Planning Commission

Over 8 years ago I proposed my East/West route

l3wis May 15, 2015 20Comments

It’s been awhile since this topic was brought up, and this is what I brought to the plate;

One of the biggest arguments Minnehaha Country Club had was that the land was a Audubon reserve that should be preserved. I couldn’t agree more. It is some of the most beautiful green space in the entire city, and if you have the money, you can see it. I think my approach would shoot holes in their argument and help the city get federal and state funding for the project. Build a state park in the middle of Sioux Falls.

Then here comes another great argument to finally build the east/west route;

Beings that the top 5 worst intersections in Sioux Falls are 41st Street and Kiwanis Ave, 41st Street and I-29, 41st Street and Louise Ave, 41st Street and Western Ave, and 41st Street and Marion Road, I can clearly see now, as the city council does, that our problem here must be on 57th Street and Bahnson Avenue on the south-Side, which is where there just so happens to be a small segment of land our greed-stricken city planners have their sights on annexing next. Perhaps the money junkies can use that land to move their sacred golf courses to the outskirts of town, as opposed to bottlenecking the entire city on two main routes, sparing the residents of Sioux Falls from 400+ traffic collisions every few dozen months, just so that the money junkies don’t have to go through the horror of driving an additional 15-minutes outside of town to go golfing.

While I agree 100% with Devin, the monied elite will never let this happen. Several mayors (Hanson, Munson & Huether) have all said that putting the golf courses in the center of town was bad planning, but none of them have had the guts to do anything about it. While they have bullied an entire neighborhood on the Southside over a Walmart, they won’t touch the country clubs with a ten foot pole.

Another suit against the city over property rights. Yawn.

l3wis May 14, 2015 12Comments

This is beginning to become so boring and prevalent, I may just need to take a nap. Wait! That’s what the building services department do all day, then their boss knocks off at 3:55 PM on Fridays to have a nice micro brew.

City Attorney Loop-Hole David Fiddle-Faddle, of course clears it all up for us;

The city was served with the law suit late Wednesday and was “still digesting” it Thursday afternoon, City Attorney David Pfeifle said. He described the issue as a dispute between neighbors with the city caught in the middle.

Better get some antacids. Caught in the middle? You are the ones to issue the permits, you are the governing body. You know that? Right? Dave? This isn’t about a ‘dispute’ this is about the city not doing their job correctly. Oh, and the irony of the health system that the doctor building the home works for . . . I ask, would Dr. Annette Bosworth be allowed to build a home that didn’t follow code?

What?! I thought Shape Places was perfect? Why do we keep making all these adjustments?

l3wis March 22, 2015 8Comments

As I have said all along, this gigantic ordinance change should have been broken down in sections for the council and public to pass, instead, like most things with this administration, they needed to ram rod it through all at once. I encouraged people to vote down Shape Places in the past municipal election not just because of Walmart, but because it had several flaws, that needed to be fixed in sections. Of course, the voters didn’t understand that, so here we are (Full DOC: billboards);

WHEREAS, the City hereby exercises its authority under SDCL 9-29-1, SDCL Ch. 11-4, and the City Charter, to establish an immediate and interim moratorium on the installation of any Billboards or the issuance of any permits for Billboards within the City;

WHEREAS, an interim moratorium will ensure that any proposed zoning ordinance changes and any proposed amendments to the City’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan can be completely examined with adequate public input from citizens, business interests, and sign industry representatives;

WHEREAS, the City finds that an interim moratorium period of 180 days is reasonable to preserve the status quo and prevent significant investment pending the outcome of the above study and any proposed regulations emanating therefrom;

WHEREAS, the City finds that an immediate and interim moratorium is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare; S:\AS\Clerk\ORD\ord0034.docx 2 3/20/15

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD:

Section 1. Interim Moratorium.

The City shall not accept or process applications, issue permits for, or allow the installation of any Billboard for a period of 180 days, or sooner if this Ordinance is repealed by the City at the completion of the above study.

This part is my fave,

“an interim moratorium will ensure that any proposed zoning ordinance changes and any proposed amendments to the City’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan can be completely examined with adequate public input from citizens, business interests, and sign industry representatives”

Didn’t we do this before it passed?

Apparently not.

Mega Pawn Shop Re-Zone approved on consent agenda

l3wis January 8, 2015 1Comments

While I got my popcorn out last night ready to watch another exciting city meeting (Planning Commission) I was surprised to see that Item #6 was pushed to the consent agenda and NO discussion or Presentations were made before the commission voted to approve the rezone of land that will be used for Badlands Pawn. While I don’t see any opposition to the rezone, I guess it would have been nice to hear a little bit more about the project before it got moved to the City Council.