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.
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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.
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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
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