HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_08Nov12Regular Meeting of the Falcon Heights City Council
November 12, 2008
Members present: Council members Kuettel, Harris, Mercer-Taylor, and Long, Administrator Miller, Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk Kreuser. Members absent: Mayor Lindstrom.
Council member Kuettel, acting as mayor, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Presentation:
1. Proclamation of support for Northwest Youth & Family Services Discovery Center
Administrator Miller began by reminding the council of the NYFS Discovery Center, which they broke ground on last week. They are not asking for financial donations from Falcon Heights,
but their hope is the proclamation of support will help NYFS solicit support from donors later on. Council member Kuettel read aloud the proclamation.
Motion by Council member Harris to support the proclamation. The motion passed unanimously. Mercer-Taylor said she went to the annual meeting, and Administrator Miller said the new
building will be in Shoreview.
The minutes of the October 22, 2008 meeting were approved as submitted.
Consent Agenda:
Council member Long moved to approve the following five items on the consent agenda. The motion passed unanimously.
1. General disbursements through 11/5/08: $159,970.15
Payroll through 10/31/08: $15,518.93
2. City Licenses
3. Statutory Tort Limits Liability Coverage for City
4. Setting 2009 Contractor License Rates
5. Lawful Gambling Permit for Falcon Heights Elementary PTA
Policy Agenda:
1. Approval of 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update
Administrator Miller began by explaining to the council the Comprehensive Plan was the culmination of a two-year process. He stated the requirement by the Met Council is for cities
to create a 10-year development/redevelopment plan that spans 20 years. This plan covers 2010-2030. Miller said the requirement of the Met Council is for Falcon Heights to plan to
add 250 housing units by 2030. He said redevelopment would come from along the Larpenteur corridor, where most redevelopment lands exist. He named some of the larger parcels along
Larpenteur and the apartment units along that same corridor. He said the city has not anticipated any changes to the U’s agricultural land in the plan. He explained the residential
neighborhoods would remain the same as well, and the plan encourages best practices in active living, green living, and non-motorized modes of transportation. He said the implementation
of the plan is a big step. He also noted it calls for the elimination of dual-zoning classifications to parcels. Also, it requires a Larpenteur Avenue corridor study. A zoning classification
used in past plans,
that the city would like to restore, is a R3 zoning classification. R3 would cover townhomes and condos, etc.
Miller said there are many charts, maps, and data available in the plan. And, once the plan is approved, it will go to the Met Council, where they have three months to approve it.
Once it comes back from them, either their suggested changes or final adoption will occur.
Miller thanked the Comp Plan Steering Committee and Planning Commission, and also Deb Jones for her very hard work on the plan.
Council member Harris said the document is great, and she thought it very well done and very useful for making future decisions.
Mercer-Taylor said the city has enjoyed a process where citizens could be involved as much as they like, and the staff has been excellent in maintaining the process of input.
Harris added that the plan has been submitted to neighboring communities. Miller replied the Water Mangement Plan is referenced, and no major changes were made since the initial approval
last spring.
Kuettel said the document is very readable, and it gets people excited about the city. She also thanked Deb Jones, the committees, and commissions for all their hard work.
Kuettel moved to approve the 2008 Comprehensive Plan. The motion passed unanimously.
Information/Announcements:
Council member Harris said the Human Rights Commission made a grant proposal to the MN Board of Human Rights, and have received $1500 for strategic planning and outreach for the commission
to enhance its skills.
Mercer-Taylor announced the Citizen Corp Conference would be held Nov. 14-15 at the St. Paul Campus. She added that the Neighborhood Commission decided the state of services for seniors
in Falcon Heights would be an initiative in 2009 of the commission.
Council member Long thanked the judges and staff for the hard work on the election last Tuesday.
Miller said the U of M women’s soccer team will be having the national’s in Falcon Heights this weekend. Residents may hear some noise in the surrounding neighborhoods during those
games. The pedestrian flashers were installed at Garden/Hamline but an electrical malfunction will cause a delay of three or four weeks before they are up and running.
Council member Kuettel adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stacey Kreuser
Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk