NEW ALBANY — The New Albany City Council opted to extend the temporary moratorium on new apartments for another year.
The council voted 6-2 on the third and final reading to continue the moratorium on new apartment development and the issuance of short-term rental permits. New Albany City Council members Stefanie Griffith and Chris FitzGerald voted against the extension.
New Albany City Councilman Greg Phipps said the extension will allow the city to update the comprehensive plan and complete the new zoning code. The city could allow the moratorium to expire before the end of the year.
During public comments, New Albany resident Zachary White voiced concerns about extending the moratorium.
“The long-term impacts on the community far outweigh the short-term benefits that may come from keeping this on the books,” he said.
White said with “current issues facing the nation with the housing crisis and the rising affordability crisis in rentals,” there is a need for fewer barriers.
“You can see this in Austin, Texas and San Antonio, where they have proven that an increase in apartment construction has brought their prices down in opposition to where the current trend is nationwide,” he said.
YOUTH COUNCIL
The council also voted 8-0 on the first and second reading to adopt a new youth council, which will begin with five local students.
New Albany City Council President Adam Dickey said many young people in the New Albany community need to learn about civic processes.
“The state requires a semester of government before they graduate high school, but in many cases, it’s hard to back in a lot of the nuance of city government, along with state and federal government.”
New Albany City Councilwoman Elaine Murphy said it would “benefit all of the council members and our administration to listen to what young folks have to say.”
ANNEXATION
The council voted 8-0 on the first and second readings to approve the voluntary annexation of more than 25 acres at 3009 Sieveking Lane. The petition for annexation comes from owner J & J Development Company, LLC, which is seeking to build a subdivision at the property.
The development already received permission from the New Albany Plan Commission to proceed, but the annexation will make sure there are “no gaps in services” in terms of first responders, according to FitzGerald.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
The board also approved an appropriation on the third and final reading for emergency response equipment. This includes $1.2 million to the fire department for a new ladder truck, as well as $1.3 million to buy vehicles and technology for the police department.
This was the first appropriation of funds from the new public safety tax revenue, which went into effect at the beginning of the year. The city has $2.8 million in the fund.