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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_04Dec08CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS MINUTES December 8, 2004 Mayor Gehrz called the regular Council meeting to order and said this was the second City Council meeting this week. The first meeting, on Monday evening, was the Truth in Taxation Hearing. This will be the last Council meeting for 2004. 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. PRESENTATIONS: None Scheduled APPROVAL OF MINUTES: November 10 and 24, 2004 Council member Talbot said that he was listed as being present and absent in the November 10 minutes. He was at the meeting. Council member Lindstrom said that he was not at that meeting. The Council minutes dated November 10, 2004 were unanimously approved, as amended, to reflect that Council member Lindstrom had not been in attendance. Mayor Gehrz said that at the November 24, 2004 Council meeting, she recommended two changes in the Draft Subscriber Agreement for the 800 MHz system. The second word change was Section 3.7, first sentence. Insert the word and between training and instructional materials. This change should also be reflected in the motion for that item on page 4 of the minutes. The Council minutes dated November 24, 2004 were unanimously approved, as amended. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None Scheduled CONSENT AGENDA: Kuettel moved approval of the Consent Agenda, as outlined below. The motion was unanimously approved. General Disbursements through December 3, 2004: $ 76,922.64 Payroll (11/15/04-11/30/04) $ 13,854.47 Liquor Licenses – Chianti Grill, Dino’s Gyros and J’s Liquors Municipal, Home Occupation and Massage Therapy Licenses received to date General Fund Amendment, 2004 Budget 5. Formally establish the Special Revenue Fund Budget for 2004, including amendments 6. Mileage reimbursement adjustment – from 37.5 cents to 40.5 cents, effective January 1, 2005 FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -2- December 8, 2004 POLICY AGENDA: Mayor Gehrz said the Policy Agenda had been amended to include two additional items: Item H5: Consideration of including written petitions as an acceptable form of input on the topic of solid waste collection, and Item H6: Proposed ordinance change relating to bus bench signs. She recommended that Item H6 be continued to the January 12, 2005 Council meeting to give everyone an opportunity to study the proposed ordinance. The general consensus of the Council was agreement with her recommendation. Consideration of Resolution 2004-24 Adopting the 2005 Levy Council member Lamb said the Truth in Taxation Hearing was held on Monday evening and there was a lot of conversation about this. There are three or four bottom line things to understand: The levy represents a decrease from the previous year. The median home value in Falcon Heights is the third highest in the County. With this levy Falcon Heights will have the lowest total property taxes of the 18 communities in Ramsey County. He wanted to assure the viewing audience that the City has more than adequate money in Reserves. The City is not running risks by driving Reserves down. Council member Kuettel thanked staff for their hard work. Council member Lindstrom said that Council member Lamb did a great job of outlining where we stand in Ramsey County. It is important to keep the levy low. Property tax is one of the most regressive taxes in the state. It hurts senior citizens and young people who are just starting out. It is great the City is keeping the levy where it’s at and decreasing it from previous years. Council member Talbot said he is proud of what the City is doing. Some communities raised their levies; some reduced services and laid off staff. Everyone can be very proud of what is being done here. Mayor Gehrz said the City is not decreasing services. People expect the level of service they are getting and the City has no intention of decreasing services. Also, the City Council did not want to raise the property tax levy this year. RESOLUTION 2004-24 Lamb moved approval of Resolution 2004-24 certifying a tax levy of $865,008 for 2005. The motion was unanimously approved. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -3- December 8, 2004 Consideration of Resolution 2004-25 Adopting the 2005 Budget Council member Lamb said he wanted to point out to the viewing audience this is actually the opposite order that the Council works on. The Council works on the budget first and then derives the levy from it. RESOLUTION 2004-25 Talbot moved adoption of Resolution 2004-25 approving the General Operating Budget for 2005 in the amount of $1,580,237, and the Special Revenue Fund Budgets for the year 2005 totaling $88,084. The motion was unanimously approved. Consideration of a request for a Variance at 2135 Hoyt Avenue Administrator Worthington said that 2135 Hoyt is a residence in the University Grove neighborhood of Falcon Heights. The property is bounded on the east by the common area walkway between Hoyt and Folwell and on the north (rear) by a common area. The owner is seeking a variance in order to construct a 14 foot by 16 foot sunroom addition at the rear of the house. The addition would be designed to blend architecturally with the existing home. The addition would encroach 9 feet into the required rear yard of 30 feet. The porch would replace an existing non-conforming deck that is slightly smaller in area than the proposed porch. Staff cannot find any record of a permit or variance for the existing deck. This property, like many in the University Grove district, is adjacent to a “commons” area that provides a spatial and visual buffer between rows of homes in addition to setbacks. At the narrow end of this wedge shaped parcel of land, immediately behind 2135 Hoyt, the commons is approximately 40 feet wide, widening to over 50 feet at the other side property line of 2135 Hoyt. The proposed addition, if allowed, will be 66 feet from the center line of the commons. The applicant further says that living areas of homes in the neighborhood are oriented toward the commons and that mosquitoes make it very difficult to fully enjoy this amenity without a screened porch. Council member Lindstrom said that the Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of this variance but they wanted to emphasize that mosquitoes aren’t reason enough. This addition will encroach into the setback area but there is a huge commons area at the rear of their property. Kuettel moved adoption of the Planning Commission’s Findings of Fact and Recommendation of Approval of the request from Roger Miller, 2135 Hoyt Avenue, for a variance from Section 9-4.01, Subd. 4 of the Falcon Heights Zoning Ordinance to allow the construction of a 14’ by 16’ (224 square foot) sunroom addition encroaching nine feet (9’) into the required rear yard setback. The motion was unanimously approved. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -4- December 8, 2004 Agreement to Operate a Program of Public Recreation and Playgrounds Administrator Worthington said that in the early 1990’s, the City entered into an agreement with the Roseville Area Schools/ISD 623, to partner with the Falcon Heights Elementary School to install new playground equipment and provide basketball courts and other recreation amenities. In 2004, the City and the School District entered into talks on how to write an agreement that was up to date and covered both recreational opportunities, equipment, and amenities that are on the grounds at Falcon Heights Elementary School. This process was begun because all known previous agreements had expired. As discussions started, it was identified that the School wanted to replace their existing playground and the City wanted to add a hockey rink. It was on this basis that a new draft agreement was negotiated between the City and the School District. The finalized draft is recommended for approval by both City staff and District staff to their respective governing bodies. The agreement puts in one document all amenities and outdoor recreational opportunities that are available on the property for use by both the School and residents of Falcon Heights. Exhibit B will be added once the PTSA at Falcon Heights Elementary School determines what playground equipment will be installed this spring. A brief discussion followed. Kuettel moved approval of the Agreement to Operate a Program of Public Recreation and Playgrounds at the Falcon Heights Elementary School, 1393 Garden Avenue. The motion was unanimously approved. Consideration of including written petitions as an acceptable form of input on the topic of solid waste collection Mayor Gehrz said a resident has requested clarification of whether signed petitions will be included in the report of public input on the Solid Waste Collection issue. The rules that the Council adopted at the October 13 Council meeting require that comments be written, include the person’s name and address, and be received at City Hall by letter, fax, or Email by 4:30 on December 17. (This was later extended to December 30.) Signed petitions that include the person’s name and address would satisfy the requirements of those rules. One of the “Important Tips” for providing input that was added to the information piece mailed to our residents has caused some confusion regarding petitions. It states the following: Your comment must come directly from you to the City. We will not accept comments delivered through a third party. She believes that the intent of this was not to exclude petitions as a form of written input. It was intended to address the issue of people claiming to be representing opinions of other residents without written verification of that representation. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -5- December 8, 2004 Consideration of including written petitions as an acceptable form of input on the topic of solid waste collection (continued) Mayor Gehrz said she is asking the Council to clarify this by approving written, signed petitions as one of the acceptable forms of input on the Solid Waste Collection issue. The names and addresses of residents who sign petitions will be included in the data analysis and public record on this issue. A brief discussion followed. Mr. Willard Tennyson, 1935 Summer, said that he read the October 13 Council minutes and was shocked when he got the newsletter about solid waste collection because the rules had been changed. A rule had been added that seemed to imply that the City Council could not accept the petition he had been circulating in his neighborhood. He is concerned that rules approved by the City Council were changed by someone and he contacted Mayor Gehrz to express his concern. He has 35 signatures on a petition that he circulated on May 20, two hours before the Solid Waste Commission meeting. He contacted 38 homes and 35 of them signed the petition. Mayor Gehrz said she believes this is just a misinterpretation of the intent of the City Council. Talbot moved the affirmation of written petitions being an acceptable form of input on the topic of solid waste collection. The motion was unanimously approved. REPORTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS Council member Talbot said that at a recent meeting of the NSCC (North Suburban Cable Commission) they were reviewing their budget for 2005 and utilized the City’s Reserve Policy as a tool in their deliberations. Mayor Gehrz said she wanted to thank a group of residents and staff who gave up their Saturday to attend a conference sponsored by the Minnesota State Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security, Citizen Corps Programs. Administrator Worthington, Dan Johnson-Powers, Kris Grangaard, Sue Majerus, and Mayor Gehrz conducted classes for participants. The Federal government has made major cuts in homeland security funding for Ramsey County for 2005 and there will be much less money to work with. She said that Gretel Keene, a resident of Falcon Heights, was sent to Alabama to work for FEMA. She was there for months and just returned home this week. Gretel has been invited to attend a future Council meeting and share her experiences with the community. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -6- December 8, 2004 INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Administrator Worthington said the hockey boards are up in all of the parks and staff is waiting for it to get cold so ice can be made. She mentioned that Colton Graham, the 13 year old who did the Eagle Scout project in Community Park, will be receiving his Eagle Scout badge this week. Council member Kuettel said that earlier in the week a bald eagle was sighted over Falcon Heights Elementary School. It circled around and then headed toward Snelling Avenue. The regular City Council meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Mary Shea Kodluboy Deputy Clerk