Planning Commission Minutes 11-10-1981
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MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION
November 10, 1981 - 7:30 P.M.
Members Present:
Loren Klein, Jim Ridgeway, Ed Schaffer, Dick Martie,
Bill Burke, John Bondhus.
Members Absent:
None.
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting Held on September 29, 1981.
Bill Burke made a motion, seconded by Ed Schaffer, with all voting
in favor of approving the minutes of the September 29, 1981 meeting.
2.
Variance Request - Harry Stanius.
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Harry Stanius, dha Photo Hut, made an application for a variance to
be able to construct a structure in the Monticello Mall parking lot
for the purpose of selling photo funishings and related items from
that building. Since the building is relatively small and is pro-
posed to be located .on an existing parking lot, Mr. Stanius request-
ed that he be allowed to develOp that building without being require-
ed to install any additional parking spaces or having to comply with
the landscaping requirements as stated by the city ordinances.
Mr. Stanius was at the planning Commission meeting to present his
proposal and presented a model of the proposed building for the
Planning Commissions consideration. In light of the reasons for
the request for variances, a motion was made by Bill Burke and
seconded by Ed Schaffer to grant the variance requests. All members
of the Planning Commission voted in favor.
3. Public Hearing - Variance Request - Jim McCune.
Jim McCune made an application for a variance to build a garage
within 4' of the side yard property line, where ordinances require
a 10 foot set back. The property is described as follows: Part of
Lot 5, Block 1, Manhattan Lots. This property is zoned R-l.
The McCunes presently have a single garage attached to their home,
but would like to make that garage into a family/living room and
build a new detached 24 X 26 foot garage on their property. This
garage would come within 4 feet of the Virgil Michaelis property.
A letter was presented from Mr. Micaelis, which stated that he had
no objection to that 4 foot side yard variance as requested.
A motion was made by Dick Martie and seconded by Bill Burke to
grant the variance as requested with all members voting in favor.
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Planning commission Minutes - 11/10/81
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4. Public Hearing - Rezoning Application - Dave Kranz.
Dave Kranz, doing business as Monticello Printing, made an application
to rezone the southerly 100 feet of Lot 1 and the southerly 100 feet
of the westerly 10 feet of Lot 2, Block D of the original plat of the
city of Monticllo from R-B (residential business) to B-4 (regional
business). His request would then allow for the development of a
printing business of six (6) or less persons, which is allowed in a
B-4 zone.
In consideration that there were no objections from anyone within the
community and also that the parcel of land involved is abutted on two
sides now by B-4 zoning, a motion was made by Bill Burke and seconded
by Ed Schaffer to recommend that the rezoning be g~anted, with all
voting in favor.
5. Variance Request - Dave KranZ.
AS previously stated in Item #4, contingent
granted from R-B to B-4, Mr. Kranz will be
establishment in the building now existing
upon rezoning being
developing a new printing
on the property.
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Mr. Kranz presented a plot plan of the existing property showing the
existing building and also a 17 foot by 34 foot proposed addition
onto the west side of the existing structure and also the proposed
parking lot, which would be developed on the south side of the
structure. In order to accomodate the parking lot, Mr. Kranz would
need a variance to allow the curb barrier to be at the property as
opposed to Monticello's ordinances requiring that a curb barrier be
no closer than 5 feet to the property lines. Mr. Kranz also asked
that he be able to develop the driveway opening, or curb cut, 25 feet
from the intersection of the property lines at the southwest corner
of the lot, rather than 40 feet from the intersection of those property
lines as is required by Monticello ordinances. Mr. Kranz's request
was based on the configuration of the property and was able to show
that having to keep the curb barrier 5 feet back from the property
line, as is required,and also having to put a curb cut 40 feet from
the intersection of the property line~ as is required,would create
a substantial hardship on the development of this property.
Taking into consideration that Mr. Kranz was able to adequately
substantiate his variance request, a motion was made by Ed Schaffer
and seconded by John Bondhus with all voting in favor of Mr. Kranz's
variance request to allow the curb barrier to be built on the property
line on the south side of the parking lot and also to allow the curb
cut opening to be within 25 feet of the intersection of the property
lines on the southwest corner of the lot.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 11/10/81
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6. Discussion of the Minimum Square Footage Requirements for New Homes.
This item, discussed as a New Business item, was prompted by a
letter from the Farmers Home Administration, requesting that
Monticello possibly consider amending the ordinances to allow for
homes of less than l,OOO square feet of first floor area, or pos-
sibly consider developing a special zoning district for those homes
within the city.
Because of todays economic conditions, it is many times difficult for
the first home buyers to obtain a mortgage for a home as large as
1,000 square feet on the first floor and to be able to afford the
mortgage payments on the same, even if financing is available. Farmers
Home Administration feels that if homes of smaller square footage were
allowed, possibly in a special zoning district such as for example,
R-IA, it might possibly be better for the first home buyers to make the
type of mortgage payments which would then be required of them.
Mel Wolters, a local building contractor, was present and also made,
basically, the very same comments as to why he felt Monticello should
either amend it's ordinance or develop a special zoning district for
the smaller homes.
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Other real estate persons were available and also expressed the need
for the consideration of those people who might not be able to have
homes under such strict requirements as Monticello now has.
As result of this meeting, the planning Commissioners directed that
they would like to have more information as to what other communities
are doing about this problem and how the smaller homes situation is
working within those communities which allow them.
7. Discussion on Signs.
This item, also brought up under New Business, was brought up by
Mr. Jack Ubel. Mr. Ubel, a local real estate sales person, would
like to be able to place open house signs through out the community
on various ocassions when real estate, which he has listed for sale,
is being shown at a "Open House".
Monticello sign ordinances presently state that "no signs, other than
governmental signs, shall be erected or temporarily placed within any
street right-of-way or upon any public lands or easements or right-
of-ways".
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As a result of this sign ordinance request, when real estate sales
people would like to hold open houses at various homes through out
the community, they are not able to place open house signs off-premise
of the property giving perspective customers an opportunity to find,
which might in some cases be a "hard to find" building.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 11/10/81
Consideration of resolving this problem was given to several methods
of which some of the following were discussed. Possibly allowing the
type of sign requested to be in place for only a couple of days during
an open house and then only during specific hours after which they would
have to be removed. For example, possibly for seven days only and only
during the hours of 8:00 A.M. through 10:00 P.M. Another item which was
discussed was possibly, allowing these only as a special use for which
a permit must be obtained.
The Planning Commissioners referred this item to the staff for further
study and requested that it be brought back to a later Planning Com-
mission meeting for further consideration.
8. Mention was made of the special meeting to be held on November 17, 1981,
at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers.
9. A package of proposed ordinance amendment changes was presented by the
staff to the Planning Commission members for their consideration for
discussion at a future Planning Commission meeting.
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