Minutes - Planning Commission - 04/10/2000 - Special Meeting

Home

Gary Hanson stated the City Plan Book indicates the property is directed toward increased property values. He read several statements from the Plan and suggested this type of use would be better on the landfill property since that is an already contaminated site rather than locating on virgin farmland. He noted this is one of the few undeveloped pieces of land that could be available for the light rail corridor coming from St. Cloud. He suggested the failure to appropriately site this facility on ground such as this may be a violation of the Metropolitan Council's Livability Act which provides a lot of resources to a community that would look at cleaning up the landfill site for a use such as this. He stated the site is nice with some scrub vegetation and also has some standing water. He stated there is a lot of wildlife in this area and he thinks it would be a shame to loose that resource for the community. He presented pictures of the elevations of this area as well as wildlife. He stated he also took pictures of trucks on the current Ace Solid Waste site and fencing versus the height of the trucks. He stated that the proposed fencing has plastic inserts to cut down on the visual effects but both types of trucks are much taller than the fencing used on that site. Mr. Hanson stated their property is zoned industrial but the proposed site is zoned business warehouse, not industrial, so he believes the proposed use does not conform to the Code. He read the section of the Code pertaining to uses that conform to the Code and suggested the industrial use would need to be compatible with adjacent commercial/retail uses. He stated the proposed resolution also makes reference to that and indicates it is not sure whether the site would conform to the Comprehensive Plan. Further, it leaves a question unanswered relating to impact on public welfare, use and enjoyment of property, essential public services, public costs of services, economic welfare of the community, future use of the surrounding properties, and types of pollution from the site. He stated all of these areas are of concern but unanswered in this process. Mr. Hanson stated in Minneapolis they would have conducted studies on the ambient noise and other issues so it could be determined if the proposed facility would exceed the permitted levels. Doug Hanson commented on the extensive dewatering project done on the six acres by the railroad tracks when McKinley was undertaken. He explained that McKinley cut across the six acre plat and made a curve up to Azurite. At that same time, that six acres had a ten foot wide by several hundred foot long strip (Outlot A) alongside this proposed site which he has been told was a separate entity and should have had a title and land description but, apparently, it got abandoned via tax forfeit. He stated he understands that is owned by the City of Ramsey and noted that this proposal identifies two entry points from Azurite which cuts across the ten foot strip (Outlot A). Mr. Hanson asked how that outlot could have gone tax forfeit. Mr. Vevea stated that strip of land by the old Anoka Industrial Park was dedicated for a future road but when Azurite was installed, it was placed to the east so that ten foot strip was left there. Gary Hanson stated the County indicated the outlot went for back taxes and was picked up by the City. He noted the curb and gutter improvements were made and property owners were assessed over a period of ten years. He inquired regarding allowing access across this outlot without compensation being made for that use. Dennis Sharp, general contractor representing Ace Solid Waste, stated the outlot became part of the street when that project was undertaken. Planning Commission/April 10, 2000 Page 5 of 16