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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWS 03-17-1997 MINUTES . CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA WORKSESSION MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1997 4:45 P.M. - ARMY RESERVE CENTER - 4655 LEXINGTON A VENUE NORTH CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Probst called to order the City Council Worksession at 4:45 p.m. Present were Mayor Dennis Probst, Councilmembers Beverly Aplikowski, Dale Hicks and Paul Malone; City Administrator, Brian Fritsinger; City Accountant, Terry Post; Public Works Superintendent, Dwayne Stafford; Community Development Director, Kevin Ringwald; Administrative Secretary, Sheila Stowell; Greg Stonehouse and Terry Maurer, Consulting Engineers; and Tony Bennett, Ramsey County Commissioner. Councilmember Susan Keim arrived at 4:50 p.m. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Mayor Probst suggested that Items 5(a), Gateway Business District, and 5(b), Water Meter Replacement, be reversed on the agenda under "City Issues - Long Term" to allow for more discussion time on the various Gateway Business District issues. . INTRODUCTION Community Development Director, Kevin Ringwald, introduced David Scherbel, City Building Inspector. Mayor Probst and City Councilmembers welcomed Mr. Scherbel. CITY ISSUES - SHORT TERM a. Review Council Retreat Preparation Items City Administrator Fritsinger reviewed final logistical preparations for the City Council/Department Head Retreat scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22, 1997 at the Earle Brown Center in Brooklyn Center. Mr. Fritsinger advised Councilmembers that the Department Heads were preparing weekly task lists to assist in prioritization of work schedules, and suggested Councilmembers may wish to compile a list of various items and issues they wished to discuss at the Retreat. Mr. Fritsinger requested any Council suggestions be brought to his attention prior to his final discussions with Dennis Cheesebrow, facilitator with TeamWorks. Councilmembers requested a summary of the 1996 Retreat, along with the location and directions for the Earle Brown Center and final schedule. . Councilmember Aplikowski requested that the information be provided to all Councilmembers, not just a select few. ------- ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 2 . b. Review Town Hall Meetinl: City Administrator Fritsinger requested Council follow-up direction from the 1997 Town Hall meeting, and any planning requests for a 1998 Town Hall meeting. Mayor Probst confirmed with Councilmembers that the consensus was to hold a Town Hall meeting in 1998. Discussion ensued regarding the timing of the 1998 Retreat, with City Administrator Fritsinger inquiring whether or not to hold the City Council/Department Head Retreat before the Town Hall meeting. Councilmember Keirn responded, "yes," to be able to start with a clear agenda for the year; Councilmember Aplikowski responded, "yes," since the focus would already be there, but to consider late January; and Mayor Probst responded, "no," as this would allow for limited reaction time. There were no further Council comments. c. Review 1997 Street Improvement Assessments Consulting Engineer, Greg Stonehouse, reviewed the overall status of the 1997 Street . Improvements, along with his March 13, 1997 Memorandum outlining the preliminary assessment roll and related maps, separately highlighting those streets selected for street reconstruction, and those designated for overlay. The reconstruction assessment is substantially higher than previous years, estimated at $43.21 per front foot based upon unit prices. Mayor Probst called for discussion. Councilmember Malone brought to the Council's attention the assessment of the Reiling property on the north side of Arden View Drive. Councilmember Malone advised Councilmembers that Mr. Reiling had been assessed when Arden View Drive was built, but had appealed and since the land remained vacant, Mr. Reiling may have a valid concern regarding additional benefits to the property. Discussion continued regarding whether the drainage easement issue had ever been settled. City Accountant, Terry Post, stated that he had been contacted by Mr. Reiling, and his specific concern apparently concerned the character of the land, with Mr. Reiling contending that the pond areas along Arden View Drive were unbuildable. City Administrator Fritsinger confirmed that assessment notices had been mailed listing the figures shown on the preliminary assessment rolls prepared by Mr. Stonehouse. Mr. Fritsinger sought specific Council direction regarding the rate to be used, specific properties of concern or odd-lot issues, and the final scope of the project. . Councilmember Malone stated that the Council needed to deal with both the rate and scope of the project as one item, and referred to the March 14,1997 Memorandum ARDEN HILLS CITY cm lNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 3 . prepared by City Accountant Post. Discussions included the amount of cash available for the project; the possibility of dropping Hamline and/or Snelling A venues; and consideration of potential unit cost for future assessments rather than by front footage. Mayor Probst polled the Councilmembers at this time regarding reconstruction of the Harnline and Snelling portions of the project: Councilmember Hamline Snelling Aplikowski Drop Keep Hicks Drop Drop (from a budget standpoint*) Keim Drop Drop Malone Drop Drop Probst Drop Drop *Councilmember Hicks suggested that one or the other of these streets be considered this year, as they both will need to be reconstructed at some point. Mayor Probst requested clarification from City Administrator Fritsinger on several procedures regarding the public hearing process. Mr. Fritsinger addressed Mayor . Probst's concerns that the public hearing was to gain public input from residents, and at that time, the Council could make the decision on the final scope of the project. Councilmembers again referred to the baseline and five alternatives and assumptions compiled by City Accountant Post. Mayor Probst questioned whether staff had been given sufficient direction this evening to prepare for the public hearing. The consensus of the Council was to keep the assessments in the $38.00 range, remove Hamline and Snelling from the project scope, and have several options available for presentation purposes at the public hearing. Consulting Engineers Stonehouse and Maurer were directed to calculate rates for all options and alternatives as discussed, in accordance with the City's current Assessment Policy. City Administrator Fritsinger addressed several public concerns which had been brought to his attention regarding the current assessment policy which included; corner lot assessments, lack of understanding regarding the property owners' ability to amortize the assessment, hardship deferrals, and cul-de-sacs. Councilmember Keirn brought to the attention of Councilmembers and staff that the . County Assessor considers corner lots to contain no added value, particularly when improvements are completed on the side lot, not the front footage side of the house. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 4 . City Administrator Fritsinger and City Accountant Post stated they had researched the city vs. suburban corner lot valuations used by assessors, and the only consideration used by Ramsey County assessors was the size of the lot, not the street location of the lot. Discussion was held regarding changes to consider in the existing Assessment Policy, the status the Finance Committee and Public Safety Commission's review of the policy, and whether their recommendations would be available for consideration for 1997 improvements. TONY BENNETT. RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISSIONER Mayor Probst turned the meeting over to Commissioner Bennett for his comments. Commissioner Bennett expressed his appreciation to the City Council for inviting him, and reviewed his involvement in government, and basic philosophy. Commissioner Bennett stated he had an "open-door" policy and his view of city government was, "It's your city, if you need help, call." Commissioner Bennett discussed a variety of issues, and had an interactive discussion with City . Councilmembers on subjects including: Highway 96 Construction Addressed the overlay planned from Lexington to Highway 8 this spring, stating that the project continued to be on schedule at this time, but advised the City they should anticipate some traffic problems during the reconstruction process. TCAAP Expressed his knowledge of the frustration the City was experiencing in working with several government agencies and the military on the fe-use of this property. He clarified the County is still interested in the joint Public Works facilities project. Lexington Intersection Expressed his concerns regarding Karth Lake residents, the possibility of signals at Amble and Lexington, and possible solution with a four-lane road at this bottleneck area. Tony Schmidt Park Stated this was high on the Ramsey County Park Board's priority list, except that CIP funds are not available at this time, other than for the $300,000 allocated in the CIP Fund for 1997 design work. The work will continue over a three-year time span with completion in 1999. Some construction was scheduled to start this fall. Commissioner . Bennett mentioned a new appointment, Roger Hauck, to the Ramsey County Park Board, stating Mr. Hauck was the former Senior Vice President ofMSI and brought strong fiscal abilities and excellent long-range planning skills to this County appointment. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 5 . Commissioner Bennett discussed possible avenues for additional park improvement funding, with Mayor Probst supporting a potential trail system connection to Long Lake. Commissioner Bennett again stated that Tony Schmidt Park was a number one priority for the Ramsey County Park Board. Commissioner Bennett referred to correspondence between his office and Greg Mack, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Director, and read an excerpt regarding additional funding being available in 1998 for the trail system north of Lake Johanna Boulevard, replacement of the picnic structure at Tony Schmidt Park at an estimated cost for 1998 improvements in the amount of $580,000, with completion of construction in 1999 to include the beach building and play area adjacent to the swimming beach. CITY ISSUES - LONG TERM a. Water Meter Replacement Mr. Stafford discussed the pending water meter replacement program for the City, suggesting that the City Council consider beginning with commercial/industrial users, then moving on to residential customers. Mr. Stafford stated that there were approximately 250 commercial meters, and it was an expensive process, and he sought . direction from the City Council prior to proceeding with bidding the project. City Administrator Fritsinger stated that the commercial/industrial customers represented the largest component in this replacement process, and suggested it made more sense to start there rather than with residential customers as originally planned, since there was more usage involved, even though a fewer number of customers were involved. Mayor Probst stated that staff appeared to have researched the process thoroughly, and he was comfortable in using the new technology if it was available. Councilmember Malone stated he had originally supported phone read technology as a first choice, but with the additional research provided by staff, he was willing to support the radio read meters if they made more sense. Mr. Malone questioned whether staff was considering the Badger or Sensus brand of meters, and ifit made sense to stock some of them now for new construction, if radio read meters were determined to the long-term direction of the city. It was the consensus of Councilmembers to direct staff to proceed with obtaining cost estimates for the April 21, 1997 W orksession, and prepare bid specifications for their approval in the near future. b. Gateway Business District . Mayor Probst referred to Community Development Director, Kevin Ringwald, who provided a discussion outline concerning the Gateway Business District, in addition to his original memorandum dated March 17, 1997, seeking Council discussion and direction --------.--- ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 6 . for future elements ofthe project. Mr. Ringwald discussed a variety of general information issues, timetables, and work programs related to the development of the Gateway Business District. Mr. Ringwald provided a preliminary review by Ehlers and Associates of the pro forma provided by Welsh in anticipation of a pending bond issue and TIF requirements. The Council reviewed Phase I and II buildings, focusing on details and priorities. Variables included internal financing and the future of TIF legislation and its impact on the project. Mr. Ringwald stated he saw his immediate involvement in the Gateway Business District project as negotiating the purchase of several key properties and determining the infrastructure requirements with the City Engineer and Public Works Director. Councilmember Malone stated that the city needed to proceed as necessary, since they were committed, having given the developer the "green light." Councilmember Aplikowski questioned whether the EDA would be activated to deal with these issues. Mr. Fritsinger responded that staff had originally been prepared to bring the . EDA resolutions before the Council at their April 14, 1997 meeting, but following conversations with Ehlers, staff had determined, in the best interest of the city, it was more prudent to wait as far as the property transactions were concerned. Mayor Probst left the meeting at 7: 18 p.m., with Acting Mayor, Susan Keim, presiding for the remainder of the meeting. Mr. Ringwald advised Councilmembers that Mr. Harstad had not accepted the Welsh offer on his property, and had counter-offered with three alternatives for Welsh Companies to consider. Mr. Ringwald addressed several "land swap" options, and stated that vacation of the street would potentially affect three existing properties; the Harstad, Truhler/Zafke, and Vaughn parcels. Mr. Ringwald requested direction on whether to postpone the Phase II portion of the project pending property negotiations. Mr. Fritsinger responded that staffwas awaiting a billboard appraisal for the Naegle strip. Mr. Ringwald stated that if the City is taking the lead in property acquisition, Welsh Companies needed to accept the delay, but they also needed to see the City's action plan so their internal plarmers were up-to-speed. The City Council directed staff to postpone Phase II to allow the necessary acquisitions to occur. City Administrator Fritsinger stated that the consulting attorney's firm the City was using, Larkin, Hoffman, et ai, was knowledgeable of the billboard industry. Mr. . Ringwald stated that for Council information, benefit, and plarming purposes, the City's consulting engineers, MSA, needed to have a time frame for street design, infrastructure needs, and drainage requirements. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 6 . for future elements of the project. Mr. Ringwald discussed a variety of general information issues, timetables, and work programs related to the development of the Gateway Business District. Mr. Ringwald provided a preliminary review by Ehlers and Associates of the per forma provided by Welsh in anticipation of a pending bond issue and TIF requirements. The Council reviewed Phase I and II buildings, focusing on details and priorities. Variables included internal financing and the future of TIF legislation and its impact on the project. Mr. Ringwald stated he saw his immediate involvement in the Gateway Business District project as negotiating the purchase of several key properties and determining the infrastructure requirements with the City Engineer and Public Works Director. Councilmember Malone stated that the city needed to proceed as necessary, since they were committed, having given the developer the "green light." Councilmember Aplikowski questioned whether the EDA would be activated to deal with these issues. Mr. Fritsinger responded that staff had originally been prepared to bring the EDA resolutions before the Council at their April 14, 1997 meeting, but following . conversations with Ehlers, staff had determined, in the best interest of the city, it was more prudent to wait as far as the property transactions were concerned. Mayor Probst left the meeting at 7:18 p.m., with Acting Mayor, Susan Keirn, presiding for the remainder of the meeting. Mr. Ringwald advised Councilmembers that Mr. Harstad had not accepted the Welsh offer on his property, and had counter-offered with three alternatives for Welsh Companies to consider. Mr. Ringwald addressed several "land swap" options, and stated that vacation of the street would potentially affect three existing properties; the Harstad, Truhler/Zatke, and Vaughn parcels. Mr. Ringwald requested direction on whether to postpone the Phase II portion of the project pending property negotiations. Mr. Fritsinger responded that staff was awaiting a billboard appraisal for the Naegle strip. Mr. Ringwald stated that if the City is taking the lead in property acquisition, Welsh Companies needed to accept the delay, but they also needed to see the City's action plan so their internal plarmers were up-to-speed. The City Council directed staff to postpone Phase II to allow the necessary acquisitions to occur. City Administrator Fritsinger stated that the consulting attorney's firm the City was using, Larkin, Hoffman, et ai, was knowledgeable of the billboard industry. Mr. . Ringwald stated that for Council information, benefit, and planning purposes, the City's consulting engineers, MSA, needed to have a time frame for street design, infrastructure needs, and drainage requirements. ----- ---- --------- ARDEN HJLLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MARCH 17. 1997 7 . Mr. Ringwald reviewed various property tax valuations in relation to pending TIF. Acting Mayor, Susan Keim, clarified the direction staff was seeking, including; postponing Phase II, Harstad property acquisition, prioritization of staff s work plan. City Administrator Fritsinger referred to the work program staff had prepared for Council information and review. Mr. Ringwald encouraged Councilmembers to contact him, following their reflection on the work program and areas addressed. He reiterated that staff had requested Ehlers and Associates to use conservative estimates on property valuations, and staff had, in turn, used more generous numbers on the property acquisition side, to allow more margin for error. ADJOURN MOTION: Hicks moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). . .