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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/10/2008LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 5 September 10, 2008 Mayor Dains called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilors present: Karen Doherty, Clay Christensen, Denise Hawkinson, and Mayor Jeff Dains. Councilor absent: Lara Mac Lean. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, Acting City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator; Colleen Callahan, Interim Deputy City Clerk. Mayor Dains asked for additions, deletions, or changes to the meeting agenda. There being none, Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the agenda. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it carried. Councilor Doherty moved approval of the August 26, 2008, City Council minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it carried. Councilor Christensen moved approval of the claims totaling $73,371.89. Councilor Doherty provided the second and the motion carried. Mayor Dains asked if members of the public wished to address the Council. There being none, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda. Councilor Hawkinson moved the consent agenda approving a rental housing license; approving Resolution 091008A Denying the Lot Division at 1948 Walnut Street; and authorizing staff to contract with Visu-Sewer for sewer maintenance. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it carried. Bownik introduced information regarding a variance request for 1746 Carl Street. He explained that the property is not on a rectangular lot, and using the property line's average distance from the house (28 feet), he determined the resident is asking for a ten -foot variance for an eight -foot deck. The Mayor opened the public hearing at 7:36 p.m. Butkowski read three letters from adjacent property owners who supported the project. Letters were received from D. Isaacson, 1751 Pleasant Street; Richard and Edith Koranda, 1752 Carl Street; and Gail Jacobson, 1747 Carl Street. The public hearing was closed at 7:38 p.m. John Hazen was unable to attend the meeting, but his fiancee, Dawn, spoke on his behalf. She explained the previous stairs pulled away from the foundation and needed to be replaced. They previously tried other solutions but they did not work. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 5 Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the request for a ten -foot variance from the front property line to construct a deck at 1746 Carl Street. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it carried with all Councilors present voting yes. Bownik introduced Chris Goodwin of Eureka Recycling. The City's recycling contract is up for renewal and Goodwin was available to answer Councilors' questions. The Mayor asked about weekly collection versus bi-weekly collection as the proposal states they would be the same price. Goodwin responded that Lauderdale is so close to their sorting facility that whether they send one truck every week or two tucks every other week to collect costs about the same. Additionally, Eureka! anticipates residents will recycle more which will lead to greater revenue sharing. The Mayor asked for clarification of how linens are recycled. Goodwin responded that the material is sorted into different grades and then resold to companies like Ragstock or sent to other countries. Ultimately, it gets used again. Goodwin then explained the "organics" pilot program Eureka is developing with the City of St. Paul. They are determining whether it is feasible to collect food scraps (and other compostable items), compost them on a large scale, and then sell the compost. The Council asked staff to work with Eureka on a weekly collection contract. Butkowski explained that the Environmental Services department of the Metropolitan Council had grant money available for residents that need to fix foundation drains and service laterals to eliminate the inflow of clear water into the sanitary sewer system. Councilor Christensen moved approval of Resolution 091008B — Applying for Drain Tile Disconnection and Service Lateral Work Grant Funding through the Metropolitan Council. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it carried with all Councilors present voting yes. The City received a quote for accident insurance for city volunteers. Butkowski explained this is not insurance the City has carried before. Currently, if someone is injured while volunteering, the City would only have a financial responsibility if the City were found liable for the accident. This insurance would provide disability, death, and impairment benefits. Additionally, the City could opt for an additional medical benefit. The Mayor asked how this insurance would work if a volunteer had a pre-existing condition and how the $1,000 medical benefit would work if the volunteer had an insurance policy. Butkowski responded that she would be meeting with the City's insurance agent the next day and would get clarifications before the next meeting. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 5 Butkowski read the items on the agenda for the next meeting: Larpenteur Avenue development, Local Surface Water Management Plan adoption, and the recycling contract renewal. The Council then moved into the Work Session. Bownik explained since the last meeting, staff researched the process to re -plat a lot as the owners of 1948 Walnut Street would like to divide their lot into two buildable lots. Bownik outlined the process and explained that the applicant met with the zoning administrator and building official to review the process. In turn, this meeting was the Council's opportunity to review the process and offer the homeowner insight as to whether there is support to move ahead with there -platting process. Bownik noted that councilors are not bound by anything they say during the discussion. The Mayor explained that dividing one 80 -foot lot into two 40 -foot lots has come up in the past. He is concerned the city is overbuilt and feels that has been reflected by citizen and comprehensive plan committees. The desire is for less density and not more. Councilor Christensen favored dividing the lot along a straight line versus boxing around the existing house, as was previously considered. He said he appreciated the Mayor's concerns but did not think there were many other lots like this and didn't feel it would be precedent setting. At this point, Councilor Doherty did not feel she could express one way or the other how she would vote on the issue. Council Hawkinson was concerned about the neighbors. She noted that a lot next to her property was sold and built on when it would have been nicer to have the open space. Property owner, Carly Rysgaard, acknowledged the proposed lot would be smaller (37 feet) but it would meet the five-foot side yard setbacks. Tim Rysgaard, the other property owner, thought it would be a unique opportunity for the City to have a LEED home. He recommended the Council look at the two-story LEED home built in south Minneapolis at 38th and Lyndale. The Mayor asked the Rysgaard's whether they considered tearing down the old house. Tim responded that taking down a salvageable house went against his ethos. Bownik noted that a simple majority would be needed to re -plat a property. The Mayor said the Council would take the item off the agenda, if not all Council members were present, if the Rysgaard's wished. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 4 of 5 Council Hawkinson asked what the dimensions of the new home would be. The owners responded that it would be 24 x 45 feet. Kathy Lerfald, Chair of the Parks and Community Involvement Committee (PCIC), was in attendance to discuss budgeting for items related to the parks and community events. The group discussed items related to Fund 201 — Community Events. Staff explained that expenditures are anticipated to be greater than revenue over the next few years due to the new community events. Staff wanted to be sure Council knew this so they could budget accordingly. After further discussion, Lerfald noted that the PCIC should be more involved in budgeting for Community Events. Additionally, the Council discussed a reimbursement request from Mark Krug for expenses related to the Lauderdale Fun Run held as part of Day in the Park. The reimbursement would cover refreshments for the runners and the cost of t -shirts not sold during the event. The total request is $352.64 but the City received $180 in entry fees to off -set the cost. The Council was in general agreement to reimburse Mr. Krug but asked staff to work more closely with him next year in planning for the event. Councilor Doherty moved approval of Mark Krug's reimbursement request for $352.64 for expenses related to the Fun Run. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it carried with all Councilors present voting yes. The Council took a five-minute break at 9:25 pm and resumed at 9:30 pm. Butkowski explained the Council had $73,371 in surplus general revenue fund to consider allocating in addition to any levy increases the Council was considering. The Council discussed planned improvements to the parks and whether the levy needed to be raised in order for them to be completed. After further discussion of levy options, the Council voted to increase the net tax levy by 1.5%. Councilor Christensen moved adopting resolution 091008C — Levying Taxes for 2008 Payable in 2009 in the amount of $558,381. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it carried with all Councilors present voting yes. Butkowski updated the Council on items of interest. • Notice of Entry of Judgment for the park gap property matter was entered on September 2 and payment to the Nolan's would be sent prior to the September 22 deadline. • Colleen Callahan, interim deputy city clerk, was thanked for offering the City a filing cabinet to replace the City's broken one. • The Council received a follow-up letter from the Police Chief regarding his meeting with the Mayor and Acting City Administrator. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 5 of 5 • Ahvo Taipale, owner of the vacant lot on Larpenteur Avenue, will be at the next meeting to discuss plans for his lot. • The liability waiver for the owners of 1953 Carl Street was ready for the Mayor to sign. If Jack and Karen Schultz agree to the waiver and compensation for the sod replacement, they will be provided with the check authorized in the claims batch. • Dave Hall said Mn/DOT would help pay for pedestrian lights on the new TH280 bridge. The City will have to contract for ongoing maintenance. The Council needs to decide how many and which style of light fairly quickly so it can be included in the bid documents. • Mr. Lambert of Eustis Street e-mailed a letter to the City regarding some of his concerns that will be provided to the Council with the Friday Report. • Staff has not heard back from Ramsey County regarding the painting of crosswalks on Eustis and Roselawn. • The City owned a CD through Silver State Bank, which failed recently. Staff anticipates the principal plus accrued interest will be returned to the City within two weeks. • Public Works staff picked up the hockey goals for the roller rink and they will be set up shortly. Councilor Christensen moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 10:09 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Heather Butkowski Acting City Administrator