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City to explore sewer extension to open more housing lots

City to explore sewer extension to open more housing lots
The map shows the proposed sewer extension and potential for future residential lots.
City to explore sewer extension to open more housing lots
The map shows the proposed sewer extension and potential for future residential lots.

The city of Medford is looking to open up more area for residential development in the city.

At Monday’s city council committee of the whole meeting, council members directed city coordinator Joe Harris to begin the process to get costs for a sewer line extension off Pep’s Drive which would open an additional six residential parcels for development.

Harris came to the city council to see if there was interest in pursuing a sewer expansion into the Johnson property parcel the city purchased last year. He said the issue was brought up while he was working with Doug Eichman the technology education teacher from the Medford Area Public Schools who is heading up the project for students to gets hands-on learning through building a home. He was talking with Harris about the second lot that the City donated to the Tech Ed department. According to Harris, Eichman inquired about getting/purchasing a third one and what was available.

According to Harris, currently the city has 4 lots on the outside of Joann’s circle and 3 on the inside available. Of the 4 on the outside, one is next to the second lot that the school was given, and the city has it reserved for when the school sells the second home if the homeowner would like to have a bigger lot. He said of the remainder, lots 11 and 12 are next to each other and they are trying to keep them together. He noted the inside lots are more ideal for a house with a basement and are not very ideal for the school to build on.

Last year, the city purchased the Johnson property north of Pep’s Drive. Harris said by adding the sewer the city could develop an additional 6 lots all at half acre or bigger. He noted that the larger lot sizes are more desirable for buyers.

Alderman Mike Bub said he supported getting the sewer extension in to open up more property for development, but he was hesitant about giving the school district another lot.

“The more lots we can sell the better, I don’t know if we want to keep giving away lots,” Bub said.

The city had given the school district two lots in the new subdivision. Over the past school year, students under the direction of Eichman and in cooperation with local building trades businesses, built a home on the parcel. That home will be sold and the proceeds from the sale will be used to pay for the construction of a second home this coming school year. Harris said the discussion was about planning for the future to continue the program.

Bub noted that in the long run, the city benefits from the new homes being built through increased property tax revenue, however he said that with revenue from the sale of a house the district should purchase additional lots.

Harris suggested the city could work with the district on this, such as holding off charging the district for the lots until after homes are sold.

Those buying properties in the subdivision have 18 months to begin construction of a home.

Photography license

The city of Medford is looking to get rid of an unenforced regulation requiring photographers to get licensed to run their businesses in the city.

City Clerk Ashley Lemke said that as she has had time, she has been reviewing the code of ordinances and came across the ordinance requiring photographers in the city to be licensed. The ordinance was established in 1986 and Lemke said she could not find any records of licenses being issued for it.

Lemke said that if the city is not going to enforce the ordinance, they should take it off the books.

It was suggested that the ordinance had to do with regulating photography studios and out of town competitors. “It was about fly by night photographers coming to town,” said alderman Clem Johnson noting that there was a concern about them taking business away from locals.

It has been many years since a photography license was issued and Lemke noted that law enforcement had no objection to it being eliminated. Council members voted to recommend eliminating the ordinance.

In other business, council members:

★ Recommended approving setting aside 1% of future room tax revenue funds to go into a designated account to help fund music at the Tombstone Bandshell in the city park for events other than Parkfest. This would reduce the overall amount available to be granted to community events. Last fall, the room tax commission had approved $1,400 to help fund the Kiwanis Summer Concert Series.

★ Received word that as of Friday, Lemke has sent out 147 absentee ballots for the August 13 primary election and that as of Monday had received 10 of them back already.

★ Recommend approving the noise permits for the Taylor County Fair which will be held on July 24-28. The permits are for events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights allowing events to go until 1 a.m. in the morning. The permits need council approval because it goes beyond normal quiet hours.

★ Recommended appointing aldermen Randy Haynes and Mike Bub as alternates to represent the city of Medford on the Medford Area Fire Commission board. The city has six representatives on the board and the commission’s bylaws allow municipalities to name alternates if the designated members are not able to attend a meeting. Fire commission meetings are typically held quarterly. Mayor Mike Wellner was previously named as an alternate.

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