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208 <br />Councilman Keckley noted that the Committee was requesting guidance relative <br />to their recommendation for procedure for handling applications for extensions <br />of time for nonconforming signs, and that a number of protests have been <br />received. The Chief Building Official was requesting guidelines as to the <br />number of appeals to be taken up with the Council at a time, and it was felt <br />that requesting review by the Ordinance Review Committee for recommendations <br />prior to formal hearing by Council might be considered invalid if appellant <br />is not given the opportunity to make an appearance. Council discussed this <br />problem and it was learned that a number of applications are pending, some <br />of which failed to file appeal within required ten days. Chief Building <br />Official noted that hearing the volume of appeals could very well take up <br />the better part of a Council meeting. Councilman Keckley indicated there <br />were some situations of extenuating circumstances, hardship, etc., and felt <br />it might be advisable to set up a special review committee as a buffer group <br />to hear these cases and thus save time at Council meetings. However, it was <br />pointed out the appeals would still need to be brought before Council. <br />Two alternatives were suggested by City Attorney. One method would be to retain <br />Code in its present form, with applicant invited to meet with the Committee and <br />informed the purpose was for screening purposes only, and that the Committee <br />had no power other than function to recommend, Another would be to amend the <br />Code, setting up actual review requirements for a Council Committee, and <br />making this a specific procedural part of the Code. Responding to request by <br />Council as to which he recommended, City Attorney indicated the informational <br />procedure might be workable, but would be inclined to suggest setting up a <br />review function, which the Code does not provide for at present. There was <br />further discussion as to the delay entailed by this method. <br />Chief Building Official discussed scheduling of appeals, recommending no fewer <br />than 8 to 10 per meeting, since reducing this number any further would result <br />in carry-over well into next year. <br />City Attorney suggested a third alternative, to set up a separate Appeals Board <br />as such, which would, in effect, take the place of Council as far as review is <br />concerned, similar to Building Review Board, which would be set up at a <br />different level. Councilman Keckley expressed disapproval of that method, <br />feeling that Council should control Ordinance, and that the responsibility <br />should remain with Council, An Appeal Board composed of Council members was <br />discussed, and it was indicated by City Attorney that it was his recollection <br />the law would permit an Appeals Board and yet allow from that Board to the <br />full Council, although this procedure has been criticized since a portion of <br />the vote is already preordained, It was noted by Council the volume of appeals <br />