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City Council Minutes 03-26-1984MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL March 26, 1984 - 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Ken Maus, Fran Fair, Dan Blonigen. Members Absent: Jack Maxwell, Arve A. Grimsmo. 1. Call to Order. 2. Approval of Minutes. Motion was made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held March 12, 1984, as presented. 4. Public Hearing - Consideration of AEplication for Liquor License, Applicant - Stuart Hoglund. At the previous Council meeting, Mr. Stuart Hoglund appeared before the Council to request a waiver of the on -sale liquor license fee for the first half of 1984, which would expire July 1, 1984. Mr. Hoglund indicated he would be applying for the liquor license effective July 1, 1984, for his new proposed motel site on Oakwood Drive. The Council approved waiving the first half of 1984's license fee but noted that a public nearing would have to be held by the Council before the license could actually be issued and approved. A public hearing was held at this meeting with no comments being heard from the public. Motion was made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried to approve the issuance of an on -sale liquor license to Mr. Stuart Hoglund for his proposed motel effective July 1, 1984, contingent upon Mr. Hoglund supplying the necessary insurance forms, and surety bond. 5. Consideration of Purchase of the Bob Saxon Property. At the previous Council meeting, the City made an offer of $59,500 to the Saxons for their property, provided that the property remain essentially intact. Mr. Saxon has indicated that he fully agrees to the terms of the City's offer and he noted that the kitchen range and clothes dryer will remain with the property. The only items that have been removed were some carpeting and refrigerator, which the City will have to replace if they plan on renting the house in the meantime. - 1 - Council Minutes - 3/26/84 Motion was made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried to authorize the City staff to consummate the purchase and complete the transaction for the Saxon property for $59,500 as soon as possible. 6. U date on Fire Barn and Pum House Project and Consideration of Proceeding with Fire House Plans. Previously, the City Council directed the City staff to work with the Fire Department and look for different sites for a possible new Fire Hall location. City staff reviewed approximately 20 possible sites in the downtown area having easy access to either the light at Highway 25 and Broadway or the traffic light at Highway 25 and Seventh Street. John Simola reviewed with the Council five potential sites that the City staff felt would be suitable for a new Fire Hall. Three of the sites are property in Lauring Hillside Terrace at the intersection of Cedar and Lauring Lane. A fourth site reviewed was Lots 1-5 in Block 13, located just west of the Municipal Liquor Store. And the fifth site considered was the present location of the Fire Hall, which would require demolition of the existing building. It was the staff's opinion that the most preferable site would be a combination of Lot 1, Block 2, and the north half of Lot 3, Block 2, in Lauring Hillside Terrace. Mr. Gary Anderson, Building Inspector, had obtained an estimate from a contractor for a steel type building for approximately $125,000 without land. Although no specific building plans have been approved at the present time, it was the consensus of the Council that the City should continue pursuing the idea of finding a new location for the Fire Hall and the staff should obtain some firm prices on the land sites that are available or suitable for a new Fire Hall. Since it appears that the Council is favorable on pursuing a new Fire Hall location and building, John Simola, Public Works Director, again requested that the plans for enlarging the pump house located adjacent to the present Fire Hall be considered. The preliminary plans and specifications were previously submitted to the Council for consideration on the pump house additions. Motion was made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried to authorize the Public Works Director to prepare final detailed plans and specifications for the construction of both pump house additions as planned and to submit to the Council for final approval. The staff was directed to get firm cost estimates on the land sites selected for a possible new Fire Hall and to report back to the Council at the next meeting. - 2 - Council Minutes - 3/26/84 7. Consideration of a Proposed Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. In light of an application made by Metcalf and Larson for their new office building for allowable sign area, the City staff discovered an error in the Ordinance relating to buildings with more than one occupant. As a result, the Ordinance was reviewed with John Uban from Howard Dahlgren and Associates, the City Planner, and a new Ordinance was prepared to address the inadequacy of the present Ordinance. The Planning Commission met at a special meeting and held a public hearing at 6:00 P.M. on the proposed Ordinance Amendment prior to the Council meeting and unanimously approved adopting the new Ordinance Amendment, which clarified the amount of sign area allowed for buildings that have more than one tenant. Since only three out of the five Council members were present at this meeting, no official action could be taken on the proposed Ordinance Amendment, as a four-fifths vote of the entire Council was necessary to enact any Ordinance Amendment. As a result, motion was made by Blonigen, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to postpone any action on this Ordinance Amendment until the next regular Council meeting. 8. Consideration of a Request for a Conditional Use, Applicant - Metcalf and Larson. This Conditional Use Request by Metcalf and Larson was intended to be applied to the new Ordinance Amendment regarding signs previously discussed. Again, since four-fifths of the Council members were not present to take action on the recommended Ordinance Amendment, this Conditional Use Request was also recommended to be postponed until the next Council meeting on a motion made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried. 9. Consideration of an Amendment to the Ordinance to Allow as a Conditional Use in an R-1 Zone More Than Five Children in a Day Care or Foster Care Home. Monticello's current Ordinance in R-1 Zoning doesn't allow a day care or foster care home to have more than five children, including the family's own children. Several requests have been made in the past to have this Ordinance changed to allow more than five children in a day care or foster care home. City Administrator informed the Council that the State legislators are currently addressing this issue and may soon pass a law re- quiring communities to allow up to 12 children in a day care or - 3 - Council Minutes - 3/26/84 foster home. It was noted that if this legislation is passed, the City would automatically have to amend its Ordinance to allow up to the required 12 children. In effect, this proposed Ordinance Amendment may become a moot point if such legislation is passed. Again, since four-fifths of the members were not present at the Council meeting, no action could legally be taken on this Ordinance Amendment; and it was postponed until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. 10. Consideration of Conditional Use ReSLuest to Allow as a Conditional Use in an R-1 Zone More Than Five Children, Including Family's Own, in a Day Care or Foster Care Home, Applicant - Michael Dahmen. This Conditional Use Request was intended to be acted upon after the previous item was approved regarding amending the City's Ordinance to allow more than five children in a day care or foster care home. Since the previous item could not be legally adopted until the full Council was available, this item was also postponed until the next Council meeting. 11. Consideration of Conditional Use Request to Allow a Pet Store in a B-4 Zone, Applicant - Joel Erickson. Mr. Joel Erickson, veterinarian in the City of Monticello, requested a Conditional Use Permit to allow a pet store to be established in a B-4 Zone. The proposed location of the pet store would be in the southeast corner of the lower level of the new Metcalf and Larson office building. The Planning Commission, at its March 13, 1984, meeting, held a public hearing and heard no complaints or comments from the public and approved granting the Conditional Use Permit. Motion was made by B lonigen, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to approve the Conditional Use Permit to allow a pet store in a B-4 Zone by Dr. Joel Erickson. 12. Consideration of a Resolution Setting a Public Hearing for Fulfillment Systems' Tax Increment Financing Plan. Fulfillment Systems proposed building plans are progressing on schedule as a result of the recent approval of U. D. A. G. Grant monies to the City. As part of the project, Fulfillment Systems is also pursuing tax increment financing as an additional source of financing for their project. The HRA, at a special meeting on April 19, adopted a resolution approving the tax increment financing plan and forward plan to the Planning Commission for their consideration. - 4 - Council Minutes - 3/26/84 Before the Council can formally adopt the plan, a public hearing must be held. Motion was made by Fair, seconded by Blonigen, and unanimously carried to set a public hearing date for April 9, 1984, for consideration of adopting the tax increment financing plan and certification to the County. See Resolution 1984 # 6. 13. Consideration of Replacement of Park Eguipment, Hillcrest Park, and Consideration of Health Course for Anders Wilhelm/Par West Park. Over the past few years, the City has been replacing the playground equipment built in the mid -70's in Ellison Park and West Bridge Park. In 1984, it was recommended that the playground equipment in Hillcrest Park also be replaced. The proposed new playground equipment would consist of a horizontal ladder, a spiral slide, tire swing, and two belt swings. A quote was received from E.F. Anderson and Associates for the playground equipment in the amount of $4,195. This particular Landscape Structure is similar to the equipment placed in Ellison Park last year. Motion was made by B lonigen, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to approve the replacement of the playground equipment in Hillcrest Park with the Landscape Structure from E.F. Anderson in the amount of $4,195. John Simola, Public Works Director, also presented information on the installation of a health or Vita Course facility in the Anders Wilhelm/Par West Park. A rough layout of the north end of the park was presented showing the proposed Vita Course, which consists of approximately 11 stations of exercise equipment. Along with the Vita Course equipment, the proposal included the installation of some trees and shrubs, a lime path, drinking fountain, parking lot area for approximately 10 cars, and also seven park benches. Total estimated cost would be approximately $8,600 without paving the proposed parking lot. The Council discussed whether this new type of park development would be of special interest to only certain residents or whether this equipment would be used by the majority of the public. It was noted that although this is a new type of park layout, it has become increasingly popular as a way of exercising and would become a park not just for the purpose of small children playing. Concerns were also expressed by the Council that possibly more shrubs and trees, etc., should be planted in this park and that an adequate water supply for keeping the grass and shrubs watered should be considered if this park is to be developed in this manner. - 5 - Council Minutes - 3/26/84 Before any action was taken on purchasing the Vita Course equipment, the Council directed the Public Works Director to get information from other communities that have used this type of park facilities to see what interest there has been in a Vita Course facility and to supply pictures of a developed park for Council review. It was also recommended that the staff get cost estimates on including an irrigation system within this park. 14. Consideration of Bills for the Month of March. Motion was made by Blonigen, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to approve the bills for the month of March as presented. Annual Board of Review - Assessment Valuations. The City Council confirmed that the Annual Board of Review for reviewing assessed and market valuations of property within Monticello will be held on Tuesday, May 27, at 7:00 P.M. Rick Wolf stel r Assistant Administrator - 6 -