As part of a plan to develop a roundabout at the intersection of Clark Avenue and East Dunklin Street, a bill was introduced to the Jefferson City Council on Monday for the purchase of property near the intersection.
The bill would authorize the city to purchase the property at 1136 E. Dunklin St., which is currently home to Joshua House Church.
After hearing about the plan to develop the roundabout, the property owners asked the city if the sale could take place prior to the final right-of-way plans being developed, according to the bill.
The city would purchase the property for $250,000, which will come from the joint city and county project account of the Capital Improvement Sales Tax.
The building on the property is currently leased to Joshua House Church by the property owners. After purchasing, the second bill would allow the city to take over the lease in order to give the church extra time to relocate. The lease amendment would set the monthly rental rate at $100.
The lease would also take responsibility of property maintenance off of the property owner - the city - and give it to the church.
The lease would begin at closing of the sale and extend through Aug. 31 with possible extensions. The city anticipates they would not need the building in preparation of the roundabout construction until January 2021.
Construction on the roundabout is not expected to begin until 2022. The estimated cost is approximately $1.7 million.
The council could vote on the bill at their next meeting Nov. 18.
In other business, the council discussed a supplemental agreement with Cole County for the reconstruction of the Militia Drive rail crossing, as part of ongoing work on a rail spur at Morris Packaging in the Algoa area.
The city and county have agreed to share the costs of the work extending the rail service to Morris Packaging. During work, it was discovered ties under the crossing were in bad shape, and the crossing needed to be replaced.
The agreement would allow Cole County to sign a change order with contractor RailWorks Track Services for the reconstruction of the crossing, at an estimated cost of $141,000.
Also on Monday, the council heard an amendment to the city's zoning code relating to short-term rentals.
Currently, short-term rentals are only permitted in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts. The amendment would add short-term rentals as permitted uses in residential and industrial zones, as well.
Short-term rentals are currently only allowed in those zones if the property owner acquires a special use permit, which requires a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the council.
Since the city adopted a short-term rental ordinance in 2017, there have been nine special exception permits requested, with eight being approved by the City Council, City Planning Manager Eric Barron previously said.
Under city code, property owners can rent a house to someone for less than a month, or rent a lodging room where someone rents a single room or basement for less than a month.
At their October meeting, the Jefferson City Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of making short-term rentals permitted uses within all zoning districts.
Under the ordinance, property owners renting out one room have to pay the city's 7 percent lodging tax. They will also need business licenses to operate short-term rentals.'
Ward 4 Councilman Carols Graham, who sponsored the bill, asked that it be placed on the council's informal calendar so a vote does not take place at the Nov. 18 meeting, because he will be absent. A public hearing will still take place at that meeting, and the council will vote at their first meeting in December.
The City Council also approved a bill that will allow for the addition of more handicap parking spaces near St. Peter Catholic Church on Broadway Street.