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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_03Feb26 CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS COUNCIL MINUTES February 26, 2003 Mayor Sue Gehrz convened the regular City Council meeting at 7:00 PM. PRESENT: Mayor Sue Gehrz, Council members Laura Kuettel, Robert Lamb, Peter Lindstrom and Richard Talbot. Also present: City Administrator Heather Worthington and Deputy Clerk Mary Shea Kodluboy. COMMUNITY FORUM: There was no commentary from the audience. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Council minutes dated February 12, 2003 were unanimously approved as submitted. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None scheduled. CONSENT AGENDA: Administrator Worthington asked that Item F3 – Appointment of Toni Middleton as Alternate Planning Commissioner, be added to the Consent Agenda. Mayor Gehrz explained that the appointment is temporary. Toni served on the Planning Commission for two consecutive terms, but because the City’s ordinance only permits appointment for two terms, she was not reappointed this year. Ann Ziebarth, another Planning Commissioner, is teaching an evening class through May, which makes it difficult for her to attend the Commission meetings on a regular basis, and there is a concern that having a Planning Commissioner absent might cause problems with having a quorum. The temporary solution is the appointment of Toni as an alternate until Ann can come to meetings. The motion to amend the Consent Agenda was unanimously approved. Kuettel moved approval of the Consent Agenda, as amended and outlined below. The motion was unanimously approved. General Disbursements through February 20, 2003: $147,543.48 Payroll, 2/1/03-2/15/03: $ 12,465.81 License Renewals for 2003 – The Council, to encourage residents to patronize local businesses, read aloud the names of the businesses renewing their City licenses for 2003. 3. Appointment of Toni Middleton as Alternate Planning Commissioner. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -2- February 26, 2003 G. POLICY AGENDA: Resolution Authorizing City Staff to Apply for a Department of Natural Resources Local Trail Connection Grant Administrator Worthington said the City is currently working with the City of Lauderdale and the University of Minnesota to apply for a DNR Local Trail Connection Grant to improve the trail between Lauderdale’s Nature Area and the path on the old trolley right-of-way in the Grove neighborhood of Falcon Heights. This grant will allow the costs associated with the improvement to a paved trail to be covered, and will require a local match of one-half of the project cost. This grant is meant to connect existing recreational facilities. The cost estimate for this project is $35,000, half of which would be covered by this grant. The project also would improve erosion control, remove invasive woody species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, and mulberry from the trail area, and implement crime prevention improvements. Staff is working with Lauderdale, the Friends of the Parks and Trails of Ramsey County, the University of Minnesota, and the Capitol Region Watershed District to establish partnerships to fund the remaining amount. The City approached the Bell Museum earlier in the day and they agreed to write a letter of support. The Parks and Recreation Commission looked at this project and did a walk-through of the trail in September. At their January meeting, they voted unanimously to recommend approval of the application for the grant to the City Council. The application for this grant does not commit the City to any project. If the grant is awarded, the City will move forward with a series of public meetings and a planning process for the project. The grant will be awarded at the end of 2003 for 2004, so it is important to get this in the pipeline. A brief discussion followed. RESOLUTION 2003-05 Talbot moved that Resolution 2003-05 authorizing staff to apply for a Department of Natural Resources Local Trails Connection Grant be approved as presented. The motion was unanimously approved. Consideration of an IUP for the Twin Cities Co-ops Federal Credit Union Administrator Worthington gave a brief review of the Planning Commission and City Council process regarding the development and approval of an ordinance establishing interim use permits (IUP’S) as planning tools in the City Code, farmer's markets as a legal interim use in the B-2 zone, and creation of the Farmer’s Market IUP itself. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -3- February 26, 2003 Consideration of an IUP for the Twin Cities Co-ops Federal Credit Union (continued) Administrator Worthington said the Planning Commission addressed major issues such as parking and the sale of specific items. Additionally, there is a mechanism for review of the permit after one season, and requirements that the owner of the property take certain steps to ensure that the property is cleaned thoroughly after the market, and adequate parking is provided. To this end, the City has offered the parking spaces available at City Hall (50) for use by Twin Cities Co-ops Federal Credit Union employees on Tuesdays. This will not present any problems for City staff—eight spaces being adequate for staff use on Tuesday mornings. The Planning Commission, at their meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 2003, made a few changes to the draft IUP and voted unanimously to recommend, to the City Council, approval of the Farmer’s Market IUP. She introduced Jack Gerten, St. Paul Farmer’s Markets, and Todd Barduson, Twin City Co-ops, and said they would answer any questions or concerns that the City Council might have. Mayor Gehrz said it is being recommended that the Farmer’s Market be held during the months of May through October instead of June through October. Council member Kuettel said she has heard a lot of information and the Council has discussed this several times. She is feeling better about it. Council member Talbot said that issues raised regarding parking, traffic, hours of operation, etc., have been addressed. There will be an on-site manager at Twin City Co-op, someone who will be responsible. He thanked the Planning Commission for their hard work and effort and said they put in a lot of time and assist the City Council with policy making. Council member Lamb said this is a very positive addition to the City. It has been beat to death with meetings. He thinks the Council can move to approve the IUP. Council member Lindstrom said the Planning Commission has looked at this several times and has made a lot of changes. The IUP is in pretty good shape. Mayor Gehrz said that residents might be asking if it’s appropriate to let employees from the Twin City Co-op park in the City lot. This will avoid the need for people to park in the neighborhoods. There have been times when City activities have required parking in their lot; for example, they let the City use their parking lot for the emergency traffic management training. There has been a history of sharing parking arrangements. She thanked Messrs. Gerten and Barduson for their patience and said this has been a long process with many meetings, but the benefit makes it worth doing. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -4- February 26, 2003 Consideration of an IUP for the Twin Cities Co-ops Federal Credit Union (continued) Lamb moved that on page two, item two of the draft IUP, the months of operation be changed to May through October. The motion was unanimously approved. Lindstrom moved approval of the Interim Use Permit agreement, as amended, allowing a Farmer’s Market, operated by St. Paul Farmer’s Markets, to be located at the Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union, 2025 West Larpenteur Avenue. The motion was unanimously approved. REPORTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS: Mayor Gehrz said she has been approached by three different people asking if the City Council would consider taking up a resolution opposing the Federal government’s actions about Iraq. What she has told people is that this is not an appropriate role of the City Council. She was elected to address City issues, not national issues. We do not know how everyone in the community feels about the issue. People who feel strongly should contact their legislative representatives. Council member Kuettel said she has been approached by people she works with and she has told them she believes she was elected to take care of City business. Council member Talbot said that the Ely City Council passed a resolution regarding Iraq. Council member Lindstrom said he thinks the Council has enough on its plate to keep busy. Council member Lamb said he is not sure if it’s appropriate or inappropriate. He believes the Ely City Council resolution condemned the rush to war. Inspections appear to be yielding some fruit. I. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: Update on Possible Cuts to the City’s Local Government Aid (LGA) Allocations from the State of Minnesota Administrator Worthington said that Falcon Heights receives a total of $279,363 in Local Government Aid and Market Value Homestead Credit. The City is facing a cut of $103,306 in the first year of the biennium, 2003. In the 2004-05 year, the City will be cut $246,466 in aid. At the end of the biennium, the City will be left with $32,897 in aid. The City has a contingency budget that planned for a 100% cut in Local Government Aid (which would be $213,738) for 2003. Staff is currently working on several proposals for the City Council’s discussion and review at next week’s workshop. The contingency budget has balanced cuts in capital and general fund spending, and the City will be prioritizing its spending accordingly. The Governor’s plan also calls for levy limits to remain in place through 2005. Cities will be allowed to levy the amount they levied for 2003, with some minor adjustments for inflation. All cities will be subject to levy limits under the proposal. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -5- February 26, 2003 Update on Possible Cuts to the City’s Local Government Aid (LGA) Allocations from the State of Minnesota (continued) Administrator Worthington said that after the levy limits are lifted, the Governor is proposing a reverse referendum, which will allow a certain percentage of the voters in a city to sign a petition, thereby triggering a special election to review the city’s proposed levy, and vote on whether or not the levy should be approved. If the votes overturn the levy, the city would only be able to levy at the amount of the previous year. The number used to calculate Falcon Heights’ levy for the purposes of the Governor’s proposal was the City’s preliminary levy number, which changed when the final levy was declared-it went down; as a result, the State will be recalculating the proposed cuts with the final levy. The City’s tax levy is already set for 2003, so changes cannot be made to 2003 property taxes. Everyone will be working hard to ensure that the proposed 2004 cuts do not adversely impact the City service provision, or unfairly penalize property taxes. The regular City Council meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM. Respectfully submitted, Mary Shea Kodluboy Deputy Clerk