City Hall 4Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — The Jamestown City Council’s Finance & Legal, Building, Planning & Zoning, and Civic Center and Promotion Committees met Tuesday evening (Jul 23, 2013) at City Hall.  All members were present.

Under Finance & Legal Committee business:

The committee considered the request for reinstatement of the original $100,000 of Economic Development Funds for FLEX PACE funding for Buffalo City Rotisserie Grill with the City Share to be 100% and paid from the City Sales Tax Fund.

The original amount was de-obligated by the JSDC. Council Member Brubakken moved to fund at $54,000 which failed on a 3-2 vote. The committee voted 3-2 to  recommend approving the original $100,000.

 

The committee recommends approving the JSDC 2014 draft Budget requesting $232,000 from the City Sales Tax Fund and $83,000 Stutsman County levy for Economic Development.

 

Also recommended for approval was a request from JSDC for $33,810 from Economic Development Funds to pay the 2014 Stutsman County dues for the South Central Dakota Regional Council with the City Share to be $21,300 and paid from the City Sales Tax Fund.

 

The committee discussed a letter from Laurie Markegard relative to transients in the residential area south of Wal-Mart.

The letter describes how trespassing and transients have been a problem for the Markegards since Jamestown’s new Walmart opened in 2008, where she says there are many transients. She said there are strangers on their property on daily basis, including a convicted sex offender, and an individual drinking alcohol on their property.In her letter she told of finding a tent on her property surrounded by “several empty soup cans, pop cans and toilet paper,” asking people walking dogs on their yard to leave and seeing a man urinate in their yard.Markegard said she is also concerned with the Jamestown Police Department’s response to her family’s calls.She said police told her that nothing could be done because the individual “wasn’t caught in the act.” She said her 5 and 8 year old children cannot play freely in their own yard.

Council Member Gumke said the property is outside city limits, and the proper agency to contact is the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office.  He also suggested posting “no tresspassing signs.”  Those in violation could then be arrested.

City Council Member Dan Buchanan said there needs to be an addressing of the zoning classification of Walmart’s property, to see if overnight camping is allowed there.

Walmart Manager, John Schaefer said the store has ordered “no parking” signs, to limit parking to those with Walmart business.The store will ban camping and overnight parking starting August  4, 2013,  a local decision, and  some Walmarts in western North Dakota are also banning camping.

Mayor Andersen said the city ordinance will be reviewed to update it regarding  panhandling issues and enforcement.

The committee took no action, with a First Reading of an Ordinance to come to the August City Council meeting.

 

The committee considered the request from Dean Hafner and Clyde Schmaltz to use special assessment provisions (provided in Section 8 of Appendix B of the City Code) relative to the development of additional lots in the Meadow’s Addition on 3rd Street Northeast. The committee recommends approving the request on a 4-1 vote.

 

The committee reviewed information provided to the Committee members relative to beekeeping in the City with a valid permit.The city will have to develop an Ordinance in order to regulate beekeeping, which would be more restrictive than state law, concerning placement of hives and safeguards, and notification of neighbors. The city would then have approval of a permit application.Mayor Andersen said the state law is appropriate for enforcement and regulation.The committee voted recommend the City Attorney develop and Ordinance regulating beehives in the city.

 

The committee recommends the acquisition of a utility easement from Farmer’s Union for the Sanitary Sewer Main Construction Project, in the amount of $10,000, for the Utility Easement and $3,500 for a temporary construction easement.

 

Also discussed was the Second reading of an Ordinance to create and enact a new Chapter 27 of the City Code pertaining to the regulation of sexually oriented businesses of adult cabarets and escort services, is scheduled for the August 5, 2013 City Council meeting.At the meeting discussed was distance exclusions, problems regarding minimum distances to locate a business from residential, churches, schools and existing liquor establishments. It was indicated that M-1 and M-2 Manufacturing zoning is interspersed in the city, to obtain the proposed distances. The Mayor suggested that fencing of an establishment might be the answer to the distance issue, along with sound and visibility concerns.The city will look at other cities Ordinances pertaining to fencing and noise and visibility issues.

 

Informational:

Monthly departmental reports were presented.

It was noted that a public hearing and action relative to the request for the vacation of the unvacated alley portion adjacent to Lots 8, 9, that portion of Lot 10 line perpendicular to the east lot line of Lot 32, and all Lots 32 & 33, Block 9, Kelley & Fuller’s 2nd Addition, all to the City of Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota, is scheduled for the August 5, 2013, City Council meeting.

A public hearing and second reading of Ordinance No. 1399, introduced by Council

Member Gumke, for the annexation of Lots 1 thru 10, Block 1; Lots 1 thru 10, Block 2; Lots 11 thru 35, Block 3; and Lots 1 thru 28, Block 4, all Marjo First Addition & all rightof- ways included in and adjacent to said annexation area, Bloom Township, within the NE¼ of Section 30, Township 140 North, Range 63 West, Stutsman County, North Dakota, is scheduled for the August 5, 2013, City Council meeting.

 

Building, Planning & Zoning Committee:

Under Informational items:

Draft Minutes of the July 8, 2013, Planning Commission meeting.

Revised application forms included submitted by SRF Consultants were reviewed including:

Change in Zoning

Approval of a Plat

Special Use Permit

The forms will be available on the city’s web site.

 

The second reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact a Section of the City Code pertaining to uses permitted in R-3 Districts, is scheduled for the August 5, 2013, City Council meeting.

 

The committee recommended the approval of the plat of Walicski’s Third Extension.

 

Civic Center and Promotion Committee:

Informational:

Requests for Proposals for a Guaranteed Savings Project for the Jamestown Civic Center are due by July 26, 2013, and will be placed on the August 5, 2013, City Council agenda.

 

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