Holts Summit talks role of Planning and Zoning

Holt Summit City Administrator Hanna Lechner presents to the city Board of Alderman.
Holt Summit City Administrator Hanna Lechner presents to the city Board of Alderman.

HOLTS SUMMIT - The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen met Tuesday to discuss planning and zoning.

The city Planning and Zoning Commission has come up at board meetings a couple of times over the past few months. Now, the commission has questions about its responsibilities, City Administrator Hanna Lechner said.

"There are some, frankly, poorly written and broad guidelines in the state statute, which are essentially word for word put into our code," city attorney David Bandré said.

With such broad guidelines, different cities use their planning and zoning commissions differently. Some simply compare property plans to city codes. Others are more active in proposing changes.

"There's no real right and wrong," Bandré said. "But in theory, you guys need to be on the same page as they are as to what you want them to do and what they ought to be doing."

Currently, the commission is supposed to report to the board. Lechner said she hasn't seen a report since she's been on staff. Lechner was named interim city administrator in December 2018 then permanent city administrator in June 2019.

"I think they want to know what you want in that report and what you expect out of them in the meetings - stuff like that," Lechner said.

Similarly, Lechner said the city wants the commission to take a more active role in running its own meetings; something that has been falling on city staff lately.

Lechner said the commission has been reviewing the planning and zoning section of the city code during meetings.

Under previous city administration, an effort was made to update the city code. During that time, some changes were made to the planning and zoning chapter of the Holts Summit City Code. Some commission members felt uninformed.

"They're wanting read lines of the entire chapter and so far they have not made it through the definitions - they've been doing that for a year," City Clerk Rachel Anderson said.

Alderman Mike Harvey said he has seen issues come before the board that perhaps should have gone through planning and zoning first.

"That's probably why they feel maybe they're treated like stepchildren, that they're being bypassed," Harvey said.

To resolve any confusion on procedures or responsibilities, the board will meet with the commission Aug. 25.

In other business, the board approved a new city seal and a sewer rate increase. Beginning Aug. 1, the monthly user fee will be raised from $5.08 per 1,000 gallons of water to $6.58. On April 1, the fee will increase again to $8.08.

This change was recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a part of the city's effort to connect the wastewater treatment system to Jefferson City.