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<br />Planning Commission Minutes <br />November 8, 1995 <br /> <br />A general discussion ensued regarding the responsibilities of the Homeowners Association <br />relating to the pond. <br /> <br />Member Cunningham asked if the fence was to control the children or to create a visual <br />screen. He asked if the area was to be open space, then had the townhome Homeowners <br />Association considered an alternative fence such as a split rail fence. <br /> <br />Brenda Bower, representing the Homeowners Association, stated her concern of people <br />using the pond. She stated the Temple could put up hedges or other landscaping materials <br />to detour the children. The pond is private property and has been planted around the <br />edges with prairie grasses and flowers. The pond takes care of drainage for many areas <br />surrounding the Homeowners Association as well as the Homeowners Association itself <br />She stated it could be a beautiful area. She stated she will check the Homeowners <br />Association papers regarding the pond grading. <br /> <br />Glen Thomas, 506 Lovell Avenue, stated the Villa Homeowners Association, has not <br />taken a position on this variance. He stated he sees no need for conditions on the site and <br />supports the Temple request. <br /> <br />Dr. Walt Mackey, 507 Lovell Avenue, stated that during worship services, the children <br />have no adult supervision, sometimes hundreds of kids are on the site. During warm <br />weather, the children wade into the pond and run around the site. He stated the Planning <br />Commission should know the property is private and that additional parking should be <br />considered as the Temple is expanded. He stated that a fence would help. <br /> <br />Chairman Wietecki asked the staff if this was an expansion of the Temple and would it <br />require more parking. Michael Falk stated that it is not an expansion of the worship <br />center but merely relocating learning center activities currently going on within the <br />Temple, into the expanded area. <br /> <br />Gail. Westby, 480 Lovell Avenue, asked that the Commission not consider a six foot chain <br />link fence. She supported the request for a variance and liked the open look of the <br />Temple site. She said the Temple Association has been a good neighbor. The messy area <br />to the rear can be cleaned up. She hoped that the Temple Association would use brick on <br />the exterior of the building. She noted that she had never seen children without <br />supervision. She also recalled that the pond was originally a dry pond but now sometimes <br />holds 6 feet of water. She also stated that there is a day care facility within the <br />neighborhood. <br /> <br />Member Thein asked if the Homeowners Association had ever considered a fence on the <br />townhome property. Mr. Losey stated that, no, the Townhome Association has no <br />children and it is the children that trespass. <br /> <br />Lee Smith, 473 Minnesota, stated that the proposed fence around the entire property <br />would reduce property value. He has had no problem with the Temple. The parking on <br />the street on Sunday's has been no problem. He likes the openness of the site. <br /> <br />6 <br />