Village of Port Byron Planning and Zoning Committee met May 14.
Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:
1. Call to Order: The Planning and Zoning meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Chairman Gerry Meade.
2. Roll Call/Establishment of Quorum: Roll Call: Present: Members Patty Lindley, Sarah Ford, Bob Wilson, Scott Angelici, Wes Wells, Mayor Bruce Peterson, and Chairman Gerry Meade. Wayne Oney arrived mid-meeting. Also present: Doug Streeter, Mel Dennison, and Teresa Creech. Roll call established a quorum,
3. Building Inspectors Report: Doug Streeter reported little activity for the month – a roof permit, an inquiry on a new home and lot, Rams Riverhouse opening, and a building update on the Lakeview home construction. Mayor Peterson made mention of a sprinkler system law for new home construction, with Chairman Meade stating such a mandate is “counter-productive” and can add $6-10,000 to new home construction, so having an option to opt-out is ideal. Doug said a sprinkler system is not required for new build, but the law allows each community to do as they see fit.
4. Chairman’s Discussion: Chairman Meade had no comments.
5. Mayor’s Comments: Bruce said there are large projects coming to a head this year, including sidewalks, which will be bid out in August 2018. $640,000 has already been spent on those engineering and surveying costs. If the village gets the downtown redevelopment grant, it may be on the hook for another 1.2 million. TIF may not be available to cover all the costs, so trustees may need to consider other options, such as issuing bonds, accepting more debt, or downscaling projects. TIF gets about $750,000 a year, and with obligations to repair the old water mains and install new sidewalks, there may be concerns about funding new projects, such as the village hall and downtown redevelopment. Patty suggested looking into a USDA loan program for the village hall. Village officials will continue to discuss finances at various meetings.
6. Gallery Comments: None.
7. Old Business:
a. Approve Minutes: A motion was made by Scott, and seconded by Patty, to approve the minutes from the January 10th, 2018 P&Z meeting, with one amendment in Section 8, letter B: zoning from C-2 to R-4, and not R-1, as written in minutes. All in favor and motion carried.
b. Review P&Z Charter: The charter language was presented as a “tollgate” to what the committee would discuss and accept as responsibilities, based on how an assignment aligns with the charter. Scott said it would be a platform as to what the committee would like to do. Chairman Meade opened discussion of the charter, and questions about who’s responsible for enforcing code were discussed, as well as the role of the charter in determining direction. A motion was made by Wes, seconded by Bob, to accept the charter as presented. All in favor and motion carried.
c. Downtown Streetscape: Bruce said the proposed downtown streetscape may not happen, even if the village is awarded the grant, due to the expected matching costs of the $4.3 million dollar project. It was noted that $10,000 was already spent on the engineering grant and studies. The village needs to come up with a Capital Improvement Plan before committing to other projects. While the village is willing to spend money to make money, and investing in the community is of high importance, the high costs associated may impact moving forward. The new fiscal year budget should have monies set aside for upcoming projects.
d. Economic Development update: Wes stated that Baby Blues Fest will be June 30th of this year so it doesn’t conflict with the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. There will also be a car show on July 1st, associated with the event. Other ideas discussed by the committee were “Third Thursday” events in the village, and maybe a farmers’ market, coordinated by the Green Committee.
8. New Business: None.
9. Further Gallery Comments: None.
10. Adjournment: With no further business to come before the Commission at this time, Wes made a motion, seconded by Bob, that the meeting be adjourned. All in favor. Motion carried and meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
https://portbyronil.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PZ-MN021418.pdf
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