ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of July 22, 2019
A regular meeting/public hearing of the Planning Commission of Alexandria Township was held on the 22nd day of July, 2019 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 324 Broadway.
Roll Call: Commission members present were Shad Steinbrecher, Larry Steidl, Linda Dokken-McFann and Julie Haar. Also present 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.
Deputy Clerk Fulghum administered the oath of office for Larry Steidl and Linda Dokken-McFann.
Agenda: Steinbrecher, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of Meeting Schedule under New Business. Motion carried unanimously.
Minutes: Steinbrecher, seconded by Haar, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 11/26/2018 meeting as written. Motion carried. Dokken-McFann abstained.
Chairman Steidl recessed the meeting to open the public hearing on the preliminary plat of Eighth Addition to Lake Geneva Estates.
Public Hearing: Al Beisner, representing Beisner Ltd., stated they are seeking to subdivide an existing outlot. He asked Chairman Steidl if he could present documentation clarifying questions raised by a resident during the site visit. Once that matter was settled, Mr. Beisner proceeded with their description of the plat. He stated they want to subdivide their 10.6 acre outlot into three outlots. He mentioned that the two proposed smaller outlots, B and C, are already serviced by the sewer district and that years ago Soil and Water had made the wetland delineation.
Chairman Steidl asked if there was enough road right-of-way for Outlot A due to the amount of wetland depicted. Mr. Beisner responded yes.
Commissioner Haar asked for clarification as to the right-of-way area. She also asked about the criteria for lots being included in the association.
Zoning Administrator Oleson reported that the applicants are proposing to create three “outlots” from one, replacing an existing 10.6 acre parcel along Geneva Golf Club Drive, with the proposed outlots being 1.56 acres, 1.99 acres and 7.06 acres in size. He iterated that according to the town’s ordinance, outlots cannot be built upon unless approval is obtained from the town board. He said that Mr. Beisner’s intent is not to build, but rather to re-sell the outlots at some point and the new owner could decide to plat. He stated the three outlots are set up for future development since they have existing access to sanitary sewer.
Commissioner Haar asked how the proposed Outlot C would be developed due to its odd shape. Oleson stated the town would have no issue as long as the lots were 100 feet wide and 15,000 square feet total and met all the town’s requirements.
Oleson said that more than likely park dedication fees would be determined at the time of future subdivision.
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 Eighth Addition to Lake Geneva Estates as presented and to include the staff recommendation that the outlots be considered unbuildable unless specifically requested and approved by the town board at a later date. Roll: Dokken-McFann – yes, Steinbrecher – yes, Haar – yes, Steidl – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
Zoning Administrator’s Report: Oleson provided an update on zoning activities.
New Business: Consensus to keep the site visits at 3 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the planning commission meeting.
Consensus that if there are two consecutive months with no meetings, the commission will meet the following month (the third month).
Old Business: none
Adjournment: Being no further business Dokken-McFann, seconded by Steinbrecher, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted…
___________________________________
Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ___________, 2019
___________________________________
Larry Steidl, Chairman