ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of August 24, 2020
A regular meeting/public hearing of the Planning Commission of Alexandria Township was held on the 24th day of August, 2020 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 324 Broadway and via teleconference.
Roll Call: Commission members onsite were Larry Steidl, Linda Dokken-McFann and Shad Steinbrecher. Julie Haar attended via teleconference. Also present onsite were Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk, and Ben Oleson, Township Zoning Administrator. As said members formed a quorum and the meeting was called to order by Chairman Steidl at 6:00 p.m.
Agenda: Dokken-McFann, seconded by Steinbrecher, made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Minutes: Steinbrecher, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 7/27/20 meeting as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Steidl recessed the meeting to open the public hearing on the preliminary plat request for Tenth Addition to Lake Geneva Estates submitted by Scott Thompson. The property is located along Geneva Golf Club Drive NE.
Public Hearing #1:
Chairman Steidl asked the applicant to state his intentions for the property. Mr. Thompson stated that the property was originally platted as two lots. If the plat is approved, his goal is to build a single-family home. He has an interested party that would like to build in the middle of the property.
Zoning Administrator Oleson reported that the applicant is proposing to convert an existing 1.98 acre outlot to a platted lot intended to be used for one single-family dwelling unit. He explained that the township ordinance requires the public hearing process when re-platting an outlot. He stated that no stormwater or roads need to be addressed. The location of the driveway is to be determined by the township engineer. The applicant is in agreement.
Chairman Steidl opened the hearing to the public for comment. Hearing none, he closed the public hearing and resumed the meeting.
Haar, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to recommend approval of the preliminary plat of Tenth Addition to Lake Geneva Estates with no conditions. Roll: Steinbrecher – yes, Dokken-McFann – yes, Haar – yes, Steidl – yes. Opposed: none. Motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Steidl recessed the meeting to open the public hearing on the proposed amendments to the Alexandria Township Subdivision Ordinance and to the Zoning Ordinance, Section V. Performance Standards (A) Signs, (L)(5) Additional Provisions Within the Shoreland District, (Y) Renewable Energy and Section VII. Definitions.
Public Hearing #2:
Oleson reported that the purpose of the amendments was to ensure greater consistency with past revisions to the Douglas County Zoning Ordinance relating to sign and renewable energy regulations, to adopt regulations that would require increased erosion control requirements for certain land clearing activities in the shoreland district, and to correct references to the Douglas County Board in the Subdivision Ordinance where it should refer to the Township Board.
Additional proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance (pages as reflected in the staff report) are highlighted.A..Signs, 10. Specific Regulations by Zoning District
Page 56
A. Signs 10. Specific Regulations by Zoning District
a. Urban Residential and Residential Shoreland Districts
(1.) Signs requiring an administrative permit, when not otherwise exempted by this ordinance.
(a) Up to one (1) unilluminated free-standing sign per parcel, up to twelve (12) square feet in size and eight (8) feet in height.
(2.) Signs requiring a conditional use permit.
(c) Illuminated signs.
Page 57
(3.) Prohibited Signs
b. Rural Residential District
(1.) Signs requiring an administrative permit when not otherwise exempted by this ordinance.
(a) Up to one (1) free-standing unilluminated sign per parcel, up to thirty-two (32) square feet in size and up to fifteen (15) feet in height, subject to the additional standards for illuminated and changeable copy signs elsewhere in this Ordinance.
(2.) Signs requiring a conditional use permit.
(c) Illuminated signs.
Page 58
c. Rural Conservation Residential District
(1.) Signs requiring an administrative permit, when not otherwise exempted by this ordinance.
(a) Up to one (1) free-standing unilluminated sign per parcel, up to thirty-two (32) square feet in size and up to fifteen (15) feet in height, subject to the additional standards for illuminated and changeable copy signs elsewhere in this Ordinance.
(2.) Signs requiring a conditional use permit.
(c) Illuminated signs.
B. Outdoor Storage, 2. Alterations Within The Shoreland
Page 122
a.(1.)(b) Intensive vegetation clearing for forest land conversion to another use is allowable as a conditional use if an erosion control and sedimentation plan is developed and approved by the Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Page 165
Y. Renewable Energy
No changes outside of what the county adopted.
Section VII. Definitions
No additional changes to those already indicated in the staff report.
Oleson to ensure all references to “County” in the Subdivision Controls Ordinance are replaced by “Township.”
Chairman Steidl opened the hearing to the public for comment. Hearing none, he closed the public hearing and resumed the meeting.
Haar, seconded by Steinbrecher, made a motion to recommend approval of the following amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, Section V. Performance Standards (A) Signs, (L)(5)Additional Provisions Within the Shoreland District, (Y) Renewable Energy and to Section VII. Definitions with the changes mentioned above and as identified throughout the staff report and to correct references to the Douglas County Board in the Subdivision Ordinance where it should refer to the Township Board. Roll: Steinbrecher – yes, Dokken-McFann – yes, Haar – yes, Steidl – yes. Opposed: none. Motion carried unanimously.
Zoning Administrator’s Report: Oleson to email the report separately.
Old Business: Consensus to have Oleson conduct a side-by-side comparison with the county’s septic ordinance and prepare a draft ordinance for the next meeting.
Consensus to have Oleson draft language for a feedlot ordinance which would include a clause stipulating that any changes to buildings would require a CUP.
New Business: none
Adjournment: Being no further business Haar, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted…
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Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ___________, 2020
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Larry Steidl, Chairman