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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/01/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularOfficial minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Jan. 21, 2025 1. Call to order. Mayor Mohamed called the meeting to order at 6:38 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Council members present: Mayor Nadia Mohamed, Paul Baudhuin, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Margaret Rog Council members absent: Yolanda Farris Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), community development director (Ms. Barton), administrative services director (Ms. Brodeen), engineering director (Ms. Heiser), economic development manager (Mr. Hunt), housing supervisor (Ms. Olson), engineering project manager (Mr. Wiesen) 2. Approve agenda. It was moved by Council Member Dumalag, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed 6-0 (Commissioner Farris absent). 3. Presentations a. Proclamation observing National Day of Racial Healing Mayor Mohamed read the proclamation into the record. She stated the National Day of Racial Healing event held on Jan. 20, 2025 at the Westwood Hills Nature Center was wonderful. She thanked staff and the community education team for their work. Council Member Rog agreed that the event was wonderful and thanked the Park Singers. Council Member Baudhuin stated it was a great event and encouraged everyone to attend every year. He thanked the high school students for their work and leadership with the event. b. Proclamation observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day Council Member Rog read the proclamation into the record. She shared that her husband’s parents were survivors of the Holocaust and many of their family members were killed during the atrocities of that time. She noted how this trauma remains in the genetic memory of families for many generations, including for her own children, and she is honored to read this recognition into the record. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -2- Jan. 21, 2025 c. Recognition of Donations It was noted that 162 individuals had contributed $1,987 for Parks and Recreation Access to Fun scholarship program. Mayor Mohamed thanked those who had donated in any amount. 4. Minutes. a. Minutes of Dec. 16, 2024 city council meeting b. Minutes of Jan. 6, 2025 city council meeting It was moved by Council Member Budd, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to approve the Dec. 16, 2024, and Jan. 6, 2025, city council meeting minutes as presented. The motion passed 6-0 (Commissioner Farris absent). 5. Consent items a. Resolution No. 25-011 accepting donations to the Access to Fun scholarship program b. Resolution No. 25-012 accepting donation from Westopolis for Jason West to attend the 2025 Sports Events and Tourism Association (ETA) Symposium c. Temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license - Church of the Holy Family d. Resolution No. 25-013 approving letter of no default - Beltline Station development - Ward 1 e. Resolution No. 25-014 approving record of decision regarding West End Office Park Development environmental assessment worksheet - Ward 4 f. Approve Housing Authority appointment g. Resolution No. 25-015 authorizing special assessment for sewer service line repair at 2825 Idaho Avenue South - Ward 1 h. Resolution No. 25-016 authorizing special assessment for sewer service line repair at 3541 Xylon Avenue South - Ward 3 Council Member Budd asked to make a comment regarding consent item 5a relating to the Access to Fun Scholarship Program. She stated the donations speak to our sense of community and the funds go to families who might not otherwise be able to participate in Parks and Recreations programs. She thanked the 162 people who donated to this fund. Council Member Rog noted item 5e related to the environmental assessment on the potential development in the West End, Terasă. She observed that the assessment evaluated potential predicted impacts by this development: some neutral, some negative, and many yet unknown. Given the fragile state of the environment, she found herself asking why we cannot use assessments to create frameworks for the optimal development on a site and ask the developers to fit themselves into that framework, rather than the other way around. Council Member Brausen stated he appreciates environmental assessment work; it is mandated by state law. It is not something the city can direct people to do and is above and beyond city authority. He appreciates the fact that the city performs an environmental impact assessment every time there is a major development to discover the potential impacts. He also stated he appreciates the staff’s work and their recommendations to council on environmental issues. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -3- Jan. 21, 2025 Council Member Brausen added his comments on item 5f, appointing Jolene Tanner to the housing authority, and he thanked her for her future service. It was moved by Council Member Budd, seconded by Council Member Brausen, to approve the consent items as listed; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 6-0 (Commissioner Farris absent). 6. Public hearings a. 2025 Pavement Management Project (4025-1000) – Ward 4 Mr. Wiesen presented the staff report. Council Member Brausen asked for clarification on how long it takes for reconstruction of a particular street. Mr. Wiesen stated it takes about four to six weeks from start to finish, depending on the weather. Mayor Mohamed opened the public hearing. Sylvie Hyman, 9200 W. 28th St., stated she has shared comments at engagement sessions and stated other options should be considered. Snow removal equipment needs to be oversized because the streets are oversized. She added right-sizing of streets would help with emergency vehicles and noted there would be fewer injuries if streets were created properly in the first place. She stated this is an opportunity to discuss more creative approaches to public safety. Mayor Mohamed closed the public hearing. Council Member Baudhuin stated that getting this project right is important. He asked for clarification on what “right-sizing” of streets means and how this is determined. Mr. Wiesen stated that when there is an opportunity to evaluate, such as replacing curbs or gutters during utility or sidewalk work, the unique needs of a given street can be evaluated. Council Member Baudhuin asked if there are general guidelines used in the process. Mr. Wiesen gave the example of how street parking is determined. The width of a given street determines whether parking may be available on both sides, one side, or not recommended. Council Member Rog asked if the narrowing of streets is done when there is water main construction or just with mill and overlay replacement. Mr. Wiesen stated the engineering department looks for opportunities. Sometimes the best opportunities occur during a full reconstruction of a street with water, sewer and utility replacement, which removes the curb and gutter. Another area of opportunity considered is whether more trees can be preserved with a sidewalk. With this project there is no recommended change of street width, since most of the curbs are staying in place. No action is required this evening and a vote is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2025. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -4- Jan. 21, 2025 b. 2025 Commercial Street Rehabilitation Project (4025-1050) – Ward 2 Mr. Wiesen presented the staff report. Council Member Budd asked if all 19 properties are classified as commercial. Mr. Wiesen stated there are some multifamily/residential apartments as well. Council Member Rog asked if this area is ripe for redevelopment and, if so, how this potential may impact the decision to add new sidewalks and narrower streets. In the past, there have been instances where recently installed infrastructure has been affected by redevelopment. Ms. Heiser stated they worked closely with the community development department on this project and the recommendation of the design is a direct result of the community engagement related to “Arrive and Thrive”. She stated the sanitary sewer and water main need to be replaced, so the street is being set up for redevelopment. The timeframe of development and current needs requires balance. Council Member Rog asked if there is opportunity to have expectations that new infrastructure be preserved as part of the development process. Ms. Heiser stated they do everything they can, but ultimately it is unknown and can be challenging when installing services as to when and where they would occur. Council Member Rog asked if she may return to item 6a with additional questions brought forward during the public hearing. Mr. Mattick advised that the council’s agenda practices allow for this; Mayor Mohamed asked Council Member Rog to proceed with her question regarding item 6a, 2025 Pavement Management Project (4025-1000) – Ward 4. Council Member Rog asked if the decision not to narrow the street was due to emergency vehicles and snowplows not being able to do their jobs adequately on the streets. Mr. Wiesen stated it was due to the fact there were no opportunities to right-size as they would not be removing the curb and gutters with this project and would leave them as-is. Mayor Mohamed stated they were returning to item 6b and opened the public hearing for this item. Mark Frederickson, 5000-35th St. W., stated he is the owner of a business at the address noted and has been for 30 years. He stated he is concerned about this long-standing area being a business park and a thriving commercial area for the last 60 years. The street width as it relates to traffic and safety and the movement of semi-trucks should be considered, as businesses in the area have large truck access and truck movement all the time. The residential street is left at a wider width, and a narrower street in this commercial area would cause safety concerns and hardships for people accessing the site. He stated in some cases, there has been damage caused by trucks that are required to do unsafe turn in close quarters. He added in this business location, there is a small amount of foot traffic, but there are two sidewalks. Moderation of additional sidewalk access and careful review of the truck movement and the size of the street is warranted. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -5- Jan. 21, 2025 Brian Knutsvig, 3529 Raleigh Ave., noted his business is located across from the post office. He questioned the need for a new sidewalk on the east side of Raleigh Avenue when one already exists. He wondered why a new sidewalk is proposed as he has not seen people use the existing sidewalk during his nine years of business. He asked that the added cost of maintenance and snow removal be considered. He has safety concerns for himself and others going into or out of the post office. The entrance and exit are difficult to use with semis parked there, which is dangerous. He asked if semi-trailers would still be able to get in and out of his parking lot while losing six and a half feet of width. He also expressed concerns about semi-trucks driving over his lawn to get in and out, especially when other semis are parked across the street. Mayor Mohamed closed the public hearing. Council Member Baudhuin asked about semi-truck parking and what city ordinances allow. Mr. Heiser stated semi-truck parking is not allowed in very many places, so industrial areas are sought out for street parking opportunities. She added in 2019, the city council approved the parking ordinance to prohibit truck parking on city streets. At 35th Street, the cul-de-sac has timed parking for trucks and from a policy perspective, parking can be prohibited. Staff will follow up on this. Mr. Wiesen stated staff will hold a community engagement session in the spring of 2025 to discuss truck parking in this area. Council Member Baudhuin asked what option is safer and for more data on street width and safety. Ms. Heiser stated reducing street widths can lead to reduced traffic speeds and is also safer for pedestrians. She noted on-street parking and trucks can be difficult for emergency vehicles to access and navigate, so for this street, parking on one side will be recommended. Council Member Dumalag asked about the formula for determining recommendation to narrow the street. Mr. Wiesen stated the existing streetway is 40 feet wide as measured between the existing curb faces. The recommended reduction is the parking of eight (8) feet minus the foot- and-a-half of the curb. Council Member Dumalag stated she would like more information about sight lines and safety near the post office drop-off lane. She would also like clarification regarding the policy on the required distance between a parked car and a driveway. Ms. Heiser stated the city code specifies no parking within five (5) feet of a driveway. She added with a semi-truck, there can be challenges with sight lines, and noted further conversations can take place. She stated overnight parking is allowed there as well. Council Member Dumalag asked if there would be any consideration given to modifying a driveway so there would be no risk of accidents with trucks backing up. Mr. Wiesen stated this has been reviewed and there will be no parking on both sides to help alleviate this issue. Council Member Rog stated she understands concerns about truck movement and asked about removing parking on one side, and if parking is happening on both sides currently. Mr. Wiesen stated a traffic and parking study was conducted and during the day, there is currently parking on both sides. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -6- Jan. 21, 2025 No action is required this evening, and a vote is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2025. 7. Regular business a. 2025 Social services proposed funding Ms. Olson presented the staff report. Council Member Dumalag asked about the process and how the city informed non-profits that grants were available. Ms. Olson stated notifications were made through social media, the city website and direct outreach to previously funded organizations. Council Member Dumalag asked if there were any lessons learned. Ms. Olson stated the timeline was compressed, but staff wanted to make sure the funding allocations were done at the beginning of the year to address the community’s needs. She stated future marketing may be more robust as well as some changes to the request for proposal process and reporting. Council Member Dumalag asked if there were certain statistics required for the reporting guidelines of this grant. Ms. Olson stated that the guidelines asked for what outcomes and measurements each proposal expected, along with measurable goals and who they were serving. She added that contracts will outline reporting requirements such as the number of households served, services provided and what the funds were spent on. Council Member Dumalag recalled her experience with nonprofits and how reporting is often a big requirement. She also considers reporting as a way to measure the effectiveness of city policies. She raised this perspective as a lens to use for other policies that may potentially need changes. She added reporting not only helps organizations perform this work, but also informs the decisions made by the city council. Council Member Dumalag asked for accountability regarding demographics of the community served by applicants. It is especially important when working with developers for funding. Council Member Rog agreed with Council Member Dumalag’s statement regarding accountability for support of diverse backgrounds within the community. She asked if there is an administrative cap. Ms. Olson stated it is 15% in each area of food and housing. Council Member Rog noted when council passed the 30-day pre-eviction notice, they heard from landlords that this could have potentially negative impacts such as being unable to collect rent while residents were allowed to linger. She stated at that time, assistance was increased. She asked if this specific focus on supporting property owners and landlords, who could be negatively impacted by the ordinance, can still be integrated into the rental housing contract. Ms. Olson stated it was an eligible area and there were no requests for funding to specifically assist landlords. However, St. Louis Park residents who are at-risk of losing their housing would receive rental assistance resulting in direct payments to landlords to keep people housed. She added having more funding for emergency rental assistance will not only benefit neighbors at Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -7- Jan. 21, 2025 risk of losing housing but will also benefit landlords as they will be made whole and assist renters who would otherwise lose their housing. Council Member Rog requested that property owners themselves be made aware of these additional resources that are available, which would help to close the loop and make sure landlords know their residents have access to funds to help pay rent. Ms. Olson stated this information is shared in the SPARC newsletter and STEP provides information on the city’s rental assistance programs as well. Mayor Mohamed opened the public comment period on this item. Barb Patterson, who lives on Wooddale Avenue in the Browndale neighborhood, thanked the council for their attention to this important funding program for rental assistance to help reduce displacement in the city. She stated that the community continues to address racial healing and equity, and she hopes city funds will continue as well. Jon Burkhow, home program director at Senior Community Services, thanked the council for their support and consideration of the 2025 proposal to help older adults to maintain their independence and remain in their homes, and do home maintenance with help from volunteers. He stated affordability is an issue, but their services are provided with no or low costs. He added older adults do not always have knowledge of technology, so their services also help people with this to access information and look for other services they may need. Council Member Rog thanked Mr. Burkhow for sharing the work that Senior Community Services performs. Council Member Brausen added his thanks to staff for creating this process and providing an opportunity for grant requests. Council Member Baudhuin added his thanks as well, and stated he knows how important this work is. He shared that he sees it in his church congregation as well as with his own mother. Council Member Budd asked if the amount was reduced because of IT services. Ms. Olson stated it was reduced because 76% of the requested funds met the program guidelines for funding by the affordable housing trust fund. It was moved by Council Member Brausen, seconded by Council Member Baudhuin, to adopt the proposed 2025 Social services funding as recommended by staff. The motion passed 6-0 (Commissioner Farris absent). 8. Communications and announcements. Ms. Keller stated there are two bonding requests for the city and she thanked council and staff for their work and for engaging with legislators. Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592 City council meeting -8- Jan. 21, 2025 Council Member Budd stated she attended disco skating and encouraged everyone to take advantage of the fun at the Recreation Outdoor Center. 9. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor Docusign Envelope ID: 1D2AB05E-3719-4AF9-8577-42C6497F2592