(7/15) Council Grants Temporary Trailer Parking Variance
The Council granted Howard Sparkman a temporary variance to park his yard care trailer on the street in front of his home in the Woodsbury subdivision.
Sparkman, who has parked his trailer for 13 years in front of his home, was recently served with a notice that he was in violation of the town code prohibiting the parking of trailers on town streets.
Sparkman said that since he was served, he has to drive his trailer every night to his father’s home in Thurmont, and retrieve it every morning, which adds almost an hour to his day.
He only parks the trailer in front of his home during yard care season. In the winter, the trailer is stored at his father’s.
Burgess Heath Barnes and the Town Commissioners were caught off guard by the request, as they were unsure if they had the power to grant an variance to the town code.
Commissioner Bill Rittelmeyer noted that he had frequently seen the trailer parked in front of Sparkman’s home, and that it was a clean and well kept trailer.
The town zoning enforcer noted that while Sparkman would be allowed to park the trailer in his driveway, the length of his driveway was not sufficient to house the 16-foot trailer.
All the Commissioners expressed sympathy for Sparkman, and, since the Planning & Zoning Commission would be meeting on August 3, voted to approve a temporary variance to the code to allow the parking of the trailer on the street until the Planning & Zoning Commission could take the issue up and make a final ruling.
Town Rejects Request To Reduce $1,000 Water Bill
Tray Litman’s recent water bill came as a shock to him. Normally it runs around $200 a month, but last months came in at a whopping $1,000. The culprit, Litman discovered, was a continuously running toilet in a portion of the house rarely used.
Litman, who lives with his father in the house he has owned for 50 years, asked if the Town would forgive all or part of the overcharge.
Barnes, while sympathetic to Litman’s plight, said that that would set a bad precedent. "What people don’t understand is that the Town is losing money on every gallon of water we provide to the residents, so if we forgive your bill, that’s $800 the Town will have to come up with to pay for the cost of the water that was literally ‘flushed down the drain.’"
Commissioner Rittelmeyer also noted that since the water was going down toilet, the Town also had to pay to have it treated by the town sewer plant.
Barnes noted that this was not the first time someone had come to the Town asking for a relief from a high water bill resulting from unplanned events. The highest water bill we’ve been asked to nullify was close to $4,000. And we didn’t do it then, he said, so we can’t do it now.
The Town however did offer to allow Litman to make payments on a payment plan, but Litman declined and thanked them for at least listening to his request.
Shugart Appointed As Alternate To Planning & Zoning Commission
The old saying ‘no good deed goes unpunished’ was never so true for Stephan Shugart, who attended the July Town Council meeting to ‘see what goes on at the meetings’ only to find himself walking home as a newly appointed Alternate To Planning & Zoning Commission!
During the public comment period, Shugart, who does historic carpentry restoration, got up to introduce himself. "I moved here a year ago and have fallen in love with this Town. I wasn’t even sure the Town had a government and was surprised to find that you were having a meeting tonight, and thought I would drop by and introduce myself and let you know if you needed any help, I’ll be glad to pitch in where I can. I like to get to know more people in the Town."
While Shugart was more than likely referring to historic carpentry restoration, Barnes seized on the words ‘if you needed any help,’ and immediately offered Shugart the vacant Alternate position on the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Barnes’ suggestion was picked up by all the Commissioners who told Shugart that the best way to meet people in town was to become part of the Town Government, and encouraged him to take the slot.
Everyone laughed when Shugart expressed concern that he might be too young to serve, implying, as Barnes put it, that everyone on the council were all old. "Yes, we are all old, which is all the more reason why we need people like you to step forward and help us."
"Don’t worry," Barnes said, "we’ll teach you everything you need to know to be successful. And as part of the Planning Commission you can help ensure Woodsboro always maintains its small town feel."
With that encouragement, a humbled Shugart accepted the offer, and the Council unanimously voted to appoint him to the Commission.
Read other news articles on Woodsboro
