Chamber Blog

I attended the Brainerd City Council meeting last night.

The Council approved 6-1 to rezone the block bounded by South 5th Street, Laurel Street, South 4th Street and Front Street from B-4 (General Commercial) District to B-3 (Central Business) District; this is just west of City Hall. The primary difference between the two zoning districts is that the B-3 District does not require parking to be provided.

The North Brainerd Neighborhood Street Light Pilot Project will be postponed for further discussion until Feb-ruary.

The Council approved 7-0 amending the Brainerd City Code relating to on-sale liquor zones and license limita-tions. With this adoption, a wall between the bar and restaurant parts of a restaurant will no longer be needed and the bar area may be up to 49% of the restaurant.

The Brainerd City Council also approved the preliminary design and authorized final design for the South 8th Street Reconstruction Project (Oak Street to Washington Street). Approved 7-0.
The preliminary layout will be submitted to BPU for lighting recommendations. After BPU has looked at it, the consultants from SEH will bring it back to the City Council to review. That is when the locations of decorative lighting should be discussed. There are 16 COBRA lights currently. Some discussion to have some decorative lighting between Maple and Front Streets.
Description of project above ground: 10' trail on east side of the street and 10 sidewalk on west side. A grassy boulevard and trees is shown between the sidewalk or trail and the street along most of South 8th Street (Laurel to Washington Street is an exception to this). Parallel parking would be on both sides; angle parking wasn't able to fit along this road. The road will narrow to 2-lane from its current 4-lanes, except for two blocks south of Washington Street due to stacking needs and turning lane onto Oak Street.

The City Council will hold the 2010 Levy and Budget Public Hearing on Monday, December 14, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at Brainerd City Hall, 501 Laurel Street.

Emily Northey, Chamber Main Street Coordinator, enorthey@explorebrainerdlakes.com.

Labels: Brainerd City Council, Government, South 8th Street, Zoning

I attended the Brainerd City Council and Safety & Public Works meeting tonight, November 16. I know these posts are supposed to be short, but so much happened at the meeting that this one is a little longer.

Before the meeting, Mayor Wallin had vetoed an ordinance regarding Specialty Food Shops in B-2 zoning districts because it contains the wording “coffee cannot be roasted on site” because he felt the wording was too restrictive against one type of specialty shop. When this came back before the City Council the mayor's veto was upheld and the ordinance was sent back to the Planning Commission.

The City Council held a public hearing and final reading of the ordinance about hunting regulations and the discharge of firearms in the City of Brainerd. The ordinance allows the discharge of firearms for hunting or target practice on private parcels of land over five acres if they meet all other requirements under state law, have permission of the property owner, and are authorized by annual City permit.

The City Council voted to increase residential rental registration rates from $24/year/unit to $32/year/unit with a 4-2 vote.

A first reading was held for rezoning the block located west of City Hall on Laurel and 4th Streets from B-4 (General Business) to B-3 (Central Business District). The first reading was held with a 5-1 vote. The second reading and public hearing is scheduled for the next Council meeting on December 7.

The first reading was held for a Liquor Zone amendment regarding the definition of the maximum space in a restaurant that may be used as a bar and eliminating the need for a wall dividing the two areas.

A committee will be formed to bring a recommendation for managing the use of the public right-of-way including the encroachment by signs, fences, and parking. Liability is also planned to be discussed. The committee will include two Councilors to be appointed at a later time.

The winter stars will not be put up on Washington Street or South Sixth Street this season in Brainerd due to energy and cost concerns. It was decided on a 4-2 vote.

The next public informational meeting for the 2010 South 8th Street Street/Utility Reconstruction Project will be Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Brainerd City Hall.

Emily Northey, Chamber Main Street Coordinator, enorthey@explorebrainerdlakes.com.

Labels: Brainerd City Council, Government, Hunting, Zoning