Woods Planning Commission Votes To Keep Used and Second-Hand Ordinance Unchanged

The Planning Commission voted 8-0 to approve a memo recommending city council not make any changes to the ordinance regarding used and second-hand goods.

The move comes after city council to have the planning commission review the ordinance that restricts total consignment shops from Mack Avenue.

In addition, at an August meeting, council members unanimously voted to send the ordinance containing the restriction to the planning commission for review after city council wishing to rent the commercial space to the Neighborhood Club Thrift Shop.

Currently, the ordinance allows businesses to have up to 25 percent consignment merchandise and aims to prevent businesses such as pawnshops or total consignment stores from setting up shop. 

The planning commission also touched on the 2020 Plan Committee, saying there will be meetings throughout the next year to toss around ideas.

"The 2020 Plan is a think tank of ideas," commissioner Douglas Hamborsky told the panel. "We will be getting into monthly meetings over the next year. The concentration will be on the concept of Mack Avenue."

Residents got a glimpse into the future when the commission began a brief and informal discussion on solar panels and wind-powered devices. 

The ordinances are currently silent on such items, and the commissioners agreed this is an issue that is bound to arise in the near future and should be looked at by the planning commission sooner rather than later.

"I can see this coming in the near future," GPW Building Department official Gene Tutag told the commissioners Tuesday night. "With the tax credits, it's something that's coming and it's something that we're going to have to look at."

The topic could be addressed as soon as the commission's October meeting.