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A couple of big lifts for the Taylors Falls City Council are nearing completion, with lengthy review last week of  Short Term Rentals and the Adult Use Cannabis retail ordinances.  Final action should come at the next regular city council session once the city zoning administrator and legal counsel put the finishing touches on the language.

Council met Tuesday due to Veterans Day Monday falling on the regular meeting night.

In general the city council (Mayor Weiberg was absent) expressed consensus to process short term rental (STR) uses as conditional use permits.  Elizabeth Haas, zoning administrator, explained this gives the city the ability to hold hearings and inform the public, while addressing case-by-case situations and tailoring conditions to the site.  If the applicant wants to have associated events with an STR, for example,  there needs to be an opportunity for the council to be presented with any special  requests.

The plan is to limit Taylors Falls to 20 STR locations.

Anyone who is operating an existing STR in Taylors Falls city needs to apply to be licensed but won’t need to go through newly adopted standards.  Existing STR sites will have until December 31 to apply under the wording discussed last week. 

The council wants to make sure the limited STR allocations are actually being used as such, and members agreed there should be a requirement for owners to be eligible,  and they set a minimum of 16 occupied days in a full year.

Council agreed there can be one STR within a multi-unit location, and one STR per parcel only.

If ownership changes the incoming parcel owner will have 30 days to notify city hall of desiring the STR to transfer or not.

As far as the cannabis retail rules, Taylors Falls is accepting its role as the responsible governing unit and has no desire to delegate the regulatory authority to the county.

Taylors Falls has adopted a low dose hemp derived product ordinance already so Haas pointed out the city has had a “practice round” enacting that.  Council has a feel for some of the issues surrounding the industry of recreational cannabis.   The downtown district is where cannabis sales are allowed.

Council member Tim Grote commented on the number of businesses and said he is not in favor of limiting Taylors Falls to just one retail location. He did not, nor did any other council member, put a number on the total that should be allowed in Taylors Falls.  (Based on per capita population standards in state law the county ordinance has capped county sanctioned registered sites at five.)

Grote mentioned the marketplace and competition will regulate this— and during a recent trip to Michigan  the small town where he stayed had been approved  for four cannabis outlets and only two were operating. 

In another land use matter, Haas said the Hursh Ironworks proposal for  development of their business in the industrial park is in need of revisions. They had hoped to break ground this fall, but this may be delayed. Meeting the impervious surface standards in the industrial park seems to be the issue.

Council voted 3-1 with Troy Aanonsen opposed to revise the employee policy and offer healthcare insurance to single fulltime staffers with 100 percent covered.  Aanonsen felt the coverage was too generous.

Grote mentioned the next year levy and. budget are in pretty good shape and being trimmed. The projected increase has dipped from an estimated 12 percent to about 6 percent, in recent workshops.  Interest earnings revenues were improved for this year from budgeted,  and the solar production tax has been incorporated into the budget where it has not been previously.  The Capital Fund was carved down to $50,000.  With the health benefit Grote said the estimated increase won’t be double digit.

Taylors Falls only has three employees at this time who would be on a policy.

Taylors Falls goes through its proposed next year budget and levy in a hearing at 6 p.m. December 4.

Council was advised lights on Hwy 8 at the interstate bridge need to be switched out.  There’s sufficient funds in the utility account,  but the highway will need to have one lane closed for the work.

Membership in the Falls Chamber of Commerce was authorized at $200.

The holiday Lighting Festival later this month was reviewed and planning so far  is going well, council was told.  The 40th anniversary of the festival is being marked by the theme “Gem of the Valley’ and the annual ornament is highlighted by rubies, symbol of 40 years. 

There is always a need for more volunteers so if you can help monitor the parade route or pitch in anywhere, let Carol Schumann at the Baptist Church know or contact city hall.

The nighttime parade won’t be led by a Royal Lady of the Village this year.  Schumann said several former Royal Ladies are riding in the parade as a tribute to all the previous honorees.

Council then voted 4-0 to make a $1,000 donation to the festival expenses.

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