HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012/07/09 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session ' St. Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES
MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
JULY 9,2012
The meeting convened at 6:30 p.m.
Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, Steve Hallfin, Anne Mavity, Julia Ross (arrived at
6:35 p.m.), Susan Sanger, Sue Santa, and Jake Spano (arrived at 6:35 p.m.).
Councilmembers absent: None.
Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Plammng/Zoning Supervisor (Ms. McMonigal),
Planner (Mr. Fulton), City Engineer (Mr. Brink), Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin), and
Recording Secretary(Ms. Hughes).
Guests: Jeff Miller (HKG1), Carl Robertson (Planning Commissioner), Bob Cunningham
(Developer), and April Crockett(Mn/DOT).
1. Future Study Session Agenda Planning—July 16 and July 23, 2012
Mr. Harmening presented the proposed special study session agenda for July 16, 2012, and the
proposed study session agenda for July 23, 2012.
2. Beltline LRT Station Area Draft Design Guidelines
Ms. McMonigal presented the staff report and stated the City received a grant from Met Council
to prepare Design Guidelines for the Beltline LRT station area. She indicated the City held an
open house in November 2011 and formed an Advisory Committee to work with City staff and
Mr. Miller on the Design Guidelines. She presented the draft Design Guidelines and recited the
vision for the Beltline area. She then introduced Mr. Carl Robertson and Mr. Bob Cunningham
who serve on the Advisory Committee.
Mr. Cunningham commended the City for having the foresight to obtain the Met Council grant
and prepare Design Guidelines for the Beltline area. He stated the Design Guidelines will put
the City in the forefront and will give the City time to implement its vision for this area.
Ms. McMonigal stated the Design Guidelines focus on preserving and enhancing the Beltline
area with development along the west side of Beltline from 366 Street south to the light rail line.
She stated the Advisory Committee had a lot of discussion about park, street, and sidewalk and
trail connections because these are integral to how any site will be developed and to ensure
appropnate sidewalks, connections, and plazas are located near all of the station areas. She
stated the City has been working with SRF on circulation and access issues and the Advisory
Committee will be reconvened in the fall to further work on these issues. She noted that Council
will discuss circulation and access plans at a study session in August.
Councilmember Ross requested that the City make sure the Design Guidelines meet all ADA
standards as it relates to accessibility.
Mr. Robertson stated that any development has to incorporate the latest technology and there was
a lot of discussion at the Advisory Commission meetings about the trail that crosses Beltline.
Study Session Minutes -2- July 9, 2012
Councilmember Sanger encouraged Council to read the entire set of Design Guidelines. She
requested further information regarding the goal to make this area more pedestrian friendly and
felt the development of eight or ten story buildings in the area might conflict with this goal.
Mr. Robertson stated that mixed uses in this area, including taller buildings, will include
restaurants or retail at street level and the buildings would probably terrace back from the street.
Councilmember Sanger asked if there was any discussion regarding how the Design Guidelines
will be impacted depending on what happens with freight rail.
Ms. McMonigal advised that freight rail will be addressed during the work on circulation and
access issues and will address grade separation at that time also.
Mr. Miller referenced diagram 2.3 which shows building heights of three to five stones along the
south side of the rail line across from Bass Lake Preserve while the business section has building
heights up to eight stories. He added that the pedestrian focus will be on the south side toward
Wolfe Park and Excelsior and Grand.
Councilmember Santa stated the City will have three stations and this provides an opportunity
for the City to brand these three stations. She added there should be discussion regarding the
City's brand and what face the City wants to show the public in terms of selling the community
to businesses, new and current residents, and visitors.
Councilmember Sanger asked if the same process will be used for the other two stations.
Ms. McMonigal explained the City received a grant for the Louisiana Avenue station and that
process will be started this fall. She added that Hennepin County Community Works has
$800,000 to spend on all the stations and that process is underway now.
Councilmember Mavity applauded the City's efforts in securing the Met Council grant and felt
the City's work on the Beltline station will serve as a prototype for the rest of the SWLRT
stations. She expressed concern regarding ongoing north-south circulation issues and the
Highway 100 reconstruction project, stating that at one point Council talked about a road
between Beltline and Highway 100 on the other side of Nordic Ware which is not shown on any
of the diagrams.
Ms. McMonigal stated that SRF has been working on this and further information including
options for addressing circulation issues will be presented to Council in the next month.
It was the consensus of the City Council to accept the Beltline Station Area Design Guidelines as
developed through the Advisory Committee.
3. Outdoor Lighting Ordinance
Ms. McMonigal presented the staff report and proposed Outdoor Lighting ordinance. She
advised that it appears impossible to meet the requirement that a light source or its reflected
image not be seen off-site particularly as it relates to outdoor recreational lights. She stated the
proposed ordinance contains new requirements for measuring light which results in a different
standard that is clearer and which can be measured consistently.
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Study Session Minutes -3- July 9, 2012
Mr. Miller stated the new ordinance contains a higher standard noting that the current ordinance
allows 0.5 footcandles at the property line for all outdoor lighting. He indicated their research
found it was very atypical to have recreational lighting held to the same standards as other
lighting.
Mr. Fulton demonstrated how light is measured under the current ordinance and how it will be
measured under the new ordinance, noting that the lighting consultant informed the City it
should be measuring the maximum plane of light which will be different for a car lot versus
recreational lighting and this measurement will yield a higher number.
Councilmember Spano stated he would like to see requirements for using natural landscaping or
plantings to help shield neighboring properties. He asked if there was any discussion about using
landscaping around recreational facilities that abut residential properties to prevent fixtures from
being viewed from the property line.
Ms. McMonigal agreed to research this further. She added that the City reviews lighting and
landscaping plans as part of its review of site plans and the issue of shielding neighboring
properties from light glare could be addressed at that time.
Mr. Miller noted that the ordinance contains a new requirement to submit a visual impact plan
when applications for outdoor lighting are submitted to the City.
Councilmember Sanger suggested that the third sentence of paragraph (d)(6) be revised to state
"where technically feasible, a low level lighting system shall be installed to be used for patrons
leaving the facility, cleanup, nighttime maintenance and other closing activities." She also
suggested that the ordinance include some time limits or specify the maximum number of hours
or days of the week for hours of operation. She also asked if the new ordinance will apply to
current recreational fields or only to future lighting.
Ms. McMonigal stated the ordinance will apply to future outdoor lighting. She indicated the
section regarding hours of operation can be changed by the City Council and noted that limiting
the maximum number of hours or days of the week would be difficult to enforce.
Councilmember Mavity stated she appreciated the concerns raised by Councilmember Sanger
but was concerned about the City mandating the maximum number of hours or days of the week
and mandating that a low level lighting system be installed at every location.
Councilmember Spano suggested that landscaping be noted as an option for screening lighting
from neighbors.
It was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to hold a public hearing on the outdoor
lighting ordinance at the July 18, 2012, Planning Commission meeting.
4. Project Update—Highway 100 Reconstruction Project
Mr. Brink presented the staff report and proposed final layout of the project. He indicated that
Mn/DOT has revised the layout by adding a high occupancy vehicle lane to the on-ramp onto
Highway 100 northbound from Minnetonka Boulevard. He presented Council with a copy of the
sign-in sheets from the public meetings which include resident comments.
Study Session Minutes -4- July 9, 2012
Ms. Crockett advised that the noise wall along the northbound on-ramp from Minnetonka
Boulevard to Highway 100 has been moved closer to the ramp similar to the earlier concept.
Mayor Jacobs asked if residents on Toledo Avenue will receive a formal letter from Mn/DOT
confirming that their homes will not be taken as part of the reconstruction project.
Ms. Crockett explained that Mn/DOT has to request Municipal Consent in order to pursue right-
of-way acquisition and as the project moves forward, Mn/DOT will identify right-of-way
takings. She stated the properties on Toledo Avenue will not be identified in the Municipal
Consent process and she asked if this would be sufficient.
Councilmember Sanger stated the property owners on Toledo Avenue need something in plain
English that states Mn/DOT will not be taking their house, contingent on the City granting
Municipal Consent.
Ms. Crockett advised that Mn/DOT will be sending a formal notice in July requesting Municipal
Consent and the City has 15 days to set a public hearing which must be held within 30 days of
Mn/DOT's formal notice. She stated once the public hearing is held, Mn/DOT must be informed
within 90 days of the City's decision regarding Municipal Consent.
Mr. Harmening agreed to work with Ms. Crockett regarding a letter from Mn/DOT to the
property owners on Toledo Avenue.
Mr. Rardin stated that the City has made it clear to Mn/DOT that both bndges should not be shut
down at the same time and staff will continue to work closely with Mn/DOT on the bridge
closures.
It was the consensus of the City Council to pursue public art in this project.
5. Communications/Meeting Check-In (Verbal)
Councilmember Mavity advised that the City will host a meeting on July 17th to present the
storm water management annual reports and the meeting will include a discussion of many of the
items Council has been discussing related to storm water management.
Mr. Harmening agreed to have the July 17t meeting recorded for webcast.
Councilmember Ross asked if the purchase price for the Eliot School site was contingent upon
the developer getting the plans approved.
Mr. Harmening advised that any purchase agreement that a developer enters into requires City
approval and stated the purchase agreement likely contains a provision that if the City turns
down the proposed development, the developer is not obligated to purchase the site.
Councilmember Ross referenced a recent news story about several adult playgrounds being built
in New York that provide a place for adults to exercise. She felt this might be worth pursuing by
the City.
Mr. Harmening agreed that Council could discuss this further in the context of the capital
improvement plan.
Study Session Minutes -5- July 9, 2012
Mr. Harmening discussed the City's delegation agreement with the State of Minnesota related to
the environmental health program which has been run by the City on behalf of the State for a
number of years. He indicated the State has raised its expectations of how the program is run as
well as the required expertise and training of the people running the program. He stated staff
feels it would make sense for the City to stop running this program on behalf of the State and to
spend more time enforcing its own local codes and ordinances. He noted that Hennepin County
has indicated its willingness to take over running the program.
Councilmember Sanger asked if the County has adequate staff to take on more communities and
whether the County will provide this service to the City at no cost. She also asked if this will
impact any City staff.
Councilmember Ross stated she would also like to know how future budgets will be impacted.
Mr. Harmening advised the County has indicated it would like to know as soon as possible if the
City will be ending its delegation agreement with the State in order to make sure staffing is
adequate. He confirmed that the County will provide this service to the City at no cost. He
stated that if the City ends the delegation agreement, it would result in the layoff of one person.
Councilmember Ross indicated she would like more background information including a
description of County staffing and some assurance that the work will get done on the City's
behalf.
Mr. Harmening agreed to provide more information to Council as requested.
Councilmember Hallfin stated the issue regarding beekeeping will be coming back to Council in
the near future and encouraged Council to observe a beekeeping operation.
Councilmember Sanger requested information regarding the Outstanding Citizen Award program
and whether changes are proposed to the program.
Mr. Harmening advised that the task force was uncomfortable with selecting the award recipients
because the task force felt the criteria needed to be tightened up.
Mayor Jacobs suggested that the task force be asked to make suggestions on the criteria and
provide input to Council.
The meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.
Written Reports provided and documented for recording purposes only:
6. Eliot School Redevelopment Site
7. National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program
8. Oak Hill II Office Building Project Upda •
9. Outstanding Citizen Award
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NancyStro�ty Clerk Jeff J.co.!M. ,Ar