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November 2, 2009

Council member hopes change will help "people to heal"

Charles Oliver

The Dalton City Council voted 2-0 on Monday to allow drug and rehabilitation halfway houses in areas zoned C3 commercial. Council members said the move was requested by Providence Ministries. But it will allow other groups to create such rehab centers in other areas with that zoning, if they wish.

“What we are saying is that it’s an allowable use in that zoning,” said City Council member Charlie Bethel. “We recognize that is a service that is valuable. We hope that it will allow people to heal.”

Council members Dick Lowrey and George Sadosuk were absent. Mayor David Pennington votes only in the event of a tie.

The council also voted 2-0 to:

• Cut the speed limit on Broadrick Drive from Waugh Street to Memorial Drive to 35 mph from 40 mph. Public works director Benny Dunn said there is a great deal of pedestrian traffic in that area, as well as elderly drivers entering and exiting the Royal Oaks Retirement Community.

• Ban parking on the south side of Belton Avenue from about 300 feet west of Burleyson Drive to the dead end.

• Ban parking on the south side of Highland Drive from Frances Street west to Brookwood School.

All three of those changes will take effect five days from Monday.

• Amend the city code to remove references to the North Georgia Regional Development Center, which no longer exists, and replace them with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, which took its place and which the city is a member of.

• Approve a nonconforming sign request from Eric Hildebrand to rebuild two billboards at the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Waugh Street.

The council also heard the first reading of a change to the pension plan that would allow retirees to take accrued sick leave and vacation in a lump sum instead of over time.

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