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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 05-24-2004 . . . ~ ~~HILLS Approved: June 14,2004 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 24,2004,7:00 P.M. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due cal1 and notice thereof, Mayor Beverly Aplikowski called to order the Regular City Council Meeting at 7: 10 p.m. Present: Mayor Beverly Aplikowski, Councilmembers David Grant, Brenda Holden, Gregg Larson and Lois Rem. Absent: None. Also present were City Administrator, Michelle Wolfe; City Attorney, Jerry Filla; Director of Operations & Maintenance, Thomas Moore; Finance Director/Treasurer, Murtuza Siddiqui; City Plarmer, Pete Hellegers; and Recording Secretary, Kathleen Altman. 1. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA MOTION: Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Rem seconded a motion to approve the meeting agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. May 10, 2004 City Council Meeting Councilmember Holden requested the following changes: None. Councilmember Grant requested the following changes: None. Councilmember Rem requested the following changes: None. Councilmember Larson requested the fol1owing changes: Page I, add Councilmember Rem as being present. Page 5, fourth paragraph should read: Councilmember Larson stated the difficulty for the Council was that this valuation could be made by all of the residents, and there was no way the Council could determine the validity of these arguments. 1 lEarthlAdminlCmUlcilIMinutesIRegular\2004 105-24-04 .doc . . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 24, 2004 2 Mayor Aplikowski requested the following changes: None. Ms. Wolfe requested the following changes: None. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Larson seconded a motion to approve the May 10, 2004 City Council Meeting Minutes as amended. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 3. CONSENT CALENDAR a. Claims and Payroll b. Accept 2003 Audit Report MOTION: Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Larson seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar and to authorize execution of all necessary documents contained therein. The motion carried tmanimously (5-0). 4. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL David McClung, 4370 Snelling Avenue North, stated he and other residents were frustrated because the North Heights Church item that was suppose to be heard tonight was continued to a later date. He asked if this issue would really be resolved at the June 14 Council Meeting. He stated there was nothing that could be done in a month that would change the neighborhood's mind. He urged the Council not to continue this past the June Council Meetings. Mr. Hellegers replied the applicant indicated they needed additional time to provide information to staff and Council. Ms. Wolfe stated Mr. Henegers made it clear to the applicant that any changes to the plan would likely be referred back to the Planning Commission for a decision. Mayor Aplikowski stated it was always the applicant's right to withdraw a plan. Councilmember Grant noted that the Council only heard requests that were brought before them, and if an application was withdrawn by the applicant, it did not come before the Council. Rick Morphew, 1514 Arden Vista Court, asked if there had been an environmental impact statement or an alternative area wide review done. Mr. Hellegers replied there had not been, but ifit were to be approved, that would be one of the conditions, ifit was necessary. Rick Morphew, stated he was a commercial real estate developer and he asked why the church was not required to have those studies done. . . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 24, 2004 3 Mayor Aplikowski replied she understood this was an amendment to a PUD and she did not believe those studies were required in this situation. Mr. Filla stated the kind of development being proposed here was not the kind of development that met the thresholds of an Environmental Impact Statement. He noted he would look at those requirements again to see if they would be required, but he did not believe it would meet the thresholds. Mayor Aplikowski stated she understood that the residents' comments and concerns were heard by the church and she asked them to keep an open mind regarding this application. Jolene Poucher, 1548 Briarknoll Drive, asked if the church came back with something new, would it come back to the neighborhood for their review first. She stated they wanted the church to be held to what they had said in 1997 that they would not be making any further changes. Mr. Filla stated even though the 1997 PUD indicated they were not going to request any additions that did not preclude them from changing their mind and coming back to the City. He noted there was nothing in the Code that required applicant to go to the neighborhood for their opinion, but he believed in this situation it would be advisable that they do get the opinion of the neighborhood. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Accept Assessment Policv Task Force Recommendation Councilmember Larson stated recognizing that the Council in the past had expressed some concern about the need to have langnage in the assessment policy regarding the hardship deferment policy and the appeals process, he wanted this to be tabled for further information from staff. Councilmember Rem noted Council had also wanted a clearer definition for the tax-exempt status of nonprofit entities. MOTION: Councilmember Larson moved and Councilmember Rem seconded a motion to table the Assessment Policy Task Force Recommendation for further information from staff regarding the deferral process, the appeals process, and the definition of tax-exempt. Councilmember Rem asked if there were any rules governing the hardship policy. Mr. Filla replied the City had some discretion over this, but not a lot. . . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 24, 2004 4 The motion carried (3-2). (Councilmember Grant and Mayor Aplikowski). Ray McGraw, Task Force Member, stated he believed they should reconvene the Task Force to address these issues. B. Plannine: Case No. 04-09: GE Securitv: Sie:n Variance for 1275 Red Fox Road Mr. Hellegers stated the applicant was requesting a Sign Standard Adjustment from the Signage Ordinance criteria for a wall sign. He noted that due to the location of the property, abutting Interstate 694 but approximately 900 feet to the south and approximately 1700 feet west of Lexington Avenue, the Planning Commission approved the variance subject to the conditions as noted in staff s report. Steve Craig, GE Security, 1275 Red Fox Road, stated the application clearly represented their request. MOTION: Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Holden seconded a motion to approve Planning Case No. 04-09: GE Security; Sign Variance for 1275 Red Fox Road, subject to the condition as noted in staffs May 24,2004 report. The motion carned unanimously (5-0). c. Plannine: Case No. 04-10: Bethel Collee:e; Special Use Permit: Master Plan Amendment for 3900 Bethel Drive Mr. Hellegers stated the applicant was requesting approval of an amendment to their Special Use Permit (SUP) Master Plan and a Site Plan review to allow for the installation of a temporary modular classroom building on the east-central portion of the campus, directly north of the Robertson Center. He noted the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Special Use Permit (Sixth) AmendmentlMaster Plan and approval of the Site Plan subject to the conditions as noted in staffs May 24,2004 report. He noted Condition 7 would be deleted due to this condition now being met and no longer being necessary. With respect to Condition 8, he recommended this being changed to the following: Upon removal of the temporary modular classroom building, Permittee shall replant the area of the temporary modular classroom building or the area of the adjacent Kresge Courtyard to include up to fifty (50) caliper inches of trees to replace those removed during the installation of the temporary modular classroom building. MOTION: Councilmember Larson moved and Councilmember Grant seconded a motion to approve Planning Case No. 04-10: Bethel College; Special Use Permit, Master Plan Amendment for 3900 Bethel Drive, subject to the conditions as noted in with exception of condition number 7 and the amendment of condition number 8. Bruce Kunkle, Vice President Campus Services, Bethel College, stated this project was part of where the College was headed. He indicated when the Student Life Center was completed . . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 24, 2004 5 they would be moving their bookstore, food services and post office into that new building, which would leave space for more classrooms. Councilmember Grant asked if seven years was an acceptable time to complete the Student Life Center. Mr. Kunkle replied he believed this would be adequate timeframe. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS Ms. Wolfe - Asked if the Council was interested in a joint meeting with the cities of Mounds View and New Brighton on June 17 to discuss regional transportation issues. She stated the first TCAAP Phase 3 Planning Meeting would be on June 29. Councilmember Holden - Stated the PTRC meets tomorrow evening, May 25th. Councilmember Grant - Thanked everyone who took part in the flower planting event. Councilmember Rem - Stated there were residents in her neighborhood who were upset with the parking issues in the area. She noted that residents were not only concerned about the parking, but also with the loitering before and after school. She asked how the residents could deal with this issue. She stated on June 7th, the Sierra Club is having a meeting to discuss the TCAAP project, and she will be a presenter. Councilmember Larson - Stated in reading through the police reports, he noted they continued to have petty theft in garages and cars. He noted it might be helpful to put an article in the City Newsletter about the importance about locking doors. He noted the Fire Department met last Wednesday, May 19th. He summarized what was discussed at that meeting. He stated the Council needed to discuss what the City wanted to do with the old City Hall property and requested this be discussed at a future Council Work Session. Mayor Aplikowski - Stated the City had received a request of $500 for the Goose Removal Program. She noted this was a maintenance issue and she did not believe this type of a request needed to be brought before the Council for approval. Ms. Wolfe stated that without a purchasing policy, this was a vague area and she would like clarification. Mayor Aplikowski stated she wanted more infonnation regarding the Goose Removal program and requested that staff bring this item back to the Council. Mayor Aplikowski stated on Wednesday, the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities was having their annual meeting and on Thursday, the Ramsey County League of Local Government was meeting at the Maplewood City Hall. She noted she had received a letter from a St. Paul . . . ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MAY 24, 2004 6 Councilmember asking the City to consider the smoking ban in bars and restaurants. She stated she was opposed to such a ban. Councilmember Grant agreed that a smoking ban should be left up to the businesses and the City should not get involved. Councilmember Larson stated smoking was a public health issue and he would be in favor of such a ban. He believed there should also be a smoking ban in the City parks. Ms. Wolfe asked if this is something that should be brought back to the Council for a discussion at a future date. Mayor Aplikowski requested staff to put this on a future work session agenda for discussion. Councilmember Holden requested a list of the businesses in the City that would be affected by a smoking ban and asked how much it would cost to enforce the ban. Mayor Aplikowski adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 8:44 p.m. ~~~~- Beverly A liko ski Mayor .', Michelle W olil City Administrator NOTICE OF MEETINGS The next Council Meeting will be held Monday, June 14, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Arden Hills Council Chambers.