In the business of passing bills at the Maplewood City Council meeting on Tuesday officials heard from objecting neighbors — all were answered, though none totally to their satisfaction.
Two objected in the hearing for a request to allow a four-family apartment at the corner of Jerome and Bredell avenues. It was previously zoned single-family. It had been unoccupied for several years, and reverted back to the surrounding zoning.
Joan McClelland, in the 7700 block of Jerome, wanted to know if the owner of the building planned to allow Section 8 tenants. City assistant manager, Anthony Traxler, said it’s “irrelevant” to the city.
“It’s relevant to me,” McClelland said. She said her mother once bought a house in Maplewood and two days before she signed the apartments next door were made Section 8, and things went “to heck in a hand basket.”
Traxler explained that it’s irrelevant as far as land use is concerned, and has no bearing on the approval process. He also said the city has no say if a landlord decides to accept Section 8 tenants.
Council member, Tim Dunn, said problems can be anywhere, and the city deals with them.
“The city and the police department and the inspectors do not distinguish in terms of where people live when it comes to taking care of problems,” he said. “I’ve have Section 8 people in my buildings who were no problem. I’ve had people who paid that were a problem. If there’s problems (the city) deals with them.”
Jim Langford, also on the 7700 block of Jerome, said, “What concerns me is this checkerboard zoning.” He mentioned other properties on the block that had gone from single family to apartments. “This checkerboard stuff seems to be splitting up the neighborhood,” he said. “We’re not cohesive like we used to be. We should look forward, but look at our past too, we have a heritage to uphold.”
The officials said the building in question was originally built (in 1950) as a four-family building, and approved the first two readings of the request.
The council also approved the first two readings for a conditional permit to allow the first Airbnb to operate at 7601 Weaver Avenue in Maplewood. A neighbor on Weaver, Matt Burger, asked if they have a business license, and if police are called will their license be revoked.
Traxler said the city has a conditional use process, which allows the city to revoke a business license with a hearing if necessary. He said there are approximately three pages of what owners of an Airbnb can and cannot do, and the city would inspect the property annually, just like any business.
He said this is the first Airbnb to be approved; the second is scheduled for next month on Zephyr Place. He said several are in business now and have until April 2 to conform to the city ordinance or shut down.
Joe Dalba, on Hazel Avenue, asked if the city would remove a sweet gum tree in the tree lawn by his house. He said his wife stepped on a ball, which caused her to fall as she was carrying their 4-month-old child. Also the balls shoot out when he cuts the grass.
Traxler said sweet gums are throughout the city, and nobody likes them. “To a person they believe they are a nuisance tree.” He said Maplewood doesn’t remove a tree unless it’s an immediate danger and or it’s dying or dead. He said residents can pay to remove a tree and the city would replace it with another tree.
The council also approved a full Sunday and manufacturers liquor license to Cory King of Side Project Brewing at 7458 Manchester Road. King plans to open a microbrewery at the location.
I agree, too, that the gum balls are a hazard. Beautiful trees but the gum balls are a problem. I kept slipping on the ones in my back yard so I cut the tree down. Thinking I was rid of them, wouldn’t you know a couple months later there were gum balls in my tree lawn from the house two doors west of me? With what the utilities have done to trim that tree, it is ugly now. It should go like all the others.
If someone slips, falls, and is injured by a gum ball on the sidewalk from a tree in the tree lawn, who is liable?
The sweet gum trees are a hazard if you are trying to walk on the sidewalks or the streets. Besides making the sidewalks & streets a hazard, they are dirty & clog up the sewers. They keep blowing into other areas & are widespread; they just keep taking over. All sweet gum trees should all be removed from the city streets & replaced with something that isn’t as dangerous to pedestrians or the environment.
I agree 1000%.