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DAILY NEWS THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 2016 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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New state regulations hold up auto dealership approval By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Morris Motors will have to wait a little longer to open up shop in north Newton. On the third and final reading of an ordinance change to allow auto sales within the neighborhood commercial district, it was brought to the attention of the Newton City Council verbiage within the change
potentially did not align with a new state regulation. Earlier this year, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a proposal by Morris Motors to amend the zoning code to allow auto sales as a conditional use with the neighborhood commercial or C-N district. The C-N district is a mixed use district that has residential and light commercial uses within it. City of
Newton Planning and Zoning director Erin Chambers said the commission sees the district functioning as a buffer between heavier commercial zoning into primarily residential neighborhoods. In recent weeks, city staff has found when reviewing state requirements there is a conflict with the item listed as “facility for reconditioning and repairing motor vehicles.
A motor vehicle dealer’s principal place of business shall include a facility for reconditioning and repairing motor vehicles. The facility shall be an area that: is within a building.” “In order to obtain a dealer’s license from the Iowa DOT to sell motor vehicles, a number of requirements must be met,” Chambers said. “One of those requirements, as shown in the
City, NHDC looking to expand Fairmeadows North
State Code Section is to have a space to be able to repair and recondition at least one vehicle on-site.” Chambers said while it could be possible for an auto dealership to meet the requirements of both the newly proposed local ordinance and the state code by providing a repair space that isn’t ever MORRIS | 3A
Newton man sentenced to 7 years for burglary, stalking By Kayla Langmaid Newton Daily News
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News The Newton Housing Development Corporation with the support of the city is moving forward with plans to develop the 7.3 acres north of the Fairmeadows North subdivision to gain an additional 23 lots for housing.
23 new lots to be added to housing supply By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News With the success of filling the initial lots in the Fairmeadows North subdivision, the city is looking to expand into the northern portion of the division to create more housing opportunities. Newton City Council approved Snyder and Associates, Inc. to begin design work on potential construction plans for roadways and other public infrastructure for the expanded housing area. “With the success of the
Newton Housing Initiative, there are no longer any lots available in this subdivision, and lots are in short supply elsewhere in the community,” interim city administrator Jarrod Wellik said. “In order to keep momentum going in the new home construction market, it is proposed to work toward the northward expansion of the Fairmeadows North subdivision.” More than 15 years ago, the Ankeny engineering firm completed a preliminary design for the next two phases of the subdivision. Labeled Plats 8 and 9, the
7.3 acres expansion involves the extension of North Seventh Avenue East, North Seventh Avenue Place East and East 26th Street North. With infrastructure completed, an additional 23 new lots will be added to the housing supply. “With a construction design from Snyder, NHDC could better market the land to developers and builders,” Wellik said. “Cost estimates would be more accurate, and it would accelerate the readiness for the road construction to take place, potentially in the first part of 2017.”
Work to be completed by Snyder includes surveying the land, public improvement construction documents, an initial storm water pollution prevent plan and a final plat document. The cost associated with hiring Snyder is $19,300 to be paid for using the Housing Initiative bond funds. The initiative has bond funds designated to defray the cost of infrastructure installation, Wellik said, with the city able to fund half of the cost of infrastructure in the residential subdivisions.
A Newton man was sentenced this week on charges of stalking, burglary and harassment after a September incident landed him behind bars. Thomas A. Fitzgerald, 53, pleaded guilty to stalking a woman and breaking into her home on Sept. 21. Fitzgerald appeared in court Fitzgerald Monday where he was sentenced to seven years for stalking, third-degree burglary and first-degree harassment. Fitzgerald is also ordered to pay more than $2,100 in fines and court costs. Fitzgerald also violated a protective order after officials say he contacted the victim more than 1,000 times, tried to pry open her locked doors and broke a window of her Newton rural home. According to police, in the texts and voice messages, Fitzgerald demands access to her home and threatens to kill the victim, her attorney and law enforcement. Fitzgerald had previously been arrested and charged for violating the no-contact order with the victim in the past. The sentencing hearing came after Fitzgerald demanded a speedy trial after originally pleading not guilty.
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Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6513 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com.
Physical education taking a more personalized approach By Justin Jagler Newton Daily News Changes to the Newton High School 2017-18 academic handbook were approved by the school board on Monday, and among the alterations were details about NHS’s new physical education curriculum. NHS Principal Bill Peters outlined the changes for the board. “We are revamping the way we do our PE,” Peters said. “For years we had freshman PE, strength and conditioning, and just PE. We’re going to do something a little more per-
sonalized for the kids, where they can control their environment and type of workout they’re interested in.” One new course availPeters able to students will be centered around personal fitness. Peters said this is useful because when students leave school, they do not necessarily have a large group of people to play volleyball with, for example. “A few years ago we added
some equipment in the upper part of the gym, which was extremely beneficial,” he said. “We found that a lot of kids prefer not the team sports, but want to get their exercise by walking or using the elliptical.” The high school will continue to offer team sports for students who want to play basketball and other group activities. In addition, an option for individual sports, like tennis, pickle ball and badminton will remain available. “Some things where ‘I’m in a competition, but I’m alone’ and others where ‘I’m in a competition, but I’m on a team,’” Peters said.
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the addition of a business administration class and a slight tweak to World Literature 1650-present. These courses will correspond with DMACC credit. “It’s a great opportunity for those kids to get a start on their college classes,” Peters said. NHS will also be starting a Next Step program this spring. Next Step will bring potential employers to the school and give students a chance to learn about careers and the skills needed to excel in them. Contact Justin Jagler at 641-792-3121 ext 6532 or jjagler@newtondailynews.com
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Freshman will still have to go through a set curriculum, which includes a course in CPR. Strength and conditioning at NHS is broken down into two categories – athletic and nonathletic. Athletic strength and conditioning consists of more Olympic-style lifts. Nonathletic focuses more on wellness-style lifts and using machines with more straightforward movements. “There’s a lot more to PE than there used to be,” Peters said. “And that’s good because it gives it to everybody.” Other changes to the academic handbook include
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Healthy holiday entertaining
Find ways to still eat healthy the season / 2A
Volume No. 115 No. 147 2 sections 16 pages
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