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<br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - December 17, 2007 <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />Discussion ensued with each Councilmember stating their preference regarding signage, <br />the duration of flashing/moving signs, and code enforcement. <br /> <br />Mayor Harpstead read the options provided in the memo to Council regarding the sign <br />code which referenced the Metropolitan Council's definition of signs. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden requested the definition of commercial as used in this context. <br /> <br />Mayor Harpstead replied Commercial Zones would be B or I. <br /> <br />Consensus reached to put a simple and brief ordinance in place that would ban electronic <br />signs with the understanding that the ban may be lifted or adjusted as the Small Area <br />Plans for each district are completed. <br /> <br />B. Administrative FinesIRental Licensing Discussion <br /> <br />Planner Beekman reported that over the past several months, concerns have been raised <br />from residents regarding the number and condition of homes in the City kept as rental <br />properties. She stated Council directed staff to research rental licensing programs in <br />order to find a solution to the issue of monitoring rental properties for code compliance. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden commented that residents would like to know how to contact a <br />property owner if renters are trashing the property. She asked if the fee could be equal <br />the cost of administering the program. <br /> <br />Planner Beekman explained this would be researched as would other options. <br /> <br />City Administrator Wolfe mentioned Code Enforcement Officers were discussed as an <br />outsourcing option. <br /> <br />Assistant City Administrator Simon mentioned staff could attempt to work with the <br />schools on education as a first step approach if college students renting single family <br />homes were the source of most of the problems. <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant mentioned there are 285 non-homesteaded properties and it would <br />be interesting to see where these are located. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden requested the names of students living in housing be made <br />available to ensure only the legal number is residing in a property. <br /> <br />Assistant City Administrator Simon stated this would be difficult to verify. <br /> <br />Consensus reached by Council to direct staff to research rental licenses first and <br />administrative fines second. <br />