Thank Gawd I wasn’t drinking anything when I heard a gentleman say that at the planning commission meeting. I would have shot it through my nose. I’m also surprised he wasn’t gaveled after the comment.
I have been listening to the Planning Commission meetings lately, they are usually long and boring. But the public testimonies are usually pretty heated. People in Sioux Falls are pretty passionate about their property and property rights.
In last night’s meeting the commission was debating whether or not to recommend approval to the council of a 180 day stay ordinance involving campgrounds. No matter where you stand on the issue (not sure what side I would take) it is obvious from public testimony the way the ordinance is written it is extremely flawed on many fronts and one commission member even suggested that a task force looks at it before approval. The Commission approved it anyway (tie vote, chair broke tie) to move onto the council (which will have to debate it also and I think it takes a 2/3rds vote to pass).
What made this public testimony even better was when local businessman Duane Spader who owns a campground showed up to chew ass. He basically said (besides the city acting like the Gestapo and dictators) that the way the city’s ‘one-liner’ ordinances are written it gives them wiggle room to do whatever they want to, to a suspected code violator.
It was beautiful, he handed the city their bullcrap city ordinance mess to them on a platter and basically said the system is broken and needs to be fixed. For Christ’s sakes alive, how many lawsuits and business and property owners have to tell the city that Home Rule and the city ordinance charter is broken before they fix it?
The theatrics were pretty funny. Mr. Spader didn’t hold back, at one point even accusing the commission members of not understanding the repercussions of their decisions (sounds more like the City Council and Mayor to me). They tried to pull the 5 minute rule on him (like Northside Davey did with me) but Mr. Spader was having no part of it and said when he’s done, he’s done. They gave him a time extention.
If you have the free time, it is worth at least listening too. I can’t wait to see his performance before the council. He has already stated that Staggers is the only councilor that stands with him.
Click on the planning commission meeting dated 5/06/09 and Fast Forward to about 1:16 hour (That’s when Spader rocks out). You might want to start at about 1:00 to see the full testimony about the ordinance change .