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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-20-2011 CCMLAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 1 MINUTES APPROVED: October 4, 2011 City of Lake Elmo City Council Meeting Minutes September 20, 2011 Mayor Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Johnston and Council Members Emmons, Park (arrived 7:06 p.m.), Pearson and Smith Also Present: Administrator Messelt, Attorney Snyder, City Engineer Griffin, Planning Director Klatt, Finance Director Bouthilet, and City Clerk Lumby APPROVAL OF AGENDA: MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to amend the September 20, 2011 agenda by moving Item #10 to 8 p.m. and Item #11to 8:30 p.m. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. ACCEPTED MINUTES: The September 20, 2011 City Council minutes were accepted as amended by consensus of the City Council. PUBLIC INQUIRIES: CONSENT AGENDA: MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve Agenda Items #2 and #4 on the Consent Agenda. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. Approve Final Payment to All Weather Services for the 2011 Street Improvement Rain garden Project I the amount of $25,837; to be paid from the Surface Water Fund Approve the proposed Easement Encroachment Agreement for 9630 Whistling Valley Trail REGULAR AGENDA: Approve payment of disbursements and payroll A question was raised on claims for Focus Engineering and TKDA claims. The City Engineer explained the TKDA invoices were for past work done by TKDA LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 2 MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve payment of disbursements and payroll in the amount of $176,671.14. Council Member Pearson seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. Authorize City Staff to prepare a City Letter to residents an businesses further explaining the preliminary 2012 Levy and Budget The City Council requested they review the materials before this information is mailed out. Council Member Pearson did not want to spend $1,500, but rather address questions through email, phone, etc. MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to table this item to October 4, 2011 City Council meeting. Council Member Emmons seconded the motion. The motion passed 4- 1 (Council Member Pearson voting against.) Consider a Variance to allow Holding Tanks to be installed for more than 12 months at 2860 Lake Elmo Avenue North The City Council reviewed the variance request for two holding tanks to be installed at 2860 Lake Elmo Avenue North at the August 23rd City Council meeting. At the August 23rd meeting, the Council requested the applicant research additional alternatives to the two holding tanks being requested. The Council was not comfortable with installing holding tanks. The applicants brought forward additional options, Equaris and Soil Investigation & Design, they have since explored. The Council would consider a variance, but the property has to perk and then options evaluated. MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to table and to require the applicants come back with a recommendation on options. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. Reconsideration of an Interim Use Permit (IUP) application from Country Sun Farm and Greenhouses Inc. to allow the sale of agricultural produce at 11211 60th Street N Following the discussions between the applicant and the City, the City Council reconsidered the Interim Use Permit application from Country Sun Farm Greenhouse. The request is to reconsider an application for an IUP, now updated, to allow an Agricultural Sales Business for Country Sun Farm & Greenhouses Inc. The application was originally denied at the August 23rd City Council Meeting. Keith Bergman noted proposed changes for vehicular access has been discussed toward resolving the Council concerns on safety with MnDOT. There will not be jumping inflatables nor gem mining activities until they can apply and receive approval for a Special Event Permit. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 3 MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve Resolution No. 2011-040 approving the Interim Use Permit for an Agricultural Sales Business for two years and to authorize the Mayor to execute the Consent Agreement presented to the City Council related to an interim use permit at 11211 60th Street N. Council Member Pearson seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. Conditional Use Permit Amendment: Rockpoint Church-Overflow Parking Lot Expansion Update This item was tabled due to concerns expressed by the City Council on potential impacts from vehicular traffic visiting the site. Staff met with the City Engineer and applicant to review the concerns. Bob Bridges, Exec. Pastor, explained they have looked at the parking lot meeting City’s lighting requirements and have reduced the sky glow with fully shielded lights, eliminated height of fixtures and all lights are tuned off by 11 p.m. He said the only residential they are interested in is located in the Preliminary Plat of Deer Glen. MOTION: Mayor Johnston moved to adopt Resolution No. 2011-041 approving a Conditional Use Permit amendment f or Rockpoint Church at 5825 Kelvin Avenue North to allow the expansion of an overflow parking lot. Council Member Pearson seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0. Downtown District Sidewalk Maintenance – Award Contract The City Council considered the award of a contract to Sheehy Construction in the amount of $48,923 for the Downtown District Sidewalk Maintenance Project ; and to further consider the scope of proposed work to be completed south of the UP railroad Tracks along the west side of Lake Elmo Avenue. South of the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks: In addition to the downtown district sidewalk maintenance project, staff asked Council direction to (1) complete sidewalk maintenance repairs for the adjacent sidewalk areas south f the UP Railroad tracks and west along Lake Elmo Avenue, or (2) to allow Washington County to remove the sidewalk in this area. Washington County has agreed to contribute up to half the cost for the repairs, but declined to help with this $8,000 extended sidewalk maintenance project. Ryan Stempski, City Engineer, reported there were five different companies that attended the pre-bid meeting, and of those, only one contractor submitted their quote by the September 15th deadline. Sheehy Construction’s submitted bid for $49,000 for the sidewalk repairs was somewhat higher than the engineer’s estimated bid. Staff did receive a proposal from another contractor for $12,000 less than Sheehy’s price, but it came in after the deadline. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 4 City Engineer Griffin said the narrow time frame where weather would be suitable for an outdoor construction project this year was likely a culprit in deterring proposals from other contractors. He didn’t think that waiting would guarantee lower bids and would bring on additional costs because staff would have to repeat the process of soliciting bids and meeting with contractors again. MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to go out for bids for the entire sidewalk maintenance project next spring. Council Member Pearson seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-2 (Council Member Park and Mayor Johnston voting against.) Trunk Highway 36 Corridor – Discussion on Access Management Planning and the Mn/DOT Hilton Trail Interchange & J-Turn Projects City Engineer Griffin gave an overview on the City’s long term TH 36 corridor access management plan. The City Council received a presentation by MnDOT representatives Adam Josephson and Paul Kachelmyer on the Trunk Highway 36 Corridor including a status report from Mn/DOT on the Hilton Trail Interchange project, and an explanation on a proposed J - Turn project. The J-Turn project is a proposed interim solution to provide better access for the Highlands Trail and DeMontreville Trail intersections at Trunk Highway 36. Mayor Johnston commented on his dislike of the backtracking that comes from the J - Turn but didn’t see a better option in the interim. Council Member Smith asked that the short term solution be exactly that and asked MnDOT to work on a long term solution of installing a frontage road. She also asked for advanced warning lights for the stop light. Mr. Josephson responded that accident rates go up with warning lights and they are phasing out these lights. Council Member Emmons asked if MnDOT would help fund the activity of a frontage road. Mr. Josephson stated that City, County, State and Federal funds would all have to be considered. Mr. Josephson asked that the City define what Lake Elmo wants to see for the Trunk Highway 36 Corridor Plan and insert this plan in the City’s Comprehensive plan. Update Re: Library Service Considerations Administrator Messelt provided library considerations for Council discussion. The Council was in favor of the offer the State Librarian and Director of MELSA to facilitate discussion between Washington County and Lake Elmo regarding cooperative arrangements that would advance other organizations’ of efficient and affordable library services for their respective citizens. The Council requested the Mayor send a letter to the State librarian indicating Council’s acceptance of such offer. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 5 Mayor Johnston submitted his summary by email to the Council on the meeting he and Council Member Smith attended with the State Librarian and Director of MELSA. Sarah Linder and Judy Gibson, residents and Friends of the Library, reported on their personal library priorities and input on library priorities from 40 voters at the Fall Festival. Paul Pallmeyer, Lake Elmo resident, requested access to the library system and didn’t want to pay the $60 per household. REPORTS: Highway 36 Corridor in Comprehensive Plan The Council authorized City Engineer Griffin to work on planning process with the help of a traffic transportation expert and come back with information at a future Council meeting. The Council adjourned the meeting at 11:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Sharon Lumby, City Clerk Resolution No. 2011-040 approving the Interim Use Permit for an Agricultural Sales Business for two years at 11211 60th Street N. Resolution No. 2011-041 approving a Conditional Use Permit amendment f or Rockpoint Church at 5825 Kelvin Avenue North to allow the expansion of an overflow parking lot.