HAMILTON — After voting to add an item to their agenda on Monday, Feb. 2, the Hamilton City Council unanimously voted to table changes to Ordinance 409, which they had initially approved at their last meeting on Jan. 20.
The ordinance, which deals with regulating, directing and controlling “the keeping of pens, barns, sheds, lots or enclosures” of livestock within the corporate limits of the city, has been on the books since 1980. The council had wanted to update the ordinance and change some of the fines and language pertaining to the fines, as well as add specifications regarding livestock enclosures.
Hamilton Mayor Tami Lewis Williams explained on Feb. 2 she was recommending to “amend or table” the updates and return the ordinance to its original condition, because there was some confusion as to the changes.
The mayor said she felt she may not have explained the changes as clearly as they needed to be defined.
She noted all of the city’s ordinances work together, with the zoning ordinance detailing what livestock can be located in specific areas of the city, and then 409 providing specific setback details about livestock enclosures.
She said while she could clearly see how the ordinances worked together, and in her opinion, there were not really any problems with the updates, she would defer to tabling any changes at this time.
The mayor also mentioned economic development, and how when businesses or developments are looking to move here, they are looking at ordinances, as well as watching how the city is conducting its business.
She also explained some of the council’s reasoning behind the updates concerned health and safety.
See complete story in the Journal Record.
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