Posted: 7/31/07
CJC site plans are being revised
to meet city zoning ordinances
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
"We met with a city committee to discuss what issues the city has with our current plans and how we can remedy those problems. We feel we have developed the most efficient and cost-effective plans for county taxpayers. We need to identify the critical issues and go from there," said Mark Beyer, consultant for Johnson Controls concerning the progress of the proposed county criminal justice center (CJC). Beyer addressed the Houston County Board during the July 24 meeting.
"We also met with the full city council Monday night and the recurring issue the council brought up was traffic concerns. The cityís position is they want to have a traffic study conducted after school starts. We would like to have the study done now so the progress of the project isnít held up. We feel we can modify the parking lot design of the CJC so that it wonít have an adverse impact on the traffic flow in the downtown area."
Beyer informed the county board the city is willing to conduct the traffic study and will pay for it.
"I am concerned waiting to conduct the traffic study until September will drag out the process, and we will see increased construction costs and higher interest rates."
Beyer added he has been working with the CJC architects, who have produced two different site plans that would meet the city zoning setbacks without reducing the size of the CJC. The city has provided zoning ordinances to help with the CJC site plan design.
"We told the city we want to work with them. Weíre not forcing this on them. I feel that is very important," Commissioner Tom Bjerke said. "Weíre not the bad guy here. We just feel it would be in the best interests of the county to locate this next to the present courthouse."
Progress on the 82,000 square foot CJC the county is proposing to locate in downtown Caledonia stalled when the Caledonia City Council indicated no decisions on four zoning variance and two street vacation requests would not be made until late September or early October.
Mayor Mike Morey made that announcement to a crowd of about 150 persons attending a July 11 public hearing at the city auditorium on the variance requests. Morey said no action would be made concerning the CJC requests until a traffic study could be made and reviewed after public and parochial schools are back in session this fall.
The August 4 variance and street vacation request deadline was extended 60 days and the continuation of the public hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the city auditorium.
Since the July 11 meeting, CJC planners have been working to come up with revised designs that would be in compliance with city zoning ordinances.
Beyer told the county board he would be meeting with CJC architects, staying in close contact with city staff, and would be reporting back to the board during the first meeting in August.
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