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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002/05/05 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular CITY OF OFFICIAL MINUTES ST. LOUIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING PARK ST. LOUIS PARK,MINNESOTA May 5, 2002 1. Call to Order Mayor Jacobs called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. The following Councilmembers were present at roll call: Jim Bnmeyer, Chris Nelson, Paul Omodt, Susan Sanger, Sue Santa, Sally Velick, and Mayor Jeff Jacobs. Also present were the City Manager(Mr. Meyer); City Attorney (Mr. Scott); Community Development Director(Mr. Harmening); Economic Development Coordinator(Mr. Hunt), Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin); Associate Planner (Ms. Grove); and Recording Secretary (Ms. Samson) 2. Presentations: None 3. Approval of Minutes 3a. City Council Minutes of April 21, 2003 The minutes were approved as presented. 3b. City Council Study Session minutes of April 7, 2003 From Councilmember Santa: Item 2, Paragraph 2, at the end of the last sentence, add: due to traffic concerns. 4. Approval of Agenda and Items on Consent Calendar NOTE The Consent Calendar lists those items of business which are considered to be routine and/or which need no discussion Consent items are acted upon by one motion If discussion is desired by either a Councilmember or a member of the audience, that item may be moved to an appropriate section of the regular agenda for discussion 4a Approve a continuation of Walser Ford's application to appeal the Board of Zoning Appeals decision to the May 19, 2003 City Council meeting 4b Adopt Resolution No. 03-048 approving Employee Programs: Retirement Incentive, Voluntary Leave without Pay and Request for Reduction of Work Hours 4c Appoint Three Councilmembers to Serve on Housing Summit Steenng Committee 4d Adopt Resolution No. 03-049 that accepts this report, establishes this Improvement Project, directs staff to sponsor an informational meeting with abutting property owners, and sets a Public Hearing and Assessment Hearing date of June 2, 2003 4e Accept Planning Commission Minutes of April 2, 2003 4f Accept Board of Zoning Appeals Minutes of February 27, 2003 Council Meeting Minutes -2- May 5, 2003 4g Accept Charter Commission Minutes of January 8, 2003 4h Accept Vendor Claims for filing (Supplement) It was moved by Councilmember Omodt, seconded by Councilmember Velick, to approve the Agenda and items listed on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed 7-0. 5. Boards and Commissions: None 6. Public Hearings: None 7. Requests, Petitions, and Communications from the Public: None 8. Resolutions, Ordinances, Motions 8a. Request by BJ Wilmot, LLC for preliminary and final plat approval with a Variance to the subdivision ordinance to exclude the sidewalks requirement for construction of a single family home at 2223 & 2229 France Ave S. Case Nos. 03-12-S and 03-13-VAR Resolution No. 03-046 Associate Planner Julie Grove presented a Staff report on B.J. Wilmot's, LLC. request. The Applicant, Austin Cargill, is working with the City Attorney to develop and obtain an encroachment agreement. Mr. Cargill is requesting a variance to exclude installing sidewalk along the nght of way on the east side of France Avenue. Ms. Grove said on Apnl 23, 2003, the Planning Commission, on a vote of 5-0, recommended approval for the plat and the sidewalk variance with the following condition: The sidewalk could be constructed at a later date and the cost would be assessed to the property owner. It was moved by Councilmember Sanger, seconded by Councilmember Nelson, to adopt Resolution No. 03-046 approving the preliminary and final plat and variance for BJ Wilmot, LLC and waiving the title insurance and development agreement requirements, subject to the conditions and findings in the proposed resolution. The motion passed 7-0. Councilmember Sanger said it would make the most sense to install sidewalk on the west side of France Avenue. 8b. Authorization to close Brunswick Avenue South at W. 39th Street (Canadian Pacific Railroad) Resolution No. 03-047 Director of Public Works Mike Rardin presented a report regarding the consideration to eliminate the street crossing over two tracks, i.e., to close Brunswick Avenue South at West 39th Street. Mr. Rardin provided background information on additional rail tracks and crossings. At a later date, Mr. Rardin will return to Council with the stop sign issue. He said work is expected to begin in June of 2003 on the Alabama and Brookside crossings, and it may be possible to begin work on the Louisiana crossing at the same time Council Meeting Minutes -3- May 5, 2003 Councilmember Nelson would like to see improvements made to the 42nd Street and 41st Street crossings as soon as possible. Councilmember Nelson asked City Manager Charlie Meyer to explain what it means to be a whistle-free city and why fewer grade crossings would help to accomplish that goal. Mr. Meyer said the concept of a whistle-free community means that when railroads enter a city, they know that every railroad crossing has been upgraded to a level, as provided by the Federal Rail Authority, to require crossings that make it impossible for vehicles to get around gates, such as scissor gates. The rail companies have assurance that vehicles cannot be on the tracks as the trains pass. When the railroad companies know an entire community is set with such crossings, the trains can pass through all crossings within that community without blowing their whistles, hence, a whistle-free community. Councilmember Sanger asked if a community can be whistle-free and still have pedestrian crossings at railroad crossings. Mr. Meyer said the rail companies are governed by the Federal Rail Authonty, and it is his understanding that the Federal Rail Authority does not require, or think it possible, to completely close off railroad crossings to pedestrians, the premise may be that pedestrians should be able to hear or see approaching trains. It was moved by Councilmember Nelson, seconded by Councilmember Santa, to adopt Resolution No. 03-047 authorizing the closure of Brunswick Avenue South at W. 39th Street(Canadian Pacific Railroad) conditioned on certain CPRR concessions. The motion passed 7-0. 9. Communications From Mayor Jacobs: Mayor Jacobs noted the recent open houses at Excelsior and Grand. Mayor Jacobs announced the upcoming Children First Ice Cream Social on May 18th, from 1:00 to 4:00, at the Rec Center. From Councilmember Nelson: Councilmember Nelson said the condominiums at Excelsior and Grand are selling well Councilmember Nelson announced that he has submitted his resignation from the City Council effective June 2, 2003. He said-the City is soliciting applications to fill the Ward 2 Council vacancy. Interested individuals can get information from the City's website or by calling the City Clerk's office. From Councilmember Omodt: On Tuesday, April 29th, the lights at Sloppy Field were turned on. Councilmember Omodt thanked all those who contributed to make this possible, and he thanked Jim Rhodes of Xcel Energy for getting electricity to Sloppy Field in time for the April 29th game. i Council Meeting Minutes -4- May 5, 2003 10. Adjournment Mayor Jacobs adjourned the meeting at 7:56 p.m. Minutes approved: May 19, 2003 C Clerk Mayor