Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Council discusses hotel under runway approach - 7/12/1982
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City Council news
Council discusses hotel under runway approach
by Linda Hanson southwest corner of Pilot Knob Road list but confirmed that the board hasn't Egan moved to continue the applica-
Round two of Amcon Corporation's and Interstate 494. Amcon wants to been convened. tion. Councilmember Jim Smith
attempt to get City Council approval build two six-story office buildings and "This council should base its deci- seconded the motion on the condition
for an office-hotel complex under an a hotel of three or four stories on the sions on existing law-not on regula- that it would be continued
until the
airport runway approach took place at 19-acre site. tions which may or may not be adopted Aug. 3 council meeting, "That will give
City Hall Tuesday. The site is in a Minnesota Depart- in the future," Stalland said. us time to find out if we can meet (with
The council denied the proposal last ment of Transportation (MnDOT) pro- The development would generate the Joint Zoning Board). Otherwise
March mainly because it was concerned posed "B safety zone," which means it $1,045,000 in property tax revenue we're wasting too much time."
that if a plane crashed at the complex, is under a runway approach. Proposed every year, he added. Of that, 46 per- He added that he's not going to
the city might be sued. Councilmembers regulations would restrict cent would go to School District 197 rezone unilaterally according
to
also were concerned that they hadn't developments in B zones in which large and 16 percent would go to Eagan, he MnDOT recommendations and that
finished working on the city's height or- number of people congregate, such as said. unless MnDOT convinces him other-
dinance. Since then, the council has hotels. Councilmember Ted Wachter said, wise, he'll probably vote in favor of the
adopted the ordinance. The state Legislature in 1973 man- "I feel the estimated tax revenue is very development.
In a recent legal opinion, City At- dated that MnDOT draft the regula- important-it means a lot to the city, Egan said he very likely will, too.
torney Paul Hauge said that the city's tions, which would then go to cities for Dakota County, and especially District "Then I think you're holding up the
liability in case of a plane crash is adoption. 197. I feel the problems brought up at developer," Wachter said.
"somewhat unlikely" since negligence Amcon attorney Peter Stalland said the last meeting have been resolved." Before the vote took place, the owner
must be shown. the proposed Zone B regulations have Mayor Bea Blomquist suggested call- of the property, Ollie Ulvilden, berated
The city might be able to work out a no legal effect because they haven't ing a meeting of the Joint Zoning MnDOT saying it took his
house
binding agreement with the property been adopted by the Joint Zoning Board. through eminent domain. "I can't
owner to absolve the city of liability in Board of Wold Chamberlain Field. Stalland said, "This application has stomach MnDOT or the people they
case of a lawsuit, he said. As a matter of fact, he added, the been in process over a year now. We hang out with," he told the council on
Last week, the council continued the Joint Zoning Board has never even met. have a right to approval or denial his way out.
application to give it time to check into Two years ago the city appointed tonight instead of waiting to see if the Voting to continue the application
proposed regulations which would af- Councilmember Tom Egan and City board will convene." were Smith, Blomquist and Egan.
fect the development. Planner Dale Runkle to the board. Blomquist: "We do have a right to Voting against continuing were
The proposed development is at the Egan said he is on the board's mailing continue this." Wachter and Jerry Thomas.