Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/13/2009LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 3 October 13, 2009 The Mayor called the City Council meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilors present: Clay Christensen, Karen Doherty, Lara Mac Lean, Denise Hawkinson, and Mayor Jeff Dains. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator. Mayor Dains asked for changes to the meeting agenda. There being none, Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the agenda. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Christensen moved to approve the October 13, 2009, City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Hawkinson moved approval of the claims totaling $413,063.53. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mayor Dains asked if members of the public wished to address the Council. No one wished to address the Council. Mayor Dains asked if councilors wished to remove items from the consent agenda. There being none, Councilor Hawkinson moved the consent agenda approving PCIC minutes and the 2010 rental housing licenses. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Bownik introduced the variance requests by Jeremy Newhouse, owner of 1728 Malvern Street. Newhouse requires a two foot variance to the 30' front yard setback requirement to build a covered entry way. The proposed structure would be four feet into the front yard setback area, but only requires a two foot setback using the average adjacent structures rule. Additionally, Newhouse would like to build a five by twelve foot mudroom on the back of his structure. The addition of the mudroom and covered entry necessitates a lot coverage variance of 1.7%. Mayor Dains opened the public hearing at 7:37 p.m. Newhouse addressed the Council. He said the addition of the entry way would complete the look of the structure, making it more aesthetically pleasing. He said the mud room LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 3 would help them as the entry is at grade which means they track in a lot of dirt from the backyard. No one else wished to address the Council; Mayor Dains closed the public hearing at 7:40 p.m. Councilor Christensen said he felt the proposal was a practical solution to the problems mentioned. Councilor Mac Lean felt it would add value to the neighborhood. Councilor Hawkinson motioned to approve the variance requests for 1728 Malvern Street, granting the two foot front yard setback variance and 1.7% lot coverage variance. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Kent Barnard from Mn/DOT addressed the Council. He said the Council could expect the TH280 Bridge to open within a week, depending upon the weather. Among the items to complete after that are the installation of street lights, signals, highway fencing, and the sound wall. The Mayor told Barnard that the Council has taken heat from residents since the bridge did not open on October 2. Councilor Mac Lean said the Council was promised that other area projects would not overlap with this one and that hasn't happened either. Additionally, the Council felt that the Como / Eustis intersection could have been handled better all summer. Tracey Koch, 1769 Walnut Street, questioned the sound wall completion and why Broadway was being closed before opening the bridge as that will increase truck traffic at Eustis / Como. Barnard said the issues regarding the sound wall were being worked out with the contractor but he expects the work will be completed this fall. Steve Monson, 1703 Malvern Street, asked about the installation of a right-of-way fence along the Malvern alley. Barnard said he could not address Monson's specific questions. The Mayor expressed concern about any delays with the installation of the traffic signals. Barnard said he would check on it as the Mayor thanked him for attending the meeting. Lauderdale Resident Bob Milligan volunteered for the Capitol Region Watershed District Advisory Committee. The committee's efforts to create a 10 -year plan for the District was about to conclude. The planning priorities Milligan felt would most impact or benefit Lauderdale were: • Increased cooperation with other watershed districts, especially as it relates to public education. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 3 • Plans to "Bring Water Back to St. Paul" by opening former waterways. This would include the waterway that existed between Lauderdale and Falcon Heights near Rosehill Townhomes. Mayor Dains thanked Milligan for his work on the watershed district committee and the comprehensive plan committee. Butkowski told the Council that the Metropolitan Council approved the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan as it met the requirements of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act (MLPA) and could be adopted. After adoption, the Council must begin working towards implementation of the plan and updating local controls. Councilor Mac Lean motioned to adopt the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Councilor Doherty seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Butkowski reviewed the preliminary agenda for the next meeting, which included commending Officer Sroga for solving the city's burglary cases, NIXLE presentation by Captain Cotroneo, budget amendment resolution, animal control ordinance update, and Halloween information. 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 8:23 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Heather Butkowski City Administrator