Okay. So, you guys can hear me. Uh, next on the uh agenda here is the consent agenda, approval for the meeting agenda, and also approval of the November 5th planning commission meeting minutes. >> Hi, this is Kim. I would like to make a motion to approve the meeting agenda and also for the November 5th, 2025 planning commission meeting minutes. >> Do I have a second? >> This is Mike. I'll second >> and we'll take a vote. >> Kim I. >> Mike I. >> Andy I. Robin I. >> Okay. This time I would like to uh open the floor to the public uh to talk about anything then other than what is on the agenda tonight. Is there anybody in person who would like to speak? And do we have anybody online who would like to speak? Hearing no one, we'll move on to the next item on our agenda and that is the uh McCclure Acres Preliminary Plat and Variance. Eleanor, would you be so kind as to read the notice published in the Forest Lake Pines? >> Of course. Um notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the City of Columbus Planning Commission on Wednesday, December December 3rd, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. or soon thereafter as parties may be heard. The hearing will be conducted in person and by interactive technology at the city comus city hall located at 16319 Kettle River Boulevard, Columbus, Minnesota to consider a request for preliminary plat within the rural residential district and a variance to reduce the required lot width from 220 ft to 165 ft along a portion of the property to accommodate an an existing um subsurface sewage treatment system. Members of the public interested in attending in person or monitoring the meetings or wanting more information should contact the city offices at 651 464 3120 or visit the city website at columbus minn Minnesota us. The hearing shall continue until all evidence and testimony has been received. >> Thank you. >> There's something going on with this mic, but that's okay. >> Okay. Okay. At this time, I'd ask ask that uh Miss Mccclure Mccclure please step up at the table. >> Mr. Chairman, my name's Rob Olsen. I'm uh I'm her father, but I'm also an attorney that helps submit everything. Am I permitted to come forward? >> Yes, you are. >> Okay. Thank you. If I could have you pull a microphone up. Do you close? Here you go. >> Yeah. Here we are. Okay. Uh, Miss McCclure, if I could please have you give your name and current address for the record, please. >> Yeah. Gretchen Mccclure, 7523 165th Avenue Northeast, Columbus, um, 55025. >> Thank you. >> Mhm. And Miss Mccclure, the the commission has reviewed your application and is in normal protocol. Uh for the record, could you just give us a brief uh update about your application and plans? >> Sorry, what was that? Your my what? >> Could you could you just give us an update as to what your plans are and >> what the application? >> Yeah, yeah, we're just looking to split I'm just looking to split the lot into two different um parcels. That's the update. Um, where did they go? Here. >> Okay. Is there anything that you, you know, like the septic system that uh, anything you'd like to say about that at this point? >> Yep. So, we were requesting a variance for the septic um, for the width of the lot. Um, I have a septic that I had just had inspected actually this week and it's very everything's compliant and um, to have me move that septic system obviously would be huge financial burden to move that. So, I'm just requesting the variance for the lot to move it from the what was it the 200 some feet to whatever the 165 was. Um, but other than that, it meets the 5 acre minimum. Um, and it's within kind of like all my neighbors, the lot sizes, um, fits in with the neighborhood surrounding area. Okay. >> And for the record, uh, did you receive a copy of the report developed by Ellen or Han dated December 3rd of 2025 regarding this application? And in this report, she notes certain recommendations numbering 1 through 10 and also notes some conditions numbering 1 through 5. Do you understand these recommendations and conditions and do you have any questions or comments about them? No, >> I No, I don't have any questions about them. >> Okay. Now, at this time, if any of my commissioners would care to ask any questions that they have. >> I do not have any questions. Andy? >> Um, >> I don't think so. Not at this time because my only question was would have been what the inspection result was, but we have it right here. So, >> I don't have any questions. >> Okay. I have a few questions. Um, first of all, how long have you lived at the property? >> Nine years. >> Nine years. Okay. Make that go. There it is. Okay. And when you bought it, was excuse me, when you bought it, was it your intention to split the lot at that time or were you just planning on just bought the whole thing? >> Just about the whole thing. I didn't have any intention at that time of splitting the lot. >> Okay. Okay. And at this time, do you have any potential buyers lined up? >> No. >> No. >> Okay, that's good. Um, and I see the septic system was built in '98. That was going to be a question that I had. Um, and actually I have a question for for Jack. Do you know what life expectancy on a septic system is now? >> Anywhere from one day to 30 years. There there is no answer. >> There is no answer. >> Unfortunately, it's just it's one of these things. You could put one in and meet all the conditions and uh maybe even just do the use of it. Uh depends on how it's used. It could be lots of grease put down it. It could be a failure within within a year. It could last for 50 years. >> Okay. Okay. That answers that question. >> I guess that's why they don't give any guarantees with them when they put them in. >> Thank you very much for that input. Um, all right. At this time, you can step back. And now I have to ask, is there anyone who has an interest in this application or discussion, wants to present testimony uh as evidence on this issue? Please acknowledge yourself by stating your full name and address. Anybody online? >> Someone did just answer enter the Zoom. If you want to repeat that. Oh. Uh, anyone who has an interest in application or discussion and wants to present testimony as evidence on this issue, please acknowledge themselves by stating your full name and address. >> Karen Fleming, 14827 Enson Street, Northeast, Columbus, Minnesota 55025. >> Thank you. And what can what would you like to let us know today? Oh, I'm just here to listen. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Sorry. At this point, without anybody else wanting to present testimony, um >> now close the public hearing and open up the floor to our planning to my fellow planning commissioners if you wish to discuss anything more about the application itself uh between us. >> You have any questions or >> I do not. >> Nope, I'm good. septic was a >> okay >> compliance with it was my >> yeah that thing is that it was going to be in compliance and my second was how long will it last and nobody can tell me so I don't know anymore all right okay um then if you want to in there >> hi this is Kim I would like to make a motion to continue discussion of the mccclure acres preliminary plan at the next planning commission meeting on December 17th 2025 I >> this is Mike second. >> We will take a vote on it. >> Him I. >> Mike I. >> Andy I. >> Robin I. >> Okay. And you are all set today folks. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for your consideration. I uh in my practice I do municipal prosecution and whenever I come to a city council or a planning commission meeting I always want to say thank you because I know you're not overpaid for doing this. appreciate the fact that you actually do it. I mean, because this is what makes communities just like what you're doing and the mayor here who I just met and and it's just a pleasure to appear in front of you. >> Well, thank you so very much. >> You have a great app. >> Okay, our next discussion on the agenda number six is our ordinance number 25-04, fence regulations. And I think if I have read this right, we're set. >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. So we the planning commission previously reviewed some draft amendments of this proposed ordinance. Um the last meeting was a public hearing that was held on November 5th, 2025. Um, as per our um, city policy, we would have to have a secondary follow-up meeting regarding um, anything that has a public hearing. This is um, that final discussion um, should you choose to to recommend it to the city council. Um there were some minor changes to this um with language recommended by our uh city attorney that primarily um clarified some language just reorganized it with some editing as well as um made sure it was consistent with some other aspects of code. Um but no major changes to the content. Okay. So then anybody else have any discussion on this matter? >> I do not. >> I do not. >> I do not. >> What would you like to say then? >> I would like to make a motion to recommend approval of ordinance 25-04 regulations to the city council. >> This is Mike second. Take a vote. >> Kim I. >> Mike I. Andy I. >> Robin I. >> That is passed. get it off my desk. >> Okay. And lastly, planning commissioners report. Well, sadly and happily, I'm able to say that Kim is going to stick around with us for a while >> and we're happy with that in another respect. So, um >> the best person won and I'm glad and I' with a group of great people here. I'm honored. >> Great. Thank you. Um, we are obviously short a member. I would highly ask my fellow con members of the board to see if you can find a recruit. We really we really need to get a fifth person on this board really bad. So if you have anybody who even if they're just hesitant piled >> can it be a spouse reviewed it yet? He sent it to that >> I don't know. Eleanor, can it be a spouse? Can we have a spouse on the planning commission? >> I think you can. Okay. >> I've seen it done before. I don't think there's anything in our ordinance that prevents it. Uh I think we did receive an application or from one person here maybe Friday or Monday. Uh Eleanor hasn't had an opportunity to review it yet. So, uh, not it's not common, but it has happened before where spouses serve on the same commission, especially in smaller places. >> And, and did we uh put a notice in the paper of the opening we did? >> Yes, it's been advertised for a while and it's been advertised. It's going to be open until filled. So, there's no deadline on it. >> So, there is no deadline. Okay. >> Let her know >> question. >> Yes. >> Okay. But still, I'd like you also, you know, the more applicants we have, the better, >> the better we can get. You know, make sure we get somebody really good on here with us and uh >> we can be really good. >> Now, Eleanor, do you have anything to report today? >> I have a few end of year things to report. Um, we are coming up to the deadline for meeting vouchers. I'll be sending out um meeting vouchers that contain all of the meetings that you have attended in the past year for you to look over uh confirm and then sign and send back to me for your um yearly payment for for being a part of this commission. Um so that will be sent out either later today right before right before I leave or uh early tomorrow morning. Um, additionally, I'll be sending out uh a request for any P any uh terms that are expiring in the end of the year um to see if you would like to um reapply for the position for another term. >> Okay. I have a question regarding that. being I'm filled in. Am I do I have to request that or am I appointed by the board or the city council? I filled in halfway. >> Yes. Yes. So, you you took over um a previous person's term. You'll fill out the remainder of that term. Yep. >> Um which I believe will expire at the end of this year. Um you essentially send in a request to be reinstated and the city council reinstates you. >> Okay, sounds good. And you can just do that by email if you want to. Okay, >> I sent you an email. >> It's it's it's a real informal process. >> You can you can email me back. Yes, I'd like to be there or no, I'm done. >> Okay, >> we're good. >> It's It really is that simple. >> I like it. >> Mr. Chairman, can I ask a question? >> Yes, sir. You may. Planning Commission. Uh we currently have a policy in effect that requires us to have an extra meeting after a public hearing regarding certain approvals to allow additional time for questioning. Uh I know there's some instances where this really is not really necessary and sometimes is a redundant thing that requires people to come here twice. Does the planning commission have any interest or desire to relook at that policy to see if it can be amended in a certain way so it can be more clearly defined on which things would have to have two meetings rather than one so that some of these things can be done in one meeting. I I I would agree with you that some can be done in one, but I would like language, some sort of language in there that allows it to easily go to a second meeting. >> That would be gives us enough leeway that we can decide at the meeting when we have the our little pow-wow after the >> after the applicants have stepped back, >> you know, where we can decide we want to have a second meeting. >> And you know, that would be a question you would ask yourselves. Did we get enough information or we need to carry this over two weeks? But that would be one of the key things that you would have control over and you would be the one that would be advocating if that needed to be carried over for another meeting. >> I think that's a wonderful idea. I I think there are many times that one meeting is more than enough for some very simple things and >> some things. Yeah. >> Hate to make people come back just for us to say, "Yeah, you're all good. Go home." So, if that's something you want us to investigate, we can take a look at that policy and come back to you with some recommendations for your review and then see if it's sufficient. And uh if you're interested in doing that, then we can get it approved and recommended at this level and take it to the city council. >> I have no objection. Any we would very much like you to do that. Okay. >> Perfect. >> Okay. And item number nine, >> this is Mike. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. >> This is Kim. I'll second. >> We'll take a vote. >> Kim I. >> Mike I. >> Andy I. >> Aban I. >> We are adjourned at 618.