At the June 26 Hastings City Council meeting, Community Development Director John Hinzman provided an overview of Dakota County’s request to build a 13,235-square-foot public institution addition and parking lot relocation for Law Enforcement Services and detainees of Dakota County. The plan will include 30 cellblock units for detention housing and support programming. The aesthetics of the addition was the topic of most concern to the council.
“I've noticed that, you know, obviously going up to Fourth Street, both my kids were in high school and so it's one of the main thoroughfares to go up to the high school. And I always think, ‘Oh God, poor kids have to go past the jail every day on their way to school.’ And so, can you talk a little bit more specifically about the aesthetics of the exterior of the building? You know, that area up there has high impact to our youth and then also the commercial development for the Walmart area and, there's a little strip mall up there and such,” Councilmember Tina Folch.
Hinzman said the materials used will match the existing facility and landscaping along the parking lot will provide a “weird view” of the building because the parking lot sits about 20 feet up.
“The landscaping we have at the parking lots is going to be more pronounced than you would normally see, just because you're looking at it at a bigger angle,” Hinzman said. “It'll have more effect than it would be at grade. But when we take a look at architectural standards, we take a look at building additions to ensure that the materials match the building and that's what this one does.”
Councilmember Jen Fox seconded the motion to approve the plan then spoke too about the landscaping.
“I know that is a very fast thoroughfare highway, Fourth Street, for all my residents up there. And especially when school gets out, it's really hard to keep traffic at bay, right? So, I would love to see some beautiful shrubbery and beautiful like structured plants as long as they're maintained so there's not distraction or anything that's getting into the street so that it's harder to see traffic from, thank you,” she said.
Regina Assisted Living, located at 1008 First St. W., sought approval for a plan to remodel some interior spaces, add a small vestibule and mechanical chase to the roofline, create a new receiving area for deliveries, driveway, refuse area, and a new employee parking lot. On June 12, the Planning Commission reviewed the plans and recommended approval. The council had a discussion on the benefit of the parking lot expansion, possible impact to improvements when upgrades are done to First Street, and a possible sidewalk addition.
“Most of this is dealing with a parking lot…,” said Hinzman. “The rest of it is the building underneath the building. Regina has an open bottom level on it and then the second floor is where the first habitable area is. What they're proposing to do is to turn this into a more habitable space and then to create more parking within the development.”
He also added the existing parking lot will serve more as a drop off area, while the new parking lot will free it up. Theere will still be a single entrance to the property.
“I'm so jazzed that we're going to have more parking because that gets very clogged up on First Street,” Fox said. “I know residents are really worried about First Street as it is like a residential walkway and, sometime in the near-ish future, First Street is on the docket to be revisited. And from the Public Works perspective how will the entrance and exit to the parking lot be affected if we revamp First Street and maybe add a sidewalk, which I will advocate for starting now?”
Hinzman assured Fox that Regina’s plans should not take space away from the ability to someday provide a sidewalk or trail.
