HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975.10.08 PC Minutes MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION
OCTOBER 8, 1975
The meeting was called to order at itq. PM by Chairman Spitzer.
Members present were : Spitzer, I=eloquin, Rosenquist and Peltier.
Also attending was Bill Schwab, Washington County Planner.
Motion made by Peltier, seconded by Peloquin, that the minutes
of the September 29, 1975 meeting be approved as sent out. Motion
carried.
meeting. Chan
Motion made by Peloquin, seconded by Peltier, to change the
public hearing and meeting scheduled for October 16 , 1975 to Satur-
day, October 18, 1975. The hearing will be at 1:00 PM, with the
meeting to follow immediately afterwards. Motion carried.
Granger ,Body Shop
Mr. Darrel Granger appeared at the invitation of the commission,
to further discuss rezoning of the Granger DX property at 14815 For-
est Boulevard, from Concentrated Business to Industrial Use- Limited
Business. He explained that their existing body shop was burned out
and that they wish to separate the two businesses because the ser-
vice station is penalized insurancewise because of the body shop.
He further explained they would like to rezone the entire piece of
property they own there , from Forest Boulevard back to the Legion
Club property, a total depth of 315 feet .
The plans he presented show a body shop 60 x 80 feet but they
plan on changing them to 65 x 80 feet , with a 16 foot office in the
northwest corner. The building would face the west with access from
148th Street. Peloquin didn't feel they should be allowed to build
just a solid wall, with no windows , doors, etc. , to face onto 148th
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Street ,
2-Street , and the other members agreed.
There was discussion of either turning the building around
90 degrees or decorating that side of the building in some manner
so that the building on the north side would have the appearance
of being the front.
Granger said that if it was necessary to decorate the building,
he would be willing to do so if the requirements were reasonable ,
and if he would be allowed a reasonable amount of time to do it in,
as he might not be able to afford it at the present time. The
Commission said if this was the case , he would be required to post
a performance bond ; which would be coVered in the special use permit ,
which would be required anyway. There was discussion concerning the
easement across his property for the sanitary sewer end it was ex-
plained that he could use this easement for a parking lot , but no
building would be allowed on the easement.
Mr. Granger was told that prior to the public hearing he must
file an application for a special use permit with the City Clerk.
He must present plans that show the north side of his building either
fronting 148th Street , or appearing to front it; he must have a ten
foot setback on the east and a 40 foot setback on the north.
Mrs. Oscar Danielson
Mrs. Danielson inquired about buying five acres of land in a
conservancy district from Maurice Gessner. The land would abute
25 acres of land along Jeffrey Avenue , now being purchased contract
for deed, from Nor. Gessmer, by her daughter and son in law , the Wolk-
erstorfers. She would like to buythe land now with nopresent plans
to build, but would like the assurance she would be able to get a
building permit , if in the future she would like to retire there .
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She also stated thmt if there wasn't sufficient land, she could
buy an eleven acre tract from Mr. Gessner,
Mrs. Danielson was told that she would not be able to build on
either the five acres or the eleven acres in the conservancy district .
She then asked if she could build on one of Wolkerstorfers five acre
lots. She was unable to determine if her daughter's 25 acres , which
had been surveyed into five acre lots had been registered with the
county prior to the city's present zoning laws. She was told that
if they were, she could obtain a building permit on one of those lots.
In response to another inquiry, she was told the Wolkerstorfers
mould purchase the five acre parcel in question from Mr. Gessner
provided they would attach it to another parcel they already own,
Robert Barth
Mr. Barth, who resides at 13317 Homestead Avenue , would like to
have a cabinet shop in the garage of his home. The land is presently
zoned RR2. Cabinet making is Mr. Barth ' s hobby but he would sell the
products he makes in the shop. He also has a friend who runs a cab-
inet shop in White Bear Lake , but is relocating in a shop in Hugo,
who would like to work with Barth in his shop temporarily until he
is settled in his new quarters.
Motion made by Rosenquist , seconded by Peltier, that it is the
opinion of the planning commission that Mr. Barth's cabinet making
activities constitute a hobby. He is required to submit an appli-
cation for a variance to Chapter 320-4 , Subdivision F, home occup-
ations , of the city zoning ordinance for the intensification of this
hobby into a business for a period of not to exceed 120 days. Mem-
bers voting aye : Spitzer, Peloquin , Rosenauiet and Peltier. Motion
carried,
t,
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William Schwab
William chwab , washington County Planner, stated he would like
to make a statement regarding his handling of the Arthur Jensen
sewer matter. He stated there had been telephone calls to his office
suggesting that his recommendation was without warrant.
He stated that Lyle Doerr from his office went to the Jensen 's
property and took soil borings that showed soil mottling at 2 feet
and at 4 feet . The mottlings at 2 feet were relatively light but at
four feet they were fairly heavy. The borings were made close to
where Mr. Harless, the Jensen' s engineer, took his , although the
boring made by Mr. Harless was made by a power auger which temporarily
changes the appearance of the soil. He said Mrs. Jensen called his
office and demanded he meet with them and Mr. Harless to check the
site of the borings and Mrs. Jensen felt it was Schwab ' s obligation
to prove he was correct.
Schwab experienced some difficulty in contacting Harless , but
when he finally did make contact with him, he did agree with Schwab
that more information was probably necessary to make a decision, and
he agreed that there was a good probability that the water table was
4 feet or less from the top of the ground , and that there was a
need for more investigation of the site before a decision should be
made , especially if a duplex was to be built there.
Schwab stated that because a duplex is to be built on the prop-
erty, he felt a further obligation to make sure that four or five
years from now the PCA doesn't come out and condemn the sewer system
and force the city of Hugo to run sanitary sewer all the way out
there to serve that duplex.
He said he feels that the decisions he makes here are the best
he can make based on the information that he has , and that it dis-
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turbs him when people leave here making personal accusations against
him or his office. He stated that he has lhorked with the city of
Hugo for three years now and never has Washington County billed the
city of Hugo for his services. He feels there is a lot to he gained
by him working with this city. He also stated that he will write a
letter to the city explaining the stand he took.
Spitzer stated that he does not always agree with Schwab, hut
said he did recommend the continued retaining of him, and the rest
of the members present agreed.
Motion made by Rosenquist , seconded by Peltier, to alc:'.journ the
meeting at 1p:O i pM
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Mary An.. Babcock, Secretary
Hugo Planning Commission