BY GEORGE NUNNEMACHER | October 26, 2022

The Linn Valley City Council held its bi-monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, with Mayor Cindy Smith presiding and all council members present.   

Codes Enforcement Officer Don Hastings reported that 63 building permits were issued in September, including four for new residences.  To date the city has issued a total of 427 building permits in 2022, including 26 for new home construction.   The city currently has 337 approved open building permits going back as far as January 2021.  Considering this situation and the city’s limited resources, Mayor Smith proposed a 6-month moratorium on the issuance of Building Permit Applications in the city of Linn Valley.  Smith cited the following justification for the moratorium: 

Existing overcapacity of the city’s wastewater system

Lack of resources to process the workload, including the backlog of required inspections 

The need to prioritize zoning issues and streamline the building codes process

The pending rezoning of certain areas by the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission

Completion of updated planning and zoning regulations.  The City has contracted with the Institute for Building Technology and Safety for consulting services to update and streamline its building code and zoning process.   

The council approved the 6-month moratorium by a unanimous vote; however, Smith stated that the moratorium could possibly be lifted prior to April 2023, depending upon progress made in eliminating the current backlog.   She also noted that building permit applications for special conditions will be accepted during the moratorium.   This includes construction required for compliance of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), or for other health and safety reasons.  

Public Safety Director Corey Murrison reported on Police Department activity in the city during the past month, including one report of a Hit and Run Accident, two ATV Accident reports, one Unattended Death report, two arrests for Possession of Narcotics, 14 traffic citations, 17 traffic warnings, two Dog at Large reports and three Suspicious Activity reports.   Murrison also reported that the radios in all four patrol cars had to be replaced with new mobile radios as a result of the Linn County Sheriff’s Department’s switch to a digital repeater system.  The old radios were analog-based and could not communicate with the county’s new system.  The council voted to approve the $3,100 expenditure for the radios which were installed by Director Murrison and Officer Brett Jenkins.

The Fire Department responded to eight medical calls, three grass fires and one structure fire in Linn Valley; as well as, eight medical calls, one injury accident and one grass fire in Miami County.  

City Clerk Karen Siffring presented the September 2022 Financial Report which included General Fund income of $15,817 and expenses totaling $55,078.   The council voted to approve expense vouchers totaling $176,825 for the month of September.   

As previously reported, the council has scheduled a Town Hall Meeting to update the public on the water and sewer projects this Saturday, Oct.29 at 10 a.m.   NOTE:  The meeting will be held at City Hall, not at the Clubhouse as originally reported in this column.

Smith noted that the public is invited to attend the city’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony which will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Linn Valley Memorial Park.