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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 06-30-1997 . MINUTES CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING JUNE 30, 1997 7:30 P.M. - NEW BRIGHTON COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Dennis Probst called to order the regular City Council meeting at 7:30 p,m, Present: Mayor Dennis Probst, Councilmembers Beverly Aplikowski, Dale Hicks, Susan Keirn, and Paul Malone. Absent: None, Also present were: City Administrator, Brian Fritsinger; Community Development Director, Kevin Ringwald; Public Works Superintendent, Dwayne Stafford; City Accountant, Terry Post; Administrative Secretary, Sheila Stowell; and Recording Secretary, Cindy Schneider. . ADOPT AGENDA . MOTION: Malone moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to adopt the revised agenda for the June 30, 1997, Regular City Council meeting as presented, The motion carried unanimously (5-0), PUBLIC HEARING A. Resolution #97-32, in the MaUer of Sponsoring a Community Development Application to Accommodate the Consolidation and Expansion of CPI Guidant Mayor Probst opened the public hearing at 7:32 p.m, Mr. Kevin Ringwald, Community Development Director, stated that Council is requested to approve Resolution #97-32, authorizing the City to make application to the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development (D/TED) for a loan and/or forgivable loan in the amount of $200,000 - $300,000 to facilitate the expansion and research facilities at CPl Guidant. It is currently estimated, by CPl, that the project will cause the hiring of 75 employees over the next two calendar years, Of the 75 jobs to be created, 50 will be technical and 25 will be administrative. The average pay range for these jobs, without benefits, will range from $11.50 to $32,00 per hour. Staff is requesting City Council authorization of Resolution #97-32. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30 1997 2 Mayor Probst requested confirmation of publication of the public hearing notice. Mr. Brian Fritsinger, City Administrator, confirmed that the notice had been published in the June 25, 1997 edition of the Bulletin. Mayor Probst asked for public comments regarding this issue. No one came forward to address the Council. Mayor Probst closed the public hearing at 7:35 p,m. Mayor Probst questioned the tinal clause of the resolution, which begins "As Applicable,. .". Mr. Ringwald stated that credit reports and financing are undergoing a final review at this time. Councilmember Hicks requested whether this money would be returned to the City by CPI on an on-going basis, Mr. Ringwald stated the City would receive a grant trom D/TED, which it would then loan to CPI, who would pay the loan back to the City according to a repayment schedule, Councilmember Hicks inquired for what types of business opportunities these monies could be utilized. Mr. Ringwald stated the money must be used for specific business development and cannot be placed in the City's General Fund. MOTION: Hicks moved and Malone seconded a motion to adopt Resolution #97-32, authorizing the City to make application to accommodate the consolidation and expansion ofCPI Guidant. Mayor Probst noted the incorrect date on the second page, last paragraph of the resolution. Mr. Fritsinger stated it would be corrected to read June 30, 1997, The motion carried unanimously (5-0). APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. June 9, 1997, Rcgular Council Meeting B. June 16, 1997 Council Worksession MOTION: Aplikowski moved and Malone seconded a motion to approve the June 9, 1997 Regular Council Meeting and the June 16, 1997, Council Worksession minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0), CONSENT CALENDAR A. B. Claims and Payroll Gateway Business District 1. Resolution #97-33, Calling for a Public Hearing in the Matter of Gateway Business District (GBD) Improvements, Fourteenth Street NE Improvement Project Ramsey County GIS Users Group, Amended Joint Powers Agreement C, . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30. 1997 3 D. E, Resolution #97-30, a Resolution Approving Local Performance Aid Bond Rating Selection Mr. Fritsinger noted the Gateway Business District public hearing would be held at the July 28, 1997, Regular Council Meeting. Counci1member Malone inquired if the public hearing could be held on an earlier date, due to the length of the upcoming July 28, 1997 City Council Agenda, Mr. Fritsinger stated that due to publication requirements, the hearing could not be held at the July 14, 1997 Council Meeting. MOTION: Hicks moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as submitted and authorize execution of all necessary documents contained therein. The motion carried unanimously (5-0), PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Probst invited the audience to address the Council on any issue not already on the agenda, No one came forward to address the Council. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. Metro East Development Partnership - David Piggott, Executive Director Mr. David Piggott, Executive Director of the Metro East Development Partnership, came forward to address Council. He gave a brief overview of the function of the Metro East Development Partnership, He stated that since he had last appeared before the Council, Metro East had surveyed its members regarding any concerns they had, This survey brought forward four major recommendations, which were as follows: The first concern was that Metro East was not generating enough industry leads. To address this, Metro East now devotes 70% of its budget and staff to site location, The second concern was that Metro East needed to be more accountable for its placements. The Partnership has now determined it will only do business with companies that agree to pay a livable wage to employees. They are also concentrating more heavily on projects with a large capital investment, and attempt to return as much investment as possible by steering business to member communities whenever possible. Thirdly, Metro East is attempting to increase its contact with member communities, mainly by attending Council meetings in the area on a regular basis. The fourth concern was that Metro East was tied in too closely with the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, The Partnership has now split from the St. Paul Chamber in every way . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30. 1997 4 possible, to avoid an appearance of partiality. The only connection between Metro East and the St. Paul Chamber is that they are located in the same office building. Mr, Piggott stated Metro East is at 50% of meeting these goals so far. He welcomed any qucstions the Council might have of him. Mayor Probst stated that Arden Hills was not a member in 1997, and will evaluate joining for 1998, He inquired what benefits the City would realize from membership in the Metro East Development Partnership if it were to join in 1998. Mr. Piggott replied that Metro East is the only economic development group in the Twin Cities area, and companies wanting to expand into the area come through them first. Mr. Piggott stated that Metro East also pre-screens companies for its member communities, He stated both he and the current Business Development Manager were from out of state, which means they have no local ties and are, therefore, completely unbiased and objective towards any city or area in the Partnership. Mayor Probst inquired if Arden Hills had been the recipient of any projects as a direct result of Metro East leads. Mr. Piggott stated the CPI Guidant expansion, and possibly others. Mr. Fritsinger stated CPI was the main project, which was a lead from both Metro East and D/TED. He further stated the City receives 3-6 leads per week from Metro East, and while all leads are not applicable to the City, it is good information to have on hand regarding development in the metro area. Mayor Probst inquired what tile western boundary of Metro East was. Mr. Piggott replied Metro East encompasses the counties of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington. He stated that Metro East at one time attempted to send leads only to member communities matching a specific set of criteria, but that stakeholders wished to see all leads whether applicable or not. As a result ofthis, Metro East now sends all leads to all member communities. Councilmember Aplikowski inquired if a Metro West Development Partnership existed. Mr. Piggott stated not at this time, although Hennepin County had been in discussions with Metro East regarding eitiler joining or forming their own partnership. Councilmember Aplikowski inquired what Metro East's relationship to the Metropolitan Council was, Mr. Piggott replied there was no relationship between these two organizations, Councilmember Malone inquired how companies were made aware of Metro East and the functions it could fulfill. Mr. Piggott replied mainly by advertising and referrals. Councilmember Malone inquired which companies were contributors to Metro East. Mr. Piggott replied that the fivc major contributors were 3M, St. Paul Companies, Norwest Bank, First Banks, and NSP. He stated other companies such as smaller banks, architectural firms and law offices were also contributors. I-Ie stated most organizations donate to Metro East to generate business, although 3M and St. Paul Companies were mainly benefactors. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30.1997 5 Mayor Probst inquired if any action was needed on this issue. Mr. Fritsinger stated no action was necessary, as this item would be discussed as part of the 1998 Budget discussions. B. Planning Case #97-09, Frattalone's Ace Hardware, 3527 Lexington Avenue, Special Use Permit (SUP) Amendment C. Planning Case #95-16, Balfany Development Company, 2035 Thorn Drive, Preliminary & Final Plat, Oakridge Homes Mr. Ringwald gave a brief overview of these two cases, beginning with #95-16, Balfany Development Company Preliminary/Final Plat. He stated the Planning Commission recommended approval of the applicant's request for Preliminary Plat approval on July 2, 1996. This approval expired on October 29, 1996 (six months). Therefore, the applicant was required to receive Preliminary Plat approval again, Mr. Ringwald stated that the applicant had provided Stafl'with the updated Abstract of Title on June 26, 1997, but Staff has not had adequate time to review the document. Also, thc development contract for the Final Plat had not yet been finalized. Therefore, Staff was recommending that only the Preliminary Plat be approved at this time. Staff was hopeful that thc remaining item could be resolved shortly and the Final Plat approved at the July 14, 1997, City Council meeting. Mr. Ringwald also gave an overview of Planning Case #97-09, requesting approval ofa Special Use Permit for Frattalone's Ace Hardware to operate an outdoor garden center. The applicant had informed Staff that the fence would be four feet (4') in height Also, Staff had counted the actual number of spaces in the parking lot, which were found to be incorrect in the initial calculations. The spaces had been recalculated, with the result being overall parking on the site being reduced to 402 stalls, which was three (3) less than what was required by the original SUP, Mr. Ringwald further stated that in providing its recommendations for Case #97-09, the Planning Commission had attempted to link the conditions to a specific business, in order to exclude the majority of these types of requests. Mr. Ringwald further stated that all the buildings in this development were occupied, and parking appeared to always be plentiful in this parking lot Mayor Probst requested clarification if the sale of Christmas trees would be permitted under this use, as the phrase "outdoor garden center" was used. Mr. Ringwald replied that this would be allowed, as the area in question would be permanently fenced and linked to the building, MOTION: Hicks moved and Keirn seconded a motion to approve Planning Case #97-09, SUP Amendment, with the seven (7) Planning Commission recommendations. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). Mayor Probst inquired if the owner of Balfany Development Company approved of the amount to be paid as park dedication fees for Planning Case #95-16, as stated in the letter from Ms. Cindy Walsh, the City's Parks and Recreation Director, dated June 12, 1997, Mr. Ringwald ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30. 1997 6 . stated the owner had agreed to this amount. He further stated the developer had requested to pay these fees as the lots are sold. . . Councilmember Hicks inquired if a landscaping plan had been received by the City. He stated this applicant had a history of not following through, and asked if the City could require a letter of credit from the applicant. Mayor Probst inquired if this action could be taken by Staff. Mr. Ringwald stated he was unsure of how that would work. Councilmember Hicks stated that at least some trees would be lost in the development process, and inquired if a method existed to require the applicant to maintain or re-establish a certain amount. Mr. Fritsinger stated the City requires a bond for landscape improvement pmposes. He stated he could discuss the language with the City Attorney, and Council to determine whether similar language could be attached as a condition regarding this issue if it wished to. Mayor Probst asked ifthis condition could be attached to the development agreement. Mr. Fritsinger stated this could be done. Mr. Ringwald brought up the question of liability for damage once the property was sold and had work being performed by an independent contractor Mr. Fritsinger stated the other contractors, such as for road construction, would have specific conditions under which they would be required to work. Councilmember Malone stated that as the City had no specific tree preservation ordinance, the applicant could legally clear the entire lot. Mr. Ringwald suggested adding an easement for the trees which are located to rear of the property. Mayor Probst suggested approving the plats and directing Staff to research alternatives. Councilmember Malone stated his beliefthat government should not control people's property to this extent. He stated it was in the developer's best interest to retain as many trees on the lot as possible, as this raised the value of the lot. MOTION: Hicks moved and Malone seconded a motion to approve Planning Case #95-16, Preliminary Plat for Oakridge Homes, with the four Planning Commission recommendations, and payment ofthe park dedication fee in five equal amounts. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). See amendment in Council Comments on Page 8. D. Highway 96 Task Foree Recommendation, Request for Technical Expertise Mr. Ringwald stated that as the Highway 96 Task Force had discussed possible improvements to Highway 96, the inclusion of entryway signage and landscaping had been a recurring theme that the Task Force believed should be included as part of the Highway 96 improvements, ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30.1997 7 . The Task Force believes there was an opportunity to construct an entryway sign and associated landscaping at the southwest corner of Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue. This corner provides for an extremely generous right-of-way and could easily support the required vehicular sight lines and an entryway sign with associated landscaping. The Task Force wishes to use the opportunities which exist on tllis corner to create an entryway sign and landscaping which could be used as a guide in other areas of the City. The Task Force recommends to the City Council to acquire technical expertise in tlle areas of signage and landscape architecture to assist in the design ofthe entryway signage and landscaping on this corner. Councilmember Keirn inquired what was the limit the City wished to pay for these services. Mr. Ringwald stated the City does not have a specific amount in mind, and would accept guidance from the Council, but that he believed the amount would be less than $5,000. He suggested tlle City draw from the same pool of experts that Vadnais Heights and Shoreview utilized for ease of information flow. Councilmember Malone stated that the cost of other materials the City was receiving were low, and that he favored entryway signage for the City. He inquired why the north side was not under consideration as a possible site. Mr. Ringwald explained the north side would need a great deal more work done, and the south side had a larger area to work with, He also informed the Council that Ramsey County is donating their extra dirt for fill and TCAAP will be donating trees to the City for this project. . MOTION: Malone moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to authorize Staffto acquire technical expertise to assist in the area of signage and landscape architecture for possible improvements to Highway 96. The motion carried unanimously (5-0), ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS Mr. Fritsinger stated the amount for repair of the City Hall air conditioner was $2,100, which was higher than the original estimate provided to the Council. Mr. Fritsinger stated he had requested various charitable gambling organizations in the City to consider donations to the Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS) on behalf of the City for 1998 program support, COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Hicks stated that he felt additional clarification on Planning Case #95-16 was appropriate. MOTION: Hicks moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to amend the Balfany Development Company, #95-16, motion in the following manner: . e . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - .TUNE 30. 1997 8 As there are only four lots to be developed, one-fourth of the park dedication fee should be paid when the building permit is issued for each of the four lots. The amount of the total park dedication is to be $5,129.00." The motion carried unanimously (5-0). Councilmember Aplikowski inquired if a tree preservation ordinance did exist for the City. Mr. Ringwald stated the requirements for trees are specific to each proposal, and are dealt with on a site-by-site basis. Councilmember Aplikowski requested clarification ofItem "E" on the Consent Calendar, and whether it was a vote or a recommendation for a bond rating selection. Mr. Fritsinger stated this motion was an approval of Stall's selection of Standard & Poor as the City's bond rater. Councilmember Aplikowski stated the Lexington Avenue/Red Fox Road Task Force was progressing well. Councilmember Aplikowski stated that the Finance Committee was continuing its review and preparing a recommendation to the City Council for language simplification of the City's assessment policy. Councilmember Aplikowski updated the Council on the Newsletter Committee's progress to-date. Mayor Probst inquired as to the date ofthe next Finance Committee meeting. Councilmember Aplikowski replied the next meeting was scheduled for July 17, 1997. Mayor Probst indicated that there may be the possibility of a business trip to deal with some TCAAP issues. He requested that Mr. Fritsinger move this process along, and if formal approval is needed by Council, to take appropriate action for such approval. Mayor Probst indicated a meeting was being set up with City Administrator Fritsinger and himself, to meet with the Principal and Superintendent of Mounds View High School to discuss recent vandalism within the City. Councilmember Hicks inquired if the police had any leads in this case. Mr. Fritsinger replied the City had not been informed of any at this time. Mayor Probst inquired how the population estimates in the recent Community Development Report had been ascertained. Mr. Ringwald replied the known data was interpreted and projections were made by the Metropolitan Council based on this data. Mayor Probst requested clarilication that no hard data existed to back up these figures. Mr. Ringwald stated that was the case. Mayor Probst suggested the Parks and Recreation Commission discuss expanding the Day in the Park, as this year's event was very successful. . ~ . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JUNE 30. 1997 ADJOURN MOTION: 9 Malone moved and Hicks seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8 :35 p.m, The motion carried unanimously (5-0). NOTICE OF MEETINGS h;;"' ,.. Y Bnan Fntsmger ' City Administrator The next regular City Council meeting will be held July 14, 1997, at 7:30 p.m. at the New Brighton Council Chambers.