Hastings Mayor Mary Fasbender and the city council proclaimed June 3, 2024, DARTS Appreciation Day at the council meeting on Monday, June 3. DARTS has served older adults, families and caregivers across the southeast Metro and Hastings since 1974 making this year it’s 50th anniversary. Members of DARTS help the elderly and their families with housework, outdoor chores, home repairs, caregiving resources, resource connections and transportation. Fifty years ago, DARTS began providing bus rides to transport older residents to area community education classes. More recently, in 2016, the community Loop bus began to also aid in transportation. DARTS also facilitated the Learning Buddies and Pen Pal programs reaching over 80,000 students and connecting older volunteers with local classrooms for intergenerational learning opportunities. This valuable program continues with community support and with the help of partners such as Flint Hills Resources and United Way of Hastings.
Fasbender, along with the city council, then declared June 2024 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the City of Hastings. With this proclamation, the city reaffirms the commitment to ensure a safe and caring community for all persons and to continue to foster acceptance of all its residents and to prevent discrimination, social stigma and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The proclamation indicates appreciation for the work done thus far by IDEA Hastings and by THRIVE to advocate for diversity and equity during this month and throughout the year. With all that has been accomplished the council recognizes there is still more to be done to ensure LGBtQIA+ family members, friends and neighbors are treated with respect and equality.
Rezoning for Mint Development
Community Development Director John Hinzman presented some items to be discussed regarding a piece of property owned by HEDRA on Pleasant Drive south of Hwy. 55, the first of which is the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, which would change the land use designation or comprehensive plan map from residential medium residential to commercial and the other is to rezone that property. This was a second reading to rezone the property from R1 which is low density residential to C4 which is community regional commerce.
“As you know, HEDRA entered into a purchase and development agreement with Mint Development to develop a site here for a national retailer,” Hinzman explained. “The terms of that agreement state that the land use applications would need to be completed by the end of this year. This is the first step of doing so. The actions tonight would change the land use for this property to accommodate commercial development and to accommodate the development that Mr. (Rob) Barse is planning for Mint Development here. What it does not cover tonight, which would come in the future, would be the actual development plans.”
A public hearing was held on May 13 at which no one from the public spoke up either for or against the rezoning. Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff stated she noticed one dissenting member among the planning commission and asked why. Hinzman answered, “At the planning commission, there was some discussion about the change of the land use from a residential designation to a commercial designation, that being directly adjacent to existing residential, so I believe that was the reason for the commissioner’s dissent and that he was not comfortable at rezoning property that was zoned commercial that it was next to existing residential.”
Councilmember Jen Fox spoke up to encourage more commercial development such as this and made a motion to approve the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning amendments to which all voted aye.
The council approved the 2nd reading of the city code chapters 91 and 155 regarding chickens, ducks and quails. Since 2021, the city has allowed residents to raise chickens and currently nine chicken licenses have been issued. The amendment stated there have been few complaints about the residential chickens. Hinzman said that most were inquiring if a resident had a license. All approved increasing the number of chickens residents can keep from four to six (hens only) and now allows for keeping six ducks (hens only) and allows for keeping up to 10 quail. It should be noted that residents can keep either chickens or ducks, not both but can have quail along with ducks and/or chickens. Those wishing to raise chickens, ducks or quail within city limits must abide by the standards set forth by the ordinance regarding shelter and outdoor enclosure requirements and apply for a 5-year nontransferable license.
Approval of Tennis Sanitation contract
City Administrator Dan Wietecha stated that the city is at the point of needing to either seek a new solid waste and recycling company or renew the contract with Tennis Sanitation. The city has contracted with Tennis Sanitation since 2013 and has heard very few complaints and much appreciation. Wietecha said the Utilities Committee recommended approving Tennis Sanitation for another six years.
“They specifically noted a few items, one, Tennis sanitation being a local company and very involved in the community; having exceptional customer service and then also noted that our current or rates here in 2024, are actually lower than the proposals that we had from other companies six years ago.”
With that said, Councilmember Dave Pemble stated, “I would highly recommend them, having gone through several waste operations in the decades that I did in this community. I am wholeheartedly supportive of the Tennis operation and their community commitment and response when residents have a question, I would move that we go for another three year contract.”
Councilmember Lisa Leifeld added on praise and stated that it is not too often that the best price comes with the best service. Fox expressed how generous this company is to the community. Vihrachoff agreed and encouraged other city vendors to follow this company’s lead in community service.