11-20-2003 Planning Commission Meeting

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City if Pequot Lakes October 20, 2003 Page 2 for the apartment building that we believed would encompass the entire project under the development agreement for which I paid the$450.00 permit fee. The City had no permit requirements at that time for fence construction nor any other inspection fees since the city had no inspector. • We have since completed the construction of the new building and the renovation of the existing Pines building in accordance with the development agreement including the installation of the fence around the apartment property. In late August of this year, Mr. Marohn contacted me and called into question my need to acquire a permit for the installation of the fence that was installed around the Pines Apartment building. On August 27, 2003, our attorney responded to Mr. Marohn on our behalf, indicating our position that the fence around the property was covered under the building permit issued for the project as specified in the development agreement(See copy of letter enclosed). On October 7, 2003, our attorney received a response from Mr. Marohn (see copy enclosed) indicating that he not only disagreed with our position that a permit was not necessary, but questioning the appropriateness of the.type of fencing we installed, specifically that the fence was topped off with strands of barb wire. Finally, on October 8, 2003, our attorney sent a letter to Mr. Marohn reiterating our position and explaining our justification for type of fence installed. That letter has been the last contact we have had on the matter. I am directing this letter to you and the City Council so that you understand my position relative the fence. First of all, let me say that I and past city administration have worked well together to get this project off the ground and I believe everyone has benefited from it. The City has an additional 90 units of quality, affordable housing that has drawn new residents to the City not to mention the free easements I gave the City to run the water lines across my industrial park property. Some may question the need for the fence around the project but let me tell you why the fence and its style are needed. Prior to construction of the project, we had numerous break-ins of our adjacent warehouse facility and the existing Pines Apartments property including our tenants vehicles and garage spaces. Because of the existing problem, we knew we needed the fence around the property and included its installation in the development agreement.