by Dave DeMars
news@thenewsleaders.com
With all members present at its July 5 meeting, the Rice City Council dealt with correcting a zoning issue on property located at 250 Division St. N.
According to council member Brian Skroch, that property was discussed at a recent planning-commission meeting with the hope the public hearing could be attached to a hearing dealing with another property in order to save the cost of scheduling an individual hearing. The need to rezone was the result of a city error some 30 years ago, Skroch said.
Mayor Dale Rogholt provided more information on the property, referring to it as the “Fiedler property” and identifying it as part of a parcel zoned light industrial. A portion of the property with buildings on it is actually zoned Residential 1. The split zoning has existed for years.
“They’ve been operating that way for how long?” Rogholt asked.
Skroch said the problem has existed for a number of years. It’s the result of rezoning part of the parcel when a house was built on the site many years ago, and the differential was never caught by anyone. Records and maps going back many years show the property as being split-zoned for as long as 30 or more years. The city will pay for the cost of the public hearing since the problem is the result of city oversight.
“It’s been an oversight by the city for years,” Skroch said. “It’s slipped through the cracks for a long, long time.”
Council member Paula Kampa expressed amazement that such a thing could occur.
“Didn’t we just talk about zoning and everything a year ago, and five years ago you guys did the same thing, and this just kept getting overlooked?” Kampa said.
Skroch explained it was the most recent zoning review that caught the problem, and that is why it is being put forth for correction.
The property will have a consistent zoning of light industrial so any new property owner will be able to use it in that manner. Council scheduled the public hearing to take place at the Aug. 1 meeting with final action to take place at that time.
Other business
With a new city treasurer sworn in earlier in the day, the council moved to approve the hiring of three new firefighters pending satisfactory background checks.
The council also heard a report from Rice City Engineer Mike Rardin dealing mainly with water quality and treatment, and the need for improved supply.
In a separate letter to the Minnesota Department of Health, Public Utilities Supervisor Mark Sauer requested placement on the 2017 Drinking Water Revolving Fund Project Priority List along with application documents and cost estimates for four projects: construction of well No. 4 ($80,000), rehabilitation of the water treatment plant ($500,000), construction of a new ground storage tank ($400,000) and water main looping ($300,000). Total project costs are $1.28 million.
The council also approved the following:
● American Legion Auxiliary of Rice to do parking behind the city hall during the craft fair held in the fall.
● Chuck Ertl to do mowing and brush-cutting in Rice with no more than a 10-percent price increase over last year.
● Considered chloride treatment for dust control on the road to the compost site.
