2006-08-15_Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Meeting date: July 24, 2006 p. 2 of 4 classification, as this includes nur sing homes. Staff noted that they receive more complaints associated with single-family home rentals that duplexes, triple xes, and fourplexes. • The group also discussed the City’s 1960-70s planning goals of 70% ownership housing and 30% rental housing. They questioned how th is goal influences public decision-making about individual development projects as they come forward. Staff and Dan Roe (planning commissioner) agreed that little attention is paid to this ratio when considering individual proposals. Dan noted that if the proposal co mplies with current land use zoning, the City isn’t in a legal position to reject the project. Michelle recommended that the City reconsider this ratio as part of its Visioning proc ess for the 2008 comprehensive plan update. City Attorney Report Cathy distributed a summary of her conversatio n with the City Attorn ey. It contains a statement of the issues, CAG questions and the attorney’s response. The group discussed each issue in order. Key discu ssion points are included below. Issue #1. Incremental fine structure with fees increasing until compliance is reached. The attorney felt this approach has the potential to focus on collecting fines, not compliance, which is the ultimate goal. Some member of the CAG disagreed with this position, stating that a graduated fine structure would be an incentive to make repairs. Staff noted that currently 50% of those w ho receive an administrative ticket make the necessary corrections within the grace period. In return, the City forgives the fine. The attorney noted that with a rental licensi ng program, the City has the added authority to revoke a license making it illegal to rent the property. Issue #2. Data gathering via Utility Billing It is legal to require certain information wh en signing up for water/sewer service, and it does become public record. As a security measure, the CAG did not want to include Social Security Numbers as part of the form. Michelle and Angie informed the group that Ex cel Energy has been very cooperative about developing data systems to track renters who move out and leave multi-family property owners on the hook for utility bills. A sim ilar program or systems might be used in Roseville. Issue #3. Data sharing with colleges The City and colleges can legally share name s, addresses, and contact information of students living off campus-depending on how the data is classified. Paul reiterated Northwestern’s interest in working with the City on problems involving students. The college has been discussing stra tegies internally and are willing to work closely with the City to implement them. Issue #4. Access to problem properties The attorney noted that it is possible to make changes to the Property Maintenance Code to make it easier to gain access. Again, the issu e is getting a written complaint from neighbors, thus giving the City due cause for entry. Costs for implementing a licensing program were raised. Some CAG members feel landlords who comply with the rules, should not have be pay the fees associated with the proposed rental program. Othe r CAG members viewed the fees as “the cost of doing business” and that, since owning property is a business, propert y owners should be prepared to absorb the cost of acquiring a license.