Talk of Bell Buckle water comes to a boil

John Anderson protests a proposal to eliminate the 5-acre rule on Bell Buckle's books that limits growth in the area surrounding the town. The proposal was deferred at the request of Mayor Dennis Webb, who brought the idea forward at the March 12 planning commission meeting. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]

"In September of '06, the board passed a water moratorium so they could study the water situation," said Webb. "For nine months, no taps were issued outside of city limits."

To better control growth, in what Alderman James Anderson called a "stop-gap measure," the 5-acre resolution was passed. The resolution, first passed on Dec. 12, 2006, and amended in January, 2007, required county homeowners to have at least 5 acres before being able to receive water or sewer connections. There were exceptions built into the resolution, including one that allowed taps to be approved for smaller parcels if they were not created from the division of a larger parcels within 36 months of the tap application.

At the planning commission meeting March 12, Webb told the commission that the 5-acre rule could prove detrimental to Bell Buckle's growth, spreading homes out in 5-acre spots along the highway instead of encouraging "cluster development" farther away from the main roads.

Another reason he gave for the change in the 5-acre rule, he said Tuesday night, was because the town is trying to get Regional Planning Status, which would give it more control of development that is outside of the city limits but still within Bell Buckle's urban growth boundary. The county, he said, could refuse the Regional Planning Status request because the 5-acre rule is more stringent than the county's own 1-acre requirement for building.

"I was really hoping for a bigger crowd," said Webb, looking over the 13 residents who attended the meeting. "I want to set the record straight."

Webb told them he was going to ask the board to defer the issue, but he wanted to clarify points first. He gave a history of the resolution, explaining that it was created by then-Alderman Mark Felices, with input from the board, as a stop-gap measure during the subdivision controversy in 2006, and as a way to control growth in the area surrounding the town.

"I looked at the minutes from the original resolution," said Anderson. "It was never intended to be permanent."

He said the "spirit of this resolution" was to be only a stop-gap measure until the regional Planning Status was resolved.

Even back then, Webb said, Bell Buckle had its eye on Regional Planning Status. In the time since then, he continued, the town has updated its maps, zoning regulations, subdivision regulations, and ordinances, some of which with the planning status in mind.

"Regional Planning Status is the plum. The golden egg," said Webb. "It will do more to help Bell Buckle in the future than anything we can do -- because we have control."

Webb began his speech by reminding the listeners that "No municipality can be required to extend its water line."

He said he would request the deferral until the Regional Planning Status matter was settled.

"If we get turned down, I will appeal it. If we don't get approved, then and only then, would we look at it (the resolution) again."

Members of the audience, including Anderson's father, John Anderson, had questions for the mayor. The senior Anderson entered the meeting with a cardboard poster stating, "No."

"No to this shady policy," he said.

Later, John Anderson said it "looked shady" to him because the subject matter of the meeting was not publicized, and he said politicians could not be trusted.

"It looked like a stealth move," he said. "I told every single one of my friends here -- including my son -- you can't be trusted any more."

He defended the 5-acre rule.

"I believe that that resolution is a very strong and necessary defense ... until such a time we know -- we know -- we can do better," he said.

Town recorder Janet Robinson, Webb and Alderman Anderson all said the board agenda was posted in the Town Hall window, in the paper and on the town's website. Earlier, Webb referred to negative rumors about why he wanted the resolution dropped.

"If I want to have a cup of coffee with someone, I'm going to do it," he said. "Can I? Can I do it?

"I want to be your mayor. I've never done anything to dishonor this role."

Webb said he didn't mind if people didn't like the way he voted, or even if they didn't "like me, or my wife, or my dog, or my house," but he did mind when people talked about him behind his back and inferred things that were not true.

"Things have been getting back to me," he said.

Bell Buckle resident Sue Allison brought the matter forward.

"What prompted it?" she asked. "Are you or anybody else aware of someone with an interest in subdivisions that the 5-acre rule will hinder?"

"No," said Webb to the second question.

He said what prompted his wish to rescind the 5-acre rule was by UGB and Regional Planning Status discussions "heating up" on the county level. He added that the 5-acre rule wouldn't stop a subdivision going in anyway, if it managed to get water and sewer from a different source.

"But Regional Planning Status would," he said.

Alderwoman Annie Rooney, Alderman Anderson and Planning Commission Chairman Rodney Simmons stressed the importance of public attendance at all city meetings.

"We need to all start coming to the meetings," said Rooney.

James Anderson had a final statement before the meeting adjourned.

"I would like to personally defend the integrity of the planing commission and the board of mayor and aldermen," said Anderson. "Communication is a two-way street. It is your responsibility to attend these meetings. It is not our responsibility to put out a newsletter."