An East Gull Lake Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled Feb. 25 to discuss a proposed helicopter ordinance will be postponed until April.
Because of state caucuses Feb. 25, City Administrator Rob Mason said he learned no public meetings can be scheduled after 6 p.m. that day. But perhaps a bigger reason for the postponement, Mason said Friday, is to secure a location bigger than city hall to accommodate the expected large crowd.
The issue on the table is whether or not to add helipads as an allowed use in East Gull Lake. The situation arose after a property owner who is building a seasonal lake home in the city asked to build a helipad on his property, drawing much controversy from neighbors.
If both the planning and zoning commission and the city council approve the proposed ordinance amendment, the homeowner will then be able to apply for a conditional use permit to build a helipad on his property.
Mason said he expects 200 or more people to attend the meeting, while East Gull Lake City Hall can only hold about 30 people after city staff are accounted for.
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“The bottom line is, we want to try to accommodate people and do the best we can and get the information so that our councilors can make the right decision,” Mason said.
The meeting will likely take place some time in April, as some city council members will be out of town in March.
