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NEW ULM -- The New Ulm City Council will consider accepting the donation of a Vietnam Veterans memorial monument and installation in German Park, Tuesday.
The monument would honor the six men from New Ulm who were killed in action during the Vietnam War.
The proposed location of the monument is the rectangular grass section near the United States Flag.
In approving the memorial the council will need to consider if there is enough space in this section of the part for additional privately funded monuments, as well as if the monument can be placed without reducing greenspace.
The monument was privately funded by an anonymous New Ulm High School graduate and classmate of three of the deceased veterans.
Variance requests
The first variance is to reduce a rear yard setback from five feet to two feet for the location of a 10 foot by 12-foot garden shed. The address for the variance is 811 North First Street.
The second variance is to reduce the side yard setback from ten feet to five feet for the construction of an attached garage. The address for the variance is 214 North Highland Avenue.
These two variances were recommended by the Planning Commission for approval and recommended by city staff as neither changes the essential character of the neighborhood.
The third variance request coming before the council is from the New Ulm Park and Recreation Department and is requesting an additional 185 square feet of exterior signage for the newly constructed Recreation Center addition. This will give the addition a total of 700 square feet of signage.
Park and Recreation have installed three new signs on the new Recreation Center addition on two sides of the building. Two of the signs read: "New Ulm Recreation Center/ Turner Gymnastics Academy" and equal 174 square feet. The third sign reads: "Willkommen" and is above the entrance to the new addition. This sign is 11 square feet. Combine the three signs are 185 square feet.
Existing signs on the property include the wood "Steinhauser Park" sign that is 32 square feet and the "Vogel Fieldhouse" sign is painted on the north side of the building and is 480 square feet. The "New Ulm Recreation Center" wood sign at the south entrance will be removed.
Park and Recreation do have the option of painting over the "Vogel Fieldhouse" sign and creating a smaller replacement to bring the signage on the property down to 302 square feet.
City code requires that identification signs not exceed 30 square feet for church, school, hospital, sanitarium, club, library, or similar uses. The initial construction of the Vogel Arena started in 1978 and the older signage was installed before the new code.
The city is in the process of updating the zoning ordinance and is considering different approaches to sign areas for institutes like the Recreation Center.
The city has previously granted sign variances for Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Independent School District #88 and Martin Luther College.
B&L Alley Closure
The B&L Bar is requesting to temporarily close the alley next to the bar for Bavarian Blast on Friday, July 16 to Sunday, July 18 and Crazy Days on Friday, July 23 to Sunday, July 25.
The request closure would begin at 5 p.m. Friday and end at 1:30 a.m. Sunday and authorize the extension of the liquor license into the closed alley on these dates.
Chimney abatement
The council will consider abatement options for an unsafe chimney structure at 1007 North Minnesota Street.
City staff has been dealing with this property for the last three years. The issues have been snow removal, mowing of the lawn and now a failing of chimney. The staff has tried to contact the owner, left voicemail messages and sent letters with no response. Staff recently had the owner served with the letter about the issues that need to be addressed. The owner was served on June 17, 2021, but to date, the owner has not responded to the letter. The utilities have been disconnected since October 2019 and taxes have not been paid since 2019. The tax forfeiture date of the property in May 2023.
The City can order the securing of the home and dealing with the failing chimney, by boarding up the house to secure it and the removal of the chimney and making the hole weather tight.
A contractor inspected the chimney, and stated that the chimney is not the only problem on the roof. The City can order the condemnation process to start and staff recommends moving forward with this process as there are life safety issues with the property.
The securing of the house and addressing the failing chimney would cost approximately $1,000 to $1,500. The demolition of the house would cost approximately $30,000. The cost of either item would be assessed back to the taxes on the property.