Meeting was called to order by Darrell DeBoom. Darrell stated our reason for the workshop was to get assistance/guidance on how to zone and rezone territories. He posed questions to our Northwest Iowa Planning and Development Commission Visitors.

Darren Bumgarner, Steve & Ted Kourousis attended the meeting from Norwest Iowa Planning & Development and answered the questions as follows:

The first area should stay zoned commercial because it is predominantly commercial. Because the homes were grandfathered in, they will fall under the special exception clause and will not be required to be rezoned. In case of fire, and they would want to rebuild in the same location, they would have to come in front of the committee and request a special exception zoning permit to rebuild. The second area also does not have to be rezoned. The Emergency Services Building is also protected under the special exception clause because it is a government building.

The gentlemen offered constructive advice on our Comprehensive Plan and suggested we implement a Future Land Use Map, as well as updating our Zoning Map. They shared some examples from other towns that they have made and advised they will provide us with a quote to do ours. If we can get a digitized disk either from DGR or Sundquist it would be probably one half the costs to produce. They also brought some handouts for our review.

Dee Ann asked a question about rezoning township legal descriptions to city legal descriptions. They commented that it wasn't necessary but if we choose to do it, we should get an attorney's opinion. An attorney in Spencer was recommended to contact for further help.

The next Planning and Zoning Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 7th at 7:00pm.

The meeting was adjourned by Darrell DeBoom at 8:30 pm.

Ann R. Carpenter

Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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JULY Council Meetings

(unapproved minutes)

ZONING COMMISSION

July 7, 2004

The Planning & Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 at 7:00 PM in city council chambers with Chairman Darrell DeBoom presiding. Board present - Roger Kammerer, Rick Richter, and Von Kilts were in attendance. Lee Cooper was not in attendance. In general attendance: Bob Baxter, Zoning Administrator and Mark Wagner.

Motion by Kilts, second by Kammerer, to approve the June 16th workshop minutes. All ayes, motion carried.

Chair Darrell DeBoom questioned the committee on their opinions as to whether a permit for signs should be required. Currently permits are not required for signs in residential districts. A situation has come up where a resident is going to have a home business and wants a sign posted in her yard to advertise it. Currently, Article XIII, Appendix B of the City's Ordinance addresses Signs. Section 13.02.05 states that signs for home occupations, and signs attached to a residence are not to exceed six square feet in area or 2' x 3'. In Section 13.05 under Outdoor Advertising Signs it goes on to state that such signs must be a single-faced wall (fascia) sign which is parallel to its supporting wall and not extending more than twelve (12) inches from the wall. Darrell commented that those home occupation signs that were already in place before the ordinance went in to effect will be grandfathered in. Currently there would be no way to request a variance on a case by case basis because a permit is not required for such a situation. Darrell and Roger will work on a permit process for residential signs. Von expressed his desire to keep the rest of the ordinance pertaining to signs as is and on a case by case basis; upon completion of an amendment to require a permit be approved, a variance could be reviewed by the Board of Adjustments.

Darrell handed out the first draft of the Primghar Housing Rental Ordinance. He asked each committee member to please take the time to read the draft and make their suggestions and or changes right on their copy. Lee Cooper had reviewed his copy prior to the meeting and Darrell discussed with the committee some of his comments and suggestions. The committee agreed to bring their concerns, suggestions and changes to the next meeting so a continued effort can be made in completing the new Rental Ordinance and in turn getting it to the Council for their approval.

In other business Darrell asked Mark Wagner if he wanted to address the committee. Mark stated he was there to observe. Mark had brought in his new building permit and application for approval earlier the same day. Darrell advised Bob Baxter that it is the request of the Council and City Attorney Bruce Green that Bruce review any/all applications and permits brought forth by Wagner prior to approval given by Baxter.

The committee scheduled their next meeting for Wednesday, August 11th at 7:00pm.

Motion by Kammerer, second by Richter, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00pm all ayes. Session adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann R. Carpenter Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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AUGUST Council Meetings

ZONING COMMISSION August 11, 2004

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 at 7:00 PM in city council chambers with Chairman Darrell DeBoom presiding. Board present - Roger Kammerer, Rick Richter, and Von Kilts were in attendance. Lee Cooper was not in attendance.

Motion by Richter, second by Kammerer, to approve the July 7, 2004 minutes. All ayes, motion carried.

Discussion started with the Sign Ordinance. Darrell drove around town and listed all signs that are currently on residential properties. All agreed the real estate signs currently on the parking side need to be moved to the private property. The board all agreed to amend the ordinance to require a permit for a residential sign. It was also agreed that they will amend the ordinance to allow signs to be in the yard rather than on the house. Roger and Darrell will work on the specifics and have it revised at the next meeting. Upon unanimous board approval of the amendment, then it will go to the Council for their approval.

Discussion next went to the Rental Housing Code. Darrell feels once the Code is in place, there should be a separate board, separate administrator, and licensed inspectors. The board discussed options of red tags, who would be best to take on the administrator role, and what licensed plumber and electrician would be the inspectors. At a later date, fees for such inspections will be determined and based on those fees it will be determined what the administrator and inspectors can be paid. Ann Carpenter has done research from other cities, determining who their administrators are, inspectors, and how overall their Rental Codes are working for them. Many have mentioned that they are members of the ICC Council. She brought website printouts from the council. The City of DeWitt adopted the Council's 2003 International Property Maintenance Code, rather than writing their own. All on the board agreed to have Ann order two copies to review the code books. Whether we become a member of the Council will be discussed at a later date.

The committee scheduled their next meeting for Wednesday, September 8, 2004 at 7:00pm.

Motion by Kammerer, second by Kilts, to adjourn the meeting at 8:20pm all ayes. Session adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann R. Carpenter Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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SEPTEMBER Zoning Meetings

ZONING COMMISSION September 8, 2004

The Planning & Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, September 8, 2004 at 7:00 PM in city council chambers with Chairman Darrell DeBoom presiding. Board present - Roger Kammerer, and Lee Cooper were in attendance. Rick Richter and Von Kilts were not in attendance.

Motion by Kammerer, second by Cooper to approve the August 11, 2004 minutes. All ayes, motion carried.

Discussion started with the Amendments that have been written to the Zoning Ordinance. Article XVIII, Section 18.02 Construction: No construction shall be commenced without an approved building permit being on file with the City Clerk of Primghar. A list of approved building permits shall be presented to the City Council at a scheduled City Council meeting.

Article XIII, Signs, Section 13.00 General Provisions: adding the following information:

All signs and billboards shall be free from refuse and debris. A permit for any sign permitted in the residential district must be secured from the City Clerk and approved by the Zoning Administrator.

Section 13.02 Residential Districts, Section 13.02 adding the following information: These signs must be placed on private property only.

Section 13.02.05, deleting signs for home occupations.

Section 13.02.06 Signs for Home Occupations, adding the following information:

a. not to exceed (6) square feet or 2' x 3'

b. located not more than 12 feet from residence (must be on private property)

c. must allow for free and clear vision to all streets, alleys and driveways

Lee discussed some options for fees for permits for signs but nothing as been established at this time. He also discussed that a sign means anything from wood, cement to rock. Lee wants us to get a permit for signs made up before we implement it. Motioned by Cooper, seconded by Kammerer to approve and recommend to the Council to approve the above amendments (13.00, 13.02, 13.02.05, 13.02.06, and18.02)

In other business, several issues were discussed. Darrell and Lee questioned whether the Primghar Comprehensive Land Use Plan has been adopted by the City Council, then we need to meet with the Supervisors for approval. We also discussed the maps that were drawn up in this plan and our detailed meeting with the Growth Management People and wondered what step that map was in to being blown up and completed. Ann will check in to this.

The board wants to know if anyone from the new EMS building has obtained a building permit yet. Bob Baxter needs to be called so he can contact Jim Edwards to get a permit requested.

Lee said Steve Wittrock has a potential homeowner that wants to build on an unestablished lot at Randolph Estates. They agreed that PAC and P & Z have to sit together, it would have to be zoned residential, a building permit would have to be obtained/approved, and we would have to determine if water, sewer, and electric are there.

Lee stated that he is the only one that knows how to number/plot a new property in town. Lee did the town in 1986. An example was used for the Knowlton property is as follows: Blocks have 300 feet from center to center. There is 2100 feet from the City limits to the east fence @ Knowlton's (7 blocks). Sampson's house is #765, he added 7 to it, and then because Knowlton is on the other side of the road, he gave them and even number, and the section is N.E.

Roger thinks we need to implement a project to require the residents of Primghar to have house numbers on the proper locations and visible on their homes. It is especially necessary for the ambulance team to be able to quickly find a residence based on the address given. They recommended contacting the Jaycees to see if they will head such a project.

Cooper also discussed the infractions by Mark Wagner and that the court date has been moved to 9/14/04 at 10:00am.

We then moved on to the Rental Housing Ordinance. Darrell mentioned that we need to change the members of board to be 5 members and not City employees. The board discussed again hiring an inspector, and whether this person needs to be certified. They discussed the permit fee and how often inspections will have to take place. Checklists will have to be given to the owners as well as the tenants. They all agreed how important it will be to educate the rental owners by presenting all the information to them as we get the process in place. We also discussed red tagging and some ideas on how to create a tag. All agreed we need to spend as much time as possible to get the ordinance written and presented to the Council as soon as possible.

Lee suggests that this project be 2-fold. He feels that if we are going to do all this work for the rental housing ordinance, that we also need to at the same time write and implement a property maintenance code which would include all property owners in town and everything on the property. Cooper would prefer it to run right with the rental ordinance, but Darrell feels it should be a separate plan but running parallel to the rental code. More discussion will follow on both codes.

The committee did not schedule their next meeting at this time and plans to work afternoons on the Rental Housing Code.

Motion by Cooper, second by Kammerer, to adjourn the meeting at 8:30pm all ayes. Session adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann R. Carpenter Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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OCTOBER Zoning Meetings

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NOVEMBER Zoning Meetings

ZONING COMMISSION November 16, 2004

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 at 7:00 PM in city council chambers with Chairman Darrell DeBoom presiding. Board present - Roger Kammerer, Rick Richter, Lee Cooper, and Von Kilts were in attendance.

Motion by Cooper, second by Kammerer, to approve the September 8, 2004 minutes. All ayes, motion carried. Motion by Cooper, second by Kammerer to approve the November 16 agenda.

Discussion started with the Plymouth Life Project. Darrell had originally thought the issue was dead, but has now learned they are interested in building in Primghar. One of the sites in consideration is off of B40, east of the Golf Course. It is zoned agriculture and would have to be re-zoned commercial. The committee discussed its benefits to the city and the community and well as permits necessary. The committee completed the form presented before them and Darrell will give it to DeeAnn.

The committee then worked on the design for an application for a permit and an actual permit for signs. Ann will work on a sample and present it to the committee. They also discussed the fees that would be established and determined $10 for a temporary sign and $25 for a permanent sign.

Discussion then ended with Lee expressing interest in what lots are in town that are owned by the City. He would like a list and feels the City needs to have professional signs placed on all of these lots listing them for sale with specific information pertaining to the lot with the City's contact information. Ann will look in to costs of signs, a list of the lots, etc.

The committee scheduled their next meeting for Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 7:00pm.

Motion by Kammerer, second by DeBoom, to adjourn the meeting at 9:00pm all ayes. Session adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann R. Carpenter Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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DECEMBER Zoning Meetings

ZONING COMMISSION November 16, 2004

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at 7:00 PM in city council chambers with Chairman Darrell DeBoom presiding. Board present - Roger Kammerer, Rick Richter, and Von Kilts were in attendance. Lee Cooper was absent.

Motion by Kammerer, second by Richter, to approve the November 16, 2004 minutes. All ayes, motion carried. Motion by Richter, second by Kammerer to approve the December 21, 2004 agenda.

The meeting's center of attention was on the Rental Municipal Code. Darrell and Roger have been working on many changes and they were all discussed. It was recommended that a landlord be on the board. Darrell will contact Jonathon Hintz to see what time of Home Inspection Certification he has. Any unpaid inspection expenses will have a lien placed on the property. Lee had recommended that this code include not only the house but also any sheds and barns on the property. Currently the code is written to inspect every other year if the same tenant still occupies the dwelling. It was discussed in length whether this should be annually. Darrell and Roger will continue to work on the code and start an inspection checklist. Ann will contact Windsor Heights to see what they use for red tagging.

The committee also discussed building permits for the two mile radius including in the 28E Agreement. Ann will contact Hartley and Sheldon to see what they use.

The committee scheduled their next meeting for Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 7:00pm.

Meeting was declared adjourned by Darrell DeBoom at 8:30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann R. Carpenter

Secretary, City Planning and Zoning Commission

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When 2004 is past, the link will work. No peaking at the future allowed.

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