Sikeston City Council tables proposed UTV ordinance

SIKESTON — A proposed ordinance to allow the use of UTVs on Sikeston city streets was tabled at Monday’s Sikeston City Council meeting after citizens raised concerns about the ordinance.

Lloyd Smith spoke out against the ordinance, expressing concern about allowing UTVs on streets when there is an estimated 27,000 to 28,000 people in Sikeston during the work day.

“If this was passed, we would be the largest city in the state of Missouri that allows UTVs on city streets,” Smith said.

He added that 73 percent of accidents with UTVs or ATVs happen on paved roads and if the ordinance was approved as written, that passengers under the age of 18 needed only to wear a helmet and wear a seatbelt. However, children under 12 who ride in a car in the state of Missouri are held under stricter standards, including car seats and to be strapped in with a harness style system.

“This ordinance does not protect our children,” Smith said.

Stan Parham, who has been a strong proponent of the proposed ordinance, said the ordinance says that drivers must follow state laws so he felt that would supersede the city’s ordinance when it came to children riding. He also recommended just putting an age limit on the ordinance for those who can ride.

Another problem Smith brought up was the inspection process, or lack of one. With the proposed ordinance, those wanting a UTV permit would not have to have their UTV physically inspected to prove it was equipped with brakes, signal lights and other safety features required.

David Carnell, who is also in favor of the UTV ordinance, said his only concern with the ordinance was the inspections of the vehicles.

“If there is a way to inspect them then I think we should look into that,” Carnell said, adding that he felt safer in his UTV than he does his motorcycle.

Sikeston Mayor Steven Burch said he spoke with officials in Tucson, Arizona, which has a population of 540,000, and they allow UTVs on their streets. He said the only difference he found between their ordinance and Sikeston’s ordinance was the inspection process.

He also added that he never addressed the issue of children and what their statutes were regarding riders under 12.

With the inspections being discussed, Sikeston City Manager Jon Douglass said the city does zero vehicle inspections and if the city were to start inspecting UTVs he would like to write up exactly what the city would expect.

Council decided to table the bill while city staff looked deeper into the inspection issue as well as the child safety issue.

In other action Monday, Council:

• Approved a bill for a general election to be held on April 7, 2020, to elect a council member at-large for a three-year term. Brian Self and Mallory Whiffen will be running in the election.

• Approved a bill setting the economic development incentive rate. State legislation passed in 2018 directed Missouri’s Investor Owned Utilities to provide an economic incentive rate (electric) to help entice business to locate or expand into Missouri. Recently, the BMU Board approved a similar incentive rate for application in Sikeston.

• Approved the amending of the description of “utility vehicle” in municipal code to match the description according to state statutes. According to the statute, a UTV is defined as any motorized vehicle manufactured and used exclusively for off-highway use which is more than fifty inches but no more than sixty-seven inches in width, with an unladen dry weight of 2,000 pounds or less, traveling on four or six wheels, to be used primarily for landscaping, lawn care, or maintenance purposes.

• Approved a bill to place stop signs on Huntress at Brunt and Valley Forge at Brunt to control northbound traffic on both roads.

• Approved a bill that will prohibit parking on Larcel Drive from US Highway 61 south to the end of Larcel Drive on both sides of the road.

• Approved a bill to amend the uniform traffic code by adding another designated school zone at Arthur Street from N. West Street to Wakefield Ave.

• Approved a bill to amend current municipal code to add a boarding process for condemned properties. According to local law enforcement statistics the majority of recent fires were condemned properties that weren’t boarded up.

• Heard the first reading of a bill that would amend the hours of operation for the Amusement and Entertainment Licenses. Under the current ordinance the hours of operation are from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. If the bill is approved the hours will be extended from 11 p.m. until midnight.

• Reappointed Susan Howle Werner to a two-year term on the Scott County Extension Council.

• Approved the purchase of 10 sets of turnout gear for the Sikeston DPS Fire Division at a cost of $31,640.

• Approved the purchase of 25 sections of 100 foot length, five-inch fire hose for the Sikeston DPS Fire Division at a cost of $19,237.50.

• Heard the first reading of a bill regarding the repayment of TIF revenues for the 60 West TIF District. Under the proposed amendment, the original agreements were designed to pay back the City for its investment over a period of 15 years. At the current projected pace, the City will be paid back for its initial investment in 10 years instead of the originally contemplated 15 years. Cotton Ridge Development is requesting amendment to the agreements so that the TIF revenues above the scheduled debt service during the May distribution are distributed to the developers rather than the City. The effect of this change is to extend the City’s payback period from 10 years back to the original 15 year projection. The City will still receive full reimbursement from TIF revenues for the City’s investment in the infrastructure. New Madrid County has already approved its portion of these amended agreements.

• Heard the first reading of a bill authorizing the sale of fireworks, but not their use, in the city limits of Sikeston.

• Authorized Sikeston staff to negotiate and execute lease with Buchheit Logistics, Inc., who currently leases both the north and south portions of the City-owned Essex Building at 1620 E. Malone. Buchheit has proposed completing certain repairs to the floors, dock doors, man doors, and electrical/lighting systems at their expense, in exchange for rent reduction in equal values on the south building only. The City would continue to collect the full rent on the north building while forgiving rent on the south building for verified expenditures up to $69,021.

• Approved the summer 2020 street plan. A story on the plan will appear in a future edition of the Standard Democrat.