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City Council Minutes 06-25-1979MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL June 25, 1979 - 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Arve Grimsmo, Dan Blonigen, Fran Fair, Ken Maus Members Absent: Phil White. Citizens Comments: Mr. John Meier - representative of the Trinity Lutheran Church, informed the City Council that the Church would like to relocate a home from their property on West Broadway and have it moved to a lot they recently pur- chased on West Broadway, at the corner of Chestnut Street and Broadway. Since this home was more than ten (10) years old, the consensus of the Council was that a Public Hearing would be held at the next regular Council meeting to afford the abutting property owners an opportunity to be heard in regards to this home being located on the lot purchased by the Church. Mr. Meier has indicated that the property owners he has talked to have no objection, but has not talked to all of the abutting property owners. Mr. Fred Topel - requested that the Council reconsider a previous variance they granted allowing him to construct a residential apartment above his Mini -Mall complex on Broadway. At the May 29, 1979 Council Meeting, the variance was approved contingent upon Mr. Topel being agreeable to removing an existing older garage at the rear of his property to provide off-street parking spaces. Mr. Topel indicated that at the present time, he would not be in favor of removing the garage to provide additional spaces and felt that he had at least twelve spaces now for parking which should be adequate. He indicated that in the future, he would be more willing to remove the garage, but not at the present time. Motion was made by'Fran Fair, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously carried to approve the variance request for the residential apartment over the Mini -Mall complex without the need for removing the existing garage. 1. Public Hearing - Consideration of a Variance Request on Curb and Landscaping - Tom Thumb Superette. Mr. Dick Kvanbeck, representative of James Refrigeration Company, owner of Tom Thumb Superette, requested a variance to install a special type of preformed curbing around the parking area of their Tom Thumb Store. Their request was based on price, flexibility and the speed of installa- tion, which could be installed in one days time. Since this type of curb would be new to the Monticello area, motion was made by Ken Maus, seconded by Fran Fair and unanimously carried to grant Tom Thumb Superette a variance to install this preformed curbing on a trial, experimental basis. Council Minutes 6/25/79 Additionally, the City requires landscaping for the new Tom Thumb Store to be at least $1,500, or 1% of the construction cost, whichever is greater. Mr. Kvanbeck informed the Council that he has received estimates for additional landscaping totaling $896 and requested that the existing cedar trees located on the lot be counted towards the $1,500 requirement. Motion was made by Ken Maus, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously carried to approve the variance allowing for an additional $896 in land- scaping to be provided at the Tom Thumb site with credit being given for the existing trees to make up the $1,500 total. 2. Public Hearing - Consideration of a Variance Request on Curb Type - Best Tn Win 1-i Best In Web Company, located in Oakwood Industrial Park, requested a variance to install the same type of preformed curbing as mentioned in Item 1. above. Motion was made by Dan Blonigen, seconded by Fran Fair and unanimously carried to also approve the preformed curbing request of Best In Web on a trial, experimental basis. 3. Public Hearing - Consideration of a Variance Request for Sideyard Setback - Mike Slagter. Mr. Mike Slagter requested a variance to build an attached garage on his home at 115 Marvin Elwood Road in Anders Wilhelm Estates. Mr. Slagter would like to extend his garage 26' to the south of his home, which would bring him to within 6' of his neighbors side property line. Mr. Slagter informed the Council that his garage would need a 4' variance on one corner of the garage and the other side would meet the 10' require- ment. Hearing no objections, motion was made by Ken Maus, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously carried to approve the 4' setback variance for Mr. Slagter's garage. 4. Public Hearing - Consideration of a Variance Request of Hardsurfacing Requirements for a Parking Lot - Mel Wolters. Mr. Mel Wolters, owner of the Dairy Queen in Monticello, requested a variance to allow parking on the abutting lots to the Dairy Queen without having the property hardsurfaced. The reason for his request is that he plans on building an office building on lots 9 & 10 in the near future, and would have to tear up the blacktopping to construct the building which would be a waste of materials and money. The additional parking would be used for overflow parking from the Dairy Queen during the busy times of the year. Motion was made by Dan Blonigen, seconded by Ken Maus and unanimously carried to approve a variance from hardsurfacing requirements for the parking lot for a period of twelve (12) months. At the end of one year, the parking lot would either be hardsurfaced or Mr. Wolters would have to ask for another variance. - 2 - Council Minutes 6/25/79 5. Consideration of Approval of James Maus's "The Meadows" Subdivision Plat. Mr. Jim Maus presented a preliminary plat proposing a 30 acre subdivision consisting of seventy (70) residential lots in the northwestern part of Monticello. It was the intention of Mr. Maus to develop this subdivision in two phases, one consisting of fifteen lots abutting Prairie Road, and the second phase would be the development of the interior fifty-five lots. The reason for the two-phase development was that the fifteen lots abutting Prairie Road would have immediate access to City sewer and water and tarred streets. At a later date, the second phase of the development would be completed when the extension of sewer, storm sewer, water and tarred streets are completed to the interior of the plat itself. Mr. Phil Ritze, representing Ritze Manor subdivision, asked whether the storm sewer runoff will affect Ritze Manor lots without actual storm sewer facilities being constructed at this time. Consulting Engineer, John Badalich, explained that with the limited development in phase one, the ponding areas provided in Balboul Estates and drainage ditches provided in the Meadows development, should take care of any runoff for now. Motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Arve Grimsmo to approve the entire preliminary plat as presented, with Phase One being submitted for final approval only at this time. Voting in Favor: Dan Blonigen, Arve Grimsmo, Fran Fair; Abstaining - Ken Maus. 6. Consideration of Requesting Planning Commission to Hold Public Hearing on Amendment to the City of Monticello Ordinances Relative to Outdoor Advertising Signs. Mr. Ray Galarneault, of Blocher Advertising Company in St. Cloud, pre- viously requested to be on the Council agenda to discuss outdoor adver- tising signs and possible ordinance amendments to allow such signs in the future. Since Mr. Galarneault was not available at the meeting to make any comments, it was the consensus of the Council to table this item until the next regular Council meeting. 7. Consideration of Requesting Planning Commission to Hold a Public Hearing on Ordinance Amendments to Allow a Combination of Residential and Commercial Uses in a B-3 and B-4 district. According to present City Ordinances, residential uses are not allowed in a B-3 or B-4 commercial district. Recently, the City had received two requests, one from Dr. Joel Erickson and the other from Fred Topel, to allow apartments to be constructed over their commercial ventures. In both of these cases, approval was granted and the Planning Commission at that time recommended that the City Planner draft an ordinance amendment that would allow this type of use within a B-3 or B-4 district. - 3 - Council Minutes 6/25/79 Although an Ordinance Amendment has been prepared by the Planner, both the Planning Commission and the City Council felt that at the present time they would like to consider any request on an individual basis rather than providing for such uses within the Ordinance. Therefore, it was the consensus of the Council to take no action at this time and to leave the ordinances as they are now. 8. Consideration of Awarding Contract on the 1979-1 Improvement Project. On Friday, June 22, 1979, bids were received on the 1979-1 Improvement Project. The low bidder for the Improvement Project was Barbarossa & Sons in the amount of $839,599. (See Agenda Supplement 6/25/79 #1). As part of the 1979-1 improvement project, the City will have to obtain easements from three property owners for improving sewer and water and extending Dundas Road south of Highway 25. In addition to the easements, it was noted by the Engineer that additional items were included in the final plans and specs. which were not included in the original feasibility report. Some of the additional items included grading to be completed on Lauring Lane in Lauring Hillside Terrace, and also additional street work in Oakwood Industrial Park. It was the consensus of the Council to table any action on awarding the contract on the 1979-1 Improvement Project until an additional public hearing could be held to afford the property owners affected by the improvement an opportunity to hear the new cost estimates and also allow the City additional time to obtain the easements necessary. The additional public hearing will be held at the next regular council meeting. 9. Consideration of Amending Monticello Ordinances Relative to Building Permit Fees. In 1978, at the time the City hired its first full-time building inspector, the building fee schedules were updated to 750 of the suggested fee schedules contained in the Uniform Building Code. It was decided at the time the fees were increased, to review the fee schedules after at least a years time had lapsed to see if any adjustments were necessary. After computing the revenues and expenditures of the building inspection depart- ment from April 1, 1978 through March 31, 1979, it was noted that there remains a deficit of approximately $3,600 for this department to break even and it would require an increase of approximately 32% in building permit fees. In order to have the building inspection department be self-support- ing, rather than subsidized through general property taxes, it was recommended that the State Uniform Building Code schedule be adopted. This new schedule would boost the cost of a permit for a $40,000 home from $117.75 to approximately $157.00. Motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously carried to approve an ordinance amendment increasing the building permit fees to the State suggested schedule, exclusive of plan checking fee, effective August 1, 1979. (See Ordinance Amendment 6/25/79 #69). Council Minutes 6/25/79 10. Consideration of Approval of 1978 Audit. Mr. Bob Carlson, of Gruys, Johnson & Associates, reviewed the 1978 Audit with the City Council at their last regular meeting, and also has reviewed the statements with individual Council Members, Fran Fair and Ken Maus. Motion was made by Ken Maus, seconded by Fran Fair to accept the 1978 audit report as presented. voting in favor, Ken Maus, Arve Grimsmo, Fran Fair, abstaining, Dan Blonigen. 11. Approval of Bills and Minutes. Public Works Director, John Simola, discussed with the Council the possi- bility of withholding some of the funds from Nelson Trees of Zimmerman, Minnesota, for the replacement trees they recently planted this spring. Mr. Simola indicated that some of the trees appear to be dying and others were not planted correctly. Motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Ken Maus and unanimously carried to approve the Minutes of the regular meeting held June 11, 1979, and also to approve the bills for the month of June, as presented, with the exception of Nelson trees, which should have a 10% amount withheld until the trees can be reviewed. 12. Discussion on Civil Defense Sirens. Civil Defense Director, Loren Klein, reviewed with the Council the progress on getting cost estimates for installation of civil defense sirens in Monticello. Mr. Klein has consulted with various firms that specialize in sirens, and the recommendations have been made to install three large sirens at an estimated cost of approximately $30,000. Motion was made by Ken Maus, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously carried to authorize the civil defense director to prepare plans and specifications for the installation of the necessary sirens and to report back to the Council when completed. (See supplement 6/25/79 #2) Meeting adjourned. 2 Rick Wolfst ler Assistant Administrator RW/ns - 5 -