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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998.02.02 CC MinutesMINUTES FOR THE HUGO COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 2, 1998 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Fran Miron at 7:05PM. Present: Arcand, Barnes, Goiffon, Leroux, Miron City Attorney, Greg Galler City Engineer, Tom Angus City Clerk, Mary Ann Creager ADDITIONS TO AGENDA Joe Canine (Drainage) CONSENT AGENDA Leroux made motion, Goiffon seconded, to approve the following Consent Agenda: Minutes of the Hugo City Council meeting of January 20, 1998 General Claims for February 2, 1998 Variance - 8565 136th Street Variance - 12152 Everton Ave. Fenway Avenue Meeting All aye. Motion Carried. Miron made motion, Barnes seconded, to approve the minutes for January 21, 1998 as amended. All aye. Motion Carried. VARIANCE (8565 136TH STREET) Montanari Homes Inc., requested a variance to construct a garage on the above property 536 square feet larger than allowed by ordinance. Montanari Homes intends to construct a two-story garage on the sight with a footprint less than the 1000 square feet allowed by ordinance. The Board of Zoning Adjustments considered this request at their meeting on January 28, 1998, and recommended approval of the variance. Adoption of Consent agenda approved the request. VARIANCE (12152 EVERTON AVENUE) Mr. James M. Olson, 12152 Everton Avenue, requested a variance to build a garage in the front of his home at the above address, as his home is located on Bald Eagle Lake, and construction of the garage behind the home would place the building too close to the lake, with inadequate access. This matter was considered by the Board of Adjustments at their City Council meeting of February 2, 1998 Page 2 meeting January 28, 1998. They recommended granting approval of the variance to allow construction of the garage in front of the home as shown on the proposed site plan. Adoption of consent agenda approved the variance as requested. FENWAY AVENUE MEETING The City Council is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on Feb. 17, 1997 to consider making improvements to Fenway Boulevard and Fenway Avenue. Prior to the hearing, City staff recommended that an informational meeting be held to allow interested residents to review and discuss the project. Adoption of the consent agenda provided Council consent to conduct such an informational meeting in the afternoon of Feb. 12, 1998. SENATOR GARY LAIDIG Senator Laidig appeared before the City Council to discuss issues the City, or its residents, may have for the next legislative session. Senator Laidig was also invited to listen to Council discussion of the Clearwater Creek Grant Application and Commuter Rail Issue, following items on the agenda. CLEARWATER CREEK GRANT APPLICATION Todd Hubmer of WSB stated that the cities of Lino Lakes and Centerville, as well as the RCWD and DNR, have expressed interest in resubmitting the grant application for improvements to Clearwater Creek, which was not funded in the 1997 Legislative session. Senator Laidig stated that the DNR is under some legislative pressure to connect existing trail systems, preserve streams/creeks, and water retention issues. Debi Johnson, 14196 Fenway, stated that she has not been kept informed as to what impact the project is going to have on her property. Leroux made motion, Goiffon seconded, to adopt RESOLUTION 1998-3, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S WATER RESOURCE ENGINEER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CLEARWATER CREEK GRANT APPLICATION. VOTING AYE: Arcand, Barnes, Goiffon, Leroux, Miron Motion Carried. Miron made motion, Leroux seconded, to schedule a public meeting with affected property owners and LCMR member, Senator Laidig, to further discuss the Clearwater Creek project. All aye. Motion Carried. City Council meeting of February 2, 1998 Page 3 Commuter Rail Issue At their meeting of January 20, 1998, the City Council tabled discussion until this evening's meeting on a report provided by the City Administrator regarding the potential for commuter rail service along Forest Boulevard. Senator Laidig stated that he will contact individuals know to him to determine the status of the issue so that Hugo can proceed with "business". SPECIAL USE PERMIT (5444140TH STREET) William D. Lowell, 5444 140th Street, requested a Special Use Permit for his commercial building at the above address to allow 4,920 square feet of exterior storage to maintain building supplies on the property, as well as operating a body shop business in the existing 7,800 square foot building on the property. The two acre property is zoned and guided for industrial use. The Planning Commission conducted a hearing on the proposed Special Use Permit on January 28, 1998, and recommended approval of the Special Use Permit subject to the following conditions: 1. No torch or open flame will be allowed within the building. 2. Additional open fencing and landscaping will be constructed on the north and west property boundaries no later than July 1, 1998, in order to screen the exterior storage, and other activities on the site, from view of adjacent residential properties. Said screening and landscaping shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission. 3. The address of the property be changed to reflect its location off Finale Avenue North. 4. Exterior storage at the site will be confined to building materials only. 5. Any exterior storage of motor vehicles, operable or inoperable, on the site will rescind the SUP. 6. Hours of operation for businesses on the site shall be limited as follows: Monday through Friday, 7:OOAM to 9:OOPM; Saturdays, 7:OOAM to 5:OOPM; Sundays, 9:OOAM to 3:OOPM. 7. This permit shall be issued for one year, at which time it may be considered for renewal upon application by the property owners. Adjacent property owners commented on the business: fencing in need of repair; torch used, and cars painted, in building without benefit of proper firewalls or painting booth; operating late at night; noise; no evidence of an exhaust system; questioned "legitimacy" of business; and cars racing on road late at night. The Council then reviewed each Planning Commission condition listed above. Miron made motion, Leroux seconded, to table this matter until the Council meeting of February 17, 1998 to allow the City Attorney time to draft the revised conditions. All aye. Motion Carried. City Council meeting of February 2, 1998 Page 4 WHITE BEAR COUNSELING CENTER Julie Williams, Director of the White Bear Lake Counseling Center, was present at the meeting to discuss her concerns regarding the proposed reduction of City's funding for the Center. The City is proposing to reduce contribution to the Center from $12,330 to $3,000. The Council was unable to give her a definitive "yes" or "no" to the reduction until after a meeting between City officials and the Washington County Sheriffs Department, and adoption of a resolution reducing the general fund budget. 1998 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AMENDMENT In response to Council direction of January 21, 1998, the Council considered a resolution transferring $50,000 from specified accounts in the City's 1998 budget to a new account to be known as a Fire Hall Capital Improvement Fund. Leroux made motion, Goiffon seconded, to table action on this matter until after a meeting with the Washington County Sheriffs Department to discuss possible reduction in deputy services. All aye. Motion Carried. INDYKIEWICZ (REZONING) Mr. George A. Indykiewicz, 1920 West Highway 96, Arden Hills, requested the rezoning of approximately 165 acres from AG to SFU. The property is located in the NW quadrant of Forest Boulevard at approximately 155th Street. The Hugo Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on an ordinance to allow the rezoning at their meeting of Jan 28, 1998, at which time the Planning Commission recommended approval of the zoning based on the following: 1. The requested amendment is in compliance with the City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the area. 2. Proposed Zoning Classification is appropriate for the property given the topographic, environmental, and cultural limitations of the site. 3. Existing public infrastructure is adequate to handle the development which can reasonably be foreseen on the site. 4. The boundaries of the City's MUSA may be extended to the site on approval of final plat for the property. 5. Proposed zoning classification will not have unreasonable negative impacts on adjacent properties. Jeff Shopek, engineer for the project, and Dennis Backes, the developer, were presented City Council meeting of February 2, 1998 Page 5 aerial and topo maps of the area, and touched briefly on platting of the land. Adjacent property owners commented as follows: John Thommes stated that he did not want the same situation being experienced by Mr. Lowell on 140th Street. Victor Lametti stated that the proposed residential use of the property to his south was the most "opposing use" of property as a neighbor. He cited potential problems with long hours of operation, noise from the site, and the possible security problems with adjacent residents. He stated that Lametti and Sons does not intend to limit the use of their property because of the development. Goiffon made motion, Leroux seconded, to approve rezoning of the property from agriculture to single family unit, and directing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance change, along with Findings of Fact, for presentation to the City Council at a later date. All aye. Motion Carried. DRAINAGE PROBLEM (16355 ELMCREST AVENUE) Mr. Joe Canine, property owner of 16355 Elmcrest Avenue, has been experiencing drainage problems. Miron made motion, Barnes seconded, directing the City Administrator to schedule a meeting with interested parties in an effort to resolve the drainage problem at 16355 Elmcrest Avenue. All aye. Motion Carried. Because of the presence of the City Engineer, and to limit the amount of general dollars spent, Councilmember Barnes felt it important that meetings be kept to one (1) event. Barnes made motion, Leroux seconded, that discussion of basement floor elevation requirements be placed on the agenda for the meeting of February 17, 1998. All aye. Motion Carried. FALSE ALARM FEES The Council considered a letter from the Hugo Volunteer Fire Department recommending that the City charge property owners for repeated false alarms to their property. The Department recommends that the first and second false alarms be responded to at no cost, but after the second alarm, property owners would be warned that future false alarms would be charged for, based on the equipment responding to the scene. Furthermore, the City Council meeting of February 2, 1998 Page 6 Department recommends that any funds generated by such charges be placed in the Fire Departments Equipment Replacement Fund. The Department raises this issue due to the increasing number of fire alarm systems being installed in homes in Hugo, and related rise in the number of false alarms Miron made motion, Leroux seconded, directing the City Attorney to draft a proposed ordinance regulating City response to false fire alarms for Council review. All aye. Motion Carried. MASTER PARK PLAN Goiffon made motion, Barnes seconded, to table action on this matter until the meeting of February 17, 1998, to allow residents time to review the submitted draft. All aye. Motion Carried. PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES Miron made motion, Barnes seconded, that the City Administrator be directed to investigate the possibility of increasing the City's fees parkland dedication fees, and report his findings to the City Council with his recommendation. All aye. Motion Carried. 1998 Salary Resolution Based on Council direction of January 21, 1998, a draft resolution was submitted increasing City employee salaries and wages by 2.5% in 1998, except for the City's Maintenance Supervisor, who will receive a 50 cent per hour raise. Goiffon made motion, Leroux seconded, to adopt RESOLUTION 1998-2, A RESOLUTION INCREASING THE SALARIES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES IN 1998. VOTING AYE: Arcand, Barnes, Goiffon, Leroux, Miron Motion Carried. Goiffon made motion, Leroux seconded, to adjourn at 11:00PM. e. Motion Carnn,,/, Mary Creager City 1