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Home My WebLink About2024/05/20 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - RegularAGENDA MAY 20, 2024 6:20 p.m. Economic Development Authority meeting – Council Chambers 1.Call to order a.Roll call 2.Approve agenda. 3.Minutes a.Minutes of May 6, 2024 EDA meeting 4.Consent item a.EDA resolution approving letter of no default – Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 5.Public hearings – none. 6.Regular business – none. 7.Communications and announcements – none. 8.Adjournment. 6:30 p.m. City council meeting – Council Chambers 1. Call to order a.Roll call. b.Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Approve agenda. 3. Presentations a.Recognition of Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department b.Recognition of donations 4. Minutes a.Minutes of April 15, 2024 city council meeting b.Minutes of April 15, 2024 special study session c.Minutes of April 24, 2024 study session d.Minutes of May 6, 2024 city council meeting 5.Consent items a.Resolution honoring Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department b.Resolution supporting the City of St. Louis Park becoming a 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps member host site c.Resolution to accept donations to the Fire Department d.Resolution to accept donations to the Parks and Recreation Department’s Access to Fun scholarship program Agenda EDA meeting, city council meeting and special study session of May 20, 2024 e.Resolution to accept donations from the League of Minnesota Cities f.Resolution to accept FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant g.Resolution approving letter of no default – Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 h.Approve bid for 2024 Cedar Lake Road improvement project (4023-1100) – Ward 4 i.Resolution authorizing final payment for watermain inspection support work (4022- 5000) j.Approve professional services contract for Comprehensive Safety Action Plan k.Approve temporary extension of licensed premises – Yard House – Ward 4 6. Public hearings – none. 7. Regular business – none. 8. Communications and announcements – none. 9.Adjournment. Immediately following city council meeting, Special study session - Community Room Discussion items 1. Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation 2. City council meeting protocols Members of the public can attend St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority and city council meetings in person. Official minutes of meetings are available on the city website once approved. Watch St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority or regular city council meetings live at bit.ly/watchslpcouncil or at www.parktv.org, or on local cable (Comcast SD channel 14/HD channel 798). Recordings of the meetings are available to watch on the city's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@slpcable, usually within 24 hours of the end of the meeting. City council study sessions are not broadcast. The council chambers are equipped with Hearing Loop equipment and headsets are available to borrow. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952.924.2505. Meeting: Economic development authority Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Minutes: 3a Unofficial Minutes EDA meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota May 6, 2024 1.Call to order. President Dumalag called the meeting to order at 6:20 p.m. a.Roll call Commissioners present: President Dumalag, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Yolanda Farris, Nadia Mohamed, Margaret Rog Commissioners absent: none Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), city attorney (Mr. Mattick) 2.Approve agenda. It was moved by Commissioner Brausen, seconded by Commissioner Mohamed, to approve the EDA agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 3.Minutes. a.EDA meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 President Dumalag stated there is a correction to one of the motions in the April 15, 2024 minutes because they should reflect that Commissioner Budd seconded the motion, not Commissioner Dumalag. It was moved by Co mmissioner Brausen, seconded by Commissioner Rog, to approve the EDA meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 as amended. The motion passed 7-0. 4. Consent items. a.Approve EDA disbursements b.EDA Resolution No. 24-07 approving second amendment to preliminary development agreement with Greater Minnesota Housing Corporation - Ward 1 c.EDA Resolution No. 24-08 approving an MPCA Environmental Covenant related to Rise on 7 development - Ward 2 Economic development authority meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 3a) Page 2 Title: Meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 It was moved by Co mmissioner Brausen, seconded by Commissioner Farris, to approve the consent items as listed; and to waive reading of all resolutions. The motion passed 7-0. 5.Public hearings – none. 6.Regular business – none. 7.Communications and announcements - none. 8.Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, EDA secretary Lynette Dumalag, EDA president Meeting: Economic development authority Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 4a Executive summary Title: EDA resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 Recommended action: Motion to adopt EDA resolution approving a letter of no-default related to the Beltline Station Development. Policy consideration: Does the EDA wish to approve the letter of no-default related to the Beltline Station Development relating to the property purchase date and construction commencement and completion dates for the Beltline Station Development? Summary: In October 2023, the EDA and city approved amendments to the purchase agreement and contracts related to the Beltline Station Development requiring Sherman Associates (“developer”) to close on its financing and purchase property from the EDA no later than January 31, 2024. This extension allowed for the redesign and rebidding of the public- private parking ramp related to the development, since the original parking ramp bid came in several million over the developer’s budget. After a substantial redesign, the parking ramp was rebid. The bid opening occurred on January 23, 2024, and two bids were received. The lowest bid was $20.2 million which was $3.5 million lower than the September 2023 bid, but still several million higher than what the developer projected in its financial pro-forma for the development. The bid, combined with high interest rates and increased construction costs, has not allowed the developer to fully close the development’s financial gap. Sherman Associates has applied for various grants from Hennepin County and awaits award decisions that are anticipated in May and early June. Additionally, in early April, Sherman Associates hired a broker to secure additional equity partners to help finance the multi-phase development. The broker indicated that it will likely need until September 2024 to obtain the remaining equity needed to bring the project to closing. The developer remains committed to the project, and its private lenders are requesting a letter stating the EDA and city will not declare Sherman Associates in default since the expiration date of the contracts was January 31, 2024. Since all parties continue to work cooperatively to bring the Beltline Station Development to fruition, EDA legal counsel and staff recommend approving a resolution stating the EDA and city will not declare the developer in default prior to September 15, 2024. Financial or budget considerations: All legal and financial assistant costs associated with the preparation of the no-default letter and subsequent amendments will be paid by the developer. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood oriented development. Supporting documents: Resolution and letter of no-default Prepared by: Jennifer Monson, redevelopment administrator Reviewed by: Greg Hunt, economic development manager Karen Barton, community development director; EDA executive director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Economic development authority meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 2 Title: EDA resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 EDA Resolution No. 24 - ____ Approving a letter regarding certain agreements Be it resolved by the board of commissioners (the “board”) of the St. Louis Park economic development authority (the “authority”) as follows: Section 1. Recitals; Authorization. (a) To facilitate the construction of a multi-phase, mixed use development and related parking (the “development”) located at 4601 Highway 7 in the city of St. Louis Park (the “city”), the authority has entered into the following agreements (the “agreements”), including: (i) a loan agreement (the “loan agreement”) with Beltline Development LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Development”), evidenced by a promissory note (the “note”) and secured by a mortgage (the “mortgage”); (ii) a purchase agreement with Beltline Development (the “purchase agreement”); (iii) a contract for private development (the “mixed use contract”) with Beltline Mixed Use LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Mixed Use”); and (iv) a contract for private development (the “affordable contract”) with the city and Beltline Station Limited Partnership, a Minnesota limited partnership (“Beltline Station” and together with Beltline Development, Beltline Mixed Use and other related affiliates of Sherman Development, the “developer”). The loan agreement, note and mortgage have been amended six times, the purchase agreement has been amended four times, the mixed use contract has been amended once and the affordable contract has been amended three times. (b) Due to certain delays, the developer has missed certain deadlines in the agreements and has informed the authority and the city that it will not be in compliance with certain terms set forth in the agreements. The developer, the city and the authority are currently working collaboratively on amendments to the agreements (the “amendments”) which should bring the developer into compliance, and for that reason the authority does not plan to declare events of default under the agreements at this time. (c) On February 5, 2024, the authority and the city approved the execution and delivery of a no default letter allowing the developer, the authority and the city additional time to negotiate the amendments. (d) The developer has requested that the city and the authority execute a second no default letter stating the facts above, a form of which is presented to the board (the “letter”). Section 2. Approval of documents. (a) The board approves the letter in substantially the form presented to the board, together with any related documents necessary in connection therewith, including without limitation all documents, exhibits, certifications, or consents referenced in or attached to the letter (the “documents”). Economic development authority meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 3 Title: EDA resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 (b) The board hereby authorizes the president and executive director, in their discretion and at such time, if any, as they may deem appropriate, to execute the documents on behalf of the authority, and to carry out, on behalf of the authority, the authority’s obligations thereunder when all conditions precedent thereto have been satisfied. The documents shall be in substantially the form on file with the authority and the approval hereby given to the documents includes approval of such additional details therein as may be necessary and appropriate and such modifications thereof, deletions therefrom and additions thereto as may be necessary and appropriate and approved by legal counsel to the authority and by the officers authorized herein to execute said documents prior to their execution; and said officers are hereby authorized to approve said changes on behalf of the authority. The execution of any instrument by the appropriate officers of the authority herein authorized shall be conclusive evidence of the approval of such document in accordance with the terms hereof. This resolution shall not constitute an offer and the documents shall not be effective until the date of execution thereof as provided herein. (c) In the event of absence or disability of the officers, any of the documents authorized by this resolution to be executed may be executed without further act or authorization of the board by any duly designated acting official, or by such other officer or officers of the board as, in the opinion of the city attorney, may act in their behalf. Upon execution and delivery of the documents, the officers and employees of the board are hereby authorized and directed to take or cause to be taken such actions as may be necessary on behalf of the board to implement the documents. Section 3. Effective date. This resolution shall be effective upon approval. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the Economic Development Authority May 20, 2024 Karen Barton, executive director Lynette Dumalag, president Attest Melissa Kennedy, secretary St. Louis Park Community Development Department • 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416 www.stlouisparkmn.gov • Phone: 952.924.2575 • Fax: 952.928.2662 • TTY: 952.924.2518 May 20, 2024 Beltline Development LLC 233 Park Avenue South, Suite 201 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Attention: Will Anderson Dear Will: To facilitate the construction of a multi-phase, mixed-use development and related parking (the “Development”) located at 4601 Highway 7 in the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota (the “City”), the St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority (the “Authority”) has entered into the following agreements (the “Agreements”): (1) a Loan Agreement with Beltline Development LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Development”), which has been amended six times (as amended, the “Loan Agreement”), and a related Promissory Note (as amended, the “Note”) and Mortgage (as amended, the “Mortgage”), both delivered by Beltline Development and as amended six times evidencing and securing Beltline Development’s obligations under the Loan Agreement; (2) a Purchase Agreement with Beltline Development (as amended, the “Purchase Agreement”), which has been amended four times; (3) a Contract for Private Development with Beltline Mixed Use LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Mixed Use”), which has been amended once (as amended, the “Mixed-Use Contract”); and (4) a Contract for Private Development with the City and Beltline Station Limited Partnership, a Minnesota limited partnership (“Beltline Station” and, together with Beltline Development, Beltline Mixed Use, and other related affiliates, the “Developer”), which has been amended three times (as amended, the “Affordable Contract”). The Developer has missed certain deadlines in the Agreements and has informed the Authority and the City that it will not be in compliance with certain terms set forth in the Agreements including: •Section 2(c) of the Loan Agreement, which states, in part, that: “The entire unpaid amount of principal and accrued interest on the Loan shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) the date that the Borrower, or an affiliate thereof or entity related thereto, acquires the City and Authority Property as defined and contemplated in the Preliminary Agreement and in accordance with the Purchase Agreement; or (ii) January 31, 2024 (the “Loan Payment Date”).” This term is also reflected in Section 2 of the Note and Paragraph 20 of the Mortgage. •Paragraph 3 of the Purchase Agreement, which states, in part, that: “Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the closing of the purchase and sale of the Property contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall occur at the office of Guaranty Commercial Title, Inc. (the “Title Company”), or at another location mutually agreed upon by the Parties, on the date 30 days after the satisfaction or written waiver of all of the conditions set forth in Section 8 hereof but not later than January 31, 2024, unless extended by agreement of the Parties (the “Closing Date”).” •Section 4.3 of the Mixed-Use Contract, which states, in part, that: “Subject to Unavoidable Delays, the Developer shall commence site and utility work on the Market-Rate Housing Component Parcel, the Parking Ramp Component Parcel, and the Mixed-Use Component Parcel by February 15, 2024.” Economic Development Authority meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Title: EDA resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development - Ward 1 Page 4 St. Louis Park Community Development Department • 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416 www.stlouisparkmn.gov • Phone: 952.924.2575 • Fax: 952.928.2662 • TTY: 952.924.2518 •Section 4.3 of the Affordable Contract, which states, in part, that: “Subject to Unavoidable Delays, the Developer shall commence construction of the Minimum Improvements by March 31, 2024.” The Authority and the City understand that the Developer has faced delays with financing the Development and the Authority, the City and the Developer are currently working collaboratively on amendments to the Agreements and anticipate delivering such amendments by September 15, 2024. Pursuant to resolutions adopted by both the Board of Commissioners of the Authority and the City Council of the City on March 20, 2024, the Authority and the City have determined not to declare an event of default under any of the Agreements prior to September 15, 2024 while the parties are negotiating amendments to the Agreements. Sincerely, St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority __________________________ executive director _________________________ president City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota __________________________ mayor __________________________ city manager Economic Development Authority meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Title: EDA resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development - Ward 1 Page 5 Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Presentation: 3a Executive summary Title: Recognition of Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department Recommended action: Read resolution and present plaque to Lieutenant Daniel Yaekel for his 31 years of service to the City of St. Louis Park. Policy consideration: None at this time. Summary: City policy states that employees who retire or resign in good standing with over 20 years of service will be presented with a resolution from the mayor, city manager and city council. Daniel will be in attendance for the presentation at the beginning of the meeting. The mayor is asked to read the resolution for Daniel in recognition of his years of service to the city. Financial or budget considerations: Not applicable Strategic priority consideration: Not applicable. Supporting documents: Resolution attached to Consent item 5a Prepared by: Barb Lamfers, HR technician Reviewed by: Rita Vorpahl, HR director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Presentation: 3b Executive summary Title: Recognition of donations Recommended action: Mayor to announce and express appreciation for the following donations being approved on the consent agenda. None of the individuals will be present at the meeting for separate recognition. From Donation For Park Coin $250 Donation for fire prevention programs and equipment Paul Reetz $100 Donation for fire prevention programs and equipment SLP Friends of the Arts $50 Donation for fire prevention programs and equipment 95 individuals (Full list of donors is located in Consent item 5d, Exhibit A) $1,349.00 Donations for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Access to Fun scholarship program League of Minnesota Cities $950 Donation of annual conference attendance fees for Council Member Budd and City Manager Keller Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: None. Prepared by: Amanda Scott-Lerdal, deputy city clerk Reviewed by: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Minutes: 4a Unofficial Meeting Minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota April 15, 2024 1. Call to order. Mayor Mohamed called the meeting to order at 6:3 1 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Yolanda Farris, Margaret Rog Council members absent: none. Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), city attorney (Mr. Mattick), finance director (Ms. Cruver), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott-Lerdal), public works director (Mr. Hall), planning manager (Mr. Walther), zoning administrator (Mr. Morrison), public works manager (Mr. Okey), city assessor (Mr. Bultema), appraiser I (Mr. Oelrich) Guests: Tim Williams and family, Luke Derheim, David Benowitz 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 3. Presentations. a. Recognition of Timothy Williams on his retirement Mayor Mohamed read the proclamation recognizing Mr. Williams’ service. Mr. Okey presented the plaque and thanked Mr. Williams for his service to the city. Mr. Williams thanked the city and council for their support during his years with the city. Mayor Mohamed thanked Mr. Williams for his service, as well as his wife and family’s support during Mr. Williams’ career. b. Proclamation designating May 2024 at Bike Month Council Member Baudhuin read the proclamation designating May 2024 as “Bike Month”. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 2 Title: City council meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 Council Member Rog shared that with spring and warmer weather, she has seen more people biking than in years past. Infrastructure the city has created for bikers, especially along Dakota Avenue and the Dakota Edgewood Bridge, is making a difference and she thanked the city. Council Member Brausen agreed that it is wonderful biking weather and encouraged all to get out and bike. He also asked drivers to keep a watch out for bikers and to drive safely. Council Member Baudhuin added that children are out biking and learning how bike, noting that everyone rides with different skills, at different speeds. Everyone needs to watch out for one another, and all need to share the road. 4. Minutes. a. Minutes of March 18, 2024 city council meeting Council Member Brausen requested a revision to page 3, to state: “transformative development.” It was moved by Council Member, seconded by Council Member Rog, to approve the March 18, 2024 city council meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed 7-0. b. Minutes of March 25, 2024 study session Council Member Rog requested a revision to page 2, paragraph 2, to state: “…excluding single family home duplex…” and on page 5, to state: "…non-standard eviction forms…” It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Brause, to approve the March 25, 2024 study session minutes as amended. The motion passed 7-0. c. Minutes of March 25, 2024 special city council meeting It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Budd, to approve the March 25, 2024 special city council meeting minutes as presen ted. The motion passed 7-0. 5. Consent items. a. Resolution No. 24- 046 recognizing retirement of Timothy Williams, Public Works Information Systems Specialist b. Resolution No. 24-047 to approve agreement with Xcel Energy for Minnetonka Boulevard (4023-7000) - Ward 1 City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 3 Title: City council meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 c. Approve bid for 2024 Concrete Replacement project (4024-0003) d. Resolution No. 24-048 and 24-049 modifying parking restriction on Xenwood Avenue south of 36th Street - Ward 2 e. Resolution No. 24- 050 returning unspent Municipal Broadband Expansion Fund grant money to Hennepin County f. Resolution No. 24- 051 to commence eminent domain action for Phase 2 - Cedar Lake Road/ Louisiana Avenue (city project no. 4024-1100) - Ward 4 Council Member Brausen asked to make a comment regarding consent item 5c. He noted the bid for $223,000 came in at considerably less than the estimate of the CIP at $386,900. He observed construction costs may be moderating, which would be good news for the city , and he expressed appreciation for staff’s efforts in planning and implementing projects. Council Member Rog commented on item 5b regarding underground utilities on Minnetonka Boulevard. She is excited the council has approved putting utilities underground on the stretch from Highway 100 to France Avenue. She pointed out that this item is being approved at a reasonable cost to residents at $8 per year for 3 years. This project will provide a major benefit to aesthetics as well as safety in using sidewalks and trails on Minnetonka Boulevard. Council Member Dumalag referenced item 5e and thanked those on CTAC for providing feedback, adding that funds will be given back and the county will now be doing this work. She is happy the efforts will continue on this project. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to approve the consent items as listed; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 7-0. 6. Public hearings – none. 7. Regular business. a. First reading of zoning text amendment to C-1 neighborhood commercial zoning district. Mr. Morrison presented the staff report. Mr. Derheim and Mr. Benowitz, 3712 Quebec Ave., owners of the new restaurant, are current owners of The Block restaurant in St. Louis Park ; they are excited to begin this new project. It will be a year-round concept with order pick-up as well as alcohol service, which will provide beverages on tap (and not a full bar). Council Member Dumalag asked if this zoning amendment is a change for intoxicating liquor license only and not beer and wine. Mr. Morrison answered yes, that is correct. Council Member Dumalag asked about the setback for C -1 when residents live above a restaurant and if this is similar. Mr. Morrison stated a setback is not required in mixed-use buildings. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 4 Title: City council meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 Council Member Dumalag asked about concerns shared by residents about how much liquor will be served. Mr. Morrison stated there is a minimum percentage of receipts that must be from food sales. Council Member Dumalag asked for the definition of a setback. Mr. Morrison stated the setback is measured from the building itself to the property line shared in common with the residential property. Council Member Brausen noted the city has a number of non-conforming buildings that exist already with a 100-foot setback, such as at Bunny’s. Mr. Morrison confirmed this observation. Council Member Brausen shared that there have been no public safety concerns with this type of setback where alcohol is served. Mr. Morrison stated to his knowledge , there have been no issues related to zoning. Council Member Rog asked the owners if it will be a drive -in or drive-thru restaurant concept. Mr. Benowitz stated it is a quick-serve restaurant, with no drive-in or drive thru. He added there will be no cars idling, parking will be quick for pick-up in general. Council Member Rog shared that the combination of quick-serve pick up for food along with service of alcohol is a different concept for her, and asked if people will drive away with their alcohol and food. Mr. Benowitz stated they will not offer alcohol beverages to go, noting there will be a clearly defined liquor boundary and also a separate window for ordering liquor, different from the food window, providing for liquor compliance with ID checks as well. Council Member Rog asked staff about THC and if this interfaces at all with this zoning change. Mr. Morrison stated THC is not affected by this zoning change. He added that the city licenses THC beverages to be served at restaurants and a setback from residential is not required. Council Member Rog stated she is in support of this ordinance. Council Member Dumalag asked how strong the margaritas will be. Mr. Benowitz stated all drinks are 1.25 oz. liquor and similar to their other locations. He added these will be batched and on tap to pour over ice, in order to execute quickly and efficiently . Council Member Dumalag stated this makes this equal now, noting that some expressed concern due to this being in a residential area. She is also aware of the food that will be served and she will support this ordinance. She also clarified that city council recently approved food sales receipts at 40% and liquor receipts at 60% for restaurants. Mayor Mohamed stated she had met with the owners and looks forward to the quality food that will be served as well. She will also support this change as well. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the first reading of zoning text amendment to reduce the 100 -foot setback from residential properties to 25 feet for restaurants with intoxicating liquor in the C -1 neighborhood commercial zoning district. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4a) Page 5 Title: City council meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 The motion passed 7-0. 8. Communications and announcements. Ms. Keller stated the city will conduct hydrant flushing to make sure they are in working order, noting this will be done May 5-10 during the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Ms. Keller added road construction will start Wednesday in Minikahda Vista, Browndale and Wolfe Park, and noted residents can go the city website to sign up for updates. Mayor Mohamed will be attending a conference in Switzerland, so Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag will be chairing the meeting next week. She added she will bring back information she learns at the conference. 9. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Minutes: 4b Unofficial minutes Special city council study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota April 15, 2024 The meeting convened at 7:20 p.m. Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Yolanda Farris, Lynette Dumalag, and Margaret Rog Council members absent: none Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), finance director (Ms. Cruver), engineering director (Ms. Heiser), public works director (Mr. Hall) Discussion items 1. Infrastructure project development process Ms. Heiser presented the staff report. Council Member Rog asked for a comparison of concrete versus pavement. Ms. Heiser stated concrete roadways can last 60-70 years, but there are challenges with construction. She explained it can be very costly if sewer, watermain and utilities are not replaced at the same time as the street is paved in concrete. She noted Texas Avenue, north of 28th Street, is a concrete road, as well as Louisiana Avenue from the railroad tracks to Highway 7. Some concrete streets, built in the 1970s, are now overlayed with bituminous. In the winter, the snow melts better on bituminous roads. Ms. Heiser noted the construction cost will be more expensive when using concrete as compared to bituminous Council Member Rog asked how much communication staff has with commercial property owners and developers. Ms. Heiser stated engineering staff does meet with community development every other week related to projects in development. She noted they worked with community development on the Arrive and Thrive gateway planning study and Oxford/ Louisiana stormwater projects to ensure that city projects in the CIP were taken into consideration. Council Member Rog asked if the city would repair alleys with concrete. Ms. Heiser stated it is similar to sidewalks in that if there is a bad panel, it is pulled out and paved with concrete. Council Member Rog asked about watermain on Minnetonka Boulevard and if the use of SeeSnake® technology helped to indicate which sections of watermain need to be replaced. Ms. Heiser stated everything will be replaced on all of Minnetonka Boulevard because it will be reconstructed as a concrete road, and this is the only opportunity to do these replacements for 60- 70 years. Due to the life cycle of infrastructure, the Cedar Lou project will have pavement City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4b) Page 2 Title: Special study session meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 work again in about 30 years, so about half the water main will be replaced with this project and the other half can be replaced in the future. Council Member Budd asked about the success of the SeeSnake® technology used to scope the watermain system. Ms. Heiser shared that the technology was successful in that some issues were found because the city shut down the water in order to use the technology. This process allowed for identifying leaking and closed valves . Council Member Rog asked whether pavement management in her neighborhood for 202 7 is planned to be discussed, and if there will be a different process at that time for pavement management. Ms. Heiser stated that it is unclear that this time, since the city council asked staff to assess what a CIP would look like moving forward using the additional information from the utility risk assessment. Staff will review costs and processes over the next year, and any proposed CIP changes will be brought to council for approval in 2025, for implementation in 2026. Council Member Budd asked if staff intends to show a cost breakdown on every project. Ms. Heiser confirmed this and presented an example from the 2025 pavement management project. Using council members’ neighborhoods for reference, s he noted various projects that will be going on in the next three years. Ms. Heiser also highlighted the process used to develop the CIP. Council Member Baudhuin asked how the proposed Three Rivers regional trail plans factor into the timing of the city projects. Ms. Heiser stated Three Rivers has a long -range plan for a north- south regional trail and that, at this time, it is separate from the city's CIP. Council Member Baudhuin expressed concerns about Three Rivers doing their project, followed by the city doing their project on the same street. Ms. Heiser noted the council will need to be involved in projects the city may want to do, especially when there are funding considerations, or another entity wants to do something in the city right-of-way. She confirmed the city does coordinate ongoing projects with other entities and brings that information to council when there are funding implications. Council Member Rog asked if and how council adapts to conditions, especially when more than one decision-making body is involved. Ms. Heiser stated it can be challenging especially when projects are not expected. Written Reports Council Member Brausen thanked staff for the speed limit report, noting he is happy to see residents following the lower speed limits. Council Member Rog asked about enforcement with speed limits. Ms. Heiser stated that originally, there was no intention for increased enforcement after speed limits changed. Ms. Keller shared that traffic trend information could be brought back to council. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4b) Page 3 Title: Special study session meeting minutes of April 15, 2024 Council Member Dumalag shared that stop sign compliance has been an issue. Ms. Heiser clarified there is no direct correlation between speed and stop signs. 2. Speed limit evaluation 3. Basket weave stop signs Communications/meeting check-in (verbal) The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Minutes: 4c Unofficial Minutes City council study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota April 24, 2024 Council members present: Paul Baudhuin, Sue Budd, Yolanda Farris, Mayor Pro Tem Lynette Dumalag, Margaret Rog Council members absent: Tim Brausen, Mayor Nadia Mohamed Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), engineering project manager (Mr. Sullivan), engineering director (Ms. Heiser), finance director (Ms. Cruver), park superintendent (Mr. Umphrey), public works director (Mr. Hall), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott - Lerdal) Guests: Danny McCullough, Stephen Shurson, Jonathan Flemming, Kelly Grissman - Three Rivers Park District representatives Discussion items. 1. Three Rivers Canadian Pacific (CP) regional rail trail update Mr. Sullivan presented the staff report. Three representatives from the Three Rivers Park District presented an in -depth look at the history of and the long-range plans of the park district. Council Member Rog asked whether the 15-year plan for the Louisiana Avenue corridor is based on staff’s assessment of pavement conditions on when the street would be improved. She also asked what the 15-year plan is based on. Ms. Heiser stated Louisiana Avenue is a concrete road and is currently in good shape. She added the portion north of Minnetonka Boulevard will need some maintenance within the next 15 years , however, the portion south of Minnetonka Boulevard will not need improvements for about 20 years. Council Member Rog asked about the CP railbed and about the timeframe of a potential sale. Mr. McCullough stated Three Rivers has no way of knowing when CP would be available as part of the trail. He noted they do not believe it will turn over soon, so alternate plans need to be made by Three Rivers. Ms. Grissman stated they are looking at alternative route today so that this trail is not delayed. She shared that in spots, the railroad is on hills and in other areas it is in wetlands, so it is not really feasible that it be used as part of the trail. Council Member Rog asked why the CP railbed is still being considered. Ms. Grissman stated if it were sold, then the trail could be constructed over the railbed. Council Member Rog asked about the prospective usage of the trail. Mr. McCullough stated Three Rivers will look at those numbers when they start looking at alignment. Ms. Grissman stated when Cedar Lake is up and running, that is 500,000 -750,000 visits per year, and since City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 2 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 this trail will not run to Minneapolis and have a different commuter function, it will most likely have fewer users than that. Council Member Rog asked if council agrees with the Dakota Avenue option that staff proposes, would that mean taking out curbs and curb extensions that were put in in 2019. Ms. Heiser stated the trail would replace the on-street bike lanes. She added that would most likely be in 20 years, when the road is redone. Council Member Budd asked if the curb change is at Three Rivers ’ expense. Ms. Heiser stated yes and added anything that is part of building the trail on Dakota Avenue is at Three Rivers expense. Council Member Rog asked about the 19-foot right-of-way on Louisiana Avenue and keeping the four lane roads as they are today. Ms. Heiser pointed out that for the intersection to function, it requires turn lanes. Council Member Baudhuin asked whether Dakota Avenue residences have driveways with no alleys. Ms. Heiser stated it depends where the residence is located on Dakota Avenue and pointed to the map for clarification. Council Member Baudhuin asked what kind of questions were asked for feedback from residents. Mr. McCollough stated at the events, they would show a large map with route options through St. Louis Park and then ask folks their opinion and which ones they tho ught would work best. He added they also asked if residents would walk or bike to destinations within the city. Council Member Baudhuin asked if there were any demographic data collected at the events. Ms. Grissman stated they did not collect that type of detailed information but tallied how many people stopped to talk with them at each event. Mr. McCollough added Three Rivers did record residents’ comments. Council Member Budd asked about the Dakota Avenue option that shows keeping the trees, noting the eight-foot and five-foot trails on the east side, and asked which trail is for walking and which is for biking. Mr. McCollough explained that typically, all trails are used for both biking and walking, but they could design narrower trails for walking and another wider one for biking, depending on what the city wants. Mr. McCollough stated the residents on Dakota Avenue were very passionate about parking and also keeping the trees. Council Member Farris stated the information was all clear and she thanked the Three Rivers staff for their presentation. Council Member Budd asked if the city has a decision-making role in the design phase of the trail. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 3 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 Mr. McCollough responded that the city does absolutely have a decision-making role, while Ms. Grissman added everything proposed is in the city right-of-way. Though Three Rivers will be paying for the trail, they must satisfy the city’s requirements. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag asked about maintenance and who is responsible for the trail. Mr. McCollough stated Three Rivers operates and maintains the whole trail and has maintenance responsibility for it. He clarified that Three Rivers has a partnership in the winter and pays the city to maintain snow removal. Council Member Rog asked how soon the project could commence. Mr. Flemming stated typically federal funding will build these trails and the next grant round is in 2026, which would award projects in 2030 or 2031. He added there are variables including evaluation, along with tapping other federal funding streams, so the project could commence sooner. Council Member Baudhuin stated he sees this as an opportunity to rethink Louisiana Avenue. When we look at the values of the city and the climate action plan, Louisiana Avenue does not reflect the values of the city and it was designed only for cars. He added this is a great opportunity to change Louisiana Avenue. At the public hearing, 11 of the 12 residents who shared testimony live on Dakota Avenue do not want the trail there. Others want the trail to be built on Louisiana Avenue. He stated Louisiana Avenue is too busy and he would love to see it slow down and quiet down, especially with its very large residential neighborhood. He added if this were on Dakota Avenue, it would be used more and would be safer as well. Louisiana would also connect to the light rail and the transit center on Hwy. 394, adding there is a huge gap there and he hopes there are plans to rethink this. Council Member Baudhuin observed that tree removal on Dakota Avenue is also a concern and he likes the model that shows keeping trees. He stressed this is an important project and added it will also be helpful to have Three Rivers do this and share some of the costs. Council Member Baudhuin stated he supports a north-south trail. Council Member Rog added while she sees value in both routes, she agrees Dakota Avenue is not ideal for bikers currently. She stated this is an opportunity to attend to Louisiana Avenue which does not meet the city’s values. She stated the council has prioritized biking and walking over driving and Louisiana Avenue is not bikeable or walkable in many areas. She stated the city’s commitment should be to improving “bikeability” and the sidewalk; there are so many opportunities to improve this area. She added it will only get more expensive to improve Louisiana Avenue and this is a great opportunity to share costs with Three Rivers. Council Member Rog stated this is an opportunity to be strategic and she added she approves of option SLP 1. She is curious about the availability of federal funds for Louisiana Avenue to help reduce costs. Council Member Farris stated she supports SLP 1 also, and asked if there is a way to make Louisiana Avenue safe, and added she has concerns about Dakota Avenue as well with many children biking to the high school. Ms. Heiser noted the city has applied four times for federal funding on roads, and been turned down, as it is very competitive. She asked the council how this project can fit into the CIP process, adding this will be discussed in the next topic discussion. She stated she agrees City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 4 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 Louisiana Avenue needs to be accessible on foot and by bike, but added it is a very costly project. While the priorities are in place for biking and walking, at the core there are a lot of things that can promote that in many ways. She stated Dakota Avenue is the recommended option and would replace the on-street biking with an off -street facility and would be paid for by Three Rivers. Council Member Budd thanked Ms. Heiser for that clarification and stated she would like to see a nice trail to get to the light rail station at some point. She added there is significant difference in the connectivity with Dakota Avenue, which makes her lean toward that option. She noted residents in her ward are passionate about this, and noted broader opinions have to be weighed. She stated that the city will deal with Louisiana Avenue in time, but noted she is not supportive of choosing it today. She stated she supports a north-south route and the recommended action. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag read letters from Council Member Brausen and Mayor Mohamed. In his letter, Council Member Brausen shared support of SLP 4 route and stated this is an opportunity to rebuild on Louisiana Avenue, while also noting the Texas and Virginia Avenue bike trail is important. In her letter, Mayor Mohamed stated she is supportive of the SLP 4 route and appreciates Three Rivers funding of the project. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag stated she would like to look at Louisiana Avenue, but it is a whole large package and a competitive process for funding also. She stated Three Rivers is a partner willing to do this work for the city and she is supportive also of SLP 4. Council Member Rog stated she does not think going with Dakota Avenue is a bad thing, but noted her frustration is the suggestion that the council is not in a position to prioritize projects for funding. She stated there are good reasons to look at Dakota Avenue, and maybe expedite Louisiana Avenue and benefit from Three Rivers funding. Council Member Farris stated she is in favor of Dakota Avenue option because of the timeliness of the project. It was the consensus of the city council to support the Dakota option plans presented. Ms. Heiser stated next steps will be for staff to meet with Three Rivers and come back to council asking for support of the route for the long -range plan. Council Member Rog shared concerns from many residents who want the city council to commit to save the trees on Dakota Avenue. Council Member Baudhuin stated this is a concern for him as well and the neighborhood must be preserved there, especially the tree canopy. 2. Engineering projects not in the 10-year capital plan Ms. Heiser presented the staff report. Council members were asked for their direction regarding three infrastructure projects with city funding only, and three infrastructure projects with partnership support. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 5 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 Council Member Baudhuin observed that the city will not be able to upgrade Louisiana Avenue without a large tax increase. Ms. Keller stated that may not be the case as over time, the deteriorating road condition will warrant upgrades and strategic work. Council Member Rog asked about prioritizing biking and walking as a criterion. She is concerned about not seeking federal funding at this time. Ms. Heiser clarified that staff is actively and aggressively pursuing federal funding. Council Member Rog observed that if staff is pursuing federal funding, it seems like that process could shorten the timeframe for work on Louisiana Avenue. Ms. Heiser shared that in order for staff to pursue federal funding, a project must be included in the CIP. She added this is an extremely competitive process. In the past, the city pursued funding from four different areas of funding and were turned down twice, obtaining $2 million in earmarked funding when successful. Council Member Rog observed that if Louisiana Avenue is not part of the CIP and the funding application process has not started, it will take even longer. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag asked if some items in the CIP need to be deprioritized, and if that is helpful to know when looking at other opportunities. Ms. Heiser stated that is why she started by looking only at what is in the 10-year CIP to date. She agreed this is the prioritizing conversation that needs to happen and council will need to make decisions. As engineering is staffed today, they would not be able to provide three large projects like this in one year and it would be very challenging to add in Louisiana Avenue. Council Member Rog asked how long the Cedar Lou project was in the 10 -year CIP and if it was completed within 10 years. Ms. Heiser stated yes, although it was delayed a couple of times due to funding packages. Council Member Rog stated if a project is not in the CIP, staff cannot pursue funding. She asked if there were a risk for the Louisiana Avenue project to be in the CIP while knowing the city does not yet have the right combination of funding. Ms. Cruver stated the CIP also includes staff capacity and what is a feasible project as well. It is different than just including projects and must represent what is actually possible to do. However, there is more maneuverability in operations. On the capital side, financing is so layered with bonding and tax levies, so it is difficult to make changes in the short term. Council Member Rog questioned the conversation when there is a strong desire not to change priorities or add new projects to the CIP. Ms. Cruver stated council certainly has input and final approval over projects, but noted this process is illustrating the factors that go into the staff recommended CIP. Ms. Heiser added she does not recommend adding the Louisiana Avenue project at this point, with so many unknowns. If funding is received for a CIP project, it must be spent within a certain timeframe or the funding is lost. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag asked for an overview of past practice – how did projects move from a study session discussion to the Capital Improvement Plan? Ms. Heiser gave the example of the pavement management program, which was approved by council in 2004, which defined the approach of using pavement condition to drive the CIP. Similar annual programs that are in the City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 6 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 CIP have been discussed and approved by council, driving the CIP by council direction. As costs increased, modifications to the programs were brought back to council. Ms. Keller also noted staff made recommendations based on the strategies set up by council. Ms. Heiser added council direction also then evolved the CIP into different directions over time. Council Member Baudhuin stated a project like Louisiana Avenue will have a massive effect on CIP and he asked how the council then strategizes getting it onto the CIP. He stated he is concerned it will keep being deferred. Ms. Cruver described that to add Louisiana Avenue to the CIP, something else would have to be deprioritized in order to make it room. She added that the prioritization of Louisiana Avenue will change over time as the road conditions worsen. Ms. Keller pointed out that to date, council has stated that the worsening of a road’s condition is the criterion for putting a project on CIP. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag stated this is a policy decision which can be a further study session discussion. She summarized the policy question that the council will need to look at the six projects on the CIP tonight. Ms. Heiser stated staff needs to know which non-mandatory projects the council wants staff to work on. Council Member Rog stated construction fatigue is an issue, so to have improved and safer Louisiana Avenue would be a huge step forward for the community as a whole. She observed that lived experience and traveling safely through the city is what the community cares about. Council Member Rog stated she appreciates the Dakota Park bridge coming back into this conversation. Costs would have been substantially lower as planned in conjunction with the Dakota Park trail, but at this point, the Dakota Park bridge is not an investment that she supports. She is very supportive of the Minnetonka Boulevard reconstruction for $15 million , noting this is a safety issue. She also stated the Louisiana Avenue construction will not be done, so she will not pursue this, and noted she is supportive of getting Louisiana Avenue on the CIP as soon as possible. She added she is also supportive of the Minnehaha Greenway Cedar Lake and taking advantage of the opportunity in front of the city. She added she is open to being persuaded to support the delamination project also. Council Member Budd added she approves of the signals, Minnetonka Boulevard and water mains, the Greenway connection, the delamination project and spreading costs over time. She added she supports removing the Dakota Bridge project from the CIP and noted Louisiana Avenue would be too much to do at this time. Council Member Farris stated she is glad the Dakota Avenue bridge project is being removed because it does not support the city as a whole. She stated she supports the Minnehaha Greenway and Minnetonka Boulevard projects, and Louisiana Avenue is too big to consider at this time. She noted she will support the majority on the delamination project, as she is not familiar with the process. Council Member Baudhuin stated he is more interested in the three partnership projects including the Minnehaha and Minnetonka projects. He was neutral regarding the other three projects and does not support the Dakota Bridge project. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 7 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag shared comments from Council Member Brausen and Mayor Mohamed related to the CIP. Council Member Brausen stated he supports the three partnership infrastructure projects and is not in support of the three city infrastructure projects. Mayor Mohamed stated she supports delaying of the Louisiana Avenue project and is supportive of the three single upgrades. She is supportive of the Greenway and is not supportive of the Dakota Bridge project. She added she has no opinion on the delamination project. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag stated she supports the three infrastructure projects and loves the Greenway connecting to the trail, especially moving through the affordable areas of the city. She added she is not in support of the three city infrastructure projects. Council Member Rog added she supports the delamination project, especially seeing that the costs can be spread over three years , which is a cost benefit. She encouraged the council to consider this as well as the improvement to safety. Council Member Baudhuin stated if the cost is spread out, and the project does not negatively affect the other priorities, he would support the delamination project. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag added she would like to look at the delamination project as a whole, and noted there are other priorities. Council Member Budd added there was a window of time, and so it could be added in over time, but not in the short term. Referring to her intention to follow the majority’s position, C ouncil Member Farris confirmed she will support the delamination project. Council Member Baudhuin thanked staff for their work on this report. Written Reports Council Member Budd noted the metrics in the diversity, equity and inclusion tool was helpful in providing baseline information in the second quarter development update report. Council Member Budd asked if the council would see a draft of the pre-eviction notice form. Ms. Keller stated a final draft will be reviewed by the council before it is published. Opportunities for changes to the ordinance could occur when the first reading is presented to the council for approval. She noted she will discuss this with the city attorney and follow up with the council. Council Member Rog observed that in the pre-eviction notice report, the city’s survey showed significant support or neutrality on the ordinance. She stated this was different from the 30 days’ notice. She added the renters were supportive and landlords were neutral or supportive or a few were not in support. She stated this feels a little rushed that council makes this decision on the first reading without seeing if the proposed change adds confusion. She shared there is not enough time to review the form before approving, and there are ways to make the City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4c) Page 8 Title: Study session meeting minutes of April 24, 2024 language more comforting and easier for tenants to understand. Ms. Keller added she will discuss this with the city attorney, and the conversation can be postponed if needed. Mayor Pro Tem Dumalag agreed she would prefer more time to discuss and understand the ordinance before approving as well, adding that state law will ultimately supersede the city’s ordinance. Council Member Rog shared that upon reading the greater land trust report for the Minnetonka Boulevard project, the funding sources were listed, but the CPF funds were not noted, including the $3 million grant. Ms. Keller reminded council there is no meeting April 29 and also that she will be at a conference most of next week. 3. Quarterly development update – 2nd quarter 2024 4. Second amendment to the preliminary development agreement with Greater Minnesota Housing Corporation – Ward 1 5. 2023 housing activity report 6. Pre-eviction notice ordinance Communications/meeting check-in (verbal) The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Minutes: 4d Unofficial minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota May 6, 2024 1. Call to order. Mayor Mohamed called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Yolanda Farris, Margaret Rog Council members absent: none. Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), city attorney (Mr. Mattick), deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), city clerk (Ms. Kennedy), senior planner (Ms. Chamberlain), zoning administrator (Mr. Morrison), planning manager (Mr. Walther) Guests: Chris Bores for Punch Pizza; Luke Derheim and David Benowitz for Wells Roadside 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 3. Presentations. a. Proclamation observing "American Indian Heritage Month" Mayor Mohamed read the proclamation into the record. b. Proclamation observing "Jewish American Heritage Month" Council Member Rog read the proclamation into the record. She pointed out that several resources for engagement are included in links within the council meeting packet. c. Proclamation observing "Asian American Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian Heritage Month" Council Member Dumalag read the proclamation into the record. 4. Minutes. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 2 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 a. Minutes of March 18, 2024 closed executive session b. Minutes of April 1, 2024 special study session c. Minutes of April 1, 2024 city council meeting It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to approve the March 18, 2024 closed executive session, April 1, 2024 special study session, and April 1, 2024 city council meeting minutes as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 4. Consent items. a. Approve city disbursements b. Resolution no. 24-052 accepting donations to the Parks and Recreation Department c. Ordinance no. 2678-24 approving zoning text amendment pertaining to C-1 neighborhood commercial zoning district d. Resolution no. 24-053 rescinding permit parking restrictions at 2841 Jersey Avenue e. Resolution no. 24-054 establishing the Wolfe Park Streetlight Replacement Project (5024-4101) f. Resolution no. 24-055 authorizing parking restrictions on the west side of Monitor Street south of Lake Street g. Approve temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license - The Slavic Experience h. Resolution no. 24-056 approving the use of Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority Homeownership Assistance Program i. Resolution no. 24-057 providing for the issuance and sale of bonds Council Member Brausen asked to make a comment regarding consent item 5e. He stated this refers to the Wolfe Park streetlight replacement project, which will be several thousand dollars. He is happy to see LED lighting will be used. He noted an article in the Star Tribune that highlighted students who developed a project to assist migrating birds and encouraged city staff to be aware of this and any new technologies that come out related to this preservation of birds. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the consent items as listed; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 7-0. 6. Public hearings. a. Approve on-sale intoxicating liquor license for Boketto Restaurant, LLC dba Boketto- Ward 4 Ms. Kennedy presented the staff report. Council Member Rog asked how the pro-rated fee amount is determined. Ms. Kennedy explained the city code outlines how the fee is calculated for new licenses and provides that a City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 3 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 license that is issued for less than a 12-month period be pro-rated. If a business is open any day within a month, they pay for the whole month. Essentially, businesses do not pay a license fee for months in which their business is not open. Mayor Mohamed opened the public hearing. No speakers were present. Mayor Mohamed closed the public hearing. Council Member Brausen stated this seems like an opportunity to have another fine restaurant in St. Louis Park and he will support approval of this license. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Rog, to approve the on-sale intoxicating liquor license for Boketto Restaurant, LLC dba Boketto for the premises located at 1607 West End Blvd. The motion passed 7-0. b. Approve on-sale 3.2% and on-sale wine liquor license for Civitali Restaurant Corporation dba Punch Neapolitan Pizza – Ward 4 Ms. Kennedy presented the staff report. Mayor Mohamed opened the public hearing. No speakers were present. Mayor Mohamed closed the public hearing. Council Member Budd asked how the 62 indoor seats and 42 outside seats compares to their other locations. Chris Bores, director of operations for Punch Pizza, stated it is about the same as most of their locations, and a few of the older locations have smaller seating. Council Member Budd asked how many Punch Pizza restaurant locations they have. Mr. Bores stated this will be number 12. Council Member Budd asked where the parent company is located. Mr. Bores stated their headquarters is in St. Paul on Cleveland Avenue. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Farris, to approve on- sale 3.2% and on-sale wine liquor licenses for Civitali Restaurant Corporation dba Punch Neapolitan Pizza for the premises located at 5799 16th St. W., Suite #100. The motion passed 7-0. 7. Regular business. a. Resolutions No. 24-058, 24-059 and 24-060 approving conditional use permits and variances – 3712 Quebec Ave. S, Wells Roadside – Ward 2 City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 4 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 Mr. Morrison presented the staff report. Council Member Dumalag asked if this is more of a restaurant than a drive-in. Mr. Morrison stated that is correct and the owners may allocate a couple of parking spaces for drive-in or to- go in the future if needed. Council Member Dumalag referenced the square footage for parking at a drive-in and asked how that is configured, or if there are differences within the ordinance. Mr. Morrison stated the code does not have a parking category for drive-in restaurants. He summarized the three categories of restaurants and stated that this restaurant is calculated as a fast-food restaurant since it does not have waitstaff. Council Member Dumalag asked for further clarification about the parking variance and the differences with the calculations. Mr. Morrison stated there are three categories for food, including all carry out, which has a maximum of ten seats. He noted the second category is fast food (which this would fall under as a fast casual) and the parking is one space for every 100 square foot of general floor area, including the canopy area. He explained that the third category is a sit-down restaurant, which requires more parking at one space for 60 square feet. He added this proposal does not include wait service and will be classified in the fast casual category. Council Member Dumalag noted there is no handicapped stall according to residents, but that she observes one on the plans, and asked if Mr. Morrison could confirm. Mr. Morrison confirmed that there is an accessible parking stall on the west side of the building near the entrance and it meets the Minnesota requirements for ADA parking. Council Member Dumalag added one concern is a decrease in parking overall, as there is no parking allowed on the frontage road. She referenced discussion from the planning commission regarding the sidewalk and asked for clarification and where the sidewalk will be aligned in the future. Mr. Morrison stated city code does require a sidewalk along all street frontage of commercial property. There is already a sidewalk along Quebec Ave S, but there is not one along the frontage road, which is why constructing a sidewalk along the north side of the property is a condition of approval of the CUP. He noted there was discussion on the variance and if it should be extended to Rhode Island Avenue, but the planning commission found that sufficient need hasn’t been demonstrated to require the sidewalk be extended to Rhode Island Ave S. Council Member Dumalag asked about parking concerns within the neighborhood, how this has been handled, and if there have been any adjustments along the way. Mr. Derheim and Mr. Benowitz stated the community is everything to them and noted they also operate The Block in St. Louis Park, as well as other restaurants in Minneapolis. Mr. Benowitz stated some of their other restaurants have neighborhoods similar to this one, and if there were ever any parking concerns, they have discussions with neighbors. Predominately, they have not had many issues related to parking because their staff is well-known to be good stewards of their spaces. Council Member Rog asked how long a customer would spend at the restaurant. Mr. Benowitz stated a large portion of their business will be take-out, so he assumes less than five minutes City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 5 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 will be spent at the site by many customers. He added there will be a small percentage of patrons that remain at a table, but this concept is designed to be quick and will have a small menu oriented to qualify food that can be prepared quickly. He noted a prior issue at this location was people waiting for food, and the Wells Roadside concept is designed on quick service, especially based on parking. Mr. Derheim stated if customers cannot get in and out quickly, they will not come back. Council Member Rog asked if cocktails are only served for on site consumption. Mr. Derheim stated that is correct. Council Member Rog asked where staff will park. Mr. Derheim stated they are working to have leased parking for employees at several commercial buildings to the east. Council Member Rog asked about hours of operation. Mr. Benowitz stated 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Council Member Baudhuin asked if on Fridays or Saturdays they will be open until 11 p.m. Mr. Derheim stated that is correct. Council Member Baudhuin asked about noise levels that may become a problem if on a nice summer night, people might remain onsite with their drinks until closing time. Mr. Derheim stated they will monitor conversation levels and consumption of drinks. They also will not have speakers outside like the previous owner did. Council Member Baudhuin shared from the other restaurants they own, they have been really good neighbors, and he is not worried about the noise, but wants to be sure they are aware of the possibility of louder summer noise levels. Council Member Baudhuin asked staff if there is a way for the city to monitor this also and help neighbors. He stated he approves of parking on the street and added he is not in favor of parking lots in general and wants to be sure neighbors are helped out. Mr. Morrison stated staff has met with residents and also noted staff will monitor traffic and speeds in the area when the restaurant opens. Council Member Dumalag asked how customers will access the property and also about the landscape plans. Mr. Morrison indicated access onto the property will be from the frontage road. Traffic will flow through the site and exit onto Quebec Ave S. He noted residents expressed concerns that small trees blocked visibility at the corner of the property and those trees have been removed. The landscape plan meets the requirements and residents have commented that it is now much better. Council Member Dumalag stated she appreciates staff’s work on this and noted she attended the community meeting. She added it was well attended and that folks were positive about the project. She noted some concerns were around parking and traffic and changes to the neighborhood. In this area, there really are no amenities south of Highway 7 and this location is accessible by bike and walking is a great addition. She asked city staff to be mindful of the concerns that residents brought up about parking in driveways and in the alleys in the area. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 6 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 Council Member Baudhuin added this is a great project and concept for the space it is in, and noted there will be a lot of customers who come in from the bike trail and there will be pedestrian traffic in the summer. He noted most neighbors will find it an asset to the neighborhood, acknowledging that is always difficult when something new comes into the area. He added that overall projects like this tend to go well, and he thinks this one will too. He pointed out that having a business instead of a vacant space is best for everyone in the community. He thanked the owners for taking a chance on this. Council Member Rog added she is also supportive, but it feels a bit risky with reduced parking and added traffic the variances provided. She stated she will trust the owners to watch out on some of these issues and added she knows Council Member Dumalag will be aware also. Council Member Budd stated The Block has been a great asset to the community and she is happy to see this vacant spot addressed with a new project and is supportive. Council Member Farris added she is also excited about this and noted the food is great at The Block and it will be great here also. She stated she is excited to see the visual appeal of the restaurant concept at night. Mayor Mohamed added she also is supportive of the project. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to adopt Resolutions No. 24-058, 24-059 and 24-060 approving conditional use permits and variances – 3712 Quebec Ave. S., Wells Roadside. The motion passed 7-0. b. Resolution No. 24-061 approving conditional use permit for fill and reclamation – 6300 Walker Street – Ward 2 Ms. Chamberlain presented the staff report. Council Member Rog asked about the process of moving large quantities of materials and how the neighborhood might be affected. Mr. Chamberlain stated this will be similar to a project where a great deal of grading was done, including erosion control. She added the haul routes and equipment to be used has been reviewed by staff and haul routes will be as direct as possible to Wooddale Avenue and Highway 7 and included as recommended conditions of approval of the CUP. Council Member Rog asked about timing for the project. Ms. Chamberlain stated work in the south side parking lot is proposed for this summer and work in the east parking lot would be next year. Council Member Rog asked if there are specific stormwater issues this project will address or if the work is preemptive and how will the impacts be seen. Ms. Chamberlain stated this work will meet the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District new water standards and that is why it is tied to the data center to bring both sites into compliance. City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 4d) Page 7 Title: City council meeting minutes of May 6, 2024 Council Member Rog asked if this project will be preemptive for water storage issues due to climate change. Mr. Walther stated the watershed requirements require treatment of storm water to improve the quality before it leaves the site, whereas the city has some stronger requirements that relate more closely to the rate at which stormwater leaves the site. Releasing water at a slower rate to the city system preserves capacity in the city system and increases the storage required on site. Council Member Rog stated she is supportive of the project and the forward-thinking noted by Mr. Walther. She is pleased with the proposed project and is appreciative the district is able to invest to make these improvements. Council Member Dumalag stated she is also supportive of the motion. It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to adopt Resolution No. 24- 061 approving conditional use permit for fill and reclamation, 6300 Walker Street – Ward 2, subject to the conditions recommended by staff. The motion passed 7-0. 8. Communications and announcements – none. 9. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5a Executive summary Title: Resolution honoring Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department. Recommended action: Resolution honoring Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department. Policy consideration: None. Summary: City policy states that employees who retire or resign in good standing with over 20 years of service will be presented with a resolution from the mayor, city manager and city council. Daniel will be in attendance for the presentation at the beginning of the meeting. The mayor is asked to read the resolution for Daniel in recognition of his years of service to the city. Financial or budget considerations: None applicable. Strategic priority consideration: Not applicable. Supporting documents: Resolution Prepared by: Barb Lamfers, HR technician Steve Koering, fire chief Reviewed by: Rita Vorpahl, HR director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Page 2 City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5a) Title: Resolution honoring Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department. Resolution No. 24 - ___ Recognizing the contributions and expressing appreciation to Lieutenant Daniel Yaekel Whereas, Daniel began his employment with the City of St. Louis Park 31 years ago on November 9, 1992; and Whereas, Daniel was promoted to Fire Lieutenant on May 11, 1998; and Whereas, Daniel was part of the Minnesota Task Force 1 from 2004 -2018; and Whereas, Daniel handled programming the fire department pagers and truck communications for 25 years; and Whereas, Daniel was deployed for nearly three weeks to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and was an instrumental member of the team, providing communication expertise that enabled crews to utilize a damaged and dysfunctional system and by providing vital services to the communities within Plaquemines Parish; and Whereas, Daniel brought a calm demeanor to tens of thousands of emergency calls for service and when in command of an emergency incident, made decisions in the best interest of the City, its residents and staff; and Whereas, Daniel treated customers with respect and kindness and was always willing to offer support to those in need; and Whereas, Daniel trained, mentored and coached over 100 part-time and career firefighters throughout his career; and Whereas, throughout Daniel’s career he received many awards, including Meritorious Service and Unit Citation awards in 2013, an Excellence in Customer Service award in 2015, a Unit Citation award in 2016, an Excellence in Customer Service award in 2017, a Unit Citation award in 2019, a Unit Citation award in 2023; and Whereas, Daniel has spent one-half of his life (75,000 plus working hours) serving the citizens of St. Louis Park as a Firefighter and Fire Lieutenant; and Whereas, Daniel showed tremendous skill, dedication, commitment and leadership in performing his duties; and Now therefore be it resolved that the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, by this resolution and public record, would like to thank Daniel Yaekel for his great contributions and 31 years of dedicated sworn service to the City of St. Louis Park and wish him the best in his retirement. Page 3 City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5a) Title: Resolution honoring Daniel Yaekel on his 31 years of service with the Fire Department. Reviewed for administration Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5b Executive summary Title: Resolution supporting the City of St. Louis Park becoming a 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps member host site Recommended action: Motion to adopt the resolution supporting the City of St. Louis Park becoming a 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps member host site. Policy consideration: Does the Council wish to support the city’s application to be a host site for the 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps program year? Summary: Minnesota GreenCorps is an environmentally focused AmeriCorps program coordinated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), which places AmeriCorps members with organizations around the state to spend a year of service addressing critical environmental issues, while gaining experience and learning valuable job skills. Solid waste staff have submitted an application to the MPCA to be Minnesota GreenCorps member host site and have been selected to host a member. The proposed service project is primarily focused on recycling and organics collection. City staff are working to improve recycling and establish organics collection options in multi-family properties, as well as expand our outreach regarding reuse opportunities. A Minnesota GreenCorps member would provide critical assistance to this effort, particularly through outreach and education to multi-family residents and by dedicating time to evaluation of reuse efforts. Financial or budget considerations: The MPCA provides GreenCorps members with a stipend and educational award. The only cost to the City would be $300 for additional training during the member’s service period. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to continue to lead in environmental stewardship. Supporting documents: Resolution Prepared by: Katie Stelzner, solid waste specialist Reviewed by: Kala Fisher, public services superintendent/deputy public works director Jay Hall, public works director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5b) Page 2 Title: Resolution supporting the City of St. Louis Park becoming a 2024 -2025 Minnesota GreenCorps member host site Resolution No. 24 - ___ Supporting the City of St. Louis Park becoming a 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps member host site Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park (City) has applied to host an AmeriCorps member from the Minnesota GreenCorps, a program of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), for the 2024-2025 program year; and Whereas, the MPCA requires a Board/Council resolution in support of the GreenCorps host site application, indicating the organization’s commitment to host a Minnesota GreenCorps member; and Whereas, the organization is committed to implementing the proposed project as described in the host site application, and in accordance with pre-scoped position description; and Whereas, the MPCA requires that the city enter into a host site agreement with the MPCA that identifies the terms, conditions, roles and responsibilities; and Whereas, the proposed Minnesota GreenCorps member position for the city is to include solid waste duties related to multi-family recycling, the city’s organics recycling program, and reuse programming; Therefore, be it resolved that the City of St. Louis Park hereby agrees to enter into and sign a host site agreement with the MPCA to carry out the member activities specified therein and to comply with all of the terms, conditions, and matching provisions of the host site agreement and authorizes and directs the City of St. Louis Park to sign the grant agreement on its behalf. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5c Executive summary Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Fire Department Recommended action: Motion to adopt resolution accepting donations to the fire department from Park Coin ($250.00), Paul Reetz ($100.00) and SLP Friends of the Arts ($50.00) for fire prevention programs and equipment. Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to accept this donation with restrictions on the use? Summary: State statute requires city council’s acceptance of donations. This requirement is necessary in order to make sure the city council has knowledge of any restrictions placed on the use of each donation prior to it being expended. Park Coin ($250.00), Paul Reetz ($100.00) and SLP Friends of the Arts ($50.00) are graciously donating to the fire department an amount totaling $400.00. The donations are given with restrictions. Financial or budget considerations: This donation will be used for fire prevention programs and equipment. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: Resolution Prepared by: Cary Smith, fire marshal Reviewed by: Steve Koering, fire chief Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5c) Page 2 Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Fire Department Resolution No. 24 -__ Approving acceptance of donations to the Fire Department Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park is required by state statute to authorize acceptance of any donations; and Whereas, the city council must also ratify any restrictions placed on donation by the donor; and Whereas, the donations from Park Coin, Paul Reetz and SLP Friends of the Arts are directed toward fire prevention programs and equipment; Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of St. Louis Park that these donations are hereby accepted with thanks and appreciation. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5d Executive summary Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Parks and Recreation Department's Access to Fun scholarship program Recommended action: Motion to approve a resolution accepting donations from various individuals January through April 2024, totaling $1,349.00. These donations are added to the Access to Fun scholarship program. Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to accept the gifts with restrictions on their use? Summary: State Statute requires city council’s acceptance of donations. This requirement is necessary in order to make sure the city council has knowledge of any restrictions placed on the use of each donation prior to it being expended. Ninety-five individuals, listed in Exhibit A, graciously donated to the Access to Fun scholarship program, January through April, 2024 for a total amount of $1,349.00. These donations are added to the Access to Fun account, which provides financial assistance for activities to individuals who are experiencing financial hardship. The city recognizes the importance of recreation and the health and wellness benefits it provides to people of all ages, and offers financial assistance for those that live, work or attend school in St. Louis Park that may need financial assistance to participate in our recreation programs. Here is how the program works: •A family member who lives, works or attends school in St. Louis Park can receive a maximum of $200 in fee assistance per calendar year (January – December) and must pay the first 50% of the activity/program fee. •Eligibility is based on family size and household income. The program uses the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development income limits for state, federal and local programs to determine eligibility. •Financial assistance will also be considered if your income exceeds the guidelines but there are extenuating circumstances. Financial or budget considerations: These donations will be used to provide individuals financial assistance to participate in our park and recreation programs. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: Resolution Prepared by: Stacy M. Voelker, administrative coordinator Heidi Batistich, recreation and facilities supervisor Reviewed by: Jason T. West, parks and recreation director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5d) Page 2 Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Parks and Recreation Department's Access to Fun scholarship program Resolution No. 24 - ___ Approving acceptance of donations from 95 individuals totaling $1,349.00 to be available for individuals who qualify for financial assistance through the Parks and Recreation Department Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park is required by State statute to authorize acceptance of any donations; and Whereas, the city council must also ratify any restrictions placed on the donation by the donor; and Whereas, 95 individuals desired to assist the Parks and Recreation Department’s financial assistance program, Access to Fun, by donating a total of $1,349.00; Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of the City of St. Louis Park that the gifts are hereby accepted with thanks to the individuals (Exhibit A) with the understanding it will be used toward activity fees for individuals who qualify for financial assistance. Reviewed for administration Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5d) Page 3 Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Parks and Recreation Department's Access to Fun scholarship program Exhibit A Donor name Donated amount Alex Holmberg $ 4.00 Allison Sobaszek $ 2.00 Amy Larson $ 10.00 Andrea Nadel-Tikh $ 5.00 Anne Biele $ 10.00 Annie Will $ 2.00 Ashley La Barbera $ 5.00 Breanna Butler $ 1.00 Briana Anders $ 5.00 Brittany Roeser $ 50.00 Cameron Eller $ 10.00 Catlin Murphy $ 4.00 Chris Cardona-Correa $ 10.00 Christina Maria Gonzaga $ 5.00 Claire Louise Rabon $ 1.00 Courtney Glaeseman $ 5.00 Daci Platt $ 1.00 Dan Cox $ 10.00 Denise Top $ 5.00 Elizabeth Hughes $ 25.00 Elizabeth Ann Gornick $ 1.00 Emer O'Connor-Keller $ 20.00 Erin Pisca $ 10.00 Erin Vork $ 4.00 Frances Biel $ 10.00 Gao Vang $ 6.00 Gianna Rea-Sandin $ 10.00 Gina Carpenter $ 25.00 Graciela Aguilera Fenton $ 5.00 Gretchen Thielen $ 5.00 Jackie Larkins $ 5.00 James Michael McGuire $ 10.00 Jane Plumhoff $ 5.00 Jean Baron $ 5.00 Jennifer Fink $ 2.00 Jenny Swenson $ 20.00 Jessica Boyer-Behnke $ 3.00 Jessica Christensen Buck $ 5.00 Jessica Haas $ 5.00 Jessica Doerr $ 5.00 Jessica Smith-Schuh $ 5.00 Jill Webber $ 5.00 John Hogue $ 10.00 Jolissa Skow $ 4.00 Jomi Kramer $ 5.00 Josh Reece $ 10.00 Joyce Koshiol $ 4.00 City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5d) Page 4 Title: Resolution to accept donations to the Parks and Recreation Department's Access to Fun scholarship program Juli Rasmussen $ 10.00 Kate Cunningham $ 5.00 Kate Jonas $ 1.00 Katie Hiatt Mattila $ 5.00 Katie Mittelstadt $ 5.00 Katy Czaia $ 5.00 Kristine Alme $ 10.00 Lara Cho $ 5.00 Lianna McLernon $ 5.00 Liliya Rajsombath $ 10.00 LoAnn Heuring $ 5.00 Luther Carl Blume $ 3.00 Marissa Walters $ 10.00 Mary Metzler $ 5.00 Maureen Drewitz $ 600.00 Megan Brooks $ 20.00 Megna Bhat $ 2.00 Melissa Hoag $ 20.00 Mikayla Beuch $ 5.00 Mike Malloy $ 10.00 Mike Mccoy $ 5.00 Molly Kuehl $ 25.00 Morgan Krajco $ 10.00 Nikki Pieratos $ 10.00 Pascalle Audrey Nelson $ 15.00 Patrick Farrell $ 10.00 Patrick Sneed-Griffin $ 5.00 Paul Amundson $ 5.00 Rachel Leonard $ 6.00 Rahat Shaukat $ 2.00 Robert Edward Kipp $ 10.00 Samuel Stratton Randall $ 10.00 Sandy Nevinski $ 5.00 Sarah Goff-Dupont $ 5.00 Sarah Marie Duggan $ 5.00 Sarah Rathe $ 10.00 Shelby Strauss $ 5.00 Sofia Shaw $ 10.00 Susan Rockers $ 6.00 Tatiana Giraldo $ 5.00 Toby C Brink-Tusen $ 5.00 Tom Allen Pearson $ 5.00 Tom Glaser $ 5.00 Tove Thompson $ 30.00 Tracey Hulstein $ 7.00 Travis Noffke $ 3.00 Una Setia $ 10.00 Valarie Langan $ 5.00 Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5e Executive summary Title: Resolution to accept donation from League of Minnesota Cities Recommended action: Motion to adopt resolution accepting the donation of 2024 annual conference attendance fees from the League of Minnesota Cities for Council Member Budd and City Manager Keller. Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to accept this donation with restrictions on use? Summary: State Statute requires the city council to accept donations. This requirement is necessary to make sure the city council has knowledge of any restrictions placed on the use of each donation prior to it being expended. The League of Minnesota Cities annual conference will be attended by City Manager Kim Keller, Mayor Mohamed, and Council Members Budd, Farris and Rog. The conference offers three days of sessions where attendees learn from qualified presenters and have the opportunity to network with fellow elected officials from across Minnesota. Mobile tours, workshops and applicable topics engage cities of all sizes to share best practices. Among the conference’s featured speakers, Council Member Budd and City Manager Kim Keller have been invited to present on St. Louis Park’s response and solutions to the watermain break emergency that occurred in 2022 in Ward 3. Considering this, the League of Minnesota Cities has donated conference attendance fees in the total amount of $950.00 for Council Member Budd and City Manager Kim Keller. The donation is specific to their attendance and cannot be transferred to other attendees; hotel and other travel fees are not included. Financial or budget considerations: Costs related to staff and council attendance at conferences are included in the 2024 budget. Review and approval of the information by council provides another layer of oversight to further ensure fiscal stewardship. Strategic priority consideration: All strategic priorities apply. Supporting documents: None. Prepared by: Amanda Scott-Lerdal, deputy city clerk Reviewed by: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5e) Page 2 Title: Resolution to accept donation from League of Minnesota Cities Resolution No. 24 - ___ Accepting donation from League of Minnesota Cities Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park is required by state statute to authorize acceptance of any donations; and Whereas, the city council must also ratify any restrictions placed on the donation by the donor; and Whereas, the League of Minnesota Cities has granted attendance to their 2024 annual conference to Council Member Sue Budd and City Manager Kim Keller by donating a total of $950.00 in honor of their presentation at said conference, Now therefore be it resolved, by the city council of the City of St. Louis Park that the donation is hereby accepted with thanks to the League of Minnesota Cities and the understanding it will be used for attendance at the 2024 annual conference by Council Member Sue Budd and City Manager Kim Keller. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5f Executive summary Title: Resolution to accept FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Recommended action: Motion to adopt resolution accepting a grant from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant project for related expenses for Fire Chief Steve Koering to attend the United in Service training program. Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to accept this grant with restrictions on use? Summary: State statute requires that the city council formally accept grants. This requirement is necessary to make sure the city council has knowledge of any restrictions placed on the use of each grant prior to it being expended. The FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant project is graciously providing a grant to the Fire Chief Steve Koering to attend the United in Service training program, an ongoing professional development series. The grant is estimated at $1,352.45 for transportation, lodging and per diem. The grant is given with restrictions, outlined below. This series of workshops for fire and emergency service departments is focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and is specifically designed to build a healthy, resilient and inclusive fire service across the nation. Workshops are available to departments and organizations across the United States with no cost. The goal is to continuously train new instructors that are willing to travel to lead workshops. Each of the instructors have been nominated by Women in Fire, NDRI-USA and other instructors. Training, resources and expenses are covered under the FEMA FGA project. Fire Chief Steve Koering has been nominated to become one of the United in Service instructors and has been invited to an upcoming Train-the-Trainer session taking place in Kansas City, MO. Grant recipients must commit to the United in Service training program to lead at least two in- person or virtual sessions on an annual basis. Travel expenses will be covered for in-person training sessions. Financial or budget considerations: This estimated $1,352.45 grant will be used for funding Fire Chief Steve Koering’s attendance at the United in Service training program, including airfare, hotels and meals. This is an ongoing professional development series. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all. Supporting documents: Resolution Prepared by: Steve Koering, Fire Chief Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5f) Page 2 Title: Resolution to accept FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Resolution No. 24-___ Accepting FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park is required by state statute to authorize acceptance of any donations; and Whereas, the city council must ratify any restrictions placed on the grant by the donors; and Whereas, the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant will compensate related costs estimated at $1,352.45 for the city’s Fire Chief Steve Koering to deliver the United in Service training program; Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of St. Louis Park that this grant is hereby accepted with thanks and appreciation. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5g Executive summary Title: Resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 Recommended action: Motion to adopt resolution approving a letter of no-default related to the Beltline Station Development. Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to approve the letter of no-default related to the Beltline Station Development relating to the property purchase date and construction commencement and completion dates for the Beltline Station Development? Summary: In October 2023, the EDA and city approved amendments to the purchase agreement and contracts related to the Beltline Station Development requiring Sherman Associates (“developer”) to close on its financing and purchase property from the EDA no later than January 31, 2024. This extension allowed for the redesign and rebidding of the public- private parking ramp related to the development, since the original parking ramp bid came in several million over the developer’s budget. After a substantial redesign, the parking ramp was rebid. The bid opening occurred on January 23, 2024, and two bids were received. The lowest bid was $20.2 million which was $3.5 million lower than the September 2023 bid, but still several million higher than what the developer projected in its financial pro-forma for the development. The bid, combined with high interest rates and increased construction costs, has not allowed the developer to fully close the development’s financial gap. Sherman Associates has applied for various grants from Hennepin County and awaits award decisions that are anticipated in May and early June. Additionally, in early April, Sherman Associates hired a broker to secure additional equity partners to help finance the multi-phase development. The broker indicated that it will likely need until September 2024 to obtain the remaining equity needed to bring the project to closing. The developer remains committed to the project, and its private lenders are requesting a letter stating the EDA and city will not declare Sherman Associates in default since the expiration date of the contracts was January 31, 2024. Since all parties continue to work cooperatively to bring the Beltline Station Development to fruition, EDA legal counsel and staff recommend approving a resolution stating the EDA and city will not declare the developer in default prior to September 15, 2024. Financial or budget considerations: All legal and financial assistant costs associated with the preparation of the no-default letter and subsequent amendments will be paid by the developer. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood oriented development. Supporting documents: Resolution and letter of no-default Prepared by: Jennifer Monson, redevelopment administrator Reviewed by: Greg Hunt, economic development manager Karen Barton, community development director; EDA executive director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5g) Page 2 Title: Resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 Resolution No. 24-___ Approving a letter regarding certain agreements Be it resolved by the city council (the “city council”) of the city of St. Louis Park, Minnesota (the “city”) as follows: Section 1. Recitals; Authorization. (a) To facilitate the construction of a multi-phase, mixed use development and related parking located at 4601 Highway 7 in the city (the “development”), the city has entered into a contract for private development (the “affordable contract”) with the St Louis Park economic development authority (the “authority”) and Beltline Station Limited Partnership, a Minnesota limited partnership (“Beltline Station” and together with other related affiliates of Sherman Development, the “developer”). The affordable contract has been amended three times. (b) Due to certain delays, the developer has missed certain deadlines in the affordable contract and other agreements between the authority and the developer related to the development (collectively, the “agreements”) and has informed the city and the authority that it will not be in compliance with certain terms set forth in the agreements. The developer, the city and the authority are currently working collaboratively on amendments to the agreements (the “amendments”) which should bring the developer into compliance, and for that reason the city does not plan to declare events of default under the agreements at this time. (c) On February 5, 2024, the authority and the city approved the execution and delivery of a no default letter allowing the developer, the authority and the city additional time to negotiate the amendments. (d) The developer has requested that the city and the authority execute a second no default letter stating the facts above, a form of which is presented to the city council (the “letter”). Section 2. Approval of documents. (a) The city council approves the letter in substantially the form presented to the city council, together with any related documents necessary in connection therewith, including without limitation all documents, exhibits, certifications, or consents referenced in or attached to the letter (the “documents”). (b) The city council hereby authorizes the mayor and city manager, in their discretion and at such time, if any, as they may deem appropriate, to execute the documents on behalf of the city, and to carry out, on behalf of the city, the city’s obligations thereunder when all conditions precedent thereto have been satisfied. The documents shall be in substantially the form on file with the city and the approval hereby given to the documents includes approval of such additional details therein as may be necessary and appropriate and such modifications thereof, deletions therefrom and additions thereto as may be necessary and appropriate and approved by legal counsel to the city and by the officers authorized herein to City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5g) Page 3 Title: Resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development – Ward 1 execute said documents prior to their execution; and said officers are hereby authorized to approve said changes on behalf of the city. The execution of any instrument by the appropriate officers of the city herein authorized shall be conclusive evidence of the approval of such document in accordance with the terms hereof. This resolution shall not constitute an offer and the documents shall not be effective until the date of execution thereof as provided herein. (c) In the event of absence or disability of the officers, any of the documents authorized by this resolution to be executed may be executed without further act or authorization of the city council by any duly designated acting official, or by such other officer or officers of the city council as, in the opinion of the city attorney, may act in their behalf. Upon execution and delivery of the documents, the officers and employees of the city council are hereby authorized and directed to take or cause to be taken such actions as may be necessary on behalf of the city council to implement the documents. Section 3. Effective date. This resolution shall be effective upon approval. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest Melissa Kennedy, city clerk St. Louis Park Community Development Department • 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416 www.stlouisparkmn.gov • Phone: 952.924.2575 • Fax: 952.928.2662 • TTY: 952.924.2518 May 20, 2024 Beltline Development LLC 233 Park Avenue South, Suite 201 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Attention: Will Anderson Dear Will: To facilitate the construction of a multi-phase, mixed-use development and related parking (the “Development”) located at 4601 Highway 7 in the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota (the “City”), the St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority (the “Authority”) has entered into the following agreements (the “Agreements”): (1) a Loan Agreement with Beltline Development LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Development”), which has been amended six times (as amended, the “Loan Agreement”), and a related Promissory Note (as amended, the “Note”) and Mortgage (as amended, the “Mortgage”), both delivered by Beltline Development and as amended six times evidencing and securing Beltline Development’s obligations under the Loan Agreement; (2) a Purchase Agreement with Beltline Development (as amended, the “Purchase Agreement”), which has been amended four times; (3) a Contract for Private Development with Beltline Mixed Use LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Beltline Mixed Use”), which has been amended once (as amended, the “Mixed-Use Contract”); and (4) a Contract for Private Development with the City and Beltline Station Limited Partnership, a Minnesota limited partnership (“Beltline Station” and, together with Beltline Development, Beltline Mixed Use, and other related affiliates, the “Developer”), which has been amended three times (as amended, the “Affordable Contract”). The Developer has missed certain deadlines in the Agreements and has informed the Authority and the City that it will not be in compliance with certain terms set forth in the Agreements including: •Section 2(c) of the Loan Agreement, which states, in part, that: “The entire unpaid amount of principal and accrued interest on the Loan shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) the date that the Borrower, or an affiliate thereof or entity related thereto, acquires the City and Authority Property as defined and contemplated in the Preliminary Agreement and in accordance with the Purchase Agreement; or (ii) January 31, 2024 (the “Loan Payment Date”).” This term is also reflected in Section 2 of the Note and Paragraph 20 of the Mortgage. •Paragraph 3 of the Purchase Agreement, which states, in part, that: “Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the closing of the purchase and sale of the Property contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall occur at the office of Guaranty Commercial Title, Inc. (the “Title Company”), or at another location mutually agreed upon by the Parties, on the date 30 days after the satisfaction or written waiver of all of the conditions set forth in Section 8 hereof but not later than January 31, 2024, unless extended by agreement of the Parties (the “Closing Date”).” •Section 4.3 of the Mixed-Use Contract, which states, in part, that: “Subject to Unavoidable Delays, the Developer shall commence site and utility work on the Market-Rate Housing Component Parcel, the Parking Ramp Component Parcel, and the Mixed-Use Component Parcel by February 15, 2024.” City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5g) Title: Resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development - Ward 1 Page 4 St. Louis Park Community Development Department • 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416 www.stlouisparkmn.gov • Phone: 952.924.2575 • Fax: 952.928.2662 • TTY: 952.924.2518 •Section 4.3 of the Affordable Contract, which states, in part, that: “Subject to Unavoidable Delays, the Developer shall commence construction of the Minimum Improvements by March 31, 2024.” The Authority and the City understand that the Developer has faced delays with financing the Development and the Authority, the City and the Developer are currently working collaboratively on amendments to the Agreements and anticipate delivering such amendments by September 15, 2024. Pursuant to resolutions adopted by both the Board of Commissioners of the Authority and the City Council of the City on March 20, 2024, the Authority and the City have determined not to declare an event of default under any of the Agreements prior to September 15, 2024 while the parties are negotiating amendments to the Agreements. Sincerely, St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority __________________________ executive director _________________________ president City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota __________________________ mayor _________________________ city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5g) Title: Resolution approving letter of no default - Beltline Station Development - Ward 1 Page 5 Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5h Executive summary Title: Approve bid for 2024 Cedar Lake Road improvement project (4023-1100) - Ward 4 Recommended action: Motion to designate Eureka Construction, Inc. as the lowest responsible bidder and to execute the contract with the firm in the amount of $7,377,584.50 for the 2024 Cedar Lake Road Improvement upon City Manager and City engineer approval (4023-1100). Policy consideration: Does the city council wish to construct the pavement rehabilitation, utility improvements, and bikeway and sidewalk improvements associated with this project? Summary: A total of six (6) bids were received for this project. A summary of the bid results is as follows: Contractor Bid amount Eureka Construction, Inc. $7,377,584.50 New Look Contracting, Inc. $7,640,603.50 Bituminous Roadways, Inc. $7,857,988.98 Park Construction Company $8,138,772.70 S.M. Hentges & Son, Inc. $8,256,937.02 Meyer Contracting Inc. $8,440,091.76 CIP construction estimate $7,772,068.00 A review of the bids indicates Eureka Construction, Inc. submitted the lowest bid. Eureka Construction, Inc. is a reputable contractor. Staff recommends that a contract be awarded to the firm in the amount of $7,377,584.50. Financial or budget considerations: This project is included in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2024, with an estimated budget of $11,042,068.00. Funding will be provided by the following sources: municipal state aid, federal aid, state local road improvement program and utility funds. Additional details regarding funding are available in the discussion section of this report. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. Supporting documents: Discussion Overall 2024 financial summary Prepared by: Joseph Shamla, engineering project manager Reviewed by: Debra Heiser, engineering director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5h) Page 2 Title: Approve bid for 2024 Cedar Lake Road improvement project (4023-1100) - Ward 4 Discussion Background: Bids were received on May 7, 2024, for the 2024 Cedar Lake Road project. This project includes the reconstruction of Cedar Lake Road from Jordan Avenue to Rhode Island Avenue. Included in the scope of this project are the reconstruction and narrowing of the roadway, construction of a sidewalk on the south side of the road, installation of a one-way cycle track on both sides of the road, rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at Flag Avenue and Virginia Avenue and replacement of approximately 50% of the watermain, and miscellaneous utility repairs. An advertisement for bids was published in the St. Louis Park Sun Sailor on April 11, 2024, and April 18, 2024, and in Finance and Commerce on April 11, 2024 through April 25, 2024, and on the MnDOT State Aid for Local Transportation eAdvert webpage from April 11, 2024 through May 3, 2024. In addition, plans and specifications were available electronically via the internet on the city’s OneOffice website. Information regarding this bidding opportunity was shared with three (3) minority associations and 34 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) contractors. Seventy-seven (77) contractors/vendors downloaded plan set, of which eleven (11) were DBE companies. Funding details: Staff has analyzed the bids and determined that Eureka Construction, Inc. is a qualified contractor that can complete this work during the 2024 construction season. Based on the low bid received, cost and funding details are as follows: Costs CIP Low bid Construction cost $7,772,068.00 $7,377,584.50 Engineering and administration $2,250,000.00 $2,627,017.00 Land acquisition / right of way $1,020,000.00 $428,472.00 Total $11,042,068.00 $10,433,073.50 Funding sources Municipal state aid $3,800,530.00 $3,194,289.25 Federal aid (Regional solicitation) $1,941,333.00 $1,941,333.00 Congressionally directed spending $2,000,000.00 $2,000,000.00 State local road improvement funds $2,000,000.00 $2,000,000.00 Sanitary sewer $0.00 $16,724.40 Stormwater $81,470.00 $81,470.00 Water main $1,218,735.00 $1,199,256.85 Total $11,042,068.00 $10,433,073.50 Due to the nature of our construction projects, unexpected costs do come up. The capital funds have unobligated balances that can be used to handle cost overruns above and beyond the awarded bid. Attached is the overall financial summary for the transportation and maintenance projects included in the 2024 CIP. As each project is brought to the council for final approval for bid City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5h) Page 3 Title: Approve bid for 2024 Cedar Lake Road improvement project (4023-1100) - Ward 4 award, this summary will be updated to reflect the bids received. Final numbers will depend on the bids received. Next steps: Construction is expected to begin in late May or early June and should be complete by November 2024. Overall financial summary 2024 Budget Cedar Lake/ Louisiana Ave Phase 1 Minnetonka Blvd Concrete replacement Pavement management (Area 2) Alley construction Sanitary sewer lining Lamplighter Pond maintenance Parking lot maintenance MSC 4023-1100 4023-7000 4024-0003 4024-1000 4024-1500 4024-3000 4022-4001 4024-1600 GO Bonds 4,656,251 - 4,656,251 - - - - - - GO Bonds-New sidewalk construction 825,000 - - - 825,000 - - - - Pavement management fund 4,235,490 - - 120,950 3,396,000 293,800 - - 424,740 Municipal State Aid 3,800,530 3,800,530 - - - - - - - Sanitary sewer 1,336,164 - 411,164 - 345,000 - 580,000 - - Stormwater 1,237,420 81,470 120,950 633,000 158,200 - 243,800 - Water 7,758,235 1,218,735 3,467,500 - 3,072,000 - - - - Operations budget 145,000 - - 145,000 - - - - - State appropriation 2,000,000 2,000,000 - - - - - - - Federal funds 1,941,333 1,941,333 - - - - - - - Congressional directed spending 2,000,000 2,000,000 - - - - - - - Total funding 29,935,423 11,042,068 8,534,915 386,900 8,271,000 452,000 580,000 243,800 424,740 Table 1: 2024 Transportation and maintence projects funding -CIP 2024 Budget Cedar Lake/ Louisiana Ave Phase 1 Minnetonka Blvd Concrete replacement Pavement management (Area 2) Alley construction Sanitary sewer lining Lamplighter Pond maintenance Parking lot maintenance MSC 2024 CIP projects total to date 4023-1100 4023-7000 4024-0003 4024-1000 4024-1500 4024-3000 4022-4001 4024-1600 GO Bonds 4,656,251 - 3,362,976 - - - - - - 3,362,976 GO Bonds-New sidewalk construction 825,000 - - - 796,167 - - - - 796,167 Pavement management fund 4,235,490 - - 60,910 3,862,291 263,284 - - 132,300 4,318,786 Municipal State Aid 3,800,530 3,194,289 - - - - - - - 3,194,289 Sanitary sewer 1,336,164 16,724 691,995 - 344,280 - 277,870 - - 1,330,869 Stormwater 1,237,420 81,470 - 71,133 629,674 243,032 - 239,578 - 1,264,887 Water 7,758,235 1,199,257 2,511,161 3,067,636 - - - - 6,778,054 Operations budget 145,000 - - 80,930 - - - - - 80,930 State appropriation 2,000,000 2,000,000 - - - - - - - 2,000,000 Federal funds 1,941,333 1,941,333 - - - - - - - 1,941,333 Congressional directed spending 2,000,000 2,000,000 - - - - - - - 2,000,000 Total funding 29,935,423 10,433,074 6,566,132 212,973 8,700,049 506,316 277,870 239,578 132,300 27,068,291 Award bid Engineer's Estimate Award Bid Award Bid Award Bid Engineer's Estimate Award Bid Award Bid Table 2: 2024 Transportation and maintence projects funding - actual City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5h) Title: Approve bid for 2024 Cedar Lake Road improvement project (4023-1100) - Ward 4 Page 4 Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5i Executive summary Title: Resolution authorizing final payment for watermain inspection support work (4022-5000) Recommended action: Motion to adopt resolution authorizing payment in the amount of $1,922.11 to Minger Construction Companies, Inc., city contract no. 37-23, project no. 4022- 5000. Policy consideration: None. Summary: On Oct. 2, 2023, the city accepted the work and final payment of $203,529.50 to Minger Construction Companies, Inc. for their support services to the city's pilot watermain inspection project. This project was conducted by PICA using the SeeSnake® technology. Minger was responsible for support work, including opening of streets, exposing watermain, connecting the launching/ receiving apparatus and restoration. In reviewing the final invoice from the contractor, staff missed a charge of $1,922.11 that was associated with a change order of materials in the field during construction. This charge is owed to the contractor and is not in dispute. Since the contract exceeded $175,000.00, staff is bringing this final payment request to council for approval. Financial or budget considerations: The cost of the work performed by the contractor under contract no. 37-23 has been calculated as follows: Original contract price $168,400.00 Additional work $ 35,129.50 Change Order 1 $ 1,922.11 Amount due (based on actual work) $205,451.61 Previous payments -$203,529.50 Balance due $1,922.11 The cost to complete this project was paid for using water utility funds, including the additional cost. This project was approved by council at the Aug. 15, 2022, council meeting. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. Supporting documents: Council report Oct. 2, 2023 Resolution Prepared by: Phillip Elkin, engineering services manager Reviewed by: Debra Heiser, engineering director Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5i) Page 2 Title: Resolution authorizing final payment for watermain inspection support work (4022-5000) Resolution No. 24-_____ Authorizing final payment and accepting work for the 2023 watermain inspection project City Project No. 4022-5000 Contract No. 37-23 Be it resolved by the city council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, as follows: 1. Pursuant to a written contract with the city dated April 10, 2023, Minger Construction Companies, Inc. has satisfactorily completed the watermain inspection support services, as per Contract No. 37-23. 2. The engineering director has filed her recommendations for final acceptance of the work. 3. The work completed under this contract is accepted and approved. The final contract cost is $205,451.61. 4. The city manager is directed to make a final payment in the amount of $1,922.11 on this contract, taking the contractor's receipt in full. Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the city council May 20, 2024 Kim Keller, city manager Nadia Mohamed, mayor Attest: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5j Executive summary Title: Approve professional services contract for Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Recommended action: Motion to authorize execution of a professional services contract with Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH) in the amount of $199,918 for development of a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Policy consideration: Does the city council support the development of a comprehensive safety action plan to develop transportation safety projects, programs and policies? Summary: The city was successful in receiving a federal grant to help fund a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program. A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a planning process that analyzes crash statistics, identifies emphasis areas and describes projects, programs and policies with the greatest potential to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes and crash rates on local r oads. Developing a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is necessary to apply for federal implementation grants. A request for proposal (RFP) was advertised this spring and the city received proposals from four qualified consultant firms. Consultant Amount Kimley-Horn $198,058 SEH, Inc. $199,918 Toole Design Group $199,982 Bolton & Menk, Inc. $199,999 Staff evaluated each proposal and recommends that a contract be awarded to SEH, Inc. in the amount of $199,918. The information contained in their proposal highlighted a comprehensive approach that best meets the requirements set forth in the RFP. SEH, Inc. has completed other studies for the city and has worked on Comprehensive Safety Action Plans for other communities. Financial or budget considerations: The cost for SEH to complete the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is $199,918. The city received a $160,000 planning grant from the federal government as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program. The remaining $39,918 will be paid for using a grant from MnDOT to cover the city's match. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. Supporting documents: Discussion Prepared by: Jack Sullivan, engineering project manager Reviewed by: Debra Heiser, engineering director Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5j) Page 2 Title: Approve professional services contract for Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Discussion Background: The city was successful at receiving a $160,000 planning grant from the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program. This program was established as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), with $5 billion in appropriated fund s over the next five years. The SS4A program funds regional, local and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The SS4A is a competitive grant program that provides funding for two types of grants: Action Plan Grants (to develop Comprehensive Safety Action Plans) and Implementation Grants. Action Plan Grants are used to develop, complete, or supplement a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. To apply for an Implementation Grant, an eligible applicant must have a qualifying Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Implementation Grants are available to communities in order to implement strategies or projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan. The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, publ ic transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. The program provides funding to develop tools to help strengthen a community's approach to roadway safety and save lives. A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a planning process that analyzes crash statistics, identifies emphasis areas and describes projects, programs and policies with the greatest potential to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes and reduce crash rates on local roads. Once the city has developed the planning document, it will be eligible to apply for SS4A implementation grants. Present considerations: Staff is requesting that the city council approve a professional services contract with SEH, Inc. in the amount of $199,918 to complete the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. All four firms that submitted proposals were within the $200,000 of available funding. SEH provided a proposal that centered their work and engagement on the city's five strategic priorities. This approach will result in an equitable Comprehensive safety Action Plan for the City of St. Louis Park. SEH has completed other studies for the city, such as the city's Speed Limit review, and has worked on Comprehensive Safety Action Plans for other communities . Proposed Schedule: The following is the proposed project schedule: Public engagement Summer 2024 Data collection, safety analysis and equity analysis Summer 2024 Evaluation and prioritization of Action Plan solutions Fall 2024 Action Plan and implementation Winter 2024 Final Plan Spring 2025 Meeting: City council Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Consent agenda item: 5k Executive summary Title: Approve temporary extension of licensed premises - Yard House - Ward 4 Recommended action: Motion to approve temporary extension of the licensed premises for one-day events at Yard House, located at 1665 Park Place Boulevard. Policy consideration: Does the applicant meet the requirements for temporary extension of their licensed premises for special, one-day events? Summary: Yard House, located at 1665 Park Place Boulevard, has requested a temporary extension of their licensed premises for several one-day events. The “Evening Market” events at the West End are proposed between 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. for the following Wednesdays: 6/5/24, 6/12/24, 6/19/24, 6/26/24, 7/3/24, 7/10/24, 7/17/24, 7/24/24, 7/31/24, 8/7/24, 8/14/24 and 8/21/24. The current licensed premises include Yard House’s restaurant and patio. The applicant proposed expanding the licensed premises temporarily to the area adjoining the current licensed premises to and including West End Boulevard for the events. This area has already been planned as closed to car traffic for the Evening Markets (a farmer’s market and vendor fair) by the West End’s management company, Hempel Real Estate. Through Hempel Real Estate, Yard House has obtained permission from the landowner and adjacent businesses. All activities will take place within the designated market area. Approximately 300-500 guests are expected to attend each event and any amplified music will conclude by 10:00 p.m. Safety barricades around the event space will control entry and exit from the proposed area. Parking ramps are accessible by Gamble Drive, W 16th Street and Duke Drive. Staff reviewed the request and found no concerns with the proposed plans, including the police and fire departments, who will ensure appropriate safety precautions are followed. Other licensed entities have successfully held similar events in the past with no major issues reported. St. Louis Park City Code Section 3-106 states that “proposed enlargement or substantial alteration which changes the character of the licensed establishment or extension of a premise previously licensed shall not be allowed unless the city council approves an amendment to the liquor license”. If approved, the temporary extension of the licensed premises will be valid only for the dates and times outlined in the request. Financial or budget considerations: Not applicable. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: Letter of request Prepared by: Amanda Scott-Lerdal, deputy city clerk Reviewed by: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager City council meeting of May 20, 2024 {Item No. Sk) Title: Approve temporary extension of licensed premises - Yard House - Ward 4 Page 2 ):DARDEN. Olive Garden ■ I ongHorn Steakhouse■ Yard House ■ Ruth's Chri� Steak House■ Cheddar', Scratch Kitchen ■ 11,e Capital Grille■ Seaso,,s 52 ■ Eddie V's ■ Bah:lma Breeze Wednesday, May 08, 2024 VIA E-MAIL: ascottlerdal@stlouisparkmn.gov Amanda Scott-Lerdal Deputy City Clerk I City of St. Louis Park 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Re: West End Wednesdays Evening Market Yard House #8354 -1665 Park Place Blvd. Dear Amanda: Legal Specialist With this letter, Yard House #8354 seeks permission from the City of St. Louis Park to temporarily extend their licensed premises for the West End Wednesdays Evening Market. The requested temporary extension would allow Yard House to sell and serve beer on their license patio are in designated cups and allow guests to walk around the designated market area (detailed in "Exhibit A" enclosed) with the beer. Yard House has obtained permission from the landowner to extend their licensed premises described. The event will be held from 5:00pm - 1 O:OOpm on the following Wednesdays: 6/5/2024, 6/12/2024, 6/19/2024, 6/26/2024, 7/3/2024, 7/10/2024, 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024, 8/7/2024, 8/14/2024, and 8/21/2024. All activities will be contained to the designated market area, and guests will not be permitted to bring alcohol in and out of non-licensed businesses. Safety Barricades will control entry and exit from the designated market area. Approximately 300-500 guests are expected to attend each event. Any amplified music will conclude by 1 O:OOpm. If there is anything else you require for consideration of this temporary premise extension, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to assist you. Kind regards, Legal Specialist 1000 Darden Center Drive • Orlando, FL 32837 ■ 407-245-4000 ■ darden.com EXHIBIT A City council meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 5k) Title: Approve temporary extension of licensed premises - Yard House - Ward 4 Page 3 Fence Barriers Outdoor Beverage Service Event Area Meeting: Special study session Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Discussion item: 1 Executive summary Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Recommended action: There is no action being requested today. This item is for discussion purposes only. Policy consideration: There are three policy questions for the council to consider during this discussion: 1. How does the council want to provide policy direction to the advisory boards and commissions? 2. Does the council want to make changes to the appointment process? 3. Does the council want to offer compensation to eligible board and commission members? a. If yes, this policy direction will be included as a part of the 2025 budget process. Summary: The city council has been discussing its boards and commissions since March 2022. At a March 25, 2024 study session meeting, the council provided direction to staff to keep the current structure and purpose of advisory boards and commissions and expressed interest in taking a larger role in providing time and policy direction to them. The council was also interested in exploring additional options for addressing barriers to participation that were outlined in the assessment. Staff is seeking additional direction from council on those decisions. Once these policy questions are addressed, staff can work on implementation. Financial or budget considerations: Yes, there are financial and budget considerations discussed in this report. If council offers policy direction that impacts the budget, staff will include their direction as a part of the 2025 budget process. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: Discussion Appendix A: The rules and procedures of boards and commissions Prepared by: Cheyenne Brodeen, administrative services director Reviewed by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 2 Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Discussion Background: Since March 2022, the city council has been discussing the city’s boards and commissions related to their structure, role, function and authority to ensure alignment with the city’s strategic priorities. At a March 25, 2024, study session meeting, the council provided direction to staff to keep the current structure of advisory boards and commissions and expressed interest in taking a larger role in providing time and policy direction to them. The council was also interested in exploring additional options for addressing barriers to participation, specifically compensation, that were outlined in the assessment. The majority of board and commissions in St. Louis Park are governed by a document titled The rules and procedures of boards and commissions (Rules and procedures). The charter commission and fire civil service commission are not governed by this document. This document includes all of the rules and procedures necessary for boards and commissions to operate and dictates how meetings will be run and recorded, how appointments are made and members selected, how boards interact with council, etc. Once the council offers further direction during today’s study session, staff will update the Rules and procedures and bring it to council for formal adoption. The current version is included as an attachment to this report. Previous conversations regarding boards and commissions have focused on the purpose and structure of the advisory boards and commissions and the council has made a decision regarding those discussions. Now that council is discussing its role as it relates to the rules and procedures of boards and commissions, anything decided upon by council could impact the following statutory boards: housing authority and planning commission/BOZA. Present considerations: There are three policy questions for the council to consider during tonight’s study session. 1. How does the council want to provide policy direction to the advisory boards and commissions? 2. Does the council want to make changes to the appointment process? 3. Does the council want to offer compensation to eligible board and commission members? a. If yes, this policy direction will be included as a part of the 2025 budget process. Current process of council and board and commission interaction The Rules and procedures document outlines expectations for council and board/commission interaction. It is important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic and assessment process have both impacted the way the rules and procedures have been followed over the last few years. As outlined in the Rules and procedures, board and commissions and council should meet once a year. The following boards and commissions are subject to the annual meeting: • Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) • Environment and Sustainability Commission • Housing Authority • Human Rights Commission Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 3 Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation • Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission • Planning Commission • Police Advisory Commission • Telecommunications Advisory Commission By way of the staff liaisons, each board and commission prepares a work plan that is presented to the council. Past work plans included the following (may not be a fully comprehensive list): • Weighing in on the design of park structures, park dedication fees and engagement processes for policy development • Weighing in on policy development such as the police department’s tethered drone program • Writing letters of support for various topics • Providing input on public facing data dashboards and requests for proposals • Requesting community surveys • Inviting community partners to meetings to stay connected and informed of community work • Tabling at community events related to sustainability projects • Hosting events as a part of the annual Children First’s literacy festival While relationships and roles are multi-faceted, we have attempted to categorize general board and commission work in the table below to guide discussion. Staff is seeking further direction from council on what would be appropriate roles going forward. Appointment process The rules and procedures for boards and commissions includes a process for appointments, reappointments, applications and interviews. Currently, the council reviews, evaluates and interviews all applicants for vacancies on boards and commissions. Staff provides an administrative function to support the process. In the past, some council members have expressed that it is challenging to fully engage in this process alongside fulfilling their regular duties. It has also proven challenging for staff to find sufficient elected availability to conduct interviews. Staff is seeking guidance from the council on whether they would like to see changes in the appointment process. Addressing barriers to participation The boards and commissions assessment as well as additional stakeholder engagement highlighted the need to address barriers to participation. While some of the barriers cannot legally be removed with the selected model (e.g. virtual meetings), others can. An option the council expressed interest in exploring the ability to provide compensation. This solution is broadly (but not universally) applicable and much more straightforward to implement than some of the others (e.g. providing childcare, transportation and food). When considering compensation, staff reviewed a number of factors with the city attorney. Legal authority: Cities are authorized by statute (MS 412.111) to pay compensation for service on advisory boards and commissions and some of the statutory boards and commissions. State Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 4 Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation statues have deemed that the fire civil service commission (MS 420.05) and charter commission (MS 410.06) must serve without pay. Tax implications: There are potential tax and employment issues that will need to be avoided. Compensation in the form of a stipend or reimbursement is taxable income. If an individual’s stipend is kept under $600/year, the city does not need to withhold taxes or prepare tax form 1099 for the payments. Employment implications: Another consideration is ensuring that compensation does not unintentionally make commission members city employees, in which case the city would incur additional expenses and administrative tasks. City council members are not city employees by statute. The relationship with board and commission members is not defined in statute, meaning that several overlapping federal and state provisions must be reviewed in concert. A review of federal and state law shows that “nominal” compensation set at less or equal to $55/day of service is acceptable without having the commissioner be considered a city employee. It will be important for the total annual compensation of a commissioner to also be capped at less than $600/year to address the tax implications to the city. Ability to address other barriers: The assessment identified additional barriers to participation, specifically, food, transportation and childcare. A stipend is straightforward and could be used flexibly by board and commission members to cover the costs of these additional noted barriers. It puts the decision making and power in the commissioners’ hands and would be applicable to all who are eligible. Research of other cities that provide compensation: Staff reached out to 16 surrounding cities across the metro area to determine if they provide compensation for board and commission members. Of the 14 cities staff made contact with, six offer compensation to board and commission members. No board and commission program is quite like any other and there is a range in which commissions are eligible, the amount of compensation and the total number of commissioners serving. Our review shows that between $25-$50 dollars per meeting is offered. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 5 Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Table 1. Compensation research City Stipends Provided Additional Information Edina No None Bloomington Yes Statutory Boards (Housing, Redevelopment, Port Authority) Members receive $35 stipends. Commissions serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for commissioner related expenses. Saint Paul Yes Not all boards receive stipends, those that do range from $25-$50 per meeting. Golden Valley No None Hopkins Yes Planning/Zoning and Park Board members receive $50 stipends per meeting attended. Charter commission does not receive stipends. Crystal No None Robbinsdale No None Minneapolis Yes Civil Rights Commission: $35 per monthly meeting and $50 after four hours in a hearing. Civil Service Commission: $3,600 per annum. Heritage Preservation Commission: $50 per meeting, limit one meeting per day, and 4 meetings/month. Local Board of Appeal and Equalization: $125 for each half-day. Planning Commission: $50 for each official meeting attended with a limitation of one meeting per day and four meeting/month. Police Conduct Oversight Commission: $50 for each day they attend one or more meetings or panel reviews. Police Conduct Review Panel: $50 for each day they attend one or more meetings or panel reviews. Southside Green Zone Council: if resources are available, compensation may be provided. Zoning Board of Adjustment: $50 per meeting – not to exceed four meetings/month. Note: a number of additional boards and commissions are offered free parking or transportation. Plymouth No None Minnetonka No None New Hope Yes Personnel Board - $75 per meeting. EDA - $25 per meeting. Richfield No None Columbia Heights No None Maple Grove Yes Park Board and Planning Commission receive stipends. Members receive $125 for each full calendar quarter of service. Financial considerations: If the council chooses to offer compensation to all eligible board and commission members at the max amount of less than $600/year the total cost to budget for on an annual basis would be approximately $36,000. The following table shows a range of potential compensation options. These options account for every eligible seat being occupied (including youth seats) with no vacancies. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 6 Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Table 2. Compensation options Annual amount per member Number of members Number of meetings per year Total $49/per meeting $588 62 12 $36,456 $35/per meeting $420 62 12 $26,040 $35/per meeting $599 62 17 $37,138 $25/per meeting $300 62 12 $18,600 $25/per meeting $599 62 23 $35,650 It should be noted that there are additional seats on boards and commissions that are appointed by other agencies such as the school board and comcast. Those seats would not be eligible to receive compensation as the council is not the appointing authority. Charter commission and fire civil service are also not able to receive compensation by state statute. Staff believe it is important to plan for the potential for paid meetings, such as a retreat, training and presentation to the council, in addition to each commission’s monthly meetings. Should the council choose to direct staff to offer compensation this item will need to be considered as a part of the 2025 budget process. If approved through the 2025 budget process, staff would bring revised Rules and procedures back to council for approval. In the revisions, staff would provide details regarding the per meeting dollar amounts and which meetings would be eligible to receive payment. Implementation considerations: There is a wide range of the number of meetings per year that each board or commission has: twice per month, once per month, once every other month and quarterly. Board and commission members also participate in subcommittee meetings, outreach and engagement activities, annual retreats, etc. Due to this and the requirement to cap stipends at $55/meeting and less than $600 year, every member will not receive the same amount of compensation. At the current meeting schedule, some members will meet more than they are able to be compensated for and some may not receive the maximum compensation amount. Next steps: Based upon the direction the council provides during the discussion, staff will bring back revisions to the rules and procedures of boards and commissions and any necessary revisions to align with the council direction. Once these documents are approved by the council staff can open the appointment process and begin an outreach and recruitment process. Rules and Procedures for Boards and Commissions Amended by City Council May 21, 2018 Resolution No. 18-080 A.Boards The St. Louis Park City Charter grants the council authority to form various boards and commissions by ordinance. Boards and commissions serve in an advisory capacity to the city council and are conferred various degrees of decision making power. The city council is the sole policy making body of the city. Some boards and commissions include in their membership persons appointed by the school board. Boards and commissions of the City which are governed by the provisions of these rules and procedures are as follows: Board of Zoning Appeals Community Education Advisory Council Environment and Sustainability Commission Housing Authority Human Rights Commission Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Planning Commission Police Advisory Commission Telecommunications Advisory Commission And other boards as created by or determined by council In addition, other ad hoc groups may be formed as needed by resolution of the council. B.Staff Liaisons Each board and commission is assigned a staff liaison. Duties of the staff liaison are, in general, to facilitate or assist in the meetings, record attendance, provide information and direction as requested by the commission, and to serve as a conduit for information and assignments from the city council and the city manager. Staff liaisons shall communicate all requests from a board or commission to the city manager, appropriate department director, and the council, as requested. It is also the responsibility of the staff liaison to inform the city council of any problems or issues that may arise. C.Membership and Terms i) Membership requirements are set by council. All board and commission members are appointed by the council or, in some cases, by the school board. ii) Board and commission members (except members of the Housing Authority) shall be appointed to 3 year terms unless otherwise determined by the city council. Members of the Housing Authority shall be appointed to 5 year terms in accordance with M.S. 469.003, Subd. 6, unless otherwise determined by the city council. iii) The terms of board and commission members shall be staggered and shall expire on May 31st. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 7 Boards & Commissions -2-Rules & Procedures Amended May 21, 2018 iv) Members may be removed, with or without cause, by the city council. v)The city council will not appoint a board or commission member to serve concurrently on more than one board or commission, not including the charter commission. vi) Members may only serve one (1) consecutive year as the chair of any board or commission. vii) Members cannot serve on the same board or commission as a member of their immediate family, registered domestic partner, or members of the same household. Youth members are exempt from this provision. viii)The city council will not appoint a member of their immediate family, registered domestic partner, or members of the same household to a board or commission. For the purposes of this section the term “immediate family” shall include the following: -A spouse or registered domestic partner -Mother, father, siblings, step relatives, and grandparents -Members of the same household. D. Youth Membership and Terms i) The following boards and commissions shall appoint youth members: Environment and Sustainability Commission, Human Rights Commission, Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission, Planning Commission, Police Advisory Commission, and Telecommunications Advisory Commission ii) Youth members shall be appointed to one (1) year terms unless otherwise specified at the time of appointment. iii) The terms of youth members shall be concurrent with the school year, and shall expire annually on August 31st. iv) Youth members are conferred voting status, except in the case of the Planning Commission. v)Youth members shall reside in the city and be a high school student. For the purposes of this section, the definition of “high school student” shall be a student currently in or entering grades 7-12. E.Qualifications i) Members must be St. Louis Park residents, but need not have expertise in any particular area. Willingness to serve and be involved are the most important attributes of members. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 8 Boards & Commissions -3- Rules & Procedures Amended May 21, 2018 ii) Per Resolution No. 01-078, the city council will not consider applications for appointment to advisory boards or commissions from regular full-time or part-time St. Louis Park employees (as defined in the city’s personnel manual). iii) City council will not consider applications for appointment to a board or commission from other employees working for the city such as seasonal, temporary, part-time, paid-on-call firefighters or contract employees if such appointment could cause a conflict of interest. F. Attendance Regular attendance at meetings is a requirement for continued membership on any board or commission. Irregular attendance and frequent absences are detrimental to the entire group and put undue pressure on those members who do attend meetings. Regular attendance allows members to learn about and discuss issues in depth, which contributes to more collaborative decision making and effective recommendations to the city council. Continued absenteeism is considered grounds for dismissal by the council. G.By-Laws Each board and commission shall create and maintain by-laws and meeting procedures. By-laws must be consistent with the city code and should follow the city council’s template for by-laws. Whenever changes are proposed, a draft copy of the new by-laws should be forwarded to the city clerk’s office for the city council’s review. As per the city code, the council has 30 days to review and amend the proposed by-laws. H.Meetings Meeting times and locations are set according to each commission’s by-laws. Each commission should defer to the council’s policy for meetings which occur on or near recognized holidays. A quorum of the board is made up of a majority of members currently appointed. All meetings will be conducted in accordance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, the City Charter and the Municipal Code of Ordinances. The proceedings of meetings should be conducted using standard parliamentary procedure. The city council has adopted The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure as their guide. A copy of this publication is available for review in the city clerk’s office. A simplified summary of these procedures is also available for use by board or commission chairs and staff liaisons. I.Minutes and other records i) Minutes of each board or commission meeting shall be prepared and maintained by the staff liaison or other designated representative. ii) Following board or commission approval, minutes shall be forwarded to the city clerk’s office for placement on a City Council agenda. iii) Approved minutes shall be published on the cty’s website no later than two (2) days following formal acceptance by the city council. iv) Meeting agendas shall be published on the city’s website no later than three (3) days prior to a scheduled meeting. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 9 Boards & Commissions -4- Rules & Procedures Amended May 21, 2018 v)All board and commission records, including minutes and agendas, must be maintained in accordance with the city’s records retention policy. Please contact the city clerk’s office if you have questions regarding retention and preferred storage medium. J.Annual meeting with council program Council has established a process whereby all participating boards and commissions (identified below) will meet collectively to present their annual report to the city council at the “Boards and Commissions Annual Meeting”. The following boards and commissions are subject to the requirements for participation in the program: Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) Environment and Sustainability Commission Housing Authority Human Rights Commission Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Planning Commission Police Advisory Commission Telecommunications Advisory Commission Annual written report – Each board and commission listed above shall prepare a written report for the council which includes activities undertaken in the past year, a progress report on the previous year’s goals, and goals for the coming year. Annual reports should also include any areas in which the board or commission requests council direction, assistance, or other reaction. Annual reports must be submitted to staff liaisons no later than January 31st. Annual meeting and presentation instructions The annual meeting with the city council will take place each calendar year as outlined in the procedures on file with the city manager. All current members of each participating board and commission will be invited to attend the annual meeting. Each board and commission will select one (1) representative to present their annual report. Each board and commission will be allotted a specified amount of time, as determined by the city manager, for presentation of their annual report and discussion with the city council. K.Vacancies The expiration of a member’s term on a board or commission shall be deemed a vacancy on that board or commission. A member may continue to serve beyond the expiration date of their term until a successor is appointed. Resignation by a member of a board or commission prior to the expiration of their term must be submitted in writing to the staff liaison. The staff liaison shall forward a copy of the written notice of resignation to the administrative services division. At the time of resignation, a vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term shall be deemed to exist and the recruitment process shall be initiated unless otherwise determined by the city manager. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 10 Boards & Commissions -5- Rules & Procedures Amended May 21, 2018 If a member of a board or commission is not able to serve the full length of their term due to unexpected circumstances (illness, relocation, death, etc.) a vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term shall be deemed to exist and the recruitment process shall be initiated unless otherwise determined by the city manager. All vacancies will be advertised at city hall, in the Sun Sailor, Park Perspective, neighborhood newsletters, on the city’s website and social media outlets. L.Reappointment Board or commission members seeking reappointment to another term shall be subject to the application, interview, and appointment processes unless otherwise determined by the city council. Overall performance and attendance by board and commission members requesting reappointment will be considered by the council. M.Application process All individuals interested in serving on a board or commission, including those seeking reappointment, shall complete an online application available on the city’s website. A paper application is available, upon request, by contacting the administrative services division. Upon receipt of an application, a representative of the administrative services division will confirm receipt of the application and provide the applicant with information regarding the interview and appointment process. All completed applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the city council to determine which candidates will move forward in the process. Applications shall be retained for the period of 1 year following receipt. N.Interview process Candidates may be asked to participate in an interview at the first study session in April (unless otherwise determined by council), at the discretion of the city council. The administrative services division will be responsible for scheduling candidate interviews. Following the completion of candidate interviews, the city council will evaluate the status of each applicant and inform the administrative services division of their recommendations for appointment. The administrative services division will notify each candidate of the status of their application and information regarding the next steps in the process. O.Appointment Appointments shall be made annually by the city council at the second regularly scheduled meeting in May (unless otherwise determine by council). Administrative services will provide written notification of appointment to new members and inform them of the details of their appointment. A copy of this information will also be provided to the staff liaison. The staff liaison for each board or commission will provide the new member with meeting information, discuss expectations, and review pertinent issues with them prior to the next meeting of the board or commission. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 11 Boards & Commissions -6- Rules & Procedures Amended May 21, 2018 P.Orientation Staff liaisons, in conjunction with the administrative services division, will provide orientation for new board and commission members. Q.Rosters The staff liaison is responsible for keeping an updated roster of the commission which should include contact information, term of office, and date of appointment. The liaison is responsible for notifying the administrative services department about roster changes. R.Recognition On an annual basis, the council will formally recognize members who have left their position on a board or commission during the previous year. S. Conflict of interest No member of a board or commission shall: (1)Enter into any contractual arrangement with the city during the term serving as an appointed board or commissioner member and for a period of one year after leaving office, unless authorized by Minnesota statutes § 471.88. (2) Use their position to secure any special privilege or exemption for themselves or others. (3) Use their office or otherwise act in any manner which would give the appearance of or result in any impropriety or conflict of interest. Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: Boards and commissions roles and responsibilities, appointment process and compensation Page 12 Meeting: Special study session Meeting date: May 20, 2024 Discussion item: 2 Executive summary Title: City council meeting protocols Recommended action: None at this time. This is a follow-up discussion requested by the council on various topics related to meeting protocols. Policy consideration: Does the council want to amend current practices related to any of the topics identified? Summary: The topics outlined below were previously identified by the city council for follow-up discussion and consideration. The topics are generally operational items related to meeting protocols or practices that fall under the council’s purview. Staff and the city attorney will be in attendance to help answer questions and facilitate discussion. Should the council want to proceed with any changes, staff will outline a timeline and next steps for implementation. Topic Description Public hearing protocols The council will discuss practices related to the conduct of public hearings including how questions are handled at hearings and how to handle situations in which a member may be absent. Council connections The council will discuss their needs and ideas related to opportunities for social connection and relationship building as a group, outside of official meetings. Financial or budget considerations: Costs associated with the conduct of city council meetings are included in the 2024 budget, including those related to required staff support. Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Supporting documents: Discussion May 6, 2024, staff report (item begins on p. 3) Prepared by: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Approved by: Cindy Walsh, deputy city manager Special study session meeting of May 20, 2024 (Item No. 2) Page 2 Title: City council meeting protocols Discussion Background: During the city council’s annual retreat, several operational topics were identified for follow-up discussion. The topics are generally related to meeting protocols or practices. An overview of the topics, additional considerations or dependencies, and information related to possible next steps is outlined below. Staff and the city attorney will be in attendance to help answer questions and facilitate discussion. Public hearing protocols - The council will discuss practices related to the conduct of public hearings including how questions are handled at hearings and how to manage situations in which a member may be absent. This discussion will provide an opportunity for members to share thoughts, ideas and concerns with current practices and possible outcomes. • Present considerations – the council may want to consider and discuss the following: o What works with the current practice? What are the challenges the council wants to address? o Possible outcomes, including who benefits or is impacted by current or new practices. o Impact and outcomes of delaying consideration of items. o Legal considerations related to notice requirements for public hearings, timelines for certain actions and related dependencies. • Next steps – TBD, based on council direction. Council connections - The council will discuss their needs and ideas related to opportunities for social connection and relationship building as a group, outside of official meetings. • Present considerations – the council may want to consider and discuss the following: o What would work for you and what are you looking to get out of the connection experience? o Scheduling, frequency and location. o Cost – because the purpose is to provide dedicated opportunities for interpersonal communication, not city business, any costs incurred would be funded by attending council members. o What support do you need from staff, if any, to facilitate? • Next steps – TBD, based on council direction.