RINCON — An attempt to prevent tractor-trailer rigs and other heavy duty vehicles from being kept within residentially zoned property inside Rincon’s city limits is having a hard time getting out of the driveway.
During a special called meeting Dec. 20, the Rincon City Council revisited the issue that it tabled in August. The first reading of the proposed ordinance occurred in May.
“We’ve been dealing with this one for some time and trying to allow folks who are impacted some time to make some arrangements to comply with the new ordinance ...,” Mayor Ken Lee said. “At the same time, I think (City Manager John) Klimm has been trying to look for options to help in the situation and I think there still could be a couple options out there but there is nothing firm.”
Klimm told the council that the Planning Board and city staff have been searching for space in commercially zoned areas for truck parking.
“We are now working with a property owner that as late as last week told us that they have every intention of filing something with the Planning Board in January,” Klimm said. “... While it’s not a done deal, this is a private sector initiative. All I’ll say is that the decision to ban parking these vehicles in residential areas is a policy decision by the council.
“Staff has tried to do what we can do to try to look for realistic options and if there are folks in the community who have been doing the same and they want to collaborate with us, we are trying to be helpful to find an alternative.”
At the insistence of Councilmembers Levi Scott, Reese Browher and Patrick Kirkland, the issue was tabled again until the first council meeting in February. They voiced the opinion that the City of Rincon didn’t provide proper notification of a public meeting on the issue earlier this month.
“I want to do due diligence to the public,” Scott said. “I think that was too short of a notice because I don’t think any citizen that has a truck, they are setting idle and can come to a meeting in less than 48 hours.”
Scott called the short notice “unprofessional.” Browher concurred.
“I certainly don’t know what (the truck drivers’) concerns are but I certainly want to hear them,” Browher said.
Klimm said the meeting with truck drivers was called on short notice because the proposed ordinance was placed on the Dec. 20 agenda.
Kirkland made a motion to conduct a meeting with truck drivers Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. and table the ordinance vote until Feb. 14.
Councilman Freddy Long, appearing in his last council meeting because he didn’t seek reelection in November, voted against the delay.
