Hired at the last city council meeting to do a housing study, HGKi, a consultant firm who performs professional planning services for cities and towns, said it would need more than their first estimate of eight hours to complete the work.
Since the last meeting, HGKi upped its estimate to 28 hours to finish the project for the city’s planning and zoning commission.
Under terms of the agreement, HGKi will review the city’s subdivision and zoning ordinances, as well as the city code, zoning and land use maps, and available housing financing tools, at a cost not to exceed $14,550, which council approved.
Council approved a final plat application, which was submitted by Taiga Design+ Builders LLC for Winterstone, a re-subdivision of Block 22, Blackwell’s addition into eight residential lots with a through road.
Councilor Anton Moody, who is an owner in Taiga Design, recused himself from the discussion and in voting.
The project is located between Ninth Street North along the Gunflint Trail not far from the business park.
The plat application will now be reviewed by the planning and zoning commission to see if it conforms to the city’s zoning ordinances and rules.
Council granted a temporary liquor permit to the Grand Marais Art Colony for the Artful Evening that is held in conjunction with the four-day summer art festival held downtown in July.
Buck’s ROW license for fuel tanks
Mayor Jay Arrowsmith Decoux said that during the design process for the upcoming Highway 61 project it was discovered that Buck’s Hardware Hank’s fuel tanks were installed in the public right of way on First Street.
Buck Benson, who owns Buck’s Hardware Hank, reported that the tanks had been installed in 1988 and 1994 and when they were put in place no one requested that he receive a right of way access for their installation.
Following a discussion with Buck and the city attorney Chris Hood, an option was reached that would provide Benson with a reasonable time to remove the tanks while protecting the city from any liability the tanks would pose.
Under terms of the agreement Benson, or another owner should Benson sell the business, will have up to 15 years to remove the tanks. A proviso was included that would allow the city to change the agreement if the city for some reason had to use the right of way.
Also, the city will have no responsibility for the maintenance or condition of the current tanks in the ground, which are both lined and equipped with a monitoring system that displays where any erosion in the tanks is taking place.
Climate change discussion
Shane Steele, the city’s climate action plan coordinator (CAP) updated the Grand Marais City council on the city’s Climate Action Plan draft.
Steele discussed the city’s history concerning climate change, and then brought forth the recently proposed draft climate action plan as submitted by the Grand Marais PUC.
The city is currently conducting an online survey looking for suggestions from the public about the climate action draft; the survey will remain open until May 10. Once the data has been looked at by Steele and city staff, a final draft will be put together and could be on the city’s agenda for a vote as soon as council’s May 29th meeting.
Next meeting
The council’s next meeting will be held Tuesday, May 14 with the Twin Cities firm which is interested in developing the city hall property for work place housing as well as upscale shortterm lodging/ store front space and new liquor store, in attendance to answer questions about the proposal.
North House Folk School Director Greg Wright will also be in attendance to give a report about the folk school, which is always interesting and informative.
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