29/03/2024

UDS-Biz

Growing Your Income

Two public hearings and two tabled action items on the Willmar City Council agenda for Monday, Oct. 3

Oct. 1—WILLMAR

— Two public hearings are set to take place during the meeting of the Willmar City Council on Monday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services building.

Also on the agenda are the rezoning of a property and the creation of a tax increment financing district, both for the Unique Opportunities apartment complex project, which was tabled at the Sept. 19 City Council meeting.

The two public hearings are related to approving special assessments for unpaid snow and ice removal charges and approving special assessments for unpaid weed and grass mowing.

Action on approving the Unique Opportunities apartment complex was tabled in order to wait for the completion of a traffic study.

Unique Opportunities is a proposed 216-unit apartment complex, with 72 units per building, to be built along Lakeland Drive Northeast between the Trentwood Estates development and the mobile home park, if approved by the city.

In order for the project to take place, the land needs to be rezoned from agriculture to R5, which is high-density residential.

The developer, Samuel Herzog, also needs tax increment financing in order to make the project financially feasible.

If the council approves rezoning the land and the creation of a TIF district, Herzog will still have to comply with a conditional use permit, which is needed due to the size of the complex.

A conditional use permit has already been approved by Willmar’s Planning Commission, and will also have to be approved by Willmar City Council at a future meeting.

Also on the council agenda is consideration of the 2023 budget of the Economic Development Commission and the consideration of parking restrictions along 2nd Street Southeast.

The council will also present the summary on the performance evaluation of City Administrator Leslie Valiant and will consider a salary increase.

A closed session is scheduled for the end of the meeting to discuss salary negotiations.