Monday, December 17, 2007

City council approves changes to dates and fees for business licenses

The due date and late fees for Auburn business’ payment of business license fees are changing.

October 17, 2007

The due date and late fees for Auburn business’ payment of business license fees are changing.

The Auburn City Council approved changing the due day for business license fees, changing the late fee penalty and establishing a new delivery license fee category during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

The council approved moving the due date from the last day of February to Feb. 15, changing the late penalty from 25 percent to15 percent for the first 15 days, increasing the late penalty to 30 percent for fees more than 15 days delinquent, and creating a delivery license fee for some businesses located outside the city making deliveries into the city.

Before the regular meeting, Phillip Dunlap, the city’s economic development department director, made a presentation on widening Beehive Road in a joint project with Lee County which will split the cost of $1,668,872 between the two governments at $834,436 each. The widening is needed to help bring an expected 2,400 jobs to the Auburn Technology Park West. Widening of the county road is necessary because of the increased number of large trucks expected to come with the tech park’s new industries.

On the recommendation of the city’s planning commission, the council approved two rezonings involving property that was zoned as Redevelopment District (RDD).

One was an application by Tom Hayley/Terry Holdridge for Tiger Crossing, 435 N. Dean Road, which was approved for a zoning change from RDD to Comprehensive Development District (CDD). Changing the zoning to CDD will allow the property owner to change tenants within the building without having to seek conditional use approval as required in the RDD zoning.

The other rezoning was for Jay Conner’s application and the council agreed to amend the Tuscany Village Planned Development District (PDD) and remove approximately 95.61 acres from the PDD. The property is Lot 1 of the Tuscany Village Plat Revision of Tuscany Hills Parcel which is an administrative subdivision which divided Lot 1 from the remainder of the Tuscany Village PDD.

The council authorized the mayor and city manager to execute contracts for:

• replacing the 31-year-old communications tower located behind the public safety administration building with a new 260-foot, self-supporting tower at a cost of $139,708. Sabre Communications in Sioux City, Iowa, was the low bidder. Southern Company has agreed to a multi-year lease so they can locate their equipment on the tower. The city expects additional lease agreements with other cellular providers to generate
• the Timberwood Sanitary Sewer Extension Project at a cost of $1,243,725. The project is part of the Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Master Plan approved in August 2005.
• the Richland Road South Sewer Project at a cost of $350,197. The project will extend the existing sanitary sewer system to serve the new tennis center, elementary school and any future development, and
• Phase 1 of Auburn Technology Park West at a cost of $2,698,437.50. The project will provide road access, utility infrastructure and an amenity area. Phase 1 opens up 260 of the 375 developable acres for industrial development.

At the request of the Industrial Development Board, members approved the use of $90,000 from the revolving loan fund for a parking lot expansion at Hoerbiger Automotive Comfort Systems, 284 Enterprise Drive; a package of incentives for “Project Brum Beat,“ a British tool and die company; and a conditional use approval for an industrial use at Lot 4, a 1.93-acre lot in Auburn Technology Park North at the southeast corner of West Veterans Boulevard and Cox Road.

Bill James, the city’s public safety director, and Matt Jordan, a battalion chief with the fire division, were recognized by the Auburn University Center for Governmental Services for achieving certification for Emergency Management for Government and Public Sector by completing the required five courses in 10 weeks.

The Auburn City Manager Charlie Duggan announced two board vacancies on the parks and recreation advisory board.

Any individual interested in serving on any of the city’s board should contact the city manager at city hall.

The council’s committee of the whole will meet at 6:15 p.m. with the regular meeting at 7 p.m. in council chambers at 141 N. Ross St.