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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_91May22MINUTES REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 22, 1991 Baldwin convened the meeting at 7 p.m. ALL MEMBERS PRESENT Baldwin, Ciernia, Gehrz, Jacobs and Wallin. Also present were Gedde, Maurer, Hoyt and Chenoweth ADDENDA TO AGENDA Council approved the addition of the following agenda items: Consent Agenda, Item E-7, Purchase of PC equipment and Software through MN/DOT MSA Program, and Policy Agenda, Item F-15, Brief Discussion of Local Option Sales Tax. MINUTES OF 5/8/91 APPROVED Council approved the minutes of May 8, 1991 by unanimous consent. MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING of 5/15/91 APPROVED Council approved the minutes of May 15, 1991 by unanimous consent. CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED The following Consent Agenda as approved by unanimous consent: 1. Disbursements: a. General Disbursements through 5/22/91, $65,604.03 b. Payroll 5/1/91 - 5/15/91, $9,768.12 2. Licenses: See Attached List 3. S~pnoval of $1,130.40 Expenditure for Repair of City g 4. Resolution R-91-30 Accepting the Bid for the 1991 Sealcoating 5. Authorization to Purchase New Filing System 6. Authorization to Request Proposals for Recycling Bins 7. Authorization to Purchase PC Equipment and software through MN/DOT MSA Program. Resolution R-91-34 DISCUSSION - REQUEST TO LOWER SPEED ON LARPENTEUR, FULHAM TO CLEVELAND Thor Kommedahl, President of the Board of Directors at 1666 Coffman, explained that there is still concern regarding the impact of the 40 mile der hour speed limit on this portion of Larpenteur Avenue and introduced the following residents of 1666 Coffman who wished to address the issue. ~~ MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 2 HAROLD JENSEN stated he has experienced use of Larpenteur from Eustis and Cleveland both as a motorist and as a pedestrian. As a pedestrian crossing Larpenteur to the golf course or to catch a bus he felt it was very frightening, and as a motorist he feared being rear-ended while attempting the left turn into 1666 Coffman. Mr. Jensen felt the complexity of the many road signs, right and left turns, changes in land use, and growth in traffic, has created conditions for increased accidents. NORMA OLSON explained she had worked with Harold Jensen to develop information relative to the traffic problem. She indicated she does not bus, ski or golf and seldom crosses Larpenteur on foot, however, she does drive every day both east and westbound. It was her understanding that the 40 mile per hour limit dated back to 1975 and due to recent changes from open land to a concentration of 150 elderly residents with 100 vehicles at Coffman plus those at Brandy Chase and Rose Hill in Lauderdale, that 40 miles per hour is inappropriate. She was of the opinion that reducing the speed limit to 30 miles an hour with law enforcement, and repainting the crosswalk was important. She requested Council support her suggestions. E.W. McDIARMID stated he has seen numerous accidents at Coffman and Larpenteur and has noted tracks where vehicles have traveled so fast they ran onto the golf course boulevards. He requested Council's support of a 30 mile per hour speed limit. GERTRUDE ESTEROS explained that her vehicle was rear ended while she was attempting to make a left turn from Larpenteur to Coffman. She was stopped with her turn signal on and was hit by a vehicle making a right turn from Cleveland. She questioned why the allowable speed on Larpenteur is increased to 40 mph when entering Falcon Heights while it is 30 mph in Lauderdale. FLORENCE CHAMBERS commented on the fact that her daughter's car was totaled while moving out of Coffman and was of the opinion that Larpenteur traffic needed to be slowed down. She indicated that Council's support of lowering the speed limit would be appreciated. Gehrz commented on the fact that many pedestrians cross Larpenteur when utilizing the golf course in addition to residents crossing to make use of the bus service and moved a resolution requesting that Ramsey County reduce the speed limit from 40 to 30 mph between Cleveland and Fulham. A lengthy discussion followed regarding whether or not lowering the speed limit might not create an illusion of false security to pedestrians as motorists are unlikely to obey the limit without constant police monitoring, the possibility that there `! ti MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 3 may be factors other than speed involved in the problem, if it might be more appropriate to request the county engineers to address all issues and let those professionals offer a solution, and that perhaps the traffic safety problem should address Larpenteur from Fulham to St. Mary's. All Council members agreed that it is in need of investigation. Ciernia offered an amendment to the proposed motion as follows: A request that Ramsey County address all factors governing safety of turning movements and pedestrian safety including reduction of the speed from 40 to 30 mph from Fulham to St. Mary's. Upon a vote being taken, the motion adopting Resolution R-91-31 (as amended) carried unanimously. RESOLUTION R-91-31 1 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING RAMSEY COUNTY TO ADDRESS FACTORS GOVERNING SAFETY ISSUES ON LARPENTEUR AVENUE, FULHAM STREET TO ST. MARY'S STREET. DEFERRAL OF 1991 STREET ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY AT 1739 FRY STREET Baldwin explained that previous approval of a hardship deferral of principal and interest on the assessment against the property at 1739 Fry Street is being discussed again as concern was expressed by Wallin that possibly the deferral of the interest may be inappropriate as it might be construed as a gift from the City. Gedde stated that since the present policy provides for deferral of principal, if Council wishes to defer both principal and interest, the policy should be amended to reflect that type of deferral is made available to everyone and not discriminatory. A lengthy discussion ensued regarding possible option for handling hardship deferrals (based on some options presented by Ciernia) such as granting deferral of principal only with the applicant petitioning for a variance for deferral of interest, granting deferral under existing policy (principal only) and consider deferral of interest on a negotiated basis which would assure the city would recoup the full amount. Wallin moved that the request be granted in accordance with present policy (principal deferment only) after which Ciernia offered a friendly amendment that alternately deferral of principal and interest would be considered under a negotiated arrangement whereby the city would recoup the full amount at the 43 MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 4 end of ten years. Gedde recommended that if principal and interest are to be handled on a case-by-case basis special criteria should be included as to when the option to defer interest is to be considered. Council discussed the matter and concluded that persons with 75 percent or less of the income guidelines for principal only deferral would be qualified, and that the action to be taken is to amend the assessment policy to address the option for interest deferral. Baldwin restated the motion to read that the City's present assessment policy be amended to allow for a negotiated deferment of principal and interest if the household income is 75 percent or less of the county's deferral guidelines for principal only. (Explanation - When assessment is finally paid, there will be an additional cost to ensure that the city recoups the full amount.) Motion carried unanimously. DENIAL OF REQUEST TO DROP INTEREST CHARGE ON STREET ASSESSMENT, AVELYN HOOKER, 1756 ST. MARY'S Ms. Hooker explained that she was aware of the street improvement and upcoming assessment but did not receive the hearing notice and felt it was unfair to charge interest from the time of adoption of the assessment and the date she became aware of the assessment. Gedde explained assessment regulations are stipulated by State Statute 429 and the City may not deviate from that statute. He noted that the hearing notices were mailed, and the City is not responsible for undelivered mail. Based on this information, Council denied Ms. Hooker's request, after which Baldwin suggested that she implement a tracer on the letter through the postal service. 1990 CITY FINANCIAL REPORT PRESENTED AND APPROVED. David Heinkemp representing the City's auditing firm, Kern, DeWenter, Viere Ltd., made a brief presentation of the audit report and indicated the City is in sound financial condition. The report was accepted and approved by Council. TREE PLANTING GUIDELINES APPROVED Council briefly discussed and approved the planting guidelines as presented. UPDATE ON COMMUNITY PARK LANDSCAPING ~~ MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 5 Carol Kriegler explained that the contractor was given a deadline of May 22 to complete the landscaping and expressed concern that the sod has not be adequately repaired. She felt it would be proper to have the option to terminate the contract and have the sod repair done by the City if that is the only way to accomplish completion. Following the discussion, Kriegler was authorized to do whatever is necessary to remedy the situation. AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE TREES FOR EAST BORDER AT COMMUNITY PARK Kriegler explained that there is presently a blue spruce buffer bordering a portion of the play area by residential properties abutting the park, and requested that Council authorize purchase of trees to continue the buffer to the north border of the park. Ciernia moved authorization to purchase blue spruce trees from Margolis Brothers at a cost of $1,774.00 for completion of the buffer which carried unanimously. PARK RENTAL FEES REVISED Kriegler requested that Council consider the proposed changes to address short meetings requiring a limited amount of time and space. Wallin moved adoption of R-91-33 amending the permit fees for use of community park facilities which carried unanimously. RESOLUTION R-91-33 A RESOLUTION REVISING PARK RENTAL FEES (AMENDING SECTION 5-14.05 SUBD (a) OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE) COMMUNITY FORUM TO BE ADDED TO COUNCIL AGENDA Council brief lx discussed the addition of a community forum to the City Council Agenda and guidelines for the same. The following guidelines were agreed upon: 1) the forum will be the first item following roll call, 2) time will be limited to 15 minutes, such time to be divided among the speakers, 3) each speaker must register name, address, and subject prior to speaking, and 4) if no one is in attendance at the start of the forum period, Council will proceed with the remainder of the Council agenda. APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER #1 FOR THE 1991 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Maurer explained the need to extend the storm sewer in the Garden Maple Knoll area where drainage has traditionally run ~~ MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 6 onto private property. Ciernia moved approval of Change Order #1 at a price of $14,266.15, such amount to be paid from the 1991 Street Improvement Fund. PROPOSED ORDINANCE RELATING TO CITY SHARING IN COST OF INDIVIDUAL SEWER CONNECTION REPAIRS Council briefly reviewed the proposed ordinance which would provide for some City participation in the cost of repair or failure of the service between the main and the property line. Wallin then moved adoption of Ordinance 0-91-6 which carried unanimously. ORDINANCE 0-91-6 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 4-1.09 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS RELATING TO MAINTENANCE OF SEWER CONNECTIONS PROPOSED ORDINANCE LIMITING RESIDENTIAL REFUSE COLLECTION TO FRIDAYS ONLY Jacobs presented the proposed ordinance as recommended by the Solid Waste Commission. Council discussed and amended the language after which Wallin moved adoption of Ordinance 0-91-7. Motion carried unanimously. ORDINANCE 0-91-7 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 5-4.01 SUBD. 6, (ITEM 5) OF THE CITY CODE RELATING TO COLLECTION OF AND DISPOSAL OF REFUSE AND YARD WASTE PROPOSED ORDINANCE REGARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR AMUSEMENT ESTABLISHMENTS. Council reviewed the latest draft of the proposed regulations for amusement establishments as recommended by the Planning Commission, after which Jacobs recommended adoption of Ordinance 0-91-8. Motion carried unanimously. ORDINANCE 0-91-8 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 9-10.01 SUBD. 5(P)(Q) RELATING TO BILLIARD HALLS/GAME ARCADES AND SECTION 1.02 SUBD. 2 DEFINITIONS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS REGARDING DRIVEWAYS AND OFF-STREET PARKING Hoyt presented the proposed amendments as prepared by Planner Tim Malloy and Engineer Terry Maurer. She explained that there r MINUTES MAY 22, 1991 PAGE 7 is an urgency to clarify driveway standards, as many property owners in the 1991 Street Improvement and Hamline Avenue Improvement areas will take the opportunity to upgrade and change driveway sizes when the streets are reconstructed. Hoyt recommended the City Council schedule a public hearing on the proposed amendments for June 19, 1991 to expedite the matter. Wallin moved that the hearing be scheduled for June 19, 1991 at 8:30 p.m., which carried unanimously. UPDATE ON PROPOSED 1991 TAX BILL Hoyt informed Council she had attended a meeting at which Ramsey County officials provided a preliminary analysis of the proposed tax bill and updated Council on the tax items being considered. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS NOTED: 1. April Police Report 2. MWCC Sewer Charges in 1992 3. Planning Commission Minutes 4. Park & Recreation Commission ADJOURNMENT: of May 20, 1991 Minutes of May 13, 1991 The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m. ATTEST: %~ ~^=~~ S ireyCen e , C1yCer ~~ Tom Ba win, Mayor ~/