Moorhead council declines to clear boulevard parking request after staff recommends denial

Moorhead council members on July 14 debated whether to allow FM Auto Sales to use a city boulevard at 1702 Main Avenue for display parking, but a council motion to deny the request did not carry and the application remains unresolved.

City planner Robin Houston told the council that FM Auto Sales was parking vehicles on the grass boulevard and that staff recommends denying the request. Houston said a 1967 streets code provision that allows council approval for boulevard parking conflicts with later zoning and parking rules and that boulevard parking reduces snow storage, risks damage to trees and utilities and can leak fluids onto the boulevard. She said staff offered the business the chance to demonstrate a need with a site plan but did not receive the requested documentation.

The council discussed an alternate resolution staff prepared that would allow a limited number of vehicles — about four or five — behind the trees at the corner of First Avenue and Main Avenue, subject to a right-of-way encroachment permit, insurance and conditions to protect trees and utilities. Council members raised concerns about aesthetics, tree and turf damage and the lack of a demonstrated business need.

Council member Lisa Borgen moved to deny the boulevard-parking request; Council member Chuck Hendrickson seconded. A roll-call vote recorded Niese Meyer: No; Matson: No; Borgen: Yes; White: No; Moore: Yes; McDougall: Yes; Hendrickson: Yes. The motion failed. City staff told the council that, regardless of this vote, the business could still submit paperwork and staff would continue to seek the requested site plan and other materials.

Houston said staff intends to recommend a future text amendment to remove the outdated 1967 boulevard provision and use a current administrative right-of-way encroachment process with clear conditions. Council members discussed whether to delay final action to allow the business time to provide the requested site plan; some members favored denying now while allowing the owner to reapply, others favored a short delay. The council did not adopt the alternate conditions tonight.

Council members also discussed requirements that any approved use include obligations to repair or replace trees and reseed damaged grass at the business owner's expense. Houston said those details could be included in either a council resolution or the right-of-way encroachment permit if the council later approves a limited encroachment.

Because the motion to deny did not pass, the status of the request remains that staff will continue outreach and the business may resubmit documentation for council consideration or for administrative review under the encroachment permit process.

The record shows several months of staff outreach; Houston said code enforcement first contacted the business in February about the issue.