During the Public Hearing, Ordinance 22-27, Amending Chapter 2 of Ramsey City Code to Modify Abatement and Appeal Procedures, was introduced. This Amendment to Chapter 2, Article VII, of the Ramsey City Code is to streamline the appeal, abatement, and citation process with the City. Which, in turn, would make it more resident-friendly and efficient while still providing the ability to correct violations as the City Council determines. By adopting this code, the City will remove third-party legal consultations and allow residents to voice their concerns directly to staff and the City Council, reducing the fiscal impact on the residents and the City as a whole. The ordinance will be considered for adoption at the Tuesday, November 22, City Council meeting.
Three cases were discussed during Council Business, and they were:
- The introduction of Ordinance #22-28: 2023 Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges – The city annually adopts a Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges, which outlines the fees that the city charges for such items as building construction, business licenses, utility rates and Planning and Zoning.
The planning and zoning section reflects most of the changes from 2022 to 2023. Several applications are replaced with a single Land Use Application, increasing developer-related escrows to more accurately cover City costs. It also includes an increase in Park Dedication Fees & Trail fees brought forward to the Park & Rec Commission on October 13, 2022, and recommended for approval.
Facility use Fees are also increasing to reflect increased staff costs. For example, football field maintenance costs will increase from $47.00/week to $75.00/week.
Increases in utility-related charges will be only on those related to development: connection/trunk and lateral benefit charges on water, sewer, and storm drainage. The increase will be 3.3 percent based on the national/local construction cost index of June 2022. A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, November 22, and the council will consider adopting that evening. - Consider a Sketch Plan and Preliminary Plat for Cedar Acres (Project #22-136) – The applicant Tom Dehn has applied for a Major Plat (Sketch Plan and Preliminary Plat) and variance to minimum lot size to subdivide his property at 15060 Armstrong Blvd. NW. The proposal is a three-lot subdivision; all lots will be smaller than the required 2.5 acres. The variance to the minimum lot size was approved at the October 2022 Planning Commission meeting and is tied to the approval of the Preliminary Plat. The Applicant is also proposing to extend and upgrade the existing substandard cul-de-sac to a full-sized cul-de-sac. The City Council approved this request.
- Adopt Ordinance #22-25 About Mobile Food Units – Proposed are two ordinance sections. Upon adoption, a food truck could locate on most business properties with the landowner's consent (nothing prohibits the landowner from charging the operator a fee to find there). As an accessory use, the truck could not operate on vacant property. The food truck must also leave the site at the end of its business day. Exceptions can be made with the host business' multi-day special event permit.
The second section establishes business licensing procedures in Chapter 26. Since Anoka County has health jurisdiction, a County health license is required to obtain the City's license ensuring proper food safety and handling techniques. The City invites mobile food units to vend at various City events in parks throughout the year. This ordinance does not affect those events, though the operators must get a City license for their unit.
This ordinance does not authorize food trucks parked on public roadways to conduct business. Additional sections of the City Code will need to be modified to allow that. Ice cream trucks and carts that traditionally drive up and down streets, only stopping when flagged down, are still considered peddlers. The City Council approved this ordinance.
Original source can be found here.
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