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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1982/11/08 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session MINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA November 8, 1982 1 . Call to Order Mayor McQuaid called the meeting to order at 7:18 p.m. The following Council mem- bers were present: Ronald Backes John Ralles Lyle Hanks Richard Strohl Jerrold Martin Phyllis McQuaid Also present were the City Manager, Director of Finance, Director of Public Works and Director of Planning. 2. Insurance - The City Manager asked the Council if it wished to bid or negotiate insurance coverage for 1983. He said that staff is comfortable with either option. He explained the advantages and disadvantages of each, and concluded that staff expects lower rates through negotiation. Councilman Hanks asked what timeframe was involved with each option. The City Manager that if Council chooses to negotiate insurance rates , then decisions should be made by the end of this week. If negotiations were un- satisfactory, then the City would need to send out for bids as soon as possible after that time. The Finance Director explained dividends and experience discounts that the City has obtained. Councilman Hanks wondered if specifications could be written to prohibit the insurance company from dropping the City's policy. Councilman Backes moved, and Councilman Martin seconded to authorize staff to negotiate for insurance bids and report back to Council if the results of negotiations were not satisfactory. The motion passed 6-0. 3. Louisiana Avenue - Councilman Ralles said that he could not support a four-lane thoroughfare from Cedar Lake Road north to Highway 12. Council- man Martin concurred. Councilman Hanks noted that County State Aid Route 5, Minnetonka Blvd. , has no-parking only from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. He wondered if this could not be done on Louisiana Ave. also. The Director of Public Works replied that legally under the State Aid regulations, parking could not be allowed south of W. 29th Street. Councilman Hanks believed that Louisiana Ave. is a residential street and should not have cars speeding through it. The Director of Public Works showed a series of graphs and charts explaining traffic flows. Councilman Backes said that the Council has never believed that parking should be permitted south of Minnetonka Blvd. This was the reason that houses were purchased. Mayor McQuaid noted that many residents throughout Study Session minutes November 8, 1982 the City are not able to park along the street in front of their houses either. Councilman Hanks wondered if a five-lane design is possible. The Director of Public Works said that this is possible if no sidewalks were built. Councilman Hanks asked if the idea along Louisiana Avenue was to develop neighborhood groups that the City would be able to work with. The City Manager replied that this was the case. Councilman Backes said that the Council needs to realize that it is not dealing with a neighborhood street; Council needs to have some policy direction now rather than responding to a neighborhood design. He said that at the neighborhood meeting scheduled for November 9, staff needs to present information only, and have staff say that no decision has been made because Council has not fully deliberated the issue. He said that pressure needs to stay with the Council , not staff. General discussion ensued about parking needs and the possibility of parking bays for Louisiana Ave. north of Cedar Lake Road. Councilman Hanks wondered why the state could not allow parking until Louisiana Ave. is a fully completed thoroughfare after the intersection with Highway 7 is built. The Director of Public Works said that state aid is based upon particular segments built, not full thoroughfares. Mayor McQuaid said that the City needs to enter this planning while making no promises. Councilman Ralles said that since Louisiana Ave. has been designated a thoroughfare since 1958, residents purchasing there have been able to know about the traffic classification affecting their property. The comment was made that a problem here is the perception that any street with residences along it is therefore considered a residential street. Councilman Backes concluded that the Council is pretty much decided that Louisiana Ave. is a thoroughfare, but the question is the design. 4. Number of Off-Sale Liquor Licenses- Councilman Hanks moved and Councilman Backes seconded to table the item. The motion passed 4-0-1 (Councilman Ralles abstained; Mayor McQuaid not present) . 5. Amusement Centers - The City Manager explained that since the report was first presented, the present system has worked fairly well and that the fees for regulating electronic amusements have been established. Councilman Hanks thought that the City was being inundated with video games. Councilmen Backes and Martin felt that the market would make the games fade out and then regulate themselves. Study Session minutes November 8, 1982 The Director of Planning summarized the report and explained where the use of video games were permitted and prohibited according to the zoning ord- inance. Councilman Backes said that the Council has already done a great deal of study and research on this topic during 1980-81 with zoning classifications. He believed the sentiment of the Council was to disallow exclusive use of leased area for video games. 6. . Li uor Set-up Ordinance- The City Manager explained that new state laws allow non-profit organizations to have such activities/establishments at the discretion of the City Council . The City ordinance currently does not permit this possibility. Councilman Backes asked that the item be placed on the agenda for the Novem- ber 15, 1982 meeting. • 7, Council Liaison to Cable TV Commission- Councilman Hanks suggested waiting for a Council appointment to this committee until committee appointments are made to all Commissions in January. However, Councilman Hanks volunteered to serve as the Council liaison until that time. 8. Goal Setting - The City Manager led a discussion of the results. He noted many similarities between the objectives and goals on the part of the City Council and staff. He drew no conclusions. Councilman Hanks suggested that if the staff's desireto have two Council study sessions were implemented, that the first half hour of each study session be devoted to a presentation by a staff member/department head and that the presentation be rotated among those staff members. Councilman Hanks moved and Councilman Ralles seconded that Council discuss its objective No. 1 at the December 8 study session. The motion passed 6-0. Councilman Hanks suggested that the Council members brainstorm for the first one-half to one hour. 9. Towing - Councilman Ralles indicated that a private yard might be available for negotiation for storage of City contracted towed vehicles. Councilman Martin said that the City would need to look into potential liability for pollution from leakage from cars. He asked that the City Attorney be contacted on this matter. It was moved by Councilman Ralles, seconded by Councilman Martin, that the City Manager meet with Golden Auto Parts and to check with the City Attorney on liability issues. After more discussion, Councilman Hanks called the question. The motion passed 6-0. Study session November 8, 1982 10. Executive Session - The City Council recessed to an executive session at 9:25 p.m. to discuss a personnel -related matter. 11 . Adjournment - The City Council returned from its executive session at 9:45 p.m. The meeting was then adjourned. Respectfully submitted, i �/ 1� , Craig I. s. Recording Secret y