Tuesday night’s North Tonawanda city council session began with a pitch by the local chapter of a Vietnam Veterans organization to erect a new monument at Veterans Park.

“What we would like to do is construct a memorial to honor all military personnel who served in Vietnam,” said Vietnam Veterans of America chapter 77 member Tom Konopka.

Monument designer Tim Cogan explained the planned design while an artist’s rendering was unveiled to the council.

The plans call for the letters “VAA77,” to be displayed eight feet high, 18 feet long, and to be carved from Dakota granite. Cogan and others explained it would be placed in a position to catch the setting sun between the existing Marines and Seabees monuments already in place at the park along the Niagara River on River Road.

Most of the council offered their ready approval for the plans, and the group is now preparing to raise about $50,000 needed to cover the cost.

Also, an asphalt path is being proposed to run between the two already-existing monuments while circling around the planned new one, which would leave room for the names of 11 local men who died in the war.

The proposal won’t cost the city anything, say Konopka and his associates.

“It’s going to be something the people are going to say ‘have you seen that, it’s so different,’ ” said member Jack Toth.

Vietnam Veterans of America has 540 members at the local contingent’s City of Tonawanda headquarters. New York state is home to more of the organization’s members than any other state, at 4,380.

Following the presentation, the council also heard a familiar story from a resident unable to get a loan on his home because of the city’s zoning characteristics. Later, in a special session, it was decided to officially rezone a one-block section of Mazda Terrace from R1-2 to R-1, a mostly administrative move.

The home at 541 Mazda Terrace would have been rezoned by itself to get around bank specifications, except Assistant City Attorney Bob Sondel highly discouraged that practice in a sentiment echoed by city planners across the nation who despise “spot zoning.”

Councilman Rich Andres opposed the move citing a desire also possessed by most of the council to re-do outdated zoning throughout much of the city and avoid similar technicalities from arising in the future.

The change will not take effect until after a public hearing is held. The time of the hearing has yet to be announced.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

• North Tonawanda’s newly-formed neighborhood watch group, “Citizens on Patrol” asked officials about plans to hold a block party this summer, and also requested that at least four new street lights be added as a crime deterrent in the Heritage Park area bounded by Lincoln Avenue and Oliver Street.

Chairwoman Amber Penkszyk said the group is meeting Thursday night at its usual spot, St. Peter’s Church on Thompson Street. Jim and Nina Wood, self defense instructors, will be on hand for a demonstration appropriate to the group’s mission to squash crime in the neighborhoods east of the Oliver Street business district.

Of the lights, the mayor’s staffers will contact Department of Public Works Superintendent Gary Franklin to explore existing infrastructure in the area and see whether adding lights would be possible.

• Event organizer Carmen Toromino asked the council to consider his bid to host a motorcycle rally at Gratwick Park this summer, one he said could draw 12,000 riders and stimulate the economy in and around North Tonawanda.

The event would start July 9 and run through the weekend. Music and concessions as well as security and liability insurance were all promised to be included by Toromino. No decision has yet been made.

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.