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MINUTES – PLANNING
COMMISISON – REGULAR MEETING – MARCH 16, 2010
The
regular meeting of the Morris Planning Commission was called to order at 5:17
p.m. this 16th day of March, 2010, by Vice Chairperson Rudney in the
Council Chambers of the Morris Senior Citizens/Community Center.
CALL
OF THE ROLL: Roll call was
taken with the following members present:
Commissioners Gades, Hoffman, Granger, and Vice Chairperson Rudney. Commissioner Johnson and Chairperson
Kuchenreuther were absent. Also
present were City Manager/Zoning Administrator Hill and Ex-officio Miller.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF 11/17/09 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES: The last sentence of the fifth paragraph on page two reads,
“She found that of the 1,300 wind turbines in Minnesota, none are within city
limits.” Granger indicated that
sentence should be changed to read, “She found that of the 1,300 wind turbines
in Minnesota, none of this size are within city limits of a small town.” Commissioner Gades moved, seconded by
Granger, to approve the minutes with the noted change. Motion carried.
PUBLIC
HEARINGS: None.
OTHER
BUSINESS: Zoning: City Manager/Zoning Administrator Hill
indicated the next step in the zoning issue is to set a schedule for the
meetings and hearings.
Hill
indicated the Orderly Annexation Agreement (OAA) with Morris, Darnen, Hodges
and Framnas Townships and Stevens County, dictates what happens around the City
of Morris. The language in the OAA
talks about a ½ mile area of authority around the city, the Orderly
Annexation Area (OAA). However,
there is also language in the Agreement that specifically describes the
area. The problem is that these
areas don’t necessarily match up.
The
agreement talks about two additional areas that are ½ mile each and are
again described by legal description.
The first area outside of the city’s first zoning jurisdiction is the
Township Agriculture Holding Area (TAHA) and the next area is the Township
Agricultural Land Area (TALA).
Once the OAA
is 75% developed, then the TAHA shifts to the OAA. The TALA shifts to the TAHA and then a new TAHA is formed
½ mile further out.
Hill
indicated he sent an email to City Attorney Glasrud regarding this but has not
yet received a response. Hill
indicated he does not feel the City has zoning jurisdiction ½ mile
around the entire city, but rather within the areas legally described in the
Agreement. Hill marked a City map
with the legal descriptions in the Agreement. He indicated the City has to make sure it is aware of the
areas over which it has control when meetings occur with the townships. He feels there should be
easily-definable
lines when
describing the areas of jurisdiction.
The legal descriptions accomplish this.
There is
an individual that would like to buy an acre of land just outside of City
limits, and build a house.
According to the Orderly Annexation Agreement, in order to build on that
small of a lot that individual would need a variance and would have to go
through the Townships, County and City.
Hill discussed this with County Coordinator Thoreen. Thoreen feels the agreement is outdated. Hill pointed out it is still in
force. Rudney asked who is
watching out for this type of thing at the County level. Hill indicated the zoning administrator
for the County is Thoreen.
Granger
asked if the City has sole zoning authority. Hill indicated in the first area the City handles the
zoning, in the next area the City, County and Townships have authority, and in
the furthest area the Townships and County have authority.
A question
was raised on whether the County had a Planning Commission and who was on the
Commission. Hill will check into
that.
On the
proposed zoning map, Hill asked about the railroad property by West Central
Implement on East 10th Street.
It is proposed to be I1. It
was the consensus that area should be HB.
Granger questioned if Co-op could expand if the City were to change the
zoning. Granger indicated the
Co-op cleans their sprayers out in that area. Ex-officio Miller indicated he will talk to the Co-op
manager about that practice.
Granger asked if there is any place that defines a property owner’s
rights of being grandfathered into something. Hill indicated he believes that is in State Statutes.
Hill
indicated the next step in the zoning process is to set a schedule. He feels it would be easiest to talk
with the Townships first. Hoffman
indicated he feels the entire rezoning process may be easier this time around
as there is not as much building and expansion happening as there was in the
past.
Hoffman
indicated he would like to have the Planning Commission address the issue that
happened on East 2nd Street.
A house was moved onto an empty lot, however, the houses on both sides
of that empty lot were built very near to, or right on, the property lines,
therefore the houses are very close together. Hoffman feels there should be something in place that would
prevent that from happening again.
Granger asked if the ordinance could be changed to require a setback,
and a certain amount of area between buildings. Hill indicated that would be possible. Hoffman suggested there be an ordinance
that says if a building is moved in, it should be inspected first. Hill indicated in order to move a
building into Benson, the City Council has to approve it first. Rudney indicated there would have to be
standards that the Council would have to follow. Granger suggested checking with other towns to see what they
do, along with checking at the League of Minnesota Cities. Hill
indicated
that could be done, but questioned if it was worth the time as there aren’t
many houses moved into the City.
He stated codes are complicated.
Courthouse
Update: Rudney indicated the
Courthouse remodeling project is getting a lot of mud on the road. He indicated there are MPCA guidelines
on controlling mud on construction sites.
He indicated he spoke with the City’s building official and he will talk
to the City’s public works director.
Court
Order: Hill informed the
Planning Commission of a court order he received from Judge Siebel requiring
the City to plow the roads by the courthouse by 7:30 a.m. After all was said and done, the court
order was rescinded and the County is taking care of that plowing.
Potholes: Rudney asked about the potholes around
town. Hill indicated the City will
begin working on them soon.
Recycling: Rudney asked if there was a recycling
agreement with the garbage hauler.
He indicated they often pick up recycling two days in a row at his
house, and he would rather have them pick up recycling every two weeks if they
have the manpower.
Wind
Power: Miller indicated he
received a letter from a company promoting household wind power. He feels the City should have something
on the books regulating wind generators.
Rudney indicated he thought Chairperson Kuchenreuther was going to look
into that. Granger indicated the
League of Minnesota Cities has model ordinances on this. City Manager Hill will look into that.
ELECTION
OF CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON:
Commissioner Granger moved, seconded by Hoffman, to nominate
Kuchenreuther as Chairperson and Rudney as Vice Chairperson for 2010. With all present voting in favor,
motion carried.
Planning
Commission Member: Nancy
Carpenter chose not to be reappointed to the Planning Commission this year. Hill indicated her 4-year term needs to
be filled and asked Commissioners to think of nominees.
ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Hoffman moved, seconded by
Granger, to adjourn. Motion
carried and the meeting adjourned at 6:22.
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