Minutes - Council - 06/23/2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Phil Collins, Collins Brothers Towing, thanked staff for including his business in this process. He stated that they did service Ramsey for a short time when there had been issues with another company and believed that service went smoothly. Judy Rolow, NorthStar Towing, appreciated that the City considered their proposal. She stated that NorthStar Towing has been in business in Anoka County for the past 36 years and has serviced Ramsey since 1979. She provided specifics on the amount of storage available and advised that there are qualified drivers and staff that answer phones 24 hours per day through a landline telephone. Councilmember LeTourneau appreciated the input from the community and the business owners present tonight. He stated that he based his review on price and service, noting that both elements should remain constant. He stated that he also likes to think about local business. He noted that he would be more interested in reviewing some of the issues regarding First Choice and the compliance with the ordinance. Community Development Director Gladhill stated that there are existing ordinances as Highway 10 businesses are visible. He stated that there is some degree of outside storage allowed and the issue over time is that inoperable vehicles are brought to the site and the site is then not in compliance if they are stored outdoors rather than indoors. Police Chief Katers stated that the RFP clearly states that the business must meet the applicable zoning rules. He stated that if the site were brought into compliance the application would be viewed as complete. Councilmember LeTourneau questioned if a variance process could allow the additional outdoor storage of inoperable vehicles. Community Development Director Gladhill stated that there would not be a variance, or any process, that would allow inoperable vehicles to be stored outdoors in this zoning district. Mayor Strommen confirmed that there are two issues which make the site noncompliant; the screening and the storage of inoperable vehicles outdoors. Councilmember Shryock stated that she does not see a statement in the RFP which states that the applicant would have until July 1St to meet the requirements. She stated that she often deals with contracts and believes that all requirements should be met by the applicant when submitting a request. She noted that the business also subleases and questioned the ability for the applicant to meet the screening requirements by the July 1St deadline, if that exists. Police Chief Katers stated that the July 1st date refers to equipment being available and did not apply to building codes and exterior storage requirements. Councilmember Riley agreed with the comments from Councilmember LeTourneau. He stated that he is unclear on whether the application considered incomplete would actually be complete. He referenced the price and stated that he would want the answer to whether or not that applicant City Council / June 23, 2015 Page 6 of 11