Fire and Ice for the Woodbury City Council

In a relatively brisk meeting Wednesday, the Woodbury City Council ordered a the owner of a home hit by fire in February to raze the property, and heard from a local hockey official who wants the city to include a third sheet of ice in its improvements to the .

The city ordered the owner of a home at the 1100 block of Hillcrest Drive, just off Upper Afton Road, to tear down the structure, which was . (The home was vacant and no one was injured.) The owner has assured the city that the home will be razed soon, but there were cost concerns over the past few months.

“It’s in a pretty hazardous condition,” said Ron Glubka, the city’s chief building official.

Leaving the property as is creates a safety concern for people and animals, and the home could begin to smell as the weather warms, Glubka said. It’s also an eyesore, he said.

If the owner does not take care of the it, the city would have to raze the home and assess the property for the costs, which would be about $12,000, including staff time and attorney’s fees.

Councilwoman Amy Scoggins said she was uncomfortable with the city assuming responsibility for razing the structure. Glubka said the city hasn’t had to tear down a property since 1975. Those involved want the Hillcrest home taken care of so it can be a buildable lot, Glubka said. If the home isn’t razed soon there are some methods available for a time extension, said City Attorney Mark Vierling.

Fresh Ice

Pete Stuckert, president of the Woodbury Area Hockey Club, urged the council to reconsider a third sheet of indoor ice at the Bielenberg Sports Center as the city looks to make major improvements to the facility.

Speaking during the open forum portion of the meeting, Stuckert said the group had 1,770 kids participating in its programs this season, up 9 percent from last year. The club is projecting additional growth in the coming years.

“Obviously, this equates to more ice needs,” he said, noting that the organization is looking to offer more free programs in the future.

Stuckert told Patch that the group rented more than 1,000 hours of ice time in Ramsey County this season.

City Administrator Clint Gridley said the council will review the results from its biannual community survey at a meeting later this month, and expects that the matter will be discussed again at that time.

New Church

With little discussion, the council unanimously approved a conditional-use permit for Our City Our Neighborhood Church, which is looking to rent space at the Hudson Road office park near Century Avenue and Interstate 94.

Dwight Picha, community development director, said the church has about 100 members and the zoning at the complex allows for a church. The group is hoping to rent about 3,000 square feet of space for services, youth activities and offices, he said.

In other news, the council:

• heard an update on the city’s new website, which launched April 5. For a story on the new site, click here.
• approved updates to bylaws for the Woodbury Fire Benefits Association. Most of the changes were driven by new legislative mandates.
• recognized a group of Scouts who attended the meeting. Council members also spoke with some of the Scouts after the meeting.
• approved minor revisions to part of the city’s code regarding animal ordinances.
• heard from Gridley that street sweeping is set to begin April 18. Also, those who believe their yards were damaged by snowplows over the winter can call Public Works at 651-714-3593.