The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1972/09/26 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularMINUTES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA September 26, 1972 1. CALL TO ORDER A special meeting of Pro Tem Thiel at 5:10 2. ROLL CALL the City Council was Pam* called to order by President The following Councilmen were present at roll call: Frani: F leetham Richard Graves Rose 4lary Griak Lyle Hanks James Heltzer Leonard Thiel Also present were the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Director- of Public Works, City Assessor and Acting Secretary. Mayor Pucci arrived at 9:00 p.m. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS (a) ASSESSMENT, IMPROVEMENT N0, 7141, PAVING, CURB AND GUTTER, SID&WLK, SIDMPIAUC REPAID. AND MISCELLANEOUS CONTINGENT UTILITIES, IN AREA CONSISTING OF ALL STREETS LYING SOUTH OF EXCELSIOR BOULEVARD AND EAST OF TRUNK HIGHWAY 100 WHICH WERE NOT INCLUDED IN PROJECT 6942 President Pro Tem Thiel opened the hearing. Councilman Thiel indicated the purpose of this hearing was to allow citizens the opportunity to register any complaints they may have whether it be on the work or their assessments, Mr. Thomas Bonneville, 4370 Browndale, indicated more information on the method of calculation contained in the assessment notices should be given to the public. Mr. John Vaida, 4351 Brook, questioned the method of assessment on his corner lot. Mr. Arnold Schueler, 4201 Princeton; H. A. Davidson, 4110 Raleigh; G. Co Zimmerman, 4330 jlooddale; Dorothy Campbell, 4041 Ilooddale; Mr. Ronald Harrington, 4371 i-Iooddale, Mr. Lester J. Ulrich, 4254 Wtooddale; Mr. Kallestad, 400.5 Vernon; Mrs. PSI. J. Juel, 4040" Toledo; F. Pulkrabe?;, 4020 Utica; and G. Mo�Jevnager, 2310 Pennsylvania; questioned such items as side street assessments for interior lots; disparity of figures on lots of same size; good curb and gutter being taken out and replaced with new curb and *utter; sod problems; and poor workmanship. Questions were promptly answered by staff and Council or appointments made to meet with citizens within the next few days to handle the various questions and complaints. 307 Codi tiiautes, September 26, 1972 3. (a) Councilman Grial: indicated she would like to have the word "benefited" changed on the notices and perhaps a better and informal type of description on the assessment notices. more Attorney will wort; on this with the City Assessor, Th a City Councilman Heltzer requested that the City boundaries be looked into to see ghat could be done to clarify the boundary lines between Edina and St. Louis Park, Councilman Hanl:s moved that those persons living on Bro��ndale, Coolidge, I�iacj:ey and Brook Avenues have their assessments reduced and that those lots not assessed for the side street (43 Street) be assessed when 44th Street is completed as a part of St. Louis Park's share of this improvement, The motion was seconded by Councilman Thiel and carried 7 - 0. The City Assessor was instructed to notify the persons living on the streets where the boundary of Edina is involved to advise them of their future assessment for the improvement of a side street (44th Street) . Councilmen also indicated that the City should utilize its Mobile City Hall to go into project areas to more thoroughly discuss the improvements and how assessments are levied prior to the improvement hearings. The Council instructed staff to have a cost breakdown for sidewalk, aprons, paving, and curb and gutter improvements on notices of assessments in order for property owners to be aware of how assessments were calculated. This would also include the cost of per front foot for paving and side street assessments. President Pro Tem Thiel closed hearing. RESOLUTION 140. 4650 Councilman Hangs moved, seconded by Councilman Griak, to waive reading and adopt Resolution Pio. 4650 entitled "Resolution A doptinrr Assessment Improvement No. 7141". Motion c arried 7 - 0. Mayor Pucci arrived. 4 • 11ISCELIANEOUS (a) SHORT BLOCK ASSESSMENT POLICY Discussion was held concerning the short blopk assessment. The City Assessor explained the need for flexibility in an assessment policy enabling the Assessor to deviate from the general rule in unusual circumstances and exercise judgment to the extent that properties assessed are in proportion to benefits received for each type of ir.:provement and have reasonable comparison with standard "grid" platting blocks when necessary for equitable assessing of improvements. 300 a— Council Minutes, September 26, 1972 4. (a) After further discussion, Councilman Fleetham moved than on all properties assessed in 1972 that assessments be computed on 200 foot minimum frontarre to middle of block with differences to be piactual cost and assessment. The motion ct:ed up by City between a Thiel. After further discussion, the was seconded by Councilman motion was withdrawn. Councilman Fleetham moved, seconded by Councilman Graves, that those properties on short blocks with the exceptioncf corner lots involved in the four projects assessed this year be assessed for both curb and butter and street on side streets a ma::imum of $3.00 per front foot and $1.50 per front foot for either curb and gutter or street. The motion carried 6 - 1 (Councilman Hanks votino" nay). Councilman Fleetham then moved to authorize staff to prepare resolution incorporating the City Assessor's proposed amendment to the assessment policy. The motion was seconded by Councilman Thiel and carried unanimously. (b) HUMAN RIGHTS CONSULTANT Mr. James Samples, past chairman of Human Rights Commission and Mr. Rolf Aaseng, present chairman of Human Rights Commission, were present to answer questions the Council has regarding the services of Gene Sylvestre, Human Rights Consultant, for the 1973 fiscal year. After discussion, the Council directed that funds be appropriated ($6,000) for consulting services to the Human Eights Commission, The Council indicated that they would lime to have the Commission give consideration to performing more responsibilities in the human rights area and perhaps reducing the amount of time required of the consultant. (c) COM R)NITY BAND The Council discussed the request of lIrs. Richard Brasket for the City to help finance a community band. Several concerns were voiced by members of the Council to assume an additional financial pro"ram of this type. It was felt that other community needs have increased and limited tax resources limit the amount of support the City can offer on special interest activities. Councilman Hanits indicated support for such an activity but felt that it should operate like other programs as the Historical Society, hockey boosters, Little League, etc. After a lengthy discussion, Councilman City Council encourage such an activity means other than through an expenditure Hanks seconded the motion which carried opposed). 309 Griak moved that the and support it through of public funds. Councilman 6 - 1 (Councilman Fleetham Council Ninutes, September 26, 1972 4. (d) REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF TINE _ BETH EL SYNAGOGUE The City Manager stated he had received a communication the Beth E1 Synagogue requesting that theirs from be extended an additional ninety days. pecial permit RESOLUTION N0. 4651 It was moved by Councilman Fleetham, seconded by Councilman Graves to wave reading and adopt Resolution No. 4651 entitled, "resolutiIs on Extending Expiration Date by Ninety Days under Section 6:205.5 of the Zoning Ordinance for Special Permit, Beth E1 Synagogue, Resolution No. 4275, July 6, 1971i1. Motion carried unanimously. 5. ADJOURNMENT On motion of Councilman Graves, meetin was adjourned at 11.00 Attest: Cathy A. rvey, Actd . (eE cretary seconded by Councilman p m, b vote Frani: J. P Griak, the mayor 310 AOL