Bob Foos
The Webb City Council on Monday upheld the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation to deny a rezoning request for the lot where Jane Chinn’s house stood for more than 100 years.
The historic home, damaged by fire, has been demolished by the new owners, Evan Slaughter and Kohl Slaughter, of 3017 Holdings. They requested the lot at 302 S. Pennsylvania St. be rezoned from R-1 (single-family) to R-2 to allow them to construct a duplex.
Following a public hearing, the council voted 5-2 to uphold the P&Z commission’s recommendation that the rezoning be denied. YES: Gina Monson (2nd Ward), Brad Baker and Jerry Fisher (3rd), Debbie Darby and Jim Dawson (4th). NO: Andy Queen and Ray Edwards (1st). Alisa Barroeta, absent.
Kohl Slaughter, speaking to repeal the commission’s recommendation, said neighbors’ worries about duplexes harming the value of their properties are unfounded. “There’s no reason we would want to devalue our property,” he said.
Kohl Slaughter also owns the complex of old duplexes adjacent to the property in question at 316 S. Pennsylvania. Neighbors have criticized how that property is maintained. But Slaughter said he has improved those duplexes, and the value of the property has increased by 50 percent.
It was noted that those old duplexes were somehow allowed to be built by the Veterans Administration in 1956. City Administrator Carl Francis said the property would revert to R-1 if those duplexes are ever demolished.
Speaking against the appeal were William Kulju, 106 N. Pennsylvania, and Terry Smith, 21 S. Pennsylvania.
Smith, whose historic house was totally rebuilt, argued that the Jane Chinn house could have been saved. “I basically live in a new house in an old frame.”
He added that the historical nature of the housing drew him to Webb City. “Are we going to do everything we can to keep the history?” he asked.
Request for ‘eyes and ears’ of residents
There was a lot of discussion about problems with the digging involved with the installation of fiber optic cable.
Francis said he and public works director Eddie Kreighbaum are disputing the need to make cuts and holes in streets as much as they can.
The fiber companies are responsible for repairing the damage they cause, but Francis said it is difficult to keep track of all the damage being done.
“We need your eyes and ears on this,” said Mayor Lynn Ragsdale in an appeal to residents. Reports of damage can be made by calling public works at (417) 673-6297.
Kreighbaum explained that cuts and holes in asphalt are initially supposed to be filled with gravel and covered with asphalt. Once the gravel settles, a subcontractor is brought in to replace the asphalt patch with concrete.
Ragsdale “thanked” the Missouri Legislature for a 2023 law allowing companies to install fiber in communities without notice or setting protocols with city authorities. The only recourse, he said, is to backcharge the companies for damages to streets and utilities.
There’s no limit on the number of companies that serve a community. “My nightmare,” said Ragsdale, “is another company coming in and hitting the same lines.”
“This is a long term problem,” said Baker. He suggested cities ban together and change the legislation.
“They (legislators) call it competing, think it’s great,” said Francis.
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In other action:
• Bryan Waggoner, director of parks and recreation, reported that the Polar Bear Express tickets sold out on Saturday, Nov. 1, in 40 minutes.
Ragsdale noted the price was raised from $2 to $5 per ticket this year, with the hope of slowing ticket sales and reducing the number of no-shows. But that had no effect.
• An ordinance renewing the 10-year municipal service agreement with Empire District Electric (Liberty Utilities) was accepted on first reading. It pertains to street lights owned by the company.
• A contract for Flynn Drilling Co. to lower Well No. 9 was approved at a cost of $27,277. The water level is now below the well, which is causing air to enter the system. It is hoped that lowering the well by 210 feet will significantly increase the well’s available run time.
• An annual subscription for iWorQ software to schedule work orders was approved at $4,500 plus $1,000 to migrate information from the current program.
• It was announced that the fire department will celebrate completion of its training facility at 10 a.m. Nov. 25 with a ribbon cutting.