06-03-2013 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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} of Mounds View Staff Item No: 2 Meeting Date: June 3, 2013 Type of Business: WS Administrator Review: To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate Item Title/Subject: Discussion about allowing donation bins in the City Introduction: At the May 13, 2013 City Council meeting, a representative from USAgain approached the City Council to request that the Council reconsider allowing donation bins in the City. The Council agreed to revisit the topic at the June 3, 2013 Worksession. In 2007 and 2009 the City Council discussed the donation bins for clothing and small household items that are typically located in parking lots of businesses. In 2007, USAgain requested that the issue be discussed with the Council, and in 2009 the Epilepsy Foundation spoke to the Council. Both times the City Council decided to not allow the bins in the City due to aesthetics, problems with items left on the ground next to the bins, and the bins sitting in parking lots are not what the Council wants to see along the City's main corridor. Discussion: Staff's concern with these boxes is that they contribute to clutter, bear no association to the host property and that they could become unsightly, aesthetically displeasing and a drop- off point for non -clothing debris and other junk. In 2009, the Epilepsy Foundation asserted that they have an impeccable record for maintenance and collection and that their boxes would not be unsightly, nor have they had problems at their other bin sites. USAgain admits that they had growing pains over the years in regards to keeping up with emptying the bins, but that things have since improved. Staff met with a USAgain representative in May 2013, and learned that the property owner or business that allows a USAgain collection bin is compensated for allowing the bin placement and also receives a share of the collections from those bins (for example, the business may receive $0.05 for each pound collected from their bins). If the City Council were inclined to allow donation bins as accessory uses, staff would recommend that the Council consider using the following standards: - Limit the locations of the bins only to schools and churches. The property must be owned by the school or church. They could not be placed on a retail property that is leasing a space to a church or school use.