HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 08-12 Council hesitates to grant sewer permit THE REVIEW Council hesitates to grant sewer permit
By JONATHON CLYDE GLASS give special permission.Lift stations cost absorb the cost of maintaining the lift one year extension on the special use
Staff Writer $5,000 per year in routine maintenance station in order to get permission to begin permit allowing Health Resources,
and are not as reliable as sanitary sewers, construction right away,he continued. Incorporated (HAI) to operate its
The immediate development of the 15 he told the council. The city's corn- These concessions had been enough to medical programs in the old Hazelwood
acre Acorn Greenhouse property,in the prehensive plan calls for the elimination convince the Planning Commission to School, 2696 Hazelwood Ave. HRI also
bo area southeast of the intersection of of all lift stations,so it is not appropriate approve the Christensen proposal by a won permission to erect an internally
U,McKnight Road and Larpenteur Avenue, to grant permission for installation of nine to one vote.But council members illuminated, eight by five foot,
N.hinges on the reliability and expense of an another,even on a temporary basis,he proved more reluctant to grant an ex- freestanding sign on its front lawn.
Ninterim lift station in the proposed explained. ception, arguing that other developers The council still could not agree on a
'Nil development's sewer system. "Essentially your plan calls for a working in areas isolated from the final formula for the city's sign or-
The owner of the property,Howard P. moratorium of development on this site," sanitary sewer would make similar dinance, however. The proposed or-
Christensenand Son,Inc.,requested Aug. said Dick Nowlin, attorney for requests. dinance requires highway billboard to be
5 S that the Maplewood City Council give it Christensen,repeating that the expansion "We'd get boxed in,believe me,we do spaced at least 1,000 feet apart, and
permission to use a lift station even of the sanitary sewer system there is get boxed in," said council member billboards in residential areas to be at
though it goes against city policy calling years away."What we propose is private Norman Anderson."We'll be asked to do least 200 feet apart.The maximum area
for reliance on gravity sewers. This redevelopment of land that has long been the same thing elsewhere as we do for of any sign would be 650 square feet,
property will not be connected to the uneconomical,"he added. you, and that's our problem," he con- according to the proposal.
gravity sewer system for at least several The Christensen family has owned this tinued. Council members Fran Juker and
years,and Christensen can not afford to property for 70 years and can no longer Managers of the Hillcrest Develop- Anderson were not satisfied with this
wait that long, said Henry Votel, the afford to operate the greenhouse,Votel ment,a 126 acre parcel next to the Acorn formula. Juker argued that highway
realtor representing Christensen. said. Christensen has already made property,already informed the council in billboards do not necessarily help local
Maplewood Public Works Director Ken several changes in his plan to comply with an April 24 letter that if Acorn gets a businesses,distract drivers and are an
Haider advised the council to refuse to neighbor's requests, and is willing to special consideration, "we will expect eyesore.
and insist upon the same consideration for Anderson reiterated her arguments.He
our land." told his fellow council members that
Upon a motion by council member Gary many people tell him that they are
Bastian,council members agreed to table against more billboards,but then do not
the decision and hold a special meeting attend the council meetings to back up his
Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in order to give statements.The council agreed to table
Christensen's lawyer the opportunity to the vote on the billboard regulations until
convince them that special permission for its Aug.20 meeting when Anderson will
Acorn would not set a precedent ap- have one more chance to organize those
plicable to other developers. who agree with him and demonstrate
In other action,the council approved a public sentiment against billboards.