Council approves Saint Anne's temporary alcohol‑sales variance; residents press council on Kroger noise and a contested demolition

The council approved a temporary distance variance allowing Saint Anne’s Catholic Parish to sell beer and wine at its September carnival after the city secretary and police reported no past problems with the event and the applicant described vendor controls. Lauren Thoden, city secretary, explained the municipal code’s 300‑foot prohibition near schools and said the request is temporary; an applicant representative said licensed servers and event controls would be used. Council closed the public hearing and voted to approve the variance.

During citizen appearance, John Murphy told the council that rooftop HVAC units recently installed at a Kroger fuel center are noisy at night and that landscaping and irrigation obligations in the property’s 1996 ordinance have not been fully met; Murphy reported measured noise levels up to 58 decibels at his backyard boundary and asked the city to press Kroger for screening or mitigation.

Neighbors from Stratford Lane urged the council to move forward with demolition of a house they say has been vacant for years, attracts loitering and pests, and presents a hazard. George Cooper and members of the Stratford Lane homeowners association described ongoing rodent problems and safety concerns. The homeowner, Salman Ahmed, and his family told the council they have a contractor, paid a deposit, have inspections and plans, and asked the council to allow them to proceed with repairs instead of demolishing the property; the homeowner alleged that some staff responses to permit attempts were obstructive and that electrical service was disconnected early. Staff invited the homeowners to provide documentation to staff for review; the transcript records no final council action on demolition at the meeting.