As the recession continues to ease, there are signs that building activity is beginning to pick up again around the region.
With the potential for new development on the horizon, the Annandale City Council decided to explore options regarding a housing study during its meeting on Monday, Nov. 4.
The study would provide information on Annandale’s current housing market, including areas of need, and would help city officials adhere to a strategy of the city’s choosing if and when developers come calling.
Annandale’s last housing study was conducted in 2001 along with a comprehensive plan update.
"There have been significant changes in the housing locally and regionally and the city would benefit from conducting a more comprehensive study than what was provided in the comp plan update," City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp told council members in a memorandum.
Councilors were in agreement.
"I think it’s very appropriate for us at this time to have a study done," said Mayor Marlene Young.
Councilor Shelly Jonas asked whether developers would have the opportunity to look over the city’s completed housing study, and received an affirmative answer.
"Developers love to work with cities that have their stuff together," said councilor Dewey Gunnarson.
Gunnarson added that history shows an uptick usually follows downturns, and gave his approval.
"I think it’s safe to say there’s something coming (in terms of development)," he said.
Comprehensive housing studies typically cost around $9,500, but grants are available that could fund up to 50 percent of the study.
Hinnenkamp said she had been in contact with AgStar, which still has funding available for 2013, and the council agreed to solicit quotes for the study and seek grant funding.
Other items
In other business, the council:
■ Reviewed a police report for September that consisted of 279 incidents. That total included 44 warning tickets, 31 medical calls, 10 thefts and five motor vehicle crashes.
Police Chief Jeff Herr also shared the report of a speed study recently completed on Lake Drive W. Over the course of 11 days the study recorded 6,797 vehicles, and the average speed range was between 30.4 and 32.8 mph in the 30 mph zone.
Herr noted that 4.8 percent of the vehicles were traveling 40-44 mph, and said he had looked into a previous inquiry about setting up an electronic driver feedback speed sign that would display motorists’ speed as they approach the sign. The cost for such a sign was $3,635, but it could be moved around to different points in town where speeding was an issue.
Herr said the signs "have been found to be an effective tool in behavior modification of speeding drivers."
In addition to the speed display, they also collect data that would provide weekly, daily and hourly information on the number of vehicles and their speed, including average and peak speeds. Such information would increase the police department’s efficiency in enforcing the speed limit at problem times, Herr said.
"The dynamic signage would be a great safety solution for our community," he added.
The council took no action to purchase a sign during the meeting, but funding options could be explored in the future.
■ Approved a request from Schmidt C-Store to vary the maximum allowed square footage for a free standing sign from 80 to 104.
The variance will allow two 12-square foot signs to be mounted underneath the digital display on the McDonalds sign. One of those signs will be for the Verizon business located in the McDonalds building.
The variance to add the signs has been expected since the development of the site occurred last year, and Hinnenkamp said she had not received any negative feedback regarding the change.
■ Approved a grant agreement with the Blandin Foundation that will allow the city to receive the $21,250 grant that it was awarded to help fund the broadband feasibility study.
■ Heard a brief update from the Citizens Committee to ReUse the ’22 school. A final report was recently given by consultants regarding the school – details were included in last week’s paper – and committee co-chairs Jill Bishop, Laura Hood Beckman and Rose Mary Nelson encouraged council members to check out the written report in full.
"It’s just incredible what these people put together," said Nelson.
■ Held a public hearing regarding delinquent utility accounts and public nuisance charges. No residents attended the hearing, and charges on 67 delinquent utility accounts and six nuisance properties were certified for collection by the county auditor with property taxes in 2014 with an interest rate of 10 percent.
■ Reviewed a fire department report for September that included 12 incidents. There were no fires, but there were five medical assist calls, two personal injury motor vehicle crashes, and one crash with no injuries.
■ Approved the appointment of Cliff Franzen to the city’s planning commission. Franzen attended the meeting, and said he has enjoyed living in the city for the past 12 years and that he is looking to give back.
■ Reviewed two quotes and approved the low bid of $1,600 from Mares Excavating to demolish the salt shed at the old maintenance facility now rented by Dingmann Marine.
"We either need to spend some money to fix it up and keep it safe or get rid of it," public works director Joe Haller told the council, adding that he didn’t think money to fix the structure would be well spent.
■ Heard a report from Haller about a lift station project in the business park. The project had originally been approved with a cost of $14,861, but was completed for $4,100 less than that amount.
■ Approved a gambling permit for the All Night Grad Party’s bucket raffle on Saturday, Nov. 9.