October 8, 2014 Planning Commission Minutes
1. CALL TO ORDER – Hoffman calls the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -
3. ROLL CALL - Mason, Struck, Kaczanowski, Tempero, Hoffman. Ex-officio Bren.
4. ADOPT AGENDA – Mason makes a motion to adopt the agenda and Struck seconds. All votes ayes, motion carries.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Mason makes a motion and Struck seconds to approve the minutes. All votes ayes, motion carries.
a. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes from July 9, 2014
6. CONSIDERATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Manufacturing District Uses Draft Ordinance –
Hoffman said with retail, parking can become an issue. Struck wonders if we are currently covered for parking spaces. Hoffman said it depends upon the use such as a restaurant. Tolsma said the main point of this amendment is to address the permitted uses. It’s really a loosening of the language. Hoffman thinks a list of questions to propose to Brixius might be in order.
• How do we enforce adequate parking? Mason said there is delivery of items going on now and previous to Tonka Ventures there was a lot of parking. Mason thinks an evaluation of parking spaces needs to be done.
• Bren wonders if Tonka Ventures needs to be updated on what is allowed as far as businesses use.
• Struck said part of the issue is the city doesn’t know what’s in there. She wonders if something could be built in to say a multi-tenant use, there should be a notice.
• Tempero thinks the city should know who is in the space.
• Hoffman said insurance companies want to know what they are insuring so they should be compliant with the city.
• Bren asked about the building inspector and if they have a right to access the building.
• Struck wonders if there is a legal way to get a valid of list of who is in a building. Struck thinks a city has an obligation to know what is going on in our city.
• Bren wonders about businesses such as growing medical marijuana and what would happen if a city was opposed to this. Tolsma said an argument can be if something isn’t listed as a permitted use, it can be disallowed. Struck said she thinks about the water issue and she would think the city should know what is taking place. She said there could be internal dry cleaners or some sort of chemical/polluting business.
• Kaczanowski asks how much parking is currently there and wonders about the fire department and their inspections for human safety.
• Mason thinks this could be important in going forward in order to have an inventory of what is in there.
• Hoffman said other cities’ fire departments want to know what businesses are operating and what they could be walking into.
Hoffman wonders about talking about business licensing and how to start that conversation. Tolsma said it could be part of the recommendation in updating the ordinance. Hoffman thinks the fire marshal should be inspecting at least once a year. Struck also wonders about business licensing and what would change with the business owner of Tonka Ventures. Hoffman said if there were objectives surrounded around safety issues, it will make it easier to accept. Kaczanowski wants to think that there are safety considerations to other tenants in a building. He wouldn’t want to be a tenant knowing there was a hazardous material operation going on. Struck wonders about other districts. She said general commercial districts aren’t regulated and she mentions the previous Tonka Auto and Marine where it was discovered they were putting something down the drain that wasn’t supposed to be going down. Hoffman wonders about other cities in the area and whether they have business licensing. Tolsma said it could be framed that the business licensing is free unless it’s after the fact they are fined by administrative fine. Mason agrees with Struck that it is important to monitor and protect the water supply considering what's happened. Hoffman and Struck are in favor of a charge for a license. Kaczanowski wonders what other cities charge for a business license.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
a. Council Minutes September 2, 2014
b. Council Minutes September 15, 2014
c. Council Work Session September 22, 2014 –
Tempero said regarding turning Wilkes Park into a community garden. He thinks if the park was cleaned up and made nicer, it would be used more. Kaczanowski thinks it might be a great place for a soccer field. Struck thinks it might be a difficult for parking. Kaczanowski wondered about Thor Thompson baseball field and if that is actually rented out. Tolsma said no but there is a negotiation about the lawn mower and other tools with the Little League. Bren said since the tennis court is being used for pickle ball courts, perhaps a picnic table could be set there for the participants as they have white plastic chairs there now. Hoffman said anything that happens on the park would have to come back through the planning commission because they are the park board.
8. MISCELLANEOUS –
a. RSVP Appreciation Dinner - Sign-up sheet passed around.
9. ADJOURNMENT - Adjourn. Mason makes a motion and Kaczanowski seconds to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -
3. ROLL CALL - Mason, Struck, Kaczanowski, Tempero, Hoffman. Ex-officio Bren.
4. ADOPT AGENDA – Mason makes a motion to adopt the agenda and Struck seconds. All votes ayes, motion carries.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Mason makes a motion and Struck seconds to approve the minutes. All votes ayes, motion carries.
a. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes from July 9, 2014
6. CONSIDERATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Manufacturing District Uses Draft Ordinance –
Hoffman said with retail, parking can become an issue. Struck wonders if we are currently covered for parking spaces. Hoffman said it depends upon the use such as a restaurant. Tolsma said the main point of this amendment is to address the permitted uses. It’s really a loosening of the language. Hoffman thinks a list of questions to propose to Brixius might be in order.
• How do we enforce adequate parking? Mason said there is delivery of items going on now and previous to Tonka Ventures there was a lot of parking. Mason thinks an evaluation of parking spaces needs to be done.
• Bren wonders if Tonka Ventures needs to be updated on what is allowed as far as businesses use.
• Struck said part of the issue is the city doesn’t know what’s in there. She wonders if something could be built in to say a multi-tenant use, there should be a notice.
• Tempero thinks the city should know who is in the space.
• Hoffman said insurance companies want to know what they are insuring so they should be compliant with the city.
• Bren asked about the building inspector and if they have a right to access the building.
• Struck wonders if there is a legal way to get a valid of list of who is in a building. Struck thinks a city has an obligation to know what is going on in our city.
• Bren wonders about businesses such as growing medical marijuana and what would happen if a city was opposed to this. Tolsma said an argument can be if something isn’t listed as a permitted use, it can be disallowed. Struck said she thinks about the water issue and she would think the city should know what is taking place. She said there could be internal dry cleaners or some sort of chemical/polluting business.
• Kaczanowski asks how much parking is currently there and wonders about the fire department and their inspections for human safety.
• Mason thinks this could be important in going forward in order to have an inventory of what is in there.
• Hoffman said other cities’ fire departments want to know what businesses are operating and what they could be walking into.
Hoffman wonders about talking about business licensing and how to start that conversation. Tolsma said it could be part of the recommendation in updating the ordinance. Hoffman thinks the fire marshal should be inspecting at least once a year. Struck also wonders about business licensing and what would change with the business owner of Tonka Ventures. Hoffman said if there were objectives surrounded around safety issues, it will make it easier to accept. Kaczanowski wants to think that there are safety considerations to other tenants in a building. He wouldn’t want to be a tenant knowing there was a hazardous material operation going on. Struck wonders about other districts. She said general commercial districts aren’t regulated and she mentions the previous Tonka Auto and Marine where it was discovered they were putting something down the drain that wasn’t supposed to be going down. Hoffman wonders about other cities in the area and whether they have business licensing. Tolsma said it could be framed that the business licensing is free unless it’s after the fact they are fined by administrative fine. Mason agrees with Struck that it is important to monitor and protect the water supply considering what's happened. Hoffman and Struck are in favor of a charge for a license. Kaczanowski wonders what other cities charge for a business license.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
a. Council Minutes September 2, 2014
b. Council Minutes September 15, 2014
c. Council Work Session September 22, 2014 –
Tempero said regarding turning Wilkes Park into a community garden. He thinks if the park was cleaned up and made nicer, it would be used more. Kaczanowski thinks it might be a great place for a soccer field. Struck thinks it might be a difficult for parking. Kaczanowski wondered about Thor Thompson baseball field and if that is actually rented out. Tolsma said no but there is a negotiation about the lawn mower and other tools with the Little League. Bren said since the tennis court is being used for pickle ball courts, perhaps a picnic table could be set there for the participants as they have white plastic chairs there now. Hoffman said anything that happens on the park would have to come back through the planning commission because they are the park board.
8. MISCELLANEOUS –
a. RSVP Appreciation Dinner - Sign-up sheet passed around.
9. ADJOURNMENT - Adjourn. Mason makes a motion and Kaczanowski seconds to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 p.m.