Holly and Sioux
June 4th, 2008 by 
Alica
What do you think about developer Mike Schultz’s plan to put bigger businesses on the northeast corner of Sioux and Holly boulevards? He already built three strip malls along that stretch of road and now asked the city council for rezoning to make his corner parcel bigger for B-2 commercial.
Several residents opposed the move, saying they didn’t want businesses near their houses because of noise or garbage. They said extra traffic would make walking to school more dangerous for their children.
The corner will bring more money to the city as commercial property, as it will generate sales tax. It will bring more money to the school district too, as commercial property pays property tax but doesn’t put any children into the school system. At Monday’s city council meeting, Alderman Brett Karber said his opinion is that that whole intersection will be commercial eventually.
Do you agree with that prediction? Will Holly Boulevard eventually be like, for example, Minnesota Avenue? At first, existing homes will change to small businesses, then eventually be torn down and replaced with commercial buildings.
Do you think now is a good time to start that process? What kinds of businesses would you like to see go into that corner? Schultz said he doesn’t have any firm prospects for that space, but perhaps a family restaurant would be a good fit, he said.
Permitted businesses in a B-2 zoning include retail sales, medical-type clinics, offices, theaters, restaurants, banks, funeral homes, radio or tv stations, and civic or municipal buildings.
B-2 zoning permits some conditional uses also, but there would have to be a public hearing if any of the following wanted to locate there: car wash, auto sales, wholesale, warehouse, service or repair, veterinarian, kennel, food lockers, laundry, dry cleaning, bowling alley, roller rink, bar, hotel, filling station, nursery (the plant kind), lumberyard or crematorium.
What are your thoughts?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
June 4th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
It seems that people want more business & job opportunities in Brandon, but “not in my backyard”. Besides noise, garbage & traffic…what about parking?
June 4th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Looking at a map the people protesting live on Tabor which doesn’t actually touch this property. A few of those actually have backyards in common with the gas station and strip mall.
http://tinyurl.com/3tpmrq
This corner is not going to be a place to put houses - commercial is the way it is going to go.
Also I that is a busy intersection already so I don’t feel it will get that much busier than it already is
June 4th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
It seems as though everyone wants more options in Brandon, food, shopping etc. But, as soon as it is mentioned about where to put it…”Oh, not in my back yard”. I believe Brandon is going to continue to grow at a fast rate and if you don’t think the intersection of Sioux and Holly will get busier then you better get your head out of the sand. Just take a drive in on east 26th st from Six Mile Rd. There use to be one farm place there and now there is a housing development going up. Get a grip folks its coming. I don’t know what people think that land would be used for; I sure would not want a home on that corner or on Holly Blvd period. It is prime retail land and if you think I’m wrong just ask Buck, that’s why he had to excuse himself from the vote. He is already looking at buyers for the spot.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
To wallywyo:
Thanks for posting the link to the map. It’s very helpful. You can see how much land we’re talking about.
The three or four lots Mike Schultz proposes to keep residential will face east on North Cardinal Drive, from Leighton Street to Tabor Court. The people who buy those houses will know ahead of time that commercial property is directly behind them.
A lot of people don’t like to be that close to commercial, based on the neighbors who spoke at Monday’s council meeting. But I suspect there are also people who would find a restaurant next door to them to be real handy.
How about you blogger folks? How would you feel?
June 4th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
WHO IS GOING TO DRIVE ACROSS TOWN JUST TO COME TO A RESTERANT. PLACES TO EAT BELONG BY THE INTERSTATE NOT ON HOLLY DRIVE. I BET IT GOES UNDER WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. JUST A GUESS!!
June 4th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I believe that corner is going to be commercial and in reality it probably should be. I believe the problem is really a deeper issue though.
I really wish the city would have been better planned. The planning does seem to be finally happening now but some residents are caught in the middle.
These residents were told one thing when building or purchasing their homes, only to find out later that plans have changed. The residents are upset and have a right to be. No one wants one of their greatest investments to decrease in value. This is probably why the residents in this neighborhood are upset.
I do have a question though. Why aren’t there signs posted about the re-zoning? It does seem to me that this re-zoning has been done pretty quietly. I didn’t even see it in the newspaper. If my memory serves me right, a few years back, rezoning was done quietly with this very development when Mike Schultz was mayor.
I bet that if the upset residents met with the city and Mike Schultz a compromise could be worked out that would make everyone happy. Residents may be happy with a “daytime” type business with minimal traffic flow versus a restaurant, etc.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
To #6:
I understand your point about the neighbors being upset because they were told something when they bought their houses and now something else is happening.
However, would it be reasonable to expect that plans would never change? That things would remain the same forever?
In Brandon, who could have foreseen, for example, that the Brandon city limits would go north of Interstate 90? The city’s comprehensive plan attempts to look ahead 20 years. But even the most forward thinking people can predict only so far into the future.
It seems to me that any land near a major road in town eventually will become commercial. The question is only “when.”
The rezoning request was posted on at least Cardinal Drive, according to city administrator Dennis Olson. It was not posted on Sioux Boulevard because none of the property in question borders on Sioux.
The council agenda, including the rezoning item, was posted on the city’s Web site, www.brandonsd.com, a few days before the meeting. A public notice was printed on page 11 of the June 4 Brandon Valley Challenger.
The Brandon Planning & Zoning Commission heard the rezoning request at their May 15 meeting. The agenda of that was posted on the city Web site prior to the meeting, and minutes appeared on the city Web site within a few days after the meeting.
There will be a second reading on the rezoning request at a future regular city council meeting, probably at the council’s next meeting on June 16, if Mike Schultz has the property platted by then. If not June 16, then another upcoming council meeting. The agendas of all council meetings are posted several days ahead of time on the city’s Web site.
If the council approves a second reading, the notice of rezoning will be published in the legal notices in the Brandon Valley Challenger. Once it is printed, the public has 20 days to get together a petition to refer the matter to a public vote. If no one files a petition within the 20 days, the rezoning will take effect.
Laws govern how much a city must publicize things like this, and City Hall obeys the law. But our system of government works best when its citizens educate themselves and participate as well.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:36 am
My guess is that #5 lives right next to the grocery store also. Maybe they don’t leave their home who knows? I bet there is more than 1 person in this town that drives to Sioux Falls to go to a “RESTERANT” that would be happy to be able to drive to Sioux and Holly instead of Sioux Falls. I believe we need some diversity in this town and so be it, you will never make everyone happy. By the way nice spelling #5, (Brandon Resident).
June 5th, 2008 at 6:20 am
To #7 Of course things will change over time but it still is upseting to those who it affects. Yes, I agree this corner is obviously set up for commercial.
My point is this, when one (these homeowners) asks the developer, possibly the city, etc. what this is area will be used for and then within a few short years that “plan” changes, they have a right to be upset. Especially when they asked point blank what the area would be and they were told “not commercial”.
Regarding the “posting” of the rezoning. One sign is not enough on such a large parcel to be re-zoned. Also, by your own words in post one, you stated the cornber of Holly and Sioux. It should have been posted on all 4 corners IMO (area to be re-zoned). I persoanlly believe it was posted once to decrease opposition.
Also, regarding notification. If adequate signage was posted, citizens would KNOW to go and look on the city’s website for the re-zoning meeting. No one reads the website daily for “possible” situations. That is unrealistic.
Publishing the “date” of the re-zoning meeting AFTER the actual meeting is not helpful either. I was always under the impression that things like this need to be published twice before the actual meeting.
Again, this area is obviously set up for commercial. I don’t disagree. I just wish the city was more upfront with residents versus apprearing to be secretive. This is with many issues ( most recently ambulance, sneakers, etc.).
June 5th, 2008 at 8:13 am
I disagree with belief that there wasn’t adequate signage for this variance. I saw the sign several times and think it was posted in plain view of the side of the property that was to be affected the most. And aparently it was seen because there were residents in opposition present at the meeting.
Those people are a lot better of than the people living on Holly or Sioux or Redwood. I bet they’d trade houses in a heartbeat.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:22 am
#5 — You’re kidding, right? Have you been to that side of town in the last 5 years? There is so much residential development that I think a restaurant business would be welcome…a nice complement to the neighbors coffeehouse. We certainly do not need another c-store, but maybe another grocer/pharmacy/department store.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am
#5- crawl out from your hole. Have you been out your front door in the last 20 years? You say across town like you mean Minneapolis or Chicago. You could WALK anywhere in Brandon.
If we get another C-store I may throw in the towel. PLEASE don’t allow that. What an eyesore. How about a beautiful building with some natural rock instead of cookie cutter, same old taupe with brick “accents.” Yuk. Add a nice water feature on the corner, real landscaping and trees! Instead of blacktop. Everyone says we want to compete with our big neighbor to the West, so let’s do it right for once.
The entrance to Brandon is pathetic.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I agree 100% #12. Well said. First National Bank & the Taco Johns building are great.
And to #10. This just doesn’t affect people living in that neighborhood. It affects all Brandon residents. It should be posted in more that just one spot so everyone is aware.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Zoning will always be an issue in Brandon. We need more commercial space. The commercial spaces need to be set aside before the houses are built. That may make it harder to sell the lots, but it is fairer to the people buying the house/lot.
The problem with commercial space is you don’t want it next to houses. They usually have apartments between commercial and houses to act as a buffer. It is easier to find another aprtment than to sell your house and move.
I also think any property within 500 feet of a proposed zoning change should get a letter in the mail notifying them of the request. I don’t see how that can cost more than $50 for a request. If you can’t afford to spend the $50, you shouldn’t be requesting a zoning change.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I am curious to find out where these residents would prefer a new commercial development be placed if not at Holly Blvd. and Sioux Blvd? This location is one of the most obvious spots in Brandon for businesses to be. I highly doubt that anyone is proposing an oil refinery be built on this land, so whatever would go up there would be a community-friendly operation of some kind.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:30 am
If you don’t want growth and development. Please do the rest of us a favor and move to Valley Springs.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I think a nice restaurant would be a great addition to Brandon. One can only eat fast food so much. Going to Sioux Falls to eat is as common as all of us going to Sioux Falls to work. Why not keep money here in Brandon.
The key to change… is to let go of fear
June 10th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Controlled growth and development. Not just “plopping” down anything (housing, business, etc.) anywhere. That has been the problem in Brandon. More planning is needed. It has gotten better but still needs some work. Why can’t the land between the Catholic Church and Redwood be developed for business? Just be up front with people and quit changing the game plan on them.
I am all for added ammenities in our town. It would be great. Just do it in a planned and controlled manner.
June 14th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Out for a ride today and noticed they are re-zoning out at the entrance to the Bluffs. Anyone have an idea what they are doing there? Probably another monster apartment building. Once again, changing the plan on homewoners. Why not just zone correctly at the get-go? Brandon is getting a reputation for “bait and switch” on homeowners.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Brandon
NOTICE OF ZONING HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing will be held by the Brandon Planning and Zoning Commission on the 19th day of June, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. at the Brandon Council Chambers, 308 Main Avenue, Brandon, South Dakota;
FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing will be held by the Brandon City Council, acting as a Board of Adjustment on the 7th day of July, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Brandon Council Chambers, 308 Main Avenue, Brandon, South Dakota;
Both hearings will be conducted to consider the request for re-zoning of the following described property from B-2, Commercial to R-3, Multi-Family Residential.
The legal description and property address is:
Un-platted property in Heartland Addition Tract 5 (SE corner of W. Holly Boulevard and S. Heritage Road)
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that any interested persons, their representative, or their attorney may appear and be heard.
Dated this 29th day of May, 2008.
Chuck Parsons, Chairman
Planning & Zoning Commission
Dennis E. Olson
City Administrator/Finance Officer
C-Jun 4 Ntc of Zoning Ad#1133645
June 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
This property currently is “unplatted”. Why does the city say to re-zone from B-2 (when did it become B-2)? On the city zoning map (4/15/08) it shows this land ia “all other”. When did it become B-2 in the first place?
Also, what do they want to put there???? Doesn’t Brandon have enough apartment buildings? Why not just have a nice housing area without junking it up!
I also hear that the new restaurant is leaving their parking lot full of trash - empty beer bottles and plastic cups. Hope that doesn’t continue. It would be nice to see them succeed without any controversy.