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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007/05/14 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session CITY OF ST. LOUIS OFFICIAL MINUTES PARK CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MAY 14, 2007 The meeting convened at 6:32 p.m. Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, John Basill, Phil Finkelstein, Paul Omodt, Susan Sanger and Loran Paprocki. Councilmembers absent: C. Paul Carver Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Public Works Director (Mr. Hunt), Planning & Zoning Supervisor (Ms. McMonigal), Public Works Director (Mr. Rardin), Public Works Coordinator (Mr. Merkley), Community Development Director (Mr. Locke), Finance Director (Mr. DeJong) and Recording Secretary(Ms. Schmidt). Guest: Jessica Vogel, Bob Fnddle, Ellerbe Becket; Brian Carey, Duane Spiegle, United Properties. 1. Future Study Session Agenda Planning Mr. Harmemng and Council discussed study session agenda planning. Councilmember Omodt suggested having a study session to discuss blanket emails they receive. 2. EDI Project Business Terms and TIF Application Mr. Locke presented the staff report. Mr. Locke stated staff is seeking direction if Council wishes to proceed with the proposed EDI project on the Bass Lake property. Bob Friddle and Jessica Vogel, Ellerbe Becket, presented the site plan for the proposed Eating Disorders Institute (EDI). Councilmember Basill asked the size of the structure on the City's Remainder Parcel. Mr. Friddle stated the building depicted is about 15,000 square feet. Mr. Locke stated it actually could be more like 20,000 to 25,000 square feet, allowing two levels. Councilmember Sanger asked about the number of story's the parking ramp could have. Mr. Locke stated you could add more on, it's a projection. Mr. Carey stated design wise they could go taller, which would add 100 stalls with ability to add additional parking if needed on the surface lot. Councilmember Basill asked about the size of southwest corner. Mr. Fnddle stated it was envisioned as parkland. Mr. Locke stated it's 1.3 acres in size. Mr. Carey stated they moved the location of the parking ramp to preserve trees along Belt Line Boulevard. Study Session Minutes -2- May 14, 2007 Mayor Jacobs asked how much parking was shown. Mr. Locke stated 70 stalls of surface and 130 stalls in the structured two-level parking facility. Mayor Jacobs asked if they could soften up the surface parking so it wouldn't look like a sea of asphalt. Mr. Carey stated they could do some landscaped islands to soften it up. Councilmember Finkelstein asked if the parking footprint was smaller than the earlier version. Mr. Locke stated actually this footprint is larger,but ramp footprint is smaller. Councilmember Sanger stated concern with the visual look of the parking ramp when looking off of Belt Line Boulevard. She suggested the building be rearranged so the parking would be less visible. Mr. Hunt stated the facility was built around the wetland. He stated the building is designed around views of nature for their patients, which is an important part of their healing. Mr. Locke stated staff researched the arrangement and it's similar to what they've presented before, stating they have another option, but didn't feel it presented as well. Councilmember Finkelstein asked if they could break up surface parking to achieve more green space, stating the earlier version seemed to be more equally dispersed. Mr. Locke asked if they should go into the parkland or not, stating that if they do they would have to follow the new ordinance guidelines. Councilmember Basill stated he liked the second option better. Councilmember Paprocki stated he liked the original view. Mr. Locke stated the Bass Lake property is officially designated for high density residential. He also stated selling it wouldn't trigger the park land sales ordinance, but selling the park open space would trigger the park land sales ordinance. Councilmember Paprocki stated he was opposed to the use of funds from land sales to develop commercial property. Mr. Locke stated they could. Councilmember Finkelstein stated he liked the original plan. Mayor Jacobs stated it's a workable design and would be open to either option. Mr. Hunt stated the Remainder Parcel could be used for private use as well as public use, allowing access to the trailhead parking. Councilmember Sanger would like to put another level on the parking ramp and have less surface parking. Mr. Harmening stated he understands that Council would like to stay off park zoned land and would have staff work with United Properties to come up more ideas to soften it up. Councilmember Omodt asked about the cost difference between option one and two. Mr. Hunt stated the difference in the parking structures was about $300,000. Mr. Carey, United Properties, stated both plans are fairly comparable, stating there would be a large amount of soil correction costs. Study Session Minutes -3- May 14, 2007 Councilmember Basill asked if they could add to the parking ramp at a later date. Mr. Hunt stated yes. Councilmember Basill asked about the civic use. Councilmember Paprocki stated the City could still use the land. Mr. Locke stated they should keep private uses off of the park and the desired preference would be to keep parking as compact as possible. Mr. Hunt presented the proposed Public Redevelopment Costs. Mr. Harmening stated the costs would include beefing up pilings to allow additional parking sufficient to accommodate that use, stating this would also allow the City to use the ramp on evenings and weekends without adding to the ramp. Mr. Hunt stated that the City would be agreeing to share the costs with the developer in terms of the roadway and boulevards, with landscaping and lighting in the middle. He stated the south side has some low hanging wires that they would like to bury at the same time. The cost also includes construction of the trail and the tennis court buy out, along with building the new tennis courts. The overall site prep costs would be about a million dollars that would ultimately go back into the City property. Mr. Hunt stated that approximately $2.1 million would come from the Soils Condition District. He suggested taking approximately $600,000 from the land sale proceeds for the remaining soil correction costs, stating staff is still tweaking numbers. Mr. Harmening stated that when the City sold land guided as park, the land sale proceeds have been saved until the City decides how it wishes to use those funds. He asked what the difference would be between these land sale proceeds and the ones already set aside. Mr. Locke stated it isn't officially parkland, stating the key use would be to help build something of greater value on the site. He stated they are really reinvesting the dollars back into the site for future investment. Councilmember Basill asked why they wouldn't lower the price of the property. Mr. Locke stated reduction in the sale price is an option, but they also have an opportunity to create a TIF Distnct to pay for soil correction costs. Mr. Harmening stated a lot of the costs that would be incurred by the City are not TIF eligible dollars. Mr. Hunt agreed. Councilmember Sanger stated concern with going into years of debt for United's benefit. Duane Spiegle, Park Nicollet, stated because of the subsidies, it makes it affordable for EDI to be on the site, stating it's important that it make economic sense for them to make the deal. Councilmember Sanger stated it has to make economic sense to the taxpayers as well. Mr. Harmening stated that the City could sell the property and get money for it without having to subsidize the cost of the project. He stated that from a development view, this property is not worth much. Councilmember Sanger suggested the City shouldn't be paying all the extra money to make it developable. Study Session Minutes -4- May 14, 2007 Councilmember Finkelstein stated there is a great need for the EDI project, stating he is troubled by the use of the land sale proceeds. He asked if it could be restructured without using the land sale proceeds and perhaps adjust the pnce to make it work. Councilmember Paprocki stated it would basically be recycling the money. Mr. Locke clanfied that the land is public land with no tax dollars coming in, stating the deal could be tweaked. Mr. Hunt stated the land sale proceeds they would get would be money the City doesn't have now and would only come from this site. He stated to sell the property for market value, it's going to take $2.7 million to cover the soil correction costs. Councilmember Omodt stated residents have asked for this type of project in the public surveys. Councilmember Finkelstein wanted to make sure the proceeds wouldn't be coming from other land sales. Mr. Locke stated they would not. Councilmember Finkelstein suggested cutting some expenses. Mr. Hunt stated it appears that some expenses are likely to be reduced. Councilmember Sanger stated she thought it would be a lot easier to sell to the public if they knew what would be happening with the civic portion. Mayor Jacobs asked if she would say no to this proposal. Councilmember Sanger stated she would say no at this point. Councilmember Finkelstein stated he would like to see the financing reworked. Mayor Jacobs stated 21 years would be a long TIF. Councilmember Paprocki stated it does accomplish a lot of the goals the residents have been asking for and it they would be providing a world class EDI Center. Mr. Harmening stated the next steps would be to refine the site plan and put together a development contract. 3. Highway 100 Update Mr. Rardin presented the staff report. Mayor Jacobs asked if public notification was required for a traffic study. Mr. Rardin stated the study was for gathering information and public notification was not required. Councilmember Omodt asked how long a traffic study would be good for. Mr Rardin stated there would be three phases to it and they need to get the current information and then develop a comprehensive plan. He stated there hasn't been a traffic study done on this location. Councilmember Sanger stated she felt this was the right thing to do. Mayor Jacobs suggested staff to go forward with the traffic study. Study Session Minutes -5- May 14, 2007 4. Solid Waste Program Mr. Rardin presented the staff report. Mayor Jacobs asked about having a disposal area for fluorescent bulbs. Mr. Rardin stated they are requesting if a store sells the bulb to also have a drop off site. Councilmember Sanger asked about a once a month curbside pickup. Mr. Rardin stated it would be cost versus convenience. Councilmember Paprocki stated a curbside pickup might require a hazardous waste transporter, but liked the thought of a bulb disposal return site. Councilmember Sanger asked if they'd have to do an ordinance. Mr. Rardin stated they are requesting it as voluntary. Councilmember Sanger asked if this was something Xcel could provide. Mr. Merkley stated it is regulated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency(MPCA). Councilmember Basill stated concern for pay-as-you-throw (PAYT). He likes the idea of waste collection at bus shelters if there is a need,but needs information to that affect. Councilmember Sanger suggested a smaller container. Mr. Rardin stated 30-gallon containers are the smallest available and every other week pickup could create rodent problems. Mayor Jacobs stated they would need to educate the residents. Councilmember Sanger asked about "get caught recycling" and if the City was involved with organic recycling. Mr. Rardin stated the school does organic recycling. Councilmember Sanger also suggested adding recycling bins in park. Mr. Rardin stated they're going out this summer. She also asked if the recycling containers could have lids. Mr. Rardin stated that the bulk of litter comes from improper use of what's provided not the fact that the containers don't have lids. Councilmember Paprocki was concerned with PAYT. Councilmember Sanger stated that higher trash fees for larger volume users would be an incentive to recycle more. Councilmember Omodt stated they should be careful of rewarding less volume but not efficiency. Councilmember Sanger suggested that PAYT fees are used. Mayor Jacobs stated he would like to see more public process opinions. Councilmember Finkelstein suggested more creative ideas and perhaps an option for canvas bags, encouraging the residents to recycle plastic bags. Councilmember Sanger stated that there have been complaints that the multi-family industrial areas are not recycling. She suggested mandating that they recycle or alternatively show a contract with someone who provides service compatible to what the City would provide. Mr. Rardin stated they are required to recycle and the City would need to provide more public education. Councilmember Omodt suggested using biodegradable doggy waste bags in the parks. Councilmember Basill suggested the option of storing the containers in the garage until collection day to eliminate litter. Study Session Minutes -6- May 14, 2007 Mr. Harmening asked if staff should put it out to bid, start a RFP, or if Council wished to listen to the proposal Waste Management would like to present. It was the consensus of Council to put it out for bid, stating Waste Management could submit their bid along with the other applicants. Mr. Harmening stated staff would need to start by fall if they want it put out for bids. 5. 2008 Budget Mr. DeJong presented the staff report regarding the 2008 budget planning which has now commenced and the long range financial planning that is now underway. Council discussed a number of issues relating to the budget including permit revenue, the expiration of the pre-79 TIF Districts and its impact on property taxes and other related matters. Mr. Harmening inquired if the Council wanted to see any change in the way the budget has been presented to the Council. No specific changes were requested. Councilmember Paprocki did ask if he would be able to look at specific budget line item worksheets. Mr. DeJong indicated that could be made available to him. Councilmember Omodt and Sanger provided ideas on budget scenarios that could be presented to the Council for their consideration. Councilmember Omodt inquired whether the Council should take a more active roll in managing the budget. Councilmember Basill remarked that when our budget and levy increased above the consumer price index, that the City would need to provide justification to the public Mr. Harmening indicated that the City probably needed to do a better job of communicating with the public on how the City is using their tax dollars. Councilmember Sanger stated more communication is good but that she is not hearing that the City is wasting money. Mayor Jacobs agreed. Mr. Harmening and Mr. DeJong thanked Council for their feedback. Councilmember Sanger asked about the sewer backup report, stating she would like some rewording on the insurance payout section. Mr DeJong stated homeowners do have the incentive for providing coverage, stating the provided coverage is only in the sewer mains, not in their private service line backups. Councilmember Basill asked if it would affect the long-term price of insurance. Councilmember Finkelstein would like the discussion brought back once the bid from the League comes back. Mr. Harmening stated they have it. Mr. DeJong explained the coverage. Councilmember Sanger asked if the insurance payout would be retro to January 1st. Mr. Harmening stated it would be. -' Study Session Minutes -7- May 14, 2007 Councilmember Sanger asked about the wording in the DUKE Preliminary Development Agreements, stating inconsistencies in what was actually said at a previous meeting. Councilmember Omodt had concern with an employee purchasing an excess land parcel. Mr. Harmenmg stated from a legal perspective it is not a problem, it was a blind bid, and the employee was not involved in the excess land sale process. Councilmember Omodt asked if STEP put in an offer for 7020 Walker. Mr. Harmening stated they have executed a letter of intent. The meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m. Written Reports provided and documented for recording purposes only: 6. Excess Land Sale/Louisiana Avenue (Housing Authority) 7. DUKE Preliminary Development Agreement 8. Excess Land Multi-Lot Parcels Request for development Proposal 9. Highway 7 & Wooddale Avenue IInterch a Project Update 10. Sanitary Sewer Backup Policy Update Nancy Stroth, ity Clerk Je J bs ayor