Minutes-09/05/2007

City of Tiffin September 5, 2007 Tiffin Planning and Zoning A regular meeting of the Tiffin Planning and Zoning Commission was brought to order by Chair Steve Berner, Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 6: 30 p. m. at the Tiffin Fire Station. Members present: Steve Berner, Shawna Colvin, Stephanie Surine, Melvin Reeve and Jim Schmidt arriving 6: 37 p.m. Also present: Mayor Glenn Potter, Ruth DeMuth, and Jim Bartels. Motion Surine, second Colvin to approve printed minutes. Ayes: Surine, Colvin, Berner, Schmidt and Reeve. Motion carried. Tom Scheetz of the Depot was present to visit with the commission about his possible plans to purchase Lot# 4 immediately south of his Depot property for the purpose of expansion. Tom explained that the utility easement across the property' and rezoning to commercial were concerns he had prior to purchase. The utility easement currently has Iowa Telecom lines buried and Tom thought that was all. The members did not think there was any problem with a change to commercial backed up to 12 plexes on the east side. On the..west side ( the area south of the Ice Cream Store) the members thought the only remaining single family residence would probably need some kind of buffer and or landscaping plan. Members did not think an access for thru traffic would be good onto the College Street cul- de- sac. ` Scheetz asked it might be possible to use the College Street cul-de- sac for truck delivery, to get some of these trucks off the front of his business on Hy 6. Scheetz said he could foresee part of this south lot used for customer parking. Members spent time considering sidewalk requirements for the city. Mark Portwood said he did not want to say that the city should not have any six foot sidewalks, however he thought that four foot sidewalks in residential areas was sufficient. The additional width causes expense to the price of a home, and he did not think that anyone wants a big sidewalk by their home. Portwood thought the route of the trail.through the town should be determined and six foot should be set for these routes, but otherwise four foot sidewalks should be the standard for the city. Portwood asked Bartels if carrying the mail for many years he had ever seen a need for a sidewalk greater than four feet wide. Bartels said only on Melrose during a football game. Portwood said that Councilmember Petersen had never indicated any problem to him with sidewalks needing to be greater than four foot when delivering packages. Portwood also asked whether four or six foot was required in older sections of the city. Jack of Hart Frederick interjected that Rolling Hills was platted for five and six foot sidewalks, however he did not think that all sidewalks conformed to the platting. He thought review of sidewalk construction was the responsibility of the city building inspector. Colvin suggested that the four foot sidewalks are to narrow for 32 inch strollers when families or friends walk together or when children are on trikes and bikes. Children and mothers are sometimes found walking or playing in the streetways. Schmdit said that 1