HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-19-2008 CCMMINUTES APPROVED: MARCH 4, 2008
City of Lake Elmo
City Council Meeting Minutes
February 19, 2008
Mayor Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Johnston, Council Members DeLapp, Johnson, Park and Smith
Also Present: City Administrator Hoyt, Finance Director Bouthilet, and Attorney Amy
Schmidt, Planning Director Klatt, Planner Matzek, and City Clerk Lumby.
Approval of Agenda:
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved approval of the February 19, 2008 agenda
as amended by adding Item 13. Newspaper article on Fury Motors; Item 14. Discuss
public meeting format for February 28th. Council Member Park seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously.
ORDER OF BUSINESS:
APPROVE MINUTES:
Consider approval of January 23, 2008 minutes:
The minutes were approved by Council consensus.
Consider approval of February 4, 2008 minutes:
The minutes were approved by Council consensus.
Consider approval of February 12, 2008 minutes:
The minutes were approved by Council consensus.
PUBLIC COMMENTS/INQUIRIES:
Joan Ziertman, 5761 Keats Avenue, asked that the Council expedite drafting the
regulations for on and off site signs for seasonal sales and agricultural produce.
CONSENT AGENDA:
MOTION: Council Member DeLapp moved to change the wording under Consent
Agenda: Items are placed on the consent agenda by city staff and the Mayor because they
are not anticipated to generate discussion. Council Member Smith seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously.
Items #4 and #5 were moved to the regular agenda
LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 19, 2008 1
CONSENT AGENDA
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to approve Item #6 on the consent agenda
as presented. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed
unanimously.
• Authorized Discover Crossing Letter of Credit Reduction in the financial
security in the amount of $91,250 from the current amount of $153,750 to
the proposed amount of $62,500 and to extend the security to November 1,
2008.
REGULAR AGENDA:
Approve Resolution no. 2008-011 payments of claims in the amount of $265,272.47
Council Member Smith asked that the Building Official and Fire Department use the
public works facility for washing large vehicles rather than using the River City Co-op.
MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve Resolution no. 2008-011 payment
of claims in the amount of $265,272.47. Council Member Johnson seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously.
Approve renewal of planning contract for planning services with MFRA on an as needed
basis.
Administrator Hoyt asked the City Council to consider approving planning services with
Ben Gozola of McCombs Frank Roos (MFR) Associates on an as needed basis at $90
hourly rate. The cost of his work will come out of the consulting planning budget; and
will be covered through developer fees when specific planning applications are reviewed
and from reduced planning salaries during a portion of the leave of the planner.
Council Member DeLapp said that the City needs to be more sensitive to costs. He felt
that the in house planning staff was adequate to do the current planning tasks.
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to approve the renewal of the planning
contract for planning services with MFRA on an as needed basis. Council Member Park
seconded the motion. Mayor Johnston and Council Members Johnson, Smith, Park voted
for the motion and Council Member DeLapp voted against the motion.
Authorize the Mayor to sign the Settlement Agreement and Release of Claims between
the City and Kimberly Schaffel Anez
MOTION: Council Member DeLapp moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the
Settlement Agreement and Release of Claims between the City and Kimberly Schaffel
Anez. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 19, 2008 2
Consider an Interim Use Permit (IUP) application from Common Ground Church to
permit the keeping of Horses, Resolution No. 2008-012
Planner Kelli Matzek summarized a request from Common Ground Church, 10240
Stillwater Blvd. N., to allow the keeping of two horses as an interim use in the Public
Facilities zone.. The Planning Commission after a public hearing recommended approval
of the requested Interim Use Permit. The IUP must comply with conditions and is subject
to renewal two years from the date of application.
MOTION: Council Member Park moved to approve Resolution No. 2008-012, A
Resolution allowing the keeping of horses with an Interim Use Permit at 10240 Stillwater
Blvd. N. with conditions. Mayor Johnston seconded the motion. The motion passed
unanimously.
Consider approval of the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Park Plan
Planner Kelli Matzek summarized the process for the Park Commission’s review of the
Park Plan. She explained that both the Park Commission and the Planning Commission,
following a public hearing, unanimously approved the park plan. Park Planners, Rich
Gray and Berry Farrington, from TKDA presented a summary of the Comprehensive
Park for the City Council. The planners explained that the Comprehensive Park Plan can
be used to review future location, dedication and development of parks in the future as
the city grows.
The City Council discussed the plan. The City Council asked that the staff review and
make the following revisions to the park plan:
1) reference the Lake Elmo Regional Park Reserve in the plan, 2) remove the ballfields
that show up as located on the public works building site, 3) note that ball fields can be
located throughout the city rather than all together in the text, 4) change the name of the
Lake Elmo Art Center park area to park area that is an addition to Lions Park and 5)
review and incorporate materials submitted by Councilmember DeLapp as to park size
and inconsistencies in the plan.
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to review Council member DeLapp’s
comments for accuracy and to have the staff make the recommended changes to the
Comprehensive Park Plan and to return to the city council for approval of the document.
Mayor Johnston seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Review the Planning Commission 2008 Work Plan
Planning Director Kyle Klatt reported that the Planning Commission had reviewed and
approved a 2008 work plan and the Commission was requesting the City Council to
comment on it.
LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 19, 2008 3
Council Member Smith pointed out that the sign code regulating seasonal signs had been
discussed at previous Council and Planning Commission meetings and was near complete
except for determining color and size of signs and, given this background work, she
asked that the priority for the sign code be focused on the off site, seasonal and
agricultural sales signs rather than tackling the entire sign code at once.
MOTION: Mayor Johnston moved to accept the Planning Commission’s 2008 Work
Plan with a change in the priorities to reflect that the the sign ordinance regulating
seasonal and temporary off site signs be the first priority for the commission. Council
Member Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to modify the agenda by moving Item #12 up
for discussion. Council Member Johnson seconded the motion. The Motion passed
unanimously.
Consider a request from the Community Improvement Commission (CIC) to name the
city’s community celebration the “Lake Elmo Fall Festival” and to provide the Jaycee’s
funding for this event
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to authorize the name of “The Lake Elmo
Fall Festival” as the name of the community celebration on September 5th and 6th and to
allocate the $8,500 from the Jaycee’s donation to this event that will include a Volunteer
Recognition element to it.. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion
passed unanimously.
Review and revise a draft comment letter to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(PCA) regarding clean up options for the Washington County Landfill
The City Council reviewed a draft comment letter which will be submitted on behalf of
the City to the MPCA regarding clean up options for the Washington County Landfill.
Mayor Johnston has appeared before committees in the House and Senate to testify in
support of a cleanup plan. He said the legislators are pulled in so many directions
through requests for funding that the City has to be sure to keep the PFC cleanup funding
at the forefront. All council members endorsed a permanent solution to the
contamination issues at the Washington County Landfill. There was strong support for
this and some discussion about what the best approach to the legislature on this topic.
This solution would be to remove the material from the landfill and dispose of it in a
place that is better suited to retain contaminated waste and, perhaps, combining this
option with a plasma burner.
Resident Jim Blackford, 9765 45th Street N., reported on the history of the Washington
County Landfill clean up and issues over time. Mr. Blackford asked that the City
Council’s letter be worded even more sternly and the City needed to demand a permanent
solution funded by the Legislature and implement by the MPCA.
LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 19, 2008 4
MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to table action on the wording of the letter
which will be filed with the MPCA during the pubic comment period on the proposed
remediation method until March 4th Council meeting in order for the Council to listen to
comments at the February 21st public PCA meeting. Council Member Park seconded the
motion. Mayor Johnston and Council Members Johnson, Smith and Park voted for the
motion and Council Member DeLapp voted against the motion.
Discuss the Village Open House for the Alternative Urban Area wide Review
The City Council asked that at the Village Open House the participants have time for
them to publicly express their opinions as well as to record them on paper.
REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Mayor and Council Members
o Open House for the Highway 36 and Lake Elmo Avenue Design
Review Committee on February 26 from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM at
River Valley Christian Church, 5900 Lake Elmo Avenue
Council Member DeLapp provided a Star Tribune newspaper
article on Fury Motors and pointed out that the owner, Tom Leonard,
talked about his thoughts on the reduction in dealerships. Council member
DeLapp asked that council members receive copies of the article. Council
member DeLapp wondered if there would be changes to the dealership as
a result.
Administrator:
o Lake Elmo Village AUAR Open House, Thursday, February 28,
Oakland Junior High School, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Open mike at 8:30
p.m. This portion of the meeting will be taped.
o Minnesota Department of Health Community Meeting on PFC’s
Open House on March 12, Oakland Junior High School, 6– 9 p.m.
o Read and distributed a letter from Lakeview Health Systems about
the negotiations for a future site for the Lakeview Hospital in the
next ten or more years. The letter stated the Lakeview Hospital had
no current plans for development and decline the offer to be part of
the City’s AUAR at this time.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 11:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Sharon Lumby, City Clerk
Resolution No. 2008-011 Payment of claims
Resolution No. 208-012 Allow keeping of horses with an Interim Use Permit at 10240
Stillwater Blvd. N.
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