07-27-2009 Council Minutes (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION July 27, 2009 APPROVED 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES 2 MINUTES 3 4 DATE : July 27, 2009 5 TIME STARTED : 5:33 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 6:40 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council members Gallup,Reinert, 8 O'Donnell, Stoltz and Mayor Bergeson 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : none 10 11 12 Staff members present: Director of Public Safety, Dave Pecchia; Director of Community 13 Development, Michael Grochala; Director of Finance, Al Rolek; City Planner, Jeff, 14 Smyser; City Engineer, Jim Studenski; Environmental Coordinator, Marty Asleson; City 15 Clerk, Julie Bartell. 16 17 Mayor Bergeson noted that the previous Friday the council received a letter from the Lino 18 Lakes Charter Commission asking that their request for additional funding be heard at 19 this meeting. Council Members Reinert and O'Donnell agreed to add the item to the 20 evening's agenda. 21 22 REVIEW REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS 23 .. 24 There were no changes to the regular council agenda. 25 26 Item 6B, a public hearing regarding the I-35E/CSAH Interchange Improvement Project, 27 was briefly reviewed. There was a discussion about how special assessments may be 28 deferred and that interest is charged when payment is deferred. The interest rate would be 29 determined when the assessments are finalized. The council discussed the cost of the 30 project to the benefited property owners, acknowledging that the project is desirable but 31 also that there must be consideration of the current economy and people's ability to pay. 32 Community Development Director Grochala explained that the council is being asked 33 only to hold a public hearing this evening. 34 35 Item 6D was reviewed by City Planner Smyser. This agenda item is first reading of an 36 ordinance amending the zoning code to allow public, educational and religious buildings 37 as conditional uses in general business and limited business zoning districts in the city, 38 and amending the liquor code so that separation distance for liquor licenses shall not 39 apply for a school or church in said zoning districts. When the city received an 40 application from a church wishing to acquire the former VFW site (in a business district), 41 it led to a review of uses in business districts. In consideration that similar uses should be 42 allowed in zoning districts, Mr. Smyser pointed out similarities between private 43 lodge/club use (currently allowed in business district as a conditional use) and church use 44 (not currently allowed in business district). Mr. Smyser then explained a federal law 45 prohibiting discrimination against churches (for land use) and pointed out that there have ..- 46 been court cases that have found church uses similar to lodge/club use. He also pointed 1