HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014/02/10 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session I/I St. Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES
MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
FEBRUARY 10, 2014
The meeting convened at 6:41 p.m.
Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, Tim Brausen, Steve Hallfin, Gregg Lindberg,
Anne Mavity, Susan Sanger, and Jake Spano.
Councilmembers absent: None.
Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Director of Community Development (Mr.
Locke), Director of Engineering (Ms. Heiser), Senior Planner (Mr. Walther), Associate Planner
(Mr. Kelley), Organizational Development Coordinator (Ms. Gothberg), Communications
Coordinator(Mr. Zwilling), and Recording Secretary(Ms. Hughes).
Guest: Leslie Oberholtzer(CodaMetrics).
1. Future Study Session Agenda Planning—February 18 and 24, 2014
Mr. Harmening presented the proposed special study session agenda for February 18th and the
proposed study session agenda for February 24`h.
2. Introduction to Form-Based Codes
Mr. Kelley presented the staff report and introduced Ms. Leslie Oberholtzer from CodaMetrics.
He advised the City received a grant from the Met Council to develop a form-based code in the
three light rail station areas in order to foster transit-oriented development and the City has
contracted with CodaMetrics to assist in this process.
Ms. Oberholtzer stated that the City's current Zoning Code is set up with zoning districts that use
dimensional standards such as setbacks as well as floor area ratios and dwelling units per acre to
define the intensity of different built forms; in addition, the current Code regulates permitted
uses, uses with conditions, and uses that require a Conditional Use Permit along with a series of
performance standards. She explained that all those elements are addressed in form-based codes
and stated that form-based codes foster predictable built results, foster a high quality public
realm, and are intended to be regulations adopted into city ordinance rather than simply
guidelines and can be very similar to what is found in the City's codes. She presented several
examples of buildings using form-based code depicting how far buildings are from sidewalks
and the orientation of the building to the street and indicated most codes are a mixture of
conventional use-based codes and form-based code resulting in a hybrid code that meshes both
form and use. She stated when a city has a fairly specific vision for an area, a form-based code is
a great way to implement that vision and is intended to be very specific. She reviewed the
process defined for this project stating that the first objective is to understand the context of the
place in order to be able to write the regulations for that place. She indicated that the three
station areas are very different, and it will be important to understand what those differences are
and to write a code that addresses those differences. She advised that the first community
workshop will consist of an image preference workshop where participants talk about
developments that have been done in the community, in the region, and nationally and have
people score them and talk about those images in smaller groups, adding that each station area
will have its own table and everyone attending will be able to talk about each individual station
area.
Study Session Minutes -2- February 10, 2014
Councilmember Sanger felt it was important to promote high quality architectural designs and
that any form-based code needs to allow for architectural creativity. She asked how much
discretion the City would have to modify any plan that is presented using form-based code.
Ms. Oberholtzer stated the City has to be careful about what the form-based code requires,
adding that when the Planning Commission reviews a project, it needs to consider what kinds of
things everyone can agree on, e.g., where the building is located, where the entrance is located,
and all the basic design principles that can be readily agreed upon, and to get those written into
the form-based code.
Councilmember Sanger asked what regulations could be included in the form-based code with
respect to noise, fumes, and other adverse impacts to avoid impact to other uses in the same
building.
Ms. Oberholtzer stated that the form-based code would include performance standards for light,
sound, odor, etc.
Councilmember Mavity felt it was important to have creative, distinctive architecture especially
in the station areas and encouraged the City to obtain feedback from a developer panel or
architect panel.
Ms. Oberholtzer responded that a form-based code does not guarantee great architecture and she
does not recommend incorporating architectural standards that are too specific. Ms. Oberholtzer
stated that a form-based code can allow for creative buildings, an improved pedestrian
environment and public space and can assist a community in implementing a defined vision.
Mr. Kelley indicated the City is forming a workgroup including architects and developers and
Ms. Oberholtzer will interview specific stakeholders during this process. He stated that the
community workshops will be scheduled in April or May and further updates will be provided to
Council and the Planmng Commission.
3. Southwest LRT Update
Mr. Harmening presented the staff report.
Mr. Locke presented several diagrams of the Southwest LRT engineering evaluation of freight
rail relocation alternatives prepared by TranSystems and provided a detailed explanation of the
new reroute option. He stated that the design includes the lowering of Highway 7 approximately
three or four feet and the full or partial taking of twenty parcels and the City has significant
concerns about the Xcel substation and the lowering of Highway 7. He explained the proposed
changes in the Walker/Lake Street and Library Lane areas and stated the proposal includes the
taking of five to seven homes on Library Lane. He advised that TC&W has indicated they are
not very confident that this alignment solves the undulations and reverse curves and does not
address their concerns regarding safety and cost of operation. He explained that the switch from
using the Bass Lake to MNS is actively used by CP and TC&W would have to wait for
permission to get onto the BNSF line and could result in significant delays, adding that
TranSystems has proposed that this could be regulated by Centralized Traffic Control, a
computenzed electronic system of switches where TC&W would have to wait west of Blake
Road to get permission to continue onto the MNS route. He stated the City is in the process of
preparing its comments and will review the comments with Council prior to March 3'd.
Study Session Minutes -3- February 10, 2014
Councilmember Mavity stated she assumed that many of the same issues raised in the City's
DEIS comments are applicable to this and felt the City should raise all these issues again as part
of a complete response.
Councilmember Sanger agreed, adding that she felt the City's comments should also include all
the environmental mitigation needed in terms of additional properties that need to be taken, as
well as park safety and wetland protection that are not addressed in this plan. She felt the City
needs to state that if this is going to be built, all this mitigation has to be provided and has to be
provided by some entity other than St. Louis Park. She stated it also needs to address the process
and compare it to the process for evaluating routes in the Kemlworth corridor because this
represents yet another plan where properties are taken in St. Louis Park and discards plans in
Kenilworth because it requires the taking of property, resulting in an issue of equity and not
using consistent criteria for evaluating these plans. She felt the City needs to point out that even
if this plan is safe for train operations, it is not safe for the community at large and needs to
address community impacts, including noise, vibration, and community cohesion.
Councilmember Brausen felt the City should emphasize that the consultant's report said the
Kenilworth shallow tunnel option would work and that the hydrologist said it was okay and that
TC&W approved it. He also felt the City needs to stress this does not provide a reason to look at
other options and to start emphasizing the process and whether it was arbitrary and capricious.
Councilmember Spano felt it was important to stress that there is an option on the table that
maintains the integrity of the neighborhood in Minneapolis and that does not force a reroute on
St. Louis Park.
Councilmember Hallfin agreed with the earlier comments but felt the City's comments on the
TranSystems plan did not need to go into great detail, adding that the City's stated position is
that other viable options exist and the TranSystems plan does not represent a viable alternative.
Mr. Harmening requested Council input regarding the media and whether the City should make a
statement at the community meeting on Wednesday.
Councilmember Sanger felt the City should make a statement at the meeting on Wednesday that
indicates the City's view is that the TranSystems plan is not acceptable and the City is not in
favor of the TranSystems plan. She also felt the City should get its message out to the media.
She stated she has received feedback from members of the community indicating their belief that
Council needs to be clearer about the municipal consent question, adding there appears to be
some unwritten principle that Council has never publicly stated it would not grant municipal
consent for this route.
Councilmember Brausen expressed support for reiterating Mayor Jacobs's media response that
given the current circumstances, Council cannot see any path forward to municipal consent.
Councilmember Lindberg felt that the City's messaging needed to be stronger and stated he
would not grant municipal consent should a freight reroute be included in the project.
Councilmember Hallfin stated he did not believe Council should comment on whether it will
grant municipal consent until final plans are on the table.
1
Study Session Minutes -4- February 10, 2014
After further discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to prepare a
statement to be presented by Mayor Jacobs at the community meeting on Wednesday, February
12t. It was also the consensus of the majority of the City Council that the City's position
regarding municipal consent will include a reiteration of the City's earlier statement that given
the current circumstances, the City Council cannot see any path forward to municipal consent. It
was also the consensus of the City Council to contact the media for an interview.
4. Review Outcomes and Agenda for City Council Workshop
Mr. Harmening presented the staff report and proposed outcomes and agenda for the City
Council workshop.
Councilmember Sanger requested that the agenda include a discussion about whether Council is
comfortable using TIF funding for single family housing.
Councilmember Spano stated that the Workshop Planning Committee felt that that level of detail
could be addressed in relation to gaps in the housing policy. He stated the Workshop Planning
Committee felt the housing policies should be revisited to make sure they are in alignment with
what the community desires now, including a discussion about general market trends and who
the City wants to attract to the community with several follow-up discussions after the workshop.
Councilmember Sanger requested that staff provide basic data on the City's housing stock.
Councilmember Mavity requested that this data also include historical information about what
the housing stock was ten years ago, what it is now, and what it is projected to be in the future.
It was the consensus of the City Council to approve the Desired Outcomes and Agenda for the
City Council Workshop.
Communications/Meeting Check-In (Verbal)
Mr. Harmening requested input from Council regarding proposed dates for a joint meeting with
the School Board in March.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to schedule a joint meeting with the
School Board on either March 10, 17, or 24.
The meeting adjourned at 9:19 p.m.
Written Reports provided and documented for recording purposes only:
5. Proposed Allocation of 2014 Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) Funds
6. Highway 169—Noise Wall Project
7. Highway 169—W. 16th Street Access Closure
8. EDA Redevelopment Contract Status Update
9. Annual Open to Business Program Update 7---\
10. Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) 2013 Annual 1 port
it i ��((4(
Nancy Strot , City Clerk Jeff Ja/o � M yor