Council delays action on chickens, raises for the next council members, mayor
Councilman Roland Williams, left, and City Attorney Tim Butler review documents prior to the start of the Bardstown City Council’s meeting Tuesday evening.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 — The Bardstown City Council took no action at its meeting Tuesday night on a proposal to raise the mayor and council’s salary. The council also delayed taking action on a proposal to allow city residents to raise a limited number of chickens.
The council was short two members — Councilmen Bill Sheckles and Dones could not attend the meeting.
Councilwoman Kecia Copeland asked Mayor Dick Heaton if the ordinance regarding chickens could be tabled because she wanted the entire council to have an opportunity to participate in the discussions.
Heaton agreed to her request, and suggested the discussion about pay for the council and mayor also be delayed so the entire council could consider it.
However the council and mayor’s salary change is facing a deadline.
State law requires that changes to the salaries of a city council and mayor can only prior to the first Monday in May of an election year.
This year that date is Monday, May 7. In order to meet the deadline, the council will hold a special-called meeting on Monday, April 30, for first reading of an ordinance to make the changes and give final approval at the council’s Tuesday, May 1 meeting.
If the council approves changes to the council and mayor’s salaries, those changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
CHICKEN ORDINANCE. The draft ordinance that will allow city residents to raise chickens does not face the same sort of deadline as the pay issue, but the council will consider it at an upcoming regular meeting.
The draft ordinance only allows chickens to be raised on property used for single-family homes. The ordinance prohibits raising chickens on property that is used for commercial or industrial uses, as well as two-family, multi-family residential, townhouses or mobile homes. The ordinance also excludes raising chickens in the city’s historic district.
The ordinance requires those who wish to raise chickens to obtain a city permit at a cost of $100 per year. The permit allows residents to raise up to six mature hens and six chicks, and requires coops to provide at least 16 square feet per chicken. Coops cannot be located closer than 15 feet to an adjoining residential property, or closer than 25 feet to an adjoining home.
The ordinance will likely be scheduled for discussion and first reading at the May 1, 2018 city council meeting.
HRB CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS. The council approved the following certificates of appropriateness recommendations from the Historic Review Board:
COA-18-44. Carey Sign Company, applicant, Danielle Goss, owner. Approved request to install signage 8 Old Bloomfield Road.
COA-18-46. Edelen Signs, applicant, Barbara Mattingly, owner. Approved request to install signage at 107 East Flaget Street.
COA-18-47. Edelen Signs, applicant, Pat Harman, owner. Approved request to install signage at 212 North 3rd St.
COA-18-40. Drew Kulsveen, applicant/owner. Approved request to install a new roof on the solarium at 216 West Flaget St.
COA-18-41. Clear Properties LLC, applicant/owner. Approved request to install an AC unit at 112 West Flaget St.
COA-18-42. Clear Properties LLC, applicant /owner. Approved request to install a new roof at 112 West Flaget St.
COA-18-43. Clear Properties LLC, applicant/owner. Approved request to paint the building, trim, windows, and doors at 112 West Flaget St.
In other business, the council:
— approved first reading of changes to the city’s Outdoor Cafe ordinance. Heaton explained the ordinance is being updated to remove the connection of food service with an establishment’s ability to obtain a city license serve alcohol, which was once the case in Bardstown.
— heard from Heaton that Bardstown and Nelson County had been named one of the Top 10 Micropolitans by Site Selection magazine. The magazine ranks communities and states by the number of industry and business projects they have as well as they size of the financial investment.
— heard from the mayor that a request for proposals to modify the building on the former Newcomb property the city is buying is being prepared.
— heard a reminder that the city is hosting the KBC-LEO spring summit this weekend.
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