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Mounds View Planning Commission August 21, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 11 ________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Johnson indicated the City invested $12,000 into that vacant lot to remove the business located there. He then asked if the citizens get the money back somehow. He further commented that the City paid the $12,000 in an effort to spur development for the whole PUD. Mr. Matthews indicated the purchase agreement is contingent upon City approvals. He then said that he had discussions with Mr. Johnson’s realtor who indicated this was a complete waste of time as it will not get done without Mr. Johnson’s property. He indicated they had talked to Staff and were encouraged to move forward and try to get it done. He further commented that they have put their best foot forward and have nothing to hide and feel like made real good offers to George and Mr. Johnson and were not intending to insult anyone. Mark Schnor, 2949 Highway 10, said he thinks the townhomes are ugly and he would like to keep the corner piece of property being discussed a natural area as it is a good entrance to Mounds View. He then said that developing it may be good for tax revenue but he does not agree with it. Kristen Berline, Mr. Deretich’s daughter, addressed the Commission and indicated the reason her father is selling the property is because she wants him to sell and move out by her in Ham Lake because she feels he is working beyond what is a healthy age to pay for a mortgage. She then said this is not a bold developer that wants to demolish the scenery of Mounds View, it is a developer who wants to help her father out by purchasing his property and allowing him to move to Ham Lake to a home without a mortgage so that he can retire. Ms. Berline further indicated that Mr. Johnson is asking almost double for less property than her dad would get which makes it impossible for a developer to build something there and not lose money and that makes her and any level headed person realize is that Mr. Johnson is making it impossible to build something on his lot and is looking to gouge somebody to do so and only has his own best interest in mind. Jan Merrell, 2892 Sherwood Place, indicated the most important reason she purchased her home is due to the wooded cul-de-sac lots and then indicated her agent told her that the area would probably never be developed. She also expressed concern for lighting from the parking lot and the increased noise due to the loss of the wooded area. She further commented that she would be concerned with drainage from that property onto hers. Lonnie Matthews, the real estate agent involved in this transaction, indicated that Ms. Merrell’s agent never should have told her that property owned by someone else would not be developed. She then commented that townhomes would be a lesser impact than a major corporation coming into the area. Commissioner Hegland asked what the zoning of the lot at 2925 Highway 10 was. Planner Atkinson indicated it is zoned single family residential.