Residents tell council they cannot find signed zoning ordinance dating to 2005; staff says ordinance has been used and can be ratified

During public comment at the Pendergrass City Council meeting, multiple residents raised concerns that the city's signed zoning ordinance could not be found in city records and said the most recent signed copy they were told about dated to February 2005.

One resident urged the council to locate the signed ordinance and said, "If there's no zoning ordinance whatsoever in the city, then this developer could build anything that he wanted to." The resident asserted that if the signed ordinance from 02/2005 cannot be located, the city might lack enforceable zoning controls.

City staff responded that the city has been operating under the zoning ordinance since 2005 and that past use and repeated decisions based on that ordinance support its status. A staff member said the council could formally ratify the ordinance on paper so the signed version would be available in the records. Staff acknowledged a record problem and said they would look for the signed materials.

Residents' concerns focused on whether the missing documentation would permit unregulated development, including motel use that some commenters said did not appear on current permit lists. City staff emphasized that the council and city have relied on the ordinance in past decisions and recommended producing a signed, ratified version for the record.

The transcript excerpt does not show any formal motion or council action to ratify the ordinance; staff indicated the city could pursue a formal ratification to create a signed record.