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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/07/23 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionA/ St. LOUIS Park Official minutes M I N N E S O T A City council study session LIFE .r. +hc Park St. Louis Park, Minnesota July 23, 2018 The meeting convened at 6:30 p.m. Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Rachel Harris, Anne Mavity, Thom Miller, and Margaret Rog. Councilmembers absent: Tim Brausen and Steve Hallfin. Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Engineering Director (Ms. Heiser), Human Resources Director/Deputy City Manager (Ms. Deno), Senior Project Manager (Mr. Walther), Community Development Director (Ms. Barton), City Attorney (Mr. Mattick), Management Assistant (Ms. Carrillo Perez), Deputy Police Chief Kraayenbrink, Racial Equity Manager (Ms. Sojourner), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Pappas). Guest: None. 1. Future study session agenda Planning — August, 2018 Mr. Harmening presented the proposed study session agenda. Councilmember Brausen sent a note asking for the council to discuss changing parking requirements and making the minimum lower for impervious surface. 2. Firearm sales Ms. Carrillo Perez stated the policy considerations for council to address this evening are as follows: • Changing how firearms are disposed of by the police department • Further restrict zoning regulations for firearm sales • Addressing gun shows at city owned facilities Deputy Chief Kraayenbrink discussed the ways firearms are brought into the police department noting they are either: 1. Evidence—through search or incident 2. Public has asked police to keep firearm for safekeeping 3. With the death of a loved one, a firearm has become an estate item and is brought to police and ownership released, 4. It is an officer's handgun, and is police property Deputy Chief Kraayenbrink added with firearms disposal, guns can be given to the BCA or the Sheriff for the gun library or can be destroyed by the city police department. He added when an officer retires, their handgun can be purchased by the officer, after it first goes to the licensed dealer. After that time, the officer is able to purchase the gun from the dealer and proceeds go back to the city. Study Session Minutes -2- July 23, 2018 Mayor Spano stated that he and Cory Krause, owner of Frontiersman Sport, along with Gabe Kaplan and Maddie Lind, students at St. Louis Park High School, recently met to discuss gun sales and ideas around this topic, and he thanked them for doing so. Mayor Spano also noted that Mr. Krause committed to not buying or selling automatic rifles in his store any longer, and Mayor Spano thanked him for that. Mayor Spano stated that the process laid out for firearms in the city, involves practices which are prescribed by statute, adding he sees no reason to make adjustments. He added he has no problem with the officers purchasing their firearm after retiring from the force but is more inclined to have firearms transferred to the Sheriff's firearms library vs. being sold and possibly put back out on the street. Councilmember Harris asked if the practices with firearms were changed, would there be any revenue loss to the police department. Deputy Chief Kraayenbrink stated there is no revenue loss to the police department. Councilmember Miller asked what happens to firearms that are sent to the BCA and if they are returned to the market. Deputy Chief Kraayenbrink stated he was not certain, but if they did not go to the BCA or Sheriff, the police department could destroy them also. Councilmember Miller stated he would advocate that the city police department destroy them at the end of life. Councilmember Rog stated in looking over the meeting minutes from May 21, the students came to the study session asking the council for several items related to protection of students in schools. She stated this is an opportunity for the council to respond to what the students are asking for, and the council needs to partner with the schools in providing a resource officer, more protection, and more counseling in order to help them feel safer. Councilmember Mavity stated that all firearms that go through the city are destroyed so they don't get to the BCA or Sheriffs office. She added that she does not want to see city weapons associated with things that do not align with city values. Councilmember Mavity asked if retiring city police officers are required to go to Frontiersman to purchase their same gun for personal use. City Attorney Mattick stated the general rules of selling city -owned property to city employees is that it must go through a dealer. Councilmember Mavity commented that while she understands this process, she is not sure it outweighs the broader policy, and has concerns that if the officer says they will purchase the firearm, and then does not, it may end up going back out into the public. After discussion, it was the consensus of the council that the policy be written stating if the officer does not purchase his own firearm through Frontiersman, the firearm will go back to the city for destruction. Mr. Walther showed the council areas of C2 where buffers exist as it related to firearm sales. Study Session Minutes -3- July 23, 2018 Councilmember Miller stated he advocates for further discussion making it difficult for additional gun shops to open. Mayor Spano stated he would be in favor of restricting gun shops into only one area of the city, as small as possible in scope, and grandfathering in Frontiersman to leave it at its current location. Mr. Mattick noted gun sales are allowed as home occupations, through the internet, adding this could be banned by the city. Councilmember Rog asked for data on how frequently guns are purchased immediately prior to a mass shooting. Deputy Chief Kraayenbrink stated he did not know, but felt many of these mass shootings are planned out well in advance. Councilmember Rog stated she would like more information on this, adding she is still frustrated the council is not discussing how they can protect students more. She also asked how closely the city monitors illegal sales of firearms. Councilmember Harris noted in San Antonio in June 2018, they discussed policies which are virtually the same as what St. Louis Park is looking at. She stated she is appreciative of what staff has presented, it makes sense for zoning, and she will support it. Councilmember Mavity asked about zoning and if sporting goods stores would have the ability to sell firearms in the city, should they choose to. Mr. Harmening stated the city fire arms sales ordinance would apply to anyone looking at selling firearms in the city. Councilmember Mavity also noted congress does not allow the study of gun violence and has banned the CDC to study and understand those questions, adding there may be no data available to review. Mayor Spano, however, noted others have done studies on this, and asked staff to look into this. In light of zoning questions, Mayor Spano added he would prefer not to allow gun shows on city property. Mr. Harmening added the city has not hosted a gun show, and thought a policy should be adopted now, prior to the city receiving a request. Councilmember Mavity asked if the city must provide a permit for a gun show, perhaps if a hotel wanted to host the event, can the city not allow it. Mr. Mattick stated an outright ban by the city on gun shows might be protected. He stated he will check further into this and how it aligns with the zoning. Councilmember Miller stated he would like to protect the 1000 -foot space around schools perhaps with signage, which might help students feel safer. Study Session Minutes -4- July 23, 2018 Councilmember Mavity stated she appreciates this; however, would like to look deeper into this and if it's appropriate to work with Children First and community policing on this as well, to build trust and confidence within the schools and with students. She added she wants to be cautious about more law enforcement mentality, which might make students feel safe, when they are really not safe — then creating more fear. Councilmember Rog added she would want to work with students on this and with the school district and do what students are asking for. Councilmember Harris stated this should be a broader conversation with the school district and the council on a joint partnership related to gun safety. She added it might be worth a conversation with Discover St. Louis Park about how they book hotel conventions, and creating a resolution that states they would not promote or accept a gun in a city hotel. Mr. Harmening added, however, the city would need to discuss this with the hotels as well. Mayor Spano stated this will be an ongoing conversation with students, police, the school district, residents, Mr. Kramer, and others to talk about gun safety in our community. He added the city might also have discussions on the ways guns are locked in homes, and gun storage guidelines. It was the consensus of the council to change how firearms are disposed of, to restrict zoning regulations for firearm sales, particularly with home businesses, and also to address gun shows at city owned facilities — noting that the council does not want gun shows within the city as a matter of policy. Staff will contact city hotels for more discussion on this and bring information back to the council at a future study session. 3. Multi -family housing sidewalk connections Ms. Heiser presented the report and asked the council if they wish staff to pursue the installation of additional sidewalk segments connecting low amenity multi -family housing units to community sidewalk corridors in the interest of providing better pedestrian connections throughout the city. Ms. Heiser noted the city is halfway through the 10 -year Connect the Park project, and pointed out that many areas such as Elmwood, still have gaps in the sidewalk system. She laid out a 10 year plan that would incorporate the installation of these sidewalk gaps into existing transportation projects already included in the CIP. Councilmember Miller noted it would be more equitable for multi -cultural families that live in these areas, if they had more comparable sidewalk segments and experiences, as other areas do, with more trees and landscaping. Ms. Heiser stated the community walks connect destinations, such as schools, parks and transit, adding the new sidewalk segments will have street trees that will be maintained by the city. She indicated that additional landscaping will require more commitment, but could be pursued with a partnership with the adjoining property owners. Study Session Minutes -5- July 23, 2018 Mr. Harmening added the concern with streetscape is that it involves the creation of a special service district that owners pay for to maintain. He pointed out in the area near Aquila, along Minnetonka Boulevard, there is only one property owner, so it would be different than having multiple businesses helping to pay for this. Councilmember Mavity stated also with costs involved, owners may need to push rents up, which would not be beneficial for those residents, nor does it fit into the idea of affordable housing. Mr. Harmening stated staff would first need to discuss this option with the property owner. Councilmember Miller asked if the schedule for installation can be moved up, adding this is about priority, and needs to be discussed. Mr. Harmening stated it would be difficult to accelerate the sidewalk installation very much. Councilmember Harris stated she is thrilled about adding sidewalk connections, and focusing on these areas, to bring them in line with single-family residential. She asked about adding curb cuts to provide better, more consistent connections. Councilmember Rog stated she likes the Texas Avenue upgrades and the bridge to Target and says 'yes' to the policy question. She added the assumption here is that the NOAH properties will remain so, but that may not be the case, and there is no way to know what will happen there. She added the council will need to think about this, and while she supports this concept generally, she wonders about stormwater run-off and if there is any way to mitigate it. Ms. Heiser stated this is the reason behind the city's 5 -foot boulevards, so that sidewalks can drain to the grass, providing a space disconnected from the street where water can infiltrate, instead of draining directly into the storm sewer. Mayor Spano stated he is fine with the plan and emphasized not limiting the criteria for sidewalks to transit only, but to connecting commercial, parks, and schools as well. It was the consensus of the council to direct staff to pursue the installation of gap sidewalk segments connecting low amenity multi -family housing units to transit corridors, schools, and commercial areas as a part of transportation projects. 4. Boards and commissions discussion Ms. Carrillo Perez and Ms. Sojourner presented. They asked the council if they wish to make changes or adjustments to the current boards and commissions and if they would like staff to provide recommendations on guidelines for scope of work, communication, and expectations with the city's boards and commissions. Ms. Carrillo Perez reviewed all ten boards and commissions with council and provided history, background information, and context around each one. Study Session Minutes -6- July 23, 2018 Councilmember Mavity stated there are currently 85 residents involved on boards and commissions, and that is a good number involved in city business. She described it as positive and has found boards and commissions to be helpful in city processes. She added the challenges are in the style and quality and approach which varies so dramatically, depending on who is appointed each time, and that variability is one of the challenges. Councilmember Mavity stated there needs to be more clarity on the roles of staff, council, and commission/board, and that is lacking here. Councilmember Harris stated from a high-level perspective, having commissions align with the Comprehensive Plan is a good place to start, as it shows the city is in line with what the community is asking to work on. She noted she has the most experience on the Environment and Sustainability Commission (ESC), and pointed out within the first three years, there were three different staff liaisons, followed by miscommunication on what to work on. She added the council had said the ESC did not bring forward what the council had asked for, but she has a different perspective on that, stating it took a while for the council to create a clear focus for the ESC. Councilmember Rog stated from her perspective the commissions and boards are not working that well, and she sees typical membership on commissions as being white, older, middle class residents. She added the city is not taking advantage of insights and wisdom of folks in the community and she does not agree with unlimited terms. She stated there were many folks with great ideas that were passed over for positions on commissions, and the council missed an opportunity to stay fresh and distribute power more widely. Councilmember Rog added there is still confusion about the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and its role, if it is advisory to the council or not, and she is not confident this is working the best it can currently. She suggested it would be useful to poll current members of our boards and commissions and see the opportunities and challenges they face and how many should be on their commission. Councilmember Miller added there is a lot of room for improvement in the structure and direction the council gives the boards and commissions, adding the council could leverage this in a bigger way. He stated he would support having more commissions on specific topics the council wants to study, while also noting the council must really understand what they want from these commissions and create guidelines. Mayor Spano asked if boards and commissions members go through race equity training. Ms. Carrillo Perez stated not at this time. Mayor Spano stated this is something that should be part of their work, similarly as it is part of staff's and council's work. He also asked if race equity is part of the boards and commissions work plans. Ms. Deno stated this work is in progress and more leadership and direction will be needed to complete it. Ms. Carrillo Perez added each board and commission has race equity statements; however, they need to go deeper. Mayor Spano added each commission needs a work plan that council approves. Study Session Minutes -7- July 23, 2018 Councilmember Rog noted the expertise that members provide is appreciated. Councilmember Mavity agreed the expertise is needed; however, the council relies on staff to provide clear information, adding she would be cautious about having commissions doing research, and who is evaluating it. She stated she relies on staff experts to do this, adding it is a quality control issue. Ms. Sojourner stated the council needs to look at the commissions and their historical backgrounds. She pointed out it is important to review, and over time, the commissions become normalized and part of the structure of city government and can stagnate. The boards and commissions may need to be updated, and the council must think about checks and balances often, and not rely on status quo thinking. The council must review if the structure is still right, how meetings are run, bylaws, whether evenings are always the best time for meetings, noting that many folks work 211 and 3rd shift and may want to serve, but cannot because of this. Ms. Carrillo Perez added groups may be excluded, and the council must be aware of this. Ms. Sojourner asked the council to keep in mind, it is about quality vs. quantity. Councilmember Mavity stated she likes the recommendations and is open to being more creative on how work is done. Councilmember Harris asked if the names of the commissions and boards can all be made uniform and the same. Ms. Deno stated staff can look at that and provide recommendations. Ms. Carrillo Perez added that commissions and boards do not have a universal structure, so they are not all heard in the same way and by the same channels, and staff will bring back recommendations to the council on this. Councilmember Rog added she supports overhauling the whole process. She also encourages the public to present their ideas to commissions as a way to get them to the council. Councilmember Harris added neighborhood associations can also serve as an avenue for folks to be engaged on topics and help connect and engage residents more. Councilmember Mavity disagreed, adding the council must be cautious though about how much of a layer is being created between the council and the public, and also be careful on how much scope is given to commissions. Mayor Spano noted in a letter from Councilmember Brausen, he stated folks who want to address the council on race equity issues should speak to the race equity commission. He added he would like the parks and recreation commission to look more deeply into natural environment and expanding park spaces. He further noted he is not in favor of putting BOZA on the planning commission and is neutral on having a youth or senior advisory commission. Study Session Minutes -8- July 23, 2018 Mayor Spano noted the council hears from commissions that they don't know what the council wants from them, adding that a fully developed work plan that is approved by council would help provide clarity. He stated he has no problem with term limits, these limits should apply to the council as well, and must be consistent. Mayor Spano added he is open to eliminating some of the commissions; however, is not certain which ones, and he is also interested in adding a race equity commission, youth advisory and innovation commission. Ms. Carrillo Perez asked the council about youth and seniors as it relates to boards and commissions. She asked what*the council's end goal is and noted that adding more commissions will increase the council's work load as well. She stated youth and senior commissions are demographic -based and could cause a feeling of tokenization. She cautioned the council to also ask them what they want and make sure they are engaging in that way, and also noted they may not want to be part of government structure and this could limit what they can do. Ms. Carrillo Perez stated the council will need to make sure everyone is represented, and there is a clear goal for each commission. Ms. Sojourner added the way the commissions are run, is an older "boomer" style. Council will need to realize many youth engage in different ways, including protest, and not sitting in board meetings, and the council will need to think outside of the box. Mayor Spano pointed out he wants to help the youth have some knowledge of government structure, so they can figure their way through the system, help correct things that are wrong in our community, and then change the structure at some point as well. Councilmember Harris thanked staff for their insights, adding she learned about tokenization, and is reflecting on that. She thanked them for challenging her thinking. Mr. Harmening asked if instead of adding formal commissions, would ad hoc conversations or gathering work instead, as it relates to youth and seniors. Councilmember Mavity noted this will be a great discussion for the joint council/school board meeting this fall. Councilmember Rog stated seniors make up a large percentage of the community and are interested in housing, transportation, healthcare, and special initiatives, pointing out she has had many talks with Bob Ramsey, who is a spokesperson for St. Louis Park seniors. Mr. Harmening noted staff will bring back more information and recommendations to council in the near future. Communications/Meeting Check -In (Verbal) The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m. Written Reports provided and documented for recording purposes only: Study Session Minutes -9- July 23, 2018 5. June 2018 monthly financial report 6. Second quarter investment report (April — June 2018) 7. Cedar Lake Road improvement project scope update — project no. 4019-1100