On Wednesday, the Grant City Council, at a special meeting before their regular council meeting, denied a request from Kevin and Wilsie Fletchall to rezone seven acres from light industrial to agricultural land so that they can keep goats. Previously, the city had taken them to municipal court seeking the removal, and Judge Joel Miller found against the Fletchalls and ordered them to remove the goats, telling them they could apply for a zoning variance. The Fletchalls then made the request to the council, which now serves as the Zoning Board, since nobody could be found to serve on it. The vote denying the request was unanimous.
The city received comments from people supporting and opposing the zoning request. One neighbor, Judy Claypool, who was present for the meeting, said that she never had trouble with the goats in question or their dog, and that odor was not an issue for her.
Another neighbor wrote the city objecting to the request because they had a child who was medically dependent and that air quality would be an issue for them. One councilman, Kevin Kobbe, who said he drives by there, said, “It stinks, and it’s in city limits plain and simple.” Councilwoman Catherine Runde said, “Compliance goes a long ways towards getting approved. Approving this is kind of like being rewarded for bad habits.” Mayor Debbie Roach said she had gotten complaints about the odor from golfers and from neighbors saying the goats were on their property.
Wilsie Fletchall, who was at the meeting, said at the meeting that nobody had complained to her about the goats since last October. She subsequently told the Express that the goats were removed Saturday and Sunday and that the odor was not from her goats, but from sewage from multiple neighbors running into a pond on her property. The city will hook everyone up to the city sewer system as part of their $5 million wastewater grant, which is planned to be done next year. Fletchall said that the land in question had been zoned agricultural land in the past before being rezoned as light industrial.
There had been other instances of animals in city limits recently. One person brought a pig into town, but moved it out after the city talked to them. Another person has kept longhorns on their property in city limits, but it is zoned for agriculture and they are in compliance with zoning regulations.
Grant City zoning ordinances designate certain land as agricultural land. It can have two animals per acre, and the ordinance covers cattle, horses, pigs, goats, and sheep. Chickens (but no roosters), ducks, and other poultry can be kept anywhere in city limits regardless of zoning, but housing for them cannot be within 150 feet of residential buildings.
A complete zoning map as well as all city ordinances are available for viewing at city hall during regular business hours.
Andy Macias came to the meeting to discuss the status of the $5 million wastewater grant. The city got a $95,000 grant to do a lead service line assessment. This is in addition to the current project, which involves wastewater lagoons, sewer cleaning, and connecting all remaining houses to the sewer system. All funds must be allocated by December 31st, 2024 and the project must be completed by December 31st, 2026.
Dena Campbell attended the meeting to request that something be done about three of her neighbors’ dogs, which she says bark all day and all night long. “You can’t have a conversation,” she said, adding that she has everything on in her house to block out the dogs. She said she didn’t object if her neighbors had dogs, but that the barking problem in her neighborhood was out of hand. The city has a noise ordinance and a specific ordinance, 205.080, regarding barking and howling dogs. The city agreed to start the enforcement process with some letters of violation.
During the meeting, city employee Ryan Fletchall, who was at the meeting, was dispatched to Lover’s Lane to respond to a text about a mother dog and her puppy on someone’s porch. He successfully caught the dogs.
City Administrator Meggan Brown reported that she has been looking into funding for building demolition. In most of the cases, the city or a 501(c) 3 has to own the building. The city has gotten quotes to demolish the Dogman building, the two buildings on the southwest corner, and the State Farm building.
The council approved ordinances authorizing the mayor to purchase up to $1,000 without a vote and for the council to vote on any purchases over $1,000.
Public Works Director Carl Staton reported that crews were pothole patching. The city ordered two more loads of cold mix. The chip seal company is planning to be in town in August to start work. The city has removed gas lines from three unsafe buildings and will remove the water service lines. The city will be getting bids for water tower repair.
27 students, including many from Mount Ayr, attended swimming lessons at the pool this year.
The city has $37,000 in unpaid utility deposits from customers. The city stopped refunding customers who put up security deposits in 2014, and the money has been sitting around ever since.
The city is still in the process of figuring out what to do with its Internet service. Right now, the plan is for the city to own the Internet service, but United Fiber will take over the management and upkeep from Midwest Data.
New City Clerk Farrah Richey completed her 90 day probationary period. The council voted to give her a 50 cent per hour raise.
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