HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/07/14 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session CITY OF City Council Study Session
STRK. LOUIS July 14, 1997
PA
7:00 p.m.
The meeting convened at 7:00 p.m.
Present at the meeting were Councilmembers Beverly Flanagan, Ron Latz, Jim Brimeyer, Robert
Young, Jeff Jacobs, Sue Sanger, and Mayor Gail Dorfman.
Staff present: City Manager(Mr. Meyer); Deputy City Manager(Ms. Kutzler); Director of Community
Development (Mr. Harmening); Planning Coordinator(Ms. Erickson); Economic Development
Coordinator(Mr. Anderson); Administrative Analyst(Paula Graff); City Clerk(Cindy Larsen)
1. Purchasing Policy Item Ban -Deferred to next meeting
2. Legislative update
City Council met with House Representatives Jim Rhodes of District 44B and Betty Folliard of Dist 44A
and Steve Kelley, State Senator Dist 44. Gail Dorfman began by thanking our legislators for their hard
work and diligent efforts to represent St. Louis Park during the last legislative session. Gene Ranieri,
the City's lobbyist, was not able to attend the meeting.
The three legislators recapped progress made on several issues which directly affect St. Louis Park,
namely: property taxes,tax abatements, "This Old Apartment"legislation, state mandates, transit
system funding, brownfield clean-up and levy limits.
Betty Folliard reported that property, homestead, commercial and industrial taxes are going down all
over the state.
Jim Rhodes commented on the high quality of his interactions with St. Louis Park City staff who he
found to be very responsive and accessible.
Sue Sanger asked if there was any legislation passed which would require the City to change how it
operates. Steve Kelley responded that no major changes have been instituted. He did indicate that St.
Louis Park would soon be feeling the State's drive for standards and results, and that the wave of the
future will require greater City and County accountability. He also said that long term changes to the
property tax system and transit issues would be significant topics during next year's session.
Jim Rhodes suggested that the City Council and legislators meet again in the fall to prepare for next
year's session.
3. Commercial/Recreational Vehicle Ordinance
Tom Harmening and Judie Erickson addressed the Council and shared a slide presentation which was
used to educate Task Force members during their earlier study.
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Task Force members Michael Garelich, Roger Duffner and Kathy Benshoof addressed the Council with
concerns about the Task Force findings. Mr. Garelich reported that he receives negative comments from
clients about St. Louis Park's appearance to prospective real estate buyers. He expressed a strong
opinion that St. Louis Park should be residential and not a mixed use suburb. Robert Duffner also
expressed concern about commercial vehicles in St. Louis Park neighborhoods. Kathy Benshoof was
concerned about the decline of neighborhood integrity. She indicated that the term"compatible with the
community" used in the Task Force report does not reflect current wishes of many of the Task Force
members. She thought a"re-vote"would be in order.
After quickly viewing the slides presented, Council indicated their wish to go by size rather than by type
of vehicle. Robert Young and Beverly Flanagan also wished to have fish houses prohibited as part of
this ordinance. Bobby Young also encouraged staff to take a more proactive enforcement of existing
ordinances. Jeff Jacobs stated that he felt the City should look at the ends to be achieved through this
ordinance. He urged staff to include options in the ordinance for screening vehicles rather than
prohibiting them.
Mayor Dorfman directed staff to bring an ordinance forward for Council review. Jim Brimeyer asked
them to consider a permit process similar to that exempting certain vehicles from the restrictions. Sue
Sanger indicated that she would also like to see the number of vehicles on private residential property
restricted.
4. Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan
Council was addressed by Human Rights Commission members Terry Reitan, Laurel Higgins, Judith
Moore and Curt Peterson who presented the Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan. The Plan
proposes to support human rights in the following ways: 1)refer, assist and report incidents of
discrimination or harassment in St. Louis Park; 2) affirm, celebrate, and educate all St. Louis Park
citizens on the rich diversity within St. Louis Park; and 3) support St. Louis Park schools' human
rights/diversity programs for our youth and our educators.
Charlie Meyer indicated that City staff endorses the plan and feels comfortable with supporting the
initiatives. Sue Sanger asked how businesses will be included. Curt Peterson said that education would
be offered with the assistance of a public relations firm.
All Council members present praised the plan and were very pleased with the work the commission had
done.
5. Preliminary TIF application France Avenue/Excelsior Blvd
City Council reviewed a preliminary development proposal submitted by the Lander Group for a mixed-
use development at the northwest corner of Excelsior Blvd and France Ave.
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Following a review of the proposal Council questioned several aspects of the plan. Their discussion
included the creation of rental units rather than condominiums, the height of the building,neighborhood
opposition to encroachment on private property which is perceived by many to be part of the park and
the proposed cost of retail space in the complex.
Ron Latz asked why they felt City assistance was needed to go forward with this development. Mr.
Lander indicated that the group is willing to put a flexible plan into action. If construction costs are less
or income more than projected, they are willing to adjust the agreement so that the project does not
become a windfall for the pnvate sector.
Sue Sanger questioned whether this project would be viewed as an abuse of TIF funds. Mr. Lander
responded that if this same project was built in a greenfield, the City would also be providing a similar
amount in the form of roads, sewer lines, etc. He expressed the opinion that their request for TIF
funding is just a different kind of city subsidy.
Tom Harmening pointed out that this development would be a learning experience for future Town
Center development.
Jim Brimeyer asked why the entire project was not proposed as a high rise apartment building. Council
and representatives of the Lander group discussed vistas from the upper floors, amenities and possible
impacts on the neighborhood. Jeff Jacobs expressed misgivings about the design of residential housing
over retail establishments.
Dave Anderson indicated that this project is consistent with Strategic Plan objectives. Tom Hannening
said that a Preliminary Development Agreement is a good tool as projects take shape. He said that he
would work with the group to set up a staged or sequential process to bring back to Council at a future
date. An agreement of this type protects the City and gives the developer assurances that the City is
willing to work toward completion of a project. Developers want businesses to be safe and not to incur a
loss as a result of project development without City support.
Bobby Young indicated that though he liked the proposal he was not comfortable with the City purchase
of the land. Gail Dorfman asked staff to develop the preliminary plan and to look for the best mix of
TIF and other development funds.
6. Neighborhood Revitalization Commission-Amherst Grant Proposal
Judie Erickson gave a brief synopsis of the history of this issue and shared with Council the findings of
the NRC concerning the request for funding from the Amherst Neighborhood. Tony Brown of the
Amherst Neighborhood Association was also present to answer Council questions. He indicated that
there were currently no public amenities in the neighborhood. Ron Latz expressed his opinion that this
was truly a neighborhood group and only a technicality stops them from meeting the grant criteria.
Bobby Young expressed concern that by granting this request Council would be setting a precedent and
more townhome and condominium associations would request to form their own independent
neighborhoods. He felt this would isolate these kinds of housing units from others in the larger
community and defeat the purpose of the grant program. He indicated that he would be willing to
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support the Amherst proposal if the NRC would agree to tighten their policy to prevent small
neighborhoods from "seceding"from larger and established neighborhood groups.
Staff agreed and will be bringing this forward to the next regular City Council meeting for approval.
7. Lease Agreement City/Lutheran Church of Reformation
City Council and staff reviewed the draft of a lease agreement between the City and the Lutheran Church
of the Reformation. Councilmembers agreed that they were satisfied with the lease agreement and it
will be presented for formal adoption at the next regular City Council meeting.
8. Refuse Services
Council considered options regarding waste receptacles and further discussed details of service
alternatives. Joanne Kutzler and Paula Graff presented options to Council and representatives of the
three finalist refuse companies being considered for the contract were present to answer Council
questions.
Council considered the use of carts as an alternative to the current collection method. After viewing the
carts Council directed staff to continue to ask residents to provide their own garbage receptacles:
Biodegradable bags for yard waste were shown to Council and different types of bags and alternatives
for distribution were presented. Following discussion Council directed staff to include as part of the
collection system a pilot program to commence in the spring of 1998 for City-wide use of biodegradable
yard waste bags.
Council also considered options for recyclables and the standing of St. Louis Park's recycling program
in Hennepin County.
Council directed staff to share results of the proposals with all finalists and request the finalists to revise
their proposals based on the City's refined service requirements and what other proposers offered.
Meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.
Gail Dorfman, Mayor p
Re ording Secretary
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