HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. - The rezoning of two trailer parks within Holts Summit city limits was nixed earlier this month after receiving pushback from several residents and the parks' owners during a May 11 Board of Alderman meeting.
A discussion on notifying the public was held at Thursday's meeting.
"I think there is a moral responsibility to inform the park's residents," Todd Rowell, a Holts Summit resident, said.
Legally, the city of Holts Summit performed its duty by informing the park's landowners of the rezoning, City Attorney David Bandré said, but going forward, the city could always do more.
"I would encourage the board to go a step further and explore our what our ability is in informing the public," he said. "I would also consider developing a concrete policy, so that we treat everyone in the same classification the same."
Mayor Landon Oxley said the board would start exploring the issue.
All other proposed rezonings passed unanimously and without comment.
Smoking on city property discussed
"At the last meeting, smoking on city property and in its parks was brought up," City Administrator Rick Hess said. "I thought that it was definitely a matter worth kicking around."
During the Board of Alderman meeting on May 11, Rowell brought his daughter Faith and asked the board to consider her health.
"Everywhere we go, there is cigarette smoke," he said at the previous meeting. "I think we should have a right to clean air in public places. My daughter should not have to breathe it. My daughter's right to clean air surpasses your right to smoke."
Alderman Charles Chamberlin asked if making city property smoke free would be something that requires action by the board. "I don't want the police on cigarette butt patrol," he said. "I think a simple sign would do 99 percent of the job."
The board agreed the city should consider creating designated smoking areas at city parks, with receptacles for cigarette butts and signs indicating where smoking would be permitted.
