The Hastings City Council met in regular session Monday, Sept. 21.
The council took steps toward the proposed 407-home Pleasant Valley Farms subdivision, heard concerns from
residents about rising manufactured-home lot rents, and received an update on downtown parking.
During public comment, two residents of the Three Rivers Manufactured Home Park urged the council to support the proposed Minnesota Manufactured Homeowners Bill of Rights.
Mary Nehring said manufactured-home residents own their homes but often have little control over the land underneath their manufactured homes. She said rising lot rents could eventually force some residents out of their homes.
“I own my trailer outright, but I can’t afford over $1,000 a month to pay just for lot rent. So what will happen if I lose my trailer? If I cannot pay for lot rent, I will be foreclosed on. They will take whatever equity could be considered in my trailer. They will absorb it within the park, and I will have nothing. Then what do I do? In basic problems, I will be homeless.”
Nehring told council members the legislation would provide protections including limits on rent increases, restrictions on late fees, an opportunity for residents to purchase their parks, and protections involving utilities and maintenance.
Another resident, Rochelle McDonald, said manufactured-home owners can face difficult choices if they can no longer afford to live in their park.
The residents asked the council to send a letter to state lawmakers supporting the legislation. The council did not take action on the request Monday night.
Pleasant Valley Farms
The proposed Pleasant Valley Farms development was another major topic.
The project could eventually include up to 407 homes west of Hastings.
City Community Development Director John Hinzman told the council that a required environmental assessment included a traffic study. He said the city received comments from six regulatory agencies, such as the Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization, Met Council, Dakota County, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Minnesota Department of Transportation. The city also received a comment from a resident of the Eagle Bluffs neighborhood.
Hinzman said none of the commenters requested a more extensive environmental impact statement.
“We have put together a response to the individual comments. We also need to make what’s called a negative declaration towards an environmental impact statement. What that means in English is that we’ve done the environmental assessment up to this point. We’re comfortable that the environmental assessment is complete for us to cease environmental assessment, not move forward to what’s termed an EIS, which is a greater-level environmental review.”
The council approved a negative declaration, meaning an environmental impact statement will not be required at this stage.
Council members also approved a Pleasant Valley Farms comprehensive plan amendment to the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The amendment designates the development area for low-density residential use and includes it in the Metropolitan Urban Service Area for future sewer service.
Tradition Development is the developer of Pleasant Valley Farms.
Hinzman said the developer anticipates building the subdivision over an estimated 10 years, potentially building around 40 homes per year.
Traffic was a concern raised by a resident and council members. Hinzman pointed out that the development would connect to existing roads and eventually extend General Sieben Drive through the subdivision.
Councilmember Lisa Leifeld asked for clarification about the timeline for extending General Sieben Drive through the development and connecting it with County Road 42.
Hinzman said a County Road 42 connection would take several years.
“The way the development will occur is first initial phases will be towards the south, which would have General Sieben Drive coming into Featherstone Road. It’ll be a number of years until it’s all the way through.”
Streetscape, parking
The council authorized work with TLAL-LI Collaborative and approved the $23,500 cost for the first phase of streetscape design work associated with the planned Highway 61 reconstruction.
The city also received its annual downtown parking study, presented by community development intern Natalie Rogus. The study found an average utilization rate of about 36% across the lots surveyed, suggesting there is adequate downtown parking overall.
“On average, utilization across all the lots studied in this downtown region averaged 36 percent capacity. However, that demand is concentrated in specific areas.”
Hastings Terrace utility bill
The council also approved a nearly $3,700 reduction in the sanitary sewer portion of the Hastings Terrace manufactured-home park utility bill.
City Administrator Dan Wietecha said the park had a water leak that resulted in approximately 735,000 gallons of water being lost. This happened between an estimated timeline of March 1 and May 31, before the leak was discovered and repaired.
Because the water soaked into the ground rather than entering the city’s sanitary sewer system, the council agreed to remove the sanitary sewer charges associated with that water.
The park will remain responsible for the water charges and other applicable utility charges. Hastings Terrace will receive a credit of $3,697.
Wietecha said the adjustment applies to the entity that receives the city’s utility bill, which in this case is the park’s management company.