SAV 83-01r
CITY OF FRIDLEY
PLANNING COMMISSION MEET. JUNE 8, 1983
CALL TO ORDER:
Vice -Chairperson Oquist lle<eJune , 1983, Planning Commission meeting
to order at 7:32 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Members Present: Mr. uist,s. Gabel, Mr. Kondrick, Mr. Svanda,
;r/s.Schnabel
Goodspeed
Members Absent:
Others Present- Jerrold Boardman, City Planner
Richard & Sonia Peterson, 247 - 5 Place
Lawrence & Joyce Zimmerman, 5380 4th t. N.E.
Laura Vagovich, 5400 4th St. N.E.
APPROVAL OF MAY 18, 1983, PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES:
MOTION BY W. KONDRICK, SECONDED BY MR. SABA, TO APPROVE THE JUNE 8, 1983,
PLANNING * COMMISSION MINUTES AS WRITTEN.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE -CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
1. VACATION REQUEST: SAV #83-01, PETITION NO. 4-83: Vacate the Easterly
TW..70 feet of t venueeta ween Blocks Viand 13, Hamilton's Addition
to Mechanicsville, by the owners of 5380 and 5400 4th Street N.E.
Mr. Boardman stated this was the area where Dr. J. C. Schurstein had proposed to put
an office building back in Dec. 1980. There is a service road that comes in and
cul-de-sacs right along University Ave. There is an unpaved alley at this location
that is used to service the backs of the properties along 4th St. It also
services apartments and some businesses.
Mr. Boardman stated the vacation request is for a portion of 54th Ave. between
Blocks 12 and 13. The vacation request is being made by the two property owners
on either side..
Mr. Boardman stated the alley is being used and at some point in time, the City
is going to have to pave that alley as long as it is being used. If the alley
is paved, they would have to make sure there was access on both ends. At this
point in time, the City has been opposed to a vacation of that portion of
54th Ave., primarily because there is no way out of the alley, and the logical
way for circulation within that area would be to come up to 54th Ave. An alter-
native would be to come down and connect into the cul-de-sac, but that may not be
an appropriate way to go.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, JUNE'8, 1983 PAGE 2
Mr. Boardman stated that when Dr. Schurstein proposed the development of an
office building in this location, as a condition of the permit, the City Council
required that Dr. Schurstein pay for the improvement of the alley. Because of
that, Dr. Schurstein did not build, and the alley is still unimproved.
Mr. Boardman stated that in their consideration of this vacation request, the
Planning Commission should consider what is going to be done with that alley
and at what point they want access. The Engineering Dept. has said the best
possible way for access is back up to 4th St. That would be in direct conflict
with this vacation request.
Ms. Laura Vagovich, 5400 4th St. N.E., stated she has lived in Fridley for 34 yrs.
Her house was moved twice, once for Highway 100 and again for I-694. She has
maintained this portion of the street for 34 years. She stated she would like
to have the protection of not having people going through there. People drive
through there and dump things in the bushes and trees, and she has even had
things stolen out of her garden. She stated she had assumed for years that this
road was already vacated and had maintained it because she thought it was vacated.
Mr. Lawrence Zimmerman, 5380 4th St. N.E., stated it was his intention to put up
a retaining wall and use the 30 ft. gained from the vacation to build a road to
a garage.he would build on his property.
Mr. Boardman stated that even if they vacated the street right-of-way, they would
want to retain the southern half of the street for storm sewer.
Mr. Zimmerman stated the most logical way and the cheapest way for the alley
access was to go out on the cul-de-sac.
Mr. Oquist asked if it would be feasible to put a turn -around area by using the
portion of 54th Ave. that is not vacated plus the portion of the street they want
vacated.
Mr. Boardman stated that if they are going to retain 30 ft. for easement, why
not retain another 30 ft. so if the alley is ever improved, they can get access.
He stated if the property owners wanted to fence this portion of the street, they
could do so right now. The problem is that if at any point in time a road would
be required to go in there, that fence would be removed at no cost to the City.
Mr. Zimmerman stated the main reason for the vacation request is so he can build
a garage with access off 4th St. He did not intend to use the alley, because it
is 2-3 feet below his property. He is going to have to put up a retaining wall
at the back of his property.
Mr. Boardman stated it was his understanding that if the property owner put a
fence or a driveway over the easement, if"the City has to dig up that easement,
the City is not responsible for putting back blacktop or fencing. It would be
the property owner's responsibility to put back whatever was torn up.
a
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JUNE B. 1983 PAGE 3
Mr. Boardman agreed with the fact that there is never going to be a street
connection in there that would utilize the whole 60 ft. He had no problem with
vacating the street right-of-way, but they should retain the storm sewer and
access easement. In that sense, the property is no longer owned by the City of
Fridley but needhe togo property
hrow owners; i habut roadhorCaccessuld forsthelalley,nan theyecanment
use
so ifthey n 9 9
that easement.
Mr. Oquist stated another alternative would be to access by the highway property
if the Highway Dept. turns that property over to the City.
Ms. Yagovich stMredZ�hmmerman can buildrman had a garagesandeaccess onto the main purpose
for
Theythe
vacation is so
will jointly maintain the property.
Mr. Boardman stated that if Mr. Zimmerman puts in his garage and accesses onto
4th St. raer de the
in effectsr placesfhisedrivewaysand heved woulddstillshaes vt
o the
street gra
have access
,
onto the alley.
MOTION BY MR. KONDRICK, SECONDED BY MR. SVANDA, TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVAL OF VACATION REQUEST, SAV N83-01, PETITION NO. 4-83, TO VACATE 54TH AVENUE
ALL THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY PROPERTY AND THAT THE CITY OF FRIDLEY RETAIN ACCESS
EASEMENT OVER THE TOP OF THE EXISTING 30 FT. UTILITY EASEMENT.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, VICE -CHAIRPERSON OQUIST DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Mr. Boardman stated the public hearing at City Council on this vacation request
would be on July 11, 1983.
2.
L SPLIT REQUEST, L.S. #83-02 BY RICHARD & SONIA
f L t 13 Rlnr_LP�,
.E.
Lot 12,,and the Westerly 30 feet o
buildin sits, the same being 241 - 57th P1
Split off
ew, to make a new
Mr. Boardman st ed the petitioners own Lot 2, 13, 14, and 15. These are 40
ft. lots totalling 60 ft. of lot area. hey are requesting to split off
Lot 12 and the weste 30 ft. of Lot so that Lots 12 and 13 will become a
70 ft. lot. The depth the lot i 40 ft. It does meet the 9,000 sq.
Aft.
lot
lot requirement and meets 11 of requirements as far as lot splits.
split does require a park fe $500. The park fee is payable at the time of
approval of the lot split ues - however, the City Council may defer collection
to thetime
a Thor ind
rm
iswouldpendioniwhethuesttehe petitionerividrequestedual lots cthetCityysuch a
Council
lot split.
to delay payment of park fee.
The petitioners wey in the audience.