Landscape Ordinance debate to be continued

Galesburg City Council members want more information before making any changes to the city’s landscape regulations.

Council discussed that issue for the first time last night.

Various aldermen questioned how much enforcement the city would give up if the current plan, which has been suspended, was done away with.

The current proposal would remove a long landscape plan that requires businesses and developers to produce plans through a landscape architect or other professional. Virtually all that would be required under the change would be a rough sketch to ensure compliance.

Many are calling for more options to review or a combination of the two plans be put in place.

Mayor John Pritchard reminded council members last night that the current ordinance “created a lot of problems.”

“There are lots of unnecessary things I believe,” says Pritchard. “The landscape ordinance doesn’t deal with storm water runoff problems, it doesn’t deal with zoning issues or anything like that, so I hope we can find a reasonable middle ground. We didn’t have a landscape ordinance until 2010, and I don’t think the town looks very horrible.”

City Manager Todd Thompson added that a decision would not necessarily be “a final answer.” Discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks.

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