Minutes - Planning Commission - 06/21/1995 - Special Meeting

Home

farther from Highway #47 and it will not block the view of the ponds and the golf course. He agreed that the golf course does pay a lot of taxes but that because of the golf course, he pays higher taxes on his home also. He felt that the damage this building would do to his home would no longer warrant this kind of taxing. He chose to pay these taxes and he chose to live on a golf course - he did not choose to live behind a maintenance building. Mr. Schmidt disseminated pictures of maintenance buildings on five golf courses from Elk River to Highway #65. Reports say the best thing to have on the front of the golf course is one or two driving ranges. He continued that Rum River Hills has 160 acres available to develop and reports stated that the best place for a maintenance building is in the central part of the course. He reiterated that the golf course does have land available and that the building should be put where it belongs, where it will not make the residents suffer. Mr. Harvey stated that Mr. Schmidt has done his homework but there are two flaws in his presentation. The land where the building is proposed is zoned PUD - not open space. The property to the north is a great suggestion; however, the course does not own that land. He reiterated that this is the best site. Commissioner Hendriksen thought the area the golf course is proposing to build on is an outlot and it has been said that this area was zoned PUD from day one. This area was not planned to be an open space forever. Mr. Schmidt stated that a letter sent to the City Council 30 days prior to final approval of the golf course, Mr. Dom points out that the final version of the agreement has only two fundamental changes from the original version. Instead of two outlots for future development there is only one - one outlot is unbuildable. The second change is that 23 single family lots are requested as opposed to 20. These were requested because 3.5 acres of commercial land was owned by Tom Anderson. He explained that the point is - the original agreement and up to 30 days before project approval, there was a driving range located in the southwest comer of the golf course. This was moved north and set in a part of the 3.5 acres of commercially zoned property; they wanted three more buildable lots. When they moved the driving range, this would create 3.5 acres of extra recreational space. Council has been told that everything is done, which means somewhere there's an outlot for a maintenance building; he refers to an additional 3.5 acres of recreational space. Mr. Cook suggested that maybe the site now being used for a maintenance building on the west side of Highway #47 should have a tunnel under Highway #47 - then there would be no safety hazard. Since the maintenance building has been working this long, this would solve the problem. He added that a lot of golf courses have such tunnels. Jeff Toilette, Manager of Rum River Hills Golf Course, stated that they do not own the property across Highway #47. It's currently leased and the principal owner wishes to pass the property on or sell it so the golf course needs to establish it's own building. He continued that he has been involved with Bob Morton on the building and that they have tried to work with everyone to make everyone happy. He explained that they will screen as much of the building as they can and added that this location allows for the easiest accessibility of all the sites researched. He vowed they would do all they could to make it attractive and added that they do not want to upset anyone. The other site affects everyone on 164th Lane. This one sets out as close to Highway #47 as it can. He offered to work with Mr. Schmidt and reiterated that they would make the building as attractive as they could. He stated that the golf course needs a building and this is the best location for it. Mr. Bulen commented on the suggestion of a tunnel by replying that it would cost a minimum of $100,000 and it didn't make sense to do that when the proposed location is a more suitable spot. Planning Commission/June 21, 1995 Page 5 of 10