Zoning committee resigns enmasse

By Staff, 03/21/17 10:28 AM

PRESCOTT – Members of the Prescott Planning and Zoning Committee resigned enmasse at the March meeting of the Prescott City Council Monday night.

Meredith DeWoody acted as spokesman for the committee, and told the council the committee wanted to make its concerns known. She read a statement prepared by the members who were involved in the public hearing on Feb. 7 and at the appeal hearing at the council meeting on Feb. 22.

The council, she said, was asked to preside over an appeal hearing concerning a manufactured home application. The application was rejected by the committee as it wasn’t notarized. The resident was given the opportunity to be heard at both the appeal and during meetings with the committee and Mayor Terry Oliver before the hearing. Throughout the process, she said, no member of the council contacted any member of the committee to find out why they made the decision to deny the application.

“Could it be that each of you formed your strong opinions based solely on information you received from Mayor Oliver,” she said, “Connie Beard and Mrs. Malone, without regard to the decision of the commissioners? We took our assignment seriously, without prejudice and in accordance to our understanding of the law. We sought educated opinions from a city planning engineer, three attorneys and real estate professionals. We spent many hours trying to do what was right for all the citizens of Prescott, only to be told by a council member that we did not do enough. We respectfully disagree with that statement because we know it’s not the truth.”

DeWoody passed out envelopes to each member of the council, telling them the envelopes outline some of the concerns currently facing property owners in Prescott. She said the committee met with Oliver over these issues, but there was no resolution. “The violation of city ordinances must not continue to be ignored because the future of our community depends on it,” she said. “As elected officials you all took an oath to uphold the laws of our community, and to represent the concerns of all citizens, not just those who voted for you.”

She pointed out Oliver and six members of the council were reluctant to support the committee’s decision, and refuse to enforce the zoning laws of the city. “Because of this, we find it necessary to resign as members of the Planning Commission of the City of Prescott.”

When DeWoody finished, not a word was said by any member of the council or the mayor.