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City likely to hold off on wireless plan

Mechanical
Komatsu Equipment Co
Resident Field Mechanic Trades/Construction
RANCHO RESORT
MAINTANANCE POSITION Sales and Marketing
Everready Glass
Sales Reps Administrative & Professional
Tucson Urban League
CEO/President Finance and Accounting
Charles E. Gillman Company
Accounting Specialist Administrative & Professional
Jorgensen Brooks Group
Counselor

Letting your pooch run around off-leash, except at certain locations, will cost you an extra $50. The council also puts off plans for a citywide wireless Internet system and votes to let artists live where they work and sell their product.

The Tucson City Council voted unanimously to increase fines for off-leash dogs by $50, hoping to curb the number of dogs running loose in city parks and to prevent injuries to dogs and people. Councilwoman Shirley Scott was absent.

To reduce animal cruelty and neglect, the council also made it illegal to sell animals in any swap meet within city limits or at any city park, sidewalk, street or public right-of-way.

Dogs are not allowed off-leash in most areas of the city, except private property and the city's six parks that are designated for dogs. The council raised fines from $50 to $100 for the first violation, $100 to $150 for a second offense and $150 to $200 for a third offense or more.

The council put off an attempt to build a citywide wireless Internet system that was suggested by Councilman Steve Leal.

Instead, the council directed its staff to pursue a smaller strategy of providing Wi-Fi hot spots at the city's six ward offices as well as these community centers: Cherry Avenue, Marty Birdman, Ormsby and Oury.

The council abandoned plans for a full-scale, city-run wireless network that people could use to access the Internet after consultants analyzed costs and recommended the city not start the process to pick a wireless- service provider to run a municipal Wi-Fi service.

The study found that only 10 percent of residential respondents and 14 percent of business respondents agreed the city should take a role in wireless service.

The council voted unanimously to change the city's land-use code to allow artists to live in their work spaces where they also sell art, a practice that was previously prohibited.

Council members said the change was a good one to allow artists to be treated fairly and be able to have live/work spaces that are available for artists in many other cities.

The move permits artists to live in and maintain workshops in existing, commercially zoned buildings that are vacant. It also allows retail sales of the artists' work at the location.

— Rob O'Dell