Jun 14, 2002 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

City council and city officials vowed to use the proposed comprehensive plan as a guide for land use and development and not let it “sit on a shelf.” The vows were made in front of 10 residents who attended Thursday’s hearing to offer comments and ask questions about the plan, which council will consider adopting at a special meeting on June 18t.

“It won’t sit on a shelf,” Mayor James Sileo said, responding to a comment from Mary K. Sykes of Delaware Avenue.

She said she hopes the council can do something to bring more businesses to town. Sykes said downtown is a good place for businesses because “everything in town is within walking distance.”

Union Street resident William J. Hubbard, who recently moved to town with his wife Linda, asked if the plan includes ways to attract business to the vacant stores on Main Street?

Code enforcement officer Myron Nypaver said the city received a $30,000 grant to study the condition of the vacant structures and devise a plan to entice businesses to move in.

Solicitor Daniel Webster said the city is planning to reconstruct sidewalks and perform other improvements along Morgantown Street next year. He said the work will be similar to rehabilitation done on Main Street three years ago.

Sileo said he talked to the owners of every vacant storefront in town and asked if they would be willing to waive the rent for the first six months to attract businesses, but they refused.

“If anyone has ideas, tell me,” Sileo said. “Is Uniontown going to come back? I don’t know. I hope it does.”

He said it was a bustling downtown, especially on weekends, until malls began opening.

Tim Sandstrom of Evans Street asked if council will have to enact any new ordinances to enforce the comprehensive plan?

He said he is concerned about the plan being placed on a shelf until any needed ordinances would be adopted.

“It can’t sit on the shelf,” Nypaver said.

He said the zoning ordinance council approved two months ago provides the “teeth” needed to enforce many of the objectives contained in the plan.

Sandstrom said one part of the plan calls for landlords to register with the city.

Webster said that will require an additional ordinance.

Nypaver said a new state law, which he dubbed “slumlord legislation” gives the city more power to combat blight.

He said the law allows the city to use eminent domain to obtain blighted property and sell it for development purposes.

Previously, second- and third-class cities were limited to convert blighted areas for public use, he said.

However, Webster said the city needs money to exercise eminent domain because it requires the city to buy property for fair market value.

Hubbard asked if slumlords can dodge the city’s efforts through a godfather clause.

Nypaver said the new law does not provide such a clause. “They can’t hide behind that anymore,” he said.

Sileo said he has been discretely compiling a list of neglected homes and buildings throughout the city. When the list is complete, he said he will turn it over to Webster so he can begin preparing citations against the owners.

Sandstrom also asked in the zoning ordinances addresses group homes.

Nypaver said it limits group homes to parts of the city zoned medium density residential (R2), local business (C1) and central business (C2).

Colleen Watson, who manages the baseball program for the city’s parks and recreation department, noted that the plan calls for expanding neighborhood parks and recreational facilities.

She was assured that the plan does say the city will expand its parks.