Lenzmeier said the 2013 year for the NCDA was very good up until the bottom fell out in January when the system began experiencing reliability problems. Lenzmeier said BNSF told the NCDA that the problems resulted mainly from weather issues.

 

  Lenzmeier said he thought the problems were because BNSF is running “beyond their capability”.

 

Lenzmeier said he hopes the issues won’t be a long-term problem and the year 2014 progresses and ends somewhere similar to last year’s ridership.

 

Lenzmeier said the new interchange being constructed the last few years near Target Field in DT Mpls. is getting close to being finished. Lenzmeier also said the NCDA is extremely pleased with the ridership for the Northstar Link bus that takes passengers to and from Big Lake and St. Cloud.

 

Lenzmeier said the NCDA allowed students from St. Cloud Tech and SCSU to work on advertising and marketing artwork to provide possible strategies for promoting the train and bus.

 

Lenzmeier said two of the most productive events associated with increased ridership from communities to the Target Field station revolved around two Kenny Chesney concerts Mpls. hosted in 2012-13. 

 

Lenzmeier finished by saying the NCDA is continuing to work to find a way to extend the rail service from Big Lake to St. Cloud and ensured the City of Becker that if that process was ever fulfilled, Becker would certainly be in line to acquire a station on the rail.

 

 

Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Cassidy asked council to consider approving a Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) community preparedness and management plan for the City of Becker.

 

Cassidy said an Urban Forestry Committee (UFC) was formed to cooperatively work together with area communities to educate and plan for the eminent infestation of the tree-destroying insect. The UFC is led by Gina Hugo of the Sherburne County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD) and is comprised of representatives from Big Lake, Becker, the DNR, Elk River, the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, Princeton, Sherburne County, St. Cloud and Zimmerman.

 

Cassidy said one of the goals of the team is to formulate the community preparedness and management plan tools to best handle the EAB for each community.

 

As part of the adoption of the plan, Cassidy said he had to update the city’s shade tree ordinance to more accurately reflect the pending EAB situation, as well as revise existing language to better serve the needs of the city.

 

 

Community Development Director Kelli Neu presented council with an updated version of the city’s zoning map.

 

Neu said the map was completed by SEH as one of the final steps of the city’s comprehensive planning process. Neu pointed out the updated map did not change any zoning classifications for any parcels within the city, but was changed to update the look and usability of the map itself.

 

Neu said the new map has color classifications that are easier to read than the old, black and white version. She also said the new map will be posted to the city’s website as a PDF and will allow interested parties to zoom in on areas.

 

 

Neu said resident Matt Westin requested a rezone of some property in order to change the current property from a single-family residential zone to a multi-family residential zone with the purpose of converting an existing home to a duplex.

 

Neu said the applicant and his partners, as well as the property owner to the north of the lot were in attendance at a public hearing called by the planning commission Feb. 24. Neu pointed out the property owner to the south told her he was unable to attend the hearing (out of town) but said he was opposed to the rezoning because he felt the neighborhood was nice the way it was and it didn’t need more multi-family units.

 

Neu told council because the request is consistent with the city’s comprehensive land use plan, the planning commission recommended granting the rezone request for two of the three parcels, with the third parcel being discussed at a future public hearing so the property owner and neighbor could be in attendance for a more thorough discussion.

 

The public hearing is scheduled for Mar. 31.

 

 

• Nicole Poppelwell of the Becker Beyond the Yellow Ribbon committee invited council and the public to attend a gathering April 26  at 10 a.m. at Gily’s Restaurant to honor children of military families and to have the new BTYR notification signs installed along Hwy. 10 declaring Becker as a BTYR city.

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is Mar. 18 at 5 p.m.