Agenda Packets - 2013/07/22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council May 28, 2013 Regular Meeting Page 5 1 she received a removal order for her cargo container from the City. She then sent emails to 2 Planning Associate Heller and to City Administrator Ericson on November 20, 2012 with 3 pictures of her cargo container to City Staff. She received no verbal or written response from 4 either Staff member and considered the matter settled until receiving the public hearing notice for 5 this evenings meeting. 6 7 Ms. Simkins stated she received an estimate to replace the steel cargo container and it was 8 between $5,000-6,000. She explained her cargo container served as a garage and has done so for 9 the past 15 years. She indicated she has had no objections from her neighbors and suggested the 10 cargo container remain in place and be repainted to match the principal structure. She 11 respectfully requested that her container be grandfathered in. 12 13 Hearing no further public input, Mayor Flaherty closed the public hearing at 8:31 p.m. 14 15 Council Member Meehlhause asked if the City was contacted prior to the cargo container 16 purchase. Ms. Simkins stated she did not contact Staff, as the unit was sold to her as a solid steel 17 storage container. 18 19 Council Member Meehlhause questioned if the City Code would have allowed a cargo container 20 in 1997. City Administrator Ericson explained a cargo container did not meet the definition of 21 an accessory building and would not have been allowed to proceed in 1997. He commented 22 while the language does not discuss "cargo containers," the language does speak to typical uses 23 within a residential district. 24 25 Council Member Meehlhause inquired if the proposed language revisions would protect the City 26 from a resident using a boxcar or semi -trailer as a shed. He was in favor of the language being 27 more specific. Planning Associate Heller commented this was addressed in Subdivision 14. 28 29 Council Member Hull asked how many properties had a cargo container at this time. Planning 30 Associate Heller indicated she was aware of two cargo containers in the City within the 31 residential zoning district. 32 33 Mayor Flaherty questioned how the Council should address the two residential properties with 34 cargo containers. He indicated the container could be grandfathered in, be removed or the 35 Council could allow her more time to replace the unit. 36 37 Council Member Gunn stated she was in favor of grandfathering the container in with conditions 38 that if the garage were replaced, the container be removed; that if the property were sold, the 39 container be removed; and that the container surround be repainted and improved to match the 40 principal structure. 41 42 Council Member Mueller indicated she was not in favor of allowing the cargo container to 43 remain within on this property. It was her understanding cargo containers were never allowed in 44 residential zoning district. She supported the Ordinance amendments as written. 45