Minutes - Council - 03/28/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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taken. Councilmember Elvig stated action needs to be taken on the case in front of the Council tonight. There may be things in the short future that may address Ms. Cooper's issue. Councilmember Olson explained developers have to work within the existing ordinances. Art Blackburn, 17625 Argon Street NW, stated there was mention made by Councilmember Olson that this is the existing ordinance that is being operated under. He would want to ask the Mayor and Council why that ordinance cannot change. There is a community with one acre lots, and there is now a situation where developments are coming into their community with three or four houses on a one acre lot; it does not fit. Mayor Gamec replied this concern is in the record. Basically the Council made the decision and has reviewed this ordinance for two years. City Administrator Norman advised this is the wrong case to discuss this issue; the discussion should be related to the variance request. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Elvig, Jeffrey, Olson, Pearson, and Strommen. Voting No: Councilmember Cook. Further discussion: Mayor Gamec stated things can be changed, and the Council has reviewed this. There are elderly people in the City that have had to sit on this land for years and years, and this ordinance would give them an opportunity to develop their land. The development could have been opened up to one or two acre developments, but that would be a bad scenario. With this ordinance the Council is looking at something that is way down the line; 15 to 30 years away. When sewer and water becomes available to these areas they do not want to end up with a bunch of homes that cannot even hook up. He noted the concerned property owners have what he had for years; open land behind them. Mr. Blackburn replied the property owners all accept there will be a development in that parcel, but the question is whether the development will fit the scheme of the neighborhood. Mayor Gamec stated this is a decision the Council has made. The residents can bring this up in the future at a work session or discuss it with any of the councilmembers. Mr. Blackburn stated 100% of the people that live back there are opposed to this development; the Council is supposed to represent the residents, not the developers. Mayor Gamec stated the Council set up an ordinance that is good for the overall City. They have to look at each parcel, and on a broad basis. They have looked at the infringement on where other people live. It is a tough decision but it has been decided by the Council. As of today this is the existing ordinance. Case #8: Request for Preliminary Approval of Shade Tree Creek; Case of Shade Tree Construction Ass't Community Development Dir/HRA Executive Dir. Frolik stated given the Council action on the previous case in support of the Board of Adjustment's decision to deny the variance to maximum cul-de-sac length on the subject property, it would seem appropriate to deny this preliminary plat request for Shade Tree Creek. The Council has been provided proposed findings of fact to support denial of the preliminary plat. City Attorney Goodrich advised findings 6 through 13 are somewhat different from the Planning Commission's findings. He reviewed findings 6 through 13 as follows: 6. That on March 3, 2006 the Planning Commission reviewed the application for preliminary plat, and recommended to deny the plat based on the following reasons: the City Council / March 28, 2006 Page 17 of 31