Desert Messenger

WHAT'S INSIDE 2 County Hazard Mitigation 2 Be an Informed Voter 3 CRIT update 5 The Salvation Army Updates 5 Rent & Mortgage Relief 6 Editorial 6 COVID-19 Updates 7 Blood Drive Oct. 19 8 2020 Census update 9 Colorado River Crisis Services 9 Healthy La Paz 11 QES updates 11 Salome High updates 12 High Dose Flu Vaccine Safe? 13 In Memoriam 14 Classifeds 14 Paul Winer's Cartoon 15 DM 2020-21 Deadlines www.DesertMessenger.com • "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" • 928-916-4235 WEDNESDAY, September 2, 2020 VOL. 17 # 325 Now in our 1 6 t h YEAR! Alwa y s FREE! September Town Council approves changes to Town Code By Shanana Rain Golden-Bear Quartzsite, AZ - The Town of Quartzsite held their regular meeting on August 25th via Zoom. The Agenda cover page for this item states, "The proposed Zoning Code changes have been initiated by the staff. This Ordinance is intended to address code language inconsistencies and to clarify regularly encountered issues faced by staff that makes enforcement almost impossible to achieve." A Citizen Review meeting was held at the Quartzsite Community Center on June 18, 2020. No decisions were made at the meeting, however comments were sub- mitted in writing and in person. On July 20th the Planning and Zon- ing Commission met at the Community Center and recommended to Council the changes. Staff then compiled all the comments and staff reports and submitted to the Council. Here's an update from Town of Quartzsite explaining the changes. Ordinance 20-02 was adopted August 25, 2020 which makes four main changes to the current Zoning Code: 1. Adds a new defi nition of Temporary Dwelling that combines RVs and Trailers under one term. Previously the code language was confusing because it used the terms RV and Travel Trailer inter- changeably. 2. Removed the time limitation for Temporary Dwellings to be parked on private property. Previously the code, as written, required resi- dents to remove their temporary dwellings from May to September. 3. Permits Temporary Dwellings to be connected to water and sewer. Previously the code, as written, prohibited connection of Temporary Dwellings to water and sewer. 4. Removes the requirement of obtaining a Conditional Use Per- mit to install a Temporary Dwell- ing on private property, saving the cost of a $250 permit and three- month approval process. Also included: Removed the re- quirement of "telephone and trash" for Temporary Dwellings. In other actions, the Town Council authorized the Town Manager to issue a Request for Proposals from qualifi ed contractors to build the new OHV Staging Area for the Ari- zona Peace Trail. The facility will be located just north of Town Hall and will utilize grant funding from Arizo- na State Parks to build the facility. Recodifi cation: The Town Coun- cil authorized the Town Manager to negotiate a services contract with American legal Publishing to review and incorporate recently adopted ordinances into a new Town Code document that will be searchable and available online. Zoning Map Update Services: The Town Council approved entering into a three-year contract with the Holt Group to provide zoning map services. The Hold Troup will re- produce the Town Zoning Map to include all rezoning approvals since 2004 and keep the map updated as needed for the next three years. The Quartzsite Town Council holds regular meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. It has not been deter- mined when in-person meetings will resume. Arizona Open Meet- ing Law requires all agendas to be posted at least 24 hours before a public meeting on the Town's web- site, www.QuartzsiteAZ.org. For more details contact Town Hall at 928-927-4333, 465 N. Plymouth Ave., Quartzsite, AZ 85346.

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