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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-08-2009 Council Minutes COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 1 2 3 CITY OF LINO LAKES 4 MINUTES 5 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING 6 7 8 9 DATE : June 8, 2009 10 TIME STARTED : 6:30 p.m. 11 TIME ENDED : 8:05 p.m. 12 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Members Gallup, Reinert, O'Donnell, 13 Stoltz, and Mayor Bergeson 14 MEMBERS ABSENT : none 15 16 Staff members present: Director of Administration, Dan Tesch; City Attorney, Joseph Langel; 17 Director of Community Development, Michael Grochala; Public Safety Director, Dave Pecchia; 18 City Engineer, Jim Studenski; City Planner, Jeff Smyser; Director of Finance, Al Rolek. 19 20 PUBLIC COMMENT 21 22 There was no public comment. 23 24 SETTING THE AGENDA 25 26 The agenda was approved as presented. 27 28 CONSENT AGENDA 29 30 Council Member Reinert moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Council Member O'Donnell 31 seconded the motion. Motion carried. 32 33 ITEM ACTION 34 35 Consideration of Expenditures: 36 i) June 8, 2009 (Check No. 85798 through 85876), 37 $209,909.53; Approved 38 ii) Centennial Fire District (Check No. 3777 through 39 3785), $2,989.00 Approved 40 41 Consideration of Resolution No. 09-34, Approving JPA with 42 Anoka County for the construction of improvements and 43 extension of the Rice Creek North Regional Trail Approved 1 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 44 x-'45 FINANCE DEPARTMENT REPORT, AL ROLEK 46 47 3A. Annual 2008 Audit, LarsonAllen LLP 48 49 Finance Director Rolek introduced LarsonAllen auditors Craig Popenhagen and Michelle Bruley 50 who gave a presentation outlining the results of the 2008 financial audit (presentation and audit 51 on file). 52 53 Responding to a council request to compare the city's fund balance to other municipalities,Mr. 54 Popenhagen characterized the City of Lino Lakes in a better-than-average financial health 55 position. Looking behind and ahead,he would suggest that the city is status quo as far as 56 movement in the area of finance. 57 58 A council member requested that staff follow-up at the next council work session on how the city 59 will respond to the auditor suggestions that accompany the audit(management letter). 60 61 Finance staff received council's recognition of the city's continuing good financial practices as 62 seen in the good bond rating, good audit and solid footing with the fund balance. 63 64 Council Member Stoltz moved to accept the 2008 audit report as presented. Council Member 65 Gallup seconded the motion. Motion carried. 66 -'67 ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT REPORT, DAN TESCH 68 69 3A. Consideration of Resolution No. 09-36,Approving the renewal of liquor,wine,beer 70 and dance licenses 71 72 Administrator Tesch reported that the city clerk has prepared a list of establishments requesting 73 renewal of their liquor,beer,wine or dance licenses. Staff has worked with the licensees on 74 submission of the required documents and fees and is recommending approval of the renewals as 75 listed. 76 77 A council member requested additional information on 2 a.m. licenses. 78 79 Council Member Reinert moved to approve Resolution No. 09-36 as presented. Council 80 Member Gallup seconded the motion. Motion carried. 81 82 PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT REPORT, DAVE PECCHIA 83 84 There was no report from the Public Safety Department. 85 86 PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT REPORT, RICK DEGARDNER 87 88 There was no report from the Public Services Department. 2 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 89 90 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REPORT, MICHAEL GROCHALA 91 92 6A. Consideration of Resolution No. 09-23, Preliminary Approval of 2030 93 Comprehensive Plan for Submittal to Metropolitan Council 94 95 Community Development Director Grochala explained that the draft 2030 Comprehensive Plan 96 (the Plan) has been through a lengthy process of consideration. State law requires cities within 97 the metro area to update and submit their Plan every ten years. The city's update process began 98 with a citizen survey in 2005, a visioning process completed in 2007 and establishment of a 99 citizen advisory group that reviewed and made recommendations on updating the Plan. The 100 process has involved several open houses at which input was sought and received from the 101 general public of the city. After public review and approval of the Planning and Zoning Board, 102 the council authorized distribution of the Plan to jurisdictions adjacent to the city for their 103 comment. The council also met with the advisory panel and directed that an additional public 104 hearing be held by the Planning &Zoning Board to allow public consideration of the Plan as 105 revised. The Board recommended approval of the Plan and staff is now requesting council 106 authorization to submit the Plan to the Metropolitan Council. The council held a special meeting 107 this past June 3 and gave several directions to revise the Plan. Those revisions (lowering the 108 growth forecast and making adjustments to elements of the Plan to reflect that change and further 109 research on how other communities are addressing housing affordability)have been 110 accomplished and are shown in the staff report. Comments received from other jurisdictions are 11 also explained in the report. All revisions recommended by staff and requested by the council as '-112 presented in the staff report were reviewed by Mr. Grochala and by Ciara Schlicting, Bonestroo 113 consultant to the project. 114 115 The mayor announced that the council would hear brief comments from the audience on the Plan 116 although this was not established as an official public hearing. 117 118 Amy Donlin, 6100 Centerville Road, addressed the council. Ms. Donlin reported that she 119 brought up some uncomfortable questions about the Plan earlier in the evening at the council 120 work session. It is important for all citizens to do so—to speak your mind. She feels the city has 121 been using the process of conservation development in a way not intended when it was accepted 122 into the city's development process. The city has been using that process as a loophole to avert 123 the growth limitation and lure developers to subsidized projects. Furthermore, the number of 124 households the council is talking about in 30 years is too high and would be too dense for this 125 area. People are watching and are concerned about what will happen to the quality of life in the 126 city. 127 128 Terri O'Connell, 1000 Main Street, addressed the council. She made a request to have her 129 property changed relative to how it will be guided by the Plan but she understands that her 130 request will not be granted. She questions why the Plan seems to include little or no new 131 business development—only housing. That is a substantial difference from the city of Blaine 132 plan for instance. 133 3 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 34 Michael Trehus, 675 Shadow Court, addressed the council. Mr. Trehus showed the council a '--r35 page from the citizen survey that indicates that the most serious issue in the city is too much 136 growth. In regard to community characteristics, the citizens said they like the characteristics of 137 the city the way it is. He suggested the visioning group that met after the survey(a smaller group 138 so really less representative of the whole city) recommended something like 30,000 in 2030 but, 139 through the process, that seemed to grow to 38,000. The city is currently mostly single-family 140 homes but the Plan is calling for 80 percent plus homes other than single family. This Plan has 141 some alarming numbers as far as density changes (upwards of six units per acre) and is a 142 complete departure from where the city is at now. The end result would be more than half other 143 than single family housing. Further thirty-one percent of all new housing would be in the value 144 range of$152,000 or less and would require government subsidy and development incentives. 145 This would mean investing staff hours and city funds to go out and bring in affordable housing. 146 Tax increment financing is included as an incentive to bring in affordable housing—that means 147 the projects pay less taxes and leaves the city at risk. The Plan calls for the reduction of city fees 148 and lowering city standards for projects to bring in affordable housing and to bring that housing 149 into all types of neighborhoods. He noted that while there are changes being made to the Plan, 150 the council is being asked to vote on it before those changes can actually be reviewed within the 151 Plan. 152 153 A resident of 815 Ash Street, addressed the council. He understands that public notice is 154 officially served by publication in the Quad Press, however, the people on the south side of Lino 155 Lakes, such as himself, do not receive that newspaper. He has received the city newsletter. He 56 questions if there is new zoning occurring as part of the Plan(along Ash Street)? X57 158 The mayor responded that he is surprised to hear of the delivery problem with the Quad Press; 159 he suggests that the resident contact the paper. 160 161 Community Development Grochala noted that the Quad Press is designated as the official 162 newspaper of the city and so notices are published there, as well as posted on the Web. 163 Regarding Ash Street, the Plan itself does not institute any zoning changes. The Plan does 164 include what is termed as guidance or what the city would plan for certain areas (land use 165 designation). Zoning would normally follow the land use guidance eventually as the city 166 implements the Plan. (A land use map was reviewed.) A majority of the land in that area would 167 be considered urban reserve, or planned for development post 2030. Long, long term it would be 168 low density residential. 169 170 The city's consultant to the project, Ciara Schlicting of Bonestroo, clarified that the 10,000 new 171 units mentioned would be cumulative not in addition to the approximate 6,000 existing units. 172 She also clarified that the 30% figure mentioned for affordable housing is established by the 173 Metropolitan Council and the city is required by state statute to guide enough land in the Plan to 174 accommodate that many units. 175 176 Community Development Director Grochala acknowledged that there has been much discussion 177 about affordable housing and he believes that there are differing opinions within the community 178 on that subject. There is interest in providing the opportunity for that housing. The Plan does 4 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 79 not mandate the development of affordable housing but, as required,provides the opportunity for ' -i80 it to happen. Earlier, statements from the Plan were mentioned that relate to affordable housing 181 and he clarified that statements are actually strategies and the city can consider as they wish. 182 Tax increment financing should be fairly portrayed as a tool for economic development tool and 183 includes taxation. The city has used that tool only once for a senior housing project 184 approximately fifteen years ago. 185 186 A council member asked fellow members to consider if the action being requested, authorizing 187 submission of the Plan to the Metropolitan Council, is appropriate at this time. While there have 188 been changes to the Plan in the right direction, there remains further work that should be done. 189 The council shouldn't accept a Plan that isn't complete because experience says that you should 190 see the completed product. 191 192 Council Member Reinert moved to postpone the action until a future time when staff can 193 complete their work. Motion lost for lack of a second. 194 195 Council Member Stoltz moved to approve Resolution No. 09-23 as presented. Council Member 196 Gallup seconded the motion. 197 198 A council member commented that he did not support postponement because the approval of the 199 Plan at this time would be preliminary. The Plan should be forwarded to the Metropolitan 200 Council; it is time to move forward on that process. Regarding the Plan itself, there has been a '01 lot of input from many areas. He sees the passion of people and it is a good passion for the city. x-202 There are as many opinions out there as there are citizens and voices have been heard. The 203 council and staff's job is really ahead and the Plan sets the course for that work but is not the 204 final product. Affordable housing can mean many things and not necessarily"government" 205 housing. The city needs to be proactive and show leadership and guide the development of that 206 housing. It should be acknowledged that the council did direct changes to the forecast and that 207 is a result of input and the council has listened. It is a difficult decision to move forward but it 208 comes with commitment to work on the Plan in the future. 209 210 A council member responded that there is not general opposition to affordable housing but there 211 shouldn't be too much (the Plan has a lot now) and it is obvious that some subsidy will be 212 required. Once the Plan is submitted, the city cannot make fundamental changes and that is the 213 problem. The Plan as a whole is fundamentally different from what citizens have said they 214 want/like about the City. There are obvious differences of opinion on that matter among the 215 council members. The council member stated that the three areas of most concern should be 216 pace, quality and density, or moderate/slow pace, high quality and low density and the Plan 217 doesn't represent those. It is most important to get the Plan done right rather than on a schedule. 218 219 A council member noted that the changes the council has asked for are well documented and so 220 there is a comfort level that they will be implemented into the Plan. As far as citizen input, there 221 was a visioning group and the Plan speaks well to what that group put forward. 222 ?23 A council member added that process is as important as the decision. The unsung heros along 5 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 24 the way are all those who have voiced their opinion through the process, for and against. He is "-225 impressed by the process as it has been inclusive and well representative. Regarding affordable 226 housing, it is offensive to be exclusive in that area since it is important to many different people, 227 including seniors and young workers who need places to live. No one is supporting fast growth 228 or low quality; that just doesn't represent anyone's goal. He asked staff to clarify what action 229 this evening would represent. 230 231 Consultant Schlicting explained that the council is not allowed at this point to adopt the Plan. 232 The motion is for preliminary approval. After tonight, staff will incorporate the changes 233 explained in the staff report into the Plan, send the Plan to the Metropolitan Council,who will 234 undoubtedly make some requests for additional information but eventually return the document 235 to the city for final approval. If the council finds that they want to make a fundamental change to 236 the Plan, it would have to be re-reviewed by the Metropolitan Council. 237 238 A council member thanked everyone involved in the process. There have been many dedicated 239 people involved in the process who have broadly represented the community. There was two 240 years of volunteer work. Thanks were also offered to staff and the consultant for their effort 241 working on the Plan. The product is a good piece of work. 242 243 A council member added that the Plan would be good for Lakeville, Woodbury or Burnsville but 244 not Lino Lakes. 245 '46 Motion carried on a roll call vote as follows: Yeas: Stoltz, Gallup, O'Donnell, Bergeson;Nays: x-247 Reinert. 248 249 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 250 251 There was no unfinished business. 252 253 NEW BUSINESS 254 255 8A. Approval of May 4, 2009 Council Work Session Minutes. Council Member 256 O'Donnell absent 257 258 8B. Approval of May 4, 2009 Special Council Meeting (portion closed) Minutes. 259 Council Member O'Donnell absent 260 261 Council Member Stoltz moved to approve the May 4, 2009 minutes as presented. Council 262 Member Gallup seconded the motion. Motion carried. Council Member O'Donnell abstained 263 from voting. 6 COUNCIL MINUTES June 8, 2009 APPROVED 54 —z65 8C. Approval of April 29, 2009 Special Council Work Session Minutes. 266 Mayor Bergeson absent 267 268 Council Member O'Donnell moved to approve the April 29, 2009 Special Council Work Session 269 Minutes as presented. Council Member Stoltz seconded the motion. Motion carried. Mayor 270 Bergeson abstained from voting. 271 272 8D. Approval of May 26, 2009 Liquor Compliance Hearing Minutes. Council Members 273 Stoltz and Reinert absent 274 275 8E. Approval of May 26, 2009 Work Session Minutes. Council Members Stoltz and 276 Reinert absent 277 278 8F. Consider approval of May 26, 2009 City Council Meeting Minutes. Council 279 Members Stoltz and Reinert absent 280 281 Council Member Gallup moved to approve the May 26, 2009 Minutes as presented. Council 282 Member O'Donnell seconded the motion. Motion carried. Council Members Stoltz and Reinert 283 abstained from voting. 284 285 ADJOURN 86 287 There being no further business, Council Member Stoltz moved to adjourn at 8:05 p.m. Council 288 Member O'Donnell seconded the motion. Motion carried. 289 290 These minutes were considered and approved at the regular City Council Meeting on June 22, 291 2009. 292 293 Community Calendar—A Look Ahead 294 June 9, 2009 through June 22, 2009 295 296 4, Wednesday,June 10 Cancelled Planning&Zoning 297 4 Monday, June 22 5:30 pm, Council Workroom Council Work Session 298 4, Monday,June 22 6:30 pm, Council Chambers Council Meeting 299 300 301 302 303 Julianne Ba 1, City Cler John geso ayor 7