Posted: 3/27/02

FL Council: Denial of zoning change upheld

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

Property owners Joe Labernik and John Sever did not get what they wanted from the Forest Lake City Council when it met Monday.

The council denied a request of Labernik of Forest Lake and Sever, of Lino Lakes, to construct a 6000 square foot assessory building on 122 acres of land in the former township. The property owners were appealing the ruling of the city staff.

The land is zoned Conservance and is laid out in the Comprehensive Plan for conservancy and wetlands. To build an assessory structure would have required a zoning change.

There are five horses on the land and Labernik and Sever said they planned to produce alfalfa and hay on five to six acres of high pasture land.

The balance of the land is used for hiking and hunting.

The owners said there was no magic number in 6000 square feet and were willing to reduce the size if necessary.

ìIf you want to object to the size we have no problem with that,î Sever said.

Acting Mayor Tom Lynch said it was not the time to make changes to the zoning, as the comprehensive plans of both communities will be reviewed and combined into one plan for the unified city.

ìMy feeling is weíre going to leave it wild until we have a chance to review the zoning,î Lynch said.

Assessment

The council adopted the final assessment for Jody Avenue, 203rd Street and 204th Streets.

Jeffrey Benson, who missed the public hearing, came to the council to address his concerns about the roadway.

He said the road is too high and his ditch is littered with gravel.

However, after reviewing minutes from Forest Lake Township meetings, Lynch said the residents got exactly what they petitioned for: a basic hard surface road with no garnishes.

ìThe people who requested the road didnít want to pay for anything above the minimum,î Lynch said. ìYou got what you asked for. You didnít want a Cadillac.î

Benson said it was up to the engineers to determine what was needed on the road.

ìI think it was up to the engineering staff to know how to build a road,î he said. ìIíve got nothing but rock in my yard. Iím not seeing how this is an improvement.î

While the city adopted the assessment role, once the spring weather arrives city staff will determine what changes are necessary and then make those changes, the council said.

Other business

In other actions taken by the Forest Lake City Council Monday night:

ï Gina Doyscher was appointed to the Human Rights Commission.

ï Approved a one-day liquor license for Northwoods Humane Society at the American Legion for May 3, 2002.

ï Denied a concept plan for Clear Lake Meadows.

ï Approved the final plat for Summerfields fourth addition.

ï Approved concept plans for Evergreen Ridge, Carriage Homes and Terry Miller housing developments.

Meetings

The Forest Lake City Council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in the Forest Lake City Council chambers. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 8.

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