Town of Garfield Plan Commission Meeting Minutes
March 11, 2010
The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m.
In attendance: Orval Johnson, Chairman; Gordon Lindahl, Member; George
Stroebel, Member representing Town Board; Marilyn Buckingham,
Member; Ed Moersfelder, Member, Nolan Wall, Planner from Stevens
Engineering Absent: Sylvan Erickson, Secretary and Mark Kopp, Member.
Public comment:
Board Chairman Ed Gullickson commented on the public meeting, February
2, 2010, held to review proposed Property Maintenance and Road
Ordinances, and a subsequent meeting with commission members. He sees
difficulties in enforcing the Property Maintenance Ordinance (his
responsibility). Some sections are unenforceable, some easy, some backed
by state statutes, some only by values. He stated that the ordinance has too
many challengeable items that he would not enforce and which invite
litigation. Ed recommended that the Plan Commission keep zoning
ordinances simple and stay away from building issues. The Town Board
would like to review all future actions of the Plan Commission before they
are made public and/or discussed at a public hearing. Ed reported that he
had received 47 phone calls from citizens in opposition to the Property
Maintenance Ordinance.
Zoning Ordinance Development:
Nolan Wall led the commission in a discussion of revisions to Articles 2 and
3, Residential District, Agricultural District and Agricultural-Residential
District. The commission discussed and edited Article 4, General
Provisions.
Meeting Date:
Since the regular date for Town Board meetings has been changed from the
third Monday to the second Tuesday of the month, members considered
changing the Plan Commission meeting from the second Thursday to the
fourth Thursday of the month. A decision will be made at the next
meeting, April 15, 2010.
Adjourn Meeting
Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Buckingham, Substitute Secretary