Nelson advises SV on zoning
SPRING VALLEY — When you’ve got a question, turn to an expert.
That’s what the Spring Valley City Council did last week when members invited Pete Nelson, planning and zoning administrator for Princeton, to attend a Legislative Committee meeting to talk about Princeton’s zoning plan.
In December 2005, Mayor Jim Narczewski announced the creation of the Zoning Commission, to update regulations unchanged since the 1960s. At City Attorney Jim Andreoni’s suggestion, commission members used the city of Princeton’s new ordinance code as a blueprint to create new regulations for Spring Valley.
Nelson said Princeton had not changed its zoning plan for 30 years, so the city’s 2003 comprehensive plan recommended updating the zoning code.
Nelson said the project took almost 23 months to develop. It was adopted by the Princeton City Council in August 2006 and took effect on Oct. 1.
Nelson said the transition has been smooth so far, with only a few hiccups to date.
Some noticeable changes have included certain requests no longer needing to come before the plan commission, such as lot dimensions and liberalized codes regarding substandard properties, if the change would not create more of a non-conforming situation. Nelson said the new code also added adult use rules, revised permit fees and changed the sign code.
Nelson said the city also put the zone code on-line.
“Which has been a great thing, I understand, for you folks,” he said with a laugh. “If you guys want to, you can give us about $40,000 bucks for your share.”
All kidding aside, Nelson said Princeton was glad it could help with Spring Valley’s efforts.
City Attorney Jim Andreoni asked about the requirements for inspections, and said Spring Valley had not inspected new single family homes before. Nelson said the city had just begun the inspections.
Alderman Chuck Hansen asked about building permit fees for remodeling. Nelson said the city has never charged for residential or commercial remodeling, but that the city would likely start requiring permits on commercial remodeling. He said the fee for that was undetermined, but could be a flat fee that was considerably less than the fee for new construction.
When asked about non-conforming use properties and signs, Nelson said many of them were grandfathered in.
“If that use was in existence on Oct. 1, 2006, then we allowed that use to continue until there’s any changes to that use or location,” he said.
Regarding signage changes, Nelson said Princeton had a number of mobile signs with a flashing arrow.
“We hate them, so we’re trying to phase those out,” he said. “We sent a letter to everybody that had one.”
Andreoni asked about windblown signs, which he said “junk up the downtown.”
“I think the council is eventually going to tell some of these businesses, ‘You could do it before, but we’re not allowing you to do it now,’” he said.
Talk turned to enforcement. Alderman Dan McFadden said once the council passes the zoning code, it will be up to city to enforce it.
“There’s a line between what you grandfather, and what you want to go forward with, in the name of progress, and let’s call it a readjustment to our community culture,” said committee member George Forsa.
Nelson said a problem was brewing regarding signs on public property, which includes Princeton’s parks. He said questions were raised about signs for events such as Festival 56.
“That’s going to be denied,” he said. “I think that’s going to be, probably, our first big challenge. It’s going to have a far-reaching effect.”
Andreoni asked about Princeton including a sidewalk requirement for new subdivisions, and Nelson said including it was a direct result of public input.
“People like sidewalks,” he said. “It was clear to us that people wanted sidewalks, and it’s their town.
A public hearing is set for July 11 to discuss the proposed zoning changes.
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