A Grand Forks city official got more than an earful when a resident sounded an air horn into his ear at a public meeting Wednesday. In opposition to apartments planned near downtown, Roland Riemers sounded the horn into City Planner Brad Gengler's ear during a Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Riemers opposed rezoning a lot on University Avenue between Eighth Street and Ninth Street for the planned 70-unit apartment building University Flats. He said the University Flats lot is too close to the train tracks that cross University Avenue, posing "a serious health and safety hazard" if apartments are built there. To demonstrate the loud sound caused by the trains, he first blew the air horn into the air while standing at a podium facing Planning and Zoning commissioners. "I'm a block away, and this blasts me out of bed every time one of those trains goes by," said Riemers, who lives near the site on University Avenue. After expressing his concerns about the loud trains to commissioners, Riemers again sounded the horn directly into the ear of Gengler, director of the city's Planning and Community Development Department, who was sitting next to the podium. "It was surreal when it happened," Gengler said Thursday after filing an internal incident report at City Hall. "It's by far the oddest thing that's happened to me in my 15 years with the city," he said. The Planning and Zoning meeting continued without incident after Riemers' comments. Gengler said the city may have taken further action, such as possibly calling the police, if the situation had escalated, but it did not. City Planner Ryan Brooks told Planning and Zoning commissioners there were no other complaints from residents regarding the rezoning for University Flats, and the commission recommended approval of the rezoning.
The rezoning still must be approved by City Council. Riemers is a local property owner and has previously run for various local and state public offices as a Libertarian candidate. University Flats is being developed by Dakota Commercial and Development Co. of Grand Forks.A Grand Forks city official got more than an earful when a resident sounded an air horn into his ear at a public meeting Wednesday.In opposition to apartments planned near downtown, Roland Riemers sounded the horn into City Planner Brad Gengler's ear during a Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.Riemers opposed rezoning a lot on University Avenue between Eighth Street and Ninth Street for the planned 70-unit apartment building University Flats.He said the University Flats lot is too close to the train tracks that cross University Avenue, posing "a serious health and safety hazard" if apartments are built there.To demonstrate the loud sound caused by the trains, he first blew the air horn into the air while standing at a podium facing Planning and Zoning commissioners."I'm a block away, and this blasts me out of bed every time one of those trains goes by," said Riemers, who lives near the site on University Avenue.After expressing his concerns about the loud trains to commissioners, Riemers again sounded the horn directly into the ear of Gengler, director of the city's Planning and Community Development Department, who was sitting next to the podium."It was surreal when it happened," Gengler said Thursday after filing an internal incident report at City Hall."It's by far the oddest thing that's happened to me in my 15 years with the city," he said.The Planning and Zoning meeting continued without incident after Riemers' comments.Gengler said the city may have taken further action, such as possibly calling the police, if the situation had escalated, but it did not.City Planner Ryan Brooks told Planning and Zoning commissioners there were no other complaints from residents regarding the rezoning for University Flats, and the commission recommended approval of the rezoning.
The rezoning still must be approved by City Council.Riemers is a local property owner and has previously run for various local and state public offices as a Libertarian candidate.University Flats is being developed by Dakota Commercial and Development Co. of Grand Forks.
