Sale of library building supported by council

By MaryHelen Swanson
The building housing the Rush City Library is probably going to be sold to Chisago County, and that would include the back room which is used for the senior dining program and a community room for various organizational gatherings.
However, the Rush City council informally agreed, Monday night, that they would not sell it to the county before a plan is developed and in place for replacing the senior dining site as well as the community center.
The county is proposing to purchase the Rush City Library building as part of its newly approved program to take over ownership of the county libraries.
That plan includes building, at taxpayerís cost, three new libraries in North Branch, Wyoming and the Lindstrom/Chisago Lakes area.
With part of the approved $6.5 million in bonds, the county also intends to buy the Rush City building. Mayor Mike Skalsky, who attended a recent county board meeting where a decision was made on library bonding, said the county intends to purchase the building at fair market value, and that an appraisal would be needed.
City Administrator Daniel Hoffman reminded the council that a new dining site is part of a proposal for a senior housing complex, which is in early stages of development.
Proceeds from the sale of the building, Hoffman said, would go into the cityís community development fund.
He said a library patron had asked him if some of the proceeds could be used to add extra hours at the library.
But Councilman David Bengtson said the money had better be used to replace the senior center.
Hoffman will be working with the county on the proposed library purchase.
In planning commission business, the council approved a rezoning request for Scot and Laura Bowen, owners of the Grant House.
They intend to replace a two-story deck on the front of the hotel to make it authentic to the 30s era.
They needed a B-2 zone because the current B-1 zone has a 25-foot front yard setback requirement.
The proposed deck would project out from the building 10 feet, coming to within one foot of the property line. The B-2 zone does not have setback requirements, but requires a conditional use permit for the hotel portion of the business. B-2 allows restaurants.
Scot Bowen said they are trying to restore the Grant House back the way it used to look.
ìThatís the goal inside and out,î said Laura Bowen.
The council accepted the planning commissionís recommendation for the change in zoning.
They also moved to allow Darrel Corrier, 880 S. Alger Avenue, a variance to construct a second stall to his garage contingent upon him locating the property line between him and his neighbor to the north and following recommendations for setbacks.
City Attorney Joe Anderson advised the council that they needed to list the findings for requests such as this, in writing, and file them with the county assessor.
He also reminded the council of the reasons for allowing variances, adding that because a property owner wants a bigger building and his lot is too small, is not a suitable reason.
Anderson said reasons would include things like bluffs and large natural obstructions. He noted that the reason for the cityís 10-foot setback is to leave room for emergency vehicles.
The planning commissionís approval, which was accepted by the council, said it was based on the facts that the size of the Corrier lot and the position of the house would otherwise make it impossible to build a two-car garage.
The council approved a one-year lease for the St. Croix River Education District for the building formerly occupied by RC Company. The lease is at $6/sq. foot or $10,500 per year.
They set Monday, Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m. as the date for the 2004 budget work session, hired Gabriel Pederson as part-time bartender and approved two hangar leases at the airport, one for a new hangar to be built.

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