HomeMy WebLinkAboutJJCMinutes_2018_06_27Minutes of the Joint Jurisdiction Committee
06/27/18
Chairperson Mary Kidwiler called the meeting to order. Committee members Kidwiler,
Mike Struck, Robert Hill, Lee Ann Pierce, Duane Knutson, Mike Bartley, Scott Mohror,
Greg Fargen, Ope Niemeyer, Robert Hexum, and Steve Meyer were present. Others in
attendance were Luke Muller and Thomas Nealon with First District Association of Local
Governments, Brookings County Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen, Al
Kurtenbach-Daktronics, Patrick Peterson-Aurora City Council and Josh Kukral-Aurora
City Council.
A quorum was determined to be present.
Kidwiler added a presentation by Kurtenbach, Peterson and Kukral to the agenda. Hill
moved/Hexum seconded that the agenda for the June 27, 2018 Joint Jurisdiction
Committee meeting be approved as amended. Motion carried.
Bartley moved/Struck seconded that the minutes from the May 23, 2018 Joint
Jurisdiction Committee meeting be approved as presented. Motion carried.
Hill said the mining subcommittee met and continues to work on draft language to
propose to the committee. Struck said they would like to discuss the draft language
with those in the industry and get their comments and recommendations before bringing
it to the full committee. Pierce suggested they look at Aurora, Colorado’s ordinances as
an example.
The next meeting date was set for Wednesday, July 18 th at 9:00 a.m.
Kurtenbach, Peterson and Kukral discussed development in the City of Aurora, and
better connecting Aurora to Brookings. They also reviewed business development east
of I-29. Kidwiler said she hopes to schedule a meeting with the Brookings, Aurora and
Volga City Councils, as well as the Brookings County Commission to discuss growth
and development.
Muller provided a review of the last couple of meetings and said there are still two key
questions to be answered: If the committee, definitively, wants a mini-ag district or a
small lot agriculture district and if so, what does that look like. Muller reviewed a map
that showed how many quarter – quarter sections there are in the proposed joint
jurisdictional area south of the city limits where a landowner could build a residence or,
if allowed, sell a portion of their 40 acres and give up their development rights to a buyer
to build a residence.
Bartley said he wanted this information to determine whether the impact would be 300
potential new residences or 50. With the numbers showing 86 potential sections, he
said the next question is what other expenses or utility issues would come with this.
Meyer said these developments would have to be served by rural providers; at least
initially.
Pierce asked why they would limit development to 1 residence per 40 acres. Muller
said that would keep with the existing density currently allowed. Meyer said by
spreading the developments out, they could maybe get around what is there when the
city expands rather than running into a more densely developed area. Muller agreed
that clustering could create barriers for future development.
Knutson asked why they are spending time discussing land that won’t be used. He said
there is a reason why those areas haven’t been developed; the land isn’t desirable.
Pierce said she would still like to provide the opportunity, though.
Meyer said there will be cost issues and challenges when the city wants to update from
rural systems. He said this should be a risk the developer takes on; knowing there
could be future costs if they ever need to update to city standards.
Kidwiler said she agreed with Knutson in that the reason people are not building in
these areas is because the land is undesirable. She said she’s not sure anyone will
want to build. Both Knutson and Bartley also commented that there will be a value
placed on the development rights.
Pierce said in allowing this type of development, they are giving people an option; they
aren’t telling people what they can or cannot afford. Hexum asked why they can’t look
outside the joint jurisdictional area to do this. Pierce said they need to promote
agriculture out in the county, not residential development.
Niemeyer said there are residences in this area now that are under water. He’s afraid
they may be setting themselves up for problems. Kidwiler asked about designating a
certain area out in the county. Hill said all of the towns in the county can establish joint
jurisdictional areas.
The committee discussed specific areas south of town that could be developed. Hexum
cautioned that any development would continue to displace water south of town.
Niemeyer said water gets pushed onto those south of town now.
Pierce said if they don’t want to do anything, where it is wet or dry, then where do they
go to give people options. Bartley said they may need to look north of town. Kn utson
said they can’t make bad land good. Pierce said people do just that, though. She said
they can’t predict today what technologies may make building in this area possible
years from now.
Struck said they could look south of 44th Street South as an area to potentially establish
this type of development. He said the city probably won’t be encouraging high density
development in this area. Kidwiler said there will still need to be a willing seller and
buyer. Pierce said she appreciates Struck suggesting this area, as it had been
discussed before. Meyer said they could require annexation and taxation agreements
for when the land becomes contiguous to the city. Kidwiler said they can’t predict the
future, and she would be willing to give this a try in this area. Pierce said she wants to
try it and future committees can determine whether it worked or not.
Muller discussed future agenda items.
Pierce moved/Knutson seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion carried.
Submitted by Stacy Steffensen
Brookings County
Commission Department Director