Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2023/08/07APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Special Meeting August 7, 2023 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 6:00 P.M. 1. MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL: Cermak, Gunn, Lindstrom, and Meehlhause NOT PRESENT: None. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A. Monday, August 7, 2023, Special City Council Agenda. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Cermak. To Approve the Monday, August 7, 2023, agenda as presented. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. Resolution 9792, A Resolution Terminating the Employment of R.M. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Lindstrom. To Approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Ayes – 4 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 6. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS None. 7. PUBLIC COMMENT Rene Johnson, 7385 Pleasant View Drive, explained her grandson was a bowler and he made his way to the junior gold championship in Indiana where she received a warm welcome from staff. She reported her grandson competed in another tournament in Mounds View at the Mermaid Mounds View City Council August 7, 2023 Special Meeting Page 2 recently and she did not receive the same warm welcome. She encouraged the City to speak with the Mermaid about their staff. Frank Blasiak, 2361 Laport Drive, recommended a sculpture and “Welcome to Mounds View” sign be posted at the roundabout at County Road I. He suggested the sculpture be created locally through a contest. Vince Meyer, 8380 Spring Lake Road, stated on May 20 he spoke with the Public Works Director regarding the hydroseeding on his property. He indicated his yard is full of rocks and millings from the street. He understood the Public Works Director had his staff rake the big rocks out of his yard, but his property was still covered with millings and chunks of debris. He reported he also spoke with staff about putting a dumpster on the road. He indicated he has not received a response from staff to date. He noted he has a quite a bit of damaged concrete and was told it was under warranty. He stated he would like answers from the City to his questions or he would be getting an attorney involved. David Wood, 2501 Sherwood Road, commented on the new State Statute that passed regarding native landscapes and natural prairies. He explained he was interested in helping neighbors install native landscapes but did not want them to look like a public nuisance. He discussed his work history and stated he would be interested in discussing this topic further with the City Council. Luke Edmond, 8407 Spring Lake Road, stated he has a lot of asphalt and shavings in his yard. He reported he does not have a lot of grass growing and the end of his driveway was a concern to him. He asked that staff look into this. He indicated he also has concerns about the safety along his roadway due to the speed of traffic. He explained his wife was considering pursuing a petition in order to have a stop sign installed to assist with slowing the speed of traffic. Joyce Jones-Strait, 7728 Knollwood Road, explained she sent an email to the City Council in reference to the construction on Spring Lake Road. She read this email for the record stating she was concerned with the clearcutting that occurred around Spring Lake and commented on the damage that occurred in the neighborhood after a recent storm. She further discussed the concerns she had regarding the retaining wall and fence that would be constructed along Spring Lake Road and noted this fence would cut the neighborhood off from recreating on the lake. Dr. Jean Strait, 7728 Knollwood Road, stated she had concerned regarding how the City would be impacting Spring Lake. She requested the City reconsider the retaining wall that was being installed noting this would adversely impact the neighbors. She shared a picture of the retaining wall and stated she feared how the water runoff would impact the neighborhood. She questioned why the City was building a path to nowhere along Spring Lake Road. Valerie Amundsen, 3048 Woodale Drive, asked that the presentation regarding the Community Center be placed on the City’s website. She discussed the work that would be done by Rapp Consulting noting it was her understanding this group had to remain neutral when presenting the facts to residents. Mounds View City Council August 7, 2023 Special Meeting Page 3 CR Barragan, 7765 Spring Lake Road, stated he had concerns with how his property value would be impacted due to the tree loss on his property after the recent storm. He commented on how Mounds View was a tree city and questioned why the City did not value the trees in the community. He explained his property value has been increasing 8.5% to 9.16% per year, but he believed this would not continue for 2023. He discussed how the retaining wall installed on his property would have gates. He reported he was concerned with the five foot drop that has been created in his yard and questioned how he would be able to maintain the slope. He stated the work completed by the City was very disheartening. 8. COUNCIL BUSINESS A. Second Reading of Ordinance Prohibiting Use of Cannabis and Hemp in Public Places. City Attorney Riggs requested the Council hold the second hearing for an ordinance prohibiting the use of cannabis and hemp in public places. He explained medical exception language had been added to the ordinance. He commented further on how other communities have defined public places to include sidewalks and/or public streets. He requested the Council provide staff with direction on how public places should be defined within the ordinance and that the ordinance come back to the Council for further consideration at a future meeting. Council Member Lindstrom stated the City Charter requires two weeks between first and second readings for ordinances. City Attorney Riggs reported this was the case, which was the reason he was recommending the Council further discuss the public places language and noted this ordinance would be coming back for final consideration on August 14. Acting Mayor Meehlhause supported the Council not moving forward on the Ordinance in order to take into account the 14 day requirement. He requested further comment from staff regarding the public places definition. City Attorney Riggs reported the Council was provided with a broad definition for public places and this could be further defined or the language could remain as is. He reported the three other communities he worked with were moving forward with the broader definition for public places. Council Member Gunn indicated she liked what Lakeville and Inver Grove Heights did within their Ordinances and how they explained where cannabis/hemp products can be used. Further discussion ensued regarding the use of cannabis within multi-family housing developments. City Attorney Riggs reported the use of cannabis would be further reviewed by the legislature during the 2024 legislative session. He explained most apartment complexes do have a no smoking policy for the units and therefore residents are forced to smoke outside. He indicated this would not be allowed for cannabis. Council Member Lindstrom stated he had a hard time regulating property not owned by the City. Acting Mayor Meehlhause agreed and asked if the City’s tobacco policy should be the default for Mounds View City Council August 7, 2023 Special Meeting Page 4 cannabis use. Council Member Lindstrom indicated he could support this. He commented on how the use of cannabis would be normalized with the next generation. He discussed how legalizing cannabis would change the view of marijuana use going forward. Acting Mayor Meehlhause questioned if the Park Commission typically got involved in policy decisions. Public Works/Parks and Recreation Director Peterson stated this did not typically occur. The consensus of the Council was to follow the tobacco ordinance language when defining public places. B. General Discussion/Issues regarding the above-referenced matters. None. C. Other Matters. None. 9. REPORTS A. Reports of Mayor and Council. None. B. Reports of Staff. None. C. Reports of City Attorney. City Attorney Riggs had nothing additional to report. 10. Next Council Work Session: Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. Next Council Meeting: Monday, August 14, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. 11. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m. Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial