Minutes - Planning Commission - 12/20/1999 - Special Meeting

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Further discussion: Commissioner Nixt stated in regards to the addition of item #7 that the ordinance for an interim use permit does not only focus on temporary structures. Commissioner Dempsey replied explained that that is why the wording "where necessary" was included. Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Anderson, Commissioners Johnson, Jensen, Dempsey, Kociscak, Nixt, and Wivoda. Voting No: None. Motion by Commissioner Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Dempsey, to recommend that City Council adopt an Ordinance to delete the sentence "in addition, one of the conditions may include a specified time limit for the conditional use," in Section 9.03.04, Subdivision 7. Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Anderson, Commissioners Dempsey, Johnson, Jensen, Kociscak, Nixt, and Wivoda. Voting No: None. Case #3: Introduce for Discussion Trail or Sidewalk Siting, Design and Construction Responsibility Parks/Utilities Supervisor Boos stated that recently there has been renewed discussion regarding road right-of-way trails. City Council, the Park Commission, and staff have noted that their function is essentially that of a sidewalk. This fact suggests that developers should be constructing these trails as part of any subdivision's infrastructure. In order for this to happen, a policy is needed to determine several things, some of which are the following: · Should these "sidewalks" (bituminous or concrete), be only along arterial roads - or should their siting be linked to density. · Should the width be standardized at eight feet to ensure flexibility in future snow removal and to provide for safe two-way traffic. (A transportation consultant for the City a few years ago recommended ten feet wide as a standard for the last reason.) · If a developer is required to construct these facilities, is the cost credited against the $300 per unit trail fee? If not for interior streets, how about arterial roads? If there was a credit offered, and the costs for the sidewalk/trail exceeded the $300 per dwelling unit, would the City reimburse those costs? If so, from which funding source. Commissioner Jensen inquired how wide the current trails are. Parks/Utilities Supervisor Boos replied eight to eight and a half feet. He explained that eight foot wide trails allow for appropriate maintenance to be completed. Chairperson Anderson stated that he thinks in terms of sidewalks as being concrete and trails as asphalt. He would suggest sidewalks on collector streets within the urban area, but questioned how it would be determined whether they are concrete or bituminous. Parks/Utilities Supervisor Boos replied that the recommendation of the Park Commission was to leave the decision of bituminous or concrete at the discretion of the developer. He explained that bituminous is easier to repair on a long term basis, but concrete has a longer life. Planning Commission/December 20, 1999 Page 7 of 12