The dispute over an auto repair business planning to go in along East 2550 North Road in incorporated Bismarck’s buffer zone continues. Neighbor Tricia Hagley says changing the residential zoning to business zoning in this area is a bad idea that could bring in other businesses and change the whole environment. She says the original zoning for this area was very specific, and gave her take on the rules.
AUDIO: One specific one was, the traffic in a residential zoned district, is supposed to be just for the residents that live in that area. I said, well how is he going to get his customers in there, they would not be residents on this road. And basically I was told that; that was the way I was interpreting it.
Bismarck Mayor Mike Brown says the zoning has been changed, and things have now been taken care of properly. He says although the first zoning change caught the Village Board unprepared, the zoning change was made official again at a Village Board meeting this past Monday.
AUDIO: We still need to provide a document for the building itself. The Village Board approved the zoning change for commercial; now it’s time for us to go to the next step. Which is basically just getting the document, the building size, and so on.
Tricia Hagley has been told, she says, that she has one choice now; which she plans to take. File a lawsuit.
AUDIO: I tried to go through the Board of Appeals, and they said this doesn’t apply to the Board of Appeals; that if I wanted to pursue it, I would need to take legal action; and it would need to go to the Circuit Court.
Mayor Brown says in his eyes the zoning change has been made properly; and all can move forward. Hagley says residents should educate themselves on village ordinances, and hold the Village Board accountable.