Height variance passes with a tiebreaker vote

By Wendy Sweeter,

Reporter

The Tea City Council met Sept. 19 and held a public hearing for a height variance for the property proposed from Sodak Construction.

The proposed mixed-use building would include apartments on the top three floors and commercial businesses on the first floor. It would be located at 120 N. Heritage Parkway.

Planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen noted this was the second request for a variance on the same property. This time the proposed plan would be less density and have a pitched roof. It would also be 12 feet higher than the 45-foot maximum height. The previous variance the council granted on this property was a 3-foot variance for a flat-roofed building with a much higher number of apartment units.

The council heard from two citizens that were concerned about how tall the proposed building would be near single family homes and how drainage would be affected.

HDR engineer Ben Scholtz said that part of the Artisan Addition was designed in 2010, part of the creek in that area was widened to accommodate some runoff. When the property owner would get to the site plan stage, they would have to have a drainage plan. He also noted they have been working with subdivisions north of the community to help control the water downstream.

The council was split on the variance with a 3-3 tie vote. Mayor Casey Voelker cast the tiebreaker vote and voted for approval.

They approved the annexation of tract 10 in Landmark Industrial Park off of Manville and Sundowner from Jeren Properties LLC. The property to the east of this tract has already been annexed.

The council heard about a number of building permits from Nissen. They approved the building permit for Jeren Properties. The permit calls for a 20,000 square foot building for contractor shops and a 9,500 square foot cold storage building.

They approved the foundation permit for a 3,500 square foot building for Marken Properties at 201 E. High Pointe St. This building will be used primarily for storing landscape supplies. They also approved the foundation permit for Empire Company at 2035 Merchant St. for a larger office area and a back area for storing building materials.

The council approved a building permit for Ruff Land Kennels Addition at 1800 E. Mindy St. in Hagedorn Industrial Park. The building is an 11,600 square foot building with offices, break room and warehouse area.

They also approved the building permit for Ultimate Property Solutions at 310 N. Linda Ave. in Hagedorn Industrial Park. This will be the second building on the lot that will be a 13,500 square foot contractor shop.

They approved the interior buildout for Pinnacle Productions at 2300 N. Enterprise Ave. in Bakker Landing. The plans call for offices, studio areas, restrooms and large storage areas.

The council authorized city administrator Dan Zulkosky to submit a community forestry grant application for $5,000 for planting trees to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

They approved the pay applications for law enforcement center from Vision Construction Group for $345,202 and for the regionalization wastewater pump station and force main from Metro Construction for $466,400.34. Zulkosky said the law enforcement center is nearing completion with hopes of an Oct. 1 end date.

The council approved the second reading of ordinance 295, the 2023 appropriations ordinance.

They adjourned at 8:20 p.m.