The Mosheim Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved three ordinances on Thursday during its combined November/December board meeting.

These two monthly meetings are combined each year by the town board because of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The board meeting was chaired by Vice Mayor Tommy Gregg in the absence of Mayor Billy Myers, who continues to battle health issues.

Two of the ordinances approved by the board pertain to sign provisions for businesses, and the third ordinance includes regulations related to portable storage containers.

Each of the ordinances passed on first reading. A second reading will be required by the board for final approval.

The new sign provisions add portable signage requirements under the permitted use list for the Town of Mosheim's B-1, arterial business district; B-2, general business district, and M-1, industrial business district.

The new signage ordinances and the portable/temporary storage ordinance were both recommended for approval last month by the Mosheim Planning Commission.

The signage ordinance would limit usage to one portable sign per tenant at each road frontage. Such signs would have to be 10 feet off the right-of-way, and not a danger in windy conditions.

No portable sign may be placed in such a way as to cause a sight distance problem, obstruction or a hazard, the amendment states.

The proposed changes with regard to portable storage containers were recommended by First Tennessee Development District Planner Cherith Marshall and approved last month by the Mosheim Planning Commission.

The ordinance defined the portable storage units in the following manner:

"A box-like container used for outdoor storage, including commercial storage, transported to a desired location on a specialized truck or transport system of such a size as to make it impractical to be easily moved by hand in the event of fire or other emergency."

The proposed ordinance for this type of storage container requires a temporary use permit in any residential or business district, but the ordinance does not extend to industrial uses.

The permit would be necessary for all units of this type except in cases when the storage unit is being used in conjunction with a project that requires a building or demolition permit.

The unit could not remain beyond 90 days, with the possibility of only two, two-week extensions, and must remain out of the right-of-way. When possible, the unit is not to be placed in the front yard of the main building.

Such structures must also be at least 10 feet away from any structures to prevent fire hazards, the ordinance states.

In other matters, Gregg gave an update on the planned upgrades to the Lick Creek Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Gregg said he expects the bidding process for the wastewater treatment plant upgrades to begin next year, with work on the project to begin in the spring of 2014.

Some concern was expressed as to whether the upgrades at the sewer plant would be completed by the time that the new US Nitrogen plant becomes operational.

The US Nitrogen plant, on a 400-acre site along Pottertown Road, will manufacture liquid ammonium nitrate.

Gregg said that, without the upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, the Mosheim sewer system would be at capacity when US Nitrogen hooks on, leaving the sewer system without the capacity to handle future industrial growth.

He said that a contract with US Nitrogen needs to worked up in lieu of payments for at least 1-2 years.

Also during the meeting, Gregg and other board members complimented Alderman Harold Smith and wastewater treatment plant operator Steve Holzerman for their work in helping to improve efficiency at the plant.

In other matters, Gregg said that the Mosheim Volunteer Fire Department recently received a favorable evaluation by the Insurance Services Office (ISO).

The ISO reviews the firefighting capabilities of individual communities and provides a fire-suppression rating.

Favorable ratings can ultimately help to lower homeowners' insurance rates, Gregg said.