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Commission OKs up to $5,000 for shoreland ordinance work with WSB and accepts no-cost housing-code audit
Summary
Commissioners authorized up to $5,000 from planning commission professional services to hire WSB to finalize shoreland ordinance edits requested by the DNR and approved participation in a no-cost housing-code audit funded by Minnesota Housing Partnership.
The Fergus Falls City Planning Commission approved two capacity-building actions: authorizing up to $5,000 to hire consultant WSB to finalize shoreland management ordinance updates requested by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and accepting a no-cost housing-code audit from the Minnesota Housing Partnership funded through the Minnesota Greater Minnesota Housing Fund.
Clara Beck said staff has been working with the DNR for an extended period and that the DNR continues to request changes; Beck said WSB can provide focused technical work, produce a clear crosswalk showing DNR standards versus city code, and prepare materials for a final public hearing and city council consideration. Beck noted the planning commission has professional services funds available for the work.
Commissioners expressed two recurring concerns: first, whether hiring a consultant would result in repeated rounds of DNR comments, and second, whether the DNR’s review would be final or if the commission would still face additional iterations. Beck said WSB’s experience and a technical crosswalk would reduce staff bandwidth issues and make clear where the city’s code diverges from DNR expectations.
After discussion, a motion to allocate up to $5,000 from the existing planning commission budget for WSB’s work carried by voice vote. Commissioners also approved participating in the Minnesota Housing Partnership’s housing-code audit, which the partnership funds, at no cost to the city.
