Laserfiche WebLink
<br />for use of property not performance standards. She added that one property along <br />Highway #10 was given a waiver to the paving requirements this year - Rain for Rent. <br />She noted that in. order to ease future enforcement concerns, having specific findings <br />regarding the rationale for a waiver would be beneficial. Ms. Miller named the highway <br />districts, where they are and described what is allowed in each. She mentioned the City's <br />Public Works facility and stated they have an IUP, which will expire in 2010. This <br />expanded the use of the site to include mobile trailers for office space. It was not meant <br />to be a permanent use. If Council. determines it will be extending the IUP instead of <br />relocating to a permanent facility, then they should also consider bringing the site up to <br />code. Public Works is also zoned Public/Quasi Public, which has different standards than <br />the business and employment districts. Community Development Director Miller <br />informed Council that staff has always made it a priority to work with the business <br />community. If there are concessions made in the H-l District, such as eliminating the <br />requirement for concrete curbing around the perimeter of pavement, it has to be justified <br />to the property owners on the south side of Highway #10. She stated that there are <br />current standards specified in the City Code and City staff is responsible for enforcing <br />these regulations. If Council has any concerns about the standards and the subsequent <br />impact on businesses, rather than continue to try to do enforcement on a case-by-case <br />basis, these portions of the Code should be revisited and revised. <br /> <br />Mayor Bob asked if Council was interested in becoming more stringent - having <br />ramifications if there are violations. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wise felt that the City wants paving for dust control and curb appeal but <br />these are major improvements and we would not want to increase the value of the <br />properties we are looking at to purchase - so that's the hard part. We could differentiate <br />between the north and south side. We would have to see that all the properties the City <br />owns are up to Code. <br /> <br />Ms. Miller stated that for outside storage, we have the old NAU site. That's the only one <br />right now that would require additional paving. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dehen felt that any way we can make the Highway # 1 0 Corridor a nicer <br />one and our neighborhoods nicer, it's a bonus. People looking for homes drive through <br />neighborhoods and if there's junk all over, they are not moving to Ramsey. He added <br />that he has never been big on RALF property acquisition especially if it's stopping our <br />corridor from looking nice. There are 48 properties in the RALF area and we have <br />settled on 12 of them. Therefore, not requiring businesses on the north side to comply is <br />not right - it could be 20 to 30 years from now before the highway improvements come <br />through. They have had all these years without having to make the improvements and <br />that would be like a cycle for blacktop that they did not have to put in. He stated he <br />realizes it's an expense but they have gotten by so long without having that expense. He <br />asked how many businesses this would affect. <br /> <br />Ms. Miller responded that we have 11 properties out of 40 some when we did the <br />Highway # 1 0 sweep in 2008 that were not in compliance with the paving and curbing. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session - June 2, 2009 <br />Page 2 of 13 <br />