Jill Schramm/MDN
Minot’s Principal Planner Doug Diedrichsen, right, talks about zoning code enforcement at a neighborhood meeting in the 55th Street Southeast fire station Monday.
The challenges of abating problem properties highlighted discussion Monday at the first of a series of City of Minot neighborhood meetings.
Speaking to attendees at Fire Station 4 on 55th Street Southeast, Code Enforcement Officer Margie Zietz listed the challenges of cost and compliance when repeat offenders are involved. She noted one offender could face $66,000 placed on his property in abatement costs at a time when he also is tax delinquent.
That property, which the city had made progress with last fall, is again scheduled for another clean up by a contractor, and the expected cost could consume half the city’s $70,000 budget for nuisance property abatements, according to city officials.
Zietz said the city received about 270 property complaints last year and performed 13 abatements. Of the complaints filed, about 60% relate to nuisance situations and 40% are zoning code violations, she said. She added 90-95% of owners contacted about issues with their properties respond and address the problems.
Principal Planner Doug Diedrichsen suggested residents voice concerns about properties earlier rather than wait until problems become massive. He said the planning division is continually looking to see if stronger ordinances can be developed. Currently, there is interest in codifying certain code enforcement procedures not currently in the ordinance, giving the code enforcement officer a roadmap to working through property issues.
It also was stated that nuisance violations can lead to criminal misdemeanor charges, while zoning code violations are not subject to criminal penalties.
One of the residential concerns raised at the meeting related to post-flood “zombie” houses, of which there are some that continue to exist in the floodplain. Building Official Luke Tillema said the city doesn’t get involved with vacant houses if they are secured and don’t qualify as a nuisance.
The city will be holding a neighborhood meeting related to the flood protection project, which will include a bike tour, on June 7. The next neighborhood meeting is Thursday at the city landfill, where discussion will focus on recycling and landfill use. Additional meetings are scheduled at the downtown Parker Center related to snow removal on March 25 and at Minot Public Library on March 27 to discuss public safety.
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U.S. Air Force Col. Rofelio Grinston, 5th Maintenance Group commander, poses at his desk at Minot Air Force Base on Feb. 24. Grinston leads more than 1,700 airmen tasked to provide aircraft and munitions maintenance support for a fleet of 27 B-52 aircraft and a munitions stockpile valued at over $6 billion. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexander Nottingham.
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A UH-1M Iroquois assigned to the 54th Helicopter Squadron takes off as 91st Missile Security Operations Squadron convoy response force fire observers and Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Tinck, 91st Operations Group senior enlisted leader, provide close air support for training at Minot Air Force Base on Feb. 7. Teaming up is important for Minot missile defense. In addition to providing helicopter security response for the 91st Missile Wing, the helicopter squadron supports emergency war orders by delivering tactical response force teams to assist with convoy operations, launch facility denial and recapture. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alyssa Bankston.
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U.S. Air Force Col. Jesse Lamarand, 5th Bomb Wing commander, speaks to Minot State University track and field athletes and coaches during their practice in The Bubble at Minot Air Force Base on Feb. 11. Lamarand spoke about the longstanding community partnership between MSU and Minot AFB. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kyle Wilson.
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From left to right are Minot Police Department Officer of the Year Gannon Miller, Interim Police Chief Dale Plessas and Civilian Employee of the Year Digital Analyst Becky Heringer in the City Council Chambers at Minot City Hall on Monday.
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Tawana Hixon, a psychology technician for the 91st Missile Wing, speaks during the True North-Minot Installation Cohesion Meeting 2025 at the Northern Lights Chapel on Minot Air Force Base on Feb. 12. Hixon and other True North members held a discussion about stressors and trends commonly seen in their line of work and how to address those issues. True North is a resilience program that provides service members and their families with integrated mental health support and consists of support teams that are directly embedded into Air Force units. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum.
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Members of the Stellar Brass ensemble, from left to right, are Tech. Sgt. Kathryn Yuill, percussion; Tech. Sgt. Drew Saucier-Pritchard, trumpet; Tech. Sgt. Joseph Hudson, trombone; Tech. Sgt. Michael Hill, horn; Master Sgt. Bryan Gannon, trombone; Tech. Sgt. Ryan Spencer, trumpet; and Tech. Sgt. Dillon Jefferies, tuba.
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Jill Schramm/MDN
Minot’s Principal Planner Doug Diedrichsen, right, talks about zoning code enforcement at a neighborhood meeting in the 55th Street Southeast fire station Monday.
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Jill Schramm/MDN
City Council member Mark Jantzer, right, visits with Public Works Utilities Director Jason Sorenson at the city’s neighborhood meeting in the 55th Street Southeast fire station Monday. Associate planner Dan Falconer sits at a table in the background to assist people with questions about building permits.