Mayor Pete Panepinto vetoed two ordinances, the first dealing with the removal of trees from the right-of-way and the second extending a moratorium on multifamily housing and group homes.
Both ordinances were approved by a 3-2 vote at the city council meeting on September 26, with council members Sam DiVittorio, Devon Wells, and Kip Andrews voting in favor and Carlee White Gonzales and Steve Leon voting to oppose.
On the first ordinance, disagreement among the council members, mayor and city administrator focused on whether to remove healthy, green trees from the right-of-way.
The second veto ends a moratorium on multifamily housing that has been on the books since February of 2022. Discussions in past council meetings have covered many topics including whether the city’s infrastructure could sustain new developments, what exactly the housing committee was reviewing, and if more studies or requirements could help smarter growth. Few changes to the development code have been proposed, and none has been enacted.
The mayor said the halted projects could provide housing for Southeastern students and young professionals.
It will take at least four council members voting to approve an ordinance to override the mayor’s veto.
