Morris City Council: Naming of new alderman, zoning matters top agenda

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A new third ward alderman will be named when the Morris City Council meets at 7 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 17, in city hall. Mayor Richard Kopczick, with the consent of the council, will name a replacement for Jeff Paulson, who resigned in late January. The new alderman will serve until the next city election in about 13 months. A proposal from the I & M Canal National Heritage Corridor to fund the advertising campaign Passage to Play will be brought up for action. The Finance Committee will recommend the city and Grundy County combine to become level 2 partners at a cost of $6,250 each. The city's share would come from the Motel Tax fund. A contract extension for garbage pickup and disposal with Allied Waste will be considered. The city and Allied have been working on a month-to-month basis since bids were rejected last year. The Water and Sewer Committee will recommend purchasing the materials to extend a water main to Airport Road from Underground Pipe and Valve at a cost of $86,493. Change orders for work by Spiess Construction will also be presented. One order would involve the extension of sanitary sewer to the Higgins property at East U. S. 6 and Gun Club Road at a cost of $334,886. The second charge order involves the extension of a water main east to the same location at a cost of $698,350. A change order with C. Thompson and Sons of $39,117.75 for the outfall line from the new sewage treatment plant will be presented. Aldermen will also vote to abate the tax levy for the water and sewer revenue bond.

Zoning Aldermen will consider a proposal to convert seven single-family estate lots into six duplex lots at Oak Grove Subdivision on Twilight Drive. The Morris Planning Commission recommended the change, requested by Shawn Hornsby, on Feb. 27. The commission voted 7-0 to recommend rezoning the property from R-1A (estate residential) to R-3 (duplex) and voted 6-1 to recommend approval of the revised preliminary and final plats. The number of residential units will increase from seven to 12. Aldermen will also consider a commission recommendation to change the zoning ordinance, making duplexes a conditional permitted use in the R-3A (townhouses) zoning district. The issue arose when the developers of Copper Springs Subdivision, at Newton Drive and Brentwood, proposed converting 15 lots from townhouses to duplexes. Instead of rezoning a portion of Copper Springs, the commission approved amending the zoning ordinance. If approved by the city council, the ordinance would allow duplexes as a conditional permitted use in the three- and four-unit townhouse zoning district. Concerning Copper Springs, it was noted the original plan called for 47 two-bedroom townhouses on the west side of the subdivision. If the proposed change is approved by the city council, there will be 30 duplexes with a maximum of three bedrooms in each. The total number of bedrooms would drop from 94 to probably under 90. The commission unanimously recommended Copper Springs receive a conditional permitted use to place duplexes in the R-3A zoning district. A recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow the apartment building on Oakland Circle, which was damaged by fire Jan. 19, to be rebuilt, will be presented. The ZBA granted Aldred John-son a variance to allow reconstruction of the building. A condition was that a plastic or vinyl fence be constructed on the west side of the driveway and that screening of the Dumpster be done. The Rockwell Inn will seek a Class L liquor license so it can serve alcohol starting at 11 a.m. on Easter Sunday, March 23. At 6 p.m., the Judiciary and License Committee will meet and consider requests for business licenses. Linda Pelletier, doing business as Sweet Money Auctions, wishes to operate an on-line auction business at 107 E. Benton St. Armando Perez, doing business as Unlimited Chrome Shop, to sell car and truck accessories at 2417 Sycamore Drive. Ron Houston, doing business as Houston Roof Curbs, to operate a factory to manufacture the items at 1302 Spruce St. Roof curbs are used to support heating and air conditioning units located on roofs. Houston received approval from the Development Review Committee on Thursday to construct a new building on the lot, which is located between Spruce and East streets, at Third Avenue. Shelly Dismore-Nehmelman is seeking a license to operate a lawn care business, His and Her Lawn Care, at 132 Deerpath. The committee can award business licenses without council approval. The Morris Lions Club received permission to hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt in Gould Park at 10:30 a.m. March 22. The First Presbyterian Church may block Franklin Street, between Jackson and North streets from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 3 for the bike safety rodeo.