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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/09/08 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session Y Minutes 7SAOU°IFS City Council Study Session RK September 8, 1997 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, Sue Sanger, Jeff Jacobs and Mayor Gail Dorfman. Staff present: City Manager(Mr. Meyer); Deputy City Manager(Ms. Kutzler); Director of Community Development (Mr. Harmening); Public Works Director(Mr. Rardin); Community Outreach Officer(Ms. Dreier); Director of Community Development (Mr. Harmening); Planning Coordinator (Ms. Erickson); Housing Coordinator (Ms. Brownstein); Personnel Officer(Mr. Wysopal); and City Clerk (Cindy Larsen). Prior to beginning proceedings, Mayor Dorfman announced that item number 7 - Hutchinson Spur Development - would be held in executive session due to potential litigation the City has been made aware of. 1. Decision Resources Survey on Comprehensive Plan Tom Harmening and Judie Erickson presented to Council a list of questions which were prepared by Decision Resources for the purpose of conducting a"random telephone survey" as part of the public input effort for the Comprehensive Plan. They requested that Council provide comments and make recommendations concerning these questions. After reviewing the survey Council discussed the questions to be asked. Mayor Dorfman asked how we can determine residents' views on livable community concepts such as transit, housing, etc. Councilmember Sanger asked that we have questions regarding neighborhood affiliation. Councilmember Brimeyer asked that we have questions regarding residents' desires for amenities, that we also address their willingness to pay for those amenities. Staff indicated that these were the kinds of issues they had hoped Council would point out and offered to make modifications in the survey 2. CDBG Funding Tom Harmening and Joanna Brownstein presented three proposals that were submitted for CDBG funding relative to improving the social and physical environments of multifamily apartment communities. Staff asked Council to provide feedback as to which agency the city should continue to work with prior to the preparation of a final agreement. 1 Council reviewed each proposal and listened to staff recommendations. Staff recommended full funding of the Wayside Supportive Housing's application for$3000 for construction of a playground. Staff also recommended approval of the Meadowbrook Collaborative's request for $40,000 for construction of a community center and to support expanded youth programming. Perspectives, Inc. has requested $10,000 for a neighborhood coordinator and $32,903 for streetlights, sidewalk and entrance signs for the Louisiana Court Apartment complex which consists of 13 buildings and multiple owners. Council discussed the condition of the buildings and amenities and what improvements the landlords are willing to invest in. Staff indicated that they felt that if Council approved a portion of the request for funding and assess the balance to the owners that it could be valuable incentive to bring the owners to the table to begin discussions about improving conditions at the complex. Council agreed with staff and offered to fund the proposal at about 45% of the cost of the proposed physical improvements and to assess the owners for the remaining 55% of the costs. 3. Neighborhood Block Captains Advisory Council Members of the Block Captains Advisory Council (BCAC) and Lori Dreier, Community Outreach Officer, met with Council to provide an overview of the services they provide to the residents of St. Louis Park. They spoke to their role in the community as liaisons between neighborhood groups and the Police department and discussed the need for neighborhood groups to become more aware of the Block Captains as a resource for bringing the community together. The BCAC representatives also expressed their support in assisting in the selection process for the Chief of Police position. Mr. Meyer informed Council that the block captains were participating in the process and outlined next steps. 4. CIP Projects -France Avenue and Shelard Signal Mike Rardin, Public Works Director and Carlton Moore, Supt. of Engineering met with Council to provide information and solicit feedback regarding two proposed projects (France Avenue turnback and the Shelard Traffic Signal) to determine if staff should develop these projects or remove them from further consideration. Mr. Rardin referred to a project list reviewed by City Council a month earlier. Mayor Dorfman asked if the turnback of France Avenue from Hennepin County would actually benefit the City. Mr. Rardin responded that it would offer more control over the condition of the roadway if we were to maintain it using City resources. Ms. Sanger asked if we were to obtain control of the roadway, would it be beneficial to install traffic calming devices to ease traffic problems in the neighborhood. Mr. Rardin responded that public support for such devices is not strong and that the installation may cause more problems than it solves. 2 After discussion, members of Council indicated that though they supported the idea of having greater control over the roadwayand its maintenance and operation, the proposal would be too costly in terms of dollars spent. Regarding the Ford Road/Shelard Parkway Improvements, Council discussed the need for intersection reconstruction and traffic signal installation at this location as it relates to the impending approval by the City of Plymouth of a Holiday Superstation in the northeast corner. Council directed staff to proceed with project development. 5. Zoning Ordinance Amendment- Schools in Commercial/Office Zones Community Development staff met with Council to discuss policy issues and regulatory options relative to a proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment that would allow schools in the C-!, C-2 and 0 districts in response to a request by the Metropolitan Open School to relocate in a commercial district. , • Council considered factors such as available outdoor play space, loss of tax base, size of the schools to be permitted, possible safety issues for students in a commercial district. They considered other examples, such as downtown schools, day care centers, etc. Council also 111 considered the advantages of requiring the CUP process for each request rather than changing the Zoning Ordinance to allow the use. Councilmember Jacobs indicated that he felt the CUP process was clearly the best way to deal with this and other future similar requests. Staff agreed to bring this forward to Council in more concrete form at the next regular City Council meeting. 6. Compensation Plan Wally Wysopal, Personnel Officer, presented to Council the final draft of a proposed compensation plan for non-union employees. He stated that at the Study Session of April 14th, City Council had indicated support of the proposed compensation plan including the general principles and the mechanics of its operations. He indicated that though Council had at that meeting expressed interest in adding a performance pay component to the plan, that this plan intentionally omitted performance pay because it is considered a supplement to base pay. This plan only addresses base compensation. The performance component of the plan would be implemented at a future date along with a revised performance management system. Councilmember Sanger asked if bonuses would be an option for those employees at the top of their pay range. Councilmember Young also indicated support of a merit bonus plan. Councilmember Flanagan indicated concern that a 3% increase meant a great deal of money for a person earning $80,000 a year, while it was a relatively small sum to someone earning $15,000. She would like to see more equal pay increases. 3 Overall, Council indicated support of the plan and Mr. Wysopal indicated that this would be brought for first reading after a series of informational meetings were held with the employee group affected. 7. Executive Session to discuss potential litigation related to the Hutchinson Spur Development Councilmember Jacobs moved that Council move to closed session to discuss potential litigation related to the Hutchinson Spur development. Motion was seconded by Councilmember Brimeyer. Present at the meeting were Councilmembers Jeff Jacobs, Jim Brimeyer, Beverly Flanagan, Susan Sanger, Robert Young, Ron Latz and Mayor Gail Dorfman. Also present were City Manager (Charlie Meyer); Deputy City Manager (Ms. Kutzler); City Attorney (Mr. Scott); City Clerk(Ms. Larsen); and Director of Community Development(Mr. Harmening) Following discussion a motion to adjourn was made by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Sanger. The meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m. / r Gail r orfman, Mayor Recording Secretary 4