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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-21-18-WSlt EN HILLS Approved: June 11, 2018 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MAY 21, 2018 5:00 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the City Council Work Session at 5:00 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant, Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Dave McClung and Steve Scott Absent: Councilmember Fran Holmes (Excused) Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault, City Planner Matthew Bachler, Deputy Clerk Jolene Trauba, Ramsey County Undersheriff Rich Clark, Ramsey County Commander Jeff Ramacher, Grand Real Estate Advisors' Judd Fenlon, Lyngblomsten President and CEO Jeff Heinecke, North Heights Lutheran Church President John Oldfield and Wold Architects and Engineers' Rick Moore 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. Ramsey County Sheriff Introduction Undersheriff Rich Clark introduced Commander Jeff Ramacher. Commander Ramacher will be handling the operations portion of uniform patrol. Commander Ramacher mentioned that he has been with the Sheriff's office for 21 years and grew up Moundsview, so he views this area as his community. Councilmember Brenda Holden asked if there was anything more that could be done about mailbox theft, cars being broken into and package theft. Social media was discussed as a means to inform residents about issues and crime reminders. Undersheriff Clark said he is pushing for another investigator on the Financial Crimes Task Force. Discussion centered around neighborhood block captains and community crime mapping. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 21, 2018 2 Councilmember Holden suggested a demonstration during a City Council meeting showing the viewers a demonstration of how to use community crime mapping. It was decided that staff should schedule a quarterly update from the Sheriff's Office during a regular City Council meeting. Discussion ensued regarding the officers stopping to visit with residents as they are making their rounds through the neighborhoods, and the possibility of cameras in City Parks. B. Concept Plan Review — Lyngblomsten and North Heights Lutheran Church City Planner Matthew Bachler noted the Council had a previous Concept Plan Review with Lyngblomsten and North Heights Church at the March 20, 2017 Work Session. At that time there were concerns about building height, density, traffic and the required rezoning of the property. Updates have been made to the plan and have been brought forward to review. Grand Real Estate Advisors' Judd Fenlon gave a presentation highlighting changes they have made to the proposed development area. He mentioned that time was spent site planning and investigating potentially changing the location to the north side of the property but there was too much wetland, so they have continued to focus on the south side of the church. They are proposing to purchase approximately seven acres of land from North Heights Lutheran Church and build a continuum of care campus comprised of approximately 100 independent living units, 50 assisted living units and a 50 unit nursing home. They are motivated to preserve as many of the site amenities as possible including mature trees and the wetland, and provide connectivity via walking paths and sidewalks surrounding the site and to the park. Councilmember Holden asked if they have considered sharing part of the parking lot with the church rather than build an entirely new lot. Mr. Fenlon replied that more discussion and study will be needed to see how frequently events are held that fill up the current lot and how difficult it would be to share the lot. Wold Architects and Engineers' Rick Moore discussed the rendering of the building, which included lowering the height of the building which will now be from 47 to 52 feet, noting the highest part of the building would be the entrance. He also showed street view drawings with perspectives from Highway 10 and Snelling Avenue. Building colors and materials have not been been finalized. Mr. Fenlon noted that a demand study was done in the primary market area and it was determined that there is a need for 534 senior housing units now and the need will grow to 650 by 2021. A traffic study was also commissioned showing there would be approximately 660 total daily trips generated by the facility, 35 trips during the morning peak time and 55 during the evening peak time. Councilmember Holden stated that she isn't worried about the amount of traffic that could be generated by the facility. Councilmember Steve Scott asked if the exits would be controlled intersections. AR -DEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 21, 2018 3 Discussion ensued regarding the possible need for controlled intersections at the parking lot exits and a possible separate entrance to the housing area. City Planner Bachler confirmed that the property would have to be built as a PUD, and it is currently zoned R-1. Councilmember Dave McClung stated he has all of the same concerns as he did with the previous plan; traffic, density and height. Councilmember Holden felt it would be a good use of the land, that traffic is not an issue, and the project would be an asset to the community. Councilmember Scott said he was not opposed to the project, but did have concerns about traffic. Mayor Grant noted the building height being lowered mitigates a previous concern of his, and he was not opposed to the project. He felt the traffic issues are probably resolveable. He encouraged the Lyngblomsten team to contact Councilmember Fran Holmes for her opinion on the project. C. Committees and Commissions — Joint Works Sessions with Council City Administrator Dave Perrault gave comments from Councilmember Holmes; she enjoys the joint work sessions and wants them to continue on an annual basis but the presentation should be limited to half an hour and only the chair should speak. After discussion, it was determined that the Council would like to continue to have a joint work session with the Planning Commission, but the other committees and commissions could work with the Council liaisons rather than come before the whole Council. D. Utility Bonding City Administrator Perrault reminded the Council that Ehler's had given bonding recommendations and the Council had requested other scenarios with varying levels of debt. Councilmember Holden said she would like to look at the capital projects again to see if there is anything they want to change before they do the bonding. She noted the amount of interest that would need to be paid on each scenario. Mayor Grant favored scenario A. Councilmember Holden said she would like to strike the $200,000 for sewer lining in 2018 and use scenario A. Councilmember Scott leaned toward scenario B with the sewer lining as is. Councilmember McClung was comfortable with scenario B. Mayor Grant suggested taking out the sewer lining and bond an amount somewhere between scenario A and B. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 21, 2018 4 City Administrator Perrault noted that Councilmember Holmes felt she would support low bonding amounts. It was decided the council was 3-2 for scenario A. Staff was directed to bring a $2.6 million bond to the next Council meeting for approval. E. Residential Zoning Districts City Planner Bachler discussed the uses currently allowed in the R-1 and R-2 districts, as well as development standards and set back requirements. He noted the total number of properties that could be subdivided in R-1 would be about 16 and 7 in the R-2 district. He suggested the Council could consider changing or adding requirements to the subdivision and zoning codes regarding loss of neighborhood character, building height, residential floor area, and space between dwellings as a way to address concerns associated with infill deveopment. He asked the Council if they would like staff to do additional research that may include changes to the future land use map and regulations other communities have. Councilmember Holden passed photos of homes in a neighborhood of the City that were all unique, showing her distaste of multiple identical houses being allowed side by side. Mayor Grant would be in favor of making changes to properties that are being used as non- residential. He felt our position would be better going in as R-1 than R-2 and hoping someone develops as R-1. City Planner Bachler said redevelopment projects on lots that are heavily wooded will need to have tree removal and he felt the zoning code language wasn't clear enough to specify how much was too much. Councilmember McClung felt a consistent height requirement needs to be addressed. City Planner Bachler explained how the floor area ratio works; finished or finishable space is included that is at least six feet in height. The ratio is currently 30% of the lot area. Council would like to see Trinity Lutheran Church rezoned from R-2 to R-1. Staff will speak with the church before a public hearing notice goes out. F. Residential Accessory Structures City Planner Bachler explained that the question of the setbacks on accessory structures has often come up with residents wondering why the requirement is ten feet. He provided the accessory structure setback requirements for neighboring communities and asked if Council would like staff to look at the City requirements. After discussion, the consensus was to keep the current residential accessory structure setbacks. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 21, 2018 5 G. Council Technology Reimbursement City Administrator Perrault noted that the Council should consider a possible policy of $30 a month for technology reimbursement. Mayor Grant said the Personnel Committee had discussed the reimbursement at $25-30 per month for cell phone and internet services, ink and paper. He mentioned that the City Attorney said a normal technology reimbursement was $35. Council would be required to proof on an annual basis that they are using technology services. After discussion it was decided a $30 reimbursement would be acceptable. City Administrator Perrault asked how they would like the reimbursement structured and said quarterly payments would be easiest for staff. Staff was directed to draft the policy with funds to be dispersed quarterly. H. City Planner Out of Class Pay No discussion, Council agreed bring the out of class pay forward for approval. L Planning Services RFP No discussion, Council agreed that staff could move forward with a Planning Services RFP. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES Councilmember Scott announced a Military and Family Fun Day on May 24 from 4-8 pm at the Ben Franklin Readiness Center. The Suburban Ramsey County Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program is supporting the event. There will be free food and the Ramsey County Canine Unit, along with military displays. Councilmember Holden asked if anyone was surprised that the cartridge was in Minnesota. City Administrator Perrault said it was being displayed in the County Manager's office. Mayor Grant said it would be put in the City display case for a couple of months. Councilmember Holden reported on Round Lake. She stated that the EPA is starting to back down to what the Army wanted to do. MPCA met with legislators to try to get more leverage so the EPA doesn't sign off on the agreement. It may not be resolved for the State of Minnesota and the Army. Councilmember Holden asked if we could get counts of how many people are watching the live streams of Council meetings. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 21, 2018 6 Councilmember Holden asked about an email that the Council recently received from City Planner Bachler regarding Community Development Block Grants. Discussion ensued. Staff was directed to write a memo to be discussed further at the June 11 Council meeting. Mayor Grant informed the Council that peat soil was found on a section of the new trail being constructed on Old Snelling. Different solutions are being considered. Mayor Grant brought up State Fair parking as an issue that should get on the list of things to discuss soon. City Planner Bachler noted that at the 2040 Comp Plan Update had been tabled at the last Council meeting. He asked if there were any further changes they would like made. Preliminary comments on the draft have been received from the Met Council. He would like to start the six month review process at this time. ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council Work Session at 7:58 p.m. JcVene Trauia David Grant Deputy Clerk Mayor