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o neon, Lori <br />From: Johnson, Lori <br />Sent: ~~~~'~~~ June 25, 2010.4.:46 PM <br />70: <br />Subject: Midwest Mini storage <br />Russell; <br />I am responding to your email of June 15 to the Council. The development process and requrmements can be <br />complex, and frustrating, at times as you indicated. Staffs goal is to help make the process as easy as possible by <br />worl~ing together with the applicant. Clearly you do not feel the process has gone well thus I want to address the <br />issues you have raised. <br />I have an opportunity to discuss your project this with Jeremy and Rebecca and they have provided comments to <br />me regarding your project. <br />First, I'll start by addressing the landscaping plan. Jeremy copied me on all of the letters and emails between the <br />two of you regarding landscaping. It appears this was first addressed in a letter to you from Jeremy dated March 10, <br />2010, in which you were notified that you would need to complete the approved landscape plan for the original site <br />approval in 2003. This has not changed. The landscape requirements are consistent with what was approved <br />previously. The last email I have regarding landscaping is dated June 9, 2010, from Jeremy to you. It states that the <br />number of trees you proposed in your June 3 email to him meets the requirements and he clearly outlines the size <br />requirements for the three required types of trees. My understanding is that you have recently requested that the <br />trees be installed overtime instead of meeting the requirements now. Once you proposed that change, Jeremy <br />stated that a guarantee (letter of credit or similar) would be required to give the city assurance that the trees would <br />be planted. The amount of the letter of credit will vary depending upon how many trees you intend to plant <br />now. Jeremy would not have mentioned the letter of credit earlier because it would be assumed that you would <br />complete the landscaping now since it dates back to a requirement from your original approval several years <br />ago. You also mentioned you want to install smaller trees because Jeremy directed you to a website for tree variety <br />information and that website showed smaller trees. Just because the informational website showed smaller trees <br />does not mean that the size requirement for your trees has changed. Your landscape plan is consistent with the city <br />ordinance approved by the City Council. Again, the landscape plan is consistent with the original approval of <br />several years ago. <br />Next, you raised questions about storm drainage. Rebecca Haug had scheduled two meetings with you that needed <br />to be cancelled because of illness and a family emergency. In her absence, she asked Niclu Blake-Bradley and John <br />Anderson to meet with you. Nicl~i gave you suggestions to fix your issue; however, you did not follow her <br />advice. You indicated that you thought she needed to speak to Rebecca before following her suggestions. You <br />received an email and voice message on June 10 from Rebecca and Nicl~i indicating that you should do as Nicki <br />suggested. You emailed back stating that you would follow Nicki's suggestions. You stated in your email to the <br />Council on June 16 though that you were waiting to hear from Rebecca yet you replied back to her after her June 10 <br />email stating that you would do the work Nicl~i suggested. I know that Nicl~i, John, and Rebecca have all tried to <br />work with you to resolve the erosion issues. <br />I know that you are frustrated with the staff and city process. I want to assure you that staffs' goal is to provide as <br />much assistance as we can in a timely manner. In this case staff has been worl~ing with you consistently since you <br />first requested a change to your CUP on February 22, 2010. However, I know that you have wanted staff to do <br />more of the design than staff is authorized to do and that you have not always agreed with staff's answers. Staff <br />cannot arbitrarily change the requirements and ordinances approved by the Council. I think many of your <br />comments revolve around the fact that when the Council said staff would work with you, you felt that meant staff <br />