The Sandy Oaks City Council has developed a habit of acting as if it has the authority to approve or disapprove what businesses do. The problem is that the City Council has never bothered to addresses zoning for residential and commercial entities and has never set up laws or approval processes for businesses to go through. Instead, the City Council merely acts as if it can decided yea or nay when a business comes to them.
“Yes” to Dollar General, “No” to Auto Mechanic
In December of 2015 the City Council heard proposals from 2 different parties that wanted to set up new businesses within the city limits. One was Dollar General, and the other was a man who wanted to set up an auto mechanic shop. Both of the properties that the future businesses would be on were already deeded as commercial properties.
The Council agreed to help Dollar General with building a new store. However, they did not agree to help
Making it Up As They Go Along
Part of the problem with not addressing the requirements for new commercial construction is that the City Council is making up requirements as they go along, without actually making them law.
For example, in April of 2015 the City Council again met with the man who wanted to build an auto mechanic shop. He had decided that installing a set of apartments would be better. Alderman David Tremblay asked for there to be sprinklers in the apartments, but is there a legal requirement for sprinklers in apartments in city law? No.
“Yes” to Dillon, “No” to Super Express
At the City Council meeting held on July 9, 2015, the City Council addressed 2 different issues regarding commercial properties. Builders go to City Council because county requires documents from the city. But the city doesn’t have that in place because in the last year they’ve spent their time doing other things and have avoided zoning issues.
The first business was Super Express, which wanted to expand their business to include an area for semi trucks to park. The City Council said they would not allow this to happen.
Dillon Trucking wanted permission to demolish a building they had. But as Mayor Pro Tempore Earnest Gay stated at the meeting, the City Doesn’t have anything in place to prevent businesses from building or destroying buildings.
So the Council tells one group they’re not allowed to do something and then tells another group that the city doesn’t have any laws or regulations regarding the same exact issue.
Environment for Corruption
The biggest part of the problem with the Council acting the way it has is that it is creating an environment in which corruption can take place. If the Council continues to act as if it has authority to approve or disapprove without having any law, ordinance, or system in place, then anyone who wants to get something done can court Council members to get them to vote in favor of them.
It is not a stretch of the imagination that someone could persuade 3 of the 5 Aldermen to gain a majority. After all, the 3 SOPAC candidates have voted in favor of nearly everything Mayor Jim Clement has wanted.
Comments are closed.