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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/09/71CITY OF HASTINGS Phone 437-692] Hastings on the Mississippi OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER MINUTES OF HASTINGS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING HELD MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 197] Prior to the regular Planning Commission Meeting, the Engineer related that the 1st National Bank had taken the sign down which was nonconforming and expressed his thanks to Mr. Jim Kayfus who made the sign removal possible. He also explained that Mr. Larson at the Hastings Sewing Machine Company has not removed his sign or applied for a variance. The sign was placed illegally. The members of the Planning Commission suggested that he be given 30 days notice to either remove it or apply for a variance. A review of the minutes of the last meeting. The second paragraph should be corrected to read "...It was moved by Mr. Wilson, secorded by Mr. Trautmann, to table for legal opinion .... " There was a motion to approve the minutes as corrected. The motion was made by Mr. Sieckert, second- ed by Mr. Neujahr. Those present were Mr. Sieckert, Mr. Siebrecht, Mr. Neujahr, Mr. Traut- mann, Mr. Petersen, Mrs. Linde, Mr. Hallberg, and Mr. Wilson. Also present were Mrs. Carroll from the Gazette, Mr. Lew Jaquis from the Mississippi Valley Star, Mr. Bob Lee from the K.D.W.A., Mr. Duane Groth from Star Realty, and Mr. John Davidson, the City Engineer. Mr. Bob Eidem arrived late from the Department of Local and Urban Affairs. The study committee submitted a report on the Larson walk-out basement apartment hearing to be held on September 7, 1971. There was a motion by Mr. Sieckert, seconded by Mrs. Linde, to accept the subcormmittee report recommending approval of the special use permit for Mrs. Larson at 418 W. lgthStreet. Ayes, all. There was a general d[scussionof basement apartment concepts. The Engineer was asked to have Wally write for the Uniform Housing Code. The Engineer did contact the City Clerk. The Clerk stated that he did not know where to secure a Housing Code. There was also a general discussion in regard to holding hearings. It was suggested by Mr. Hallberg that in order to speed up the process and not make it seem so cumbersome to secure a special use or variance, a hearing could be set prior to the Planning Commission report. It was suggested that Mr. Hallberg, being a City Council member of the Planning Commission, could use his own judgement in those areas where a hearing would speed up the process. Mr. Hallberg could suggest at a Council Meeting that a date be set prior to the Planning Commission report being secured. The next item, Mr. Duane Groth, representing Star Realty Company, asked about the 40 acres + or - in South Hastings upon which they have requested to construct a mobile home park. The area is subject to flooding and the Corps of Engineers flood plain studies have not been secured. It was indicated Minutes of Hastings Planning Commission Meeting Held Monday, August 9, 1971 Page 2 Mr. Hi Kilborn should be contacted to see if he has made contact with the Corps of Engineers and to hold an early meeting in this regard so that the property acquisition could commence. Mr. Bob Eidem, from the Department of Local and Urban Affairs, stated that the target date for LAWCON funds through the Department of Local and Urban Affairs (through which all grant applications must pass) is set for September 5, 1971, and that if this committee is going to secure some kind of Federal funds for land acquisition, they should make such applications as soon as possible. (Make a note of this. Call Mr. Hi Kilborn in regard to a meeting with the Corps of Engineers. ) Mr. Bob Eidem went through the Hastings 701 Comprehensive Plan stating that he thought it was a good plan even though it was a long time in preparation. He covered such things as: 1. Community facilities 2. Transportation systems and the thoroughfare plan 3. Parks acquisition and working with the county in acquiring large regional parks 4. A good rapport with the school board and other government agencies - In this regard Mr. Eidem stated that the City did, by ordinance have the zoning rights Z miles beyond its corporate limits in any direction except when the governing body in the area abutting the municipality has already adopted zoning or subdivision regulations. Next Mr. Eidem covered such things as codes and ordinances, the State Building Code, the Flood Plain Zoning. He suggested that the City might adopt the Uniform Housing Code. He also stated that it was a good idea to hold neighborhood-type hearings prior to adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. Columbia Heights held 4 neighborhood hearings prior to the City Council's final one. Mr. Hallberg asked if Mr. Eidem thought that the 701 was a "Blue Sky" Concept. Mr. Eidem stated he did not think that this was the type of report that should be shelved; that there should be follow-up. The plan should continuously be up-graded, and that parts of the Plan pin-pointing faults or short comings should be strengthened. Thoroughfare plans, subdivision plans, and zoning ordinances should be adopted. He stated that the 701 should be a guide for improvement and not a specific book or paper. It would continue to change. He stated that by statute the City has the right to preserve all future right-of-ways for thoroughfare development. The Commission regulates ail annexations. Neighborhood analysis plans and procedures for urban renewal could be developed. The capital improvements program would be one item where the Planning Commission could assist in development of utilities, facilities, and park plans. He stated that model ordinances in regard to zoning and the possibility of capital improvements are areas where the'Planning Commission should be used as a board for securing data or making recommendations for specific plans. The existing tools, codes, and ordinances should be continu- ously up-g-aded and that the Planning Commission should work in this area. Also to be looked into would be the 235 or 236 Housing Programs, cluster Minutes of Hastings l~lanning Commission Meeting Held Monday, August 9, 1971 Page 3 housing, planned unit developments, and this type of thing. A Housing and Redevelopment Authority is a necessary commission in the City for securing Federal funds for housing for the elderly as well as low-income housing. The next item following Mr. Eidem's presentation was a subcommittee report by Mr. Trautmannin regard to the rezoning of lots 14 thru 17, block 4, Vermillion Addition for Mr. Scully, Baurer, and Sontag. He stated that the property on the south side of 3rd Street adjacent to the Driscoll Bus Garage, between T.H. 61 and Cannon Street. The garage would be used for parking of solid waste vehicles. He was requesting the C-2 zone in place of the present R-g zone. He stated that water and sewer would be available when extended, that he would have to comply with all sanitary conditions under ordinance. There was a motion by Mr. Neujahr, seconded by Mr. Wilson, to study the entire area under question. Mr. Neujahr then withdrew his motion and Mr. Wilson withdrew his second. There was a presenting motion by Mr. Trautmann, seconded by Mr. Sieckert, to accept the committee report. The vote was a tie with 4 yes, 4 no votes. The presenting motion by Mr. Neujahr to study the area south of the Vermillion River. There was a second by Mr. Hallberg to set up a zoning and use plan for South Hastings. Mr. Neujahr stated that he was not against the garage but against spot-zoning. It was not the intent of the committe to set on this and the study would be for the next regular meeting. That motion unanimously passed. Next there was a Northern States Power recommendation for a zoning ordin- ance change for underground utilities. Moved by Mr. Trautmann, seconded by Mrs. Linde, to leave the ordinance as is. Unanimously passed. Next the I31anning Commission Chairman suggested that the entire Commission read the by-taws for the Natural Resources and Recreation Commission and make comments at the next regular meeting. Next the plat of Country Club, 2nd Addition, was referred to the Planning Commission for final approval. There was a motion by Mr. Siebrecht, seconded by Mr. Neujahr, which passed by a vote of 7 to 1 to recommend approval. Next Chairman Petersen related to the statutes in regard to mobile home park tax ordinances given to us by Representative Sieben. (See Mr. Petersen for the numbers of these Senate file and House £ile bills. ) Mr. Petersen stated that he sent out letters in regard to youth programs in Hopkins and several other municipalities and has received no reply to date. The next item of discussion was the absence of Mr. Leonard Baurer. He's been absent since April, missing 5 meetings. If he has been absent for 6 consecutive meetings, there is an automatic dismissal from the Planning Commission and he should be replaced under the laws of the Planning Commission. There was a committee of Wilson, Siebrecht, and Sieckert apointed to study this problem. Minutes of Hastings Planning Commission Meeting Held Monday, August 9, 1971 Page 4 It was also suggested that the press might make note that we're looking for applications for the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. It was also suggested that we look for a procedure for handling rejections of applications. The procedure set out for handling accepted applications in the past but there has been no policy for handling those that are rejected at this point. It was also suggested that Mr. Scully be present at the next Planning Commission meeting. (Make a note of this. ) It was suggested that the City Engineer contact Red Wing and see what their capital improvements program report entails and see if we can get a copy. Also contact TKDA and get an estimated cost for developing A capital improve- ments program. It was also suggested that since there was an article appearing in the Minneapolis paper that Daytons was looking for 6 new locations for stores that Mr. Bob Swanson of Industrial Builders be contacted and that he make some contact with the Dayton's store. This was followed up. The Engineer did talk to Mr. Swanson and made the suggestion that he contact Daytons. (Make a note to check back with Bob Swanson in this regard. ) Following the Planning Commission Meeting at approximately 10:00 P.M. Mr. Sieckert asked if I would check into Mr. Clint Johnsons, 820 W. llth. The trees were damaged by Central Natural Gas. Contact A1 Rotty. We'd discussed this in the past. Possibly the City could remove the trees if the Gas Company would take them do%~rn or vice versa. We completed our meeting at approximately 10:00 P.M.. John L. Davidson, City Engineer