Council approves first reading of two ordinances

LANDRUM — Landrum City Council approved the first reading of ordinances to allow bicycle parking and to give property owners more options on planting requirements in the C-1 zoning district.

Landrum City Council met Tuesday and approved the first readings of the ordinances.

The council met earlier this month with the city planning commission, where they scrapped another recommendation to require certain downtown buildings to have retail- only stores on the first floor of the building. The recommended ordinance saw many residents, businesses and church leaders speak against it.

The council instead charged the planning commission to research what other cities do to encourage retail businesses in their downtown districts.

Landrum Mayor Bob Briggs said the council met with the planning commission and felt like some ordinances needed a little tweaking. One part of the joint meeting was to take out requirements for bike paths.

“We are going to have designated areas around town that will have bicycle racks,” Briggs said. “It will be a place where they can park their bikes.”

The proposed areas for bicycle racks are the depot; the East Rutherford and Church streets intersection; Landrum Library; city hall; the ball fields; Brookwood Park; farmers market site; Northside Community Park; and Landrum Middle/O.P. Earle Elementary schools.

The new wording of the ordinance is, “in front setbacks, a strip not less than 6 feet in width shall be provided along the street line on the property, which shall be planted and maintained in grass with street trees or in shrub planting, including flower plantings, flower pots and urns and related decorative landscaping except bicycle parking spaces may occupy a portion of such area. Signs shall not be erected in such strip except for traffic and regulatory signs.”

Another ordinance that gained first reading approval was to give more options for people where plants are required. Briggs said the ordinance is already on the books, but this will give property owners more options.

A public hearing is required prior to the second and final reading of the ordinances. The public hearing will be held during the city’s next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 11. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. at Landrum City Hall.