The Jackson City Council approved at its Nov. 24 meeting improvements to the city’s gating ordinance that are meant to better communication about the process and make it more transparent.
The amendments passed with a 5-1 vote, with Ward Three Council member Kenneth Stokes opposing them.
“People can now work with the city Planning Department to put in their gating applications, following the guidelines of the amended ordinance,” said Ward 7 Council member Virgi Lindsay.
Here are the changes:
•A pre-application meeting with the city’s Planning and Development staff is required before an application for the installation of public access gates is submitted.
•Conceptual drawing showing the locations of the proposed public access gates have to be submitted to the Planning and Development Department before an application for the installation of public access gates is submitted.
•After conceptual drawings are submitted, the Planning and Development staff will provide written notice to proceed with a community meeting, where an applicant will share the drawings and gather input. The Planning and Development staff will be present at the community meeting to provide technical support.
•All property owners in the neighborhood will have to be notified by certified mail of the time, place and location of the community meeting at least 15 days before the scheduled meeting. All property owners identified by Planning and Development staff as directly affected by the gate outside of the neighborhood will also have to receive notice.
•A public notice sign with the time, date and location for the community meeting will have to be posted at all proposed gate locations for 15 days before the community meeting.
• During the community meeting, the conceptual drawings will be shared and the Planning and Development staff will keep a record of all input.
• Upon completion of the public notice and community meeting, the Planning and Development staff will provide written approval for the applicant to move forward and submit a formal application within 60 days.
In October, the council approved an amendment to the ordinance that adopted language from the International Fire Code to describe the accessibility and design standards for the gates and the ability of emergency vehicles to safely pass through during times of police and fire emergencies.
In April 2019, residents sparred over gating proposals for Eastover and Woodland Hills. Opponents voiced concern that they did not have the opportunity to comment until the gating application was before the council, while supporters claimed they were at a disadvantage because they did not have a chance to refute testimony from opponents of gating.
Public access gates, unlike private gates, do not bar individuals from entering a neighborhood. All a motorist must do is drive up, push a button or simply wait for the gates to open. The gates slow traffic by requiring motorists to wait before entering a neighborhood and are thought to deter criminals from making a quick getaway.
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