A six-month extension to the interim code for an ordinance relating to locations for “Essential Service Facilities” was approved by the Centralia City Council on Tuesday night.
The catalyst for the rewriting of the ordinance occurred in May of this year when Noble Healthcare submitted an application for a special use permit for a long-term psychiatric facility on Tower Avenue. Later in the month the Noble Healthcare withdrew their application stating that citizens objection to the project and the building they planned on using not being in good enough condition as their reasonings.
Eight workshops, including one on Nov 14, have been held by the planning commission on the topic of rewriting the ordinance.
“The planning commission wanted to rewrite the code to make it easier for people to find their uses, where they would be located at as well as changing from what we call special uses to what we call conditional uses,” said Emil Pierson when addressing the council.
Pierson said that a public hearing will be held on approximately Dec 12. Following the public hearing the the rewritten ordinance will be brought to the council for first reading the second week of January and then for second reading in February.
