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Home My WebLink About1974/10/29 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular MINU 'T' ES S PEC IAL CITY C OuNC IAA, MEETING ST , LOUIS PARK , MINNESOTA. Oc t. ober. 29 , 1974 1 a 'C'hc� mec' l: .Ll"1 �� was ca :l lc: cl to order by Mayor F lee tha.m at 7 & 1. 5 p . m . 2 . Th. c f c� l low .i. ng C cn�.nc l members were p r, e �s en t a. t roll call * Seymour Dru sk Ln. R.ose � Ma ,r.•y Griak K (� -i. t:h. M:e l e:tnd. Lyle Hanks Frank F .lee cha.m Cou. nc .ilma. n Thiel arr ;ived at 7 : 30 p . m . Also present were : City Manager. , Assistant City Manager and Planning Director , 3 . Rtvvieew of Diversified Development District Regulations At the request o :C the Mayor_ , the City Planner gave the history and background of the development: of the Diversified Development: District in St . Louis Park :indi. ca. t .i. ng the activities of the development district citizen committee , the Plann :ing Commission , and the City Council . He explained in some detail the third draft ofthe proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance dated August 29 , 1974 , He then outlined for the Council the procedure to be followed :for adoption of the new zoning district should the Council wish to pursue the matter , After conclusion of the Planner ' s presentation , the Mayor entered into the record a number of letters containing comments from property owners in the area . They were : letter dated Ju.a-)_e 25 , 1. 974 from Edward F . Baker of Baker Associa. t. es , Inc . Architects , 2326 IDS Center , Minneapolis ; letter dated June 27 , 1. 974 from Herbert C . Davis - 2 a. ttor. ney � a. L - la.w , 61. 00 Excelsior Boulevard representing the Ambassador Motor Hotel ; letter. dated June 28 , 1974 from Arthur P . Yokiel representing IDS Properties Inc . ,, IDS Tower , Mpls . ; lerr. er from Daniel Ho Phelps , Vice - President of Delmas. Company , Highway 100 at W . 23rd Street , Minneapolis , Minnesota ; letter from Lee E . Zanin , General Manager , WWTC Radio , 609 2nd Avenue South , Minneapolis , letter from A , W . Beisang , Jr . , Nice President , Space Center Inc ,:) 444 LaFayette _ Road , St. Paul The Mayor then. requested comments from members of the audience . Mr . Lee Zanin , General Manager , 14WTC Radio and Mike Mckenzie , Chief Engineer , WWI'C Radio :, spoke indicating their concerns for the area, of their towers located within the proposed Diversified Development District , They indicated that there is extreme high voltage around the f: owers which could affect pede _str.° i_ a_n movements and that if buildings more than 2 stories high were built. in certain con. f igur_ attons around the towers they could block ther si. gnalo Mr . Zanin also indicated the desire of the station to move the studios in St . Louis Park a. t some time in the future , 290 Special Council Minutes , October 29 , 1974 It was requested . by Councilman Thiel that the statior with an engineering study � ndlcatin i provide the City g the problem areas for construction f buildings in the vx. ci_nity of rhe towers . Mr . Robert Ehrenberg , 2320 Parklands Road , spoke representoin Mrs . Grace Fre idheim , a property owner in. the area , and himself. as a resident and businessman of St . Loins Park . Mr , Ehrenberg submitted to the Council written comments on Diversified Development zoning indicating the importance of achieving financing for development and the cost of the feasibility reports , preliminary plans , testing , utilities , etc , that are required for obtaining pemission to develop land under the DDD concept . p He further indicated that access and traffic circulation were the prime problems in this area and that the Council should address themselves to this problem at the outset . He commented on the fact that under the present wording the ordinance would require all proposed uses to be approved by a special permit and that this would place a burden upon both the city and developers in processing these requests . He then inquired as to the status of the building moratorium on the area and wondered how long this would be continued . Councilman Griak requested that the Planning Director develop written answers to the questions posed by Mr . Ehrenberg . Mr . Herbert C . Davis , 6100 Excelsior Boulevard , appeared. representing the Ambassador Motor Hotel indicating his Opposition to the philosophy of the Diversified Development District and the excessive costs to developers i_n complying with the provisions of the proposed ordinance . He also inquired as to the status of existing properties in the: area becoming non - conforming uses and the problems therein in modifying existing structures . He supported Mr . Ehrenberg ' s statement that traffic circulation to the facilities in the area is critical to the success of the area and this should be a prime interest of the City . Mr . Bruce Hasselberg representing Space Center. lllc . , 444 LaFayette Road , St . Paul appeared in opposition to the ordinance . lie indicated that the re s s 7.nd egress to the area and primary concern should be the tra. f ti that the DIA) theory was not - �- l_ the uses of the land . R1. 9 opinion was tlt practical and placed a burden upon the property owners . There being no further comment from the aud .i_enca , the Council discussed the matter . ' ted that 1. t: wash, er pc� s1 t .i. cm tllu. t ti- afi ;tc deeds in Che Councilman Griak indica area need to be resolved bei: ore any furtl-► er. acl; i. r7n. L ;� ta. c�. n ' • . za. t lie dogs n. ut support Council revc � nancew of each Councilman. Hanks indicated tl ILlCnc' t3s of tjio or Property change or de�ve1v0pmc: n. t: and thin the vagi or not: perui ,ttting development . some Rec� tlona could :Lead. L: n prob �l. ems 1' e" rmJ. l. t: l.n.g sn. Lisfra. ctlon w .i_ t:ll 0101 11fii, d drPlanningaft of he Councilman. Mel. and l. ndl. cr� iwed b1 . s d .t. s a .i t necady ri� or. c wr? rlt icy rl � coscal_ recise and that ordinance and sl�ggeeted that . Co � _ a. l: ecl th, e t ,Lons n.cc� d to be m r mission . I� c� 1_n, dl. c , os .L141_ Ve • rhe ordinance needs to bccomc. more 1 291 Speci. a. l Council Minutes , October 29 , 1974 was Cc�un.c: ilma,n. Thiel indicated hi. s opposi, t3. on to 'the concept of requiring special P ermi. ts for a. 11 a.ctiv .i. ti. es and that he felt that. t:be traffic in. the arra, a. l so the most important. i s sue . Councilman Druskin indicated that: the Council must take the long - range view ,in assessing this proposal and respond in a. manner to provide for the area not only today but twenty years from now . After further discussion , it was moved by CouncilmanThiel , seconded by Councilman Meland that the staff prepare a motion incorporating the comments cf the Council regarding recommendations on the third draft and present that motion to the Council at their regular meeting or. November 4 , 1974 for action . Motion passed unanimously . 4 . Citizen of the Year Award The Council discussed nominations for Citizen of the Year Award presented by the lions Club . it was moved by Councilman Meland , seconded by Councilman Thiel , to nominate James R . Heltzer as citizen of the year . After further discussion a vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously . 5 . Louisiana Avenue Assessment (Methodist Hospital ) The Council was given a letter from Attorneys Stone and Sico •ra .regarding the Hospital ' s position on. this assessment matter , Councilman Thiel reported to the Council a meeting he attended with representatives of the Hospital and the City . After discussion it was the consensus of the Council that the matter be referred to the City Attorney and City Assessor to review the letter and make recommendations to the Council for the purpose of continuing negotiations . 6 . Bond Rating Trip Co ;incilman Thiel raised question with the Council as to the attendance of some member of the Council on the trip to New York regarding the upcoming bond sale of the City . After some discussion , it was moved by Councilman Hanks , seconded by Councilman Meland , to have Councilman Thiel represent the City on this trip in place of the Mayor . The motion carried unanimously . 7 . Ad1ournment Being no further business , it was moved by Councilman Meland seconded by Councilman Gri.ak , to adjourn the meeting 10 : 30 p . m . k G , Flee tham , Jr . , Mayor Att ^ t ' r James A . Mtcel " , Actg Secretary 292