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City Council MInutes 04-27-1981MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL April 27, 1981 - 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Arve Grimsmo, Ken Maus, Phil White, Fran Fair, Dan Blonigen. Members Absent: None. 1. Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit Request for the Extrac- tion of Sand and Gravel - Charles Ritze. Mr. Charles Ritze requested a Conditional Use Permit to extract fill from the land he owns just east of Anders Wilhem Estates to fill in part of Ritze Manor plat to bring his property up to grade. A Conditional Use Permit is required whenever the extraction of sand and gravel or any other material from the land exceeds 400 cubic yards or more. The issuance of a Conditional Use Permit is a way for the city to control soil erosion, prevent drainage prob- lems and to insure that the surrounding land will not be adversely affected. The Planning Commission, at their last meeting, recommended that this Conditional Use Permit be granted with the provision that the land area from which the fill is extracted be brought up to a finish grade by August 1, 1981. Motion was made by Maus, seconded by White and unanimously carried to approve the Conditional Use Permit request for Charles Ritze to extract fill in excess of 400 cubic yards with the provision that the land area from which the fill is extracted be brought to finish grade by August 1, 1981 with all original top soil replaced. 2. Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit Request for Open and Outdoor Storage - Vance's Freeway Standard. Mr. Vance Florell, owner of Vance's Freeway Standard, requested a Conditional Use Permit to allow open and outdoor storage for a U -Haul rental business. According to city ordinances, a Conditional Use Permit for open and outdoor storage is necessary provided that: A. Outdoor services, sales and equipment rental connected with the principal uses is limited to 30% of the gross floor area of the principal use. However, this percentage may be increased as a provision of the Conditional Use request. B. The use should not take up parking spaces as required by the City Ordinances. - 1 - Council Meeting - 4/27/81 The size of the present service station building is 2200 square feet and therefore, the 30% of the gross floor area would result in approximately 660 square feet usable for U -Haul rental trailers. According to Mr. Florell, it would appear that the U -Haul rentals could take up as much as 1400 square feet or approximately 65% of the gross floor area of the principal building. According to Mr. F1orell and observations of the Zoning Administrator, Mr. Loren Klein, there appears to be more than adequate parking remaining even if approximately 7 or 8 parking spaces are used for the U -Haul rentals. The Planning Commission at their last meeting recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit. Motion was made by Fair, seconded by White and unanimously carried to approve the Conditional Use Permit request for Vance's Standard for outdoor equipment rental and to increase the outdoor rental area to 65% of the building area which will allow up to 8 parking spaces to be utilized for the U -Haul trailers. 3. Consideration of Rezoning Blocks 2 and 3 of the Meadows Subdivision from R-1 to R-2. Mr. Mel Wolters requested that Blocks 2 and 3 of the Meadows Sub- division be rezoned from R-1 to R-2 to allow for the development of zero lot line duplexes. Previously, Block 1 in the Meadows Sub- division was rezoned to R-2 for similar zero lot duplexes. Mr. Wolters indicated that his primary reason for the rezoning request was because of the increased cost of assessments for improvements to these particular lots. Mr. Wolters indicated that with some of the assessments being as high as $10,000 per lot, the economics in some cases would not work out well for a single family home and the development of zero lot line duplexes would spread the costs of the assessments over 2 homes rather than 1 single family home. Motion was made by Maus, seconded by White and unanimously carried to approve the rezoning of Blocks 2 and 3 in the Meadows Subdivision from R-1, single family residential to R-2, single and 2 family residential. (See Zoning Ordinance Amendment 4/27/81-98) 4. Public Hearing on the Consideration of a Resolution Approving Commercial Development Revenue Bonds for Medical Facilities Company. Medical Facilities Company, developers of a proposed medical clinic next to the Monticello -Big Lake Hospital, requested that the city approve the issuance of $1,400,000 in commercial development revenue notes for financing the clinic. - 2 - Council Meeting - 4/27/81 Medical Facilities Company is a general partnership consisting of developer, Thomas McKee, and 6 medical doctors who will be practicing in the new clinic. The proposed break down of the project costs are as follows: ITEM AMOUNT Land acquisition and site development $ 125,000 Construction contracts 1,100,000 Equipment acquisition and installation 300,000 Legal fees 25,000 Interest during construction 52,000 Financing fees 41,000 Contingencies 7,500 TOTAL $1,6503500 Mr. Tom McKee indicated that of the total $1,650,500 estimated cost, $1,400,000 was being requested for the issuance of the Commercial Development Revenue Notes, with the balance being provided by the general partnership. City Attorney, Gary Pringle, has reviewed the preliminary information provided by the Medical Facilities Company and indicated that the proposed issue would meet the legal requirements of Minnesota Statutes 474 and also meets all guide lines as set for it by the City of Monticello. Motion was made by White, seconded by Fair and unanimously carried to adopt a resolution approving the issuance of $1,400,000 in commercial development revenue bonds for Medical Facilities Company for the development of a medical clinic. (See Resolution 1981-15) 5. Public Hearing on the Consideration of Vacating and Deeding Oak Street Between Hart Boulevard and Wright County Highway #75. Monticello School District #882, on behalf of the Monticello - Big Lake Community Hospital, requested that the city vacate and convey that portion of Oak Street lying between Hart Boulevard and Wright County #75 to the School District for the purpose of develop- ing a clinic expanding the existing parking lot used by the Hospital. Normally, when the city vacates a street, the property is offered to the abutting property owners equally, but in this particular case, the property owner to the east of Oak Street is actually the City of Monticello. Apparently, there is a triangular parcel of approximately 9,000 square feet to the east of Oak Street that the city owns and the Hospital would also like to have the city consider conveying this triangular parcel to the Hospital to use for additional parking. - 3 - Council Minutes - 4/27/81 It was recommended by the City Engineer that should the city vacate the entire Oak Street and also convey the small triangular parcel to the Hospital, the city should retain a 30 foot easement on the easterly portion of the triangular parcel for the purpose of future storm sewer drainage to the Mississippi River if needed. In addition, it was recommended that upon conveyance of this property to the Hos- pital, a stipulation be placed on the parcel that the property be used for parking lot purposes only between the Medical Clinic, Hos- pital and School District. In light of the fact that the amount of land area is small in size and that the city is still retaining easement rights for future utilities, it was recommended that the property be conveyed without charge. Motion was made by Maus, seconded by Blonigen and unanimously carried to vacate that portion of Oak Street lying between Hart Boulevard and Highway #75 with the westerly half being conveyed to the School District #882 and the easterly half being vacated to the City of Monticello and then in turn the entire triangular parcel, including the easterly half of vacated Oak Street, owned by the city being conveyed to the Monticello -Big Lake Hospital with the city retaining easement rights on the east portion of the triangular parcel for future utilities. (See Resolution 1981-15A). 6. Consideration of Amendment_ of Conditional Use Permit on Parking Lot Access -Medical Facilities Company. Medical Facilities Company, developers of the proposed medical clinic east of the Monticello -Big Lake Hospital, requested that their Con- ditional Use Permit be amended to allow access to their proposed parking lot off of River Street at the rear of the proposed clinic. Previously, the City Council approved a Conditional Use Permit for the development of the clinic with the provision that the access to the parking lot on sight would be off of Hart Boulevard. This provision was inserted as a result of in -put from neighbors in the Ellison Park area along River Street, who expressed concern with the possible extension of River Street to accommodate the parking lot at the rear of the propsed medical clinic. Since that time, the developers of the clinic have indicated that the proposed grade from the lower parking lot to Hart Boulevard may on occasions be difficult to maneuver and as a result the ambulance may have to use River Street if weather conditions are unfavorable. In addition, the developer has indicated that if the clinic is expanded in the future and additional parking space is needed for patients, the lower parking lot would be used and as a result should have an alternate route other than Hart Boulevard. Council Minutes - 4/27/81 Barb Schwientek, Hospital Administrator, indicated that the intent of opening River Street would be for emergency use only by ambulance when necessary and also for employees to use the rear parking lot, but that in the future, patients may also use the lower parking lot as the clinic expands and requires more parking space. Concerns were expressed by neighbors along River Street in the Ellison Park area that any extension of River Street to the medical clinic would result in increased traffic and safety problems. Mr. Irwin Kallin, property owner near Ellison Park along River Street, asked that the city prepare some type of plan that would control traffic and safety problems in the area such as lower speed limits, more frequent police patrols, etc. Mr. Tom McKee, clinic developer, indicated that they would be willing to work with the city and residences as much as possible to control any problems that could arise by the extension of River Street, by increasing lighting in their parking lot if necessary, along with possibly closing off their parking lot at a certain time each evening, if necessary. After consideration of the testimony, motion was made by Fair, seconded by Maus, and asked to be carried to adopt a resolution ordering the city engineer to prepare a feasibility report on the extension of River Street to the proposed medical clinic with the report also to include any sewer line repairs, if necessary. (See Resolution 1981-16) In addition, a motion was made by Maus, seconded by Fair, to approve amending the Conditional Use Permit for the Medical Facilities Company allowing access from River Street to the proposed parking lot with a 2 year time limit at which time the situation would be reviewed to see if problems have arisen. Voting in favor was Maus, Fair, Grimsmo, and Blonigen. Opposed: White. Motion was also made by White, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to have the City Administrator study and work on a plan for providing safety and traffic regulations, etc. for the River Street area near Ellison Park such as speed limit signs, increased patroling. services, etc. 7. Consideration of Awarding Contract on Library Construction Project. Fifteen bids were received on Friday, April 24, 1981, for the con- struction of a new library. The bids ranged from a low base bid of $336,000 from Cates Construction Company to a high bid of $386,400. The architects estimated construction cost was $320,000. The con- struction bids received did not include furniture and fixtures, landscaping or the completion of the parking lot. - 5 - Council Minutes - 4/27/81 As part of the construction bids, an alternate was included for providing a water to air heating system for the building. The low base bidder, W. H. Cates Construction Company, indicated that the alternate would add approximately $29,000 to the construction cost. It was the recommendation of the architects that the base bid of $336,000 from Cates Construction Company be accepted with- out the alternate heating system. Motion was made by White, seconded by Maus to award the prime contract for the construction of the new library to W. H. Cates Construction Company in the amount of $336,000 without Alter- nate #1. Voting in favor: White, Maus, Grimsmo and Fair. Opposed: Blonigen. 8. Approval of Bills for April, 1981, and the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 13, 1981 Motion was made by White, seconded by Maus and unanimously carried to approve the bills for the month of April, 1981, and the regular meeting of City Council for April 13, 1981. 9. Ratification by the Council of Willard Farnick as New Monticello Piro Ch4pf _ The Monticello Fire Department at their annual meeting, elected Willard Farnick to the position of fire chief. Motion was made by Maus, seconded by White, and unanimously carried to approve the ratification of Willard Farnick as the new Monticello Fire Chief. 10. Consideration of City Newsletter. Motion was made by Maus, seconded by Fair, and unanimously carried to authorize the City Administrator to prepare and send out to area residences a bi-annual city newsletter on a one year trail basis. Meeting adjourned. c Rick Wolfstel er, Administrative Assistant RW/mh - 6 -