Regular
Meeting
August
21, 2012
Crow Wing Town Hall
6:00 p.m.
Board Members Present: Chairman
Mark Platta, Supervisors Greg Smith and Dave Schultz and Clerk Virginia Rogers and Treasurer Susan Goodew.
Mark called the meeting to order and the pledge to the
flag was recited.
There were no gopher bounties claimed.
PLANNING
& ZONING
Dave had been asked to be present during the cleanup at
Engholm’s. He reported that a makeshift roof had been put up, under which Mr. Engholm had moved many items thinking
they would then not be removed. He has been informed that the items will be removed but he will be given until Monday morning
at 8:00 a.m. to move anything he wishes to keep into a building. John Vukelich was present from the Sheriff’s Department
and answered questions. Deputies had been called to the property three different times during the cleanup process. A deputy’s
presence was requested for next Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. at which time the contractor will be present. Dave will not be
able to be there and Mark and Greg will not be available either. John took Greg’s phone number so that he can be contacted
for direction if it is needed.
Rob Anthony was present to discuss his property. Greg and
Brad had visited the property. A need for additional screening and other items had been identified and Rob had been asked
to present a plan for completing these tasks. Rob stated that he had been unable to complete any of the tree planting prior
to the meeting, but assured the board that it will be completed all at once within the next two weeks. This will hopefully
block the view of the salvage area. Once that is done the fence can be taken down. The front yard will be have to be kept
in order. There are other guidelines for salvage yards in the ordinance that will need to be met. The township will work with
Rob to meet these guidelines one at a time. A permit for the business will need to be issued, but cannot be given until the
salvage yard requirements are all met. Rob will attend the September 25th meeting and by that date all of the tree
planting is to be completed.
A report had been received that a good deal of Engholm’s
items were taken to Bill Jillson’s property.
Jim and Karen Thelen had purchased a home to place on their
lot in the Sophie-Rowan development, for which the township issued a land use permit. The home they purchased to place there
did not meet the criteria of the homeowners association and the Thelen’s were informed that the association will not
allow the home. Therefore, they purchased a different lot in the township. They
have since purchased a second permit and have requested that as much as possible of the first permit fee be refunded. The
Planning Commission recommendation is to refund $750. Greg made a motion to refund the $750. The motion was seconded by Mark
and passed unanimously. The planning commission has also asked the town board to consider the county’s change in acreage
minimums for Ag/Forestry districts from 10 to 35 acres. This has generated multiple complaints for the county and the township
planning commission would like to avoid these same problems in our own township. Information from Community Growth Institute
and from the township attorney was reviewed. The planning commission is meeting again on August 27th to continue
working on the ordinance.
Multiple complaints have been received about the Dillon
property on Town Hall Street. A letter will be sent to the property owner requesting information on titles and registrations,
as well as identifying that the fence may possibly be in the right of way.
The board discussed the multiple complaints received about
excessive barking and howling by a dog belonging to Jeanne Hartmann in the plat of Nature Path. Six different township residents
have filed complaints over the past two weeks about the dog and one additional township resident was present to file a complaint
in person, bringing the number of families who have complained to seven. Deputy
Vukelich said that they can speak with the owners of dogs that are causing problems like this. If the complaints are ongoing
it can be deemed a public nuisance and a ticket can be issued. The residents were instructed to call the Sheriff’s Department
when the dog is barking and they will document the number of complaints that have been verified. A letter will be sent to
the dog’s owner concerning the complaints received and inviting her to attend the next meeting.
A request has been received to install a warning siren
in the township. Costs were reviewed and input was given by various residents in attendance, who were concerned about the
cost and the limited range of one siren. It was determined that it would be cost prohibitive to install as many of these as
would be required in order to cover the entire township. The topic will be discussed at the next Annual Meeting however, to
give more residents an opportunity to have input.
The water issues in the Oak Ridge South plat were discussed.
An email had been received from Beth Hippert at Crow Wing County Soil & Water. Discussion followed concerning if a culvert
could be installed following their guidelines, which state that it can’t be installed below the elevation of the wetland.
The possibility of installing a cattle grate style culvert was discussed. Greg is going to look into the elevations and see
if this might work.
Diana St. Onge was present to discuss the fence that she
has erected in the right of way of Barrows Ave. She stated that the fence is even with the fire number sign and behind the
mailbox. She said that she erected the fence due to fast traffic on the road and that it’s very important to her to
have the fence there to protect her grandchildren. Mark explained that the law says that obstructions can’t be allowed
in the right of way. Deputy Vukelich was asked for his opinion. He said that a fence must be constructed outside the road
right of way and that snowmobile traffic is allowed to travel in the road right of way, which is not her property even if
she mows it and takes care of it. Greg made a motion to allow the fence to remain for the purpose of protecting her grandchildren
when they are playing in the yard. The motion died for lack of a second. Dave said he would like to see the fence 33 feet
from the center of the road because this would be consistent with other road right of ways in the township, since Barrows
Avenue is the only street with an 80 foot right of way. Diana asked that she either be allowed to keep the fence there or
have to remove it because it’s either right or wrong. Deputy Vukelich suggested requesting a speed trailer and also
said we could check with Maple Grove Township to see how they have done with the sleeping bobbies on Leisure Lane. The speed
trailer will be requested right away and the board will look into the other options. This will be discussed again at the September
25th meeting by which time other options for controlling the speed can be pursued.
A call had been received from a CLC instructor who asked
if her students would be able to volunteer to help with any sort of project in the township that would have an environmental
impact. Rob Anthony was asked if this sort of help would be something he is interested in and he said it might be.
An update was given on the cemetery project. The work will
continue.
Greg, Mark carried- letter to Robertson and Wakefield –
inspection to be done after the 9/25 meeting. If violation resolved before then, they should attend the meeting. Up to $420
cost.
Susie gave the treasurer’s report and claims and
payroll were approved and paid.
The minutes of the July 24th and July 31st
minutes were reviewed. Greg made a motion to accept the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Dave and passed unanimously.
Correspondence
was reviewed and the meeting adjourned by general consent at 10:07 p.m.
