05-13-09 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MAY 13, 2009 RENTAL HOUSING LICENSING ORDINANCE Blesener opened the Public Hearing to consider adoption of a Rental Housing Licensing Ordinance. The City Administrator reported that the Council has been working for the past several months with both rental housing ownership as well as the Minnesota Multi Housing Association on the development of a rental housing licensing ordinance. The result of that work is a proposed licensing ordinance that is not overly onerous for the ownership, but helps the City to accomplish its goals. The Administrator reviewed the City Attorney's comments relative to the proposed ordinance outlined in his letter dated May 4, 2009. He indicated that based on the Council's discussions with the MN Multi Housing Association, reference to domestic assault will be removed from the ordinance. The Administrator also reviewed the Sheriff's Department's recommendations relative to the Crime Free/Drug Free Lease Addendum as well as Star Program standards. The Administrator pointed out that the Council will have to set the license fee, and noted the previous discussion on this issue. That discussion focused on the City's goal to cover its costs. The Council also had discussed taking a look at the fee after a year or two to consider whether the fee could be lowered or a lower fee established for those properties that are doing a good job. The Administrator also noted a second proposed ordinance which creates Chapter 800 establishing the general practice and procedure for the licensing of businesses in the City. This ordinance also establishes a procedure for revocation of licenses. These procedures will apply to all business licenses, not just rental licenses. Blesener asked about the removal of domestic assault from the Code of Conduct in the Rental Housing Licensing Ordinance. The Administrator indicated that domestic assault was removed so as to not penalize people for reporting domestic assault instances. The Council then discussed licensing fees with the staff recommending a fee of $100 per building and $12 per unit. Blesener noted his suggestion of $100 per building and $10 per unit as a compromise to the property owners. Montour noted that the Council previously discussed implementing the fees for a one year period, with the fee level to be revisited after one year. Lisa Peilen, MN Multi Housing Association, appeared before the Council thanking them and the City Administrator for including the organization and the rental property owners in the process. With regard to the issue of fees, Peilen stated that she understood the Council's concern that the 4