Linda Erbele
White County News
The city commission of Cleveland, at its meeting Sept. 15, held a first reading of a new process for hotel/ motel variance appeals. “The purpose is to simplify and improve it to where it’s an administrative process,” City Manager Kevin Harris said.
Requests for variance from the standard limit of two weeks for guests to stay at one of the motels will go before a Waiver Committee. That committee will consist of the city fire chief, the city police chief, the city manager and the economic development director.
The variance must be submitted before the 14th day of stay. If the person seeking the variance isn’t happy with the committee’s decision, he or she will have five days to appeal that decision to the city council, which can make a final decision at its next meeting.
Following the meeting, Harris said hotels and motels are not, by design, extended stay facilities.
“The power demand, number of outlets, circuit load and lack of proper circuits for food preparation make a motel unsuitable for extended stay,” he said. “Cooking appliances like hot plates, toaster ovens,coffee makers, crockpots, microwaves and other kitchen sinks require higher power and additional plumbing that simply do not exist (in the current motels.) In general, extended stay facilities need more durable systems because guests are often living there instead of simply staying overnight.”
The new process will have a second reading at an upcoming city council meeting.
The next meeting of the council will be Monday, Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Springs Community Center/Police Department.
City Clerk Lisa Ritchie announced that the city has received a Georgia Municipal Association Wellness grant in the amount of $3,000.
The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting for the new fire station across from Freedom Park (84 E. Underwood St.) at 11 a.m. on Oct. 3.