Council to hold discussion on exploring diagonal parking in downtown Mitchell

Sam Fosness, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
Updated ·6 min read

Apr. 16—MITCHELL — The Mitchell City Council will hold a discussion Monday about downtown parking.

As the council has been delving further into the streetscape project over the past few months, it's sparked some concerns about the impact the project could have on Main Street parking.

As part of the streetscape project, four intersections on Main Street are proposed to welcome bump out features that eliminate a few parking spots at each intersection. During the April 3 council meeting, a suggestion of switching to diagonal parking along Main Street emerged.

"If we will lose some parking spots, why don't we look into doing diagonal parking like you see in downtown Sioux Falls? That would add more spots, I'd imagine," Council President Kevin McCardle said at the April 3 council meeting.

On Monday, the council will dive deeper into the diagonal parking topic and hold a discussion on it toward the end of the 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall. Residents can participate in the discussion.

During recent discussions of the Main Street bump out features, Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said the layout of the bump outs could eliminate one to two parking spots per corner. That equates to a loss of four spots at minimum and eight spots on the high end per intersection with bump outs.

Losing Main Street parking sparked concerns for council member Dan Sabers, who made the lone vote against a $177,895 design agreement on April 3 that will provide designs for bump outs at three new downtown intersections.

"I don't get it. We lose eight parking spots on a double (sided feature) like we have on Sixth Avenue. I tried to pull into the 15-minute parking spot, and with a full-sized car it's impossible," Sabers said at a previous council meeting. "People must not think we have a downtown parking shortage."

Some downtown property owners have indicated there is a parking shortage in the downtown area. Supporters of the streetscape project say the bump out features and landscape will encourage people to get out of their vehicles and explore Main Street and the businesses aligning it.

The latest intersections that are inching closer to potentially welcoming bump outs are Second Avenue and Main Street, Fourth Avenue and Main Street and Railroad Street and Main Street.

Rough drafts of the design exhibits show the trio of intersections with bump out features at all four corners. The bump outs will mimic that of what's at the Sixth Avenue and Main Street intersection across the street from the Corn Palace.

The following items will be considered as part of the consent agenda:

* Approve the minutes and reports from the Feb. 21 council meeting.

* Approve committee reports.

* Approve department reports.

* Hear quarterly report from Mitchell Area Development Corporation.

* Approve raffle permits.

* Declare items as surplus to be sold on Purple Wave auction.

* Approve purchase of track loader with snowblower in the amount of $68,060.

* Approve the following appointments to city boards: Dennis Thompson to the Parks & Recreation Board to fill an unexpired term to run April 17, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Adam Schultz to the Parks & Recreation Board to fill an unexpired term to run April 17, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

* Approve change order No. 1 to H&W Contracting, LLC for Dailey Lift station project.

* Set the date for the following bid openings to take place at 1:30 p.m. on April 24: Rock chip supply project; Petroleum product supply project; Paving and overlay project.

* Set the date for hearings on the following alcohol license applications: May 1, the Corn Palace Stampede Inc.'s application for a special (on-sale) liquor license located at Horseman's Sports Arena for the July 13-16, 2023 Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo; An application to transfer retail (on-sale) liquor license from Jeremy Andersen, located at 909 N. Ohlman Suite 3 to V.V. Inc., doing business as The Garage, located at 909 Ohlman Suite 3, in Mitchell. License is inactive.

* Approve pay estimates.

* Approve bills, payroll, salary adjustments, new employee hires, authorization of recurring payments and other expenses.

* Recite pledge of allegiance and receive invocation from Word of Life Church.

* Hear citizens input.

* Meet as Board of Adjustment.

* Hold hearing and take action on the following: Marci Stults has applied for a conditional use permit to operate a childcare (Family Residential), located at 937 E. Fist Ave., legally described as Lot 1, Block 1 of Mizener Hager & Hager Addition, in the city of Mitchell. The real property is zoned R3 Medium Density Residential District.

* Set the date for the following hearings to take place May 1: Cully Evers has applied for a conditional use permit to operate a telecommunication tower, located at 2700 N. Main St., legally described as Lot 1 of Brig Addition, a subdivision of Irregular Tract 12 in the southwest quarter of Section 10, township 103 north, range 60 west of the fifth prime meridian, in the city of Mitchell. The real property is zoned HB Highway Business District; Erika Hennessey has applied for a conditional use permit to operate a childcare, preschool and nursery, located at 1325 Palmer Place, legally described as Lot 5 and West 3' of Lot 4, Block 8, Gardenview Addition, in the city of Mitchell. The real property is zoned R2 Single Family Residential District; Kelly Jones has applied for a variance permit for rear yard (road side) setback of 20 feet vs. 30 feet for construction of a house and attached garage, located at 84 N. Harmon Dr., legally described as Lot 42 of Bayside Subdivision, in the city of Mitchell. The property is zoned RL Lake Residential District District.

* Reconvene as city council.

* Hold hearing and take action on the following alcohol license applications: An application to transfer RB-26966 Retail (on-off Sale) Malt Beverage & SD Farm Wine License from Lucky Clovers LLC, 1100 E. Havens Ave. to Lucky Clovers LLC, located 720 South Montana (The License will be inactive); An application to transfer RB-26967 Retail (on-off Sale) Malt Beverage & SD Farm Wine License from Lucky Clovers LLC, 1100 E. Havens Ave. to Lucky CloversLLC, located at 720 South Montana (The License will be inactive).

* Approve appointing Dan Pollreisz as the chief of Mitchell's Fire Division.

* Approve the developer's agreement for the Woolworth building TIF.

* Approve Resolution No. R2023-21, Plat of Lots 1 through 13 and Lot A of Sharpstone Deuce Addition 14.

* Approve Resolution No. R2023-22, Plat of West Plum Avenue; Lots 13 thru 26, Block 2; Lots 1 thru 7, Block 3; and Drainage Tract 1, Block 4, MLC Addition 15.

* Approve Resolution No. R2023-23, Plat of Urbana Drive; Sammy Davis Avenue; Dean Martin Court; East South Point Avenue; Lots 7 thru 16, Block 1; Lots 1 thru 15, Block 2; Lot 1, Block 3; and Drainage Tract 1 of Stardust Subdivision.

* Approve resolution amending the city's 2023 compensation plan.

* Hold first reading on Ordinance #O2023-03, Establishing the Discretionary Formula for Certain Classes of Real Property and Setting Boundaries for Certain Districts.

* Hold first Reading on Ordinance #O2023-04, updating the city of Mitchell's Comprehensive Plan.