by Carol Dunn
LA VETA- In a 5-1 vote, the La Veta Town Board agreed Tuesday to adopt a resolution to erect signs discouraging tobacco use at the Town Park, the baseball field and at the basketball and volleyball courts next to the Community Center. Cara Campbell and Derek Andreas, members of Get R!EAL Coalition, had previously requested the Town adopt an ordinance to make the Town’s public areas smoke free. But after consulting legal counsel and a meeting with several Trustees, they revised their request to something more palatable to the Board. The original signs will be furnished by Get R!EAL with grant funds that come from the State Health Department. Subsequent maintenance will “most likely” be provided by the Town.
After a lengthy process of submitting a commercial development application and getting supporting documentation and a survey statement, Harold Andreatta was denied his permit to officially locate a landscape storage operation on the north end of Town. Mayor Pro-tem Dawn Blanken told the audience that the code lists itemized uses for commercial zones, and a landscape business is not one of those uses. Further, she said any non-itemized use has to be “in harmony with existing uses.” Considering the apartments and the two undeveloped adjacent lots, she said, “In this case it’s not appropriate.” Andreatta asked the Board, “In that description harmony, how is that described?” Although Trustee Don Keairns asked the rest of the Board if there could be any type of resolution on this issue, there was ultimately no motion to place the application on the table for a vote.
Regarding the streets, Blanken said GMS Engineering is negotiating with Pate Construction to put the streets in “as good or better” condition, as per the water project contract.
The new deputy marshal will be sworn in and begin his duties on July 24.
