WILLMAR -- The owners of the Kandi Entertainment Center have repeated their concerns about the effects on their business of the Water View Business Park street improvements.
Keith and Jeff Pattison told the Willmar City Council that access to their entertainment center will be restricted during a three-month period when 19th Avenue Southeast in front of the center is rebuilt next year.
They said the center will lose parking spaces and that parking lot traffic will be affected by construction of Fifth Street Southeast. Also, they hoped flooding problems on the southeast corner of their property will be alleviated.
They repeated their objection to paying an estimated $191,000 in construction assessments against their property. They said they previously paid for a 19th Avenue improvement project in 1991.
Also, they said construction equipment used in the Water View Business Park development is being parked on their property without their permission.
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The Pattisons raised their concerns when the street work was in the preliminary discussion stage about two years ago. The last time Jeff Pattison addressed the council about his concerns was June 19 when council members voted to order preparation of a preliminary construction improvement report.
Monday night, the council approved the report and ordered preparation of plans and specifications. Bids will be opened Jan. 22 on street and related improvements, estimated at $3,125,000.
Public Works Director Mel Odens said the city has been meeting with the Pattisons to address their concerns. Mayor Les Heitke advised the Pattisons to consult with their attorney and the police chief about the equipment being parked on their property.
Council member Ron Christianson said the entertainment center is a good asset. "We need to make sure we do all we can to keep them happy,'' he said.
Council OKs excessive vehicle noise ordinance
The council voted 7-1 to approve an ordinance prohibiting excessive vehicle noise. The ordinance requires mufflers on vehicles, including motorcycles, and prohibits the use of engine-retarding brakes that cause abnormal or excessive noise.
The ordinance exempts vehicles participating in races and events approved by the council or participating at city-approved racetracks.
No members of the public spoke for or against the ordinance during a hearing.
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Christianson spoke against the ordinance, saying he did not see a need for it if it's not going to be enforced to the limit. He favored enforcement in other areas such as theft and vandalism.
Police Chief Jim Kulset said officers will enforce the ordinance if officers witness the event or receive complaints.
"Will it be a priority, let's say, over theft, burglary, domestic assault? No,'' he said. "But if it's the council's wishes to enforce excessive vehicle noise, and prohibit it in the city, we certainly will enforce it and we'll use this ordinance to do that.''
Kulset said the ordinance was needed to let the Minnesota Department of Transportation place signs at city highway entrances stating the city enforces excessive vehicle noise.
"I think most professional truckers and people who have issues with noisy vehicles ... see those signs and I think that's a deterrent to that violation,'' said Kulset. "I think that's a good deterrent. You see them in a lot of cities.''
Voting in favor of the ordinance were Denis Anderson, Cindy Swenson, Steve Gardner, Jim Dokken, Rick Fagerlie, Bruce DeBlieck and Doug Reese.
Voting against was Christianson.
Council designates truck routes in city
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The council voted to amend city ordinance designating about 24 miles of streets, highways and state-aid roads in the city as truck routes.
Over time, said Odens, some state highways have been turned over to city streets, and county-state-aid roads used as major truck routes have been added. Odens said the amended ordinance reflects the actual conditions.
Odens said trucks are allowed to leave designated routes to make deliveries, but must return to the nearest route to be legal. The ordinance was needed because some trucks were cutting through residential areas where truck routes were not designated, according to Odens.
