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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000 [03] Mar 09 Page 3704 March 9,2000 City of Sl Joseph Joint City Caunci!1 Planning Commissian Meeting 03/09/00, 1:00 PM 1. Call to Order. Pursuant ta due call and notice thereaf, the City Council for the City of st. Joseph met on Thursday, February 9, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Joseph Fire Hall. I Members Present: Mayor Kenneth J. Hiemenz, Bob Loso, Mary Niedenfuer, Cory Ehlert and Clerk-Administrator Cari Schmidt, EDA Director Chad Carlson, Planning Commission Chair Hub Klein, S. Kathleen Kalinowski, Gary Utsch, Jim Graeve. Members Absent: Marge Lesnick, Ken Twit. 2. Preliminary Plat Process a. Cul-de sacs - Hiemenz asked that this item be placed on the agenda. There are a number of problems that the City runs into in the maintenance area. Cul-desacs are difficult to snowplow. The residents end up having their driveways plowed in. They are diffICult to maintain without expensive equipment. Hiemenz indicated that he has received complaints about this issue from residents in Pondview Addition. Klein stated that even though they may be a problem, people want them. They want the privacy and don1 want to live on really busy roads. Carlson stated that Cul-desacs are often the best way to save as many trees as possible. Ehlert stated that families love them and there is a tax benefrt as well. Perhaps the City just needs to inform the residents ahead of time that they will be the last ones to get plowed out. At least that way, they will have been warned. Klein asked the Mayor what he was asking for. Hiemenz stated that it would be in the best interest of the City to keep these development designs to a minimum. The planning commission will see the plans first so they should keep this in mind as mucttas possible. b. Arteriole roads - Hiemenz stated that he has received a number of complaints already about 12'" avenue. The streets are only going to become busier and we should try to keep as fÐw lots as possible from fronting on to these streets that will be so much busier in the near future. The same situation is-present in Northland. I c. Subdivisions - S. Kathleen Kalinowski requested_that this be placed on the agenda. There has been some confusion as to what the process is for approval of subdivisions. CarlsoR- presented the group wittr a subdivision checklist that is used in the City offices. The Council and Planning Commission can use it for guidance as well. Loso stated that it was developed back in 1991 when no-one knew the process. It was created by Judy Weyrens. , The Council and Commission disctlSSed the fact that the preíiminary plat for Pondview Six was approved by the Planning Commission. They were under the ' impression that they were approving it with conditions. Did they do something wrong? Carlson assured them that they did approve it with conditions and they will have the opportunity to makes sure the conditions are met when they see the final plat. The final plat will go the the City Council as well as the Planning Commission. 3. Discussion an Lots 1,2, and 3 of the Pond View Ridge Six Additian - Hiemenz reported that the agreement with Kostreba was never fully executed. Hub Klein stated that these three lots shouldn't even be in Pond View 6. He stated that putting jt together gets him ~rpund the variance. Chad Carlson stated that they will have another chance to review the plans when the final plat comes in. It will have to be approved by the City and-the Planning Commission. Klein stated that the IQ~.f9r m[~", ~!I MßIfJ, ~§¡.I,ºP0i1(,m,I~¡¡t.th,' e,widt, h requirements. Gary Utsch stated that they told hir\'H~ C!m\ê MèlfWl!II tWìf 1611; ¡~~mt of three. Jim Graeve asked if the Planning Commission had y¡\¡ ñght tQ ctlangl:1'~ IlQy(? , ,!519in 1Slated that now the Council knows how the Planningç:amrniSSjan.feels onth!!J~piçtQº' Ehlert stated that he thinks there might be enough room f9f\t1re!!: St.JosePh..h"s.~xttem~y large lots. A question was also raised as to which direÇti9n:lhe~riyeWIiYSWo~l!tfa~,.øarlson stated that he didn't think the County would allow ttiii.. ".,. ',. ÂI,I,I~,', .",.,JPI1,t,.,M",¡,¡1Jl, e. "s, .0', ,ta, .,ª, 'If!!,'.', ", S, .",K" athleen stated that it's good that the City Council now !~~m'th~' feølilN~ ,qf ~!~I~gQ!nwf~rnmission on this matter. ',,'-, ','; ¡[::;LR~~'Ly!:,,_¡,;:~,j;":':'; .;~: "r' I I Page 3705 March 9, 2000 I , 4. Update - Rental Housing Ordinance Task Force - Schmidt stated that at the February $'" Council meeting, the City Council passed a Special Interim Ordinance that places a rental I housing moratorium for a period of 180 days. This moratorium may also be extended for an additional period of 30 days by Council resolution. The moratorium prohibits the issuance of any new rental licenses in the City, but will not affect renewals of already existing licenses. I The ordinance also states that the Council will appoint a Rental Housing Committee to study the existing ordinances and practices and report to the City Council with recommendations I within 90 days of the effective date ot the Ordinance. The Committee has already started I meeting every Tuesday from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Schmidt stated that at the fast meeting, I there was a group of residents that came to the meeting. It was slightly disruptive as none of the items on the agenda were able to be discussed. The Committee decided to dedicate the first half hour of every meeting to citizens questions or comments. The public is welcome to I attend the meetings, but after this 30 minute period, the committee needs to be able to focus on the task that the Council laid out for them. I Cory Ehlert stated that he was at the meeting too. He suggested that a student from one of the Colleges be asked to be a member of the committee. He stated that their input is important, and although Jim Hardwick, a current member of the committee works at St. Johns, he won't offer the student perspective the way a student could. Loso suggested that instead of adding another person to the Committee after the Council has already made their appointments, that students be invited to the meetings for input. Schmidt stated that she would pass this recommendation on to the Committee: I I , S. Kathleen Kalinowski stated that she heard that twelve licenses were issued during the time that the Planning Commission recommended a moratorium and when the Council enacted it.1 She wanted to know why it took so long and what would be done with those licenses. Schmidt stated that there were legal notice requirements and questions that had to be answered before the moratorium could be put into place. Schmidt statedlhat she knew of only two licenses that were issued during that week, not twelve. Hiemenz stated that these licenses were issued for more people than are legally allowed to be there and that the City will be doing something about that. Schmidt stated that she has not sent letters to these license holders, as there is disagreement on the part of the Council as to what should be done with this situation. Some of the Council members say that this is how it's always been done and others say that it's wrong. Loso stated that it's clear there are problems with the ordinance and that things need to be more clear. However, historically, the City has granted licenses in R-2 and R-3 based on square footage. He stated that this occurred after Mark Lambert put in his Campus Villas. Hiemenz disagreed and stated that the main problem is that the Rental Inspector was using an old set of ordinances and wouldn1 use the new ones. Gary Utsch stated that he believes that all of the rental licenses should go through the Planning Commission for approval. The Rental Inspector should make a recommendation to the Planning Commission for the final determination. Schmidt stated that she would pass this on to the Rental Committee as well. I Schmidt stated that it's clear there is a lot of disagreement and confusion over this issue. This should not be the time to place blame or point fingers at anyone. The Rental Committee has been established to layout what the problems are and tt) make recommendations to the Council to fIX them. We should be looking forward and net dwelling on what has been done in the past. 5. City Hall Project - Schmidt stated that the Building Committee has been meeting with the architect to layout the plans for the new City hall project. Schmidt stated that she's heard a lot of speculation and comments t)n the "million dollar renovations" that the City is making. She said that it's important to remember, that part of that cost was also the purchase of the ! Page 3706 March 9,2000 land and the building itself. The funds that the City will bond for will not only be to cover the renovation costs, but also to cover the cost of the building and the land. Utsch stated that he thinks the City should be looking at creative ways to use all of the buildings. The City should also be looking at options to share the Township Hall or utilize the Fire Hall more often. I Schmidt stated that there will be a pu )lic information meeting in the near future to layout the plans for the new City hall. 6. Other Items _ Jim Graeve asked the question wf1ether or not the City has the right to require companies to place their utilities in the right of way. Does the City have the legal authority to do this. Schmidt stated that she would pose that question to City Attorney John Scherer. A question was also raised about the punch lists for Pondview 3,4 and 5. Hiemenz reported that the majority of the issues have been taken care of. Ehlert expressed some concern about the timeliness of the reports we receive from our City Engineer. It's difficult to react to information that is given to the Planning Commission on the same night. Ehlert also raised the issue about heavy traffic on Gurntree. HiemeAz stated that Gumtree was designed to carry the traffic. The City Council and Planning Commission agreed to try and meet on a more regular basis, perhaps quarter1y. 7. Adjourn _ Ehlert made a motion to adjourn at 9:00 PM, seconded by Hiemenz. The motion passed unanimously. I Respectfully Submitted, ~ SA-&t Cari Schmidt Clerk/Administrator City of St Joseph I