06.01-06.03 - Items from Planning Comm Report

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August 18, 2009 Pequot Lakes Planning & Zoning Commission Attention: Tommy Woog — Chairperson Dear Mr. Woog: Per our conversation earlier today, I am writing this letter to inform you that I am unable to attend Thursday night's meeting as I will be at a furniture show in Red Wing, MN on Thursday and Friday -. I would like to provide some relevant facts /perspective on two structures at our Production Facility at 4772 Morehouse Drive that are at issue. I understand that I am Agenda Item 6c. on Thursday's agenda. Structure #1• In the Summer of 2008, we added a new product line and expanded an existing product line that required Lonesome Cottage to have a need for additional storage space. Our existing product lines did not require a lot of inside storage needs for raw materials, so we did not build a large raw materials storage area in our 27,200 square foot facility. For a temporary solution to a long -term problem, we ordered a "greenhouse" from a catalog vendor. The whole structure cost about $1,500 and is comprised of aluminum poles and plastic sheeting. Due to the materials involved and the nature of the structure, I did not even think to get a Building Permit for this structure. We only planned to have it up until this summer. It was not an intentional act of malfeasance on my part. It was a simple oversight, nothing more or less. We are now in a position financially, due to refinancing, that we can address this issue more permanently. I have money escrowed to build a 40' x 80' addition onto the South end of our production facility to move the raw materials that are being stored in the production facility inside. Forrest Steevie (aka Frosty) would like to begin construction on this facility in early September. The challenge that we now face is getting a building permit with a non - conforming structure on the premises. I would like to propose two potential solutions. 1) The preferred solution is that I pay the $500 building permit fee for the current structure, "Greenhouse ", at the time that I apply for the building permit for the 40'x 80' addition. I would respectfully request that the P &Z Commission waive the "After —the — Fact penalty fee ", which would amount to $2,500. Please keep in mind that I paid $10,000 worth of building permit fees in August 2007. Additionally, the value of the underlying structure is only about $1,500. 2) 1 can take down the temporary structure for a few. days to cure the non - conformance, apply for the permit, and re- assemble the structure. I am not 100% certain that structure would survive this process. Further, I would expose some valuable inventory items to the elements during this �%., process. I do not currently have any place on -site to store the materials