HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985/01/28 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionMINUTES
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
January 28, 1985
. Call to order - The Mayor called the study session to order at 6:35 p.m.
2. Roll Call - Present were Council members Jerrold Martin, Thomas Duffy,
Keit eland, Richard Strohl, Ronald Backes, Larry Mitchell, Lyle Hanks.
Also in attendance were staff from the departments of Administration,
Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Planning and Assessing.
3. Water Update
The City Manager provided the Council with information about the status
of negotiations with Reilly Tar & Chemical Co., the MPCA and the USEPA.
He concluded by stating that he hoped to be able to provide Council with
more information at a 7:00 executive session on Monday, Feb. 4, 1985.
4. Assessment for Project 84-20
City Assessor Bruce Stepnick provided Council with background information
concerning the proposed assessment for Project No. 84-20, the north frontage
road of Highway 7 from Webster to Zarthan Ave. He stated that some of the
property owners in the area had previously been assessed for the City's
street reconstruction project, No. 74-32. Mr. Stepnick offered Council
three alternative plans for their consideration: Increase the size of the
area being considered for assessment; Assess only those properties adjacent
to the frontage road proposed for construction; or consider the original
proposed assessment areas with the addition of properties adjacent to the
frontage road west of Zarthan Ave.
After discussion by members of the Council, Mayor Hanks and Councilman
Stroh] recommended that a neighborhood meeting be held with residents to
determine the value of the existing roadway and the need for major reconstruct-
ion.
5. Excelsior Blvd.
The City Manager advised Council that members of the Excelsior Blvd. business
community were concerned with the access to northbound Highway 100 from
Park Center Blvd. and Excelsior Blvd. He stated that a temporary solution
to the problem could be worked out with the construction of a loop connecting
Park Center Blvd. with Highway 100 at a cost of about $5,000. The consensus
of Council was to proceed with the plan as soon as it is feasible to do
SO.
6. Capital Improvement Plan
The Director of Public Works, the Director of the HRA and the Director
of Parks and Recreation each provided Council with highlight information
about the proposed projects included in the 1985-1989 Capital Improvements
Program. Councilman Meland stated that he would like staff to perform a
Min,ites
Council study session
January 28, 1985
traffic study and consider the possibility of relocating the traffic signal
on Louisiana Ave. from 28th St. to 27th St. The City Manager also informed
Council that a proposal to construct a gradient control well in conjunction
with Methodist hospital and Control Data Corp. was now very tentative due
to the withdrawal of support from CDC. All other CIP proposals were reviewed
by Council without comment. The Mayor and several Council members congratulated
staff on the gpality of their presentation and the thoroughness of their
research.
7. Planning Commission
Several members of the City's Planning Commission joined Council and Planning
Director, Bill Thibault, in a discussion about a proposed new zoning ordinance.
Mr. Thibault statea that the goal of the new ordinance would be to reduce
the amount of cumbersome activities associated with the current special
permit process and to improve the enforceability of zoning requirements.
The Mayor drew the rather lengthy discussion to a close by informing the
Planning Director and those Commission members present that the City Council
was supportive of the commission's effort to investigate the need for changes
in the existing zoning ordinance. There was a consensus among Council members
that the Planning Commission is to be commended for their efforts and should
be directed to continue their study into the feasibility of redefining
the City's zoning requirements.
8. Legislative program
Councilman Mitchell asked Council to discuss the process by which the City
gathers information about impending legislation which may have an impact
on the community. The City Manager and other Council members responded
that there was currently a number of publications from the League of Minnesota
Cities, the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities and the State Legislature
which were designed to keep local government officials informed of activities
at the State Capitol. Councilman Mitchell stated that he would be in favor
of authorizing expenditures to increase staff time or hire a consultant
to deal directly with State legislative issues. Council agreed to consider
the matter further and discuss it at a future meeting.
9. Fire pensions
The City Manager brought the Council up
in the fire pension plan which is being
Fire Department. He stated that although
it was his impression that the interest
somewhat lower than had been expected.
10. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
✓LC.d
Cris Gears
Recording Secretary
to date on the status of the change
requested by members of the City's
the issue had not been resolved,
level in pursuing the manner was