Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JULY 8, 2015 <br />Keis indicated that it was his position that none of the Council Members <br />would have administrative rights to the City's Facebook account. Fischer <br />agreed and noted that the Council Members should also not respond to any <br />postings. <br />SWIMMING The City Administrator reported that the City has received a complaint <br />POOLS about a pool that is not in service. The pool has been pumped, but its <br />condition is very poor. The Administrator noted that the City's ordinance <br />requires "maintenance", but asked what the City wants to accomplish. <br />The Administrator indicated that citing someone for a violation can take <br />months in the court system and the outcome is not always acceptable. The <br />Administrator asked if the goal is to either have property owners put a <br />pool back in service, fill in a pool, or have it covered. The City can <br />strengthen its ordinance allowing for abatement of the nuisance if it is not <br />corrected within a specified amount of time. The Administrator also noted <br />the requirement that pools be fenced with a four -foot high fence. One <br />property owner has indicated that this height does not provide enough <br />security. <br />Keis asked if the City had the ability to require unused, deteriorated pools <br />to be filled in. The City Attorney replied that the City could, but indicated <br />that this is a pretty aggressive approach. The Attorney indicated that if the <br />Code Enforcement Officer inspects a pool and it does not comply with <br />Code requirements, a recommendation can be made to the City Council to <br />abate the nuisance and assess the cost against the property. <br />Keis asked about the situation where a pool has no water or debris in it <br />and is secured with a fence. McGraw asked about requiring that a hard <br />cover be placed on such a pool to negate the eyesore. Torkelson suggested <br />that a pool should be in a condition where it could be put in service with <br />an intact liner and no major cracks. <br />The City Administrator noted that the one pool that the City has a <br />complaint on is only visible to one neighbor, so technically this is a private <br />nuisance. The Administrator indicated that the City can correct nuisances <br />that impact the public, but this pool is an eyesore for one neighbor. He <br />also noted that the pool is appropriately fenced. <br />Keis pointed out the issues recently in St. Paul where a child drowned in <br />an abandoned pool. McGraw asked what the City's liability is with <br />nuisance pools. The City Attorney reported that the City had no liability <br />given this would be a non -ministerial act. <br />The Administrator questioned whether a pool was less of a hazard just <br />because it was fenced. The City Attorney indicated that if a pool is fenced <br />5 <br />