Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/06/03 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularOfficial minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota June 3, 2024 1. Call to order. Mayor Mohamed called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen (arrived at 6:38 p.m.), Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Yolanda Farris, and Margaret Rog Council members absent: none Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), city attorney (Ms. Schmidt), engineering director (Ms. Heiser), engineering project manager (Mr. Sullivan), public works director (Mr. Hall), park superintendent (Mr. Umphrey), police chief (Mr. Kruelle), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott-Lerdal) Guests: LGBTQ+ ERG and BIPOC ERG members; Stephen Shurson, Kelly Grissman, Danny McCullough of Three Rivers Park District 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Budd, to approve the agenda as amended with the removal of item 5e from the consent agenda by the applicant. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Brausen absent). 3. Presentations. a. Proclamation observing June 2024 as Pride Month Council Member Baudhuin read the proclamation into the record. Council Member Dumalag thanked staff for the proclamation resources included in the city council meeting packet. She viewed the Human Rights Commission glossary and noted the terminology resources that are available. Council Member Baudhuin stated another resource is a PBS Frontline presentation, “Stonewall Uprising” which gets into the root and core of Pride, the plight of LGBTQ in the United States, and why Pride is held in June. He added that in St. Louis Park schools, legislation allows parents to opt out of various kinds of education, and he feels that is doing real and active harm to the community’s LGBTQ students and families. He is doing what he can to push for a change in that law. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -2- June 3, 2024 b. Proclamation observing Juneteenth in 2024 Mayor Mohamed read the proclamation into the record. She stated there is a Juneteenth celebration and education event scheduled for St. Louis Park. Council Member Baudhuin noted the event on June 16 and highly recommended people attend, as it is a wonderful opportunity. Juneteenth in 2024 is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. at the ROC. 4. Minutes. a. Minutes of May 6, 2024 special study session b. Minutes of May 20, 2024 city council meeting c. Minutes of May 20, 2024 special study session It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Rog, to approve the May 6, 2024 special study session, the May 20, 2024 city council meeting, and the May 20, 2024 special study session minutes as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 5. Consent items. a. Approve city disbursements b. Resolution No. 24-070 awarding the sale of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2024A c. Resolution No. 4-071 approving Park Plaza 2nd Addition final plat at 5775 Wayzata Boulevard - Ward 4 d. Resolution No. 24-072 amending the city council rules of procedure e. Approve temporary liquor license for Southern Anoka Community Assistance (SACA Food Shelf & Thrift Store) – Ward 2 (This item was withdrawn by the applicant) f. Resolution No. 24-073 authorizing special assessment to abate unsafe conditions of hazardous building - Ward 4 Council Member Rog noted she hopes item 5d can be revisited so that public hearings are moved closer to the beginning of regular meetings. She clarified that ideally, folks attending specifically to speak in a public hearing should not have to wait through other lengthy items to speak. Council Member Brausen referenced item 5b, which is a decision the city made towards financing necessary roadwork in the city. This $3 million was borrowed to spread out the costs over the next 15 years and because the city is AAA bond rated, the interest rate is 3.7671447%. He thanked the staff and underwriters for putting this together. Ms. Keller added because of the city’s excellent AAA rating, the city can borrow at the lowest rates available. The lowest bidder gave the city a $250,000 credit toward the principle and a lower interest rate than was expected, so bonds can be paid off quicker and taxpayers will save dollars as well. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -3- June 3, 2024 It was moved by Council Member Baudhuin, seconded by Council Member Rog, to approve the consent items as revised to remove item 5e that was withdrawn by the applicant; and to waive reading of all resolutions. The motion passed 7-0. 6. Public hearings – none. 7. Regular business. a. Support of Three Rivers Park District CP Rail Regional Trail route recommendation Mr. Sullivan introduced the Three Rivers Park District staff members Stephen Shurson, Kelly Grissman, and Danny McCullough, who presented the report. Members of the public spoke: Zach Kindt, 2732 Dakota Avenue, stated he spoke before the city council last fall on this issue. His concerns about the master plan are related to snow removal and safety. There is a lot of street and school traffic, and the sidewalks are plowed first thing in the morning. In the southern end of the recommended route section and Wooddale bridge, there are high traffic areas with a narrow corridor. This makes the area a safety concern, as does bringing the trail route across the railroad with no new bridges or underpasses proposed. He referenced the Met Council’s regional bike transportation network which notes Louisiana Avenue. This network is not addressed in the recommended route either, noting this seems to be a tax burden with two proposed corridors. Ross Preheim, 3247 Dakota Avenue, has concerns about the loss of parking in front of his house, as well as safety concerns for those with driveways on Dakota Avenue. He pointed out that when bike traffic is approaching, he would like the city to utilize motion lights to alert approaching bikers and drivers backing out of driveways to one another’s presence. He added he is also concerned about snow removal and where will the snow be placed. Currently, the bike lane is not plowed, and he has seen many cyclists ride their bikes on the sidewalks. He noted the bump-outs may help pedestrians but are a problem with snow removal. He added the bike paths are not used because they are not being maintained and he is uncertain about this new plan. Tom Weber, 2800 block of Dakota Avenue, asked that the council approval of this project include the council’s desire to preserve trees along Dakota Avenue from 27th Street to Minnetonka, which is from Peter Hobart School to Parkway Pizza. This is not a move that ties future council’s hands but is a move to help future councils understand the current mindset and intention to preserve trees from 27th Street to Minnetonka Boulevard. The city’s tree canopy is declining due to the destruction caused by the emerald ash borer. New tools will be discussed by the council about declining tree canopy and noted the topic was also on the agenda for the city’s special study session meeting tonight as well. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -4- June 3, 2024 Mr. Weber added the staff reports indicate the number of trees in the area and not the size. By his observation, the trees between 27th Street and Minnetonka Boulevard include five to seven mature or heritage trees on the east side of Dakota Avenue. He is asking the council to tactically realize that certain areas of the city like Bronx Park have tree canopies that warrant consideration. He added tree removal to construct infrastructure makes more sense than reconfiguring a right-of-way to construct a bike path that already has a bike path. He is asking for an amendment or tool to show this council’s desire to protect the tree canopy on unique stretches so that in the future, there can be no question as to what the intended desire was. Madalyn Braaten, 2656 Dakota Avenue, noted she is directly across from the park and there is a lot of traffic, garbage and golf balls. She has called the city about park users driving golf balls and has also contacted the police, on one occasion, about an archer shooting arrows. She stated if the proposed route is adopted, there may be more golfers and traffic and she is not in favor of this. Pete Marshall, 2668 Dakota Avenue, stated he has lived in his home for six years and in that time, they have seen quite a few infrastructure projects, including the curb bump-outs and the bridge. Though both projects are great entertainment for his young sons, he noted the city needs to set up traffic cameras on 27 Street and Dakota Avenue to observe that the bump-outs are not preventing anyone from stopping there. He bikes to commute and for enjoyment but observed that no one uses the Dakota Park bridge. He is worried about this proposed corridor down Dakota Avenue that could impact a beautiful street with a beautiful canopy cover and asked what the benefit of that impact is. He is not sure the public use will be there, there is already good biking nearby, so this route has him and his neighbors concerned. Isabel Anderson, 2700 block of Rhode Island, noted if the plan is approved and goes through Dakota Avenue, this will be more practical. She noted the Dakota Park bridge and stated it should be improved – it is currently difficult for less experienced cyclists to maneuver through the tight curve. Younger riders are not careful there either and the city should set aside money to build the trail on another street and then another bridge could be built. Jennifer Zupan Maiser, 2905 Colorado Avenue, hopes for confirmation and promises that no trees will be impacted on this project. She pointed out one route option including a path up to ten feet wide. If that plan were adopted, it would require a street width of only 37 feet. This street width would cut into the boulevard and tree roots, damaging their viability. She would like a route that does not impact trees and if the route is chosen to follow Dakota Avenue, she would like confirmation that the route will not impact trees. Tara Thrasher, 2721 Dakota Avenue, has lived in her home almost 20 years. She thanked the city council for requesting that Three Rivers Park District do a more intensive study of this area before the proposal. She stated it is unrealistic to limit parking to one side of the street and she does not want to see any trees removed. She asked that the council consider the residents on Dakota Avenue all the way down, and to say no to Route 4 and work with a different route. Josh Sparber, 2701 Dakota Avenue, asked how much was spent on the bump-outs built a few years ago and noted that whatever the cost, the money was spent. He felt that stating the costs of the route will all be handled by Three Rivers Park District is slightly disingenuous, since the DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -5- June 3, 2024 established bump-outs would be removed. He added if the trail needed to route onto property on the east side and presuming a ten-foot path, it would leave only six feet. He stated these proposals are not well thought-out. Jon Simonson, 2856 Edgewood Avenue, stated he has lived in St. Louis Park for 62 years and he rides his bike in the area. He stated the city has streets that have bike boulevards and noted there is more traffic from Minnetonka Boulevard to Highway 7 than there is from Minnetonka Boulevard to 27th Street, with the main traffic being school bus traffic. He stated Dakota Avenue is a nice area and is not traffic-heavy, noting the southern area that was redone with markings and stripes was not done well because the paint is difficult to see when driving at night. He noted parking in this area has issues and he would like to just keep the area as is. Council Member Rog thanked residents for attending and sharing their input. She asked Three Rivers to address the plan for snow removal in winter as well as the plan for storm water storage. Mr. Shurson stated snow removal on regional trails is done at the determination and responsibility of the city. Three Rivers Park District offers reimbursement to cities that choose to maintain trails during the winter. Mr. Sullivan clarified that St. Louis Park anticipates the parks department would maintain this trail similar to what is done for the Cedar Lake Regional Trail. Receiving reimbursement from the Three Rivers Park District would allow the city to set their own plan for removal and storage of snow. Mr. Shurson stated the rate is $500 per mile for reimbursement. Mr. Sullivan pointed out that the city is already removing snow along the proposed route so the service might not be an addition, but a replacement to current snow removal efforts. Council Member Rog asked for the exact width of the path. Mr. Shurson stated the standard is ten feet and they do vary down to eight feet. He noted the area to 27th Street would have an eight-foot trail. Council Member Rog asked if the plan includes crossing the railroad tracks at grade. Mr. McCullough stated this current plan starts at Luce Line and goes to Wooddale and would stop at Wooddale. If approved in this corridor, it would start at Wooddale and then go to Edina and into Bloomington. He noted it would then cross the tracks at grade in the next stage of the plans. Council Member Baudhuin asked about the width of the trail and if the eight-foot section is exclusively a bike trail or is for pedestrian use as well. Mr. Shurson stated the trail would still be multi-use for bikes and pedestrians but added in this segment, the sidewalk would be retained and then the trail becomes eight feet, so pedestrians do not have to use the bike trail in this segment and can use the sidewalk. Council Member Budd noted a concern about front yard driveways and asked how that is handled when a regional trail crosses driveways. Mr. Shurson stated this is very common for DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -6- June 3, 2024 regional trail routes. He stated there would be a bigger boulevard so cars would be farther from the trail with better visibility. He noted in terms of special paint-striping, it would be handled the same as in other parts of the trail. Council Member Budd asked if this is something that is dealt with on other trails today. Mr. Shurson stated yes, driveways crossing through trails is a very common situation. Council Member Budd asked about the community’s concerns with tree preservation and the fear that roots might be disrupted. Mr. Sullivan stated in all construction projects within the city, staff works closely with the city forester to use best practices on tree preservation. The city has a history of this practice with city sidewalk projects all over the city and includes efforts such as injections into root structures to mitigate any challenges. Root structures usually do not grow and pass under roads. When the actual design comes before the council, this preservation intention can be reinforced and, in the meantime, staff continues to note the city's concerns about tree preservation as part of the route recommendation. Council Member Budd referenced the concerns expressed about bump-outs on Dakota Avenue being a wasted expenditure and asked if this will be an investment that will be realized over time. Mr. Sullivan clarified that bump-outs have a 15-year lifespan, which will likely pass before the trail construction process is complete. Council Member Dumalag asked about the connections between other cities and if Three Rivers Park District is currently in discussions with Golden Valley and Edina. Mr. Shurson stated they are already working with Golden Valley. He added they have not started the segments south into Edina yet, noting that will happen in the future. He stated the route approved in Golden Valley to the west aligns with the two pedestrian bridges near Highway 394. Council Member Dumalag asked about funding and how that process works. Mr. Shurson stated Three Rivers will fund the project and apply for grants from the state and federal government. He added there will be no taxes at the local level - at all - for this project. Council Member Dumalag asked if funding requests will be made for the full project or for particular segments. Mr. Shurson confirmed that requests would be made to fund particular segments only. Council Member Rog noted the Met Council’s identification of Louisiana Avenue as a tier one priority for improvements and asked staff to speak to this. Ms. Heiser stated there is a tier one corridor for a regional trail bike area and staff is fully aware of this, noting the city’s Connect the Park project was fully consistent with this designation. Council Member Rog asked for the timeframe of Louisiana Avenue’s improvements. Ms. Heiser stated the council recently approved the improvement projects on Louisiana Avenue. At that time, the council chose not to put a regional trail on Louisiana Avenue north of Cedar Lake Road to preserve trees and to use alternative routes, along Franklin and Pennsylvania Avenues. If a multipurpose trail were to be included on Louisiana Avenue, it would have included the removal of over 70 trees. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -7- June 3, 2024 Council Member Farris asked if there is a plan around the safety of the crossing at the railroad area. Mr. McCullough stated they would have to design and construct according to engineering standards, and for signage and walkways. Council Member Rog asked what opportunities there are to include a guarantee in the plan for the protection of trees along Dakota Avenue and 27th Street. City Attorney Schmidt stated the council can have an expression of intent, though council cannot bind the actions of any future city council. Council Member Brausen added he strongly has a desire to protect trees at any cost. He asked that the record reflect the intent of this council to preserve the tree canopy as much as possible. He added he views the right-of-way as the most important way to move people and parking is a secondary consideration. It is important to preserve the tree canopy as best as possible and he hopes the trail is built, as it is important to move people safely north and south on bicycles. The Dakota Avenue bike trail was a difficult decision, and traffic-calming measures were included, but asked folks to consider that it is our own neighbors who drive fast through neighborhoods. He stated he will support this regional trail route and hopes the council will look at the Louisiana Avenue corridor in the future. Council Member Baudhuin thanked Three Rivers Park District for their work, noting he is an avid cyclist. He is normally in favor of a bike trail, but in this case, he has serious concerns. The tree canopy is his utmost concern, and he sees the area between 27th Street and Minnetonka Boulevard as one of the more beautiful canopies in the city. He is struggling with more pavement for a bike path and noted he was more supportive of a bike path on Louisiana Avenue as a solid north-south route. Council Member Rog thanked Three Rivers Park District also for their commitment to parks and trails, which are true assets to the community. She will support the recommended route for safer walking, biking and rolling in the community. She is pleased when grade-separated bike lanes and multi-use trails are added to the city’ infrastructure. However, this project feels less community-driven than other projects and in truth, is not driven by the community in a direct way. Rather, this route recommendation is driven by regional needs. Council Member Rog noted she has been in support of the SLP 1 option because that is where she sees community need. Stretches of this route have no bike infrastructure at all and it supports a greater use by low-income and BIPOC residents who need to travel safely. There is lost opportunity in not focusing on Louisiana Avenue in this partnership. Improving the worst portions of Louisiana Avenue are now 15 or more years off, noting the city will pay for all that improvement versus cost-sharing with Three Rivers Park District. Council Member Rog stated she is not against SLP 4 outright but does have grave concerns about tree removal and wants to deeply ensconce tree preservation for this trail and others as well. She agreed that the importance of tree preservation should be recognized in the record for the awareness of future councils. She also shared concerns about the loss of parking in neighborhoods. She will support this project - with the caveats mentioned - and noted her hope that Louisiana Avenue can be improved sooner. She looks forward to working with her colleagues on this improvement project as well. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -8- June 3, 2024 Council Member Budd stated she will support the proposed route, SLP 4, as proposed. She noted her concerns have been addressed adequately regarding snow removal. She is also motivated by the seriousness of the council’s environmental concerns and focus on the reduction of car traffic to create a more beneficial situation for all residents. She added that she wants to do all she can to create that impact. Council Member Dumalag stated that earlier in the process, she had been interested in creating a bike trail on Louisiana Avenue to add to the trails network. However, she cannot now justify the long-term anticipated opening of that bike trail nor the cost. Relating cost factors, she cited that the southern portion of Louisiana Avenue is fully concrete, in good condition, and routing the trail along Louisiana Avenue would amount to essentially half the city’s budget. She will support the SLP 4 route recommendation and keeping the tree canopy intact as much as possible. Council Member Farris added she will also support the recommended route, SLP 4, and noted hopefully this will work for the whole community. The regional trail will be safe, and people can get around. She stated change is good and it will ultimately be nice for users. Mayor Mohamed stated she will support the route recommendation for SLP 4 as well. She thanked the Three Rivers Park District as well as residents who spoke this evening and appreciated the emails she received. She stated the tree canopy goals must be prioritized, especially where there are pedestrians and bikers. She concluded that she is in favor of this route versus Louisiana Avenue, which does not align with projects the city is taking on as well as the costs to the city. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to support the Three Rivers Park District CP Rail Regional Trail route recommendation as presented. The motion passed 6-1 (Council Member Baudhuin opposed). 8. Communications and announcements. Ms. Keller stated Cedar Lake Road construction starts Monday, June 10. Council Member Brausen added information will be on the city website regarding Cedar Lake Road construction. Ms. Heiser stated an email blast and newsletter have gone out to residents in the area and if anyone has questions, please contact staff. She added there will be information on social media as well. Council Member Rog asked how the council’s stated desire on tree canopy concerns will be included in the motion for this evening. Ms. Keller stated this commitment and desire by council will be reflected within the meeting minutes. The tree canopy intention was noted by residents, city staff and Three Rivers Park District staff during the discussion that occurred regarding the item. Ms. Heiser added this intention could also be enhanced when the plan comes forward and emphasized in the text of the plans as well. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A City council meeting -9- June 3, 2024 Council Member Baudhuin clarified his position on the vote taken for item 7a, adding he is a big advocate of the democratic process and will support the vote of the council on the Three Rivers Park District proposal. He noted that Tuesday, June 4, is the St. Louis Park High School graduation and he congratulated all the St. Louis Park graduates. 9. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor DocuSign Envelope ID: 2C29650E-FB8B-4B2D-A66C-C84A7D213F9A