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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, December 13, 2010 Page 23 Councilmember Pust suggested if, the language was added to Chapter 1008, that it be stronger to indicate that all Conditional Use applications be approved by the Parks and Recreation staff and Commission, in addition to the Community Devel- opment Department staff. Mr. Trudgeon sought examples beyond the City's Parks and Recreation Depart- ment that may be applying to make an improvement, such as the previous com- munication tower, which application the new code made provision for. Mayor Klausing expressed his hesitancy in turning over approval functions to multiple departments beyond that process currently followed. Associate Planner Bryan Lloyd clarified any tower application or any other use in a park would be initiated by the City and part of the process could be that it re- ceived comment from different advisory commissions, but that it remained a city initiated application at that point, while there may be co- applicants (such as a cell phone provider); and questioned any use that would put the Parks and Recreation Commission in the position of approving an application from someone without city support of that application. Councilmember Pust spoke in support of such an application going before the Parks and Recreation Commission before moving forward in the process. Councilmember Ihlan opined that this issue was part of a larger discussion heard tonight; that these design standards are too restrictive and are not consistent with the goals of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Councilmember Ihlan spoke in support of more discussion between the Commission and City Council to en- sure that design standards are more flexible, as well as how Conditional Uses are determined. Councilmember Johnson concurred with Councilmember Ihlan; recognizing the need for other uses beyond the City's open spaces and how design standards may be necessary for Ramsey County or others, but questioned whether they were re- quired for the City. Councilmember Johnson noted that park resources were dif- ferent and there were different and limited funding sources, as well as school uses for open space. Mayor Klausing expressed concern in basing design standards on the ability to pay that could also be applicable to small businesses versus the city. Councilmember Johnson advised that he was not saying parks and recreation uses on city -owned property should have lower standards; but opined that the Parks Commission did a fine job in setting their own standards and branding their parks in a responsible manner; and used his past experience in raising funds for installa- tion by volunteers for fences.