 |
Moratorium put on holdBy Joel Stottrup The proposed resolution for a one-year moratorium on any future developments within the city, with the exception of any that have already been given preliminary plat approval, was drafted and ready for City Council approval last Thursday. But the council, with only a few minutes of discussion, decided to not act on it. The idea of having such a moratorium first came up at the council's monthly study session May 1. Then, at the May 8 council meeting, the council expressed second thoughts. It noted that it had been getting feedback to the idea from some area townships and developers. One developer was Dan Howard, who has been working for many months on a development proposal that would have a mix of residential and commercial lots. The property lies between First Street and Highway 95 and west of Highway 169. The council next met on Wednesday last week in a joint meeting with representatives of Princeton and Baldwin townships, using an outside facilitator. The meeting topic was to discuss how the city and townships could work together for managing area growth. (See story in this edition). City Administrator Mark Karnowski told the council during last Thursday's council meeting that he had gained the understanding last week that imposing a moratorium is no longer necessary or timely. Developer Howard, at last Thursday's council meeting, welcomed the idea of not going through with a moratorium. He said he would like to see the planned new sewage line system for the city's west side go through faster to help properties there. Karnowski responded to Howard by saying that after city staff had met with a consulting engineer, an agreement had been reached on where to locate a sewage lift station in the First Street area on the city's west edge. Karnowski recommended the council take no action for now on a moratorium proposal until after it has more meetings with Princeton and Baldwin townships. Mayor Brian Humphrey commented that to redo the city's comprehensive plan correctly could take a year. Therefore, this may not be the time to impose a moratorium on development, pending completion of the updating of a comprehensive plan, he said. The original proposal for a moratorium, the council said at the May study session, was to get a better idea of how the city should be developed before approving more development. Princeton Union-Eagle |