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ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2003 M 5A
<br /> All about image? Woodbury FROM PAGE lA
<br /> bans 'unsightly' carports ,,,, - rf ' 4Hill : r P,/ , .
<br /> residents feel ordinance is a bit snobbish , ll�f, �A �.�. j y •
<br /> Some �: '�, t,r_, 7- ,r, ,1s '', ',r
<br /> garden shed. '" ' ``' ' -
<br /> BY JUDY ARGINTEANU _- °`` _'w"-
<br /> City i � ,' 'F.,y_.- z45 g,,,,„1,74 ;,t„n_
<br /> Pioneer Press documents cite concerns r ,,4 ; N a_'
<br /> over "unsightly materials" and .`� " Wit' '' `� ` '`'r
<br /> ,' '" au', -t' 't, ,,'1"-�-��, tet;=a,m•-
<br /> don't future "complaints of the aes :s _ '"r: ,ka;= _2 -,.k •.... ,',
<br /> If you live in Woodbury, -";; `*t '' 's .teci
<br /> impacts on adjacent home • y' � • ,' $N '
<br /> t a" �',' 4,-,,,.---'-;'-',---:Z`
<br /> - F^�r sem' :F S�' �
<br /> try slapping up one of those thetic ''''I': ' s: ;,,;,, d - '' ;P
<br /> si ,?"'
<br /> metal pole-and-roof shelters for owners and overall neighbor ; *�; ti '^' .
<br /> your boat or car. They're quick, hood appearance." Officials say �-' ,,.;'..�. •
<br /> they're easy— they're it's a logical rule to protect prop = `
<br /> and now Y - .x,-_;"4-, ;'rs!:7 ', f e`, u
<br /> against the law erty values. ' - •
<br /> Last week, a new ordinance Some citizens, though, see it ' " .,.... _ r ,e`,
<br /> another stepin the city's tan b;i s` ' " µ} r
<br /> took effect prohibiting accesso as 3°1` k "
<br /> rt' structures" that use cloth, sition from a solidly middle-class -
<br /> suburb into a tont'haven for the : +'
<br /> canvas,plastic tarps or sheeting, affluent. 4,7,,,"`'`
<br /> or corrugated siding as the pri- -, i,
<br /> mart'building material. The law Kathy Begnaud,a 30 year res _,,, , , iN , . „ , ill
<br /> W
<br /> is aimed at stopping a type of ident of the city,says it's all abou .;,, _
<br /> ,sftacarport, but it also means you image."I think they want to sep ,
<br /> can kiss goodbye any plans to :,•? _
<br /> CARPORT BAN,5A `' _ " -0?,-,: :,
<br /> put up an inexpensive aluminum -LL. .s1 ;`_ _ �r _ ,-Y?""
<br /> �w"-,Yu i .7,',;',�','.l
<br /> CRAIG BORCK,PIONEER PRESS
<br /> A boat still is tucked snugly in Steve Archambault's carport because a new ordinance
<br /> grandfathered in existing structures. But Ronald Glubka,the chief building inspector, disputes the
<br /> claim by residents and the manufacturer that the shelters meet structural requirements.
<br /> Carport ban materials is unusual,but a num- boats have sold reasonably well.
<br /> U11 ber of metro communities have The Menard's store in Oak-
<br /> , ordinances stipulating that dale, where Hanson and
<br /> (continued) accessory structures must be Archambault bought their shel-
<br /> built of"compatible or similar" ters, sells about 15 to 20 of that
<br /> arate Woodbury from the other materials to the main residence. make annually, said sales asso-
<br /> 0 firs suburbs," Under such rules, structures ciate John The store has
<br /> she such as those Woodbury has carried th uct for two or
<br /> It wasn't always that way. targeted could and probably three years, • d about three of
<br /> When she first moved into would be prohibited. (Little the shelters went to Woodbury
<br /> Woodbury Heights,the city was metal garden sheds might still addresses this year,he said.
<br /> a home for blue-collar workers have a fighting chance). Other buyers apparently
<br /> Sandf�T g families, she said. Tom Hanson and Steve haven't ru to problems in
<br /> But le-digit growth of the Archambault both found out the their cities til Hanson and
<br /> past Cade is changing the hard way about the city's dim Archambat.- me back to the
<br /> city's character. view of these vehicle shelters. store requesting structural
<br /> She sees this and similar Hanson bought one last fall to specs,Veary says he had never
<br /> ordinances — there are severe shelter his boat, and "I totally seen any customer problems
<br /> restrictions on RVs in drive- loved it,"he said. with them.
<br /> ways, for example, and rules City inspectors didn't. Although Woodbury is hard-
<br /> - that govern placement of swing They cited concerns about ly overrun by the carports,
<br /> sets—as infringing on personal withstanding wind shear and which cost about$700,city staff
<br /> liberties. It hasn't helped the snow load. Hanson came back decided to take pre-emptive
<br /> overall look of the city, either, with specs he said proved it met action. Assuming manufactur-
<br /> she said. all those requirements, but the ers likely would retool the
<br /> "I don't want the neighbor- city continued to request other structures to meet building
<br /> hood to look junky or cheap,but proofs,such as a seal certifying codes,staff brought the issue to
<br /> for me it feels like Woodbury it for Minnesota. the planning commission to
<br /> has become increasingly less He got that,too.After sever- decide whether they were
<br /> beautiful, not more," she said. al go-rounds,his permit applica- "compatible with the city's resi-
<br /> "It's lacking in individuality and tion was denied (he initially dential neighborhoods," said
<br /> artistry. There's just neighbor- believed such a structure didn't Glubka.
<br /> hood after neighborhood the require one),and he was told to Mayor Bill Hargis defends
<br /> same plastic, safe, boring take the building down. the council's action.
<br /> beige." A week later,he got a second To those who argue that the -
<br /> - John Lockner, a real estate notice saying he would be sub- structures provide an easy,low-
<br /> agent and lifelong Woodbury ject to a $50-a-day fine if the cost alternative to a full-fledged
<br /> resident,takes issue with Beg- building wasn't removed. He garage, he counters that the
<br /> naud's views. said the heck with it and took it short-term savings will be a
<br /> He points to the City Coun- down. long-term drain on overall prop-
<br /> cil's push for affordable housing Archambault said he went erty values for the individual
<br /> dispersed throughout all neigh- through a similar process, but residence and the neighborhood
<br /> borhoods. Besides, he said, the his shelter is still standing, at as a whole.
<br /> numbers don't bear out the per- least for now. The ordinance Structures such as Hanson's
<br /> ception of Woodbury as a city of grandfathers in anything that carport "aren't the community
<br /> millionaires with a $500,000 was up before the rule was standard, I think," he said. "I
<br /> home. passed;said Dwight Picha,com- haven't seen them in my corn-
<br /> The average sale price of a munity development director. munity. I don't think people
<br /> home is $230,000 to $250,000. But Archambault's fight with want these."
<br /> - And while there are some mil- the city may not be over.Ronald Hanson understands the
<br /> lion-dollar homes in the city,he Glubka, the chief building city's viewpoint, but his experi-
<br /> said few sell for more than inspector,disputes the claim by ence doesn't bear out the
<br /> $600,000. residents and the manufacturer mayor's contention.When Han-
<br /> Be that as It may, the city's that the shelters meet structur- son was putting up his shelter,
<br /> , older neighborhoods, generally al requirements, so any guar- he said people kept stopping by
<br /> with more modest homes,likely rels over aesthetic concerns are to ask him where he got it.
<br /> will feel the effect of the new moot. "If I'd had 'em, I could have
<br /> law the most. That's because "The manufacturer submit- sold four or five of them right
<br /> newer developments, where ted information, but it was there,"he said.
<br /> most of the high-end homes are insufficient;we're not convinced
<br /> ' clustered, already have home- at this point they are adequate," Judy Arginteanu covers the city
<br /> owner-association rules or Glubka said. He also noted that of Woodbury and Washington
<br /> other covenants that are even the city acted only after neigh- County schools.She can be
<br /> more restrictive. bors called to complain. reached at jarginteanu@pioneer
<br /> Woodbury's ban on specific The shelters for cars and press.com or(651)228-5509.
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