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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/08/71CITY OF HASTINGS O~cs of ENGINF.~R MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY COUNCIL AND TOWNSHIP JOINT MEETING HELD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1971 The meeting was held at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Those present: Planning Commission Members: Mr. Walt Petersen Mr. Fred Trautmann, Mr. Leonard Bauer, Mr. Frank Sieckert, Mr. Pat Wilson, Mrs. Marcella Linde and Mr. Don Hallberg. Also present: City Councilmen: Mr. Joe Novak, Mr. Dick Collins, Mr. Paul Kane, Mayor Evarist Rs/fy, City Clerk Wallace Erickson, members of the Town Board from Ravanna and Marshan Townships. There were no representatives from Nininger Township. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Schumacher were present for presentation, Mr. Ramaker and property owners of the Gergen house at the southeast corner of 15th Street and T.H. 61. Also present for testimony was Mr. Ray Nowicki, owner of the Heschke farm and applicant for annexation. The first item was a motion by Mr. Traufmann, seconded by Mr. Hallberg to approve the minutes of January 25, 1971 as submitted. Mr. Walt Petersen suggested that the Planning Commission vote on each issue in order with the Chairman registering the first vote and going counter clockwise around the table. He stated thai the Charter Commission was proposing this method in the new City Charter for the Council to follow and offered it as a suggestion for consideration by the Planning Commission. Mr. Petersen also furnished each member of the Planning Commission a handout in regard to Mobile Homes. (Secure a copy of this handout from Mr. Petersen, I did not receive one). Mr. Kermit Crouch from Hodne/Stageberg Partners, Inc. presented the format for the Hastings brochure in connection with the "701" Program. He also fur- nished a color print center-fold brochure. Mr. Crouch stated that there would be 1000 copies in the first printing which would give the City a limited use. The City would pay for any printing costs and Mr. Crouch suggested that additional copies should probably be printed at this time. Mr. Crouch was to furnish the Engineer or City Clerk the estimated cost of 4000 to 5000 additional copies for one handout for each household within the City. It was suggested that possibly the Chamber of Commerce or some other organization may be willing to expend Minutes of Planning Commission-City Council-Township Meeting held Monday, February 8, 197i Page 2. some money in regard to this brochure. It was further suggested that approval of the entire format along with the additional copies for printing be authorized in writing at the same time. It was moved by Mr. Hallberg, seconded by Mr. Bauer to pay an invoice of February 8, 1971 and unanimously passed. This would be 90% of the total planning cost to date. Mr. Crouch stated that the final report would be sub- mitted to the Planning Commission in March. Mr. Ray Nowicki was asked to make a presentation to the Planning Commission and to those members from the Town Boards who were in attendance. Mrs. Schmotter was spokesman for Ravanna Township Group and Mr. Ken Anderson was spokesman for the Marshan Township Group. Mr. Frank Sieckert, Chair- man of the Study Committee stated that they would like a topographic map before final decisions were reached. Mr. Nowicki stated he would furnish it after he was given some tentative approval of the proposal. Mr. Walt Petersen then stated that we now had four Mobile Home Parks under study by previous requests; the first being Mr. Leo Schumacher's Imperial Estates proposal, the second, Mr. Neal Siewert's Vermillion River proposal, third Mr. Ray Nowicki's Heschke Farm proposal and the fourth being from a Mr. VanHayes who will make his presentation at the next meeting for a Mobile Home Park on the Featherstone property. Mr. Prank Sieckert speaking on behalf of the Study Committee stated that there was a question of a true need within the City of Hastings, that we presently have a Mobile Home Park in South Hastings and that the one approved for Mr. Pechacek would open np 38 additional sites sometime next year which to date have not been used. Mr. Nowicki then made a presentation based on average student and age of children presiding in a mobile home versus the tract development. He stated that the national average was . 75 students per Mobile Home whereas the national average in tract development was 2.85. The Engineer then made a presentation on the cost for educating students in three age groups; Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Age Groups. (See copy of handout attached). The Engineer also stated that he had secured from the School Administration the national average of 3. 5 students per home and stated that Hastings may be slightly above the national average in this regard. Mr. Hallberg stated, that in his opinion, no Mobile Home Park would be approved within Hastings or in the immediate vicinity until the very necessary tax structure changes were made to remove the chattel property tax from the Mobile Home and base the tax on Real Estate base. There was a question in regard to the depreciation factor involved in adjacent property to a Mobile Home development. Mr. Nowicki countered the statement that the statistics nation-wide bear out the fact that the property immediately adjacent to a Mobile Home Park appreciate rather than depreciate in value providing the development adjacent thereto is of a medium to high density development character. Mr. Nowicki then stated that the sewer and water would be irnrnediately available to this property by extending lateral sewers from the CSAH 47 trunk sewer and water systems and that if he were outside of the corporate boundaries he would by necessity build on one acre tracts, single family dwellings, with septic tanks and private wells. Mr. Nowicki Minutes of Planning Commission-City Council-To~nship Meeting held Monday, February 8, 1971 Page 3. then asked the question "if the Mobile Home concept were disproved; if a concept for single family residences would be approved, or if annexation would be considered on that basis". No direct answer was given to that question. It was moved by Mr. Sieckert, seconded by Mr. Wilson to deny the proposed annexation request. The motion passed by a vote of six yes to one no. Mr. Nowicki asked that the motion denying the request state that it was denied on the basis of tax purposes. Mr. Hallberg pointed out to Mr. Nowicki that this was not a final decision, that this was a recommendation to the City Council and it would be re- ported to the City Council at their next meeting of February 16th. There was then a comment from Mr. Greg Wollmering of Marshan Township stating that this would be piecemeal annexation and suggested that the City look at the overall picture rather than the piecemeal annexation concept. Mr. Ken 2Mnderson stated that there seemed to be two problems; first dealing with annexation per se, the second dealing with Mobile Homes per se. The Chairman of the Study Committee, Mr. Sieckert, stated that their denial at this point was based on the intended use of the land for annexation. Mr. Hallberg stated that the League of Municipalities has gone on record encouraging tax structure changes and also encourage Iow and moderate income housing availability in the Metropolitan Area. Mr. Wilson stated that when the Industrial Park develops, that there definitely will be a need for housing for a labor force when, in fact, industry did locate within the Hastings area. This labor force would require some type of moderate or iow income housing availability. Mr. Hallberg concurred with that statement and stated that he was recommending to the Planning Commission that a complete denial of Mobile Home Parks or moderate income housing of some tyP&~lie totally denied at this point, that the need definitely should be carried to a indepth study approach, a definite need determination made and in the total planning some consideration should be given to making low and moderate income family housing available. In view of the fact that there are three other applicants, he would hope the Planning Commission would not close the door completely on the concept. Following Mr. Nowicki's discussion the engineer briefly reviewed the bond issue outline for the benefit of the Marshan Township Officials, siting the need for industry within the Hastings area, the stabilization of the Industrial, Residential and Commercial Tax Base, the proposed location and a general outline of the Park Development. It was also pointed out that there would be a necessity to work with the Marshan Town Board to upgrade 160th Street and to acquire right-of-way between T.H. 316 and T.H. 61 in accordance with State Highway Department recommendations, and to form a traffic pattern for truck traffic between the Industrial Park and T.H. 61 and ultimate connection to the freeway interchange approximately one-half mile south of the present corporate iimits. Minutes of Planning Commission-City Council-Township Meeting held Monday, February 8, 1971 Page 4. There was also a question put to the County Traffic Engineer suggesting that the County may have some plan in the future for a East-West County System somewhere south of the proposed location in which case this could be worked out with County Engineering staff. Mr. Anderson stated that he was not representing the County at tonight's meeting, but representing Marshan Town- ship, and to his knowledge there was no need for a County Road System in this immediate area. We discussed in some detail with Mr. Ken Anderson the possibility of appointing committees from the Townships and the City of Hastings to meet and discuss the interface problems between the Township and City of Hastings. The Township of Marshan presently has a committee consisting of two Township Planning Members, two Township board members, and one citizen member to discuss the urbanizing problems within Marshan Township. It was suggested that Mr. Wollmering, in letter form, request the City Council of Hastings to form a similar committee so these problems might be worked out in more detail in sub-committee and presented to the two governments, the City of Hastings and the Town Board of Marshan. I informed Mr. Anderson that the next regular Council Meeting would be Tuesday, February 16th. The Planning Commission Chairman stated that Mr. Warren Eustis from the Upper Midwest Research and Development Council would meet with the Planning Commission and City Council on Wednesday, February 17th, 1971 at 7:00 P.M. in the City Hall. Mr. Petersen read a letter of acceptance from Mr. Eustis stating he would be here on that date and time. The next item of discussion was the Special Use Permit and Variance for Clark Oil Company to be located at the southeast corner of 15th Street and T.H. 61. Mr. Wilson presented the sub-committee report. (See copy of that report attached. (Get from Walt Petersen). Mr. Petersen read a letter from the City Attorney, Mr. Fluegel, stating that the minimum requirements for lot frontage as defined in the Zoning Ordinance would relate to the 15th Street frontage and would therefore be an allowable variance. Mr. Petersen asked if the committee had studied the intent of the Zoning Ordinance in making the recommendation in regard to land use, traffic patterns and safety. The Chairman stated that they had and that the approval was based on all of these items subject to the relocation of entrance driveways as recommended by the City Engineer and also the requirement that the first pump island be moved 30 feet back from the property line in accordance with the Ordinance. The discussion then related to the Gergen home presently located on the site. It was mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce had recommended that the building be relocated and upgraded for use as a historical center and for use by the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ramaker from Clark Oil Company stated they will dispose of the building to any interested group for salvage and relocation. It was moved by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mrs. Linde to recommend acceptance of the subcommittee report to allow the location of the Clark Oil Station, subject to the 30 foot setback Minutes of Planning Commission~City Council-Township Meeting held Monday, February 8, 1971 Page 5. of the first pump island. The following vote was taken: Mr. Petersen No Mr. Trautmann Yes Mr. t~auer Yes Mr. Siecke rt No Mr. Wilson Yes Mrs. Linde Yes Mr. Hallbe rg No The motion passed for recommended approval on the basis of a 4 to 3 vote. Mr. Petersen read a letter from Mr. Don Fluegel and Dr. Kugler asking that a committee be appointed for study of a plat to be submitted by Mr. Fluegel. The committee al~ointed was Mr. Trautmann, Mr. Sieckert and Mr. Petersen. Mr. Trautmann will be chairman of that committee. The engineer read a letter from the County Highway Engineer stating that there would be a hearing on February 17th at 7:30 P.M. at the Rosemount Senior High School in regard to a East-West Expressway County Road System from Scott County to intersect with T.H. 55 six miles West of Hastings. The Engineer was asked to comment in writing to the City Council in a form of a resolution to be presented by the City Engineer at that hearing. The revised plan from Mr. David Fasbender for Special Use Permit of a multiple dwelling unit in an "R-Z" Zone was referred to the committee of Mr. Trautmann, Mr. Sieckert and Mr. Petersen. The Engineer stated that he had discussed in some detail with the City Attorney Mr. Fluegel, the setting up of a file system and procedure for handling Variances and Special Use Permit, that each file would be given a separate envelope, the original application information would be contained thereon, a comment from the City Administrator, a comment from the Planning Commission Study Committee and a recommendation to the City Council and final action by the City Council. These would be given a file number for ease of indexing so that in the case of a Court test of any part of the Ordinance or recommendation by any of the Study Committees, they would be available for Court purposes. The Engineer read a letter from Great Northern Oil Company signed by Mr. F. G. Hester, General Manager, outlining a complete report in regard to the oil spillage occurring on December 9, 1970. Copies of this letter were fur- nished Mr. Petersen and Mr. Hi Kilborn. Mr. Petersen suggested that Mr. Gunnar Isberg, Dakota County Planner, be invited to one of the next regular Planning Commission Meetings so that he might be introduced to the present Planning Commission. (Make a note of this for the next agenda). Mr. Petersen also reminded the Council that on Wednesday, February 3rd, Mr. Anderson from the Department of Local and Urban Affairs made a presentation Minutes of ]planning Commission - City Council - Township Meeting held Monday, February 8, 1971 Page 6. on low and moderate income housing and outlined briefly his discussion of that evening. Mr. Petersen stated that he and the City Clerk had attended a meeting in Red Wing last Thursday. February 4th at which ti~e Mr. Anderson discussed Senior Citizen Housing with interested citizens in Red Wing. The City Engineer presented a plan from Mr. Hamilton for a two-family dwelling in an R-2 Zone at the southeast corner of 12th and ]pine on an existing basement. This request was turned over to a committee of Mr. Trautmann, Sieckert and iOetersen. Mr. Hallberg presented a Resolution for approval by the ]Planning Commission in regard to the Metropolitan Council Development Guide, and in particular to the Housing Section of that Development Guide. He took particular exception to Article 14 of that Guide, in which the municipalities who have zoned out low and moderate income housing would be denied Federal Funding. A copy of the Proposed Resolution was read to the Planning Commission for submission to the City Council at their next regular Meeting. (The Engineer's Office will duplicate this resolution and furnish it to the Human Rights Committee, the Planning Commission and the City Council). It was moved by Mr. Hallberg, seconded by Mrs. Linde to allow the Engineer to secure the film "Multiply and Subdue the Earth". This film is available from the University of Indiana. It was also requested that the City Engineer send a copy of our Zoning Ordinance to the Metropolitan Council for their review and filing. The next regular meeting will be February 2g, 1971 at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. We completed our meeting at approxi~ately 10:00 ]P. M. John Davidson, City Engineer