03/26/2012 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DRAFT CITY OF LINO LAKES MINUTES March 5, 2012 4 DATE : March 5, 2012 5 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 5:45 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, Rafferty, Roeser 8 and Mayor Reinert 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : Council Member O'Donnell 10 11 12 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Community Development 13 Director Michael Grochala; City Engineer Jason Wedel; Public Safety Director John 14 Swenson; Finance Director Al Rolek; City Planner Paul Bengtson; City Clerk Julie 15 Bartell 16 17 1. Charter Amendment — Community Development Director Grochala noted that the 18 council has discussed and is reviewing an ordinance that proposes an amendment to 19 Chapter 8 of the City Charter. The amendment is based on the ordinance forwarded in 20 2007 by the citizen's task force. Different from the task force ordinance is the addition of 21 a reverse referendum that would provide residents with the opportunity to petition for a 22 referendum, an element that was included in the 2007 Charter Commission proposal. He 23 pointed out that the reverse referendum language is also similar to that included in state 24 statutes. 25 26 Mr. Grochala reviewed the summary of the elements of the ordinance (as included in his 27 staff report). In summary, the ordinance: 28 Allows for more interaction, as it calls for two hearings for impacted property 29 owners; 30 Gives the council has a period where they can change the project based on public 31 input and a second hearing that allows a review of any changes; 32 Allows affected owners to veto the project after it is ordered within 30 days and 33 with a 50% petition; 34 Sets forth a process that forces the city to get it right; 35 Removes language that exempts certain areas of the city from the charter 36 provisions that was originally meant for economic development but creates an 37 inequity. 38 39 Mr. Grochala noted that the process of this ordinance presents a greater likelihood of 40 getting projects done but also allows for good public involvement. When asked about the 41 citizen communication element, Mr. Grochala explained the requirement of mailings to 42 property taxpayers. 43 44 Council member comments included: P14