MAYOR CALLED TO BREAK HIS FIRST 2 VOTING TIES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992                   TAG: 9202220135
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium
MAYOR CALLED TO BREAK HIS FIRST 2 VOTING TIES
A lightning strike during a freak midwinter thunderstorm last week nearly hit Mayor Benny Keister's house. It shattered waterlines nearby on West Avenue and interrupted Keister's late-evening snooze.
But Thursday, a different form of lightning struck Keister twice as Town Council deadlocked on separate votes and the mayor had to cast tie-breaking votes - yes in both cases.
They were the first and second times Keister had to break a tie in his nearly four years in office.
At Town Administrator Gary Elander's request, council approved a plan to draft an interim ordinance giving council some flexibility in making minor "special exceptions" to town zoning ordinances.
A new zoning ordinance being developed includes language allowing council to approve such "conditional-use" exceptions. The new ordinance would cover the period prior to adoption of new zoning regulations.
Elander said he'd been approached by a business that wanted to locate in Dublin but required "special exceptions" to the zoning code. "There might be another opportunity that's lost if we don't have something in place," he said.
Council member David Stanley opposed it: "I'd hate to see council bend [the zoning ordinance] or do whatever they want with it," he said.
In another matter, council again declined to approve a subdivision ordinance, even though the town is required by state law to have one.
"I'm just not sure it fits our situation," said Councilman David Farmer. He suggested the proposed ordinance was too specific.
"It might be a little much for our situation at the present time," he said, adding that it might be more appropriate if the town were able to expand its borders into the county.
Keister said he voted to approve Farmer's motion to return the ordinance to the Planning Commission for improvements because "there were questions in at least three council members' minds" about the ordinance.
"We've been asking for this for about three months now for these recommendations," said Planning Commission Chairwoman Patsy Akers. She said after the meeting that reworking the subdivision ordinance will delay completion of the new zoning code.
Another motion by Councilman Colbern Linkous to oppose funding for the so-called "smart highway" between Blacksburg and Roanoke died for lack of a second.
Linkous said the highway, which was approved Thursday by the state Transportation Board, would cost too much and would only bring more traffic, crime, and drugs into the area.
Council unanimously approved a resolution making April 15 "Gary Clark Day" in Dublin. Town officials hope the Dublin native and Washington Redskins standout will come for the occasion. The resolution cited Clark's career as a pro football player, which has included two Super Bowl wins.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB