At the June 6 regular city council meeting, Lanesboro resident Sarah Pieper from the Old Village Hall Restaurant addressed the council about her concerns with proposed ordinance 113.11 regarding food trucks. She requested that the annual use license be removed from the ordinance and that the price for single use licenses be increased. She also asked whether the council had considered issues such as the use of neon lights, noise issues such as generators, policing, etc. and whether the food trucks would be required to collect and pay the city tax. After finishing her comments, Pieper read a letter from another Lanesboro resident, Cindy Eversole, who was not able to attend the meeting. Eversole noted that food trucks probably won’t employ local residents and asked the council to consider the impact that would have on Lanesboro teenagers who are seeking summer jobs.
Planning and Zoning had recommended a draft version of ordinance 113.11 to the council who then made some changes to it at a subsequent meeting. A public hearing had been held during the May 2 council meeting to get input from the public on the ordinance at which time the council voted to table the decision on the final draft until the June 6 meeting. Council member Joe Goetzke made a motion to add the 50-foot requirement back into the ordinance, which would prevent food trucks from operating within 50 feet of a licensed restaurant’s property line, but to remove the last part of the original sentence which stated that the distance requirement only applied during the restaurant’s kitchen operating hours. The motion was approved. A motion to only allow food trucks on private property was also approved as well as another one regarding the amount of required insurance for food trucks. Ordinance 113.11 was then approved with the amendments.
Ordinance 30.111 regarding the fee schedule for food trucks was reviewed. The ordinance has not been altered since it was recommended by Planning and Zoning. City Administrator Michele Peterson researched what other cities in Minnesota are charging and reported that the proposed fee schedule for Lanesboro is fairly average and in line with similarly sized cities. It was noted that the ordinance could be amended at any point if the council sees the need to do so. Ordinance 30.111 was approved.
The minutes of the May 2 regular council meeting were approved as well as the minutes from the May 9 and May 11 special meetings. The accounts payable were also approved.
Brian Malm from Bolton and Menk was present at the meeting to discuss the progress on the wastewater treatment facility project. The contractor has been experiencing supply chain delays, pushing the potential start-up date of the plant from June to August. The project is about 73% complete at this time. The council approved pay request #18 from Wapasha Construction for over $591,000.00.
Resolution 2022-28 regarding assessments for the upcoming street project was adopted. Malm noted that a neighborhood informational meeting had been held last week for residents who wished to discuss their proposed assessments and the expected construction schedule has been sent out. “All residents who will be assessed have been properly notified,” Malm said. Council member Mindy Albrecht-Benson asked what would happen if the project goes over budget and was assured that that would not affect the residents’ assessments.
Three bids were received for the street project. Bolton & Menk recommended that the council accept the low bid from Generation X Construction. Resolution 2022-26 accepting the bid was approved.
The city’s lighted Christmas tree is in dire need of repairs as its infrastructure is falling apart. Peterson asked the council to consider how much they want to invest in the tree as the land it sits on is in question due to the property owner passing away. Albrecht-Benson suggested rebuilding the tree to be portable, which would allow it to be moved to a different location if necessary. The matter was tabled until next month.
The next Lanesboro City Council meeting will be held on July 5 at 6 p.m.
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