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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL MINUTES 12201977 • CITY OF ST. ANTHONY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES December 20 , 1977 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hiebel at 7 : 36 P.M. Present for roll call: Bowerman, Hiebel, Klick and Marks Absent: Letourneau, Cowan and Rymarchick Also present: Jim Fornell , City Manager Motion by Mr. Bowerman and seconded by Mr. Marks to approve the minutes for the November 15, 1977 Board meeting as submitted. Motion carried unanimously. Dick Klick agreed to represent the Board at the January 10th Council meeting. f At 7: 37 P.M. Chairman Hiebel opened the Public Hearing on proposals for expenditure of the 1978 Community Development Block Grant funds and the Manager reiterated the purpose of the hearing and discussed other points made regarding the funds in his December 16th memorandum. He then introduced Bob Isaacson of the Hennepin County staff who is a coordinator of the CDBG program. Mr. Isaacson explained that eligible projects for such funds have been limited to a great extent by the federal requirement that such projects serve a geographic area whose population contains at least 510 of low and moderate income persons who would be benefited by such uses . How- ever, one exception to this requirement, he said, can be the 250 of the City' s allocation which may be used for any eligible activity which results in the elimination or prevention of slum or blight conditions in any service area which benefits the low and moderate income families . Mr. Rymarchick arrived at 7 : 41 P.M. Mr. Isaacson said a family has to have had a gross income of under $15, 520 in 1977 to be included in the qualifying 51%, but added there is no breakdown of family size in this regiiirement. He suggested a survey be made to demonstrate the City' s eligibility, but told the Board such a survey will not have to be submitted prior to May lst which is the approximate date the County must make application to HUD for the grant funds. Types of economic development projects which might be • • considered, he told Mr. Klick, might be "eligible public works activi- ties" which increase job opportunities for low and moderate income persons. An area or structure is considered "blighted" if obsolescence or decay can be proved to make it "generally below the standards of the community" . Mr. Isaacson told Mr. Marks the grant funds "could be used for code enforcement to bring structures or areas up to such levels. It was his understanding that the funds could be used to up- grade private property which serves low or moderate income families . An affirmative answer was given to Mr. Marks' query whether the funds could be used for a day care center to be located near several apart- ment complexes which house the low income families but qualified by Mr. Isaacson saying the funds could only be used for capital expendi- tures since "HUD seems more interested in brick and mortar than service related activities" . Some of the eligible projects being considered by other communities in Hennepin County include housing rehabilitation programs, land cost write downs for future low and moderate income housing projects, and some planning activities, Mr. Isaacson told the Board. The Board agreed with Mr. Fornell ' s suggestion that the funds might be used to provide a semaphore crossing on 37th Avenue N.E. , if such fund- ing has not already been secured by Ramsey County for that purpose when they proceed with the upgrading of that street and if Wilshire Park School: is to remain open. • Mr. Rymarchick wanted application made for the grant funds to provide future planning studies for the City of St. Anthony whether for an ex- pansion of the Comprehensive Plan required by the Metropolitan Council or used for the surveys which must precede the redevelopment of the St. Anthony Shopping area. Mr. Marks suggested such a survey could also be utilized to identify potential blighted areas of the City. He also wanted the eligibility of a day care center investigated as well as funding for building code enforcement, especially for the service area of the Equinox and Diamond 8 apartment complexes. There were no persons present to propose other uses for the grant funds and the Chairman closed the Public Hearing at 8 :12 P.M. -The Board then considered the question of the need for a Certificate of Occupancy as a necessary tool for assuring conformance to the City's Zoning Ordinance._ It was agreed that an ordinance would have to be passed to authorize the use of such a document. Instances of existing conditions in the City were cited as pointing up possible need for such a certificate should the occupancy change as well as past incidents where such a certificate might have proved useful in the past to force conformance to agreements reached when building projects were approved. Model ordinances and certificates used by other communities were con- sidered and there was a consensus of those Board members who were pre- sent that the staff should put together a Certificate of Occupancy (2) along the lines of the St. Louis Park documents as well as the model document prepared by Carl Dale for the City during the time he was working on the PUD for the Hedlund property. Mr. Fornell raised several questions regarding the purpose of such a document including whether a new tenant would automatically be dis- allowed if he did not meet all the requirements such as number of parking spaces upon which the original building permit was originally issued. Mr. Rymarchick thought each case would have to be considered individually. The Manager said he will try to develop the requested document which will be applicable to all R-4 (multiple dwelling) Service Office, Commercial and Light Industrial structures as well as any conditional usage for such structures for Board consideration at their next meeting. The question of whether the minutes of the Council and Board are the only records which are kept of conditions upon which building permits are issued was then raised by both Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Rymarchick. Mr. Bowerman felt a coding system of filing could better be used for future identification of restrictions and agreements reached when con- struction is approved and for easier reference by Council or Board members when similar cases arise. He thought at the very least a master file of all pertinent minutes should be available for every , Board meeting. • Mr. Marks .gave the insights into City Planning he had gained from the State Planning Agencies Seminar he had recently attended. He was especially struck by an advocacy by one speaker of the substitution of a conditional use permit system for zoning as a provision of more con- trol over architectural styling, aesthetics and density of communities . He gave Mr. Hiebel a directory of persons who might be contacted for expert advice regarding environmental reviews and other land use questions which might arise in the future. No Board member present indicated an unwillingness to be reappointed to serve on the Board in 1978 and this information will be conveyed to the Council. Just prior to adjournment two residents of the Diamond 8 Apartments ar- rived to discuss the expenditure of the !Community Development Block Grant funds and they remained for an informal exchange of ideas after formal adjournment. Motion by Mr. Klick and seconded by Mr. Marks to adjourn the meeting at 8: 51 P.M. Motion carried unanimously. Helen Crowe • Secretary (3)