Editor, Ceres Courier,

At the last City Council meeting I was addressing the council regarding changes to the Ceres Municipal Code when I was advised to “wrap it up,” because I had used my five minutes.

I was not allowed to finish my presentation, which would have not taken much longer. What I did notice was the snow cone lady was not subject to the same five-minute rule and was allowed to go on and on regarding the 180-day limit of her permit. She took up 15 to 20 minutes and was not cautioned to wrap it up.

I remembered asking under Title 10, on page 37 (D1) it says a vehicle of historical value may exceed the time period by a written letter to the community development department. How does a vehicle write a letter? It seems as if someone wants to leave a vehicle in an active state of repair all they need to do is write a letter with a timeline. There are no requirements for a response or other limitations, just a letter. I did not receive a response, just wrap it up.

Also under (D)2, it says “Under no circumstances may any vehicle of historic value under renovation interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of neighboring properties.”

What is peaceful enjoyment? Neighboring properties or the people next door?

What is peaceful enjoyment and who determines what that is? What if the junker in question is not 25 years old and not under repair?

All these new adjustments to the code is to allow residents to leave their junk cars, boats, trailers of various types, covered  with a tarp paying a $15 non-op fee (which is forever) in their driveways for the next 20-plus years.

How about this? Allow such storage of vehicles, trailers, boats, RVs, utility trailers and anything else if the resident obtains a permit, an inspection is conducted and a fee of $500 per year is paid?  If the resident wants to estimate the number of years they plan on storing the object in their drive way give 10 percent off for advance payment.

I noticed that the council did not want residents to have PODS in their driveway and voted to not allow them. What is a utility trailer? Or a large box truck? Or abandon vehicles under restoration?  I think they are PODS with tires.

How is this city going to clean up blight with waste-wheelers allowed in public view as well as junk cars, boats, motor homes, and various other discarded modes of transportation and storage containers?

John Warren,

Ceres

(Editor’s note: for the sake of accuracy, your comments ran five minutes, 40 seconds during Citizens Comments. The discussion initiated by the Heaven’s Snow owner during the public hearing on the Zoning Code changes ran a total of nine minutes and two seconds but much of that included comments from the councilmembers).

LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.