By Clay Moffitt

November 10, 2006 | RIVER HEIGHTS -- A minor setback to Jon and Kristen Reams didn't keep them from taking the next step on Tuesday in building a home in River Heights.

Three weeks prior, the young couple approached the Planning and Zoning Commission about the necessary dimensions of the lot they considered purchasing for them to build a home. The lot met the minimum 1,800 square feet and the commission told them if it was at least 25 feet wide they could build their house there. But it wasn't. So the Reams reached a verbal agreement with the neighboring lot's owner, William Condie, that would give the lot the necessary width.

With this agreement, the board didn't see any specification not met for the lot. With winter approaching, the Reams are anxious to get the house's construction under way.

"We're putting in the survey pegs tomorrow," Jon Reams said after the commission told him the lot would be up to code.

But on Tuesday, the Reams met with the commission mostly for clarification: they won't get their permit until the next public hearing on Nov. 21.

Mayor Bill Baker was in attendance mostly to discuss the city's zoning documents, particularly the specific wording, to avoid legal exposure. Baker said he wants the laws to state specific consequences for violations. As written now, the zoning laws say the City Council "may" impose fines if broken.

"Which means we could arbitrarily prescribe or not prescribe," Baker said. "When looking it, the city never adopted a fine structure of any type, so they (the fines) have been at stage arbitrary."

Baker was also disturbed by the $750 fine for building a fence without a permit, he said he thinks that's too high, especially for some of the smaller fences that may cost less than $100. The word "alter" also concerned Baker, as he told the commission that would mean literally any change to a house would require a building permit, so he suggested a specific dollar amount should be mentioned.

Select River Heights citizens have already began voicing concerns about the legal documentation.

"We've already got a guy who said 'I'll take you to court and sue you for all you got,' and it only takes one of those lawsuits to empty the city budget," Baker said.

The mayor proposed to have the zoning ordinances rewritten with more precise wording, and state that the council will issue fines for violations.

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