CG public safety seeks continued authorization to participate in military surplus equipment program

By Joseph Back

A lot can happen in 40 years, and with that in mind, the Cottage Grove City Council held a workshop Wednesday July 13 in a bid to ultimately repeal and replace its aging zoning code.

The current drive towards recodification of the zoning code, also known as Title 11 in local city statutes, comes after the Council sought clarification in an April workshop on just why specific single-family neighborhood are presently zoning to allow for higher densities.

Long story short, the root lies in old maps superimposed on current ones, including the 1980-1990 Comprehensive Plan. Assistant city attorney Amanda Johnson filled in the Council with the details.

“As you know, we have been working with City Staff to repeal and replace the City’s entire Zoning Code,” Johnson wrote the Council . “At our last meet in April, you requested additional research and analysis regarding the City’s residential zoning districts, the impacts of consolidating them, and the importance of maintaining single- family neighborhoods. In addition, you requested additional information and the process for a City-wide rezoning.”

Going on to state that the inconsistency of different zoning at present had led staff to review past Comprehensive Plans to check if zoning matched the land use plans, Johnson used Hidden Valley as an example, reaching back to 1980 to do so.

“At that time the Comprehensive Plan did not require a minimum density and Hidden Valley was rezoned to match the Comprehensive Plan’s land use map,” Johnson wrote of a discrepancy between low-density residential, medium density residential, and multiple family residential on the long ago map.

With the current map designating these same zoning designations R-4, R-5, and R-6, the zoning map questions weren’t limited to Hidden Valley “The same practice was used in other ar-

See ZONING Page 2

Shown above is the current City zoning map. Image from July 13 Council packet. ZONING

FROM PAGE 1 eas of the community,” Johnson wrote the Council, adding, “It is noteworthy that current zoning code allows for single-family dwellings in all zoning districts up to R6. Next noting that state statute required a municipal zoning map to be in line with its Comprehensive Land Use plan, Johnson made a nod to the Metropolitan Council, or ‘Met Council’ for short.

“Currently the Metropolitan Council has more robust standards as part of the Comprehensive Plan requirements and requires regulations for minimum density, population forecasting, serviceability, etc.,” she wrote.

In short, the City has work to do.

Also covered at the Wednesday July 13 council meeting, meanwhile, were several otherwise routine items, including bill pay, raffle permits for the Lions Club along with Zion Lutheran Church, and approval of the meeting minutes from June 15, to name just a few.

As to the Lions Club, their raffle permit pertains to a single occasion gambling license for a raffle to be held at Carbone’s Pizza on October 20 of this year.

As to Zion Lutheran, their raffle permit pertains to another single occasion gambling license for a raffle and bingo to be held August 11 at Zion Summerfest 2022, held at the church.

Skipping over the meeting minutes from June 15 (which are posted online), the Council meeting of July 13 also saw a staff request to “authorize the public safety department to continue participating in the Minnesota Law Enforcement Support Office and the State Plan of Operation.”

Put into plainer English, the request addresses a program in which law enforcement agencies can obtain surplus Department of Defense property “at no cost.”

Entered into in November 2019, the program has allowed Cottage Grove Public Safety (CGPS) “to acquire an armored vehicle, language translators, robots, night vision devices, personal protective equipment, first aid supplies, and many more items that have enhanced the safety and capability” of officers and the community they service, per a memo from public safety director Pete Koerner.

With ownership of the equipment conditionally transferred for one year, this is “relinquished” to CGPD after one year, Koerner wrote.

Loaned by the federal government, a State Plan of Operation (SPO) governs the use of what might otherwise be considered military hardware.

“HSEM (Homeland Security and Emergency Management) routinely audits participating agencies each year to ensure compliance with the program’s regulations,” Koerner wrote in requesting continued authorization from the Council. “One of the inspectable items is a document signed by the Chief Law Enforcement Official authorized by the governing body, I.e., Mayor and City Council, authorizing the agency to obtain controlled property,” Koerner wrote. With a document attached for Mayor and Council to authorize public safety to acquire controlled property, “such as night vision,” the goods with a place for Mayor and City Clerk signature are posted online at the City website at www.cottagegrovemn. gov. Readers can view the same by navigating to “Your Government” followed by “Agendas and Minutes” under “Mayor and Council” in the drop down menu, choosing 07-13 for the date and then item 3D within the Council packet.

Nearing conclusion for the present, the Council also looked to authorize a purchase agreement for a 2024 Dodge ambulance to replace a 2018 Ford E-450 Type 3 Ambulance with 97,990 miles, following a six year replacement schedule. Last but not least, the Council saw an amended conditional use permit from Lighthouse Baptist Church at 9979 80th Street South, moving up to Council from the recent Plan Commission meeting of June 27.

Included in the July 13 meeting packet is a representation of current and past zoning designations at Hidden Valley. Image from July 13 Council packet.

Shown above is proposed city zoning. Image from July 13 Council packet.