What this meeting did about specific topics, organized by issue rather than by document.
Nowthen Fire Department transition
The Council reviewed proposed policies for the newly created Nowthen Fire Department and discussed authorizing the hiring process for firefighters transitioning from Ramsey Fire. The discussion covered legal review, the possibility of future policy amendments, medical/psychological/background checks, the expected timing of the transition, and the pending legislative work for the relief association transition.
Agenda: AI-001. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Chief Lawrence, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Blake.
Farmers Market lease, staffing, and liaison
The Council reviewed Farmers Market consent items for the March 9 meeting. Members discussed the $1 annual lease with Rademacher Family Partnership, suggested Councilmember Rainville continue as Council liaison, and discussed whether a stipend should be researched for the volunteer market coordinator because of the work involved.
Agenda: AI-002. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Councilmember Blake, Councilmember Rainville.
Anoka County economic development cost sharing
The Council discussed the voluntary Anoka County economic development cost-sharing agreement. The mayor described county economic-development assistance with business matching, internet work, and COVID relief outreach to businesses, and the packet showed a $20,000 countywide budget with Nowthen's contribution calculated at $0.057 per resident.
Agenda: AI-002. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Councilmember Blake, Lori Streich.
Carr's Tree Service/McCallum Property at 19477 St. Francis Blvd.
The Council discussed the revised Carr's Tree Service plan for the McCallum property. The revised layout stayed off the pipeline easement, showed truck turnaround, increased the south buffer from 58 feet to 80 feet, and required a 20-foot variance from the 100-foot bufferyard standard. The Council discussed opening the March 9 meeting with the related public hearing.
Agenda: AI-003. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman, Councilmember Blake.
Leistico Estates plat and street paving deferral
The Council briefly reviewed the Leistico Estates plat and CUP for deferring street construction. Members noted the matter had taken about a year to work through and appeared to have reached a point where both the applicants and the City were satisfied with the conditions.
Agenda: AI-004. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman, Councilmember Blake.
Snow removal ordinance and resident education
The Council discussed Ordinance 2020-04 and the accompanying education materials for snow removal. Members praised the diagram, refined wording to emphasize that pushing snow across the road is against state law, discussed using the newsletter for general education, and suggested targeted letters to problem properties.
Agenda: AI-005. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Councilmember Greenberg, Councilmember Rainville, Elizabeth Stockman.
Self-storage and outdoor storage regulation
The Council discussed whether Nowthen should study limits on self-storage facilities and outdoor storage. The planner explained that Nowthen already restricts self-storage to the industrial district, but Council members were concerned about becoming known for outdoor storage and asked staff to look at indoor/outdoor definitions and what neighboring communities are doing.
Agenda: AI-006. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman, Councilmember Blake, Councilmember Greenberg.
Illegal habitation at 19111 Cleary Road
The Council discussed the Engren property at 19111 Cleary Road, where a family was reportedly living in a pole shed that had been the subject of prior enforcement. Members focused on health and safety concerns, including lack of legal egress and unverified building, plumbing, and septic compliance, and discussed giving a firm deadline and using the administrative citation process if the occupants did not vacate.
Agenda: AI-007. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Greenberg, Councilmember Blake.
Illegal habitation at 5270 189th Avenue
The Council discussed the 5270 189th Avenue complaint involving people living in trailers on a property with an unfinished and uninhabitable house. The planner said this case was more flexible than the Cleary Road matter but that the property owner needed to contact the building official, obtain a path to complete the house, and move forward under the administrative enforcement process if no appointment was made.
Agenda: AI-007. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman.
CUP and IUP records cleanup
The Council discussed a citywide review of old CUPs and IUPs to determine which are active, inactive, or noncompliant. The discussion favored starting with a small batch of likely inactive permits, explaining the process to owners, and possibly revoking inactive permits in grouped public-hearing actions at little or no cost to residents where owners agree.
Agenda: AI-008. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Elizabeth Stockman, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Greenberg, Lori Streich.
Fee schedule revisions
The Council reviewed the proposed fee schedule and discussed corrections and clarifications. Topics included North Metro animal-control fee questions, removing the $300 cap on administrative hearing costs, clarifying recycling charges for RV gas/ammonia appliances, changing recording of deeds to $46, and clarifying resident-only free or reduced Historic Town Hall use and annual refundable deposits for regular user groups.
Agenda: AI-009. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Lori Streich, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Greenberg, Elizabeth Stockman.
Employment and personnel policy update
The Council discussed the draft employment and personnel policy. Follow-up items included reviewing the extended medical benefit and possible short-term or long-term disability insurance, asking the attorney about reduction in pay after demotion, creating a personnel committee, setting spending authority limits for staff and council members, reviewing complaint forms, and adding current job descriptions.
Agenda: AI-010. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Blake, Lori Streich.
Spring newsletter and recycling day
The Council discussed the spring newsletter deadline and recycling day. The clerk said a March 22 newsletter deadline would get the newsletter to mailboxes the week of April 26, and Council discussed whether members would continue staffing recycling day and whether larger coupons or one free household-appliance disposal would encourage residents to bring in bulky items.
Agenda: AI-011. Speakers: Mayor Pilon, Lori Streich, Councilmember Rainville, Councilmember Greenberg, Councilmember Blake.