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The Chisago City Council on Oct. 22, approved a resolution to join the Statewide volunteer firefighter pension plan administered by Minnesota’s Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA). This means PERA will administer Chisago City firefighter pension funds on behalf of the Chisago City Fire Relief Association.

The change approved by the city council also passed by vote of the board of trustees of the Chisago City Fire Relief Association. City Councilman Craig Meyer said this Association’s decision came “after many meetings and lengthy discussion” and was made in the face of the growing cost and complexity of maintaining the pension investment portfolio for the 25-member department. The city council resolution states, “The city highly values the contributions of city fire department members to the safety and well being of our community and wishes to safeguard their pension investments in a prudent manner.”

Chisago City’s volunteer firefighters are not paid, but after serving for five years are able to begin to vest 40 percent of their pension, calculated at $6,200 per year of service. They become100 percent vested after 20 years of service. Mayor Jeremy Dresel and City Administrator John Pechman are authorized to execute the terms of the resolution.

In other business, the council: 

- rescheduled the November council meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 12, to canvas election results and conduct regular city business.

- conducted the first “reading” of proposed amendments to the municipal code regulating use of snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, off road vehicles and motorcycles within the city. The proposed amended code is available for viewing at city hall prior to a public hearing set for the Dec. 10 council meeting. (Note change in date of regular December meeting.)

- placed a moratorium up to six months, on licensing of new massage therapy businesses in the city, while an ordinance is considered. The city does not currently have an ordinance regulating massage therapy businesses. 

Administrator Pechman cited “increasing concern related to some massage related businesses and how they conduct business.” He went on to state,  “Licensing regulations are necessary to protect (those) that are operating legitimate businesses, to prevent criminal activity, and to protect the health and welfare of the community.”      

- on request of the Chisago City Economic Development Authority (EDA), voted to seek a Business Development Public Infrastructure (BDPI) grant through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for land purchased by the EDA in 2023. If approved, the $330,722 grant would cover nearly half the cost of constructing a road, sewer, and storm water treatment (channeling storm water to an outlot) for 20 acres of property being added to the city industrial park. The remainder of funding for the $704,315 project would come from EDA funds, Chisago City capital funds, road funds and/or American Recovery Act funds which must be spent by the end of this year. Work would take place in 2025.

Pechman stated projects currently expressing interest in the expanded industrial site include a local manufacturing facility looking to expand and “a new start-up agricultural processing facility.” This would leave 5.5 acres available for additional economic development.

- acknowledging “exceptional circumstances,” granted property owner Carrie Penshorn a variance to create separate lots for Old Towne Hair Salon, and a duplex, which currently occupy a single lot at 10650 Stinson Ave. It is the only property in the city’s downtown area that has two uses without being a Planned Unit Development. 

The planning commission and city council agree the situation is outside of the owner’s control. The property has housed two uses on a single lot since the late 1880s, “and likely predated zoning ordinances in the City of Chisago City.”

Splitting the lot will require variances for both of the newly created lots, but is deemed to be the only possible solution. The city foresaw no adverse impact as both residential and commercial uses are permitted in the Central Business District. The lot split will allow the owner to sell the properties separately in the future.

- approved a conditional use permit requested by Dylan Rybak of Gopher State Storage to add five portable units to the existing mini storage facility at 10512 Liberty Lane. Rybak took over the property in 2022. In 2023, he added ten 10’x20’ temporary storage units to the site.This was subsequently cited as a violation of the existing conditional use permit after being described as “crowded and unsightly.”  It was noted Rybak has made numerous improvements to the storage facility. He added a security gate and fencing, and removed disabled vehicles, a large shipping container and other unsightly items that had been left there. He removed five of the previously placed portable units and has located the remaining units where they are not visible from the road. 

Councilman Craig Meyer moved to approve the permit saying, “The new owner has cleaned up quite a bit of what had been going on there before.”     

Under terms of the permit, Rybak is required to paint the portable units to match the other structures. 

- approved a conditional use permit for a new self-storage facility at 10595 Liberty Lane, also requested by Rybak, representing Minnesota Built Chisago LLC,  The new Gopher State Liberty Lane Storage will consist of six 6,000 sq. ft. structures zoned light industrial. 

- amended the city’s zoning and future land use maps, consistent with changes to the comprehensive plan, to reflect the addition of high density residential zoning District R4 and high density mobile home zoning District R5. Revised maps may be viewed at city hall. 

- approved purchase of an emergency generator capable of handling the varying voltage requirements of the city’s three sewage lift stations at a cost of $58,000 using American Recovery Plan funds.

- learned that in 2025 the city will issue two requests for proposals for city lawn mowing services, for mowing city parks and for public works mowing. 

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