JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council has approved three separate amendments to city code, including two changes to city zoning law. The changes involve towing of vehicles from private property, prohibiting first-floor residential occupancy for commercial buildings located downtown, and new rules involving electronic signs.
The changes to the towing law will now make it easier for private property owners to tow unwanted vehicles, because they will no longer be required to have police on hand to supervise the process. Mayor Sam Teresi said the change will benefit both the property owner and the police department.
“We notice that it’s been in city code for years that the police department actually had to arrive at a scene and babysit a private tow – whether it be in a private parking lot, somebody’s driveway, or blocking somebody’s driveway – and sometimes police officers are not always readily available,” Teresi said. “It ties up staff time and it slows down the process of moving vehicles, so I think it was a very wise decision by the council to pass that ordinance amendment.”
Teresi said the city is also hoping the amendment involving the prohibition of first-floor residential occupancy in the downtown will help to promote business investment and improve property value.
“It will retain the first floor level of occupancy in downtown buildings for commerical and professional business operations,” Teresi said. “That adds more to the foot traffic, it adds more to the vibrancy of the downtown area, it adds more to the properties where the residential development is occuring, and utlimately has the property values improve in the downtown area, it improves the entire district. That was the rationale and the motivation behind that move.”
The city Council also approved new zoning code regulations for electronic message display signs. Businesses and organizations that would like to use an electronic sign will be allowed in non-residential districts.
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