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MINUTES–PLANNING
COMMISSION–REGULAR MEETING-NOVEMBER 17, 2009
The
regular meeting of the Morris Planning Commission was called to order at 5:15
p.m. this 17th day of November, 2009, in the Council Chambers of the
Morris Senior Citizens/Community Center by Chairperson Kuchenreuther.
CALL
OF THE ROLL: Roll call was
taken with the following members present:
Commissioners Johnson, Carpenter, Gades, Granger, Rudney and Chairperson
Kuchenreuther. Commission
Hoffman was absent. Also present
were ex-officio Miller and City Manager Hill.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF 7/21/09 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES: Commissioner Gades pointed out the second word in the second
sentence of the last paragraph on the first page should be “eave” instead of
“eve”. Commissioner Carpenter
moved, seconded by Gades, to approve the minutes with this correction. Motion carried.
Commissioner
Granger has two additions to the agenda: Courthouse Landscaping Report, and
East 7th Street House Issue; and Chairperson Kuchenreuther has one
addition: House on East 2nd
Street.
PUBLIC
HEARINGS: None.
OTHER
BUSINESS: Zoning: City Manager Hill indicated he and a
student from the high school that was job shadowing him marked and numbered all
the proposed changes on the zoning map.
In doing so they came up with two questions.
The first
has to do with the Highway Business (HB) zone. Hill inquired if it should be a specified depth rather than
an arbitrary depth. A City block
is 300’. Granger indicated there
are no requirements on lot size in the HB zone. Kuchenreuther asked what the implications would be if
someone wanted to build something bigger than the specified depth. Hill indicated they would be required
to get a variance. Granger
suggested looking at the plat for Coborn’s north of Highway 28. Hill will look at that plat. Granger indicated the MNDOT center line
never moves so measurements can be set according to that center line.
The
second question has to do with changing railroad right of way from I2 to
I1. It was proposed to make that change
only north to Park Avenue. Hill
questioned if the I1 designation should extend all the way north to the end of
the City’s zoning jurisdiction. It
was felt it should. He also asked
if the I1 should extend all the way south to the end of the City’s zoning
jurisdiction. It was felt it
should extend south only until it meets with the existing I2.
Kuchenreuther
suggested getting an electronic copy of the proposed zoning map to use for the
public hearing. Hill suggested
meeting with the townships separately to discuss the proposed zoning
changes. He also suggested having
2-3 meetings on the proposed changes inside City limits because there will be a
lot of properties affected by those changes. Hill pointed out all affected property owners have to be
given notice of the hearings.
Hill
indicated it will be important for the Planning Commission to be able to
explain at the public hearings reasons for any proposed changes. Kuchenreuther suggested that members of
the Planning Commission review the Codes prior to the hearings.
Wind
Turbine: City Manager Hill
indicated the locations of the two wind turbines that were discussed at the
July 2009 Planning Commission meeting have both changed. Originally there was to be one on a
hill by Pomme de Terre Park and one on the UMM campus by the horse barns. Now, one turbine will be on WCROC
property and the other in Pomme de Terre Park. Hill indicated the University will have to lease a corner of
the park from the City for the wind turbine.
Rudney
asked how close the nearest residences are located to the wind turbines. Hill indicated the closest is 2,400
feet.
Granger
did a lot of research on wind turbines and handed out a research summary paper
she wrote. Originally the nearest
residence was 900’ from one of the wind turbines. She was concerned about this and researched several agencies
and cities in Minnesota regarding regulations. She found that of the 1,300 wind turbines in Minnesota, none
of this size are within city limits of a small town.
Kuchenreuther
indicated the new locations seem to be a good compromise. She also asked if the City should start
looking at model ordinances regarding wind turbines.
Courthouse
Landscaping Plan: Granger
handed out summary notes from a 9/14/09 meeting with City Manager Hill and Dave
Schmidt, Stevens County Building Maintenance Supervisor, regarding the
Courthouse landscaping plan. She
indicated they are going to screen the parking lot. She also indicated they have not protected existing trees to
avoid damage by compression and accidental equipment hits. City Manager Hill will contact them
regarding this.
Duplex
on East 7th Street:
Granger handed out pictures of the duplex at 617 East 7th
Street. She indicated she still
has a problem with this in that there is no front yard – the entire front of
the duplex is used for parking.
The City’s ordinances require a front yard and it cannot be a gravel
parking lot. The pictures show the
front and back yards of the duplex.
The back yard is also a parking lot. City Manager Hill indicated he will send a copy of the City
Code regarding this to the owner of the duplex.
House
on East 2nd Street:
Discussion was held regarding the house moved into town on East 2nd
Street. It was noted that in
Benson, the City Council has to approve any building that is moved into the
City. Rudney indicated the City’s
Building Official, Mike Jacobson, who also works in Benson, would be willing to
meet with the Planning Commission regarding different building issues.
Hill
noted that the situation with the house on East 2nd Street is that
the house moved in is in compliance with setback requirements. It’s the two adjacent houses that are
non-conforming in that they are both built on the property line.
Granger
indicated that even though a rental home is a business, the Code does not
regulate it as a business.
Hill
indicated another issue that should be addressed in the Code is the height of
structures. He stated in Benson
they regulate the height from the curb to the front door.
ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Johnson moved, seconded by
Rudney to adjourn. Motion carried
and the meeting adjourned at 6:17.
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