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Council nixes manufactured home park planned for East Grant Street
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
By a 4-1 vote, the Caledonia City Council denied an application made by Mike Rogich to locate a manufactured home park on the south side of East Grant Street. The action took place during the March 23 council meeting.
Rogich, who owns and operates a 50-unit mobile home park near the fair grounds in southeast Caledonia, originally brought the proposal to the council during a Jan. 26 meeting. Rogich planned to purchase a 400 by 200 foot piece of bare land located between East Grant Street and the abandoned Caledonia-Mississippi Railway from Dean Foltz and develop it into a manufactured home court that could accommodate eight homes with garages, and a storm shelter.
About 40 persons living in that neighborhood voiced strong objections to Rogich’s proposal. Increased traffic, loss of parking along the south side of East Grant Street, and anticipated drop in property values were the major reasons given by the group.
At the March 23 meeting, Foltz told the council according to his interpretation of the city’s zoning laws, manufactured homes were a permitted use in R1 and R2 zoning districts. He warned if the city did not approve Rogich’s plans, he would sue the city.
“You can’t come in here and change Caledonia. This is a permitted use. I’ll sue the city for damages if this isn’t approved,” Foltz said.
Mayor Bob Burns said he reviewed the zoning ordinances, which were last updated in 1982, and said a conditional use permit is required for mobile home parks in R1 and R2 districts.
“There is no distinction between a mobile home and a manufactured home in our ordinance,” Burns said. “And that’s probably because in 1982 there weren’t any manufactured homes.”
Foltz said he purchased the land 11 years ago, paid the taxes on the property every year, and spent $16,000 recently to have it leveled off.
A large crowd attended the March 23 meeting and once again voiced opposition to Rogich’s plans. They weren’t against Foltz putting houses on the lots. But three houses compared with the eight manufactured homes Rogich planned to locate there would mean a major increase in traffic and pose a safety issue. It was noted that there are now two day care businesses in the neighborhood, East Grant Street is narrow and the alternative parking in the winter would pose other issues.
Burns stated if all the criteria could be met, he didn’t see how the city could deny the plans. But the mayor was concerned that the fill brought in to level the south portion of the lots would settle and the homes would move.
Foltz replied with manufactured homes pillars had to be set below the frost line to support them.
Burns countered that the city ordinance dictates that the skirting on the homes must be permanent and can’t move.
“There will be settling here. There’s no way you can meet this criteria,” Burns pointed out.
Councilwoman Peggy Perry stated there are other conditions that Rogich’s plans have not addressed. City ordinance calls for storm shelter with bathrooms, storage facilities, and a full-time manager with an office to oversee the park.
“I’m sure that’s for large parks, not something like this, where we are talking about eight homes,” Foltz said. “You need to use some common sense here.”
Councilman Tom Murphy said he didn’t feel the Rogich proposal addressed all the conditions in the current zoning ordinance, and made a motion to deny the request. Perry seconded the motion, stating inadequate information provided by Rogich.
“As I stated before, if this is turned down, I will be contacting my attorney,” Foltz warned again. “If you turn this down and Mike has to resubmit the plans, the moratorium you’ve placed on parks for a year will affect this.”
City Zoning Officer Mike Gerardy pointed out that the project calls for disturbing more than one acre of land, requiring a storm water study. A study has not been conducted.
“I oppose this plan because I am concerned about the fill that was brought in on the south side of the lots, and because there are a number of standards that have not been addressed,” Burns said. “We have screening issues, storage issues, the community building issue. These are all conditions that the current plans do not address. That is why I must vote no.”
When the question was called, Murphy, Perry, Burns and Councilwoman Randi Vick voted for denying the request. Councilman Bob Lemke voted against Murphy’s motion.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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