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The calendar shows the environmentally friendly movement known as  “no mow May” is in the rear view mirror;  and urban properties are going to have to start to comply with weed ordinances in Taylors Falls.  It was explained in discussion at the city council meeting Monday this week, the  rule is being published and once this is done city staff can start sending out formal notices and the 10 day clock to abate the tall grass starts ticking.  

The ordinance authorizes the city to mow if the property owner does not and charge expenses against the property.  In the event the fees are left unpaid, the city can certify the bill against property taxes.

Another concern of living in the city is short term rental properties and how to best regulate a growing enterprise in Taylors Falls.  As a scenic destination Taylors Falls already has a dozen short term rentals interspersed among regular dwellings (not including the Wannigan Point cabins) and the task for the city planing commission has been to review and recommend rules for these properties in the hopes the private and public uses will get along.

The council (Mayor Weiberg absent) discussed some fine points presented by zoning administrator Elizabeth Haas, on what’s rising to the top for the ordinance, but did not act.  City officials hope to hear from residents about issues they think need addressing.

Property owners are required to live within 30 minutes of any Short Term Rental they are responsible for.  Quiet hours are proposed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.  Alterations to the exterior need to go through normal review and permit processing.  The fee is $650 to operate the STR.  Number of STR licenses are capped at 20.  There are questions if certain districts should kept free of STR uses. Regulating the distance between rentals was another topic.

Administrator Haas commented she’d like to button down the STR ordinance sooner than later and “not do it on the fly” the way the city confronted cannabis related retail sales, etc.

This ordinance will come back for additional review.

Council has gotten feedback on a retaining wall project in downtown and in response— requested contractor Jeremy Vitalis to attend the council meeting.  Council asked if he can change the Versa-lok block color from grey to tan.  The cost is another $1,000 and he said the change order could delay the work somewhat as the supplier is in transition to a new ownership and the supply chain is a bit disrupted for everybody.

A last minute proposal council heard already reportedly set in motion by Mayor Weiberg, was to hire a trolley to shuttle people between St Croix Falls and Taylors Falls during Wannigan Days, 

This caught some people unaware.  

Wannigan Days longtime organizer Lynn Longnecker wasn’t sure if funds were readily available and he stressed that those who wish to insert new activities or events into the town celebration really ought to contact the main committee first.

It was agreed that if St Croix Falls agrees to fund half the trolley the city could probably swing it.

Taylors Falls is showing a deficit in its General Fund at this point.  

The $171,000 reported as red ink will easily go away as soon as state Local Government Aid and county property tax is dispersed, but council is monitoring the ledger closely.

And, council voted 4-0 to revise the EDC rules to allow a liaison member to have voting rights in the event the economic development commission meeting convenes but there’s not a quorum of regular members.  Liaison representatives ordinarily don’t cast votes, but if there’s an action needing urgent attention this will allow for more fruitful meetings.

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