In an effort to develop a long-term planning strategy and identify needs for consideration in future budgets, Grand Marais city councilors decided Feb. 11 to hold a day-long workshop sometime next month.
City Administrator Mike Roth broached the topic at council’s prior meeting and was asked to compile some information about the various options. Roth reiterated Feb. 11 that there are many different ways to go about the process–each with its own timeline and cost–and it is up to council to decide which process is most suitable, the scope of the undertaking and hoped-for results, and how much time and resources they are willing to invest.
The city administrator recommended the day-long planning workshop as a way to review past plans, projects and issues. “After this session… council will be in a better position to make decisions about strategic planning,” Roth said.
Councilor Tim Kennedy, who is the lone holdover from the previous board, agreed that an all-day session with the city’s department heads is the best way to go, rather than trying to incorporate planning process into the agenda for regular meeting. “This isn’t something we can do in an hour or two,” he said.
“We want to accomplish something, and it will take some time.”
There was general agreement, with Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux observing that the new councilors who took office at the beginning of the year) are still in the “getting up to speed phase” and reading about and reviewing planning efforts and strategies taken up by previous councils.
Councilors also said they plan to meet individually with the department heads and tour the city’s facilities in order to familiarize themselves with the city’s holdings and needs.
The first priority is likely to be the creation of a priority list. The existing list hasn’t been updated in several years, and with so many new council members, it makes sense to develop a list of items they feel is important now, Roth said. A list of priorities can include such things as capital improvement plans, visioning, review of the the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (which is in the process of being updated) and Park Master Plan, and recodifying the City Code and ordinances.
Roth said he will continue work on his summaries of past projects and the progress (or lack thereof) of each, and encouraged councilors to try to get a grasp of what’s been done or discussed in the past in preparation for the daylong planning session, tentatively set for March 16.
In a related matter, Roth presented a summary of planning and zoning-related actions that took place in 2014. Notably, there were 33 land use permits granted totaling $3.32 million in value; one sign permit; two variances granted (allowing construction of 130-foot-tall communications tower at the Law Enforcement Center; and the developers of Grand Lakeview to build duplexes with zero side-yard setbacks); a conditional use permit for the YMCA to erect an internally illuminated sign; preliminary plat approval for Grand Lakeview to create 24 twin home lots (on undeveloped property above Gofer Cabins); and adoption of a zoning ordinance amendment adding a definition of retail uses that allows manufacturing of items to be retailed.
Issues pending before the planning commission, carried over from previous years, include Grand Lakeview’s final plat and developer’s agreement with the city; Comprehensive Plan update (adopted in 1992); and review of statutes governing septic regulations, vacation rentals, and residential uses in the business park.
Arrowsmith DeCoux said the information would be helpful as council moves ahead with its planning. “ believe we’re moving forward pretty responsibly,” he said.
In other business:
. Tracy Benson, who was appointed to fill a council vacancy at the prior meeting, was named council’s representative on the PUC board, North Shore Management Board and personnel committee. The appointments distribute the workload more fairly among the councilors because the board lacked a fifth member when the appointments were originally made in January.
. Benson suggested some ideas to streamline the meetings and improve efficiency, namely timed agendas and written summaries from each councilor in lieu of oral reports during the meetings. Roth said he would try the new format beginning with the next agenda provided he has the councilors’ reports in time for inclusion in the board packet.
. Roth said he has still not received any information or a quote from the contractor who was asked to look into the feasibility of renovating vacant space in City Hall into public restrooms. However, said Roth, he was told, “You’re up next,” so the information should be available soon.
. A number of letters of support for grant funding will be sent to the appropriate agencies at council’s direction. They include construction of mountain bike and other recreational trails; reconstruction of two tennis courts; and a bullet-point informational letter to prospective customers of a biomass district heating facility explaining the city’s recent action to take on and lead the project, which previously had been done by the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP).
Leave a Reply