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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991/07/01 - ADMIN - Minutes - Economic Development Authority - RegulariCROFILMED MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA July 1, 1991 1. Call to order The meeting was called to order by President Meland at 6:15 p.m. 2. Roll call I ) = I <) The fo llowing commissioners were present at roll call: Jeff Jacobs, George Haun, Allen Friedman, Lyle Hanks, Larry Mitchell, Jane Tschida and Keith Meland. Also present were the Executive Director (Mr. Dixon), City Attorney (Mr. Steilen) and Director of Community Development (Mr. Hagen). 3. Approval of minutes It was moved by Commissioner Tschida, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs, to approve the minutes of the June 3 and June. 17 meetings. The motion passed unanimously. 4. Approval of agenda It was moved by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Hanks, to approve the agenda for July 1, 1991. The motion passed unanimously. 5. Reports a. Highway 7/France Ave./Minnetonka Blvd. neighborhood meeting Commissioner Friedman asked if everyone who was supposed to be notified of this meeting was indeed notified. Mr. Hagen said everyone was notified within the designated area, some 300+ residents. This did include businesses being notified. Councilmember Friedman said it was apparent that those residents in attendance, as well as many who called him after the meeting, were not in favor of changes. He alluded to staff's report in which it was stated "many people in the neigh- borhood supporting a change would not speak up." He felt the City goes out of its way to get all parties in question together for discussion. Commissioner Hanks mentioned the letter from Pat Scott, Minneapolis Councilmember about joint cooperation between Minneapolis and St. Louis Park re this road construction. He asked if everything had not been approved and what was the concern. Mr. Dixon said the City had approved what the State and County wanted approved as relates to upgrade of the bridge at Lake St. He said the concerns in Ms. Scott's letter related more to traffic going north on France from Minnetonka. Councilmember Friedman said he was made aware Minneapolis engineers have some notion of realigning the intersection which sends traffic down Sunset. CROFILMED He thought it made more sense for the engineers to come up with a large arrow or sign to redirect traffic to France rather than realigning any streets. He said this traffic problem is a creation of Hwy. 100/1-394 construction wherein people are coming over Minnetonka and turning north on France/Sunset to avoid the construction. Mayor Hanks suggested staff be directed to figure out how to clean up and beautify that intersection. He was convinced there would be no reconstruction of that intersection. The plan would be better, but apparently everyone did not agree on that. Commissioner Haun said he was in attendance at the meeting, and it was his perception the consensus of the residents was for nothing more than beautification and landscaping. Commission Tschida was disappointed in that it seemed some 50 people could dictate what was best for the City. Commissioner Mitchell said he's seen this happen a number of times - the Authority/City has a vision and when it comes down to presenting it to the neighborhood, they are opposed. He suggested taking the time to sit down with Barton-Aschman and see if there be an alternative that might be acceptable to the neighborhood. He hated to have the same traffic patterns left in place which were causing problems in the neighborhood, now compounded by the Sunset Blvd. overflow issue. Commission Haun was opposed to putting out one more cent for plans for this area. He noted practically no attention has .been paid to the businesses on the south side. It was moved by Commissioner Haun, seconded by Commissioner Friedman, to reject the present plan, but do proceed with formal landscaping/beautification for that area and get Barton-Aschman involved. Commissioner Hanks said he could support the motion if Commissioner Haun meant landscaping of the Barton-Aschman plan but putting all other aspects on hold for the present. Commissioner Mitchell wondered if costing out the landscaping could be brought back. Staff felt it could have a report on August 5. The motion passed 6-1. (Commissioner Tschida opposed). 5a. Status report: Park Tavern Mr. Dixon gave a brief update. He said staff was recommending that staff negotiate a lease with Park Tavern fo r the portion of Block 7 presently being leased under the parameters outlined· in staff's report. He said it seems there are some conditions that the proprietor would like to attach to leasing additional property that staff does not think are in the best interest of the Authority. asked Commissioner Hanks/ if polluted land could be blacktopped. Mr. Hagen said that under the Consent Decree governing the Reilly Tar site, it can be developed under certain conditions. He felt this applied to Block 7 even though that piece is not governed by the Consent Decree. He said typically the governing agencies have been agreeable to blacktopping over contaminated soil because it tends to create a watershed and prevents leaching of contamination down into the groundwater. ? ) J J Councilmember Friedman City have to pay? re the additional parking take back the parking? Commissioner Hanks was in favor of leasing him the land with a buy-back in order to keep the overflow cars off the neighborhood streets. l ) J ii©ROFILMED had some questions: re the buy-back, what would the Weber's request for additional construction based on what happens to that construction should the City Commissioner Friedman noted Mr. Weber was offering leasing, not buying. It was moved by Commissioner Hanks, seconded by Commissioner Haun, to direct staff to try to come up with a potential lease for l O years with a potential buy-back only for the land they have been using with no possibility of additional construction. Commissioner Tschida felt this was going to be a significant corner in the City and the Authority should think twice before blacktopping and making the land into a parking lot. She didn't mind them using the lot for now, but would only go along with a short lease, a year-to-year lease. Commissioner Hanks withdrew his motion. It was moved by Commissioner Friedman, seconded by Commissioner Tschida, that the Authority present a non-negotiable offer: That Park Tavern lease the land at $3600/yr.; there will be no improvements, no buy-back; it's a year-to-year lease. If they don't agree, No Parking signs will be posted. Commissioner Haun didn't understand how the Authority could let Park Tavern continue to use the land without blacktopping after every other business in the City is told they must blacktop. Councilmember Friedman called the question. The motion passed 4-2-1 (Commissioners Jacobs and Hanks opposed; Commissioner Haun abstained). The motion passed 5-2 (Commissioners Haun, Hanks opposed). President Meland suggested doing as has been done elsewhere, i.e. the City do the blacktopping and landscaping and then assess the property owner. 5c. Status report: Suburban Plumgins It was moved by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Tschida, to receive the report for filing. The motion passed 7-0. President Meland recessed the meeting to closed session. Items 5d. Exploration of role re Tower Place and 6a. Discussion re Wilkins site were discussed in closed session because of pending/threatened litigation. The meeting reconvened in chambers at 7:38 p.m. It was moved by Commissioner Hanks, seconded by Commissioner Haun, to direct the City Attorney on the Wilkins site to continue working within the framework 3. or&ROFILMED of the settlement that has been worked out with a reservation of protection against any liabilit y that may be caused by pollution on the site and that that would be incorporated into the settlement. The motion passed 7-0. 8. Communications and bills a. June 1991 financial statement It was moved by Cammi ssioner Hanks, seconded by Cammi ssioner Haun, to accept the report fo r fil ing. The motion passed 7-0. b. Claim s It was moved by Councilmember Hanks, seconded by Commissioner Tschida, to approve and authorize payment of the claims. The motion passed 7-0. 9. Adjournment It was moved by Commissioner Friedman, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs, to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m. The motion passed 7-0. i-4 Executive Director 4.