Alexandria Township
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of June 5, 2017
A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Alexandria Township was held on the 5th day of June, 2017 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 324 Broadway.
ROLL CALL: Supervisors present were Jeff Oberg, Joel Dahlheimer, Rod Eldevik and Russell Niskanen. Also present was Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk. As said members formed a quorum and the meeting was called to order by Chairman Eldevik at 6:00 p.m.
Niskanen, seconded by Oberg, made a motion to adopt the agenda with the addition of accumulation of junk on property off 82 SE under Citizen Concerns. Motion carried unanimously.
Oberg, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 5/15/2017 regular board meeting as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Dahlheimer, seconded by Oberg, made a motion to authorize payment of claims 17096-17105 in the amount of $13,906.80, net payroll $3,907.50, total $17,814.30 and a transfer from savings of $14,000.00. Motion carried unanimously.
CITIZEN’S CONCERNS: Chair Eldevik reported he had received complaints about a farmstead off of 82 SE which appears to be in violation of our public nuisance ordinance. The complaints entailed sundry junk items as well as numerous cars in what seem to be various states of repair and/or for sale on the property. Zoning Administrator Oleson stated he has been in contact with the owner a number of times already about the need to clean up the area. Consensus to direct Oleson to send a letter requiring the vehicles be removed within thirty days. Owner to be invited to the next town meeting to discuss other clean-up measures.
PLANNING AND ZONING: Oleson reported that James and Richard Heidecker, owners of Eastside Storage, had submitted a conditional use permit application to construct an illuminated freestanding pole sign. The purpose of the CUP is for the illumination aspect of the sign. The sign will be illuminated from the bottom of the sign directed onto the sign face and thus not affecting traffic along County Road 82 SE. The sign will meet all ordinance requirements. In conversation with MnDOT, Oleson said they had no restriction with a sign that is on-premise. The planning commission recommended approval with two conditions: 1) that the lights on the sign be directed to the sign face only such that it does not create a hazard for drivers on County Road 82 or a nuisance to neighboring residential properties; and 2) that the sign meets all requirements (if any) of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which retains some regulatory authority over signage along County Road 82. Dahlheimer, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to approve the conditional use permit submitted by James and Richard Heidecker for an illuminated freestanding pole sign as stipulated in the staff report with the two conditions mentioned heretofore. Motion carried unanimously.
Oleson reported that Bob Wolfe of Indigo Signs had requested discussion of the town’s ordinance prohibiting digital signs. Mr. Wolfe feels the town’s ordinance is too prohibitive in not allowing for these types of signs in a commercial district. He has been working with a client, Kevin Anderson of Rainbow Rider, who wants to install such a sign off of County Road 82 SE. Mr. Anderson informed the board that he has secured a grant from MnDOT which would be used to pay for this expenditure. He also said the intent of the sign would be for social and public service announcements. Oleson stated that in order to accommodate Mr. Anderson’s request, the ordinance would need to be changed, which would involve a public hearing by the planning commission. Mr. Anderson expressed concern regarding the timeframe for the public hearing and town board subsequent decision since the deadline for expending the grant is December 31, 2017. Niskanen, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to direct the planning commission to conduct a public hearing at its June meeting to consider amending the sign ordinance in relation to digital signs. Motion carried unanimously.
Oleson reported that Joe Riley, owner of the Lake Jessie Meadows PUD, has made a request to alter the impervious calculations on some of the lots in the development by eliminating two of the 49 previously-approved residential lots and transferring ownership of these lots to the Association and thereby making those two lots unbuildable. The impervious surface previously allocated to these two lots would then be transferred to ten other lots in the development. Mr. Riley proposed eliminating Lots 17 and 27 and distributing the impervious coverage over ten lots, five in Tiers 2 and 3 and five in Tier 4 and the other lots outside the 1000 foot radius of the shoreline. He would divide the impervious gleaned from the two lots (approximately 583 square feet each to ten lots). The ten lots would not be pre-determined but would be decided on a case-by-case basis as the lots are sold. Oleson stated an issue would be the record-keeping aspect since the lots would not be pre-determined. Oleson said each lot would be construed to be 2,917 square feet unless requested otherwise and consistent with the above restrictions.
Mr. Riley stated he is making this request in order to accommodate potential buyers who are wanting to build larger homes. He emphasized that no additional impervious coverage would be added to the plat and reiterated that the two lots would be deeded to the Association and never built upon. The town board requested that a document signifying the lots are unbuildable be recorded rather than just be included in the restrictive covenants. Mr. Riley agreed to have Oleson draw up the paperwork for recording. Dahlheimer, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to approve the change to the plat with the condition that a deed be recorded stipulating the elimination of Lots 17 and 27 declaring them unbuildable with no impervious coverage, that their impervious coverage be distributed over ten other lots, five in Tiers 2 and 3 and five in Tier 4 and the other lots outside the 1000 foot radius of the shoreline, said impervious coverage to be divided equally between the ten lots (583 square feet each), and that all lots be deemed to be 2,917 square feet unless determined by the town board otherwise. Motion carried unanimously.
Oleson reported the township had received a request from the owner of Outlot A of the TQM Addition plat to build an office/storage building. This plat was approved earlier in 2017 as a plat with one lot plus an outlot and had one condition of approval: no buildings or sewage-generating uses be allowed on Outlot A without the express approval of the Town Board. The proposal is to adjust the lot lines, thus creating two parcels; one parcel as a single lot and the other as Lot 1 attached to Outlot A. Oleson stated that Outlot A was created at the time of plat due to two factors: 1) potential contaminated soils; and 2) that no documentation was found indicating a sewer stub from ALASD under Liberty Road existed. The landowner’s surveyor has since provided the documentation depicting a sewer stub. The request is to adjust the lot lines between Outlot A and Lot 1 so as to provide additional buildable area to Outlot A and then build an office/storage building on the newly formed Outlot A. Oberg, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to approve the lot split with the stipulation that building is only allowed on the portion of land that was previously Lot 1 and that no construction on what was formally constituted as Outlot A be allowed. Motion carried unanimously.
Chair Eldevik closed the meeting to the public at 7:20 p.m. to discuss an update provided by Attorney Johnson on designated legal matters. The meeting reconvened at 7:30 p.m.
Consensus to have Oleson contact the township attorney regarding a response from Viking Bank on the JFRC property.
Oleson asked the board if they wanted to consider having the county track our sewer inspections. This function could be added onto our current contract with the county. Consensus to have Oleson bring back a cost assessment for consideration.
Supervisor Niskanen asked if the town was going to set up a DRT meeting for the Burgen Heights drainage issue. Consensus to have Oleson send a letter inviting the resident to a DRT meeting.
Supervisor Oberg reported he had spoken with the lake association and informed them that the township’s stance on dredging is that even though the town may support the effort, it needs to be spearheaded by the lake association.
ENGINEER’S REPORT: Chair Eldevik reported that the 2017 road improvement bids have been noticed in the paper and are expected back June 15th.
OLD BUSINESS: Deputy Clerk Fulghum reported that the 3M sign grant was applied for and was awarded to the township, covering three categories: regulatory, warning and stop signs. Deadline for submittal of the signs to be ordered is June 30th.
NEW BUSINESS: Chair Eldevik introduced Jerry Wright, who has expressed an interest in serving on the board should a vacancy become available.
Deputy Clerk Fulghum reported that the town had received one quote for calcium chloride, from Alden Just Road Maintenance, in the amount of $1.16/gal. The county had accepted a quote in the amount of $1.018/gal. for the 2017 season She also stated the reason the town has not contracted with the county over the past few years is because the county makes one application/season whereas a private contractor can make as many applications as needed. Niskanen, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to contract with Alden Just Road Maintenance for calcium chloride for the 2017 season in the amount specified above. Motion carried unanimously.
Being no further business, Dahlheimer, seconded by Oberg, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
Respectfully submitted….
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Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ________, 2017
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Rod Eldevik, Chairman