By MaryHelen Swanson

Want to see what goes on at the city council meeting with your own eyes? You soon can view the meeting at home via cable at times of the day it better suits your needs.

Monday, Feb. 12, the council approved the purchase of playback video equipment from Alpha Video for $4,400. This would allow for rebroadcasting of meetings when staff is not at city hall to switch equipment.

The money will come from the cable franchise fund, which garners, according to Councilor Theresa Furman, more than $24,000 a year.

It was not noted at what time the rebroadcasts would be done. Check with city hall or the city's Web site for more details. The meeting will still be broadcast live.

Also, at the meeting this week, the council approved, 4-1, the final plat for Valez Acres, a 20-unit development presented by Larry Beach.

There will actually be 18 new homes, two already exist on the property. The site is near Mud Lake.

Councilor Kathy Blomquist opposed the plat saying the council would not be following the city's comp plan with regards to open space.

Beach's second request was not approved, however, as he was asking permission to construct three model homes.

City ordinance allows only one, noted planning director Alan Cottingham.

He would not recommend three due to the construction traffic involved in building three homes, during a time that infrastructure in the area is being improved.

Furthermore, he said it would set a precedent.

"While we understand the developer's concerns of getting the units completed for marketing conditions in the spring/summer, we are concerned as to other developers request this in the future," Cottingham said.

In other business, the council:

• Moved to allow the city's park board to apply for a Local Trails Connection Grant through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to match an existing $40,000 currently set aside for trail development. The park board is looking at a connecting trails on the east side of County Road 30 starting at the existing trail along the Golden Pines subdivision to Roger Johnson Memorial Park to the north. Because the close deadline for grant application submission, Cottingham suggested waiting to apply until next year, possibly considering a trail east of town near Casselberry Ponds, due to the number of existing homes. Councilor Amy Oehlers liked the consideration of the Casselberry location, saying there are already many homes there. Councilor Theresa Furman, however, agreed with the park board recommendation noting that with the ESSBY development (even though it could take 10 years) there will be more than 400 homes affected in the Golden Pines area. The council's vote was 4-1 with Oehlers opposed.

• Tabled a transfer of unused 2006 public works funds to the 2007 fund to get more information from supervisor Shawn Williams.

• Approved a resolution accepting donations received by the city in 2006. Donations amounted to a total of $11,662.90 coming from numerous sources.

• Approved the recertification of assessments and the establishment of new assessments for street and utility improvements with the platting of Lucht's Crossing (former Green Acres property). It was noted that the county, which owned the property previously, had paid the assessments for 11 years. Each lot of the development will have an assessment of $3,881.58, which is expected to be paid when the lot is sold. The council is assuming the property owner, Shade Tree Companies, will see that the assessments are paid.

• Approved the recertification of assessments and establishments of new assessments for the platted ESSBY Business Park, the assessments being paid by the city's EDA until land is sold. Thirteen years of assessment remain on three parcels.

The council will hold a worksession Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6:15 p.m. Agenda items include such things as the city administrator's contract, contract services, and presentation by Central MN Housing Partnership, plus more.

On Feb. 26, one hour before the regular council meeting, there will be a session to look at the ESSBY residential concept plan.