HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-15 PC Work Session Minutes
Approved: May 6, 2015
CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
WORK SESSION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015
ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Chair Roberta Thompson called to order the work
session meeting at 7:18 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present were: Chair Roberta Thompson, Commissioners Brent Bartel, Angela Hames,
Andrew Holewa, Steven Jones, Phillip Neururer, and Clayton Zimmerman.
Absent: None.
Also present were: City Planner Ryan Streff; Associate Planner Matthew Bachler; and
Councilmember Fran Holmes.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA – APRIL 8, 2015
The Agenda was approved as presented.
UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS
A. Open Meeting Law
City Planner Streff explained that the State of Minnesota has an Open Meeting Law, which
requires that meetings of public bodies must generally be open to the public. Under the
Minnesota Open Meeting Law, all City Council meetings and executive sessions must be open to
the public with only a few exceptions. The Open Meeting Law also requires meetings of any
committee, subcommittee, board, department, or commission of a public body to be open to the
public. For example, the governing bodies of local public pension plans, housing and
redevelopment authorities, economic development authorities, and City-created corporations are
subject to the Open Meeting Law.
City Planner Streff stated that the League of Minnesota Cities has published a handbook for
Minnesota cities. Some of the key points to remember in terms of conducting Planning
Commission business are:
ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION – APRIL 8, 2015 2
• Avoid discussions involving a quorum or more of Planning Commission members either
personally or electronically (phone, emails, etc.). This includes serial discussions where one
Planning Commissioner talks (or sends an email) to another and so forth.
• Avoid non-meeting discussions with applicants for subsidies, transactions, or land use
approvals.
• Meet only after providing the required public notice of special meetings.
Chair Thompson thanked staff for the update and encouraged the members of the Planning
Commission to limit side conversations and refer to the Open Meeting Law if approached by an
applicant. She recommended that Commissioners contact staff with any questions or concerns
regarding this matter.
Commissioner Zimmerman noted that it was important that Commissioners not choose to
“reply all” to emails from staff, but rather respond only to staff.
Commissioner Bartel questioned how staff defined a quorum with regard to the Planning
Commission.
City Planner Streff indicated this would be four or more Planning Commissioners.
Chair Thompson explained that the Planning Commission would be following Roberts Rules of
Order for all meetings in order to make sure everyone had a chance to speak.
ADJOURN
Commissioner Bartel moved, seconded by Commissioner Zimmerman, to adjourn
the April 8, 2015, Planning Commission Work Session Meeting at 7:34 p.m. The
motion carried unanimously (7-0).