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Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, March 20, 2017 <br />Page 10 <br />not unique to that problem, with many communities fighting similar battles, refer- <br />encing House File No. 777, and a companion Senate bill. Chief O'Neill noted <br />that both of these bills would allow municipalities to take back basic rights from <br />the state to the city's ability to license hotels, if passed; and sought City Council <br />interest over the next 6-8 months in developing a building ordinance similar to <br />that of the rental licensing and inspection program to incorporate those same <br />things being found in lodging units (e.g. drugs, safety, smoke detectors) and fre- <br />quent complaints from customers via the RVA's comment line. <br />While the Fire, Police and Community Development Departments currently at- <br />tempt to follow-up, Chief O'Neill noted it would be easier if they were all incor- <br />porated with an ordinance and licensing program that provided enforcement capa- <br />bility (e.g. limited length of stay, background checks on managers having access <br />to individual rooms) and other nuisance things already addressed in city code, but <br />further incorporated into this area and directly tied to licensure of the facility. <br />Chief O'Neill noted that this would involve feedback from those properties in- <br />volving the lodging establishment and how the city could best help them. As long <br />as the municipality could take back basic fire and life safety, Chief O'Neill ad- <br />vised that there would also then be a way to incorporate other areas and package <br />them into one section, based on several options available. <br />Chief O'Neill advised that there would be many steps involved, if the legislation <br />is successful allowing municipalities to license and/or inspect an establishment. <br />Chief O'Neill reported that another option, similar to a Board of Health, that staff <br />would want to take a look at if the legislation failed. However, Chief O'Neill <br />noted that a Board of Health goes beyond those items touched upon today and <br />would expand it (e.g. food and pool inspections) from current practice and not <br />currently being suggested by staff to the City Council for consideration. Chief <br />O'Neill reiterated that staff had found many municipalities across the state look- <br />ing for similar resolution of this type of predicament. <br />Mayor Roe suggested further research by staff from an inspection standpoint, but <br />stating that he was not interested in the City becoming a Health department; with <br />agreement by Councilmembers McGehee and Willmus, with additional infor- <br />mation requested on budget and levy implications beyond inspection aspects. <br />While agreeing with her colleagues and interested in further investigation, Coun- <br />cilmember Laliberte asked if the State had a checklist they used and if the City <br />would have a similar checklist or if that involved other thins the municipality may <br />not or could not have the ability to inspect and whether that would involved any <br />perceived gaps between the two. <br />Chief O'Neill reported that the municipality would immediately step into the <br />same type of inspection done by the State of MN and as done today for apart- <br />ments or multi -family rental properties. Chief O'Neill reported that this would <br />