When satellite dishes could get you a fine         

City growth update

[JUNE 28, 2006]  A stir erupted recently when notices went out to a portion of Lincoln residents with satellite dishes in their front yards. There is an ordinance that has been on the books for some time prohibiting the devices from being placed in the front yards. The city began sending enforcement notices recently but stopped when the question was raised of the legality of the regulation. The issue was discussed at Tuesday evening's Lincoln City Council committee workshop.

City attorney Bill Bates has looked into the matter and said, "It [the ordinance] is not illegal." After researching and consulting with the FCC it has been revealed that there are provisions that allow the dishes to be placed in the front yard under "certain circumstances."

Those circumstances would need to be declared by the installer, Bates said. Satellite dishes could be placed in front yards if to place them elsewhere would:

1. Delay the installation.
2. Increase the costs.
3. Prevent adequate signal.

Bates said that it would be up to the installers to notify the city of a problem install that would go against the ordinance. This will need to be done in a timely fashion. They need to come up with a "quick and efficient system" to notify Les Last, the city building and code inspector. This would possibly include a phone call and paper documentation, such as in a form, he said.

Bates said that for the time being the city would not enforce the ordinance until a system is in place. He said that this is a good example of the difficulties that technology creates that will come up from time to time.

Economic growth progress

Wastewater treatment manager Dave Kitzmiller reported that the Zion lift station replacement and upgrade is running on schedule. The company that won the bid, Petersburg Plumbing and Heating, began on June 26 and has committed to be done with excavation work no later than July 1.

This is in keeping with the schedule in the development agreement with Wal-Mart. The station needs to be completed by Dec. 31 according to that agreement.

Wal-Mart offered to front the city the funds for the station when bid costs came in higher than anticipated. Payback for the new infrastructure to the area will take place through the increases the city receives in sales taxes.

The Zion lift station, which pumps sewage from the west-side area to the sewer plant, was scheduled to be done whether Wal-Mart came in or not. The old lift station has been operating at maximum capacity and serves the new development area where Robert's Sysco is nearing full operation and the new Wal-Mart excavation is nearing completion. Wal-Mart needs the plant in place during the construction phase, when water use to clean equipment will be high.

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