CIty Council Minutes 05-23-1977
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REGULAR MEEI'ING OF MQ ICELLO CITY COUNCIL
May 23, 1977
7:30 P.M.
Members present:
Johnson, Blonigen, Hall, Grimsmo, Walters.
Ordinances
1. Public Hearin - Variance Re uests
Prohibiting Overhanging Signs.
Monticello City Ordinance 10-39-(C)-;
protruding over the public right of
City Council, in December, 1976, gr
June 30, 1977, at which time the si
to be removed.
prohibits overhanging signs from
ay after December 31, 1976. The
ted an extension of six months to
s violating this Ordinance were
Five businesses having signs in viol tion of the Ordinance petitioned
the council asking for variances low all existing non-conforming
signs to be "grandfathered in."
Some of the businessmen felt thatth signs should be allowed
to remain until such time as they wo d need repairs or the business would
change hands. Other businessmen fe t that the Ordinance sho.uld be
adhered to as many of the overhangin signs have already been re-
moved, and new businesses have been omplying with the sign ordinances
knowing that they would have to be r moved from the public right of way.
After council discussion, D. Blonige made a motion, second by
A. Grimsmo, to "grandfather in" all xisting overhanging signs but they
would not be allowed to be re-worded or altered. In favor: Blonigen,
Grimsmo. Opposed: Hall, Walters, Ji hnson.
G. Walters then made a motion, secon by Hall to enforce the over-
hanging sign ordinance as stated pen 'ng review by the city's legal
counsel. In favor: Johnson, Walter! ,Hall. Opposed: Grimsmo, Blonigen.
G. Walters made a motion, second by
Monticello Ford a six month extensio
sign since he plans to move his bus'
In favor: Johnson, Hall, Walters,
2. Consideration of Resolvin Commuter
. Hall to give L. Flake of
to remove his non-conforming
ess to a new location this fall.
imsmo. Abstaining: Blonigen.
Problem.
A petition was presented to the council by three businesses in block 34
requesting that the council relieve he heavy concentration of cars
that park in the city parking lots f om early morning to mid-afternoon.
They also requested that the 2 hour arking ordinance by enforced
along Broadway Ave. in front of thei stores.
A survey of the parking situation i11l Block 34 indicates that approxi-
mately one half of the spaces are e ty during the day but because
the commuters do not park in one ar~ , the spaces are scattered and
it may appear that there are no avai able spaces.
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The council recognized the potential problem with the increasing
number of conurruter cars using the do town parking lots and recommended
that the conurruters be asked to utili e the south one half of the city
parking lots in Block 34, next to 3r Street, rather than scattering
their cars over the entire lot.
Also, council consensus was to have he Sheriff's Dept. enforce the
two hour parking limitation on Broad ay Ave.
3. U date on Historical Societ b Chai man Bob Brown.
Bob Brown, Historical Society Chairm ,updated the council on the
Society's progress in opening the Hi torical Center in Monticello.
Mr. Brown indicated that the local s ciety may be able to accept items
for display without being a state ch tered society by displaying
the items in the name of the Wright' unty Historical Society.
The society members are now trying t' locate some used display
fixtures.
Mr. Brown will be meeting with counc Iman Dan Blonigen to review
possible ways of building shelves di ectly to the walls in the
historical building.
Mr. Brown also indicated that the Hi torical Center would be operated
separately from the Information Cent r when open.
4.
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Consideration of Sewer and Water I
Ritze Manor and Monticello Ford
o osed Site
Petitions have been
above two areas.
and water extensions for the
Since each of the above areas are 0 ed by one property owner and have
petitioned for the improvement, a pu lic hearing was not necessary.
Keith Nelson of O.S.M. estimated the cost of extending sewer, water
and street improvements to Matthew "rcle in Ritze Manor at approxi-
mately $14,000 and $20-22,000 was e imated cost to service the
Monticello ford site south of 1-94.
A motion was made by G. \ial ter s, se ond by S. Hall and unanimously
carried to adopt a resolution order" g O.S.M. to prepare plans and
specifications for extending sewer d water to the property west
of Hwy. 25 and south of 1-94 (Monti ello Ford site) and sewer and water
,/ and street improvements to Matthew . tcle in Ritze Manor.
The plans and specifications will b combined with the preparation
of the specifications for Oakwood dustrial Park and will be contin-
gent upon MPCA approval of future s wer extensions. (See Resolution
1977 #8)
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5.
Review of Finalized Civil Defense PI
Monticello, presented to the
ergency Plan for the city.
The Plan, as presented, was basical1 an all encompassing plan, provi-
ding a plan of action for such situa ions as tornados, floods, nuclear
disasters, etc.
D. B10nigen and unanimously
Defense Plan as presented.
6. Consideration of Acce tin Assessmen s as Presented at M IS
Board of Review.
Doug Pitt, Civil Defense director fo
council the finalized Civil Defense
A. Grimsmo made a motion, seconded b
carried to accept the finalized Civi
The annual Board of Review was held ay 113, 1977 to review the
assessment of property valuations in! the city as of Jan. 1, 1977.
Approximately nine property owners w' re present at the meeting but
no adjustments were recommended by t e two council members present
or the county assessor.
A. Grimsmo made a motion, second by
carried to adopt the assessment roll
1977 Review meeting.
7.
Consideration of A roval of PI
. Blonigen and unanimously
as presented at the May 113,
Commission Recommendations.
At their April 26, 1977 meeting, the Planning Commission recommended
the following be pursued by the cit council:
A. A pedestria:b crossing ov r 1-94 on State Hwy. 25.
B. No parking be allowed on the east side of Walnut Street
in front of Oakwood Scho 1.
C. Pedestrian crossing be e tablished on north end of bridge
over Mississippi River.
Since recommendations A & C would n
enact, C. Johnson entered a motion,
unanimously carried to have the ci t
Dept. to consider implementing the
report back to the council.
ed State Hwy. Dept. approval to
second by A. Grimsmo and
administrator contact the Hwy.
bove two recommendations and
G. Walters entered a motion, second by D. Blonigen and unanimously
carried to have the city administra or contact the school superintendent
to see if the school would be inter sted in having no parking by
Oakwood School on Walnut Street.
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s.
Consideration of a One D
River Terrace Park.
Mrs. V. McLaughlin, owner of River T rrace Trailer Park, requested
a one dqy beer license for Sundqy, 29, 1977 to sell beer at a
barbeque planned for the trailer par residents.
9.
On a motion by G. Walters, second by S. Hall, the request for a one
dqy beer license for River Terrace Tailer Park was unanimously denied.
The minutes of the council meeting
were corrected to read that Gene Wal
on the motion in regard to the sewer
Oakwood Industrial Park.
9, 1977, under item #4
ers abstained from voting
and water improvements for
After the correction was made, the nutes were approved as presented.
10. Approval of Bills.
A. Grimsmo made a motion, second by . Hall and unanimously carried
to approve the bills for Mqy, 1977 a presented. (See supplement
Mqy 23, 1977 #1.)
11. Discussion on Pl
ound at Hillcres Addition.
{,..-~.
A. ~imsmo made a motion, second by . Walters and unanimously carried
to implement the plqyground area pro osed for the Hillcrest Addition
up to the 1977 budget amount of $2,0 .00.
Councilman S.Hall will be supervis'
plqyground area.
construction of the
12. Mqyor C. Johnson informed the counci of a letter of resignation
received from councilman Stan Hall e fective June 15, 1977. Mr. Hall
plans on moving out of the Monticell area shortly.
13. The Public Works Director informed t e council of the difficulties
the city personnel are having trying to mow the grass at the N.S.P.
ballpark because of the trash and g bage not being picked up.
Council consensus was to have the ci y administrator notify the soft-
ball league that the city will no 10 ger mow the park unless the area
has all debris picked up.
The Public Works Director also infor ed the council that the digestor
at the disposal plant is in need of epair at an estimated cost of
$114,000. A report outlining the ne ded repairs will be presented
to the council at a later date.
Councilmen A. Grimsmo and S. Hall wi 1 be attempting to meet with the
school board at 7:00 P.M. June 13, 1 77, to discuss the possibility
of the Senior Citizens using a porti n of the Oakwood School as a
Senior Citizens center.
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Because of this, the regular council meeting of June 13, 1977
was tentatively scheduled to start a 8:00 P.M. rather than
7:30 P.M.
Meeting adjourned.
R~ns