Planning Commission Minutes 01-11-1983
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MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION
January 11, 1983 - 7:30 P.M.
Members Present:
John Bondhus, Jim Ridgeway, Joyce Dowling,
Ed Schaffer, Richard Carlson.
Members Absent:
None.
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting Held on December 13,
1982.
A motion was made by Schaffer, seconded by Dowling and unani-
mously carried to approve the minutes of the regular meeting
held December 13, 1982.
2.
Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit Request - Mike DeBoer.
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Mr. Michael DeBoer, who currently lives in st. Michael, Minn-
esota, requested a conditional use permit to be allowed to
operate a minor repair body shop on a portion of Lot 10,
Block 16, Townsite of Monticello. The proposed site is di-
rectly north of Moon Motors fronting along Hwy 25 and the
property is currently owned by Clifford Olson of Minneapolis.
Mr. DeBoer plans on temporarily renting the garage from Mr.
Olson for the purpose of operating a body shop. Although
Mr. DeBoer feels the location would be ideal for his repair
business, the likelihood of him purchasing the entire
property including the existing house from Mr. Olson does
not, at the current time, appear feasible.
The City's current zoning ordinance allows for a minor re-
pair auto facility as a conditional use within a B-4 zone.
AS part of the conditional use requirements, Mr. DeBoer
requested a variance from the minimum lot size requirements
of 22,500 square feet as the proposed site only contains
10,890 square feet. In addition, Mr. DeBoer also requested
a variance from curb, gutter and hard surfacing of the park-
ing lot requirements on a temporary basis to see if his
business can be established before a large amount of capi-
tal is expended on these improvements. Mr. DeBoer's plans
include some internal remodeling of the garage structure
to accommodate a body shop and also some exterior work to
make the building presentable including a major clean up
of the lot.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 1/11/83
Concerns were expressed by some of the Planning Commission members
as to whether any outside storage of cars or parts would occur and
Mr. DeBoer noted that he would construct a small fence or screen
between the south end of the building towards Moon Motor's build-
ing for the purpose of storing a dumpster and possibly one car in
that area that would be screened from Hwy 25.
Questions were raised by Commission Member Bondhus concerning
whether spray painting in the shop would cause some pollution
of the air and also Mr. Bondhus felt that this area fronting
along Hwy 25 is a prime, commercial area and he felt a body shop
in this location was not the best, suitable use of the property.
An additional variance would also have to be granted to allow
two principal uses of this parcel of land as the legal descrip-
tion is now for one parcel and there is currently a home on the
property that is being rented.
Although Mr. DeBoer was requesting the conditional use permit
for one year to see whether the business could be established
prior to any major improvements such as blacktopping, a motion
was made by Bondhus, seconded by Schaffer recommending that the
conditional use permit be denied as they felt this was not the
best area to locate a body shop. voting in favor of the motion
were Bondhus, Schaffer and Ridgeway. Opposed: Dowling and
Carlson.
2.
Review of an Elderly Housing Project proposal by the HRA.
HRA Committee Members, Don Cochran and Jack Reeve, were present
at the Planning Commission meeting to review with the Planning
Commission a recent proposal their committee had received in
regard to the construction of elderly housing in Monticello.
Recently, Mr. Joe Poehler of Waterville, Minnesota, has met
with the HRA Committee to discuss his interest in developing
a 23 unit, moderate income, elderly housing project on three
lots in Block 51. This property is currently owned by the
Monticello Development corporation but the City of Monticello
has an option agreement to purchase this property. It was
noted by the HRA Committee that Mr. Poehler has requested an
option from the HRA to purchase this property and is in the
process of completing his application to Farmers Home Adminis-
tration for funding.
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Planning Commission Minutes - l/ll/83
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The primary reason the committee was presenting this proposal at
the present time to the Planning Commission was to gather some
in put from the Planning Commission in regard to the location of
this proposed housing project and how it relates to the City's
current comprehensive plan in regard to zoning, etc. The prop-
erty is currently zoned B-4, regional business and if a housing
project, as proposed, would be developed, the Planning Commission
would have to consider rezoning the property to either R-B (resi-
dential business) or R-3 (multiple family residential). After a
brief review of the project, it was the general consensus of the
Planning Commission that the proposed site in Block 51 would
appear to be ideal for the location of an elderly housing pro-
ject in that the committee felt the property which fronts along
River street would not necessarily be prime, commercial prop-
erty. It was noted by the committee members that if this project
does proceed, it would be their recommendation that the property
be considered for rezoning to allow for this type of develop-
ment.
A motion was made by Dowling, seconded by Schaffer to adjourn.
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Rick Wolfsteller
Assistant Administrator
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