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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/01/06 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular CITY OF MINUTES ST. LOUIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING PARK ST. LOUIS PARK,MINNESOTA January 6, 1997 1. Call to order Mayor Dorfman called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. 2. Presentations Cindy Larsen, City Clerk, swore in Beverly Flanagan to the Ward 2 City Council seat. Councilmember Flanagan thanked the voters, her family and friends. 3. Roll call Present were Councilmembers Jeff Jacobs, Beverly Flanagan, Sue Sanger, Ron Latz, Robert Young, Jim Brimeyer and Mayor Gail Dorfman. Also present were the City Manager(Mr. Meyer); City Attorney(Mr. Fuchs); Deputy City II Manager (Ms. Kutzler); Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin); Director of Community Development(Mr. Harmening); Economic Development Coordinator(Mr. Anderson); Personnel Officer (Mr. Wysopal); City Clerk(Ms. Larsen).. 4. Approval of minutes December 16. 1996 Council meeting- Mayor Dorfman believed the City Attorney Mr. Fuchs was present at that meeting. There being no further corrections/amendments, the minutes were approved as presented. 5. Approval of agenda for January 6. 1997 It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Young, to approve the consent agenda. The motion passed 7-0. Mr. Meyer said items 11c and l ld were requested to be removed and brought back at an upcoming Council meeting. It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Sanger,to approve the agenda with the deletion of items 11c and 11d. The motion passed 7-0. PUBLIC HEARINGS -None 1 PETITIONS,REQUESTS,COMMUNICATIONS -None 111 RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES 8a. Traffic Study No. 514: Traffic controls on W. 33rd St. at Hampshire Ave, Resolution 97-1 Sarah Bielde said she was thrilled the stop sign installation has been approved to try to improve safety at a very busy intersection by the high school. Everyone approached signed the petition. It was moved by Councilmember Latz, seconded by Councilmember Sanger, to adopt Resolution 97-1 entitled"Resolution authorizing installation of stop signs on W. 33rd St. at Hampshire Ave." The motion passed 7-0. 8b. First reading of ordinance establishing flex leave program for supervisory employees Mr. Wysopal gave a brief overview of the flex leave program. He said staff is moving along with efforts to extend this program to non-union, non-supervisory employees as well. Councilmembers Brimeyer and Sanger expressed their opinions that this program should be extended to non-union,non-supervisory employees as expeditiously as possible. It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Brimeyer, to waive first reading and set second reading for January 21, 1997. The motion passed 7-0. 8c. Designation of Sun Sailor as Official City Newspaper for 1997 Resolution 97-2 Mayor Dorfman asked about the distribution of the newspaper throughout the City. She was aware a number of apartment buildings do not receive it. She asked that staff check with the Sun Sailor as to their policy re City-wide distribution. Mr. Meyer said it was staff's understanding that when the paper is delivered to apartments,they are left in a bundle at the mail boxes for residents to help themselves. He suggested an article in the "Park Perspective" advising residents to contact the Sun Sailor if they wish to receive it on a weekly basis. Councilmember Young said delivery was very spotty in his neighborhood,perhaps a matter of not enough people to deliver the papers. He would like Council's concerns passed along to the newspaper. 2 It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Brimeyer, to adopt Resolution 97-2 entitled"A resolution designating official St. Louis Park newspaper for calendar year 1997." The motion passed 7-0. 8d. Minor amendment to Park Place Plaza Final PUD Resolution 97-3 Mr. Harmening explained that Bruegger's Bagels wishes to change the door configuration on the east facade facing Park Place Blvd. to add one door and relocate a door. This request has received staff's approval. It was moved by Councilmember Sanger, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, to adopt Resolution 97-3 entitled"A resolution rescinding Resolution 96-89 approved on June 3, 1996 and approving a Final Planned Unit Development under Section 14:6-7 of the St. Louis Park Ordinance Code relating to zoning for property zoned C-2, General Commercial District, located at 5600, 5640, 5680, 5700, 5800 and 5900 Cedar Lake Rd; and 1620, 1650, 1690 and 1700 Park Place Blvd; and 5601, 5699 and 5799 W., 16th St. and 1625 Zarthan Ave. (total site formerly known as 1625 Zarthan Ave. The motion passed 7-0. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS,BOARDS, COMMISSIONS 9a. Minutes: Planning Commission Dec. 4 By consent, minutes received for filing. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. ' NEW BUSINESS' I la. Request for lawful gambling license exemption: Pheasants Forever It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Sanger,to approve the license exemption and waive the 30-day waiting period. The motion passed 7-0. 11 b. Request for lawful gambling license exemption: Leukemia Society of America It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Flanagan,to approve and waive the 30-day waiting period. 3 The motion passed 7-0. 11c. Removed from agenda 11d. Removed from agenda 11 e. Scope of work: Wolfe Park Master Plan Mayor Dorfman explained the proposed Master Plan is the result of community-wide input received plus the results of the design charrette which residents, businesses and all interested parties were invited to attend. This plan is driven by community interests. Councilmember Brimeyer felt there should be two components to the proposed Task Force: There should be some continuity from people who were on the Excelsior Blvd. Task Force, but it should not be called that; secondly there are additions that need to be made that go beyond just Excelsior Blvd. He felt the Task Force should be advised regarding time-frame, what the type of output might be, that it is not a majority rule concept. Councilmember Sanger asked about the proposed new road constructed through the Town Center project and if that part of the charge would be addressed by the Task Force. Bob Close from Close Landscape Architecture addressed Council to detail some of the aspects of the report including roadway proposals. Mr. Meyer believed there might be a little confusion particularly as it relates to some of the concepts that came forward as relates to an east-west road along the south side of the park immediately adjacent to Wolfe Lake Condominiums and the north-south road further to the west. The only way to approach the whole charrette concept is to piecemeal it as is being done with Bob Close this evening. At this juncture any further consideration of the north-south road to the west is not under discussion and at this time is not in Mr. Close's direct scope. Francis Schneider, president of Wolfe Lake Condominiums, said that up until 2-3 months ago, they had no knowledge of a proposed road going between the condos and the lake. He read a few excerpts from the letter the association had sent to its owners. Mr. Meyer gave an explanation to Mr. Schneider's question about soils on the site in that the expense to remove the existing soil was prohibitive and that environmental regulations allow the soils to remain on the site and be treated as cover on that site. Mr. Meyer said this situation was being closely monitored by the MPCA. Councilmember Flanagan said as Ward Councilmember she had received numerous calls and comments about the whole concept of the proposed Town Center. She felt the charrette process was basically a good one but now wanted to make a motion: 4 It was moved by Councilmember Flanagan, seconded by Councilmember Young (for purposes of discussion) that (a) the Town Center East/Wolfe Park concept(including total estimated TIF taxpayer costs) be placed on the November citywide ballot for community approval or denial; (b) that the contract before the Council be deferred and revised to include information the voters will need to make an informed decision in November, including cost estimates, marketability studies, soil/environmental studies, etc. (c) that the aquatic center be completed this year without any park changes related to the proposed Town Center; and(d)that no contracts be executed for at least five years with the firm or firms which conducted the 1996 Wolfe Park soil borings. Councilmember Jacobs could see some potential problems with putting the Town Center project on a ballot for November because this project is quite far along at this point. He thought there may be some problems with financing in regard to the sale of bonds for the Rec Center Renaissance. He believed this needed to be looked at in much greater detail. Councilmember Latz cautioned about talking at this point of how much TIF money might be involved as it is an unknown quantity at this point. He was not prepared to vote on the referendum issue this evening. Councilmember Sanger concurred with the comments of Councilmembers Jacobs and Latz. She said she has not heard any complaints such as Councilmember Flanagan said she had. She has received comments about the proposal re: one or more roads and she shared those concerns. She did not believe concern over a roadway or two roadways should overshadow the planning that has gone on and could continue to go on about the proposal as a whole. Mr. Meyer also was concerned about the cost figure as estimated by Councilmember Flanagan coming from TIF. There would never have been a project proposed at this level of expenditure. It is hoped there will be a considerable amount of money from private investment that would occur with the Town Center redevelopment, but it is not possible that could be hundreds of millions of dollars of public investment because that amount of money cannot be generated in tax increment in that area. Councilmember Flanagan retracted her cost estimate. Councilmember Young said he had seconded the motion for purposes of discussion. He, too, had a concern about having a referendum for this issue or for very many issues. He felt issues on referendum should be relatively simple, for example, whether or not to build a new police station. Specificity of the issue was the key --one side, one location, one cost. In a complex issue such as the Town Center project, he felt the limits of a referendum would be tested. He could not support a referendum on such a broad,complex issue. At any rate, much more discussion is needed. The motion failed 1-6 (Councilmember Flanagan in favor; Councilmembers Jacobs, Sanger, Latz, Young, Brimeyer and Mayor Dorfman opposed). It was moved by Councilmember Latz, seconded by Councilmember Brimeyer to approve the Scope of Work relating only to the Phase I/Master Plan for Town Center East and authorize the Mayor and City Manager to execute a contract with Close Landscape Architecture. 5 Councilmember Brimeyer predicated his second on the condition that the Task Force be called the Town Center Task Force and will include continuity (persons from the previous Task Force) as well as new members who are directly affected by this proposal. The motion passed 6-1 (Councilmember Flanagan opposed). MISCELLANEOUS No business. CLAIMS,APPROPRIATIONS, CONTRACT PAYMENTS 13a. Vendor claims By consent, the vendor claims were approved and checks authorized to be distributed in the specified amounts. 13b. Contract payments - Partial Hardrives, Inc Street& Signal System improvements $227,923.43 Project Nos. 96-19 & 90-54 Ron Kassa Construction Random Concrete Replacement $1,980.00 Project No. 96-03 Brent Anderson Assoc Rec Center Renaissance $153,282.50 Project No. C7 Anderson Iron Works Rec Center Renaissance $4,903.90 Project No. C6.1 George Cook Construction Rec Center Renaissance $8,131.29 Project No. C7 Gorham-Oien Mech Rec Center Renaissance $56,750.15 Project No. C27 & C29 Gorham-Oien Mech Rec Center Renaissance $35,910.00 Project No. 4110 LeJeune Steel Rec Center Renaissance $252,517.60 Project No. A3 Maertens-Brenny Const Rec Center Renaissance $222,936.83 Project No. C4 & C5 Maertens-Brenny Const Rec Center Renaissance $132,075.26 Project No. 4094 Midwest Asphalt Rec Center Renaissance $70,742.44 Project No. C2 Nova-Frost, Inc Rec Center Renaissance $60,610.00 Project No. Cl 1 6 } Nova-Frost, Inc Rec Center Renaissance $158,716.50 Project No. 4098 Ridgedale Electric Rec Center Renaissance $27,075.00 Project No. C30 Ridgedale Electric Rec Center Renaissance $47,500.00 Project No. 4096 Spancrete Midwest Rec Center Renaissance $286,798.24 Project No. Al & A2 Wanzek Construction Rec Center Renaissance $202,293.00 Project No. C31,32,33 Wanzek Constriction Rec Center Renaissance $215,840.00 Project no. 4114 By consent, contract payments approved and payment authorized. 14. Boards and commissions No appointments to be announced. Mayor Dorfman said Council will be interviewing candidates in the near future and plan to fill the current vacancies. 15. Communications--No communications from the Mayor or City Manager 16. Adjournment It was moved by Councilmember Jacobs, seconded by Councilmember Sanger, to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m. The motion passed 7-0. / Otj ,� CO Mayor Dorfman R cording Secretary 7