The Locust Grove City Council voted at its March 9 regular meeting to approve an amendment to the city’s code that will make overnight parking illegal at city parks.

  By ordinance, public parks in the city are closed between midnight and 6 a.m. unless the mayor and council have given specific authorization otherwise. The ordinance amendment requires all vehicles to be removed from public parks prior to closing. The motion to approve the change passed by unanimous vote.

  In other business, an amendment to the city’s code governing disorderly conduct with regard to public utility property was approved. According to a city staff report, the action will provide the police department and code enforcement personnel with a specific ordinance to cite when they investigate cases involving theft, damage or interference with public utility services. All such crimes are to be classified as misdemeanors.

  The council voted to approve a variance that reduces the front-yard setback requirement from 40 to 12.55 feet for a lot in the Grove Village subdivision. According to a city staff report, an “unintentional field inspection error” led to a house being constructed while encroaching on the setback standard, and denial of the variance “would leave a family preparing to move in to their contracted new home in a possible prolonged state of being without a home and cause an undue hardship.” Officials said that the variance would not make the property inconsistent with the community’s existing residences

  The council voted to accept a donation of conservation land from a portion of an existing subdivision. The vote was unanimous. According to a city staff report, developers inquired about the city obtaining a partially developed phase of the Jubilee subdivision. The subject property contains about 26.7 acres and comprises most of the subdivision property east of Jubilee Boulevard. It is encumbered by a conservation easement which will likely limit its use to passive recreational activities such as walking trails and open space. The Henry County Tax Assessor’s office has set the worth of the land at $74,900 and $1,095 property taxes per year

  An agreement that would allow Henry County to continue providing election services for the city was approved unanimously. Also approved was a special event request for a food truck event scheduled for April 4 in the parking lot of Tanger Outlet Center.