Mitchell City Council to hear report on Rapid City downtown square project

A downtown improvement effort that helped spark a revitalization of Rapid City's core area will be discussed during a Mitchell City Council committee meeting tonight.

Dan Senftner and Beth Hottel are scheduled to discuss the evolution of Rapid City's Main Street Square. That will take place during the Finance Committee meeting at 6:30 p.m.

The center of the Rapid City square is a green space with an interactive fountain during warm weather. During the winter, the center is turned into an ice skating rink.

It was created after years of study and debate in Rapid City, and has become a gathering place for locals and tourists.

Senftner is the president and CEO of Destination Rapid City and Hottel is the assistant director for Destination Rapid City and marketing and membership director for the Rapid City Downtown Association.

The council, the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce and several local citizens have been discussing proposals to make downtown Mitchell more inviting and to encourage people to visit the area and shop at the businesses. It has become a primary issue in this year's mayoral campaign.

The council will convene its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 612 N. Main St. The meeting is open to the public.

Two committee meetings will precede the council meeting. The Traffic Commission will meet at 5:55 p.m. and the Finance Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m.

In other agenda items, the council will:

• Hear a report from the Traffic Commission, which will:

Hear a request from the Public Safety Department for additional signs for oneand two-way streets.
Hear a request from Public Safety Department to restrict parking on the east side of the 1100 block of North Main Street to extend lane dividers at the intersections of 12th Avenue and Main Street.

Consider a request from Mitchell Christian School to extend restricted parking beyond the bus drop-off zone to be a designated child drop-off, pick-up zone.

Consider a request from Dakota Wesleyan University for its homecoming Blue 7 White Day parade on Oct. 6 in downtown.

• Discuss renaming Northridge Park. No other details were provided in the agenda.

• Set a June 15 date to receive and consider bids for bike path.

• Set a June 18 date for a hearing on proposed resolution of necessity for the south 300 feet of South Mentzer for base course, curb and gutter and paving and other miscellaneous items.

• Award bids for the Sanborn Street concrete panels, phase II of project 2012-22.

There are two bids; Big Al's Contracting, of Sioux Falls, bid $113,366.05, while Rexwinkel Concrete, of Corsica, bid $124,799.64.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2988, declaring numerous hazardous sidewalks.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2989, authorizing the employment of Dennis Maloney, of Aberdeen, as a labor counsel.

Maloney will be paid $125 an hour to assist in negotiations with three city unions.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2990, forming a union negotiating committee, which will include Maloney, City Attorney Randy Stiles and city Human Resources Director Billie Kelly.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2991, the plat of Lot 1 of Hilltop View Addition in the southeast quarter of Section 16, T 104 N, R 60 W of the fifth prime meridian in Davison County.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2992, an agreement for Palace Transit for a grant under section 5309 for ADP hardware and software.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2993, an agreement for Palace Transit for a federal grant under section 5310 for preventative maintenance, ADP hardware and software.

• Consider adopting Resolution 2994, filing an application for a federal grant under section 5311 of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

• Hold the second reading of Ordinance 2403, mandating that final plans for drainage and storm sewers in subdivisions must be submitted to and approved by the public works director.

• Hold the second reading of Ordinance 2404, supplemental appropriations of $48,000 for Cadwell Park playground equipment, with $24,000 coming from the Mitchell Men's Softball Association and $24,000 from the Parks Department cash balance; $15,000 each to the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Corn Palace, $5,000 to the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and $2,500 to a regional marketing effort, with those dollars from 2011 sales tax revenue; $10,000 for Lawler Street water utilities from the water fund; and $1,000 for Mitchell Library utility bills from the general fund.

• Hold the second reading of Ordinance 2406, a supplemental appropriation of $5,000 for the Corn Palace renovation project, with the money coming from committed funds in the Corn Palace renovation project fund.

• Hold the first reading of Ordinance 2405, a supplemental appropriation of $33,000 for Sanborn concrete joint repair, with the money coming from the general fund cash balance.

• Consider approving an agreement with the state Department of Transportation for up to $180,000 to place a historic bridge on the bike path. The project is expected to cost about $220,000. DOT staffers will also provide assistance during the project.

• Review applications for renewal of malt beverage licenses. These include on-sale, off-sale and a combination of both.

• Consider the application of the Make-AWish Foundation of South Dakota for a special event malt beverage and wine license at the Lake Mitchell Day Camp on Sept. 8 for Summer's Last Dance.

• Review the request of Trim M Tunes for its loud stereo competition at the parking lot in the 800 block of North Lawler on July 28.

• Consider a request from the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village to hold a raffle with the drawing on Aug. 4.

• Sit as the Board of Adjustment to:

Set a June 4 date for a hearing on the application of Dennis and Janelle Ven Osdel for a variance for a side yard setback of one foot, six inches instead of the required three feet at 1116 E. Fourth Ave.
Set a June 4 date for a hearing on the application of Louis and James Sebert for a variance to construct an accessory building with a height variance of 25 feet instead of the mandated 17 feet; a size variance of 3,200 square feet instead of the mandated 1,050 square feet, legally described as Sebert Tract 1, a subdivision of Lot A, the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 23, T 103 N, R 60 W of the fifth prime meridian in Davison County. The request is being made because the height limitations and side limitations are not being met.

Set a June 4 date for a hearing on the application of James and Kim Sebert for a variance for a back yard setback of 10 feet instead of the required 30 feet, legally described as Lot 18, Block 6, Woods First Addition, to the city of Mitchell. The request is being made because the back yard setback is not being met.

Set a June 4 date for a hearing on the application of Louis and Carol Sebert for a variance for a back yard setback of 8 feet instead of the standard 30 feet, legally described as Lots 16 and 17, Block 6, Woods First Addition to the city of Mitchell. The request is being made because the backyard setback is not being met.

Hold a hearing on the application of Brad Ciavarella for a conditional use permit to construct apartment housing at 410 W. Second Ave., the old Whittier School.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval last week.

Hold a hearing on the application of Glen Vilhauer for variances for side yard setback of 1 feet, six inches instead of the standard 3 feet to match existing garage, a back yard setback of 3 feet instead of 5 feet from the alley, and an oversized garage of 1,260 square feet instead of the mandated 1,050 square feet at 1105 W. Sixth Ave.

The request is being made because the side yard setback, back yard setback and height limitations are not being met.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval last week.

Hold a hearing on the application of Jerry and Pam Thomsen for variances for a roadside setback of 7 feet instead of the standard 35 feet to construct a detached garage, and size requirement of 1,520 square feet instead of the required 1,050 square feet, and a height variance of 18 feet instead of 17 feet, and for a future attached garage a side yard setback of 2 feet instead of 8 feet at 214 N Harmon Drive. The request is being made because the roadside setback, side yard setback and height limitations are not being met.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval last week.

Hold a hearing on the application of Ron and Linda Parks for variances for no side yard setback instead of the required 3 feet and a back yard setback of 12 feet rather than the required 16 feet to construct a detached garage located at 313 Milan Ave. The request is being made because the side yard setback and back yard setback is not being met.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval last week.

• Approve these pay estimates:

Lawler Street utilities project 2010-2B contracted to Spencer Quarries. Pay estimate 4, final, in the amount of $9,377.80.
Bike path phase III project 2011-36 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 11 in the amount of $320.

WW service pumps and controls project 2011-41 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 3 in the amount of $3,200.

Ash and Langdon sidewalk project 2012-4A contracted to Colwell Concrete Inc. Pay estimate 2 in the amount of $13,846.76.

Water meters and transmitters supply project 2012-11 contracted to HD Supply. Pay estimate 3 in the amount of $13,155.80.

Norway lift station improvement project 2012-33 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 2 in the amount of $4,800.

• Accept board, department and division reports, including March reports from the Finance Department and the Mitchell Public Library, and April reports from the Police and Fire divisions, Mitchell Regional Ambulance, the Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, Palace Transit, the Water Department and the Mitchell Regional Airport as well as April building permits. It will accept the March and April reports from the Airport Board.

• Hear a Trinity Lutheran Church representative who is scheduled to give the invocation.