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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/06/68 MINUTES OF mE HASTINGS PLANNING CœMISSION MEETING ON March 6.1968 Members Present: Karpen. Bauer, Siebrecht. Moen, Soleim. Fluegel, Nelson and Petersen Guests: Leo Schumacher, John Davidson, Arnold Steffes, Jack Richards, Chamber of Commerce, Willis Olson. Fred Relmer, Corps. of Engineers, Tom Olson, R. J. McDonald, State Highway Dept.. Kermit McRae. State Highway Dept., Dick Dubrick, State Hospital, Palmer Roff1and, City Industrial Commission. Tom Hodne, City Planning Consultant, Jim Willie. Dakota County Soil Conservation Service, Robert Sayers. Dakota County Soil Conservation Service, Jerry Kuehn, State Conservation Dept., Bob Eidem. State Office of Local & Urban Affairs, Al Witman. Dakota County Planning Director, and Jack Malban. State Hospital. Mr. Leo Schumacher presented his official "hard shell" map to the Commission for any further cOI!IIlE!nt. Mr. Davidson explained 'his feasibility studies for the IJIIperial Estates area. There being no suggestions or criticisms, the next step will be for Mr. Schumacher to present his plat to the City Council. Mr. Willis Olson ¡e:eente:l .Q request to purchase some land within the new Hastings Industrial Area. His request was referred to the Industrial Committee of the City Council. In regards to our new Hastings Industrial Area. now that there are three groups within the City, The Hastings Industrial Commission, the Industrial Committee of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, and the Industrial Committee of the Hastings City Council (also to some extent. the Hastings Planning COID1I1ission thru the City Council), all charged with some responsibility with the acquisition and retention of desirable industrial activity in our ares, it was suggested that these three groups get together, along with a representative of the State Industrial Development Department, to formulate a cohesive program of cooperation and coordination to attain their goals. Mr. Jack Richards will try to organize this meeting as soon as possible. . 1be Dick Stoffel request for rezoning was then discussed. It was understood that the Kranz Printing Shop was interested in this property'. ConsequentlYt it was moved by Karpen and seconded by Bauer that the Commission recommend to the City Council that they rezone the area involved from Residential I to Commercial It with the condition that the use of the building be l:lmited to the operation of a Printing Shop only. The motion passed unanimously. ---..--- .---,--"-"-"---""--'----- ..----...-------- ì --.. ~ 2 - The surface renewal of Highway 61 was then discussed with John Davidson, Arnold Steffes, R, J. McDonsld and Kermit McRae. The exact requirements regarding parking, left turn lanes. and cross- highway traffic are still not clear. These questions will be brought before the Highway Department for clarification. Mr, Tom Rodne then explained his prel:lminary discussion plan to the guests present. Mr. McDonald of the State Highway Department approved the plan in general. however, during his discussion of the plan the following pointa were emphasized: ' (1) The Highway 55 by-pass is in the planning stage for about 1972-73. No definite route is being planned as yet, When a tentative plan is available. the Highway Department will ask the City of Hastings for approval and comments. (2) (3) Highway 61 thru Hastings is set for the foreseeable future. In the far future. there may be a rerouting of 161 either to the East or to the West of Hastings. The probability of a rerouting is pure speculation at this time, The renovating of East lSth Street along with the new bridge over the Vermillion River is still to be started somet:lme next year. When this is completed, it will become a part of T,R, 29l, which will start at Vermillion St. and Tenth St. and go through the Hospital grounds and end at Vermillion St, and lath St, (4) Mr. Hodne hoped that the new 18th St, Bridge over the Vermillion River would have a walkway wide enough to accommodate both pedestrian traffic and bicycle traffic. Mr, Fred Helmer of the Corps, of Engineers reviewed the tentative plans the Corps, of Engineers has for flood control of the Vermillion River. The tentative plan includes the following points: ..--...,--"-' (I) They plan to increase the river bottom to an SO-foot width from the County Highway 47 Bridge to the Peavey Mill Dam. (2) To keep the river from wandering they will slso construct a three to four foot wide. by about one foot deep, channel to direct the river flow during normal flow months, (3) No decorative plantings of trees or shrubs will be allowed in this SO foot width bottom except for grass, (4) (5) The dam area at the Peavey Mill will be widened to 90 feet, The Corps, of Engineers recommend a two foot high sill at the dam, (6) The improvements at the dam must be undertaken at City expense. If the City wants a more elabo~'ate system of damming the river -r - .. (10) '" J .. flow to create a t1ider stream during normal months, it can do so but with Corpo. of Engineers approval of plans. Any restriction to the water flow must be able to be removed within short notice so as not to i!:\pede flow durillg high water periods. (7) The Highway 6l Bridge over the Vermillion River is considered to be adequate for some years to come. This opinion is shared by the Corps. of Engineers and the State Highway Department. (8) The construction estimate for this project is about $700,000. which includes an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000 for the dam which will have to be paid for by the City. (9) Design plans are scheduled for completion by the Corps. of Engineers by June of this year. If all the necessary plan approvals are obtained, the plan then goes to the Ch:.cago and the Washington offices of the Corp. of Engineers fot' funding, Alternate methods of flood control were discussed, such as storage pond areas up~stream, but these were deemed not to be practical, considering the lack of available area up-stream and the probability of expenditures far in excess of the present Corps. of Engineers plan. Mr. Willie and Mr. Sayers of the County Soil Conservation Se~-vicè concurred with these observations. (ll) Mr. Al Witman stated that his office is considering a detailed study of the Vermillion River which would embrace some of the problems that were discussed in relation to the discussion plan's proposed Vermillion River Greenway and Park area. However, the results of this study will not be available for about two years. Mr, Witman did say that he would expedite this study as much as he could. The ,~hole proposed Vermillion ParIa-Jay Area must also conform to the County Planning Commission plans to be effective. (12) The problem of up-stream polution was also discussed. The possibility of the Vermillion River becoming an "open sewer" for up-stream communities was. in the opinion of most people present, a problem for the Minnesota Polution Control Agency. They will be notified of the concern that the City of Hastings has in this respect. At the end of the meeting, there was some discussion be~~een our City Planning Consultant and our. City Engineer as to the type and extent of information ct18t the City Engineer could give to the City Planner so that the comprehensive plan can be completed on time. The Planning Commission offered its resources to resolve and expedite the gathering of the required information. The next regular meeting of the Planning Co_isBion will be devoted to the Central Business District and its relationship to the preliminary discussion plan. Leaders of the business community will be invited to attend through the cooperation of Mr. Jack Richards of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. Walter Pete&'"en, Chairman Bastings Planning Cœ~nission