Brainerd: Council amends zoning, liquor ordinances

Two Brainerd city ordinances underwent changes during the city council's Monday, Feb. 4, meeting.

First, the council amended the city's zoning ordinance to allow single-family dwellings as a permitted use in high-density residential districts. The ordinance now reads: "The purpose of the High Density Residential District is to provide for areas of high density residential housing including senior housing." It no longer states structures need to be designated as multiple family.

The ordinance now allows home-based businesses and temporary buildings associated with a public or private principal school building and used for classrooms as interim uses in high-density residential districts. It also allows short-term rentals in one- and two-family dwellings, provided several provisions are met, including:

• Minimum rental period is not more than 28 consecutive nights, and no more than two guests occupy each bedroom.

• Additional occupancy by use of recreational vehicles, tents, accessory structures or fish houses is not permitted.

• The rental owner applies for and receives an interim use permit. Owner-occupied dwellings that are also short-term rentals do not need an interim use permit.

• The permit holder posts emergency contact information in the rental unit and shows renters the location of fire extinguishers.

• The permit holder provides the name, address and phone number for the managing agent or local contact to all property owners within 100 feet of the rental property boundary.

• The rental property has a full bathroom with sink, toilet and tub or shower and is connected to city sewer and water.

• The permit holder keeps a report detailing the rental property's use by recording the full name, address, phone number and vehicle license number of all guests.

• The short-term rental is a licensed rental unit by the city and meets the requirements of all statutes, rules, regulations and ordinances in the city's rental housing maintenance code.

The full ordinance is available on the city's website at www.ci.brainerd.mn.us/212/Zoning-Code .

Intoxicating liquor

Microdistilleries and brewer taprooms in Brainerd can now obtain licenses for Sunday on-sale liquor.

The council voted unanimously to amend the intoxicating liquor section of the city's code to allow for the change after hosting a public hearing Monday. No one spoke during the hearing.

In other business Monday, the council:

Authorized the fire department to establish a paid on-call firefighter hiring list and hire up to four paid on-call firefighters. The department is now down to 31 paid on-call firefighters but has historically tried to maintain a staff of 35-40.

Approved a police lieutenant job description completed and reviewed by the police chief and human resources coordinator. The Police and Fire Civil Service Commission met Jan. 18 and approved the creation of a lieutenant position within the department. In January, the council authorized the department to create a lieutenant eligibility list and begin the promotional process for the position.

Approved a tentative 2019-21 union contract agreement with the police officers union. The contract includes an eight-step pay grid, ranging in salary from $26.90 to $36.31 per hour in 2019 and $28.26 to $38.15 per hour in 2021.

Promoted Katie Kaufman, recreation specialist at the parks and recreation department, to recreation coordinator. Kaufman has essentially been handling the duties of coordinator since being hired five years ago, according to a memo to the council from Parks Director Tony Sailer, and has now reached the five-year threshold required for the coordinator position. The promotion will result in an estimated additional $3,441 for Kaufman in 2019. Since the 2019 budget has already been approved, parks staff has planned several cost-saving measures for the year, including using more volunteers to assist in running non-competitive programs, thus reducing the number of paid seasonal workers.

Authorized the purchase of a John Deere X750 mower for the parks department. This mower is more versatile than what the department has now. With trade-ins, the cost is $3,881, which is $1,681.98 over the department's 2019 budget for a riding lawn mower, but funds have been reallocated elsewhere in the department to cover the cost.

Authorized staff to send a letter of qualifications to at least five software companies to provide the city with new software able to integrate the functions of the departments. The city budgeted $215,000 for software this year. Staff will send letters to Tyler Technologies (current software provider), BS&A Software, Springbrook Software, Banyon Data Systems and LOGIS. Information technology coordinator Shawn Strong said he may send the letter to a couple other appropriate vendors as well.

Decertified the city's ASI Apartments tax-increment financing district established in 1991. The TIF district's decertification date is Dec. 31, 2019, but as it was administered by the Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the city's obligation is satisfied after the Feb. 1, 2019, payment is made.

Agreed to donate $300 to the Crow Wing County Historical Society. The money will come from the city's special projects fund, out of which the city donated $300 to the historical society in 2017 and 2018.

Approved a street closure application for the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade at 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 16 on Front, South Ninth, Laurel, South Seventh and Maple streets.

Selected Widseth Smith Nolting to begin the design and engineering phases of updates to city government buildings. The city completed a facilities assessment in 2018 that identified recommendations for facility improvements.

Scheduled a council retreat for noon to 4 p.m. March 2 at city hall to discuss the facility plan and help provide direction for the design, and to discuss and update the city's vision, mission and values to be used for all city departments.