Planning Commission Minutes 07-10-1984
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MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION
July 10, 1984 - 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Don Cochran, Joyce Dowling, Ed Schaffer.
Members Absent: Richard Carlson, Jim Ridgeway.
Staff Present: Gary Anderson; Thomas Eidem; and Public Administration
Student Intern, Frank Cocchiarella.
The meeting was called to order by acting President Don Cochran
at 7:41 P.M.
A motion was made by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Joyce Dowling,
to approve the June 12, 1984, regular Planning Commission meeting
minutes. Motion carried unanimously.
3.
Public Hearing - Conditional Use Request to Allow More than
a 12-unit Apartment Building in an R-3 Zone, Applicant - Construction
5, Inc.
zoning Administrator Anderson opened the public hearing with
information on the proposed 24-unit apartment building. The
24-unit apartment building is only allowed in and R-3 Zone as
a Conditional Use. A Conditional Use would need to be granted
for any apartment buildings more than 12 units. The proposed
24-unit apartment building would consist of 18 two-bedroom units
and 6 one-bedroom units, with one of the one-bedroom units equipped
for the handicapped. It would also have 16 covered spaces or
two 8-unit garage buildings with 32 open parking spaces and
two of these spaces would be so designated for handicapped parking
only. The building would meet the current setbacks in R-3 zoning,
30 feet on the front, 30 feet on the rear, and 20 feet on the
sides. Commission member Don Cochran asked for any co~nents
from Construction 5; and Mr. Gary LaFromboise, representing his
Dad, Gus LaFromboise, owner of Construction 5, was present to
answer questions on their plans for the proposed 24-unit apartment
building. Mr. LaFromboise indicated the current 24-plex under
construction is about half rented so far, with the other 50%
rental to be completed probably by the first of September.
A motion was then made by Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed Schaffer,
and unanimously carried to approve the Conditional Use Request
to allow a 24-unit apartment building to be built in an R-3
Zone.
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4. Public Hearing - Ordinance Amendment to Allow as a Conditional
Use a Boarding House in a B-4 Zone, Applicant - City of Monticello.
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zoning Administrator Anderson opened the public hearing with
background information on the Ordinance Amendment, with the
basic intent of the Ordinance Amendment stemming from a request
to have a boarding house in a B-4 Zone. Our Ordinance, under
B-4 Zoning, clearly does not address boarding houses. Therefore,
an amendment was drafted to accommodate boarding houses within
a B-4 Zone. However, had the request not been submitted, there
would have been no need to draft this Ordinance Amendment.
But City staff feels that this would be a very worthwhile, allowable
use in a B-4 Zone, noting that there is a need for some type
of housing within the downtown business district. They felt
this would be appropriate in B-4 zoning with a number of conditions
attached to the Ordinance Amendment. The conditions to the
Conditional Use aspect of the Ordinance Amendment were addressed
briefly, and are as follows: The building or structure has
to be found to be substandard in condition; that upon extensive
rehabilitation, not just basic remodeling, the building would
be in need of substantial upgrading; that there be no less than
10 units, nor more than 18 units, and that they be of efficiency
apartment design; at least one unit on the ground floor must
be fully accessible to the handicapped; that at least 50% of
the ground floor area be developed as a complete restaurant facility
with a minimum of two seats per dwelling but no less than 25
seats; the restaurant will not be eligible for on or off-sale
liquor license; the restaurant shall be so equipped to provide
food service to the dwelling units if required; architectural
appearance be similar to other existing buildings and not cause
impairment to property values. All conditions are subject to
change by City Council. Conlmission member Don Cochran asked
for input from the applicant, the City of Monticello. City
Administrator, Tom Eidem, eluded to some additional background
in regard to the proposed adoption of the Ordinance Amendment.
Mr. Eidem indicated the basic intent of the Ordinance really
stemmed from a request to be allowed to have a boarding house
in a B-4 Zone. He further eluded to had the request not been
submitted, the Ordinance Amendment before you tonight would
not have been brought up before you. Mr. Eidem indicated he
had talked with Consulting Planning Firm, Howard Dahlgren &
Associates, Consulting Planner, John Uban, in regard to the
proposed Ordinance Amendment. Mr. Uban indicated that if approval
of such an Ordinance Amendment to allow a boarding house in
a B-4 Zone had conditions attached, and as part of those conditions
attached that it is part of the overall development plan of
the City that some type of residential housing be in a business
district, he would go along with that idea also. Mr. Eidem
indicated the current trend in the downtown business district
of business development extending south along Walnut Street,
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Planning Commission Minutes - 7/10/84
and there could be possibly at some time their area of the proposed
Ordinance Amendment not being in the Central Business District.
zoning Administrator Anderson indicated looking at the proposed
site of the Ordinance Amendment to allow boarding houses, the
businesses around the proposed site are of the business like
nature of eating, dining, and entertainment businesses, quite
unlike the businesses west of the stoplights, where there are
more retail businesses in that portion of the B-4 Business District.
Mr. chuck Carmichael, Attorney for Thomas Hammer, eluded to
his client's background as to the Ordinance Amendment, citing
that his client would be totally in favor of the Ordinance Amendment
to allow a boarding house as a Conditional Use in a B-4 Zone.
Motion by Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed Schaffer, and carried
unanimously, to approve the Ordinance Amendment to allow as
a Conditional Use a boarding house in a B-4 Zone.
5.
Public Hearing - Conditional Use Request to Allow a Boarding
House in a B-4 Zone, Applicant - Thomas Hammer.
Zoning Administrator Anderson opened the public hearing with
background information on Mr. Hammer's boarding house request.
The property in question was formerly an old army barracks,
which was converted later on into apartments on the upper level,
with the rear portion of the main lower level being used as
a bowling alley, with the front portion being used as a small
restaurant area. As the years went by, further deterioration
of the building occurred with very little upkeep or maintenance
to the building, and the building went through extensive
deterioration and coming to the point of possibly being condemned.
Mr. Thomas Hammer inquired into purchasing of the building and
came forth before the previous Building Inspector with his plans
to entirely renovate the structure. In doing so, Mr. Hammer
started with the upper level of the building, completely stripping
the interior wall, ceiling, and floor covering and started from
scratch with his interior renovation, bringing the upstairs
portion up to the 1982 Uniform Building Code, the 1979 Uniform
Plumbing Code, and the 1984 National Electrical Code. In doing
so, Mr. Hammer created 10 efficiency apartment units in the
upper level of this building. Mr. Hammer also saw a need for
a small family type restaurant and completely gutted the interior
of the front portion of the lower main level of the building.
With the interior renovation of the front portion of the building,
the current restaurant portion has been brought up to the State
Health Code, the 1982 Uniform Building Code, the 1979 Plumbing
Code, and the 1984 National Electrical Code. The rear half
of the lower main level is currently what Mr. Hammer has been
working on. That portion of the building previously had two
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apartment units in it. Those apartment units were allowed to
exist as non-conforming use in a B-4 Zone. Mr. Hammer's intentions
were to create and convert the rear most portion of the building
into a handicapped apartment unit, with the intentions of having
one additional apartment unit. Mr. Hammer, in trying to figure
out an additional use of the existing additional space, Mr.
Hammer then contacted BUilding Inspector, Gary Anderson, questioning
him as to whether he could convert the additional space into
three additional apartments or three additional rental office
spaces. The rental office spaces would be permitted, but not
the additional rental apartment units. Therefore, we came about
to his original request here to be allowed a boarding house
in a B-4 Zone as a Conditional Use. Mr. Chuck Carmichael, Mr.
Thomas Hammer's Attorney, indicated Zoning Administrator Anderson's
comments were very true and very to the point,that he had no further
additional comments to make other than that they would like
the Planning Commission members to approve Mr. Hammer's Conditional
Use Request to be allowed a boarding house in a B-4 Zone.
Motion by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Joyce Dowling, and approved
unanimously to approve the Conditional Use Request to allow
as a Conditional Use a boarding house in a B-4 Zone.
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6. Simple Subdivision Request to Subdivide a Residential Lot for
Driveway Purposes, Applicant - Monticello-Big Lake Community
Hospital.
Zoning Administrator Anderson briefed Planning Cornmission members
on Monticello-Big Lake Community Hospital's simple subdivision
request. The Hospital District recently purchased a residential
lot with an existing house on it on the lot immediately west
of the Monticello Dental Clinic. To convey title to the property
from the previous owners to the Monticello-Big Lake Community
Hospital District, the Hospital would like to deed a 10-foot
strip along the westerly line of the lot which they are purchasing
to the previous owner for driveway access purposes. Seeing
no problem with the subdivision and that the newly subdivided
lot would still be within the minimum requirements for a residential
lot in an R-1 Zone, motion was made by Joyce Dowling, seconded
by Ed Schaffer, and carried unanimously to approve the simple
subdivision request to subdivide a residential lot in an R-1
Zone.
7. Public Hearing - Conditional Use Request to Allow an Ambulance
Garage to be Built in an R-1 Zone, Applicant - Monticello-Big
Lake Community Hospital.
On this newly subdivided lot which was approved on a previous
motion, Monticello-Big Lake Community Hospital would like to
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build an ambulance garage. The ambulance garage is permitted
as a Conditional Use in an R-l Zone with conditions attached.
The proposed new ambulance garage would be of such type of construction
to blend in with the existing residential housing in the neighborhood,
that being a wood frame construction with different wood exterior
with a shingled roof. The proposed new ambulance garage would
meet the setbacks in an R-l Zone, with one of the conditions
being the sideyard setback would be doubled from the required
setback of 10 feet, which would be a 20-foot sideyard setback,
with the front and rear yard setbacks being 30 feet.
Motion by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Joyce DOWling, and unanimously
approved to approve the Conditional Use Request to build an
ambulance garage in an R-l Zone.
8.
Simple Subdivision Request to Subdivide Residential Multi-Family
Acreage, Applicant - Ed Doran.
Mr. Ed Doran was present to request a concept plan of a simple
subdivision of the current Rand Mansion property, which is a
3.12 acre parcel. Mr. Doran's request is of Planning Commission
members to look at his concept plan for creating three l-acre
parcels separate from the 1.12 acre parcel which would be allowed
for the current former Rand Mansion, which is Ed Doran's place
of residence. Commission members voiced their approval of Mr.
Doran's concept plan but would be looking at, at a future meeting
date, further details in regard to site layout and water and
sewer facilities for this property.
Motion by Joyce DOWling, seconded by Ed Schaffer, and approved
unanimously, to approve the concept plan for a simple subdivision
of the former Rand Mansion property, currently a 3.12 acre parcel.
9. Preliminary Request to Rezone a Proposed Preliminary Plat Approved
Subdivision, Applicant - John Sandberg.
Mr. Sandberg was present before Planning Commission members
to express his interest in rezoning the entire parcel to R-2
Zoning, Single and Two Family Dwellings, with three or four
unit apartment building and an 8-unit townhouse building only
allowed as Conditional Uses in an R-2 Zone. Currently, Mr.
Sandberg'S final plat was approved for R-l housing on Block
1 and Block 2, and R-2 zoning on Blocks 3, 4, and 5. Mr. Sandberg'S
indication as he was going through the plat in its developing
stages now indicates that he would like to have the currently
zoned R-l Blocks, Blocks 1 and 2, be rezoned to R-2. In doing
so, we would give the developer, Mr. sandberg, control over
the number of and the placement of multiple housing units on
in his subdivision. City Administrator, Thomas Eidem, indicated
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to Planning Commission members that it was the original staff's
recommendation that the entire parcel be zoned R-2 from the
start, and indicated that Consulting Planning Firm, Howard Dahlgren
& Associates, through Consultant John Uban, had suggested the
entire parcel be zoned R-2, that the entire subdivision is basically
located with buffer zones around it on all sides, those being
the golf course, the railroad tracks, and the power lines which
run by the subdivision. But at that time, Mr. Sandberg didn't
want to be tied to the number of multiple units he would be
allowed to put in. Mr. Sandberg indicated the possible percentage
numbers of R-l housing vs. R-2 housing units could possibly
be 50% and could go the other way, 40% residential or 60% residential,
or 40% R-2 and 60% R-2. But those figures aren't known at this
time. It basically depends upon the upcoming housing trends.
Mr. Sandberg indicated to Planning Commission members that the
design of the multiple units be of such to blend in with the
existing R-l housing to be built out there.
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Motion by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Joyce Dowling, to waive the
public hearing by the Monticello Planning Commission and pass
on to City Council their recommendation to hold the public hearing
at their next July 23, 1984, City Council meeting. Motion by
Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed schaffer, and unanimously approved
to recommend approval to Monticello City Council the rezoning
of the entire approved but not recorded final subdivision plat
of John Sandberg to R-2 Zoning.
Additional Information Items
1. Key Tool presentation of proposal for new building.
City Administrator, Thomas Eidem, was present to discuss Key
Tool's Tax Increment Financing Plan to relocate a portion of
their business to Monticello. The location of their proposed
site is the East ~ of Lot 10 and all of Lot 11, Block 2, Lauring
Hillside Terrace Addition to the City of Monticello. The Monticello
Housing and Redevelopment Authority has agreed to purchase the
above lots and in turn resell them at a reduced price to Key
Tool. What is needed from Planning Commission members is a
resolution to approve the Tax Increment Financing Plan for Key
Tool.
Motion by Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed Schaffer, to approve
the Tax Increment Financing Plan for Key Tool as presented.
Motion carried unanimously. See Resolution 1984 #29.
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2. It was the consensus of the Planning Commission members present,
Don Cochran, Joyce Dowling, and Ed Schaffer, to tentatively
hold a scheduled morning meeting on Monday, July 30, 1984, at
7:00 a.m. to go over the second portion of the Comprehensive
Plan, Goals and Policies.
3. Motion by Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed Schaffer, to set the
next regularly scheduled meeting date for August 14, 1984, 7:30 P.M.
Motion by Joyce Dowling, seconded by Ed Schaffer, to adjourn
the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
c;(:z-cq ,AlfLLd:a-t,1;7J
Gary Artaerson I
zoning Administrator
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