Wednesday's Internet Edition, January 07, 2009.
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News editor - Copperas Cove’s City Council Chambers were the site of a dozen disgruntled Cove residents as commissioners tried to conduct a Planning and Zoning meeting.
The P& Z Commission met to discuss the final minor plat of land adjacent to the Copperas Cove Cemetery. A possible use of the land is the site of a new Boys & Girls Club building.
Trey Hooten of the Cove Cemetery Advisory Board spoke during the public hearing. He said he is against building on the land because it’s the only land in Cove allowed by state law for use as a cemetery.
P & Z Chairman Steve Vitucci interrupted Hooten to say the public hearing was on the final minor plat of the property, not the use of the property.
The plat describes streets and lots, he said.
Several other residents tried to speak out against building on the property, with the same results. Many residents also complained of not being able to hear the commissioners.
In response to a query about the safety of the property due to it’s prior use as the site of a wastewater treatment plant, David Lilley, city planner/chief building official, said the land is cleared for any use. The property was studied in 2002 and no significant contamination was found, he said.
The commissioners approved the plat. An approval from city council, where the matter will next go, will only create a plat. “There is no done deal with the B&GC, the cemetery or anybody else,” said Lilley.
A Cove resident also complained that the commission had a conflict of interest because they shared a commissioner with the board of the B&GC.
P&Z Commissioner Sandor Vegh also serves on the B&GC board. Lilley said there’s only a conflict of interest when a commissioner stands to gain financially. The commission did check into the possible conflict before the meeting took place.