By Rupert Howell
Sardis aldermen voted to hire special counsel to advise on a zoning matter after City Attorney Tommy Shuler revealed a business relationship with one of the parties involved in the matter during last Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting at City Hall.
Former Sardis alderman Lula Palmer, who lives next to the property in question, has formally complained that the property next to her Juanita Street home is being used as a business for which it is not properly zoned.
The Juanita Street and Highway 51 location formerly housed Sawyer Tractor Company but was rezoned from commercial to industrial in 1985 when it was used for manufacturing according to Palmer.
The current owners, the Adiah family, are using it for maintenance of 18-wheelers, and were given a privilege license by the city less than a week after Palmer’s most recent complaint according to Palmer.
Attorney Shuler, who said he had handled several legal transactions for the Adiah family, noted the map used had the old zoning classification but explained he believed the industrial classification would also allow commercial to be permissible, but not the other way around.
With Palmer were four concerned residents who lived near the area and were concerned about the business and voiced complaints ranging from loud noise to blocking the line of sight while entering Highway 51.
The matter was taken under advisement and an alternate attorney will advise the city on the matter.
Nine properties were declared overgrown possibly causing a health hazard and board members voted to have them cut by city crews. Several properties on the original list had been cut and cleaned by Tuesday’s hearing and were excluded.
Among properties to be maintained were: 213 Melrose St., 410 Dewberry St., 308 Butler St., 312 Gin St., 416 Dewberry St., $06 Glenmary St., and 116 Melrose St.
A Lee Street resident sought permission to place a portable building on his residential Lee Street property to use as an office. Mr. Jackson told board members he wanted to move a 14×40’ trailer but aldermen could not tie down Jackson to tell exactly what type of commercial business might be there other than his office space.The lot was once previously owned by a doctor.
Resident Brandon Burton gave an impassioned plea for a park for children stating that there was no place for them to play and be kids.
He noted that other towns such as Como, Senatobia and Batesville have parks, “kids can play in.”
“We don’t have access to the marina at the dam cause not everybody has adequate transportation,” he stated.
Burton had previously been to the board who this trip asked him to return with a plan for a park or recreation for kids.
Board members, the mayor and clerk were all included in a motion allowing them to attend the Mississippi Municipal Covention in Biloxi and Police Chief Chris Martin was also authorized to travel to Biloxi for a meeting during last Monday’s June meeting.