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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996/08/19 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MEETING ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA August 19, 1996 1. Call to order Mayor Gail Dorfman called the meeting to order at 7.30 p.m 2. Presentations Junior Naturalists who have worked this past summer at the Westwood Hills Environmental Education Center were recognized by the Mayor, City Council and the Parks and Recreation/WHEEC Departments. Carrie Hughes, WHEEC staff member, introduced the volunteers and each was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation. 3. Roll call The following Councilmembers were present at roll call. Jeff Jacobs, Jeff Appelquist, Sue Sanger, Ron Latz, Robert Young, Jim Brimeyer and Gail Dorfman. p Also present were the City Manager(Mr. Meyer); Deputy City Manager(Ms. Kutzler); City i Attorney (Mr. Knutson), Director of CommunityDevelopment (Mr. Harmening); Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin); Director of Parks and Recreation(Mr. Gears); Planning Coordinator (Judie Erickson); Director of Inspections(Mr. Petersen) 4. Approval of minutes August 5, 1996 - page 136, Councilmember Sanger did not speak to Mr. Hamburge, but another representative of Benilde St. Margaret. Mayor Dorfinan asked for clarification as to the future role of the Management Committee vis-a-vis Vision St. Louis Park. The minutes were accepted as amended. July 22 study session Minutes accepted as presented. 5 Approval of agenda Consent agenda, August 19 It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Sanger to approve. The motion passed 7-0 Agenda for August 19 It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Appelquist to approve. The motion passed 7-0 i 140 I City Council meeting minutes August 19, 1996 PUBLIC HEARINGS 6a. Amendment to Zoning Ordinance regulating outside storage of commercial and recreational vehicles in residential districts Council considered an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance which(1) adopts regulations regarding parking and storage of commercial and recreational vehicles which were previously contained in the Nuisance ordinance; (2) reduces restrictions for parking in front yard driveways; and (3) limits the number of commercial vehicles, recreational vehicles and trailers per lot in residential district. Mayor Dorfman said the Council and staff has for many months tried to strike an appropriate balance between the needs of owners of commercial recreational vehicles and the quality of life in the City's neighborhoods.The newly-created ordinance is actually less restrictive than the current ordinance on the books. The recommendation before Council this evening is that the issue be turned over to a citizen's task force for further review and recommendation. Ms. Erickson gave a brief background on this proposed ordinance and the recommended changes. ( I In answer to a question from Councilmember Brimeyer, Ms. Erickson said the ordinance currently in effect basically prohibits parking in the front yard, prohibits all commercial vehicles in residential districts and prohibits recreational vehicles from being parked other than in garages. Councilmember Brimeyer felt that if Council wanted to pursue the task force approach, that a time limit be set so it doesn't drag on and that criteria be established by which the task force can look at this. Councilmember Latz suggested, based on the comments he had received , that there was a lot of confusion and misinformation relating to this item. Perhaps holding a public informational meeting prior to establishing a task force would be helpful. A number of residents(see below) attended the meeting to voice their concerns about the proposed ordinance change. Steve Schultz 80219 W 26th St. Herbert Sequist 4256 Toledo Ave S Roger and Delores Dufner 1865 Melrose Ave Keith Rowley 3400 Sumter Ronald MacMillan (no address given) Al Engen 5900 Cambridge Street Kathy Benshoof 1631 Virginia Ave S 141 Tim Fleming 6632 West 18th St. Joan Daminani 1648 Colorado Bill Wilson 8207 Westwood Hills Curve Janet Rowley 3700 Sumter Ave S David Carlson (no address given) Lynn Bacht 2533 Rhode Island Ave S Following comments from the above, Council discussed ramifications of the proposed changes and the possibility of assigning a Task Force comprised of private citizens to study the issue further All Councilmembers commented that calls they had received from constituents regarding this issue had been widely divergent and agreed that ample opportunity should be given for gathering public opinion and that a decision should not be hurried. Motion to defer Ordinance amendment to a citizen's task force for review and recommendation due to significant pubic interest in this Ordinance was made by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Latz. Motion passed 6-1 (Councilmember Brimeyer opposed). Council further agreed to defer further discussion to the September 9th Study Session at which time they will further consider formation of a citizen Task Force. PETITIONS, REQUESTS, COMMUNICATIONS None. RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES 8a. Second reading of ordinance amending Liquor Ordinance language Ordinance 96-2072 It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Appelquiist, to adopt Ordinance 96-2072 entitled"Ordinance amending the St. Louis Park Ordinance Code-Part 3 Liquor." The motion passed 7-0. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS, BOARDS, COMMITTEES 9a. Financial report for July 1996 By consent, report received for filing 9b. Minutes- Neighborhood Revitalization Commission By consent, minutes received for filing 142 City Council meeting minutes August 19, 1996 9c. Minutes- Planning Commission By consent, minutes received for filing. 9d. Minutes. Housing Authority By consent, minutes received for filing. 9e. Traffic Study No 516• Parking restrictions on the east and west frontage roads of Highway 100 from W 23rd St. to the east frontage road of Hwy. 100 Resolution 96-132 It was moved by Councilmember Appelquist, seconded by Councilmember seconded by Councilmember Sanger, to adopt Resolution 96-132 entitled"Resolution authorizing parking restrictions on Hwy. 100 frontage roads and 23rd St., Traffic study No. 516." The motion passed 7-0 9f. Cooperastive Construction Agreement with the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation Resolution 96-129 It was moved by Councilmember Latz, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, to adopt Resolution 96-129 entitled "Resolution authorizing execution of Cooperative Construction Agreement No. 75070 with the State of Minnesota, Department of Transportation." The motion passed 7-0. 9g. Minutes. Board of Zoning Appeals By consent, receive minutes for filing. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS 11a. Variance appeal: 1401-05 Colorado Ave So Request to permit 12 parking stalls instead of the required 16 stalls 143 City Council meeting minutes (I , August 19, 1996 Evan Johnson, applicant, said he would like to demolish the house at 1401 Colorado Ave. The zoning is commercial currently. The house is an eyesore, and he would like to add on to his building next store If his request is denied, the house would continue to be rental property He said the parking stalls are for his employees; there is no other traffic coming onto the property other than a UPS truck once daily. He said BOZA was under the impression the land immediately behind his building was available for lease for parking, but there is no land available for lease. Mr. Peterson believed that BOZA did not want to be in the position of trying to find land for someone because that person wanted to build onto his building Councilmember Young asked if this could be granted (reduction in parking stalls)but with conditions Mr. Meyer commented it certainly was possible to grant a variance with conditions as was done with the Japs-Olson variance. Mr. Petersen said Japs-Olson was industrial whereas this is commercial which at some point could permit retail/office as well as the current use and purely warehouse would not be permitted This instance was a slightly different situation, and staff would be agreeable to looking at what G 1 alternatives there might be. Councilmember Young noting this property was in his Ward said he had visited it this morning and it is an eyesore, almost truly a blighted situation. He would like to see this eyesore taken down and a nice commercial structure erected. He was open to any ideas, alternatives that anyone might have to bring this about. Councilmember Sanger recalled that a project of-the Council was going to be review of all parking requirements with the idea, perhaps, of lowering some to bring about greater compliance with the spirit of Livable Communities. She wondered if with the present situation, rather than making a decision tonight, it could be reviewed along with the review of the parking requirements in general for commercial areas Councilmember Brimeyer suggested Mr. Johnson do some creative adjustment of the current plan with staff's assistance, and then get an architect's rendering, he would be willing to defer for 30 days in order to make this work. It was moved by Councilmember Brimeyer, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, to defer to September 3 and meanwhile looking at the options of creative site plan work or creation of language which would not jeopardize future sale of the building because of any variance approved. 144 City Council meeting minutes I,1 ' August 19, 1996 is i , Councilmember Sanger was concerned about setting a precedent not only for this parcel, but is the City opening itself up to granting all sorts of other variances for other applicants on other parcels of land wherein granting such a variance would make perfectly good sense. She would prefer to do a variance based, for example, on site design. The motion passed 7-0. • 11b. Bid tabulation: Street reconstruction on frontage road of T H. 7 and roadway rehabilitation on east frontage road of T H 169 Resolution 96-131 It was moved by Councilmember Latz, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, to adopt Resolution 96-131 entitled"Resolution accepting bid and authorizing execution of a contract for Improvement Project Nos. 90-37 & 96-02, reconstruction of north frontage road of T.H. 7 from Quebec Ave. to Texas Ave. and the south frontage road of T.H. 7 from Rhode Island Ave. to Texas Ave." The motion passed 7-0. 11c. Bid tabulation: Watermain replacement on Shelard Parkway from Ford Rd to Nathan Lane and roadway mill and overlay Resolution 96-130 It was moved by Councilmember Young, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, to adopt Resolution 96-130 entitled"Resolution accepting bid and authorizing execution of a contract for Improvement Project Nos. 94-13 & 96-04, watermain replacement on Shelard Parkway from Ford Rd. to Nathan Lane and roadway mill and overlay." The motion passed 7-0 MISCELLANEOUS 12a. Damage claims Susan Okrent By consent, claims referred to City Clerk and City Manager. 12b. Communications from the Mayor-None 12c. Communications from the City Manager Mr Meyer noted that the binder before Council was the preliminary budget which the Council will be considering at its study session on August 26. 145 City Council meeting minutes 1 August 19, 1996 CLAIMS,APPROPRIATIONS, CONTRACT PAYMENTS 13a. Verified claims By consent the list of verified claims prepared by the Director of Finance dated August 19, 1996 was approved and checks authorized to be distributed. 14. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9.30 p.m. EvA i ay 7 Gail Dorfman Cc"-- t • ,%10 R ording Secretary 111 r 146