HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCMin_81Feb2MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
• THE PLANNING COMMISSION
February 2, 1981
The meeting was called to order by Al Stefanson. Present were:
Bob Blomberg, Jim Bourquin, Harold Nilsen, Mary Waldo, Al Stef-
anson, Jerry Wallin, Don Mead, Erma Olson and the Council liaison.
Absent: Mike Heffron.
The Chairman welcomed newly .appointed Planning Commission members
Mary Waldo and Don Mead on behalf of the rest of the Planning
Commission.
The chairman asked for comments concerning a proposal to do
something to recognize the past services of Elving Anderson and
Les Larsen on the Planning Commission. Those gentlemen served
for a substantial number of years. There was a motion by Jim
Bourquin, seconded by Harold Nilsen, that the Planning Commission
recommend to the Council that Elving and Les be given a suitable
momento in recognition of their past service. The motion received
unanimous approval.
The next item of business was a discussion of the denial by the
Council of the Pipkorn conditionaiuse permit application. Sandy
• Larson explained that the Council ultimately denied the application
because of what appeared to be either a misrepresentation by the
applicant's son or a misunderstanding as to the extent of the per-
mission manifested by the Pipkorn neighbors. The neighbor to the
North, Stanley Olson, at 1763 North Hamline, sent a second letter
to the City confirming that he gave his permission only for a two
car garage. Erma Olson moved, seconded by Don Mead, that the
Planning Commission act to rescind its earlier approval of the
conditional use permit application on the basis of these new
circumstances, i.e. the larger structure was clearly objectionable
to at least one neighbor. The motion received unanimous approval.
Sandy Larson provided the Commission members with a copy of a minute
excerpt from the last Council meeting. Council voted to establish
a cutoff date for filing matters that are to be included on the agenda
for the next Planning Commission meeting. The filing date is the
Friday ten days previous to the regular monthly Monday meeting.
The next item for discussion was the proposed zoning ordinance supplied
by Carl Dale. Chairman Stefanson provided the new Planning Commission
members with a general background on the source of the draft ordinance.
The Chairman echoed the Commission members' feeling from the last
meeting to the effect that the draft ordinance appeared to contain
too much agricultural language, that there was apprehension over the
concept of Zoning Administrator and Zoning Board of Appeals in that it
• purported to strip the Council and Planning Commission of much. of their
traditional authority and responsibility, and that other items such as
mobile homes and recreational vehicle areas were inapplicable to Falcon
Heights. The Chairman expressed his idea that current Ordinance 64
should be utilized as a starting point for redrafting a new ordinance.
Bob Blomberg expressed his apprehension with the apparent
restrictiveness of the "existing business" zoning category.
He feared that it grandfathered existing businesses in only
for so long as they maintained the precise same use. He stated
that he tried to discuss the matter with Carl Dale but was
unable to obtain an appointment. Harold Nilsen expressed his
opinion that a reader of the ordinance should not have to refer
to several articles in order to find the provisions dealing with.
R-1 property. He felt that everything pertaining to a given
zoning category, such as R-1, should be found within a section
labeled "R-1". It was generally felt that this was a good idea,
in spite of the fact that it will undoubtedly result in a more
lengthy, overall, zoning ordinance. Jim Bourquin questioned the
intended approach to the problem. He asked Sandy if the Council
feels the constituency wants a dramatic change in method of
operation or are they satisfied with the current methods of
obtaining variances, conditional use permits, etc. It was
generally felt that most residents are satisfied with the present
system of administration. Sandy Larson advises that Carl Dale
is rumoured to be strongly in favor of the Zoning Administrator
and Board of Appeal provisions. Sandy said she would trynget
Mr. Dale to attend the next Planning Commission meeting so that we
may hear him out on his views in that regard. Chairman
Stefanson suggested that the Commission break into three person
groups to meet informally between the regular meetings for the
a purpose of trying our collective hands at trying to redraft a
segment of the Ordinance. If we are successful and find that such
redrafting can be done in a timely manner. then perhaps the
Commission can rough out what it feels would-he='an='~.p~sr~~s~i~ge
zoning ordinance and present that draft to the city attorney for
polishing up and final preparation. Erma Olson felt that it was:
a good idea. As a minimum she stated it would result in all of
the Commission members becoming much more familiar with the Ordinance.
The Chairman passed out photo copies of the R-1 section of present
Ordinance 64 to utilize as working copies. He suggested that the
three separate groups try to have at least two meetings between now
and the next regular meeting scheduled for Monday, March 2, 1931.
These interim meetings, hopefully, should produce three separate
rough drafts of what the Commission members think a new R-1 zoning
section should look like. That at the next regular meeting an
attempt can be made to try to amalgamate the three versions into a
working section.
The last item of business dealt with future meeting times. It was
generally felt that an earlier start time would result in an earlier
adjournment. Therefore, it was agreed that the next regular meeting
in March would commence at 7 P.M.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:33 P.M.
Respec f 1 ted,
ry Wallin