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Home My WebLink About11-30-99 CCMLAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 30, 1999 Mayor Hunt called the workshop to order at 6:15 p.m. in the City Council chambers. PRESENT: Dunn, DeLapp, Hunt, Armstrong, Siedow, City Planner Dillerud. Planning Commissioners: Mandel, Helwig, Sessing, Armstrong. 1. Springbom Proposal for Two -Day Snowmobile Event The Council received a descriptive packet outlining the items and events relative to the Snowcross event the Springborns are proposing to host on February 26`h, 27`h at the Green Acres site from John Morales, M.C. Promotions. The Lake Elmo Jaycees have been asked to run the food and beverage stands and the Fire Department will assist where needed, and will receive 50% of the gate. Administrator Kueffner asked for Council opinion. Council member Dunn had no problem with the event and would be willing to try it on a one-time basis. She compared this event to Lake Elmo holding a water ski event on Lake Jane, Huff Fluff Days, Lions fishing contest on Lake Elmo, and didn't view this as any different. Lake Elmo has tried to assist property owners of large tracts of land in the preservation of Ag lands. Council member DeLapp didn't see the comparison with the other events and Springborn' has a Conditional Use Permit. He would like to hear from the neighborhood if they have a problem. Council member Armstrong inquired where will the cars be parked. She thought a snowmobile event, although not specifically stated in the CUP, qualified as a Commercial Recreation of a Rural Nature. Mayor Hunt had no problem with proposal and found a snowmobile event a reasonable use. A winter activity could be considered an extension of Commercial Recreation of a Rural Nature. The City has said they like to keep large tracts of land open. The Council asked that the residents be notified that would be affected by this event and invited to the December 7`h Council meeting. M/S/P DeLapp/Siedow — to hold an informational meeting on December 71h Council meeting and invite residents from the surrounding area to hear the proposal for the Springbom two-day snowmobile event. (Motion passed 5-0). 2. Discussion on (PF) Public Facilities Ordinance Council direction to staff was to review zoning ordinance structure to develop a way by which at least some of the uses now included in the PF zone could be allowed as Conditional Uses in some or all of the residential zones. City Planner Dillerud explained one of the underlying premises of this CUP in multiple zones approach to locating and regulating PF uses is that under the property physical circumstances, most PF uses can co -exist with most residential uses. (See memo from Chuck Dillerud to Council on Zoning for the Regulation of Public Facilities dated November 23, 1999). PF type uses could be good neighbors to residential uses. Alternative Approach: 1. Control standards for the district 2. Conditioanl Use Permit required additional standards 3. Any other conditions on a case to case basis. Dillerud pointed out major changes from Planning Commission approach. He can work with either way. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1999 Mayor Hunt called the Council meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Council chambers. PRESENT: Siedow, Dunn, Hunt, Armstrong (arrived 5:45 p.m.), DeLapp, Administrator Kueffner, and City Planner Dillerud Mayor Hunt opened up the Public Hearing at 5:35 p.m. Finance Director Marilyn Banister reported the proposed tax increase for the year 2000 is $50,865, a 4.08% increase over 1999. The budget increase for the year 2000 is $34,943, a 1.81% increase over 1999. The result is an actual decrease in Lake Elmo's local tax rate from 20.36% in 1999 to 18.69% for year 2000, an 8.9% decrease in local taxes if your evaluation didn't change. Shares in total tax dollar Lake Elmo 17% Washington County 26 School District #834 46 Miscellaneous 11 The Council asked that Peg Larsen, MN House Representative, be invited to a Council meeting to discuss dealing with unfunded state mandates. If the County wants a Truth and Taxation hearing, then there should be a line item for VBWD charges and not clumped into Miscellaneous. Gloria Knoblauch stated, since she is on the Parks Commission, has an invested interest in knowing what the plan is for future parks. Apparently, the City can get hold of land with no problem for a future park. Do we need more parks? Are we going to have a recreation center, engage in summer and winter sports? Polled the Council on its thinking for future parks. Council member Siedow responded he lives next to a park and finds that it is never used. The City should use the parks they have before we build more. If you have a recreational center, you have adult leagues using the fields with the possibility of drinking and more traffic. Council member Dunn stated we have a nice grouping of parks throughout the entire City. We need to maintain our parks, and maintenance is expensive. We should not expand our parks. She is, totally, against a big recreational center and, absolutely, no need for organized recreation ...we have VAA and OAA, etc. and programs such as the Skyhawks. She has a problem with unfunded state mandates; such as the reconstruction of bleachers Mayor Hunt thought the City was all right with neighborhood parks. He agreed with Sue on recreational programs. The Skyhawks program was a success. He would wait to hear what happens from the Parks and Village Commission discussions on the recreational complex before he makes a decision. Council member Armstrong thought the City was heavy on parks for a very long time. The City has the Regional Park, which we can all use. It takes money for maintenance. The crew has plenty to do right now She does not see any reasons for more parks. Council member DeLapp was surprised to hear Chuck Siedow say the parks are used so little. No one is ever using Pebble Park that he sees. He keeps hearing that our parks are being used, so he thought they meant the parks downtown. We are going to double in population in 40 years unless we make radical changes in the City. He prefers, instead of having haphazard ballfrelds that are within 4-5 miles of each other, have less of them scattered and 2 or 3 together where the maintenance dept. can keep track of them He hoped Stonegate is being used because we spent $100,000. If Skyhawks want to come in with a program for the residents of Lake Elmo would be fine, but not for Stillwater or Mahtomedi. Administrator Kueffiier reported the City ballfields, soccer fields are booked and have all been used. The Council voted on the following: M/S/P Dunn/Siedow — for the staff to follow the Planning Commission as a directive and add one to two paragraphs as to where language for comp plan and extend moratorium to April in order for public to be heard. (Motion passed 5-0). M/S/P Armstrong/Siedow — to remove public parks from PF Zoning district. (Motion passed 5-0). M/S/F Dunn/DeLapp — to revert to existing setback standards in PF to 75, 75, 75 (Motion failed: Hunt, Armstrong, Siedow—favor 50, 50, 50). M/S/P Siedow/Armstrong — to increase to 20 acres. (Motion passed 3-2:DeLapp, Dunn). M/S/P Siedow/Armstrong - to adopt a sliding scale for buffer width and impervious coverage in PF zone as recommended by Attorney Peter Beck. (Motion passed 4-1:DeLapp — don't have sliding scale in residential district). Armstrong: impervious surface coverage needs to be lowered like siding scale. M/S/P DeLapp/Siedow — to define "Place of Worship" broad enough to include all faiths. (Motion passed 5-0). M/S/P DeLapp/Siedow — to substitute the term "Place of Worship" for the term religious as a permitted use in the General Business District, for clarity of intent. (Motion passed 5-0). M/S/F DeLapp/Siedow - to allow all listed PF uses, as permitted, rather than conditional, but retain specific use standards. (Motion failed 2-3:Dunn, DeLapp, Hunt — draft as conditional). Planner Dillerud will review logic behind impervious surface percentages. Staff will set up workshop and invite the public. 4. Discussion on (OP) Open Space Preservation Ordinance Planner Dillerud asked if the Council wanted to keep the Open Space Zoning Ordinance. M/S/P DeLapp/Dunn — to continue with the concept of Open Space without reference to density and lot size. (Motion passed 5-0). Discussion followed on setting base density of seven, require Open Space easement recorded to a qualified land trust and require trails and village green bumped to 8 per 20. The Village Green should be spelled out separately. Tim Freeman, Folz, Freeman, Dupay, stated you are reducing the number of lots for amenities. Mayor Hunt felt it was too restrictive, keep densities as today, there has been difficult lot configuration in plats and should deal with them differently. Council member DeLapp suggested restoring OP to original densities, look at lot size, lot configuration, minimum parcel size and definition of Village Green. M/S/P DeLapp/Siedow — to direct the staff to linking density with suitability and quality for Open Space development. (Motion passed 5-0). The workshop was adjourned at 9:00 p.m 00 CITY OF LAKE ELMO City of Lake Elmo 777-5510 N. 3800 Laverne Avenue North / Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042 LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1999 MEETING CONVENES: 5:30 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: 2000 BUDGET $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 30, 1999 6:15 PM. 1. Springborn Proposal for Two -Day Snowmobile Event 2. Discussion on (PF) Public Facilities Ordinance 3. Discussion on (OP) Open Space Preservation Ordinance 4. Adjourn `i printed on recycled paper