05-28-13 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION May 6, 2013 DRAFT 3 setting an undesirable precedent. Council Member Stoesz asked if it would be 90 appropriate to allow a “grace period” to see how things work out. Council Member 91 Roeser said he supports businesses a nd doesn’t want to see buildings in the city unused. 92 Council Member Rafferty said that he sees an impacted residential neighborhood where 93 people have invested in their proper ty just as the business owner has ; he’d like to move 94 cautiously where zoning is involved and he reminded the council that the city has 95 received complaints about the use. Mr. Rafferty remarked that the city’s zoning 96 regulations are law and should be change d when that is warranted but not automatically 97 for a single use. 98 99 The mayor suggested that the council has three options for action as he sees it: 1) do 100 nothing; 2) change the zoning ordinance; and 3) find some type of hybrid solution. 101 102 Mr. Grochala a dded that the council would have to change the regulations (ordinance) to 103 allow this use . He noted that he has some concern that this would not be a n interim use 104 and it would continue in years to come. Council Member Roeser suggested that the 105 council co uld review the situation after a designated period to see if the business climate 106 has changed. 107 108 The owner added that he is willing to eliminate some of the things that the city may see as 109 an “eyesore”. The containers are secure storage provided to busin e sses and c learing the 110 containers this year has been somewhat delayed due to the longer than usual winter 111 season. 112 113 The mayor pondered whether the current regulations would actually allow the use 114 depending on the definition of the activities, and Mr. Groc hala noted that if the city were 115 to find that the use is allowed that would have to be all owed as a permanent use. The 116 mayor noted that he doesn’t want to change the city’s regulations (zoning ordinance). 117 Council Roeser added that he sees other non -con forming uses remaining long term 118 because they a re considered grandfathered . Mr. Grochala responded that there are 119 actually only about four of those uses and they will end eventually through attrition. The 120 mayor suggested that a business model, created by this company that allows the use may 121 be an option if the company is given time to work on it. 122 123 The council concurred to stay the Cease and Desist Order for an additional 30 days and 124 directed Community Development Director Grochala to continue to work with this 125 company to see what can be done. 126 127 3) Emergency Management Plan – Public Safety Director Swenson indicated that he 128 had provided the council with a copy of the plan denoting what is being updated, as 129 requested at the last work session. He reviewe d some of the changes and noted that he 130 would like to receive the council’s approval of the updated plan so that he can begin the 131 process of training under the direction s provided within the plan. 132 133