CHISHOLM—Businesses in Chisholm’s Industrial Park may soon be able to add a shipping containers as an accessory to their primary building.
“A shipping container is a six-sided steel unit originally constructed as a general cargo container for the transport of goods and materials,” as described on the proposed ordinance amendment.
At its regular meeting on July 10 the council approved the first reading of the amendment to City Ordinances 153.04 and 153.07 pertaining to Land Use in a 4 to 1 vote. Councilor April Fountain opposed. Councilor Cheyenne Mikkola-Rahja was absent.
The matter was first approved by the Chisholm Planning and Zoning Commission at its July 1 meeting.
During discussion at the July 10 meeting Fountain questioned why the amendment was exclusive to the Industrial Park, citing potential residential purposes for shipping containers.
City Attorney Bryan Lindsay addressed Fountain’s concerns, noting the city has a process in place for a variance request to address those types of concerns.
In the event the State of Minnesota came out with a process for permitting shipping containers as dwellings, Lindsay said the city would want to “keep a closer eye” to look out for substandard or dangerous conditions.
Performance standards for shipping containers in the Industrial Park, are spelled out in the amended ordinance, including:
A limit of two shipping containers, requiring of a city permit prior to placing or moving the container on the property, requiring the container to be placed on a hard surface such as concrete, asphalt, or a gravel pad, etc. It’s noted no stacking of shipping containers is allowed.
A vote on the second reading is anticipated at the Aug. 14 meeting.
The council took up the following other matters at its July 10 meeting.
•Awarded the contract for the 2024 Street and Alley Reconditioning Project to Mesabi Bituminous, Inc. of Gilbert in the amount of $223, 800. That amount is the base bid plus an alternate for the Iron Man parking lot. The net cost to the city is $139,036.50 and the estimated assessment revenue is $84,763.50, according to Chisholm City Engineer Jim Johnson. Johnson noted there are no assessments for the Iron Man parking lot portion of the project.
•Accepted a quote for professional services from SEH, Inc. at a maximum fee of $28,000 for the 2024 Street and Alley Reconditioning Project. The cost includes expenses and equipment to be billed on an hourly cost basis.
• Approved an amendment to Braun Intertec contract for soil borings for an additional $3,511 to cover the cost of eight core samples that required drilling through thick concrete pavement.
• Approved a change order on the Third Street Northwest Infrastructure project to amend substantial completion from Aug. 27, 2021 to Oct. 1, 2021; final completion from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023 as established at an Aug. 9, 2023 meeting.
•Approved a change order. for the Third Street Northwest Infrastructure improvement Project to establish liquidated damages at $22,500.
• Approved a change order for the Third Street Northwest Infrastructure Improvement Project to modify the contract one-year warranty upon final payment to a five-year warranty on water services lines and a two-year warranty on all other elements.
• Approved final pay application to Mesabi Bituminous in the amount of $22,500 on the Third Street Northwest Infrastructure Improvement Project.
• Approved a pay application to TNT Construction Group, LLC of Grand Rapids in the amount of $226,385.81 for work completed on the Fifth Street Southeast Infrastructure Improvement Project.
• Approved a pay application to Adolfson & Peterson Construction in the amount of $153,233.29 for work on the Chisholm Public Safety Building.
• Approved a job description, posting, and hiring up to three youth center attendants for the Chisholm Youth Center on Lake Street.
• Accept a quote from Hydroklean to rebuild sewer manholes at a cost of $26,820.
• Approved a contract between the city and Erik Larson for construction management services at the Redhead Mountain Bike Park at a cost not to exceed $65,500. The work s being funded through a grant from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), according to Chisholm Parks, Trails and Recreation Director Bridgit Maruska.
• Approved a contract between the city and Rock Solid Trail Builders for trail construction at the Redhead Mountain Bike Park at a cost not to exceed $645,581.20 The work is being funded through a grant from the LCCMR.
• Appointed a hiring committee for the lead buildings and parks position.
• Approved a request from William Purdy to transfer the remainder of a contract for Northwoods Laundry operated at the Chisholm Iron Trail Campground to Ben Masucci, effective from Aug. 1. The contract is set to expire on April 3, 2026.
• Scheduled a special meeting for 5 p.m. Monday, July 22 to discuss improvements being considered at the Chet Tomassoni Memorial Arena.
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