SUNFISH LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING - AUGUST 1, 2023

SUNFISH LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

First Calvary Baptist Church – 5495 S Robert Trail

7:00 P.M.

 

Attendants:

Mayor:                                 Dan O’Leary

Councilmembers:            Steven Bulach, Mike Hovey, Shari Hansen and Shannon Nelson

City Attorney:                    Timothy Kuntz

City Forester:                     Jim Nayes

Police Chief:                       Brian Sturgeon

City Engineer:                    Jeff Sandberg

City Planner:                      Lori Johnson

City Clerk:                            Christy Wilcox

City Treasurer:                  Ann Lanoue

 

  1. Call to Order

 

  1. Approve Agenda

                Mayor O’Leary asked if there were any additions or corrections to the agenda.      

                Councilmember Hansen moved to adopt the agenda, seconded by Councilmember Bulach.  Motion carried (5-0).

  1. Consent Agenda

                Moved by Councilmember Hovey, seconded by Councilmember O’Leary to approve the consent agenda.  Motion carried (5-0).

  1. Approve Regular Minutes of July 11, 2023
  2. List of Bills
  3. Monthly Financial Statements
  4. Receive Building Inspection Report
  5. Receive City Forester Report
  6. Receive Public Safety Report

Moved by Councilmember O’Leary, seconded by Councilmember Hansen to authorize staff to conduct the necessary background check for solicitors.  Motion carried (5-0).

  1. Comments from the Public
  • There were no comments from the Public

 

  1. Public Hearing/Presentations

                Dennis Schilling, Chief Building Official, gave an update on the building permit activity in Sunfish Lake.  Mr. Schilling explained that the process is going well and that citizens are able to access all of the information from the Sunfish Lake website.  To date everything is running very smoothly and most everything is coming through email.  West St. Paul  has processed about 32 permits.  The City of West St. Paul has three other building inspectors that are able to cover any of the Sunfish Lake permits that have been applied for.  Mr. Schilling indicated they did receive a spreadsheet of all of the open permits from the previous building inspector and have been working through those permits and have closed about six.  West St. Paul will be invoicing him as per the contract.  Things have also been going extremely well working with the City Engineer and City Planner on processing applications.

                Mr. Schilling said that he is continuing work on the implementation of the building inspection software called TRACiT.  All data information has been sent over to them.  They are currently waiting for the GIS conversion and will keep staff posted.

  1. Planner’s Report:
  • 114 Salem Church Road: M & M Home Contractors have submitted a land use application/fee/escrow for major site and building plan review for a new home on this property.  The property is currently vacant.  The application has been deemed incomplete twice due to incomplete plan submittal.  The applicant was given the August submittal deadline for the September Planning Commission agenda. 
  • 2570 Delaware: The homeowners have been in contact with staff in preparation for the addition of an underground pool/golf greens on this property.  No application has been made at this time, but it is expected that this project would require major site and building plan approval as well as a conditional use permit.  Staff will continue to correspond with the contractors and homeowners to ensure a complete application is submitted. Staff has not heard from this homeowner since the July City Council meeting.
  • 116 Salem Church Road: At the June City Council meeting the property owners at this address expressed their desire to obtain a front yard variance for a home addition.  The property owners have made contact regarding this application and are currently gathering information for a complete application submittal.
  • Miscellaneous:
  • An architect inquired about a possible lot line adjustment at 205 Salem Church Road. A small portion of 205 Salem Church Road would be added to the adjacent lot, 145 Salem Church Road which is owned by same owner.  This would accommodate a new home on 145 Salem Church Road.  In order to do this they will be moving the driveway off of 145 Salem Church Road and relocating to 205 Salem Church Road.  This project is a little ways out.
  • A request from a real estate company asking about the possibility of constructing a prefabricated/modular home within Sunfish Lake. No address was provided.
  • The homeowner at 400 Salem Church Road is considering a detached garage and fencing a garden at this address.
  • The property owner at 3 Sunfish Lane is planning to demolish two accessory structures on the property. They were provided information on the demolition process.
  • The property owner at 2058 Charlton Road is considering remodeling the front entry way of the home.
  • The owner at 415 Salem Church Road is considering installing a pool.
  • Follow-up was done on the code enforcement issue at 2150 Angell Road.
  • Staff will be asking for updated escrows for 205 Salem Church Road and 11 Salem Lane.
  • Ordinance Updates: Several chapters have been redlined and the Mayor and City Planner will be meeting to discuss the proposed ordinance changes.             
  • Also included was the budget information for 2024.
  1. Engineer’s Report:
  • Engineering Activities Undertaken in the Month of July
  • 2024 Budget: Staff refined the draft budget for Engineering and Public Works for 2024.  A draft of the budget documents was attached to the agenda packet.  One change to note from the draft presented at the last meeting is that a Crack and Fog Seal project for Charlton Road is now budgeted in the 2024 CIP.  The next pavement management survey is scheduled for spring 2024 and it can be determined at that time if the maintenance project should go forward.  That project would be funded out of the General Fund (not an assessable project).
  • Building and Site Reviews in the Month of April
  1. 114 Salem Church Road: Staff received a second submission and is performing another review for completeness.  It is expected that this application will be in front of the Planning Commission and City Council later this summer.
  2. 10 Acorn: Staff has received a wetland report but is still waiting on the complete application submission.
  3. 205 Salem Church Road: Staff reviewed concept plans for a potential lot split and Major Site Plan application.
  4. 410 Salem Church Road: Staff coordinated the site erosion controls inspection prior to project start.
  5. 415 Salem Church Road: Staff discussed requirement of an application for adding a pool at this property with the applicant and City Planner.
  6. 11 Salem Lane: Staff coordinated the site erosion controls inspection and items that required attention after the project starts.
  7. 3 Sunfish Lane: Staff corresponded with the applicant and City Planner regarding potential demolition of an existing garage and the demolition permit process.
  • Public Works Activities Undertaken in the Month of April
  1. Grieve Glen Lane: Staff is investigating a potential sink hole and/or pipe failure in the boulevard at Grieve Glen Lane that was brought to the attention of staff by a resident.  It appears that the storm sewer pipe is separated below the surface and the soil on the top is going into the pipe and out into the wetlands.  The Mayor and City Council were sent an email on what options are available.  Staff spoke with the City’s snowplow contractor who does excavating and storm sewer work and he offered to go and take a look and provide a break down of hourly costs for equipment he would need to dig up the area and determine what the situation is. The options moving forward are the City could be on an hourly time and materials basis or we could have a company come with a camera to go view the pipe.  Staff is recommending excavate the area and determine what the fix will be and believes the cost would not exceed $7,000.

Moved by Mayor O’Leary, seconded by Councilmember Nelson to concur with the recommendation of the City Engineer regarding the work needed to fix the pipe on Grieve Glen Lane as soon as possible.  Motion carried (5-0).

8. NEW/OTHER MATTERS:

  • Question was raised regarding some heavy equipment on Salem Church Road that did some damage. The City Engineer is not sure as to why but believes it is because there is so much activity going on.

 

  1. Adjournment

        Mayor O’Leary adjourned the meeting at 7:36 p.m.

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________                     ___________________________________

Christy Wilcox, City Clerk                                   Dan O’Leary, Mayor