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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-08-21-SWS City of Arden Hills ▪1245 West Highway 96 ▪ Arden Hills Minnesota 55112 Phone 651.792.7800 ▪ Fax 651.634.5137 ▪ www.cityofardenhills.org Request for Special City Council Work Session A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers. Reason for meeting: 1. Agenda Items A. Liquor License and Concept Plan – Northern Lights Bingo B. City Speed Limit Discussion C. Snelling Avenue N PMP Design Discussion D. LJFD Future Fire Department Sign E. 2022 Council Liaisons and Mayor Pro Tem Appointments Discussion 2. Council/Staff Comments Adjourn Requested Date: 11/08/2021 Requested time: 5:00 pm Open meeting X Closed meeting Signature of person(s) making request: ________________________ 11/04/2021 Mayor or Council Member Date / / Council Member Date -This section to be completed by City staff- Date received: 11/04/2021 Date meeting to be held: 11/08/2021 Time of meeting: 5:00 pm Location: City Hall All necessary posting and notices have been completed. 11/04//2021 Signature of City Clerk Date 'It ,-A1ZEN HILLS Approved: November 22, 2021 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING NOVEMBER 8,2021 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, Fran Holmes, Dave McClung(attending the meeting via Zoom) and Steve Scott Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Finance Director Gayle Bauman; Public Works Director/City Engineer David Swearingen; City Planner Jessica Jagoe; and City Clerk Julie Hanson 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. Liquor License and Concept Plan—Northern Lights Bingo City Clerk Hanson stated Northern Lights Bingo (applicant) has submitted the required City and State applications and associated paperwork (background check forms and insurance information) for a new liquor license effective in 2022. The liquor license will be presented to the Council for formal consideration of approval at its regular meeting on December 13, 2021 together with the yearly renewals that are brought forward each year. Because this a new use for this particular site/building, staff is requesting Council direction on proceeding with the liquor license process. It should be noted that staff has consulted with the City Attorney as bingo halls are not a typical location at which a liquor license is pursued. That said, the City Attorney concurred that neither City Code nor State Statute precludes a bingo hall from selling liquor. Based on this, staff is moving this application forward for Council consideration with the caveat that the applicant attain the designation as a restaurant, per City Code. City Clerk Hanson reported City Code, Chapter 5, Section 500.1, states that liquor licenses are issued to restaurants, and restaurants are defined as "an establishment . . . under the control of a single proprietor or manager, where meals are regularly prepared on the premises . . . and having a minimum seating capacity for thirty (30) guests." Northern Lights Bingo contains an area that is currently licensed with the City as Brightside Cafe with limited seating. In order to qualify for a ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 8, 2021 2 liquor license, the site must contain a restaurant that can seat at least 30 patrons. In the concept plan submittals provided by the applicant, the proposed restaurant section would have a seating capacity for 32-36 patrons. The City Planner has confirmed the subject property is located in the B-2 General Business District and that restaurants are allowed as permitted uses within this district. Staff commented further on the number of liquor licenses in the City and requested feedback from the Council on how to proceed. Councilmember Scott stated he understood the applicant was requesting to serve food and beverages in the caf6 area. He asked if these items could then be taken into the bingo hall. Julie Standering, the applicant, explained food and beverages would be allowed to be taken into the bingo hall. City Clerk Hanson reported the liquor would not have to be kept in a certain designated area but rather could be brought throughout the entire establishment. Councilmember Holden questioned where the main entrance would be. Ms. Standering reviewed the site plan with the Council and noted where the main entrance was located. She explained the building had one main entrance point. Councilmember Holden inquired if the City could require security. City Clerk Hanson indicated she could look into this further. Mayor Grant asked if the Council supported this liquor license moving forward. Councilmember McClung and Councilmember Holmes supported the liquor license as requested. Councilmember Holden stated she supported the liquor license but asked that staff get back to her regarding her security question. Councilmember Scott explained he supported the liquor license as well. B. City Speed Limit Discussion John Morast, HR Green representative, thanked the Council for considering their proposal regarding the Citywide speed limit on city-streets study. He noted Council was in favor of lowering the speed limit to 25 MPH where applicable. Mayor Grant asked why the proposal included fees that allowed for contact with the City of Shoreview. Mr. Morast explained this would allow him to discuss with Shoreview several signs located along Northbound Lexington Avenue that was a safety concern. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 8, 2021 3 Council consensus was to support the contract with HR Green. C. Snelling Avenue North PMP—Design Decision Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen stated on September 20, 2021, at the Work Session, Council was presented 3 different design options for the Snelling Avenue North Improvements project. Within the presentation was the project background and information about how each option was designed and the associated costs. Council then directed staff to consider all available design options and host a Public Open House to receive feedback from Arden Hills' residents. The Public Open House was held on October 20, 2021. Staff also had a virtual opportunity for feedback on the project page on the City website from October 15 to October 24. The comments that were received have been compiled. Staff requested the Council provide staff with feedback on what option to proceed with. Councilmember Holden reported she supported Option 3. Mayor Grant believed Option 3 was the logical choice. Councilmember Scott and Councilmember Holmes supported Option 3 as well. Councilmember McClung explained he also supported Option 3 and recommended the trail be located on the west side. Councilmember Holden indicated she supported the trail being located on the west side as well because this would provide a better connection to the regional trail. Councilmember Holmes questioned if it made a difference which side the trail was on when considering grant funding. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen discussed the trail along Lexington Avenue and commented on how the connectivity was considered when this trail was put in place. Councilmember Holmes stated she believed this portion of trail should be located on the east side because traffic was limited. In addition, the Bethel trail was to the east. She explained she was not convinced the trail had to be on the west side for connectivity purposes. Councilmember Scott indicated the east side was more favorable from an engineering standpoint, but he understood the west side provided a better regional layout. For this reason, he preferred the new trail be located on the west side. Mayor Grant commented he understood there were benefits to having the trail on the east side, however, he recommended the trail be located on the west side. Councilmember Holden stated the County may want to put a roundabout in this area and this was a concern to her given the level of pedestrian traffic in this area. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 8, 2021 4 Councilmember Holmes discussed how the area would be impacted if a roundabout were installed by the County. She believed the most important thing with this project was to have a trail installed. Council consensus was to have the trail on the west side with Option 3. D. LJFD Future Fire Station Sign City Administrator Perrault stated the fire department has requested the City Council consider allowing a sign on their Pine Tree Drive site noting it is the location of a future fire station. City Code is silent on "future development" signs; however, the City Attorney noted this would be considered a Government Sign, which does not require formal approval but should be given the informal nod from the City Council. The sign would be a 4' x 8' sign that would have a rendering similar to the one below, and would note "Future Lake Johanna Fire Station Headquarters — Serving the Cities of Arden Hills, North Oaks, and Shoreview". Staff would also ensure the sign is positioned so as not to adversely affect any operations, such as, snow plowing. Councilmember Scott asked if this would be a permanent sign. City Administrator Perrault stated this sign would be temporary in nature. Council consensus was to support the "future site" sign along Pine Tree Drive for the Lake Johanna Fire Station Headquarters. E. 2022 Council Liaison and Mayor Pro Tem Appointments City Clerk Hanson stated each year, a Councilmember is appointed to serve as liaison on the various committees and commissions in the City. She explained the appointments would be brought forward to the Council on December 13, 2021. Councilmember Holmes asked when the Gateway Visitor Bureau meetings would be held. City Administrator Perrault stated he understood this group met four times per year and when he had this information, he would forward it to the City Council. Mayor Grant requested the Council send him an email with their preferences for 2022 appointments. City Administrator Perrault reported staff would like direction on how to address Commission and Committee members that have exceeded their three-term limit. Councilmember Holden requested staff provide the Council with a list of members that have exceeded their term limit. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 8, 2021 5 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES The Council discussed letters that have been sent to City Councilmembers and after discussion it was recommended the Mayor send a letter in response to these letters. ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council Work Session meeting at 5:55 p.m. Ju Hanson David Grant Ci Clerk Mayor