HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 8, 2026 City Council Workshop MinutesC
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
City Council Workshop
City Hall
2077 West Larpenteur Avenue
MINUTES
JuJy 8,2026
6:00 P.M.
A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:00 P.M.
Gustafson called to order
B. ROLLCALL:GUSTAFSON-X- MAY-X-
MIELKE X MOGEN X WASSENBERG X
STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN X
POLICY ITEMS:
1. Noise Ordinance / ParktngViolations Amendments (6:00 P.M.)
Linehan introduced two related items: a proposed noise ordinance amendment and a
new car alarm parking violation provision.
Noise Ordinance. Linehan explained that the city's existing noise regulations are
limited and difficult to enforce. The current public nuisance language-described as
essentially unenforceable by the city attorney in 2020-was proposed for removal.
The new draft ordinance (proposed Sec. 22-48) would establish defined prohibited
noises and hourly restrictions for domestic power equipment, refuse hauling,
construction activities, and radios/music devices. The draft language was originally
prepared by the former city attorney and modeled on ordinances from comparable
cities.
Gustafson noted a typographical error ("devise" instead of "device") appearing in the
draft. Wassenberg identified an additional misspelling of "exempt" in section b(l).
Linehan acknowledged both and indicated the draft would be corrected.
Council discussed several substantive changes to the proposed hourly restrictions.
The draft, as written, proposed hours of 7:00 a.m.-l0:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00
a.m.-9:00 p.m. on weekends for most noise-generating activities. Members expressed
general agreement that 9:00 a.m. was too late a start time on weekends for
construction and equipment noise. After discussion, the Council reached consensus
on the following revised framework: weekday hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for
construction, power equipment, and refuse hauling; weekend and holiday hours of
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the same categories; and radios, music devices, and similar
equipment to be permitted until 10:00 p.m. on both weekdays and weekends, given
the different character of that type of noise in residential settings.
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Mielke advocated for adding "leaf blowers" explicitly to the list of domestic power
equipment, noting that leaf blowers generate more resident complaints than several
items already listed, such as garden tillers. Council agreed. Mielke and May also
expressed support for a dedicated page on the city website summarizing quiet hours,
how to report noise, and links to the relevant code sections. Linehan indicated staff
was willing to develop that resource.
Council noted that animal noise provisions are addressed separately under the city's
animals chapter and are not part of this ordinance, though Mogen raised a question
about whether barking dogs are regulated during daytime hours as well. Linehan
confirmed that the animals chapter addresses this under the public nuisance
framework.
Mogen raised a broader concern about the fragmented nafure of the city's noise-
related code provisions, which are spread across multiple chapters. He asked
whether the city attomey could be engaged to review the code for consistency and
redundancy as these new sections are added. Linehan acknowledged the concem/
noting the city's code last underwent a comprehensive rewrite in the 1990s.
Car Alarm Parking Violation. Linehan described the second component: a proposed
addition to Chapter 46 (Sec. 46-27, new item 10) that would make it a parking
violation for a vehicle to emit noise from a security alarm or hom for more than a
specified continuous or intermittent period. The provision would authorize towing
under existing Sec.46-26. The draft proposed a four-hour threshold, modeled on
provisions in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Rochester, and Duluth.
May and Mogen both favored reducing the threshold from four hours to two hours,
arguing that four hours is an unreasonable burden on neighbors and that the two-
hour window still provides sufficient time for an officer to document the violation,
attempt to contact the vehicle owner, and allow the owner a reasonable opporfunity
to respond.
Wassenberg agreed, noting that the clock would begin upon officer observation, not
from when the alarm first sounded, and that officer discretion would remain a
practical factor in borderline cases.
The Council reached consensus on a two-hour threshold.
Council also discussed a formatting error in the draft, in which the proposed car
alarm provision appeared as a sub-bullet under item 9 (snow removal) rather than as
a separate item 10. Linehan confirmed this was a drafting error and would be
corrected.
Staff was directed to bring a revised draft of both the noise ordinance and the car
alarm parking violation to a fufure regular meeting, incorporating the changes
discussed.
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2. Pay-by-Mobile Parking Pass Distribution for Ineligible Properties (6:30 P.M.)
Linehan provided background on the city's Pay-by-Mobile parking system, which was
implemented for streets near the Minnesota State Fair. Under the current policy, one
parking pass is mailed to each household abutting a Pay-by-Mobile designated street,
with a second available upon request and up to two additional passes available through
a variance application.In2025, the city approved 35 variances, the majority for residents
on Hoyt Avenue, Larpenteur Avenue, and Snelling Service Drive- streets not directly
on the pay-by-mobile network but whose residents were affected by the program. Staff
sought Council direction on whether to proactively mail passes to those impacted
households going forr,r'ard, or to maintain the variance application process.
Mielke noted that a significant gap in 2025 was that residents on affected streets received
no communication whatsoever-not even a letter explaining the program. She
recommended that, at a minimum, a letter be sent to those areas explaining the program
and offering a path to request a pass if needed, noting that in practice only a small
number of residents in those areas had sought passes.
Wassenberg and Gustafson expressed a preference for treating residents equitably: if the
city is effectively removing the parking that a resident normally relies upon, that
resident should receive a pass automatically, without having to seek a variance.
May concurred, framing it as: residents whose street parking is taken away by city
action should be mailed a pass, while other residents in the broader area should receive
a letter and be able to apply.
Mogen raised a concem about the number of passes per household, questioning why
households should receive up to four passes, particularly if some are passed along to
visitors or guests who have no direct parking need. He proposed that any pass beyond
the first automatically mailed one should require registration of a license plate to the
address, which would also integrate more smoothly with the new license plate scanning
system being introduced for parking ambassadors this year. The scanning system will
allow ambassadors to verify compliance electronically rather than relying solely on
physical passes in windows
Linehan clarified how the 2025 variance process worked for third and fourth passes:
applicants were required to provide a license plate number, which was then registered
in the ParkMobile system for the duration of the fair at a cost of one dollar per vehicle to
the city. This approach was used for residents on Hoyt and Larpenteur who applied for
variances.
May noted that residents had expressed strong interest in retaining flexibility-
specifically, the ability to place a physical pass in any vehicle rather than tying it to a
registered plate-in part to accommodate State Fair party traditions that many
households observed. She indicated she was comfortable with households receiving one
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or two passes for their own vehicles and suggested the Council not over-restrict a
tradition that residents value.
Council discussion turned to Falcon Town Square apartments, where residents relying
on street parking face a distinct issue: tenants whose names are not on the lease, or who
drive vehicles not registered to them, cannot register their cars in the building's private
lot and therefore cannot access free on-site parking during the fair. Council members
noted this issue had been raised with Falcon Town Square management on multiple
occasions, and Linehan confirmed that conversations had occurred, but the property had
not yet established a plan. Council expressed that the property needs to develop a
workable solution before the 2026 fafu.
Given the complexity of the discussion and the approaching deadline for pass
distribution in mid-toJate Julp Linehan requested that the item be continued and added
to the JuJy 22 agenda for further direction. Council agreed.
D. ADIOURNMENT: 7:05 P.M.
DISCLAIMER: Gty CouncilWorkshops are held monthly as an opportunity for Council Members to
discuss policy topics in greater detail pior to a formal meeting where a public hearing may be held and/or
action may be taken. Members of the public tlnt wouldlike to make a comment or ask questions about an
item on the agenda for an upcoming workshop should send them to mail@falconheights.org pnor to the
meeting. Alternatiael!, time is regularly allottedfor public comment duing Regular Gty Council
Meetings (typtcally 2nd and 4thWednesdays) during the Community Forum.
Dated this 22"a day of July,2026
Randall C.Mayor
City Administrator
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