Industrial park land once again emerged as a significant topic for discussion at Tuesday’s regular city council meeting.
The council voted to advertise the seven one-acre industrial lots near the golf course with signs along Hwy. 21, with only council member Joe White in opposition.
“I’m against even selling it. Why advertise it? Let’s just sit on this for a little while and see what we might need to do later on down the line,” White said. “$35,000 isn’t going to massively infuse the budget for the city,” White said.
White pointed to the challenges the city faced while securing lots to provide for Green Mining operations. The lots up for sale were previously reserved for Green Mining.
The city has paid approximately $7,500 for wetland delineations and surveys on the lots.
Signage will cost less than $400. No real estate agency would advertise the lots, city clerk-treasurer Kirsten Traut said, so without any signage, the city would rely solely upon interested businesses encountering the listing on the City of Babbitt website.
White suggested not advertising via signs, but rather keeping the listings solely on the website.
Council member Duane Lossing said the city should consider road maintenance on Conservation Club Road. He suggested the city establish a contingency plan for investing in a better surface top for the road.
Council member Jim Lassi suggested approaching the IRRRB about receiving funds to support the road management.
“They are pretty good at supporting industrial areas,” Lassi said.
Local resident Brian Clark spoke out during public input against the use of several lots near Dollar General for industrial purposes. These lots were discussed among several other proposed parcels, including a triangle near the Conservation Club and property northeast of Carefree Living above Central Boulevard.
Clark said the lots adjacent to the Junction Inn would infringe upon the character of a nearby residential area. Clark said the area could not provide a safe entrance for large trucks, and it is heavily forested.
“People bought those lots to be out of city limits, to have peace and quiet, and to build a rural residential home or cabin,” Clark said.
Clark suggested the eastern area of the city as a more suitable location for industrial offerings.
The council accepted a change order shifting the substantial completion date of the West Babbitt Development to Oct. 31, and the final completion date to Nov. 15.
The project is running behind schedule due to Minnesota Power’s inability to provide a three-phase meter socket and pedestal for the lift station, which Rachel Contracting will now need to install. The change opposes plans previously established in construction documentation.
In the extension request, project manager Matthew Zupetz of Rachel Contracting wrote that the delays are outside Rachel Contracting’s control, and crews will “continue to work to complete the project as quickly as possible.”
The council again tabled the sale of the former roadbed behind Cherry Circle to Rich Evenstad. Adjacent landowners on Cherry Circle have requested permanent access to the roadbed, and easement acquisitions could complicate the sale.
Traut said surveyors would need to determine property descriptions in order to establish access points for the eight property owners. City attorney Joel Lewicki estimated that the easement recording process could amount to costs of $12,000-$15,000.
Lewicki had initially recommended the city to establish the road as a public roadway and assume responsibility for its maintenance. However, the parcel is separated from Evenstad’s property by a small strip of city of Babbitt land.
Evenstad said he wants to ensure access to his land for the purpose of building houses.
City administrative assistant Shonna Childs suggested a road association could be established so maintenance would fall upon adjacent property owners rather than the city.
“Right now, I think a road association would be the best, clearly outlining what the cost is, which would be whatever you guys decide,” mayor Andrea Zupancich said.
Evenstad will continue conversations with adjacent property owners to continue talking through access options.
In other business, the council:
• Adopted ordinance 286, which requires the apron of a driveway to match the surface material of the adjacent road in the golf course industrial area. The ordinance anticipates the eventual paving of the roadway.
• Agreed to hold interviews with candidates for the police chief and patrolman positions. Jon Shenett and Todd Heikkila applied for police chief, while Silas Glazier, Douglas Kremer and Alexander Byram applied for full- and parttime patrolman positions.
• Approved the replacement of the police department’s exterior door.
