Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/12/16 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularOfficial minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Dec. 16, 2024 1. Call to order. Mayor Mohamed called the meeting to order at 6:16 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 Council members absent: Margaret Rog Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), administrative services director (Ms. Brodeen), finance director (Ms. Cruver), facilities superintendent (Mr. Eisold), recreation superintendent (Ms. Friederich), public works director (Mr. Hall), engineering director (Ms. Heiser), building and energy director (Mr. Hoffman), police chief (Mr. Kruelle), housing supervisor (Ms. Olson), interim fire chief (Mr. Scott), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott- Lerdal), communications and technology director (Ms. Smith), financial analyst (Ms. Stephens), engineering project manager (Mr. Sullivan), park superintendent (Mr. Umphrey) 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). 3. Presentations. a. Observance of International Migrants Day Mayor Mohamed read the proclamation. She shared that immigrants have contributed a great deal to the community in St. Louis Park. Council Member Dumalag added she is a child of immigrants and is married to an immigrant. She stated that many people choose to come to this country to leave a difficult political situation at home or in pursuit of more opportunities. Immigrants make many contributions and she is grateful for this proclamation. Council Member Brausen thanked both the Mayor and Council Member Dumalag for their service to the city. He stated it is unfortunate that we have elected a national leader who does not embrace this sentiment and hopefully, their administration will not be as traumatic as we fear. He added that communities will be called to protect the rights of immigrants. Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B City council meeting -2- Dec. 16, 2024 Mayor Mohamed added that St. Louis Park residents are in a great state and a great city so that gives her comfort, solace and joy in this situation. Council Member Baudhuin added his thanks to immigrants who serve in local municipal public leadership and stated we are blessed to have a mayor in this category, summarizing that the city is the beneficiary of Mayor Mohamed’s family immigrating to America. 4. Minutes a. Minutes of Nov. 4, 2024 study session Council Members Dumalag and Brausen noted they were absent at this meeting and should be moved to the absent category. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to approve Nov. 4, 2024, study session minutes as amended. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). b. Minutes of Nov. 18, 2024 city council meeting c. Minutes of Nov. 18, 2024 study session meeting It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Farris, to approve the Nov. 18, 2024, city council meeting minutes and the Nov. 18, 2024, study session minutes as presented. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). 5. Consent items a. Resolution No. 24-154 approving 2025 non-union compensation b. Resolution No. 24-155 authorizing a special assessment for high efficiency window installation at 4040 West 36th Street - Ward 2 c. Resolution No. 24-156 establishing South Oak Pond Water Quality Improvement project (4024-4000) - Ward 2 d. Approve property acquisitions for Cedar Lake Road / Louisiana Avenue Improvements project- Phase 2 (4024-1100) - Ward 4 e. Resolution No. 24-157 regarding cashless business f. Approve temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license - Beth El Synagogue g. Resolution No. 24-158 amending American Rescue Plan Act Appropriation h. Resolution No. 24-159 approving Hennepin County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan Council Member Dumalag commented on consent item 5c and thanked staff for their work on this area of focus. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the consent items as listed; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B City council meeting -3- Dec. 16, 2024 The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). 6. Public hearings – none. 7. Regular business a. Resolution No. 24-161 and 24-162 authorizing traffic control changes in Browndale Neighborhood – Ward 2 Mr. Sullivan presented the staff report. Council Member Dumalag asked how stop signs were requested, implemented and installed. Mr. Sullivan stated in the past, a community member would contact staff and ask for a stop sign at an intersection. Staff would then investigate whether the request met criteria. If it did not meet criteria, then staff would deny the request. A petition could be signed, and it would be brought forth to council and then be installed if approved. Mr. Sullivan stated that is why there are more stop signs in some areas than in others. Council Member Dumalag asked if he could explain the role of the traffic committee. Mr. Sullivan stated that staff and the traffic committee, which is made up of police, first responders, engineering, and community development, would weigh in on the discussion and review. The committee’s recommendations were also included in the final report to the council. Council Member Dumalag stated the staff report showed the parks and recreation department was also consulted. Mr. Sullivan confirmed this and noted community feedback stressed how this area is an entrance to Browndale Park, so parks and recreation were also brought into the review. Going forward, if there is a park nearby when a stop sign is being considered, parks and recreation will definitely be brought into future conversations as well. Council Member Baudhuin asked about exceptions. Mr. Sullivan stated there are exceptions made depending on routes and unique offset intersections. Matthew Beach, 4168 Browndale Ave., stated that he lives by one of the stop signs that are being removed. There was a coalition to keep both stop signs, but one is being removed and neighbors disagree with this. Neighbors prefer to keep the stop sign at the front of Browndale Park, and to add another stop sign as well. He stated his concern is the street will now be used as a thoroughfare and the stop sign here would add a value of control. Council Member Dumalag asked how three-way stops are handled. Mr. Sullivan stated that there is usually a T-shaped intersection, and staff looks at higher- and lower-volume streets. Typically, this type of intersection includes a yielding location and this pairs up well with the new sidewalk at Browndale. He added low-traffic volume was another factor and that traffic counts are done on a cyclical basis. Council Member Dumalag stated there has been some non-compliance with stop signs, and getting neighbors to sign petitions can be difficult in higher density areas. She stated complaints do come from neighbors about stop signs, and noted the basketweave stop sign process works Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B City council meeting -4- Dec. 16, 2024 well in Minneapolis. She stated the city process for stop signs has been in use for a very long time, and we are working on a systems approach for this issue, and she will support the traffic control changes as proposed. Council Member Brausen added he will support this proposal and is glad to see a data-driven approach. He disagreed with neighbors who are concerned about stop sign removal causing their neighborhood to be less safe because too many stop signs lead to “roll-through” stops and increased carbon emissions which pollute the air. It is difficult to balance the tradeoffs, but this proposal does make sense and if it turns out to be unsafe, city staff will revisit. Council Member Baudhuin stated he will support the proposed traffic control changes and asked if there will be any monitoring on compliance and traffic flow. Mr. Sullivan stated staff is discussing what this monitoring will look like to gain a better understanding of improvements or changes. Council Member Baudhuin added he is happy to see uncontrolled intersections transitioning to more control, particularly because of his experiences as a cyclist. He stated the proposed changes will make the neighborhood safer and he is in support. Council Member Farris stated that she had visited the area in question in order to become more familiar with it. During her visits, she shared that she did not feel that traffic was moving safely in the area and is in support of increased intersection control. Council Member Budd asked if the number of cars at 500 was the same as when the sign was put in originally. Mr. Sullivan stated it was most likely for traffic management versus a right-of- way issue. He added in a neighborhood they are not meant for speed control. Council Member Dumalag added the citywide speed limit’s reduction to 20 mph was set in 2020, and this was also a chance to assist with traffic management. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to adopt Resolution No. 24-161 to rescind existing Resolutions No. 2615, 5313, 85-214, 88-174, 20-011 and 20-041 pertaining to existing stop sign controls in the Browndale neighborhood, and to adopt Resolution No. 24-162, authorizing traffic control changes in Browndale Neighborhood – Ward 2. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). b. Resolution No. 24-160, 24-163, 24-164 approving 2025 budget, levy and capital improvement plan Ms. Cruver presented the staff report. She noted the policy considerations of the 2025 budget including: • General levies equal to $48,598,532 (general fund, park improvement, capital replacement, employee benefits and debt service) • Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA) levy equal to $1,194,133 • Economic Redevelopment Authority (EDA) levy equal to $187,000 Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B City council meeting -5- Dec. 16, 2024 Council Member Budd asked whether the revenue stream chart in the staff report includes ARPA funds. Ms. Cruver stated it does not for 2025 because that is no longer a revenue source. She added last year, ARPA funds were visible as transfers into the budget. Council Member Brausen stated that the budget process is always interesting and he experiences relief when the budget is formally adopted. He pointed out that the council has worked on the budget process for over six months. Challenges include the need to maintain the high level of services in St. Louis Park, which citizens have come to expect, while working on new and innovative programs such as addressing climate change and all the while, holding down costs wherever possible. He stated this balance is a challenge, and he thanked staff for all their hard work. He observed that budgets are reflective of community values; 44% of the budget is allocated to public safety, addressing crime, and assisting with first responder services. He added that 28% of the budget will be used to update infrastructure and make roads safer, noting the Louisiana Ave and Cedar Lake Road project. He thanked residents for supporting these priorities and he will support the budget, levy and capital improvement plan. Council Member Baudhuin stated budgets are not his strong suit and he is thankful to staff for their work to help council understand the information. Council has worked hard on this process for many months and he has learned much as a new council member. Everyone he speaks with says that St. Louis Park is a well-run city; it is an incredible place to live and work. These comments are not in spite of the budget, but because of it; a city’s budget reflects the morals and values of the residents. He stated the increase is tough, but it is money well spent, and he will support the proposed budget, levy and capital improvement plan. Council Member Dumalag added that she is also in favor of the recommendations of staff and thanked them for their work. The work on the budget included a great deal of detail; she stressed the council takes this process seriously. This is a very clear report as to what the city is spending money on, especially with the details of the levy expenditures. She will support the proposed budget, levy and capital improvement plan. Council Member Budd thanked staff as well and added there is much “give and take” that goes into the budget process. She stated we do not always get everything we want for all constituents, but the council does need to act responsibly. She will support the proposed budget, levy and capital improvement plan. Council Member Farris added she will also support the budget as proposed and thanked staff. She recalled that the initial estimated levy increase was a higher amount than the final proposed amount before the council this evening. She shared that council asked for the amount to be revisited and staff worked to decrease the amount and to keep council informed of all factors. She thanked staff for their hard work. Mayor Mohamed stated she is very thankful to staff for working with the council on the proposed budget, levy and capital improvement plan. She stated the final product is months in the making and she is happy to support it. Council works hard to justify everything that is done with the budget, and they do take into consideration comments from residents. She will support the proposed budget, levy and capital improvement plan. Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B City council meeting -6- Dec. 16, 2024 It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Dumalag, to adopt Resolution No. 24-160 authorizing the 2025 final EDA tax levy, Resolution No. 24-163 authorizing the 2025 final HRA tax levy, and Resolution No. 24-164 authorizing the 2025 general fund budget, the 2025 final property tax levy and the 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Plan. The motion passed 6-0 (Council Member Rog absent). 8. Communications and announcements. Ms. Keller stated there is a Terasă development meeting tomorrow evening from 5-6 p.m. at 1621 West End Blvd. There is also a meeting regarding the zoning code update on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 from 6 - 8 p.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers. Council Member Brausen noted the 2025 pavement management open house on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 at Westwood Nature Center from 5:30 – 7 p.m. In reflection, Council Member Baudhuin stated his decision to run for the city council last year was a big one. Over his first year as a council member, he shared he has learned how things are accomplished and is blessed and humbled to be in this position. Mayor Mohamed wished those who celebrate a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all. 9. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Docusign Envelope ID: 346F99D7-45BD-444D-8B5F-8CF4ACDB6F3B