By John R. Stone

Reporter

The Glenwood City Commission approved a short-term vacation rental agreement with Moseng Enterprises for a home on South Franklin Street at its end-of-the-month meeting last Wednesday.

Fred Sandal of Hometown Planning, who works with the city’s planning commission, presented the proposal and indicated that the planning commission had recommended two conditions for the permit. The first was that there be a local person to contact in the event of a problem with the property. The second was that the permit, which normally would have been good for three years, be reviewed in 18 months. 

Debra Gee, speaking for Moseng Enterprises, said the first suggestion would not be an issue since they own the property next door. She questioned the need for the 18-month review.

“Ideally we would like long-term rentals, hospital employees, school employees, people like that,” said Gee. But having the vacation rental permit would allow them to fill in spots between longer term tenants.

One neighbor on the other side of the proposed rental had submitted a letter to the commission expressing concern about the rental proposal. She said she was concerned about reduced value of her home if it were next to a rental, loud parties, the type of people who might rent such a facility and concerns about public safety in general with the extra traffic.

Tony Feigum, who lives in the neighborhood, told the commission he had no objection to the current rental proposal but wondered what the long-term plan was for the city. “At what point to we say we don’t need any more short-term rentals?”

“We haven’t gotten to that point yet,” said city administrator David Iverson, “but the day will come.”

Another person, Jody Schuster, said she was in favor of the rental, she said she walks by the property regularly and it is better maintained than many other places in the city.” I would trust them,” she said.

Commissioner Neil Haynes then proposed the city approve the permit as the planning commission had recommended. After further discussion over the 18-month review Haynes said, “I haven’t seen that there have been issues with other properties,” and decided to remove the 18-month review from the motion. The revised motion passed 4-0.

In other action the commission:

•Approved minutes of the meeting of Nov. 29, and Dec. 12 of 2023 and Jan. 9 of 2024.

•Approved three batches of January bills totaling $260,987.86 and $630,286.19 in bills from December.

•Approved payment of $7,112.09 for payments on Minnesota Public Facilities Authority general obligation bonds.

•Agreed to continue its agreement with Hometown Planning for 2024 to perform municipal planning and zoning services.

•Approved adoption of the Pope County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan. Approval of the plan allows the city to be eligible to apply for FEMA hazard mitigation assistance for the next five years.

•Gave final reading to Ordinance No 10 which amends city code chapter 10 to provide a method of notice for administrative penalties arising out of motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, trailer, UTV, ATV, golf cart or fish house violations of city code.

•Approved a proposal to spend $19,769 for 142 hanging flower baskets including delivery and hanging of the baskets, removal of the baskets at the end of the year and with the firm that has been maintain the baskets the past few years.

•Approved a gambling permit for Waterama for July 28, 2024, raffle.

•Accepted the resignation of Joel Seela as a member of the Glenwood Airport Commission.