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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_53Jun16_Public_Hearingrv i d Hearing closed No one else wishing to be heard, the Mayor declared the hearing closed at 9:40 P.ld., stating the council would take the matter under advisement and that the applicant would be informed as soon as possible after the council reaches a decision. Approved: k Mayor PUBLIC HEARING, ~~OCK REZONING PETITION, TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1953 1 1 Present: H. L. Henry, Mayor George J. Shavor, Trustee Arthur A. Lindig, Trustee George I. Lodahl, Trustee Clyde J. Stewart, Clerk Ralph Van Hoven, Treasurer Frank N. Graham, Attorney Acoount Trustee Lindig delayed, the hearing was not declared open until 8:25 P.M.. About 45 persons were in attendan ce. Village Attorney Graham stated that the purpose of the hearing was to consider Attorney rezoning certain property at 140? 1Yest Larpenteur, the Mock petition submitted earlier this month requesting that said property be rezoned from "Business District" to "Residence District A" with provision that the present business use may continue. Graham said the petition was signed by a total of 135 property owners and was accompanied by a certificate from the St Paul Abstract Company certifying to this. Attorney Graham said he had checked the petition against the Abstract Company's certificate and found that the petition had been signed by 50 per cent by number of owners within 500 feet of the property the petition asks be rezoned. This, Graham said, meets the legal require- men t. Mayor The Mayor then took over conduct of the meeting and stated that those Henry favoring the petition would be heard first - H. H. Cowie Attorney, St Paul, said he represented signers of the Mock petition !` who are interested in having the Keller property on the northwest corner of Larpenteur and Albert rezoned from business to residence district A with provision that the present business use may be continued. :fir. Cowie said the signers of tihe petition are not B. $. Cowie interested in running Mr. Keller out of business, but that a (cont'd) large service station as proposed would change the character of the neighborhood. Attorney Cowie then asked that some of the people signing the petition be called on to express their ideas - George Vavoulis, 1433 W. Larpenteur, said he resides one block from the Keller property. When the proposed service station on this corner was first called to his attention, his feeling was that it was smart business on the part of Cdr. Keller. Later he listened to i~drs. Vavoulis who referred to their two children who attend the Falcon Heights school. Mrs. Vavoulis, he said, told him he did not take enough interest in things in Falcon Heights. :vIr. Vavoulis then called attention to the number of service stations at present between Hemline and Snelling. Said he has watched a number of mothers with children crossing at this intersection on their way to the Falcon Heights school and referred to the safety factor he Pelt was involved. Also said that the proposed service station would detract from a fine residential area, and that Keller's property increased in value because of people living in the area. Vavoulis said he had been told by residents of the area about the moral understanding they had with Keller about conducting a business, and that the neighbors still have faith in that understanding. The best interests of Falcon Heights will be served if the petition is approved, Vavoulis said. H. P. Bruncke 1710 Pd. Albert, said at the time the store was built the neighbors were informed b~t~,~dr:.&eller that there would be no filling station on the property. However, when zoning laws came in and-there being a business on that corner the area was zoned commercial, ;fir. Bruneke said. He stated that the proposed service station will create dangerous conditions for children going to and from school. Feels that this corner should remain residential, and said the School Board suggested that sidewalks be put in on Albert for chf ldren. L.T. Gasink 1402 ~P. Larpenteur, said he lives' directly south of the Keller property, and spoke of friendly relations between Keller, himself and of hers in this area. Mr. Gasink said he helped circulate the petition, that there were slightly over 50 per cent in favor of the rezoning as stated. Said the safety hazard is one of the principal reasons for ret~tdning the Keller property as it is or for rezoning to residential. That another factor is depreciation of property values. iJir. Gasink told of talking with people in the City who live near filling stations - said they agreed with him that a service station tends to reduce residential property values. He stated he has four children and that the proposed service station on this corner is a safety hazard. E. L. Piret 1795 IvT. Albert, said he recexYtly located in the district, purchas- ing a home becauae he thought it a good area in which to live. Mr. Piret said the proposed service station would change the character of the neighborhood, also that it would be dange rous to children because of authomobiles coming into the station and circling around, increasing traffic. William dock 1397 nest Larpenteur, said there are six filling stations between Lexington and Snelling at present, that 50 per cent of the home ~~~ ' owners are against the proposed service station, and that he could not see the need for it. Would cause traffic hazards, be a nuisance and depreciate property values, Mr . Mock sal d. Dr. McCoy 1749 N. Albert, asserted that zoning laws should fit in with changing times and neighborhood conditions so that home owners could be protected. In connection with the proposed service station, he said it was a case where one individual stands to benefit and where many staff to lose. ~7rged that the home owners interests be protected as against the interest of one man. James A. White 1718 N. Albert, asked if it was necessary fo r the petitioners to repeat at this meeting when they had expressed themselves at a previous meeting. Said he was opposed to the proposed filling station. R.D._Whaley 1704 Id. Albert, said he agreed with Dr. McCoy. Did not see why this c anmunity of homes should be desecrated by a filling station. H. 0. Magnet' 1758 N. Albert, said he has lived in the community 17 years, that the original Keller property was sold to individuals, and that the Kellers benefited from such sales. Magnet' said he did not think the~Keller should now have additional profit at the exprsnse of the neighbors. Fi. P. Bruneke said there is a Peeling that Larpenteur is going to be a race track sane day and that some residents are going to sell, but he did not think that should keep this axes From being a residential district. Mayor Henry At this point the Mayor asked if those opposing the petition wished to be heard. . Robert F. Leach 1 w Attorney, said he represented George Keller, that his~firm had no connection with the Shell Oil Company, and had done no work for them. Also that he did not know whether the council and residents of Falcon Heights were famili ar with the proposed development of Larpenteur and Rice. Said he had talked with County Engineer Bronson and others in Bronson's office, checking over maps and proposed plans for widening and paving Larpenteur. Bdr. Leach said Larpenteur according to plans would be the main thoroughfare between St Paul and Minneapolis in about two years, leading to a substantial increase in traffic. He presented to the council a print of the proposed servi ce station, and said there would be less danger if care are going t o slow down to enter a filling station on this corner than if they rush past. In co nnection with danger to children, Mr. Leach said that about 99~ of such injuries he~pen when children dart out from behind cars. With an open filling station, there is not much danger, he said. Most of the school children are taken by bins across Larpenteur, Attorney Leach stated, and that if the School Board is watching out for the kids they should make sure all are taken by bus. As to statement that T~dr. Keller, Sr. had promised there would be no filling station on the Keller property, Mr. Leach isiplresenting a letter to the council said it was signed by one of the leaders in the community at that time, 3~r. Leland Melrose, and that the letter indicated Mr. Keller did not promise anything. ~~ Ross Peterson 1426 VPest Larpenteur, said he used to li ve in Los Angeles and had done work in the engineering field. He said that no group should attempt to prevent progress, and that when residents in this area bought properti es they should have checked into things more carefully. James C. Kelly 1386 West Larpenteur, said he purchased his property in 1947 and that he knew at the time the Keller property was zoned commercial. Asked if he was not correct in saying that Larpenteur avenue has been designated a Federal aid highway. He said the character of Larpenteur will change considerably and that it will be a through route for heavy traffic with no highway to the north or south that can handle this heavy traffic adequately. Mr. Kelly stated that rezoning this property is a secondary consideration because the character of the neighborhood will be changed by heavy traffic going over Larpenteur. with the R.N. Featherston 1867 N. Simpson, said he definitely feels that~Larpenteur Avenue development going through that the Keller property should remain in its commercial status. 6s to devaluing residential properties, he referred to a similar situation in Buffalo where property values were benefited, that such properti es did not remain residential but were sold for commercial purposes. Said the petition should be turned down and the property left commercial. Walter H. ~estman 1382 West Larpenteur, said he has three small children and that he thought it would be better with an open filling station on the corner as far as hazards to children are concerned. Stated he has no ob3ection to a filling station on this dorner. Clarence Rekstad 1790 N. Pascal stated as to being concerned about childrens' safety that if you could see all the kids that cross Larpenteur to buy candy bars at Keller's store, including four and five-year olds, the people would realize this is much more of a hazard than a filling station. Mayor Henry The Mayor then asked the petitioners if they wished to say anything further . L. T. Gas ink questioned that residential property in the area would stand to gain if sold for commercial purposes, and asserted that commercializing the area. is going to reduce home owners' property values. James White said that he believesRekstad's and Weatherston's statements should be disregarded as t hs proposed service station does not affect them at all. Mr. Piret 1795 IV'. Larpenteur, said he was not interested in the amount of traffic on Larpenteur from the standpoint of their four .small children, o but felt that traffic out of a filling station is going to increase traffic on Albert, making it dangerous for their children and for . other peoples' children. Pdrs. Magney 1758 N. Albert, asked i f chances for regulating speed lima is in the area would be better if the district is zoned residential. ~~ r~ 1 t Dr. McCoy Referring to what had been said about the proposed development of Larpenteur, said that such developments do not necessarily mean progress from the standpoint of the people affected, that it may be progress for the municipalit7tss interested in moving traffic, but not for those who must pay for it. If the results lead to depreciation 'of property, he said such developments do not constitute progress. ii. P. Brunake said he was interested in keeping the area residential, and that department stores are going out around highway 36, that the whole area between Hemline and Snelling is practically residential except for spots. Bruncke said he did not say that traffic is not going to increase on Larpenteur, but has always felt that the corner at Larpenteur and Albert should not be commercial. Attorney Cowie referring to the increase in traffic on Larpenteur, said the people feel this is still a residential area end that the proposed service station with its lights, cars, chains and noise would be a plain nuisance. ~Ir. Cowie said that the people feel if Keller's property reffiains as it is that property values can be kept up. Did not think people should b® condemned because the Keller property was commerei al when homeowners bought. The neighborhood in which they live has taken on an aspect rich they wish to preserve, he said. They do not want to sea a super service station come in there to change the character of the neighborhood, i~ir. Cowie said. George Vavoulis said he agreed with 3~ht~cCoy's statement, adding that the Falcon Heights council should look with favor on the petition and that the people who signed it represent a large number of the residents in the area. They request that there be no change in the character of their neighborhood, he said, and that those who did not sign the petition asked to be left out as a good neighbor not wishing to participate for or against. The petitioners want to leave the neighborhood as it is, he said. Vavoulis then requested that a decision on the rezoning be made to$ight so that the people will know what the vote of the council will be. E. L. Piret Referring to plans for widening of Larpenteur, ;s4r. Piret said what must be decided is whether we are going to have commercial establishments all around our school and urged that the area remszin residential, and that the co uncil support the requ est to keep it from going commercial as some streets have in the Char. Hearing closed No one else .wishing to be heard, the Mayor announced that the council would take the mattem under advisement and announce their decision at the next regular meeting of the council. He then declared the hearing closed at 9:45 P.A~. Approved: rk ayor