HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWkspMin_06Nov01City Council Workshop November 1, 2006 City Hall, 6:30 p.m. Members present: Mayor Gehrz, Council members Harris, Kuettel, Lindstrom, and Talbot, Administrator Miller, Assistant City
Administrator/Deputy Clerk Kreuser, and Finance Director Olson. Mayor Gehrz called the workshop to order at 6:30 p.m. Alternative Domain Name: The first item discussed was the possibility
of changing the domain name of the City’s website. Administrator Miller said that the current website can be confusing to some people, as the address is clunky and can be hard to remember.
He suggested the possibility of using falconheights.net, falconheights.org, or falconheights.gov, but added the .gov naming convention is more expensive. In addition, he said that the
current website would remain active, but the City would gradually phase out its use on business cards and letter head as they run out. The Council discussed their preferences for the
website name, and agreed they liked the .org convention the best. The item will appear on an upc?oming agenda. Portable Storage Devices: Administrator Miller gave an overview of the
City’s current practice for dealing with outdoor storage and dumpsters. Staff gives out three-week parking permits for those devices that are parked on the street, however there is no
language in the code regarding this practice. He stated the City Attorney found a sample ordinance dealing with portable outdoor storage, however no cities in Minnesota govern their
use. The Council discussed the time limits in allowance of the storage units on the street, and discussed the current parking ordinance in relation to the storage devices. They discussed
the possibility of changes, and with the current parking allowance of 48-hours on the street, thought perhaps extending that to storage units would be fitting. Staff will consult with
the City Attorney to draft ordinance and will bring item back on a regular meeting agenda. Sanitary Sewer Fees: Administrator Miller began by giving a brief overview of the sanitary
sewer fund and how how the process for billing works. He explained the Met Council bills the City for sanitary sewer, the City bills through to the customers, and in turn pays the Met
Council. Miller stated the residential rates are subsidizing portions of the tax exempt properties sanitary sewer costs. Mayor Gehrz asked whether there was a special tax-exempt tax
rate determined by the Met Council, and Administrator Miller stated there can be, but it must be approved by the Met Council. He stated he would check into that further. Miller added
the level of service to the University was lower since they maintain their own sewer lines.
Mayor Gehrz asked Miller to check into what rates and what type of district the Minneapolis campus is paying fees through to Minneapolis. After more research the council will discuss
the issue further. Banner Signs: Administrator Miller began with an overview of the current sign ordinance, and stated the City Attorney drafted a simple banner sign model for council
review. The sample ordinance requires the banners to have a permit and “can be up for a reasonable period of time.” After a short discussion on their desired requirements, including
where banners can be dsiplayed, size, time limits, and temporary signs, the council asked Miller to work on the sample with the City Attorney for the council to review at a later date.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Stacey Kreuser