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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/25/2013LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 4 June 25, 2013 Mayor Dains called the City Council meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilors present: Mary Gaasch, Roxanne Grove, Denise Hawkinson, Lara Mac Lean, and Mayor Jeff Dains. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator; and Kevin Kelly, Deputy City Clerk. Mayor Dains asked for changes to the meeting agenda. Butkowski added the storm damage and the cost of cleanup to the agenda. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the amended agenda. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Grove moved to approve the June 11, 2013 City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Mac Lean moved approval of the claims totaling $33,291.53. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Gaasch moved adoption of the Consent Agenda acknowledging the financial report from May and the PCIC minutes; approving Resolution 062513A for the variance request for 1728 Malvern Street; and authorizing staff to contract for a survey to delineate property lines at Skyview Park. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Discussion/Action Items: Larpenteur Avenue Pedestrian Improvement Project Butkowski stated she spoke to about half of the residents along the north side of Larpenteur Avenue about the proposed improvements. A number of residents were supportive of the project if the City assisted with maintenance and snow removal. The other residents said they were not in favor of the project largely because of the limited sizes of their front yards. Mayor Dains explained that a tax increment financing (TIF) district would fund the improvements and there would be no assessments to the homeowners. The TIF district expires at the end of 2013 and the small balance can be used for infrastructure. The TIF funds are also being spent on a sewer lining project which will be completed this summer. Geoff Martin of Stantec presented concepts for the pedestrian improvements for the north side of Larpenteur Avenue from TH280 to Fulham Street. Martin produced drawings of what the proposed sidewalk could look like. Martin noted that the approval process would need to move LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 4 June 25, 2013 quickly to complete the project this year. Martin stated surveying of the area from Eustis to Fulham would also need to be authorized by the City Council. Mayor Dains said he supported the City paying for future sidewalk replacement and taking care of sidewalk snow removal. Councilor Gaasch commented that a walkable community was a goal of the City's Comprehensive Plan. This project moves the City in that direction. Mayor Dains opened up the meeting for public comments. Ilza Bakuzis of 1927 Malvern Street stated the addition of the sidewalks was wonderful but she is still generally concerned about the safety of pedestrians in the City. Barb Eggers of 2379 Larpenteur Avenue didn't think there was enough room in the lots between Carl and Pleasant Streets to place a sidewalk. She also was concerned about the speed of vehicles along Larpenteur Avenue and would like the crosswalk at Fulham Street and Larpenteur to be improved. Randie Krabbenhoft of 2371 Larpenteur stated he was worried for the safety of pedestrians along Larpenteur Avenue if there was a sidewalk. Krabbenhoft stated residents currently use the alley behind the houses on Larpenteur Avenue which he feels is a better alternative than a sidewalk on Larpenteur Avenue. Luke McGregor of 1721 Fulham Street Unit C is the President of the Brandychase Condominiums Homeowners Association. He questioned whether a sidewalk would make the Brandychase Homeowners Association liable for injuries which happen on the sidewalk. McGregor said that many residents of the City walk their dogs through Brandychase even though dogs are not allowed. He doesn't believe a sidewalk along Larpenteur will increase property values for Brandychase property owners. Paul Roufs of 2383 Larpenteur Avenue also was concerned about his liability if people trip on a sidewalk in front of his home. He felt the lots on Larpenteur Avenue were too small for sidewalks. He is not in favor of sidewalks and didn't feel the City needed to "keep up" with Falcon Heights or Roseville through the addition of sidewalks. Mayor Dains closed the comment period and addressed the Council and audience. He said he has heard from many residents over the years who have expressed interest in more sidewalks in the City. He said he has also heard from many residents who walk through Brandychase because there is no other walking option in that area. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 4 June 25, 2013 Gaasch suggested the sidewalk and other pedestrian improvements may attract new businesses along the Larpenteur corridor. Residents will then want the additional sidewalks to reach these businesses. Mac Lean said the Larpenteur Avenue corridor is not attractive and the City needs to do things to attract businesses and tax revenue as the City is highly dependent on Local Government Aid. Grove stated she is sympathetic about the comments of the speeding cars and is interested in the proposed improvements that are designed to slow down traffic along Larpenteur Avenue. Mayor Dains reiterated the City will research snow removal and sidewalk replacement options along Larpenteur Avenue. Butkowski mentioned that she spoke to three of the four property owners of the north side of Larpenteur Avenue between Eustis Street and Carl Street. She said they were in favor of a sidewalk. To continue exploring the feasibility of a sidewalk, Butkowski said the city engineer quoted $3,450.00 to complete a survey from Eustis Street to Fulham Street. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve Stantec to complete the survey of Larpenteur Avenue from Eustis Street to Fulham Street for no more than $3,450.00. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mayor Dains said the Council was going to take a short break at 8:31 p.m. The council meeting resumed at 8:43 p.m. Additional Items: Storm Damage in the City A number of trees and large branches came down on the evening of Friday, June 21. Butkowski stated the City did not lose a boulevard tree but public works staff removed tree debris blocking city streets to allow for cars to pass. The City's tree contractor came through the City on Monday to pick up the debris lining the roads and along boulevards. The cost to the City for this service was $7,285.00. The Mayor and Council discussed and agreed to have the tree contractor come out one more time to pick up debris caused by the storm. The Mayor stated that this cleanup will not be a regular response to storms as the City does not have the equipment to handle this amount of damage and it is expensive to contract for. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 4 of 4 June 25, 2013 Councilor Grove moved to hire the City's tree contractor to clean up debris from the June 21 storm at a cost of $500.00/hour but it does not set a precedent for future storms. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Amended Agreement with. MT Properties The Council had previously approved the permit language with MT Properties. Butkowski explained that the City's insurer noted a small error in the coverage amount approved. On page 2, the insurance amount per person should be $500,000 not $1,500,000. MT Properties already agreed to the change. Councilor Gaasch moved approval of the Amended Agreement with MT Properties. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Right of Entry Agreement with Twin City Die Casting The sewer lining project may involve setting up equipment on Twin City Die Casting's property if the easement area isn't large enough. In order to ensure this was agreeable to Twin City Die Casting, staff worked with them on a Right of Entry Agreement. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the agreement with Twin City Die Casting as presented. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Agenda items for the July 9 Council Meeting may include a discussion of the planned unit development agreement with Croix Oil and the Larpenteur Avenue project. Mayor Dains explained that the Council was moving into the work session. Work sessions are a continuation of the meeting but not aired on community television. Mayor Dains asked if anyone wished to address the Council. No one came forward. There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Hawkinson moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Kel y Deputy City Clerk