Jamestown (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s  Finance & Legal, Building, Planning & Zoning Committee and Civic Center & Promotion Committees met Tuesday evening at City Hall.  All members were present.

FINANCE & LEGAL COMMITTEE

Considered was the request from Journey Behaviorial Solutions for the City of Jamestown to act as the sponsoring government for the Community Development Block Grant project Journey Behaviorial Solutions to be conducted from March 15, 2019, through March 15, 2022, and managed by the South Central Dakota Regional Council.

City Administrator Sarah Hellekson said the city will act as a pass-through and will not cost the city any dollars. The item was put on the City Council agenda without recommendation, to in the meantime obtain more information.

Considered was the Jamestown Community Corrections agreement, to provide community service projects with work sights in the City of Jamestown, including specific projects.  Those included service at the Jamestown Civic Center, and the landfill, as directed by the municipal and district courts.  The contract expired at December 31, 2018.  Over the years funds have run short, due to the floods, and the police department directed to other tasks.   The committee recommends approving the extension of the contract until the end of this year, retroactive to January 1, 2019.

The committee considered approving the Compassion Care Center special use permit application from GR Vending ND Dispensary 6, LLC.  City Assessor Jamison Veil said the permit is to locate medical marijuana dispensary in Jamestown, allowed in C-2 Zoning in the city, with a Special Use permit, along the required fee of $4,000. The proposed location is the former Jamestown Auto Center (Walt Sanders car dealership) on Business Loop East. The building has been purchased from Casey Stoudt, and the dispensary will occupy 5,000 square feet with the remaining 15,000 square feet be divided and sub let. The interior is covered by security cameras. . Initial background checks have been made on employees.  The committee recommends approving the Special Use Permit.

Considered was i3G Media’s request regarding the antenna space being leased on the city’s water tower. The media group asked that the one time $5,000 security deposit be waived by the city, and amend the lease agreement. If not, the equipment will be removed from the water tower, pending FCC approval, as $5,000 has been spent for magnetic connectors on the tower. Mayor Heinrich said parameters need to be set regarding waiving security deposits.  The committee recommends placing the request on the City Council agenda without recommendation.

Considered was the request from Otter Tail Power Company to lease city property for the purpose of erecting a solar photovoltaic energy generating facility, which request was laid on the table at the March 19, 2019, Finance and Legal Committee meeting. Museum Director, Ilana Xinos said, The National Buffalo Museum has withdrawn its approval of putting the facility on its property, based on it board’s action, concerning the amount of space the facility would take up and sight obstruction.  The committee recommended denying the request for the application to lease city property from Otter Tail Power Company, which died for the lack of a second to the motion.

Considered was introducing the First Reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact Chapter 2, Article IX, of the City Code pertaining to the Forestry Department.  The amended Ordinance would add an At-large member.  Also, to clarify the purpose of the and scope of the Forestry (Shade Tree) Committee.  Also proposed is establishing a rationale for holding meetings. The committee recommends the First Reading at the May 6 City Council meeting.

Considered was introducing the First Reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact Chapter 31 of the City Code pertaining to Stormwater. City Attorney Leo Ryan said, more work has to be done in terms of clarification on funding usage, before a First Reading can be heard.  The committee recommends holding off on a First Reading at this time, and refer the matter to the Stormwater Committee.

Recommended for approval was a request from the Jamestown Fine Arts Association, Inc., d/b/a/ The Arts Center, for a street closing on 2nd St SW from 1st Ave to the alley, on June 6, 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2019, for the weekly Downtown Arts Market and request a waiver of the street closing fees.

Informational: Status of Century Link franchise agreement was presented.

Informational: The second reading of an Ordinance to grant a non-exclusive gas distribution system franchise agreement to Montana-Dakota Utilities, is scheduled at the May 6, 2019, City Council meeting.

Informational: Appointment applications received to serve as members of the Forestry Committee to fill two open positions: 1) The unexpired term of Colleen Grenz to April 2021; and 2) The three year term to April 2022. (For the May 6, 2019, City Council agenda)

Informational : Appointment application received to serve as a member of the Board of Adjustments, to fill the unexpired term of Harvey Schuh, January 2021. (Will be placed on the May 6, 2019 City Council agenda)

BUILDING, PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE

Considered was the matter of the city-owned, snow damaged storage building at 1100 Railroad Drive.

City Building Inspector Tom Blackmore said the damage repairs is estimated to cost $133,000, with the insurance company’s estimate to pay out the depreciated amount at between $70,000 to $75,000.

City Council Member, Steele suggested the city department heads come up with a suggested plan.

Blackmore said the consensus is to save a portion of the building and demolish the rest of it.  Some city equipment is store in the building, now.

Mayor Heinrich said usage of the building needs to be examined before a decision is made.

The committee recommends the Building Inspector an affected department heads to come up with suggestions.

The committee recommends approval of the plat of Hope Apostolic Addition, Lot 1, Block 1, a re-plat of Lots 1 – 5, Block 14 of Original Plat of Jamestown, within the SW ¼ Section 25, T140N, R64W, Midway Township, City of Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota. The property is located at 424 4th Ave NE.

The committee recommends  approval of the plat of Noah’s Park View Addition, Lot 1, Block 1, a re-plat of Lots 12 and 13, Block 1 of Prairie Park Addition, within the NW ¼ Section 35, T140N, R64W, City of Jamestown, North Dakota. The property is located at 1608 and 1612 10th St SW.

 

Considered was recommending the First Reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact Sections 3, 4, 5 and 7, Appendix C, of the City Code, pertaining zoning regulations as recommended by the City Planning Commission, in the Land Use and Transportation plan, as follows:

SECTION 3: ADD language – 24.1 Overlay District. A zoning district which is applied over one or more previously established zoning districts that establishes additional standards and regulations for covered lots in addition to those allowed by the underlying zoning district.

 

SECTION 4: ADD language – (21) Downtown Overlay District.

 

SECTION 5: ADD – Section 5.9.4 Uses Permitted, Downtown Overlay District

  1. Uses Permited.
  2. Any uses allowed in the underlying zoning district plus any additional

uses, standards or regulations applied in the overlay district.

 

SECTION 7: ADD language – (Replace 2nd sentence in paragraph 1 with) – Properties located in the

Downtown Overlay District are exempt from all off-street parking

requirements.

The committee recommends, approval.

Recommended for approval is a request for special use permit on Jamestown College Subdivision, Block 2, near the University of Jamestown’s Water Tower, in the area of a multiuse building in the future. The request stems from constructing a parking lot in the approved R-3 Zoning District

Informational: Dangerous building designations, specifically the east portion of the snow damaged building at 202 Business Loop West.  The city is working with the building owner to have the center section demolished with the remainer to stand.

A roof garage roof that collapsed at a Northwest Jamestown and will be addressed by the property owner.

CIVIC CENTER AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE

Informational: April 30, 2019, 2:00 PM, bid opening for Civic Center Retractable Wall Replacement. (City Council agenda for bid award, May 6, 2019.)

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 67 followed by replays.