Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/12/02 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularOfficial minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Dec. 2, 2024 1. Call to order. Mayor Pro Tem Farris called the meeting to order at 6:17 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed (arrived 6:26 p.m.), 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), community development director (Ms. Barton), administrative services director (Ms. Brodeen), finance director (Ms. Cruver), public works director (Mr. Hall), building and energy director (Mr. Hoffman), economic development manager (Mr. Hunt), city clerk (Ms. Kennedy), deputy police chief (Mr. Nadem), deputy finance director (Mr. Olson), property maintenance and licensing manager (Mr. Pivec), interim fire chief (Mr. Scott), senior accountant (Mr. Shubert), communications and technology director (Ms. Smith), engineering project manager (Mr. Sullivan), parks and recreation director (Mr. West), HR director (Ms. Vorpahl) 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed 6-0 (Mayor Mohamed arrived after the vote). 3. Presentations a. Recognition of donations Mayor Pro Tem Farris thanked an anonymous donor for a gift of $3,800 and the St. Louis Park Rotary for a donation in the amount of $250. She shared that both donations were made to the police department. 4. Minutes a. Minutes of Oct. 21, 2024 special study session meeting b. Minutes of Oct 28, 2024 study session meeting It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to approve the Oct. 21, 2024, special study session minutes and the Oct. 28, 2024 study session meeting minutes as presented. Docusign Envelope ID: 37D3DD71-F652-41FD-8422-677EE15F8186 City council meeting -2- Dec. 2, 2024 The motion passed 6-0 (Mayor Mohamed arrived after the vote). 5. Consent items a. Approve city disbursements b. Resolution No. 24-151 accepting anonymous donation c. Resolution No. 24-152 accepting donation from the St. Louis Park Rotary Foundation d. Resolution No. 24-153 awarding 2025 arts and culture grants e. Ordinance No. 2687-24 second reading and adoption of cannabis zoning ordinance f. Approval of inclusionary housing policy as amended Council Member Rog requested that consent item 5f be moved to regular business as item 7a. Council Member Rog referenced item 5e and thanked staff for their work on this. She will support the ordinance as presented, but continues to have concerns about prohibiting retail sales within 1000 feet of a school, as this takes a number of properties in the Walker Lake District off the market due to their close proximity to the high school. Given the difficulty of finding affordable storefront spaces, this might limit opportunities for small retailers in our city. She hopes staff and council can continue to look at it and make changes in the future if warranted. It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Budd, to approve the consent items as revised to move consent item 7a to regular business as item 7a; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 6-0 (Mayor Mohamed arrived after the vote) 6. Public hearings a. 2025 Proposed budget, tax levies and truth in taxation public hearing Ms. Cruver presented the staff report. The council was asked to consider the policy question of whether they support the proposed 2025 budget as revised with an overall increase of 7.52% which includes: 1. $48,598,532 for core government services and debt payments 2. $1,194,133 for housing projects and programs (HRA levy) 3. $187,000 for economic development projects and programs (EDA levy) 4. The five-year Capital Improvement Plan as revised Council Member Rog noted this item has been discussed in depth by the council at meetings and study sessions over the last few months. Mayor Mohamed opened the public hearing. Jay Lindgren, 7837 Edgebrook Dr., stated he represents Isaiah, a multi-racial economic group that aligns with Hennepin County's efforts to seek more affordable housing, including work to reverse people living on the streets. Their group wants to know what specific plans are in place for those without housing and want to know details beyond tax reports and summaries. Docusign Envelope ID: 37D3DD71-F652-41FD-8422-677EE15F8186 City council meeting -3- Dec. 2, 2024 Louise Winter, 7901 W 25th St., stated she is also with the Isaiah group. She asked if the city plans to use a portion of the $1.29 million for housing projects and programs to provide funds to STEP for their housing efforts as well as more vouchers to low-income families to help with housing and if so, how much. Juli Rasmussen, 3040 Jersey Ave. S., stated she is with the Isaiah group as well and thanked the city for their vision and work to invest in affordable housing. She appreciated the explanations provided in the presentation on housing funding. She asked if the city is looking at projects related to affordable rental stabilization, which uses new revenue to help sustain those renters with low incomes. Eric Sand, 3730 Sumter Ave. S., stated he is also with the Isaiah group. He asked for more information about the city’s plans for the one-fourth percent state tax increase, an estimated $340,000. Alicia Heck, 8906 Minnehaha Circle, stated she would like to find alternatives to using property taxes versus property values. Instead of taxing properties based on values, she asked if there was another way. She stated she was told to reach out to the state who said she should go back to her city, so she is not getting very far on this question. Her property tax this year is increasing by 20% and noted she has had many increases throughout the years, which she shared is unfortunate. Dan Lindgren, 2810 Ottawa Ave. S., stated he is a 30-year resident of St. Louis Park, and got his property tax information in the mail recently with an increase in the city tax of over 11% for the year, and he is irritated. He asked why it went up so much in one year. He stated a responsible increase in tax and budget is what is needed, and encouraged the city to spend accordingly; spread out an increase versus forcing it all at one time. Frank Johnson, 3048 Colorado Ave., stated he has lived here for 31 years. In the last three years, his property taxes have increased by 26%, 9%, and then decreased by 1%. He added the proposal for next year is a 16% increase with a four-year total increase of 50%. He stated it has cost him a total of $113 per month and the new proposal will cost him $161 per month. He stated during this time inflation has increased 17%, and shared that the comparison between his valuation increase and inflation seemed unreasonable. Mayor Mohamed closed the public hearing. Council Member Baudhuin stated the council is listening to residents’ concerns, and noted it is all very difficult. He thanked the public for being part of the process. Council Member Rog stated there are relief programs through the state based on income and also based on the rate of increase. Ms. Cruver stated staff will provide information on these relief programs at the Dec. 16, 2024 meeting. Council Member Rog pointed out that the city council does not just receive a budget and then set the tax to meet the budget. She stated the council receives a tax amount and then looks at Docusign Envelope ID: 37D3DD71-F652-41FD-8422-677EE15F8186 City council meeting -4- Dec. 2, 2024 reducing that amount. She added the council must discern this amount while still being able to support all the things the community is asking for. Mayor Mohamed added the council has been able to reduce the total levy increase from the proposed tax levy amount this year and will continue that work. She also acknowledged that inflation and costs are high and increasing. She encouraged the public to come to the Dec. 16, 2024 city council meeting. No action was required by the city council this evening. 7. Regular business a. Approval of inclusionary housing policy as amended Council member Rog stated she is supportive of two of the three changes suggested. The third change, which she would like to discuss further with council, regards the Inclusionary Housing Policy not being triggered when there is a comprehensive plan amendment. She stated she would like to make sure that this is, in fact, the direction we want to go - narrowing the criteria for what triggers our Inclusionary Housing Policy rather than broadening it. Council Member Dumalag stated she is willing to discuss this further as well to revisit why it was recommended by staff and have the city attorney weigh in as well. Council Member Budd agreed with Council Members Rog and Dumalag, as she would like some clarification as well. Council Member Brausen stated he will also support this revisit and noted there are legal questions to look at as well. Mr. Mattick stated the motion to approve the item as amended is acceptable. He confirmed that the comprehensive plan can be discussed further at another meeting and that he will prepare a memo on this topic for council to review. Council Member Rog asked if the memo Mr. Mattick offered to prepare can include info on why other cities are making this choice, given legal concerns. Mr. Mattick stated there is a wide array of options as to how cities implement this type of policy. He stated it is worth more discussion as there are different ways it could be implemented. It was moved by Council Member Rog, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to adopt the inclusionary housing policy as amended with the exception of the change related to requirements of an application for comprehensive plan amendments. The motion passed 7-0. Docusign Envelope ID: 37D3DD71-F652-41FD-8422-677EE15F8186 City council meeting -5- Dec. 2, 2024 8. Communications and announcements Mayor Mohamed wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Native American History month. Ms. Keller noted the Holiday Train is coming through St. Louis Park on Dec. 12, 2024. Council Member Brausen noted his thanks to the Boy Scouts in the audience for attending this meeting tonight to work on their government badge. 9. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Docusign Envelope ID: 37D3DD71-F652-41FD-8422-677EE15F8186