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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022/03/07 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular (2) Official minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Mar. 7, 2022 1. Call to order Mayor Spano called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 1a. Pledge of allegiance 1b. Roll call Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Larry Kraft, Nadia Mohamed, and Margaret Rog Councilmembers absent: none Staff present: City Manager (Ms. Keller), City Attorney (Mr. Shepherd), Deputy City Manager/Operations and Recreation Director (Ms. Walsh), Police Chief Harcey, Fire Chief Koering, Community Development Director (Ms. Barton), Redevelopment Administrator (Ms. Monson), Interim Information Resources Director (Ms. Smith) Guests: Will Anderson, Sherman & Associates 2. Presentations 2a. Introduction and welcome of new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members Fire Chief Koering introduced 12 new members of the CERT group . He noted members act as resources in the community and are trained to assist at events or support professional responders in efforts to make the community more resilient. Councilmember Rog thanked the group for their commitment to the community. 2b. Police officer oath of office Police Chief Harcey presented the newest St. Louis Park police officer, Allie Holloway, who took the oath of office. Police Chief Harcey noted Officer Holloway’s service-mindedness, adding she came to the department from the CSO program. He commented on Officer Holloway’s strong work ethic and background, adding she has completed all her field training and is now working on the middle shift within the department. Mayor Spano congratulated and thanked Officer Holloway and her family, on behalf of the city council. 2c. 2022 Arbor Day and month proclamation DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -2- Mar. 7, 2022 Mayor Spano noted May is Arbor month, and Sat., May 7, 2022, is Arbor Day. He read the proclamation into the record. Councilmember Kraft stated this past weekend, in Weber Woods, the trees were cut down substantially. He noted this is part of a large project that, among other things, addresses flooding issues in parts of Edina. He stated cutting down these trees probably was a very difficult decision, but as far as he can tell, it was a carefully considered project. He continued, it is a sad thing, however, and noted climate change will force many of these heartbreaking decisions, but he highlighted the work of Roy and Bonnie Griffin and acknowledged their work on behalf of these trees. He noted they campaigned, drew a picture of the Lorax, and did things to try to preserve the trees . He stated that approach is absolutely brilliant organizing and reaches people in an emotional way. Councilmember Kraft stated while Weber Woods cannot be brought back, he wanted the Griffin children to know they have been heard . He added we can put more effort and resources into maintaining and increasing our own tree canopy. He stated later this week with Councilmember Rog’s leadership, a study session topic to discuss ideas on this will be submitted. He added Bonnie and Roy’s advocacy has increased his desire to work on this and hopes the council will be receptive to working on this as well . He again thanked the Griffin children for their passion and work and wanted them to know they have been heard. Mayor Spano added he hopes the children will both come to the upcoming Arbor Day events and help with tree planting in May. Councilmember Rog stated the city has ramped up efforts for folks to rapidly increase the amount of trees in the community. She noted there is free delivery and planting of trees, with discounted rates for those living in environmental justice areas, adding there is more to come on this. 2d. Recognition of donations Mayor Spano recognized a donation for the Operations and Recreation Department totaling $1,675.00 in memory of Richard Johnson. 3. Approval of minutes 3a. City council meeting minutes of Jan. 3, 2022 Councilmember Brausen noted on page 7, it should read, “…isn’t” versus “is” within his comments. Councilmember Dumalag noted on page 5, paragraph 6, it should read, “…she has stated usually the outdoor play area is the most challenging to achieve because it may be in an area that takes up parking stalls…” and “She is glad this is tied to a state requirement DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -3- Mar. 7, 2022 because if our requirements are more stringent than neighboring cities, we could lose an opportunity for daycares.” It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Rog, to approve the city council meeting minutes of Jan. 3, 2022, as amended. The motion passed 7-0. 3b. Study session meeting minutes of Jan. 10, 2022 Councilmember Dumalag noted on page 8, paragraph 2, it should read, “…also as the virus continues to spread in our community, the more opportunity it has to mutate into another variant and that is why she supportive of the mandate.” It was moved by Councilmember Mohamed, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to approve the study session meeting minutes of Jan. 10, 2022, as amended. The motion passed 7-0. 3c. City council meeting minutes of Jan. 18, 2022 It was moved by Councilmember Rog, seconded by Councilmember Mohamed, to approve the city council meeting minutes of Jan. 18, 2022, as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 3d. Study session meeting minutes of Jan. 24, 2022 Councilmember Kraft noted on page 4, 2nd paragraph, it should read, “…one of the most egregious things that happened was that officers did not intervene and that this is an indictment of the police department’s culture…” He also noted on page 8, 2nd paragraph, it should read, “…inclusionary housing policy might be adjusted.” It was moved by Councilmember Kraft, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to approve the study session meeting minutes of Jan. 24, 2022, as amended. The motion passed 7-0. 3e. City council workshop meeting minutes of Jan. 27-28, 2022 Mayor Spano noted every year the council does a 2-day workshop devoted to assuring the council and senior staff are a high functioning team and it involves a lot of relational learning and focuses on how the team works together. He thanked the council for their participation this year at the workshop . It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Rog, to approve the city council workshop meeting minutes of Jan. 27-28, 2022, as presented. DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -4- Mar. 7, 2022 The motion passed 7-0. 4. Approval of agenda and items on consent calendar 4a. Accept for filing city disbursement claims for the period of Jan. 29 through Feb. 25, 2022. (This item was removed from the consent calendar and considered as regular agenda item 8b) 4b. Adopt Resolution No. 22-038 approving acceptance of donations to the Operations and Recreation Department totaling $1,675.00 in memory of Richard Johnson. 4c. Adopt Resolution No. 22-039 approving final plans and specifications, and authorizing advertisement for bids (4022-1500). (Ward 2) 4d. Approve the amendment to the existing agreement with Golden Valley for purchase, operation, and maintenance of the emergency command center vehicle. 4e. Adopt resolution supporting housing and local decision-making authority. (This item was removed from the consent calendar and considered as regular agenda item 8c) 4f. Adopt resolution rescinding Resolution No. 18-085 and approving updated city assessment policy to permit the city to specially assess the cost of energy improvement projects. (This item was removed from the consent calendar and considered as regular agenda item 8d) 4g. Approve the first reading of Ordinance 2635-21 correcting omissions for recording. 4h. Designate Hydro-Klean, LLC as the lowest responsible bidder and authorize execution of a contract with the firm in the amount of $412,597.20 for the sanitary sewer mainline rehabilitation project no. 4022-3000. 4i. Approve for filing planning commission minutes of Feb. 2, 2022. Councilmembers Dumalag, Brausen, and Kraft requested that consent calendar item 4a, 4e and 4f be removed and placed on the Regular Agenda to 8b, 8c and 8d, respectively. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Dumalag, to approve the agenda and items listed on the consent calendar as amended to move consent calendar items 4a, 4e, 4f to the regular agenda as items 8b, 8c, 8d respectively; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 7-0. 5. Boards and commissions - none 6. Public hearings - none 7. Requests, petitions, and communications from the public - none 8. Resolutions, ordinances, motions and discussion items DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -5- Mar. 7, 2022 8a. Beltline Station Development Comprehensive Plan Amendment (Ward 2) Resolution No. 22-040 Ms. Monson presented the staff report. Councilmember Rog stated she supports this item. She likes the iconic design, the nod to Lilac Way, the affordable 2- and 3-bedroom units, totaling 67 units, the sustainability and the plaza art with community centered programming. She asked the developer when the grocery store would be complete. Mr. Anderson stated it would be completed in March 2024, at the same time as building number one. Councilmember Rog asked what efforts are being made to match the employees of the grocery store to affordable units. Mr. Anderson stated there has not been much engagement related to that workforce, but this is an opportunity to advance those conversations with the grocer. He added they are hopeful those working in the building will live there as well. Councilmember Rog stated sometimes there is a mismatch on workforce and affordability within the unit, and she appreciates the developer looking into this. She noted the co-op was a long process and there was a strong desire in the community to having this. She asked what the barriers were to closing this deal. Mr. Anderson stated he could not speak to this specifically, but noted the pandemic generally was the primary driver. Councilmember Rog asked how large the non-grocery retail area will be. Mr. Anderson stated approximately 2,000 square feet on the corner. She asked if that would be broken up or one store. Mr. Anderson stated it could be broken up, but usually would be one space, such as a coffee shop or small retail spot . Councilmember Rog asked what the process will be on getting further input on what wil l be in the retail space. Mr. Anderson stated they are working on this, including targeted engagement on Facebook and Nextdoor. Councilmember Rog stated this central location in the community will be very busy and should be looked at as an opportunity to elevate a locally-owned business in order to keep that money in the community rather than be farmed out to a chain. Councilmember Rog noted the cottonwood trees on the property and asked when they will be removed. Mr. Anderson stated sometime this summer. Councilmember Rog stated she heard there was eagle population living in those trees and asked how is that managed. Mr. Anderson stated they completed an EAW on the site, which was approved, and he will reach out to see if there is new environmental impact. Ms. Monson stated the trees would need to be removed in June, and the EAW did not identify eagles nesting there, so that would need to be looked at. Councilmember Rog stated there is a splashpad associated with the affordable unit and asked how many months that would be open. Mr. Anderson stated through the summer. Councilmember Rog pointed out there is wonderful public rec center with a DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -6- Mar. 7, 2022 pool and splashpad 2 blocks from the development and one idea would be to provide free passes for those living in the affordable building, and then find another year-round amenity instead, such as larger play equipment, grill area, or prairie or natural open space, considering there is this public amenity close by. Councilmember Rog asked where traffic will be rerouted during construction when the frontage road is removed. Ms. Monson stated the removal of the frontage road is included in the SWLRT plans and likely Sherman will remove that for SWLRT. She also noted a backage road has already been installed and could be a detour route leading back to CSAH 25. Councilmember Rog stated there has been lots of rerouting and construction back there the last couple of years and asked staff to be mindful of residents in that area as construction proceeds. Ms. Monson stated any detours should have minimal impact . Mayor Spano noted he and Councilmember Rog, along with staff, were working to not have as many park and ride spots there, but those parking spots are what helped get the funding for the project, so they will not be removed. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Rog, to adopt Resolution No. 22-040, approving the amendments to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Plan Map, as well as related figures and tables. The motion passed 7-0. 8b. Accept for filing city disbursement claims for the period of Jan. 29 through Feb. 25, 2022 Councilmember Dumalag noted she has a conflict of interest here as she serves on the board of the Urban Land Institute, one of the companies receiving disbursement, so she will recuse herself from this vote. It was moved by Councilmember Kraft, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to approve the filing city disbursement claims for the period of Jan. 29 – Feb. 25, 2022. The motion passed 6-0-1 (Councilmember Dumalag abstained). 8c. Resolution No. 22-041 supporting housing and local decision-making authority Councilmember Brausen noted there is currently legislation before the state that limits local decision making on housing and restricts the tools, such as zoning, PUD, and other tools used for creating affordable housing. He stated these efforts are misguided as local authorities need all the tools possible to create affordable housing . By approving this item, St. Louis Park will work with other cities in the state to preserve local housing authority. He encouraged citizens to contact their representative regarding this matter. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Dumalag, to adopt Resolution No. 22-041 supporting housing and local decision-making authority. DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5 City council meeting -7- Mar. 7, 2022 The motion passed 7-0. 8d. Resolution No. 22-042 rescinding Resolution No. 18-085 and approving updated city assessment policy to permit the city to specially assess the cost of energy improvement projects Councilmember Kraft gave kudos to staff on this item and working with lobbyists and state legislatures to get this passed. He stated this is modeled on a policy for fire sprinkler systems, where a building owner can finance the cost of installing a system by having the city access the cost to their property taxes. He added now they will be able to do something similar with energy improvements for commercial properties and multi- family buildings of 5 units or more. He noted we were aiming for all buildings, but there was concern of this going into all residential areas. Councilmember Kraft added this addresses an issue relevant for smaller businesses, that the upfront cost to making energy improvement might be hard to come up with even though ongoing savings will pay for the improvements over a short period of time. He noted Phil Weber’s comments, from Park Tavern, during the recent climate emergency resolution discussion, stating that he appreciates this approach the city takes to climate action, and this fits in with it. It reduces barriers to doing the right thing and helps make it financially beneficial to do so. It was moved by Councilmember Kraft, seconded by Councilmember Budd, to adopt Resolution No. 22-042 rescinding Resolution No. 18-085 and approving updated city assessment policy to permit the city to specially assess the cost of energy improvement projects. The motion passed 7-0. 9. Communications – none. 10. Adjournment Councilmember Budd made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Mohamed to close the regular city council meeting and move into a closed executive session pursual to M.S. 13D.05 – to discuss the city manager’s six-month performance evaluation. The motion passed 7-0. The council went into the closed session at 7:11 p.m. Upon returning to the regular session, the meeting was adjourned. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Jake Spano, mayor DocuSign Envelope ID: 8EBAFC20-E7E2-4807-A0D2-C51D8456BAC5