The large crowd at Monday’s Washington City Council meeting left without seeing any definitive action taken on a request to rezone property just north of the CSX tracks on Eastside Park Road from single family residential to two-family residential.
Developer Ray Lengacher asked for the change so he could build duplexes on the Eastside Park Road side of the property that is part of the White Ridge Subdivision Plat. The Washington Plan Commission sent the request to the City Council with no recommendation after a 5-5 vote at the last Plan Commission meeting. Several White Ridge residents were present to speak against the proposed rezoning. But the need for a firm guarantee of a second road access to the White Ridge area caused the Council to delay consideration of the request. Washington Mayor David Rhoads explains.
A major concern among council members is a need for concrete stipulations about the road before acting on a potential rezone of the area. With the Plan Commission taking a second look at the request, the earliest the Council will be able to take action on the rezoning will be in April.
In other business Council members also heard a report on financing for the state mandated phosphorous remediation project. Councilman David Dahl reported that advisers were suggesting another financing option that could possibly eliminate the need for a wastewater rate increase. The financial advisers will give the Council a more detailed presentation at the next Council meeting. The city has received a $700 thousand grant to help pay for the over $2 million project.