With only three city councilors in attendance at the board’s Wednesday, November 11 meeting, Mayor Jay Arrowsmith asked that the planned discussion and any action about changing the city’s zoning ordinance be halted until the full board could be on hand. Councilors Tim Kennedy and Kelly Swearengen agreed and the main topic was scrapped for the meeting. Councilors Anton Moody and Craig Schulte weren’t in attendance for the Zoom meeting.
However, the council had more than one agenda item on its plate and the meeting continued on.
Following a thumb’s up from the Planning Commission, the Grand Marais City Council approved a variance for Maria and Mike Conlan to add a roofed shelter over an existing deck eight feet from the front lot line on a lot in the R-1 Permanent Residential Zone.
The variance allows an eight-foot setback rather than the required 25-foot set back. However, the city council noted the requested variance was, “in harmony with the purpose and intent of the ordinance.”
In their request the Conlans wrote, “The roof addition will be used for a home daycare to help kids stay outside longer in cold rainy weather during the covid (pandemic)…It will also help kids stay outside longer even after the covid is over.”
Councilor Kennedy noted the deck roof will follow the existing roofline of the Conlan house, and he encouraged passing the variance while noting the great need for daycare providers in the area.
Council approved amending the Grand Marais Zoning Business Development Area Zone Purpose Statement provided by the EDA.
The new statement reads, “The purpose of the Business Development Area District (BDA) is to enable the creation or expansion of a variety of businesses that enhance the community through job creation and retention, economic activity, property tax and utility support, and the provision of services valued by the community. The BDA is characterized by a variety of types of small businesses, including live-work space where appropriate, that benefit from the setting separated from established residential and commercial areas.”
Council approved hiring Walker, Giroux & Hahne, certified public accountants and consultants, to provide the city with a year-end 2020 audit. The audit will include financial statements of government activities, all business type activity, each major city fund and the city’s aggregate remaining fund information, including notes on the financial statements.
Total cost for the accounting services will run $30,900.
Bob Nesheim’s application to fill an opening on the Grand Marais Park Board was approved. Nesheim will fill the opening left by Jennifer Stolz, who moved out of the city limits and can therefore no longer serve on the park board.
Leave a Reply