2 per hour, beginning on their third day serving in the role of the head of their department. It was also decided that qualified employees would rotate when filing the position. They also decided that when the head of the fire department was absent, the person filling his role would only answer emergency calls.