New ordinances pass first stage
By Suzanne Werre
BHG News
The city took its first step in adopting new ordinances that cover the new boundaries of Underwood at a public meeting last Monday.
With the purpose to "protect and preserve the property values, and to maintain the community character and quality of life for the residents of Underwood," Greg Greenquist of SRF Consulting presented a proposal for new ordinances for Underwood.
SRF has been hired by the city commission to look at the city’s current ordinances. Last Monday night, Greenquist and city building inspector, Tom Schaff, went through the 80-page document noting things in Underwood’s current ordinances that need to be changed and/or updated in order to keep the city up-to-date and in line with the North Dakota Century Code. It is also an attempt to keep Underwood looking attractive, as it anticipates a potential influx of people moving east with the oil boom.
The public was afforded opportunity to ask questions and make alternative suggestions to the ordinances. The new ordinances were approved by the planning and zoning committee and will now go to the city commission for approval.
One aspect in dealing with the city’s ordinances that was pointed out by Greenquist, and which Schaff has noted at recent city commission meetings, is that this review is about the city’s ordinances. It has nothing to do with covenants that may be put in place by different residential areas within the city limits. The building inspector and city approve or deny building permits, based on if the specs meet the city’s ordinances. They do not have anything to do with any covenants that may exist in that proposed building location.
