The Faribault City Council last night approved a few amendments to the City Code of Ordinances.  One concerns the size of garbage containers.

City Administrator Tim Murray told the Council, "It's been at 40 gallons for a maximum can size for a little over 20 years now.  Given some further requests by the haulers Heather (Assistant to the City Administrator) contacted all of the local haulers and they all supported increasing the can size.  At this point they all have the trucks and the equipment now to handle up to 96 gallon cans."

Murray added, "The recycled bins provided by Rice County stay at 65 gallon maximum size. If the haulers and the customers still want to use 40 gallon or 65 gallon that's between them."

So the ordinance does not mandate the larger size container it simply allows for that size to be used.

Another ordinance change dealt with on-street duration parking limits.  Murray explained, "If the area is not posted within the city then the maximum that a person could park their vehicle on the street Monday through Friday was 18 hours in a 24 hour period."

The Faribault City Administrator says there was some concern expressed by people not provided with parking where they live if they have visitors on a weekend or something so this change will allow for 72 consecutive hours or three days to be the "default parking limit" in areas not otherwise posted.

The other ordinance amendment deals with Water Available Charges and Sewer Available Charges or what are called WAC/SAC fees for the reuse of existing buildings.

Murray says, "It's a simpler approach.  I think it's easier for people to understand.  It would also not penalize or maybe actually incentivize people to reuse buildings knowing that they're, again if they are not changing it from an office to a laundromat which obviously would be a more intense use."

These ordinance amendments were all first readings meaning they will have a second reading in two weeks and if passed would be published before becoming law in Faribault.

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