City hears about speeding, development issues

The Tea City Council met Oct. 16 and heard from citizens concerned about a development and speeding. Mike Kerkvliet said the development behind his house has had issues all summer but recently they have started bringing in more dirt and pipe. The developer stopped the pipe at the end of his property line, which is about 80 feet from the pond. He feels the 30-inch pipe was not buried very deep and questioned why it didn’t go all the way to pond. City administrator Justin Weiland said he would follow up later in the week to look at the development plans and see where they are in the construction plans.

Another resident addressed the council about speeding on 7th Street. She was worried about the number of children playing outside with so many people speeding down that street. She asked for more patrols and the possibility of a stop sign at 7th Street and James Avenue. While speeding is happening at different times during the day, it appears like it’s the worst in the evening or when practices or events are happening at Venture Elementary.

The council approved the second reading of ordinance 310, an ordinance rezoning Luschen Addition from general business commercial to natural resource conservation district.

Planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen presented the site plan for NB Golf Carts on expanding the showroom in Sky Haven Addition.

The plans call for a 9,600 square foot building. He noted this property is in Lincoln County so the council recommended that the county approve the plan.

The council approved the pay application for the Tea Athletic Complex from LT Companies for $491,462.30.

Nissen presented information on the status of building permits in the city. Through September, they have issued 326 building permits with a total value of $92,0404,581 with three months to go. Last year’s permits were at 455 with a total valuation of $69,146,677. Nissen expected that the number of permits will increase before the end of the year. The valuation to date was up because of commercial building projects from the school district and Orthopedic Institute.

The council discussed the possibility of changing the terms for council members and the mayor. Currently, the mayor and council terms are two years. Terms in towns in the region vary. In Weiland’s previous role in Dell Rapids, the mayor was a four-year term and the council was three years.

Weiland noted that if the council wants to change their term length it would require two readings and a referendum.

Mayor Casey Voelker said that the state recently required candidates to collect 50 signatures from registered voters in their respective wards. By adding a year or more to the current terms, Voelker hopes it would provide some stability for the council. Councilman Aaron Otten said as a newer council member the first year is spent figuring out what’s going on and the second year he started feeling like he was getting work done before having to start circulating a petition again.

The council adjourned at 7:47 p.m.