Alice Pickering
Linwood Area ReporterLinwood Town Board supervisors Tuesday, May 11 authorized Town Clerk Judy Hanna to advertise for bids for house clean-up of two properties. Among criteria are the company is licensed and bonded and a time limit set for the work.
A great improvement can be made at the Drecshel house on Typo Creek if the old cars and boats can be removed, officials said.
Supervisors said they are trying to develop a clear plan with an ultimatum.
According to Attorney Gerald Randall, no one attended the hearing related to clean-up of the house owned by Terry McBride on Sunrise Road. McBride asked for more time to complete the clean-up, but Randall doubted the board would extend it.
A decision from the Anoka County District Court authorized the township to proceed with its own arrangements.
Supervisor Rudi McCurdy said he believes the township ìshould not back down the least little bit,î saying the board should ìenforce the order and get it done as soon as possible.î
Lot split
Supervisors granted a conforming lot split to Stanley Seidel who wishes to split off a piece of land by metes and bounds.
The newly created lot will have 200 feet of road frontage on Rutgers Street. However, both lots have 300 feet of road frontage on Fawn Lake Road.
This meets township road frontage requirements. A decision about Seidelís park dedication fee will be referred to the parks commission.
The board tabled a decision about a variance request from the building ordinance, specific to the requirements for an acceptable house site. Requirements of ordinance 99B include a 20,000 square-foot area, one foot above the historic high water mark (mottled soil) and of that, 11,000 square feet must be three feet above the historic high water markt.
All the lots in Typo Creek Estates were approved as building sites in 2000. Some of these lots were retained by K&H Developers.
A decision is to be reached at the May 25 meeting.
Fire Chief report
According to Fire Chief Rich Gabrick there have been few inquiries about the FireWise Program, established to help homeowners make the outside their homes safer by providing tips about location of trees, shrubs, and trimming practices. The program has provided builders with information about clearing lots in preparation for building.
Residents can learn what precautions to take around homes to keep brush and trees trimmed to minimize danger from fire. The program ends this month. Residents seeking information should call the township office, 651-462-2812.
New 800 MgHz mobile and hand held radios have been ordered for the fire department. Gabrick reported that with only the two transmission towers in the area, these units work better than the current system which leaves gaps in signals.
As soon as a planned third tower is completed, communication will be better.
The DNR has offered to the department, an F350 turbo-diesel truck, Gabrick told the board.
It is exactly the type of truck the department has been seeking as a replacement for similar equipment that might cost $120,000 new, the fire chief told the town board.
The 1997 model has 1600 actual miles.
In an equipment agreement, the department has 90 days to try the vehicle before making a decision. The cost is $1500.
The fire department compressor is being evaluated to see if it can fill the new air tanks.
Earlier, Gabrick asked the board about using 205th Street as a fire break. A committee composed of Anoka County Conservation, DNR and Sunrise River Watershed representatives reported the area is turning back into wetland.
He suggested the area be posted ìClosedî and gated.
A smaller opening would allow snowmobiles in the area, but keep out larger vehicles.
Gabrick reported a recent house burn was a successful drill.
He reported 20 emergency responses through April 30. Ten were for medical emergencies and 10 were fires.
The department has handled a total of 73 fire calls through April 30.
More reports
Supervisor Mike Budde brought a report from the police study committee
Members elected Eric Marleau as chair, Jeff Baumgartner as vice-chair, and Linda Hurtley as secretary.
The group will coordinate some of its work with similar groups in Columbus and Ham Lake, focusing on school resource officer duties and later on those of contract protection with Anoka County.
The committee must address issues related to finding space for the squad car and office for the contract officer.
A letter from Anoka County Public Works indicated approval of road requirements for Evans Estates.
A passing lane on the county road is not required for developments of less than 30 units.
In April Bob Wagner presented a petition from residents living on 209th Street, requesting pavement of 1000 feet of the street. Seven of eight residents signed the petition.
The board told Wagner a unanimous petition is required or a public hearing must be held about the matter. Estimates of the cost of the paving project will be obtained. A tentative hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., June 8 before the board meeting.
Other business
In other business, the board:
ïLearned that 3-day burning permits are once again available. Burning is to be done between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
ïApproved the development agreement for Steve Strandland, with negotiated park dedication fee of $450 per lot in addition to some land.
ïDirected Randall to continue work on language of the township cemetery ordinance.
ïLearned review of the language of the fire department constitution and by-laws is nearly complete.
ïPassed a resolution accepting Anoka Countyís hazard mitigation plan. This makes the township eligible to apply for FEMA grants.
ïVoted to advertise for bids on street sweeping, catch basin cleaning March 1 of each year.
ïReceived two additional complaints about houses with messy yards, but owners have been contacted and residents have agreed to work with the township to correct the problem.
ïReviewing zoning ordinances.
ïLearned the parks commission will set its summer schedule May 24.
ïWas informed the School Forest Committee will resume meeting next fall.
ïLearned final payment for the paving of 237th will be delayed until the shoulder work is completed.
ïLearned street sweeping is completed.
ïLearned from Hanna the Senior Advisory Board wants to extend air-conditioning from the senior center into the food shelf area. Preliminary work suggests this could be done.
ïLearned Gabrick and Clerk Judy Hanna have completed ìreasonable suspicion training.î
ïLearned from Holm the Sunrise River Watershed report is available on a website. Summaries of the lake water quality and various monitoring results are available.
ïLearned from Holm a wastewater treatment plant is being considered for commercial and residential areas along Highway 65. Some residents in the Coon Lake area may be interested in participating in this wastewater treatment plan.
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