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2024-02-22
Agenda
Not posted
What was on the agenda.
One-line summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission reelected Chair Ames, selected Commissioner Haapala as vice-chair, approved the agenda and November minutes, and continued the SotaSolar home-occupation IUP public hearing at 8150 Viking Boulevard to March 26, 2024.
9 items as recorded in the packet and minutes.
1Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance scheduled for 7:00 p.m.; the meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. and the pledge was recited.
No vote was required.
2Roll Call
Roll call was taken; all seven commissioners were present.
Attendance was recorded; no vote was required.
3Selection of Chair and Vice-Chair
The commission selected its chair and vice-chair for the year.
Chair Ames was reelected chair and Commissioner Haapala was selected vice-chair.
4Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved as presented.
5Approval of Minutes from November 28, 2023 Regular Meeting
The commission approved the minutes from the November 28, 2023 regular meeting.
6aInterim Use Permit for a Home Occupation - 8150 Viking Boulevard
The commission opened the public hearing on the SotaSolar interim use permit request at 8150 Viking Boulevard and continued it to the March 26, 2024 Planning and Zoning meeting.
The public hearing was continued to March 26, 2024.
7Unfinished Business
No unfinished business was recorded in the minutes.
The minutes do not record any unfinished business item being taken up.
8New Business
The commission discussed whether to keep a December 2024 meeting date open in case a meeting is needed.
No motion was recorded for the December meeting discussion.
9Adjournment
The commission voted to adjourn, and the meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
What this meeting did about specific topics, organized by issue rather than by document.
Planning Commission chair and vice-chair selection
The commission held its annual leadership selections. Commissioner Haapala and Chair Ames were nominated for chair, and the minutes record Chair Ames being reelected. Commissioner Jorgenson and Commissioner Haapala were nominated for vice-chair, and the minutes record Commissioner Haapala being selected as vice-chair.
Agenda: 3. Motions: M1, M2, M3, M4. Speakers: Ames, Bies, Haapala, Jorgensen, Pearo.
SotaSolar interim use permit at 8150 Viking Boulevard
The commission opened the public hearing on Shawn Himmelberger’s SotaSolar request for an interim use permit for a home occupation at 8150 Viking Boulevard. The discussion focused on the fact that the property is zoned C-1 and the current ordinance does not support the proposed home occupation; Planner Nash said the permit could not be issued under the current ordinance, and Mayor Pilon said the hearing needed to be extended. The commission voted to continue the public hearing to March 26, 2024.
Agenda: 6a. Motions: M7. Speakers: Ames, Nash, Shawn Himmelberger, Bies, Glen Connelly, Pilon, Haapala.
Agenda and November 28 minutes approval
The commission approved the February 22 agenda as presented and approved the minutes from the November 28, 2023 regular meeting, each by seven ayes.
Agenda: 4, 5. Motions: M5, M6. Speakers: Pearo, Haapala, Bies.
December 2024 Planning and Zoning meeting date
Under new business, the commission discussed the December 2024 meeting schedule and left the date open so a meeting can be added if needed.
Agenda: 8.
8 motions on the record. Split votes are highlighted.
M1MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BIES TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER HAAPALA FOR CHAIR.
moved by BIES
M2MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JORGENSEN TO NOMINATE CHAIR AMES FOR CHAIR.
moved by JORGENSEN
M3MOTION BY CHAIR AMES TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER JORGENSON FOR VICE-CHAIR.
moved by AMES
M4MOTION BY COMMISSIONER PEARO TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER HAAPALA FOR VICE- CHAIR.
moved by PEARO
M5MOTION BY PEARO, SECOND BY HAAPALA TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
moved by PEARO, seconded by HAAPALA
M6MOTION BY PEARO, SECOND BY BIES TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 28, 2023.
moved by PEARO, seconded by BIES
M7MOTION MADE BY HAAPALA, SECOND BY BIES TO CONTINUE PUBLIC HEARING TO MARCH 26, 2024 THE DATE OF THE NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING.
moved by HAAPALA, seconded by BIES
M8MOTION BY HAAPALA, SECOND BY CARLSON TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
moved by HAAPALA, seconded by CARLSON
Each figure links back to the document it came from. When the council voted on the amount, the motion is shown.
SotaSolar IUP base fee
Base fee listed on the SotaSolar interim use permit application.
fee · Conditional & Interim Use Permits application fees · FY 2024
$200
inflow
Council approval status: not yet on record.
SotaSolar IUP escrow
Escrow amount listed on the SotaSolar interim use permit application.
fee · Conditional & Interim Use Permits application fees · FY 2024
$1,000
inflow
Council approval status: not yet on record.
SotaSolar IUP public hearing fee
Public hearing fee listed on the SotaSolar interim use permit application.
fee · Conditional & Interim Use Permits application fees · FY 2024
$250
inflow
Council approval status: not yet on record.
SotaSolar IUP recording fee
Recording fee listed on the SotaSolar interim use permit application.
fee · Conditional & Interim Use Permits application fees · FY 2024
$46
inflow
Council approval status: not yet on record.
SotaSolar IUP total amount due
Total amount due listed on the SotaSolar interim use permit application.
fee · Conditional & Interim Use Permits application fees · FY 2024
$1,496
inflow
Council approval status: not yet on record.
When someone tried to remember earlier business, we cross-reference the corpus and write a short related-history note.
Discussion for December 2024 meeting, in the past a meeting was not needed for December, will leave the date open at this time and add a date in December if it is needed.
What this is about
Prior December Planning and Zoning meeting practice; this could help locate earlier years when the commission skipped or cancelled December meetings.
The records I searched do not contain a prior Planning and Zoning decision or discussion matching this recollection about skipping or cancelling December meetings. The results returned mostly relate to 2026 Planning and Zoning packets, land use applications, ordinance excerpts, and commission interviews, but they do not show an earlier December meeting being left open, cancelled, or deemed unnecessary.
It was noted that there are currently a few homes that are zoned C-1 and have both home and businesses on the property with an IUP/CUP.
What this is about
Prior approvals or permits for homes on C-1-zoned properties that also have businesses; this could help locate earlier IUP or CUP decisions involving similar C-1 home/business uses.
The records I searched do not contain a clear prior decision matching the recollection of homes on C-1-zoned properties that also had businesses operating under an IUP or CUP. The closest partial match appears in the March 24, 2026 and April 14, 2026 meeting packets, which include proposed Interim Use Permit conditions for an owner-operated cannabis cultivation business on a property that also had residential-type conditions: no employees other than the property owners, use of an existing shed, no outdoor storage, septic compliance, and no sign without staff approval. However, the excerpts available here do not state that the property was zoned C-1, and they do not show a recorded Council vote outcome. The other search results mainly involve subdivisions, new homes, septic requirements, wetland buffers, and developer agreements, not prior IUP/CUP approvals for combined home-and-business uses on C-1 property.
<!-- PageBreak --> <!-- PageNumber="326" --> 1\. The City regularly receives inquiries from property owners, real estate professionals, developers and proposed purchasers ("Requesting Parties" or each
<!-- PageBreak --> <!-- PageNumber="96" --> 7\. Pursuant to Section 11-4-2A1 of the City of Nowthen's Zoning Ordinance, accessory structures shall comply with all setback requirements of the principal
<!-- PageBreak --> <!-- PageNumber="58" --> 7\. Pursuant to Section 11-4-2A1 of the City of Nowthen's Zoning Ordinance, accessory structures shall comply with all setback requirements of the principal
APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CARLSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BIES TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. FIVE (5) AYES. MOTION CARRIED. CONDUCT INTERVIEWS FOR THE VACANT SEAT ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING
<!-- PageBreak --> <!-- PageNumber="3" --> emphasizing the need to understand each situation thoroughly. Martell affirmed his belief in preserving wetlands and wooded areas and supporting the farmer's
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