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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015/09/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular f/f St. Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL MEETING ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 1. Call to Order Mayor Jacobs called the meeting to order at 7 30 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), City Attorney (Mr. Mattick), Planning/Zoning Supervisor (Ms. McMonigal), Senior Planning Project Manager (Mr Sullivan), Associate Planner (Mr. Kelly), Controller (Mr Swanson), Communications Manager (Ms. Larson), and Recording Secretary(Ms. Staple). Guests: Jim Alexander, Metropolitan Council and Julie Edington, Kennedy and Graven la. Pledge of Allegiance lb. Roll Call 2. Presentations - None 3. Approval of Minutes 3a. City Council Meeting Minutes August 17, 2015 The minutes were approved as presented. 3b. City Council Special Study Session Minutes September 8, 2015 The minutes were approved as presented 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 CONSENT CALENDAR 4a. Approve Second Reading and Adopt Ordinance No. 15-2475 amending Section 36- 268-PUD 1 of the City Code relating to The Shoreham Planned Unit Development 4b. Approve Second Reading and Adopt Ordinance No. 15-2476 amending St. Louis Park City Ordinance No. 2236-03 extending the term of the Centerpoint Energy Minnegasco Franchise. City Council Meeting -2- September 21, 2015 4c. Approve Second Reading and Adopt Ordinance No. 15-2477 amending St Louis Park City Ordinance No. 2086-97 extending the term of the Xcel Energy Franchise 4d. Adopt Resolution No. 15-127 authorizing installation of restricted parking - loading zone on Oxford Street, in front of the Municipal Service Center(MSC) at 7305 Oxford Street. 4e. Adopt Resolution No. 15-128 authonzing installation of stop sign on Glenhurst Avenue at Minnesota 7 Service Road. 4f. Approve for filing Environment & Sustainability Commission Minutes July 8, 2015 4g. Approve for filing Environment & Sustainability Commission Minutes August 5, 2015 4h. Approve for filing Planning Commission Minutes August 19, 2015 It was moved by Councilmember Spano, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to approve the Agenda as presented and items listed on the Consent Calendar; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 7-0. 5. Boards and Commissions 5a. Reappointment of Citizen Representatives to Boards and Commissions Councilmember Brausen commended those on the list for their skills and willingness to volunteer their services, skills and time with the City. He believed that the City would benefit from some turnover on the Boards and Commissions in order to bnng in fresh ideas and skills. He stated that he would support a term limit in order to engage and allow more residents to participate in the process. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Sanger, to reappoint the following Commissioners as City representatives to their respective commissions with terms as follows• Name Commission Term Expiration Anthony Mame Community Education Advisory Commission 6/30/2017 Julia Ross Community Education Advisory Commission 6/30/2018 Shirley Zimmerman Community Education Advisory Commission 6/30/2017 Jayne Stevenson(Youth) Environment and Sustainability Commission 8/31/2016 Suzanne Metzger Housing Authority 6/30/2020 Edward Halvorson(Youth) Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission 8/31/2016 Ethan Rickert(Youth) Planning Commission 8/31/2016 Further discussion: Councilmember Sanger disagreed with the comments made by Councilmember Brausen and believed that the City benefits from the experience of those willing to volunteer their services for longer periods of time on the City Boards and Commissions City Council Meeting -3- September 21, 2015 Councilmember Mavity stated that she agrees with the comments made by Councilmember Brausen. She noted that although she does not agree with term limits, she would support a more open process where new residents can also apply and current members can reapply when terms expire or positions become vacant She noted that the topic will be further discussed by the Council in a Study Session and welcomed public input at that time The motion passed 7-0 6. Public Hearings 6a. Public Hearing—Southwest LRT Municipal Consent. Resolution No. 15-129 Planning/Zoning Supervisor McMonigal presented the staff report regarding the Southwest LRT and noted that Jim Alexander was in attendance to give additional information before public comment is opened. Jim Alexander, Metropolitan Council, provided the revised project scope noting that changes had been made in order to reduce costs including changes to the park and ride stations, noting a new total of 2,500 stalls along the alignment. He noted that they were able to reduce the overall cost by $250 million, while still retaining 15 of 17 stations, and he reviewed the alignment of the Southwest LRT through St. Louis Park. He stated that through the Municipal Consent process, they need review and approval of the local jurisdictions, highlighting the cities they have already presented to and those they would be visiting after tonight. He stated that there is a lot more work to do and they will continue to reach out to City staff and continue to work cooperatively to create 60 percent and 90 percent plans prior to construction Councilmember Mavity stated a number of items were removed from the base budget and asked for additional information on the locally requested capital investments that were discussed. She also asked whether this is the final design or if there were opportunities for the City to add additional design elements in the future Ms. McMonigal stated there are a number of items that will be considered in the future and the locally requested capital investments will continue to move forward as well but on their own and noted that the two are separate Mayor Jacobs opened the public hearing. Thom Miller, 2900 Yosemite Avenue S, commended the City staff and Council for their efforts in this process. He noted that there is quite a lot of money and time that will be saved through the reroute of the Southwest LRT. He stated that he is still concerned with the southern arm of the plan and the impact that could have on certain residents He stated that he was also concerned that the reroute still appears to be an option but was encouraged that the project appears to be moving ahead in the right direction. Conrad Segal, 2621 Georgia Avenue S, voiced his desire for the Council to not approve the Southwest LRT plan. He stated that he would like to see the plan not happen at all as he believes the train is in the wrong place and is the wrong idea. He stated that he does not have anything against mass transit but feels that this train is not the nght solution for City Council Meeting -4- September 21, 2015 this community. He believed that there are additional alternatives that could be pursued in this area. He referenced the light rail that connects Minneapolis and St. Paul and believed that is successful as it connects urban developed areas rather than traveling through lower density areas. Jami LaPray, 3256 Blackstone, provided background information on the process that she and her neighbors have conducted in order to determine the impact of this project. She stated that although she disagrees with some of the findings, she does believe the swap for the southerly connection has been done well. She expressed concern with the public hearings and potential impacts that this connection will cause to the rail company carrying freight. She stated that it is imperative that the impacts to the southerly connection be considered including noise and believed that a study of the crossings is needed. She requested that the Council commission an enhanced study of the long-term impacts of the corndor that will be created from the southern connection, and once the study is completed there should be public hearings to explain to the residents of St Louis Park the mitigation that will be needed and the impacts to the southerly connection. Irene Elkins, 4175 Zarthan Avenue S, stated that as a resident of the Brookside neighborhood she wished to speak about the southern arm or connection that is included as part of the plan. She urged the Council to consider a less expensive rail bndge, which would still allow the plan to proceed. She stated that the homes on her block and near Brookside are extremely close to the tracks and property values could be impacted. She also spoke of traffic backups that could occur in the area. She stated that the tax payers would be paying for something of no benefit and that would cause problems if they agree to fund the expensive freight bridge. She did not believe that the southern arm should be considered as part of the Southwest LRT and should instead be funded by the rail company. She hoped the Council insisted that funds be set aside for mitigating the additional rail traffic that will occur in her neighborhood. Mayor Jacobs closed the public heanng. Councilmember Sanger stated that she has worked on Southwest LRT issues for the past 20 years and is looking forward to this being completed and being able to ride on the light rail. She appreciated the concerns that were brought forward tonight and was pleased that the City is at this point. It was moved by Councilmember Sanger, seconded by Councilmember Spano, to waive the reading and adopt Resolution No. 15-129 approving the physical design component of the revised preliminary design plans for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project within the City of St Louis Park, Minnesota Further discussion• Councilmember Spano stated that he is the City representative on the Met Council's Corridor Management Committee, and noted that there will be grade separations of the regional trail at both intersections in St. Louis Park which will provide added safety upgrades at a fraction of what the City would have had to pay if they had conducted those improvements apart from this project He stated that cities are required to give their consent in order for this project to move forward He referenced University Avenue in St. Paul and noted that area was not always developed The developers want to see that there is opportunity such as light rail There were many building permits pulled after the light rail project was approved in that area City Council Meeting -5- September 21, 2015 Councilmember Mavity stated that she also participates in the Community Works Steering Committee and explained that they are bringing federal funds to assist in making improvements towards safety and in the area of park and rides Councilmember Brausen stated that he continues to support the project as designed and believes that the impact to the community will be positive He stated that this will provide inclusive and environmentally friendly transportation to all The motion passed 7-0 6b. Connect the Park! — 2015 Bikeways. Resolution Nos. 15-130, 15-131, 15-132, 15-133, 15-134, 15-135 Senior Engineering Project Manager Sullivan presented the staff report regarding Connect the Park!, noting that he would be focusing on the bikeways and bike lanes portion of the program. He displayed a map that featured the one-half mile bikeways within the City and the proposed 10-year bikeway Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). He provided the definition of bikeway, which is a generic term used for vanous types and levels of bike facilities, ranging from share the road facilities to designated bike lanes. He reviewed the considerations staff faces in the bikeway design process including width of the road, on-street parking, speed of vehicles, number of traffic lanes and number of vehicles that typically travel on the roadway. He displayed a symbol that staff proposes to use for share the road areas, which would be etched into the roadway to identify the areas where vehicles and bicycles could share the road. He identified the proposed "share the road" segments, which would have an estimated cost of$28,000, noting that the etched markings would be the majority of the cost. He explained that the etched markings would have a higher cost compared to painting the symbols but would have a much longer lifespan and would not require annual maintenance. He provided additional explanation on the designated bike lanes, noting that this type of designation is used on higher speed roadways with higher levels of traffic. He identified the designated bike lane segments that were proposed at an estimated cost of $92,000. He stated public meetings were held for the segments of the project, along with numerous on-site meetings with property owners. He stated that the estimated project cost would be $120,000 and the costs would not be assessed to residents. He stated that there is a limitation on available contractors and therefore the City is not able to obtain good bids and is instead proposing to approve the plans tonight with the authorization to bid for construction to begin in spring 2016. Councilmember Brausen asked and received confirmation that the City would be placing "share the road" signage within the City right-of-way Councilmember Lindberg asked for additional information on the estimate that was used to calculate on-street parking. Mr. Sullivan explained the different factors that were considered, including the segments near the golf course and school, and noted that they also considered lengths and widths of driveways and which side of the street the sidewalk is on Councilmember Sanger asked and received confirmation that the bike lanes would be plowed during the winter months City Council Meeting -6- September 21, 2015 Mr. Sullivan noted that there would be times during the big snow years where the roadway is narrowed because of snow, but noted that the bike traffic would most likely be reduced during that time. Councilmember Hallfin stated that he met with residents from the Texas Avenue area and wanted to ensure that there would be on-street parking allowed for the homeowners. He stated that perhaps another portion of that roadway could also be made into a "share the road" segment so that the residents are allowed on-street parking. Mr. Sullivan recognized that there is a homeowner on that segment that has a home business and stated that staff would be willing to further investigate that possibility. Mayor Jacobs opened the public hearing. Michael Miller, 9416 West 14th Street, stated that I Street was not one of the segments discussed. He stated that there is higher speed traffic that uses the roadway and was unsure that 14th Street would be the best route for bike traffic. Mr. Sullivan confirmed that the 14th Street area would be marked as a "share the road" segment. Mr. Miller stated he did not see the reason for enhancement because of the additional cost and believed that alternative routes may be safer for bicycle traffic. He added that the parking restrictions in some areas are taking away the parking capabilities that residents have had for years, which could cause problems. Dianne Lefty, 9011 Westmoreland Lane, stated she is in favor of biking as her family used to bike when her children were younger. She stated that she does like to walk around the neighborhood. She did not believe that the proposed bike lane through Westmoreland served a purpose and believed that the plan should integrate the bikes with transit lines and should also provide bike parking areas. She stated that the integration works well in Europe and in an area of Boulder Colorado that she recently visited, as bikers can take the route to link with transit to reach their destination for work. She stated that Westmoreland curves and winds and would be dangerous for bikers and cars to travel together, noting the narrow roadway length of Flag Street. She stated that there are older homes in that area with one car garages and small driveways which cannot accommodate all the vehicles for their home, let alone visitors. She stated that the petition gathered signatures for residents that were worried about the loss of on-street parking. She stated that she believes that the roadway is not safe and would not provide safety for bikers. She stated that the residents in that area chose that area for the quiet and peacefulness and the additional signs and etchings would take away from those aspects. She asked that the bikeway be placed in another location. Paul Zeigle, 3932 Lynn Avenue, stated that he was one of the original Task Force members that helped to design this plan. He stated that safety on the road is one of the main factors that keeps bikers off the road, noting that if additional safety measures are taken ridership will increase. He stated that currently there are east/west corndors in the City and not a lot of north/south corndors and believed that the additional connections would be important. He referenced the safe routes to school program, noting that his children have had to bike to their school and have encountered many obstacles. City Council Meeting -7- September 21,2015 Ruth Weisbury, 9020 Westmoreland Lane, stated that was concerned with safety as she had lived in her property for many years She stated that the road is very curvy and the high school kids like to travel fast around the curves She believed that the bike lane would create a false sense of security, noting that there have been accidents. She noted that there are a number of people that walk their dogs on the side of the road and believed that it would be dangerous to add the bike lane as there are no sidewalks. She stated that Westmoreland is a very narrow roadway and would be dangerous to add a bike lane on that roadway. She believed that the roadway should have a lower speed as well. She stated that the sun causes problems with vision for drivers and noted that there are only two streetlights along the roadway. Paula Maisel, 8721 Westmoreland Lane, stated that she and her husband have lived on the roadway for the past 40 years She stated that for those 40 years they have watched too many dnvers travel too fast down the roadway. She noted that while there is not a lot of traffic on the roadway, it lends itself to dnvers wanting to dnve more quickly down the road. She referenced the curve of the roadway, which is a double S blind curve, and stated that she had told her children not to nde their bikes in that area because is it not safe. She stated that the homes in that area need the on-street parking because of the small garages and short dnveways. She stated that while she supports the added connections this program will provide, she did not see a benefit or need to continue the bike trail beyond the nature center. She did not want to see accidents occur because of the added bike traffic. Ron Butwin, 8700 Westmoreland Lane, stated that he has owned an advertising marketing firm in the City for many years. He referenced the presentation that was made tonight and did not believe the project will come in at the pnce range estimated He did not believe the design fits the area proposed after the nature center, which comes down Westmoreland. He stated that while the program has potential, he did not believe that the plans fit with the areas identified after the nature center, nor did he believe the road widths support the addition of a bike lane He stated that there is just enough room on the roadway for one car to pass if there is a vehicle parked on the roadway. He recalled a recent time when there were 20 bikers nding in a group that caused a lot of danger because of the vehicle traffic. He stated that while the plans look good, you cannot fit those plans into the Westmoreland area as designed. He believed that there would be unhappy people and wasted dollars if this moves forward as proposed for that area He stated that the residents in that area have learned how to deal with the dynamics of the roadway while new bicycle traffic would not be aware and would cause safety problems Sara Maaske, 5911 Oxford Street apartment 9, stated that she is on the Steenng Committee for health in the park and is in favor of the program. She stated that the roads are a shared amenity of the City for all modes of transportation. She stated that more and more people are abandoning their vehicles and riding bicycles, noting that traffic is calmed when bike lanes are added. She stated that the middle school and nature center are in that area and the bike facilities would be a good addition to the City that would increase connectivity. Mrs. Maisel stated that a really good biker was knocking on her door three years ago because he attempted to miss a vehicle on the curve in the roadway and had been injured She noted that the biker has stated that is the worst corner that he has ndden City Council Meeting -8- September 21, 2015 Beth Johnson, 1457 Texas Avenue, stated that she has lived in her home for 25 years and ndes her bicycle. She expressed concern that parking would be removed in front of her house. She stated that if her visitors are forced to park across the street it would be difficult for them to cross the roadway because of the width She stated that she supports the program but does not see the challenges on Texas Avenue that would justify removal of the on-street parking in front of her home. She asked if there was hard data to justify the removal of on-street parking abilities. Mr. Sullivan stated that Texas Avenue is a State aid route and therefore State aid standards need to be followed. He stated that in order to accommodate the aspects desired, parking would need to be removed. Ms. Johnson asked if there were accidents or issues that would require parking to be removed. Mr. Sullivan replied that he is not aware of any issues of that nature. Ms. Johnson stated that she thinks that this would be solving a problem that does not exist. Jennifer Weixel, 2249 Texas Avenue, commented that the "share the road" concept is a great idea as there are more bikers and everyone needs to get to their destination safely. She stated that she and her husband live on the northeast corner of Cedar Lake and Texas and would be losing on-street parking. She referenced the criteria that was used to determine if parking would be removed and noted that she would like to speak with staff to determine why they cannot keep their on-street parking. She noted that her driveway is wide but is filled with their vehicles and visitors must park on the street. She stated that her neighbors always have parking on the street as well. She asked for a compromise where the road could be shared for that stretch of homes with a designated bike lane starting further down the roadway. Steve Weixel, 2249 Texas Avenue, stated that he did not see the need for him and his neighbors to lose their on-street parking in order to accommodate a bike lane. He noted that there is on-street parking near the school that occurs as well. Allan Schuster, 8521 Westmoreland Lane, stated that he feels that the added bicycle traffic would add to the unsafe conditions of the winding and curving road. Ryan Griffin thanked City staff and the Council for having the progressiveness to have this program. He stated that this is one of the most unsafe places that he has ridden his bicycle and believed that the additional safety measures would be beneficial. He stated that this is a way to make the streets safer. He noted that along Westmoreland they would simply be stamping the roadway and would not be creating a bike lane. He stated that he would be riding his bike regardless of the markings. Dennis Mulligan, 9420 West 14th Street, stated that the route descnbed along Westmoreland is not just filled with young drivers but is the route for test drives at the nearby auto dealer. He asked why the neighbonng communities were unwilling to cooperate with the route along Wayzata Boulevard. He felt like the City is trying too hard. City Council Meeting -9- September 21, 2015 Steve Casey, 2345 Texas Avenue S, stated that the biggest item for him is the parking restrictions He stated that he has lived in his home for over 20 years and noted that if the plan moves forward he will not be able to park in front of his home, their neighbors home, or even across the street and would instead have to park on Virginia Circle Jane Gross, 2341 Texas Avenue S, stated that she runs a childcare center at her home and if on-street parking is removed that would make it very difficult for people bringing their children to her home She noted that there is increased traffic on the roadway because of the Highway 100 construction. She stated that she would prefer to have a "share the road" segment on that roadway Rachel Harris, 2821 Texas Avenue S, stated that while her segment of the roadway is not included in the plans at this time she is hopeful that her segment of the roadway would be included in a "share the road" or bike lane. She stated that she bikes around the City and has noticed that there is a lack of support or acknowledgement for that type of transportation. She stated that she is looking forward to more north/south comdors in the future to add to the connectivity. Ron Wilson, Texas Avenue S, stated that he has lived in his home for 35 years. He stated that he has ridden bicycles for 58 years and motorcycles for about 54 years and feels that there is no real need for the bicycle lanes. He noted that he does not see much bicycle traffic and did not believe that there has been an analysis of bicycle traffic on the roadway. He did not believe that there is a need for this type of improvement and was not aware of an incident where bicycles have been injured by a car. George Hagemann, 8242 Westwood Hills Curve, spoke in support of the program and the bicycle lanes on Texas Avenue. He stated that Texas Avenue stands as the most important north/south connection within the City. He stated that the Texas Avenue corridor was the highest pnority during the active living workshop ten years ago. He commended staff for their efforts in bringing the Connect the Park! program this far and urged the Council to support the items tonight. Dave Carlson, 7006 West 23rd Street, stated that there was large support for multi- modalism dunng the Comprehensive Plan process, not only for sidewalks but also for on- street facilities such as bike lanes. He stated Texas Avenue is a high pnonty and is one of the only viable north/south routes in the City. He noted that when bike lanes were installed on Summit Avenue in St. Paul the traffic speeds decreased by 12 miles per hour He stated that he fully supports the bike lane on Texas Avenue. He noted that he bikes along Westmoreland and has found it to be relatively safe as he knows of the curves and it is a through street that provides connectivity. He stated that if there is simply a "share the road" segment proposed for Westmoreland he did not believe that would increase traffic but would simply raise the alertness of drivers and lower the speed of traffic He supported the plans and appreciated the City in their effort to connect the City. Tim Goodman, 2337 Texas Avenue, stated that he would not be impacted by the restncted parking but did recognize that the restriction would impact his neighbors and supported their concerns. He stated that his daughter has just started college and in the future he and his wife may consider selling their home He asked if the bike lane would impact the property value of his home and the ability for him to sell his home City Council Meeting -10- September 21, 2015 Mayor Jacobs stated that typically the property values increase when the home is near a bike path or trail. He stated that generally people like the access to bike trails and paths. Greg Anderson, 15307 60th Avenue N. in Plymouth, stated that he wishes that Plymouth was doing what St. Louis Park is doing. He noted that there is a lot of effort that has been put into this plan to connect the City not only internally but to other cities as well. He stated that he has never seen this used before but the State law specifies that the speed limit can be changed to 25 if there is a designated bike lane. Mr. Butwin asked if this program would be promoted to bike groups outside of the City, as that would bring in additional traffic that would not be desired. Mr. Sullivan stated that there is not marketing planned but noted that there are other activities that tie into the program, such as health in the parks, and advised that the program could be found on Google for bicycle users. Mayor Jacobs closed the public hearing. Councilmember Brausen thanked the people in attendance tonight for their input. He stated that most of the proposed improvements are within Ward 4, which he represents. He stated that he has heard from dozens of people, along with a petition of 57 signatures, noting that there is support from people on both sides of the issue. He noted that no matter his decision, there will be people unhappy with his decision and apologized for that. He stated that the public right-of-way is the area for pedestnans, bicyclists, and motorists to get around in the community in a safe and efficient manner. He stated that the public right-of-way is the area for the people of the community to get around in the community in a safe and efficient manner. He noted that at times that requires restricting parking and changing the status quo He stated that safety is the measure that guides him in these decisions. He recognized that there are people on Texas Avenue that will lose on-street parking, noting that his wife and children spoke to him against the Texas Avenue segment, but advised that is a major north/south route that needs to be provided He noted that there are roadways that have no access to on-street parking, such as Louisiana and Cedar, and safe thoroughfares need to be provided. He appreciated that the residents of Westmoreland are concerned with safety, but noted that cars seem to be the problem in that equation. He did not see how signage and stencils on the road would hurt safety in that area and would instead make everyone more aware of the shared roadway. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to waive the reading and adopt Resolution No. 15-130 accepting the project report for Project No. 4015-2000 Bikeways and approving plans and specifications Further discussion Councilmember Sanger stated that she would be supporting the actions as well She noted that the comments from the residents along Westmoreland support the need for the additional measures that alert drivers to the shared roadway She noted there has been no comment regarding the segment along France Avenue, stating that she has heard comments that residents would like this to move forward quickly in that area City Council Meeting -11- September 21, 2015 Councilmember Lindberg appreciated the comments made tonight and agreed with Councilmember Brausen in regard to the benefits that this will provide He stated that north/south connections are needed in the community He recognized that on-street parking is valuable and should be considered further He stated that they will continue to redevelop and define how they deal with parking issues and continue to be creative and cooperative with residents and business owners. Councilmember Mavity echoed the comments from the Council regarding this issue and noted that she would support this item as well. She stated that she was able to hear from a Twin Cities resident that spoke about blue zones, a healthy community that supports healthy living choices and contributes to the health of the residents, adding that the more the City can do to create a healthy community and a community that supports good health, the healthier the community will be She stated that the bikers, walkers and vehicles are already using these routes and the additional measures will alert drivers to be more aware. Councilmember Hallfin stated that he is also in favor of the plan. He referenced the parking on the south side of Texas and asked that staff work with residents to see if they can improve the parking in that area He noted that there are other areas in the City with no parking, his street being one of them. He stated that in the past they had discussed a sidewalk on Westmoreland and the residents spoke against that, but now the neighborhood is coming forward saying that it is unsafe Councilmember Spano stated that people are accustomed to the conditions of their environment. He used the example of Westmoreland with the curves in the road and noted that his roadway is straight and he has also encountered problems with speeding vehicles He stated that the responsibility is that of the drivers. Mayor Jacobs stated that he had a concern with the reduced parking and asked that staff work with the residents to determine if they can allow on-street parking for those residents if possible He stated that he drives through work in the curvy part of Edina and they have the stencils on the street He stated that the result is the same, you still watch out for bicycle traffic when you are driving The motion passed 7-0. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to waive the reading and adopt Resolution Nos. 15-131, 15-132, 15-133, 15-134, and 15-135 approving "no parking"signs to be installed on the identified roadways to allow for bike lanes. The motion passed 7-0 Councilmember Brausen left the meeting at 9:50 p m 6c. Private Activity Revenue Bonds—The Shoreham. Resolution No. 15-136 Controller Swanson presented the staff report regarding pnvate activity revenue bonds for The Shoreham project and descnbed the process necessary City Council Meeting -12- September 21,2015 Julie Edington, Kennedy and Graven, provided additional information on the tax exempt revenue bonds, noting that the City would not be liable to the debt and the bonding rating of the City would not be impacted. Mayor Jacobs opened the public hearing. No speakers were present. Mayor Jacobs closed the public hearing. It was moved by Councilmember Sanger, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to waive the reading and adopt Final Bond Resolution No. 15-136 Authorizing the Issuance of Private Activity Revenue Bond, Series 2015A, 2015E and 2015C for The Shoreham The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Brausen absent). 6d. The Shoreham Alley Vacation Associate Planner Kelly presented the staff report regarding the alley vacation for The Shoreham. Councilmember Brausen returned at 9:56 p.m. Mayor Jacobs opened the public hearing. No speakers were present. Mayor Jacobs closed the public hearing. It was moved by Councilmember Sanger, seconded by Councilmember Hallfin, to approve First Reading of Ordinance vacating right-of-way and set the Second Reading of Ordinance for October 5, 2015. The motion passed 7-0 7. Requests, Petitions, and Communications from the Public—None 8. Resolutions, Ordinances, Motions and Discussion Items 8a. 2016 Preliminary Property Tax Levy Certification and Preliminary General Fund Budget Adoption. Resolution No. 15-137 Controller Swanson presented the staff report regarding the 2016 preliminary property tax levy certification and preliminary general fund budget adoption as well as the establishment of a public heanng date. He provided background information noting that staff has met with the City Council three times prior to tonight's meeting to discuss the preliminary budget and tax levy. He noted that a preliminary property tax levy must be certified to Hennepin County by September 30th, noting that parcel specific notices will be sent to property owners in November, and a public heanng will be held in December He noted that once certified the levy can be lowered but cannot be raised. It was moved by Councilmember Hallfin, seconded by Councilmember Sanger, to waive the reading and adopt Resolution No. 15-137 Approving 2016 Preliminary General Fund Budget, 2016 Preliminary Property Tax Levy, and Setting Public Hearing Date for the 2016 Budget and Final Property Tax Levy City Council Meeting -13- September 21, 2015 Councilmember Lindberg stated that the 6 5 percent levy increase can sound scary to some folks, but things have happened that may lessen that impact to property owners He stated there is a need to balance the long-term needs of the City with the budget impacts. Councilmember Mavity asked for additional input in regard to the impact that residents and/or businesses will have. Mr. Swanson provided additional information on the fiscal disparities program, which encourages uniform growth throughout the counties and metro area. He noted that when property values declined, St. Louis Park held commercial values better than other communities. He explained that even though the property tax levy increase is proposed at 6.5 percent that does not equate to a true increase of that value. He noted that the City share of the property taxes, with an increase rate of 6.5 percent, would equal about $16 for the median home value. The motion passed 7-0. 9. Communications Mayor Jacobs reported on the upcoming Fall Clean-up Event that will take place on September 26 from 8:00 a.m. to 1 00 p m. Councilmember Spano stated he attended the SEEDS event the previous day at which there was great discussion and input from the community. He encouraged residents to find out more information about the curbside organics pickup. 10. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10. 0 p.m Meliss Kennedy, ity Clerk Jeff Ja.>•b•, yor