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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 1998/10/13APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNCTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER The Mounds View City Council was called to order by Mayor McCarty at 7:00 p.m., on October 13, 1998. 2. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor McCarty, Council Members Gunn, Koopmeiners, Stigney, and Quick. ALSO PRESENT: Chuck Whiting, Clerk Administrator; Rick Jopke, Community Development Director; Jim Ericson, Planning Associate; Mike Ulrich, Director of Public Works; Finance i Director Bruce Kessel; Bob Long, City Attorney; and Kathy Hix, Recording Secretary (for Dave Hix). 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. September 28, 1998 City Council Meeting Minutes Mayor McCarty asked for corrections and/or additions to the September 28, 1998, City Council Meeting Minutes. Stigney offered the following corrections: Agenda Item No. 9, Page 4, the correct date for the Next Council Meeting should be October 13, 1998, and the Next Council Work Session should be October 6, 1998. Under Agenda Item No. 8, Reports, Page 3 change all references to the date October 4, 1998 to October 6, 1998. Mayor McCarty offered the following correction: Under Agenda Item No. 7, Page 2, at the MOTION/SECOND, change the date from October 12, 1998, to October 13, 1998. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Koopmeiners to approve the September 28, 1998, City Council Meeting Minutes as corrected. VOTE: Ayes - 4 Nays - 0 Abstain - 1(Quick) Motion carried Page 2 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council 4. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS A. Recognition of Keith Anderson, Minnesota Technology Teacher of the Year. Mayor McCarty directed staff to prepare and bring forth to the next Council meeting a Resolution recognizing the accomplishments of Keith Anderson as Minnesota Technology Teacher of the Year. Staff concurred. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Just and Correct Claims B. Approval of Contractor Licenses(staff report attached). C. Approval of Resolution No. 5272, Approving the Score Recycling Grant Request to Ramsey County. E. Authorization to dispose of surplus inventory from the old Bel Rae. Item SD was removed from the Agenda. MOTION/SECOND: Koopmeiners/Quick to approve the Consent Agenda with the exception of Item SD. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried 6. RESIDENTS' REQUESTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR Dan Gates, 5364 Clifton Drive, told the Commission he had been cited by the City for illegal parking of a commercial truck in his front yard on an unimproved surface. The truck, aone-ton pickup chassis with a closed cube box, is used for his business. It was Mr. Gates opinion that the citation was issued incorrectly. His interpretation of the City Code was that any truck one-ton and under could be parked in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Gates was asking for a clarification of the Ordinance. He also presented a petition that had been signed by four out of five of his neighbors who spoke in favor of Mr. Gates being allowed to park his vehicle on his property. McCarty told Mr. Gates that the original ordinance had been passed by public referendum in 1979. Upon amendment in 1995, the ordinance now includes no vehicles to be parked on non- permanent surfaces. McCarty directed staff to clarify the Ordinance in writing for Mr. Gates. The City Attorney stated the Ordinance doesn't deal with trucks, or cars, or tonnage. It simply defines vehicles as they are defined in Minnesota Statute. Sec. 607.06 subd. 3 (c), "No person Page 3 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council shall cause, undertake, permit, or allow the outside parking and storage of vehicles in residentially zoned property ... vehicles must be stored on an improved surface." Long stated this is a general rule whether it be cars or trucks. Rob Marty, 2626 Louisa Avenue, asked the Council to explain why there was acct-through being constructed from the new Theater Project through Donetelle's parking lot. He stated the development plans that had been approved by the City did not allow for this cut-through. Jopke told Mr. Marty that the construction in question was not a roadway but in fact was a paved pedestrian path that had been approved by the City and the Rice Creek Water Shed District as part of the Theater Development. Julie Olson, 2663 Lake Court Circle, asked for clarification in regards to the percentage of levy that the City submitted to the County for its tax base. McCarty told Ms. Olson that a 5.02 percent increase was the amount that had been submitted. This is the maximum amount that the City can increase its levy for 1999. The City is not bound by this level and can adjust the levy downward if required. Whiting told Ms. Olson that in 1998 the amount had been $1,599,940. The 1999 proposed maximum is $1,680,211, an increase of roughly $80,000 or 5.02 percent. Ms. Olson asked what levy amount the charter allowed as a maximum. McCarty stated there was no maximum levy amount stated other than the City's budget must be balanced. Ms. Olson asked what portion of the proposed Levy increased was earmarked for the New Commusnity Center. McCarty stated the preliminary projection was $171,000 in revenue and $231,000 in expenses. However, these figures were calculated with the highest possible numbers in the management end of the projection. The Community Center has great potential for revenue generation but there is no way that the Community Center will be supported 100 percent on its own revenue, he added. The Mayor invited Ms. Olson and the viewing community to attend a November 16, 1998, Informational Meeting on the Budget, prior to the Truth and Taxation Hearing, so the City can get input from the Community on the final budget. Ms. Olson asked what percentage of the proposed levy increase was earmarked for the Community Center. Page 4 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council Whiting told Ms. Olson there would be a direct transfer of $50,000 from the City's General Fund into the Community Center's operating budget. The discussions to be held on the management options will deal with dollar amounts over and above the $50,000, which is the difference between projected revenues generated by the building versus projected expenses. Any shortfall would be made up by the general fund, Whiting stated. Ms. Olson asked how many business would change from the TIF fund, if they were decertified, into the General Fund for the coming year. McCarty stated that none of the existing TIF users were up for decertification this year. Kessel told Ms. Olson the City's three TIF districts were 25 years in length and they expire in the year 2013-2015. McCarty told Ms. Olson the next large increase in revenues from the commercial tax base would come from the Theater Project and not the decertification of TIF. i Ms. Olson asked what percentage of the City's commercial area businesses generate taxes for the good of the City; that go into making up the general fund versus going into TIF. Whiting told Ms. Olson the businesses that are in TIF districts are: Everest Business Park, the Mermaid, and SYSCO. The rest of the business up and down Highway 10 are not in TIF districts. The Community Center is in a TIF district created especially for it. 7. COUNCIL BUSINESS A. Continuation of Fublic Hearing and Adoption of Old Highway 8 Reconstruction Project Assessments. McCarty closed the Council meeting and opened the public hearing. Ulrich gave his report as follows: The assessment roll based on the final projects cost for the Old Highway 8 Reconstruction Project had been recalculated. The new assessment notices had been mailed to all of the benefitting property owners. Staff was recommending approval of Resolution 5270, Adoption of the Old Highway 8 Assessment Roll. No comments were offered by the public. Mayor McCarty closed the public hearing and reopened the Council meeting. Page 5 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Kooprneiners to approve Resolution No. 5270, Adopting the Old Highway 8 Assessment RoII. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 The motion carried B. Appointments to Streets Policy Committee Whiting read the names of the applicants: 1. James P. Norton, 5550 St. Stephens Street 2. Brian Kaden, 7675 Spring Lake Road 3. Ordeen Jan Braathen, 2817 County Road H 4. Mary Malrick, 8289 Spring Lake Road 5. Patricia Michna, 5287 Edgewood Drive 6. Daniel P. Coughlin, 8468 Spring Lake Road 7. Barbara Haake, 3024 County Road I 8. Debra Riley, 8004 red Oak Drive • Once the Council makes its appointments, a report wold be issued to the Council at the First Council Work Session of the new year. Quick asked what the purpose of the committee would be. Whiting told the Council the purpose of the Committee would be to review and oversee the City's street construction, assessment and financing policies and procedures. The Committee is called upon to report in writing to the City Council at the Council's regular meeting of January 11, 1999 on the Committee's evaluation of the City's current street reconstruction and assessment policies and the City's ability to finance reconstruction projects, and recommendations and reasons for changes. The Committee will cease to exist after January 11, 1999 unless called upon by the City Council for further direction. Jerry Linke, 2319 Knoli Drive, expressed concern that the Committee would only be made up of 8 members instead of the Resolutions recommended 12. McCarty stated the initial Resolution 5260, the implementation Resolution, called for 12 people only as an attempt to have 12 people apply. The City has only received 8 applicants. The current Resolution, does not specify an exact number of Committee members, and calls for formation of the Committee with the applicants that have applied. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney, Gunn to approve Resolution 5274, A Resolution Appointing Page 6 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council Members for the Streets Policy Committee Serving A Three Month Term Expiring January 11, 1999. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 1(Quick) The motion carried Quick told the Council he was against the Resolution because the make up of the Committee was mainly on the western side of the City. C. Set a Public Hearing for Ordinance No. 622, An Ordinance implementing a Franchise Fee on Electric and Natural Gas utility companies for the Operation of the Utility within the City of Mounds View: 1. Conduct First Reading; and 2. Motion to Set a Date for Public Hearing and Second Reading for November 9, 1998. MOTION/SECOND: Koopmeiners/Quick to Set a Public Hearing for Ordinance No. 622, An Ordinance implementing a Franchise Fee on Electric and Natural Gas utility companies for the Operation of the Utility within the City of Mounds View. Whiting asked the Council to take note of Subd. Z, Sec. 1, which refers to a franchise fee of not more than 4 percent, the City's original mandated maximum. Sec. II calls out a fee of 2.5 percent and can be amended at the second reading. Kesel also asked the Council to consider amending, at the second reading, Sec. VIII, the Sunset Clause, to read December 31, 1999. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 The motion carried D. Status of Comprehensive Plan update. Jopke gave his report as follows: 1. Community Forums a. A community forum summary will be an attachment to the Update document. 2. Community Background (optional) a. History, physical environment, and demographics b. Maps c. I-35W Corridor Coalition update 3. Land Use Element Page 7 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council a. Anew land use classification system based on the I-35W Corridor Coalition system. b. existing land use pattern maintained with some changes along the Highway 10 corridor, Changing manufactured home parks to medium density housing or light industrial PUD, the site at the south west corner of the intersection of Long Lake Road and County Road H-2 could be developed as medium density single-family attached housing along County Road H-2 and low density single-family detached housing on the portion of the site having access to Clearview and Louisa Avenues. The existing land along Long Lake Road would be protected. c. The intent of the plan is not to force people to move but to guide future development. d. Review and update the City's storm water management plan e. No need for special measures to protect historically significant properties f. solar access protection will be reviewed as part of the process to update the City's zoning code. 4. Housing Element • a. Population, housing supply, future hosing needs, housing goals and policies b. Maintaining and improving the existing housing stock S. Public Facility Elements a. Transportation plan, sewer and water plan, and parks and open space plan 6. Economic Development Plan(optional) 7. Intergovernmental Coordination Elemertt(optional) a. Coordinating development with cities along the I-35W Corridor 8. Implementation Element a. City plans to implement its Updated Comprehensive Plan This process will not be done by the end of the year. Therefore, staff will apply for n extension from the Metropolitan Council. The City Council will be asked to pass a resolution requesting the extension. Jopke stated it was staffs goal to have a completed draft of the Comprehensive Pian by the end of the year. Another series of community forums will be held to solicit citizen input. Following the forums, the Planning Commission could then recommend a Comprehensive Plan to the City Council. The City Council would then hold a public hearing and approve the Comprehensive Plan subject to Metropolitan Council review. Following Metropolitan Council review the plan would be officially adopted. No action was required of the Council at this meeting. Cam Obert, Planning Commission member, expressed the importance of the Comprehensive Page 8 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council Plan Update process in the City's future development and encouraged continued community involvement in the process. E. Consider Authorizing Amendment to 1998 Cable TV Budget. MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Koopmeiners to approve Resolution 5275, A Resolution Amending the 1998 Cable TV Budget. Stigney asked Whiting where the funds for the Cable TV budget came from. Whiting told the Council the budget is derived from the Cable TV franchise fee. The franchise fee money can only be used for cable related services: cable technicians, camera operators, 5 percent of staff overhead(Park and Recreation Director salary). Stigney asked if the franchise fee could be used at the New Community Center. McCarty stated as long as it was cable related. Stigney asked: "If this money is being set aside for cable services, does that mean that it can never be used for anything else? It's desirable to spend whatever is there? Or is it desirable to maintain a balance for future uses?" Kessel stated it was his belief that the balance should not be spent down to zero. Pat, the City's video technician, presented a list of equipment that was being requested to update the City's video recording system. The list was put together by staff, and various vendors who service the City. The equipment will service the City for the next five to ten years and will streamline a system that is "patched together." Stigney expressed his concern that the equipment that was being requested wasn't really needed because the City had purchased a new mixer and some new cameras in the recent past. He also questioned the need to replace the microphones and contended that the City didn't need a system that comes with all of the "bells and whistles." The system that is being proposed is overkill, he added. McCarty asked Pat what recommendation the Cable Committee had made. Pat told the Council the Cable Committee's recommendation was: to proceed with the acquisition of the recommended equipment. Page 9 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council n • Kessel told the Council the project would have to be publicly let for bids because the expenditure would be over $25,000. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney/ ------- to make a motion of postponement on Resolution 5275. Motion failed due to lack of a second. Quick asked the Council to recognize the Cable Committee: VOTE: F 1. Pat 2. Bruce Kessel 3. Peg Meyer 4. Jerry Skelly 5. Barb Haake 6. Don Hodges 7. Council Liaison Stigney Ayes - 4 Nays - 1(Stigney) The motion carried Discussion of 1999 City General Fund Budget. 1. Community Center Management Options. McCarty gave his report as follows: The Council has set a preliminary levy and adopted a preliminary continuance of the franchise fee. Council has asked staff to produce options for the governance of the management of the Community Center. Once those options are in, the Council will select the appropriate option and take it to the upcoming informational meeting for further discussion with the citizens of the community. Whiting stated information was being gathered to be included in the Mounds View Matters for advertisement to the general public of the informational meeting that will be held on November 16, 1998. Ruth Berke, 623 Lake Court Circle, asked if Sherry Linke had been given a $62,000 a year job to manage the New Community Center. McCarty stated that Ms. Linke, a private consultant, had not been given a job but was one of the vendors being considered to privately manage the New Community Center. Page 10 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council Ms. Berke stated the "Community Center was a significant free election commitment to the voters and we're obligated to fulfill that promise, and I feel that the voters have been let down by putting the burden on them to keep this thing going." McCarty told Ms. Berke the City was doing the best that it could to minimize the Community Center's impact on the citizens' taxes through revenue producing activities at the. Community Center and to try and find the most cost effective way the City can to manage the Center. Julie Olson expressed her concern that the City was limiting itself to only three management options for the Community Center; that other management avenues were not being explored. Cam Obert reminded the staff the Community Center is just what its name implies, a center for the community to support its citizens. He stated the citizens should not be splitting hairs on management dollars but should, in fact, be happy that the people of the City will have a place to support one another through community activities. You cannot put a price tag on the benefit it will have for the community, he added. Dan Coughlin, 84b8 Spring Lake Road, stated: Talking about "water over the dam" wasn't doing the City any good. He stated he would be in favor of having the YMCA operate the Community Center. Whiting Suggested having a Council Work Session to discuss the Community Center management options next week because he would not be able to attend the next City Council meeting. MOTION/SECOND: McCarty/Kooopmeiner to hold a Council Work Session, Monday October 19, 1998, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Community Center management options. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 The motion carried G. Report on District Judge Decision regarding MAC Airport Plan followed by Closed Session of the Council to review Litigation. Attorney Long gave his report as follows: The District Judge has granted a temporary injunction issued on behalf of Mounds View stopping the Metropolitan Airport Commission from proceeding with its plan for the Anoka County Airport through the Metropolitan Council process until such time as a full trial is held on the merits of the case. One of the findings is that the party that the injunction is awarded to will most likely to succeed on the merits in the trial. Judge Finely stated: "Because of the statute Page 11 October 13, 1998 Mounds View City Council and the order we alleged of course that MAC's proposed plan was in violation of the statute which prohibits aminor-use airport from being upgraded to an intermediate-use airport using public funds." 8 REPORTS Quick No Report Koopmeiners No Report Gunn No Report Stigney No report Mayor McCarty No Report Staff No Report 9. Next Council Work Session: Monday, October 19,1998 - 6:00 p.m. Following Council Work Session: Monday, November 2, 1998 - 6:00 p.m. Next Council Meeting: Monday, October 26,1998 - 7:00 p.m. • 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Stigney to recess to the Closed Session. VOTE: Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 The motion carried There being no further business before the mounds View City Council, Mayor McCarty recessed the meeting to the Closed Session at 10:14 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dave Hix Recorder •