By Joe BarkerRecord Staff WriterCitizens of Marthasville could get to vote on the proposed formation of a planning and zoning commission.The board of aldermen is in the early stages of plans to form a commission, but at the Sept. 16 meeting Mayor David Lange proposed holding off on forming a commission and instead putting it up to a vote.No formal action was taken at the meeting, but the board agreed to further discuss a potential vote at its October meeting.Lange said he raised the issue based on conversations with people around town.“I’ve had conversations with several citizens in town, when I start talking about planning and zoning, they want to know when they’re going to get to vote on it,” he said.The city recently finished a comprehensive plan and in July met with Boonslick Regional Planning Commission to discuss the next steps toward establishing its own planning and zoning commission. At that meeting the board agreed to look for possible members for the commission and appeals board.Lange said he thinks Marthasville needs building regulations, but it might be in the best interest to appease everyone by putting the issue of planning and zoning up to vote.“I think it would pass, easily,” he said.City Attorney Jamis Kresyman wanted to know what the vote would be about. She asked Lange if it would make sense to have a public vote on actual planning and zoning ordinances instead of just a straight yes or no vote on if the city should have a planning and zoning commission.Lange said his intention was just a straight up or down vote. He said spending a “couple hundred dollars” to have it on the ballot in April would be worth it to ensure the city was acting upon the wishes of residents.Need for VoteAlderman Pam Jensen questioned the need for a public vote.“I think it’s taking a huge step backward from what everybody worked on with the comprehensive plan,” she said. “To try and make it so black and white — do you want planning and zoning or don’t — it’s not that simple. There’s a lot involved and that needs to be discussed and planned before we can ever ask anybody what they think.”Jensen said the people could get educated at planning and zoning meetings and have a say on how the regulations are formed.“We’re suffering drastically from a lack of planning and zoning,” Jensen said.Lange said Jensen just wants to move forward with planning and zoning and “ram it down our throats.” Jensen denied the accusation.Alderman Nick Lange backed his father’s suggestion. He said some businesses may prefer to come to Marthasville because of a lack of planning and zoning, while others may want it. He said the voters should have a say.Kresyman said the public has had an input. She said the comprehensive plan meetings were open to the public.Jensen said she thinks planning and zoning is in the best interest of the city and the board should be supportive of the plan. She said David Lange appears to not back the creation of a commission.“I believe I started off saying I support it, if the people want it,” he said. “If we have a vote and 600 people say no and 300 say yes, I don’t think we oughta ram it down their throats.”Alderman Dan Grafrath said he supports planning and zoning and doesn’t see anything wrong with asking for a public vote.Alderman Mike Kloeppel said he also supports planning and zoning, but doesn’t back a vote. He said those who don’t support the commission had their chance to voice concerns during the creation of the comprehensive plan.Kloeppel said he fears the voters would vote no because of a lack of understanding and kill the issue.“If you just say planning and zoning, it’s not telling them what we’re trying to do,” he said.Finding MembersJensen said the next step the board should take is to find members for the board. She said the people who worked on the comprehensive plan would be a good place to start.“We need to start by getting a board together,” she said. “We need to see what people like to plan and zone on in Marthasville before we ever bring it to the public. If they hear planning and zoning and nothing else, they’re going to say no. They need to be educated about what exactly we’re trying to do.”Just like he did months ago when appointing members of the park board, Mayor Lange suggested looking outside the city limits for members.Lange said he’s talked to several people who are interested in serving, but some live outside the city. He asked Kresyman to draw up an ordinance to allow nonresidents to serve.Kresyman said she wasn’t sure if that would be possible. She said it’s the city planning and zoning commission so the people should be citizens.Jensen asked Lange why he’d even consider nonresidents.“Who wants someone outside the city making decisions about city business?”Lange said there are people who don’t live in town that care about the town. He said business owners, real estate agents, and construction people would be ideal to serve on the commission, no matter when they live.Kresyman said she’d look into it, but she didn’t think it was possible to create an ordinance that would accomplish what the mayor was asking for.The board agreed to table the issue until October.Marthasville