Friday, March 23, 2012

City Council Notes-March 20, 2012


A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.


·         Application for a Small Cities Development Program Grant
o   This was a resolution authorizing the submission of an application requesting a grant for the rehabilitation of renter occupied housing and single family owned housing in a specified area (built prior to 1970)
o   Funds would be to the tune of around $350,000 (rehabilitation funds and administrative funds combined)
·         The council approved a series of agenda items including some street permits and temporary liquor licenses
·         There were three individual applications for permanent Beer and Wine Licenses
o   Steele County Historical Society
o   New ownership at Rose Street Pizza
o   Brooktree Golf Course (wine license – already have beer)
·         Proposed Fencing Ordinance
o   The meeting looked to be a fairly quick meeting until this was proposed.
o   The ordinance would allow for a 0 property line fence – meaning the fence could be built right on the property line.  It is the property owner’s responsibility to identify where the property line exists.
o   All prior fences are grandfathered in
o   Current ordinance requires a fence to be 3 feet away from the property line.
o   Most of the discussion was about what a fence looks like rather than what the ordinance actually stated.  I also think that this reflected how the council members voted.  Instead of looking at what was actually being proposed, many of the council members decided to “interpret” the ordinance differently.
o   The real point/counterpoint was the fact of in order to maintain a 0 property line fence, one would have to be on the neighbor’s property.  However, if there is a 3 foot requirement, the property owner essentially loses 3 feet of the property the bought.
o   The Ordinance barely passed
·         Redistricting Ordinance
o   Not much discussion about this and was passed unanimously
·         The rest of the meeting was fairly quick with no public comments

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