Spring The
Rv, 1,, 41 ° -VIE\AT
ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
Newsletter of the City of Otsego Vol. 2, No. 2,ApriVMay 1992
Otsego Clean-up Day set for May 2
Otsego will hold a clean-up day for any additional appliances on the same Otsego
residents on Saturday,May 2. load will be accepted for no charge.There
Trash will be accepted for disposal at will be a small fee for tires.No hazard- Clean-upDa
City Hall 9 a.m.to 2 p.m.A nominal fee ous waste will be accepted. 7
will be charged for some items. The Council hopes that residents will Saturday, May 2
This will be the third year the city has be encouraged to bringin their unwanted 9 a.m.to 2 p.m.
held a clean-up day. The first time, in rubbish to help clean up Otsego.This is Assorted refuse One free
1990, no fees were charged for the ser- a chance to get rid of the large debris pickup load/household
vice.The cost to the city was over$5,000, that litters yards and ditches and to
prompting the council to charge partici- dispose of items not commonly picked Appliances $8.00 for one,
pating residents for the service in 1991. up with regular trash service. rest of load free
However,participation was significantly "This could be the perfect opportunity
lower than it was the first year. for people to help neighbors clean up, Tires $1.00
In an effort to get more people to take too," according to Judy Hudson, city
advantage of this opportunity to dis- secretary. "It would be nice if people Tractor tires $5.00
pose of unwanted items,the City Coun- would offer to add some of their No hazardous waste accepted.
cil has decided to cover part of the cost neighbor's junk to their own load." People will be asked to show proof of Otsego
of this year's clean-up day. Volunteers are needed to help people residency to leave refuse.
Otsego residents can deposit one pick- check in,unload and direct traffic.Call City officials may withhold service in case of
up load per household without charge. City Hall if you can help.,-....s flagrant abuse.
The first appliance will cost $8.00, but
Zoning ordinance presented to residents New City Hall
An informational meeting on Otsego's and current state statutes. property purchased
proposed Zoning Ordinance took place According to Licht,it incorporates ad-
February 19, 1992 and a public hearing vanced approaches and techniques that
was held March 25, 1992. have been demonstrated in other situa-
City planner David Licht,Northwest tions and draws on experience in other 4
Associated Consultants, presented an communities. .2
overview of the draft ordinance and The proposed ordinance recognizes tn. 0.
residents were given the opportunity to the community's issues and problems. .. ti
ask questions and make comments. It addresses the new urban area as well _428 4
The Commission will review the draft as rural areas of Otsego and follows the o
ordinance in light of the public input Comprehensive Plan's directive to con- o,
before it is sent to the City Council for fine urbanization.It acknowledges com-
f final approval. plaints and past experience(i.e. devel-
The Zoning Ordinance is a 400-page opments not attending to drainage).
document that details all aspects ofzon- The proposed ordinance provides flex- The city of Otsego has a purchase
ing regulations.It was drafted by North- ibility with conditional use permits, a aBement on more than 73 acres of
west Associated Consultants under the minor variance process, and interim land on Nashua Avenue for a new city
direction of the Planning and Zoning use permits. hall building site.
Commission. Consideration was given Future changes can be made to the The property includes mostly open
to the city's Comprehensive Plan, the Zoning Ordinance through amend- land and an oak woods.A creek cosses
existing Wright County Zoning Ordi- ments.w., the northwest corner.
nance,existing development in Otsego, Before deciding on the exact location
1992 Great River Road Fest planned on the property for the proposed city
The Great River Road Fest Task Force has started to plan the 1992 community hall, the building committee will con-
festival for Saturday, August 1. sider possible locations for any other
Task Force Chairman Stewart Turnquist invites any interested people to attend city buildings that could conceivably
their next meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 7 p.m. at City Hall. come up in the future.They also want
The success of the first festival has inspired some oflastyear's volunteers to start to allow space for a city park.
planning for an even better version of the community celebration.• More in Mayor's column,page 2.
..w
lorAii"IlAiliAmisliarAs"."411#
City of Otsego New City Hall property given careful consideration
13474 N.E. 95th St. by Norman F. Freske yond 85th
Otsego, MN 55330 Two years ago at the Township Annual Street. ,'
(612)441-4414 Meeting,the residents at the meeting voted The Building
to build a new Town Hall on the original Committee has w r
OFFICE HOURS site.They also voted to put over$400,000.00 been reacti-
Monday through Friday towards the Town Hall. vated and has
8:00 a.m.to 4:00 p.m. We proceeded to form a building commit- ordered the artif•-•
-
tee.We interviewed a number of architects chitect to draw
CITY COUNCIL and hired Don Meinhardt of Golden Valley. up a site plan
Mayor— The Building Committee looked at other on the property,
Norman Freske town halls and different buildings.The ar- and the engi-
f If
Councilmembers— chitect drew up plans for the hall,plus a site neer is doing the
Douglas Lindenfelser plan. topos (topo-
Floyd Roden I would like to thank the Building Com- graphic map
Larry Fournier mittee for all their work so far and for their ping). Mayor Norman Freske
Ron Black patience. The City Hall
CITY STAFF A few residents objected to the site be- is the only building being built at this time.
Jerome Perrault, Clerk cause the present City Hall's location is The plan will include planning for where
Elaine Beatty, Deputy Clerk within the Wild and Scenic Recreational to place any possible future buildings (i.e.
Zoning Administrator River District, determined by the DNR in fire hall,police station, library,post office,
Jim Barthel, Treasurer 1976. The Town Board and City Council etc.)and also a park.The reason for this is
Judy Hudson, Secretary decided it was too costly to continue dealing so that the City Hall will be placed correctly
Dave Chase, Maintenance with the DNR on this property. on the property.
Supervisor The City Council had a subcommittee We are also receiving input from the Vi-
Duane Fiedler, Maintenance look at some available properties.The sub- sion Committee and the Park Board. If
committee came back to the Council with a anyonehas additional information they wish
PLANNING list of eight to ten properties. The Council to share,please do not hesitate to call City
COMMISSION decided on a site 3/4 mile south of the Hall at 441-4414.
Carl Swenson, Chairman present City Hall on Nashua Avenue. It
Ron Black, was picked for its economic value, central Clean up Day
Council Representative location, accessibility, and possibilities for I just want to remind everyone there will
Eugene Goenner future city needs. be a Clean-up Day on May 2, 1992. Please
Jim Kolles Nashua will be rebuilt and paved this help us make this a successful day by clean-
Kathy Lewis summer, from County Road 39 south be- ing up Otsego.Thank you.......ti
Bruce Rask
I.G. Roskaft
Mark Wallace Nuisance ordinance adopted
Dennis McAlpine, Alternate
Otsego has a nuisance ordinance,adopted Council appoints
PARKS & RECREATION November 1991,that defines nuisances and
COMMISSION abatement procedures. new commissioners
Mark Wallace, Chairman A public nuisance is a thing,act or use of
Andy Beecher property that unreasonably annoys,injures, The City Council has chosen Dennis
Tom Constant or endangers the public,or interferes with McAlpine as an alternate and Eugene
Floyd Roden, public water or road right of way. Goenner as a regular member to serve
Council Representative The ordinance covers nuisances affecting on the Planning and Zoning Commis-
Jacquie Rognli health,morals,peace and safety,as well as sion.McAlpine's term is for one year and
Richard Savitski noise, litter, and unsheltered storage of Goenner's term is for two years.
Darlene Solberg junk vehicles.
Carl Swenson The spring snow melt brings about an
INIMENI increase in the number of complaints to the
ROTSEGO VIEW j AJ[ city about unsightly properties.
1L� 1'1' Right now, the procedure that city per4 ci.
-
The Otsego View is a community sonnel follow after they receive a complaint • i
newsletter for the City of Otsego. is to document the complaint,then send the
property owner a letter.The City Council is
Correspondence and news items are currently checking on other options for en-
welcome and should be sent to Jac- forcement.
quie Rognli,Editor,Otsego City Hall, Adopting the ordinance was the first step
13474 N.E. 95th St., Otsego, MN needed to deal with nuisance complaints. "
55330(612)441-4414. The law is now in place to guide city action. D.McAlpine E.Goenner
A. Printed on Copies of the ordinance are available for
%St Recycled
Paper review or purchase at City Hall during
regular business hours.
2
, iiiiis# 1.^....^,,..dileANIAINAINIA.."."Ild
i
i
UPDATE
::::::: :i:U:::U:i ::i:i:i:..::...::....:tor"c::........::: m:i:::
.:•.:•.:•.:• ;•;;;;;;;••:••:••:. •:••:••:••:•is„.• , .. ::: • ::.::,...a.••• .: •...:.::.!...!..]
City Building Inspector JerryO1so
Olson
is now certified for sewage inspections.
•
He completed a Minnesota Pollution '..- ."`€<''' :`".<«>`
Little book `
Control A enc seminar inJanua and
Agency
January
passed the examination. .;
luressettlers sett e s
A student intern has been hired. St.
Cloud State University senior Jodi The following article is reprinted on the ground. One store is kept at
Braun will be doing a sign inventory as from a little book published in 1867 the corners, by Mr. Crarey, who is
one of her first projects. by George Gray, the owner of the also Postmaster.A good rope ferry is
An alternate position for the Plan- Northern Statesman newspaper in established here,owned and run by
Monticello. J. McDonald, one of the first set-
fling and Zoning Commission has been The Civil War had just ended and tiers.They have two Church Societ-
created. The alternate is required to the 1862 Sioux uprising had left ies,one of the Methodist persuasion
attend meetings and will vote when a people reluctant to settle in central and the other of the Baptists. A
regular Commission member is absent. Minnesota.Gray published the His- large new steam saw-mill has been
Preliminaryplatshavebeenapproved tory'and Business Directory of Wright built during the past year,owned by
Pr the Preliminary
Antelope plats
have b e na County pamphlet to attract prospec- Crarey & Co. This mill is now run-
p ryRidgetive settlers to the area. ping, turning out vast quantities of
developments. Antelope Park will be hard wood lumber of which an abun-
located east of Mississippi Parkwood Otsego dant supply is obtained in the near
with about 44 lots. Country Ridge will Otsego is numbered as township vicinity.
be east ofthe James Addition with about 121 of range 22 and 23. It joins Otsego village is situated 10 miles
77 lots. Monticello on the east,bordering on below Monticello,and 30 miles from
The Planning and Zoning Commis- the Mississippi. There is a large Minneapolis.
sion requires that completed forms and quantity of land in Otsego not yet
information submitted to 15 "settled upon,some of it covered with —History and Business Directory
information
ion be to sumbmitted
city in staffora heavy growth of timber.At Otsego of Wright County,Geo. Gray,States-
working bcodays priord. corners or village,if it may be called man Office,Monticello,Minn.,1867,
toso, they have a fine, large school pp. 23-24.
The primary election on April 7 will building, dimensions 25 by 40 feet
be the first time the city will use their
new voting machine. It took election City confronts solid waste management
judges over 15 hours to count 1,756 g
paper ballots cast at the last election in The Otsego City Council has adopted service to the city.
November 1990. a resolution of intent to organize a solid Otsego was exceeding quotas before
Ron Black is the new City Council waste collection system for the city. the city's curbside hauler, Polk-A-Dot
No-
representative to the Planning Corn-
residents
already taken place for Recycling, went out of business in Fournier is the residents and trash haulers to express vember 1991.
mission.The LarryycFil representative is n alter-o their opinions. An ordinance is needed At this time,the city is paying private
natelonger a votingcouposition.eto adopt the organized collection sys- haulers to pick up their customers'
tern. recyclables. The city also pays haulers
Wright County will not hold a hazard- Otsego residents will most likely ex- to provide curbside pick up for residents
ous waste collection day this year. In- perience rising costs for solid waste re- who do not have regular trash service.
formation on proper disposal of hoz- moval as their haulers encounter higher Hudson reports that resident partici-
tipping waste is available from Wright
increases.esand as the cost of recycling haspatton in droppedt u 's curbside nder thee new arrange
County Environmental Health Depart- Wright County cities are being re- ment.
Depart-
ment, 1-800-362-3667. quired to haul all of their trash to the Currently, seven different private
A special rate is available on Otsego county's new composting facility in companies pickup trash in Otsego.That
History al rate is
sav businessesbnwish- Monticello. Tipping fees will increase means that some days seven different
ing to purchase them in quantities. from$49 a ton to$89 a ton. trucks may be traveling on residential
Curbside recycling quotas for cities streets.
Children's sizes in Otsego T-shirts will soon be raised. Failure to meet According to Deputy Clerk/Zoning Ad-
are available for$5.00 at City Hall. quotas will result in loss of funds. ministrator Elaine Beatty, it has been
City Secretary Judy Hudson says that proven that districting lowers the cost
the rebate funds Otsego receives for of hauling. It should also save wear on
recycling helps with the expense, but city streets that are not designed for
i does not cover the actual cost of the heavy truck use. .-'.s
3
II, NIIII# %11 •^111^111^111^IiiiAili^M"Iii\ i .
r , , Agripirl-
Trash recovered ,
from Otsego's * {` ' `- ;
ditches awaits
Clean-up Day
.
It would be appreciated if residents .
could help with Otsego spring cleaning . a
by picking up discarded items from the 'b. ... „ „_,,,
city's ditches. The litter can be depos- . *
ited at City Hall on Clean-up Day, cd
Saturday,May 2.
Report unlawful dumping of trash to A
the Wright County Sheriff, 473-6673
or 295-2533.E °
Residents polled on outdoor recreation
In an effort to gather information for a given an opportunity to make sugges- The Parks and Recreation Commis-
comprehensive city park,trail and rec- tions or comments to the Parks and sion meets the second Tuesday of the
reation plan,the Otsego Parks and Rec- Recreation Commission. month, 7:30 p.m. They are continuing
reation Commission conducted a poll of The Otsego survey results were corn- work on the comprehensive park plan
residents on recreational activities. parable to others done in Minnesota and welcome comment from the pub-
Commission members executed a ran- (such as the Statewide Outdoor Recre- lic.
dom telephone survey of residents from ational Plan)in that the most popular
January 21 to February 9, 1992. The activities are similar.
results are based on 81 completed sur- Walking,fishing,picnicking,boating, OTSEGO
veys which represents about five per- and bicycling were the top five activities RECREATION SURVEY
cent of Otsego's population. participated in by the polled Otsego FEBRUARY 1992
Residents were asked if any people in residents.
their household participated in the out- The top five activities those polled Participation in outdoor recreation
door recreation activities read from a would like to see offered locally were
list of 23 typical activities. They were bicycling, walking, cross-country ski- activities by Otsego residents
asked to name any activities they would ing, swimming pool, and neighborhood
like to see offered in Otsego and were playgrounds. Walking 84%
Fishing 82%
Picnicking 78%
Boating 70%
# Bicycling
................. .. ............. .................................................. ........... ................................................. Lake/River Swimming64%
April 1 8 p.m. Planning&Zoning Commission meeting Wildlife Observation 64%
April 7 7 a.m.-8 p.m. PRIMARY ELECTION Pool Swimming 63%
April 13 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting Camping 56%
April 14 7:30 p.m. Parks&Recreation Commission meeting Neighborhood Playgrounds 48°%
April 15 8 p.m. Planning&Zoning Commission meeting Softball 44/°
April 21 7 p.m. Great River Road Fest Task Force Hiking 37%
April 27 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting Ice Skating 36%
April 30 7 a.m. Mayors'Prayer Breakfast, Elk River American Legion Golf 36%
May 2 9 am.-2 p.m. CLEAN-UP DAY Snowmobiling 33%
May 6 8 p.m. Planning&Zoning Commission meeting Cross-country skiing 26%
May 11 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting Archery 26%
May 12 7:30 p.m. Parks&Recreation Commission meeting Running 24%
May 20 8 p.m. Planning&Zoning Commission meeting Canoeing 22%
May 25 Office Closed-Memorial Day Tennis 19%
May 26 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting Little League Ball 19%
Horseback Riding 9%
Hockey 8%
To be placed on the Planning Commission agenda,submit completed forms and
information 15 working days prior to meetings. Submit City Council agenda items 7
working days prior to meetings.
Please call City Hall to confirm times if you plan to attend any of the listed meetings.
4