04-06-10 Council
April 6, 2010
A regular meeting of the Scandia City Council was held on the above date. Mayor Dennis
Seefeldt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call
was taken. The following council members were present: Connie Amos, Pete Crum, Dolores
Peterson, Mayor Dennis Seefeldt. Absent: Council member John Lindell. Staff present:
Administrator Anne Hurlburt, City Attorney Dave Hebert, Building/Code Official Steve Thorp,
Deputy Clerk Brenda Eklund.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Peterson, second by Amos, moved to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed
unanimously.
REQUEST TO PERA FOR COST ANALYSIS FOR STATEWIDE VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT PLAN
In 2009, the state legislature created the Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan
(SVFRP) as a voluntary replacement for the existing Fire Relief Association retirement plans.
The Human Resources Committee (Crum, Peterson, Hurlburt) met with officers of the Fire
Relief Association on March 17 and concluded that joining the SVFRP should be considered.
Advantages include removing the administration of a retirement plan from local relief
associations, investment management by the State Board of Investment, and portability of
benefits for volunteer firefighters who may serve in more than one department over their careers.
Administrator Hurlburt explained that the benefit options do not include Scandia’s current level
of $2,350 per year of service benefit level. Benefit levels are offered at $500 increments. Options
of entering the program at the $2,500 level with a five-year transition period before members are
vested at the higher benefit level and also raising the benefit level to $2,500 before entering the
plan were discussed. The Committee recommended that a cost analysis should be obtained which
would look at current relief association investments and liabilities, the current benefit level and
the future benefit level under SVFRP to estimate the cost of transitioning to the new plan.
Peterson, second by Amos, moved to authorize a request to PERA (Public Employees
Retirement Association) for a Cost Analysis of prospective coverage of the Scandia Fire
Relief Association by the Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan (SVFRP). The
motion passed unanimously.
SCANDIA MARINE LIONS CLUB, GAMBLING PREMISES PERMIT FOR SCANDIA
COMMUNITY CENTER (RESOLUTION 04-06-10-01)
Bruce Swenson, Scandia Marine Lions Gambling Manager, has applied for a premises permit to
conduct a monthly raffle drawing at the Community Center, the regular meeting place of the
Club. The Lions currently have a premises permit to conduct lawful gambling at Meister’s Bar
and Grill. The organization has submitted documents that their lawful purpose expenditures meet
the ordinance requirements. Peterson, second by Crum, moved to adopt Resolution 04-06-10-
01, Approving a Lawful Gambling Premises Permit for the Scandia Marine Lions Club at
the Scandia Community Center. The motion passes unanimously.
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SCANDIA MARINE LIONS CLUB, TEMPORARY LIQUOR LICENSE
The Scandia Marine Lions Club is planning a chicken-dinner fundraising event on April 24,
2010 at the Fire Hall which will include the sale of beer. The Club has submitted the necessary
application for a temporary liquor license. Seefeldt, second by Peterson, moved to approve a
Temporary On-Sale Liquor License for the Scandia Marine Lions Club on April 24, 2010.
The motion passed unanimously.
PARK USER PERMITS, NSC VELO BICYCLE RACING CLUB
David Thimsen, National Sports Center Velo Bicycle Racing Club, has applied for Park User
Permits for two racing events which will have their start in Scandia, at the Community Center.
The events will be held on July 24 and August 7. They have also reserved the warming house for
use as the staging location. Council approved these two events for the Velo bicycle racing club in
2009. Staff recommended conditions similar to those required for the Scandia PTO Fun
Run/Walk event: 1) Adequate portable toilet facilities; 2) Route coordination and traffic control
with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department; 3) Locates for any tents, stakes, signs; 4)
Adequate trash containers provided and properly disposed of; 5) On August 7, access to the
Community Center parking lot must be maintained for pre-election absentee voting.
Crum, second by Amos, moved to approve Park User Permits for the Velo Bicycle Racing
Club on July 24 and August 7, 2010 with conditions as recommended by staff. The motion
passed unanimously.
CONTRACT WITH WASHINGTON CONSERVATION DISTRICT FOR TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE IN 2010 AND 2011
The Washington Conservation District has provided technical assistance to the city/township for
implementation of policies within the Wetland Conservation Act for many years. The contract
for services for the years 2010 and 2011 was reviewed. Rates remain consistent with the previous
contract and the budget, with a maximum amount of $2,000 per year. Peterson, second by
Crum, moved to approve the contract with the Washington Conservation District for
technical assistance in 2010 and 2011. The motion passed unanimously.
SET SPECIAL MEETING WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE TO
REVIEW THE STATUS OF THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Council set a date of May 6, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. to hold a special joint meeting with the Capital
Improvements Committee. The meeting will include a road tour to look at locations of needed
road improvements based on the pavement management plan.
The Planning Commission meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m. The following were
present: Commission Chair Chris Ness, Commissioners Tom Krinke, Christine Maefsky,
Susan Rodsjo and Peter Schwarz. Staff present: City Planner Sherri Buss, TKDA.
WORK SESSION OF DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE
The Planning Commission and City Council moved into a work session to continue discussion
on zoning district regulations within the Development Code update.
As a follow-up to the previous work session, a list of proposed new and revised definitions for
agricultural activities, essential services and several other uses were discussed. City Attorney
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Hebert suggested that significant infrastructure items would be better defined by classifying them
according to the size of the transmission lines.
Current Ordinance No. 69 governs slaughter and processing of animals for meat. Upon adoption
of the new code, language in Section 4 of this ordinance will become outdated. The definitions
and performance standards of the ordinance will be incorporated into the new zoning code under
Ag Processing.
The definitions will be considered a working list for now, and reviewed once more before final
adoption.
Discussion then moved into land uses in the following zoning districts: Village Neighborhood
(VN), Village Mixed Use A and B (VMU-A and VMU-B), Industrial Park (IP) and Rural
Commercial (RCOMM).
City Planner Buss introduced the allowable land uses in a table format. Land uses were
designated as permitted (P); permitted accessory use (A); Conditional Use Permit required
(CUP); Interim Use Permit required (IUP) or Administrative Permit required (AP).
It was determined that a Plant Nursery will be allowed in the VMU-A and VMU-B districts with
a CUP. Based on the definition of a plant nursery, the sale of rock, stone, retaining walls, and
similar materials is excluded.
A discussion on performance standards related to the keeping of animals concluded that this
issue will be further discussed at a future workshop.
Private kennels were changed from an Accessory Use to a use allowed by IUP in the VN, VMU-
A and B, and RCOMM districts.
The definition for Recreation Equipment was revised by removing “treehouses” from the listing
of structures not allowed.
Discussion began on classifying Commercial land uses. Planner Buss explained that those uses
which require large water and sewer demand, increased traffic and parking needs, among other
increased needs, are those which will require a CUP review. The Comprehensive Plan outlines a
preference to locate commercial businesses in the core zoning districts.
A home occupation is defined as one which does not generate more customer traffic than a
typical single-family residence. Generally no additional employees other than the owner are
involved in the business.
The location of antique shop businesses was discussed. Commissioner Maefsky felt that this type
of business should be allowed outside the commercial zone as they appeal to the rural image of
the Comprehensive Plan. Consensus was to leave antique shops as is, a Permitted Use in the
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VMU-A and B and RCOMM districts. Traffic, parking and other issues need to be considered
with this type of business.
Building supply stores will be allowed in the both the VMU-B and IP districts with a CUP.
The definition of Department, Discount and Warehouse stores will be further refined by
replacing with the definition of a General Store.
Commissioner Rodsjo suggested that Catering Services be separated from Banquet Halls and
allowed in RCOMM districts.
Exterior Storage, where Accessory to a Permitted Commercial Use, will be allowed in the IP
with a CUP (previously a Permitted Use).
The City Council and Planning Commission will meet in a Special Meeting on April 13, 2010 at
6:00 p.m. to continue reviewing land uses by zoning district. Review will begin at the top of page
2-4 of the draft Development Code dated April 1, 2010.
Continuation of the development code update is also scheduled for the regular City
Council/Planning Commission meeting on May 4 and at a special workshop meeting on May 25.
Crum, second by Seefeldt, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
Deputy Clerk