Remember the Lowe case? Some people who haven’t been keen on the zoning rewrite brandished it, its criteria, as evidence the city was doing this rewrite upside down and backwards?
Well, the judge’s order said it isn’t even clear whether the Lowe criteria apply here. And it says the city considered those things, such as public safety and appropriate use of land, at a June meeting anyway.
So where did that piece of legal advice come from originally? Not sure. Not sure about funding, either. In earlier conversations, the plaintiffs haven’t said who was paying for the lawsuit.
Last week, city attorney Jim Nugent said the court hearing in Helena drew a small crowd in addition to the plaintiffs: Councilman John Hendrickson, former Councilman Don Nicholson, Jane Rectenwald, Lee Clemmensen, Brian Walters, and Larry Anderson.
“That’s just who was trying to support it all,” Nugent said.
And Councilman Jon Wilkins? He’s sure one for suspense. It’s Monday, and I called him on another matter. He still isn’t saying how he’s going to vote on the zoning rewrite. I’m going to bet it’s a yes. I can’t think of anything I’ve heard him mention lately that he wants in or out of the rewrite.
Last week, Councilwoman Marilyn Marler said she’d heard electronic signs weren’t coming up again, but one amendment about minimum lot sizes might arise this evening. Marler thought it was more of a cleanup, and not a controversial one.
But you never can tell.
— Keila Szpaller, in suspense
