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MINUTES REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARX 5, 1981 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Les Larsen at 7:30 p.m.. Other members present were Erma Olson, Jerry Wallin, Harold Nilsen, Bob Blomberg, Mike Heffron and Al Stefanson. Also present was Council Liaison Person Sandy Larson, The first item of business dealt with a request for a variance for the property at 1757 Hamline filed by Mr. Pipkorn regarding his request to build a garage on the existing foundation on the property. The old garage was destroyed in afire. Present were the letters granting permission from surrounding neighbors (Olson, Wakefield and Bertossi).submitted with the orginal request for a variance last summer. The request for variance is now being modified by Mr. Pipkorn's son, who appeared on behalf of the request, to provide for a building essentially double the size of that earlier approved. The present intention is to build a garage and storage building 42' long by approximately 22' wide and place it 1%' from the side lot line. After discussion the requested variance was unani- mously recommended to the Council for approval. Sandy Larson reported that Ordinance 4177, to be effective January 1, 1981, has been adopted by the Council. This is the ordinance organizing and estab- lishing, officially, the Planning Commission. Pursuant to the new ordinance, the Commission needs to select a Chairman and a Secretary. In addition it was recommended that a Vice Chairman be selected. Lde also took note that the terms of Les Larsen and Elving Anderson expired on December 31, 1980. The Council will be appointing new members to fill those vacancies. Exist- ing members of the Commission were given the opportunity to express their preferences for reappointment to either two or four year terms pursuant to the new ordinance. All members present indicated their willingness to accept either appointment. Harold Nilsen nominated Al Stefanson to be the new Chair- man and Jerry Wallin to remain as Secretary. Both of these individuals re- ceived unanimous approval. Al Stefanson nominated Erma Olson to be Vice Chairman. Mrs. Olson also received unanimous approval. Sandy Larson gave us a brief report concerning the progress on the vacating of the walkway running from Albert to Holton parallel to and north of Larpenteur Ave.. The Council is reportedly open to suggestions on how to dispose of the matter. The original plan of vacating the city's ownership interest in the land so that it would go in equal shares to the four abutting property owners has met with insurmountable difficulty. If the matter cannot be resolved shortly, the City is contemplating paving the property and declaring it to be an alley with the abutting property owners to be assessed for the paving costs and also for any snow removal required. The discussion next turned to the draft zoning ordinance submitted by Planner, Carl Dale, which was sent to the Planning Commission Members earlier. The ordinance is largely derived from a similar ordinance for the City of Willmar, MN. As such, several members noted that it contains extensive provisions which do not appear to be applicable to Falcon Heights (those provisions which appear to be rural and agrarian in their nature).. Most Planning Commission Members had scanned the ordinance in total but had not had sufficient time to review it in detail. Chairman Stefanson requested that all members review the draft ordinance during the month of January and be prepared to discuss it at the February meeting. It will be one of the agenda items at the February meeting. After the February meeting, it is presently contemplated that each Planning Commission Member will .undertake to re- examine portions of the ordinance in detail for the purpose of making a