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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-22-08 Minutes • CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS 7:00 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES I. Call to Order /Pledge of Allegiance /Approval of Agenda: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Beaudet. Present: Councilmembers Abrahamson, Doerr and Swenson. Staff present: Administrator Johnson, City Attorney Nodes, City Engineer Postler and City Planner Richards. Absent: Councilmember McComber Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to approve the Agenda as presented. Carried 4 -0. II. Department /Council Liaison Reports: A. Planning Commission: City Planner Richards stated that the last Planning Commission meeting was on April 10. He stated that there were a number of public hearings at that meeting. Richards stated that there was a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Update which was approved, but that they waited to take it to council until all members are present. Richards • stated that the Commission is still waiting for some additional information for Oakgreen Village. Richards stated that the other items heard by the Planning Commission were on the City Council agenda for that evening: St. Croix Prep Academy and Little Pony Preschool. He reported that the next meeting is scheduled for May 8, and that there are a couple of pending applications. B. Parks Commission: Mayor Beaudet stated that the Public Works Department was hoping to have the park shelters open the weekend of May 17. He reported that Kathy Widin will present a landscaping seminar on Tuesday, May 6 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Stillwater City Hall. C. Cable Commission: Councilmember Doerr reported that the commission met last Wednesday. He stated that they had their annual meeting and their regular meeting. He reported that at the annual meeting the officers were elected for the coming year. Doerr reported that he was re- elected as Chair, Dan Erickson was elected as Vice - Chair, and Sharon Ridgway was elected as Treasurer. He stated that they were doing a revised budget for the councils and they discovered a glitch. He stated that they had received a $50,000 equipment grant and Comcast was allowed to recover that through PEG fees under the last franchise agreement. He stated that they allowed Comcast a $0.31 increase to recover the grant and they have been • sending them the whole thing in the PEG fees. Now the commission is waiting for Comcast to tell them how to refund it. City Council Meeting Minutes April 22, 2008 Page 2 of 5 • Councilmember Doerr told residents to check their Comcast bills. He stated that it seems like in January they started charging $1.81 to the consumers for PEG fees. It should be $1.71. He stated that residents should call the cable commission office to let them know if they have been charged $1.81. Doerr reported that the past year has been a good year for the cable access center based on broadcasts and shows done at the access center. He reported that the next meeting of the cable commission will be the third Wednesday in June. D. Water Management Or2anizations/Middle St. Croix: Mayor Beaudet reported that the Middle St. Croix WMO's next meeting is on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Washington Conservation District Office. Other Liaison/Staff Reports: Mayor Beaudet reminded residents of Spring Clean -Up on Saturday, May 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. He reminded residents to bring a form of identification with them that proves that they are a resident of the City. III. Visitors/Public Comment: • Recvclin2 Award: Mayor Beaudet reported that Dennis Coleman of 14428 Upper 56 Street Ct N. was chosen as the recycling award winner. IV. Consent Agenda: A. Approve Bills & Investments B. Approve City Council Minutes — April 8, 2008 C. Adopt Proclamation — April 25, 2008 as Arbor Day and May 2008 as Arbor Month D. Building Safety Week Proclamation E. Award Well #2 Rehabilitation Contract F. Award Street Sweeping Contract G. Reject all Bids on Generator Purchase for Sanitary Sewer Lift Stations H. Award Lawn Care Contract Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember Doerr, moved to approve the Consent Agenda with the change made on item G to reject all bids. Roll call vote taken. Carried 4 -0. V. Public Hearings: None City Council Meeting Minutes April 22, 2008 Page 3 of 5 • VI. Old Business: A. City Hall Facilitv — Resolution AcceUtina the Final Report and Findinp's as Prepared and Issued by the Dulv Annointed Citv Hall Facilitv Citizen's Advisory Committee: Councilmember Doerr, seconded by Mayor Beaudet, moved to accept the Resolution. Councilmember Doerr clarified that the Resolution is not to build or renovate, it is simply a resolution to accept the report. Roll call vote taken. Carried 4 -0. B. City Hall Facilitv — Montanari Buildinv-: Councilmember Abrahamson requested that this item be placed on the Agenda. He stated that the council had a walkthrough of the building, and he thought it would be good to have a worksession to discuss whether the building would be a viable option. Councilmember Abrahamson, seconded by Councilmember Doerr, moved to schedule a worksession for Tuesday, April 29 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the Montanari Building. C. Hip-hwav 36 Frontage Road: City Administrator Johnson provided the council with the most recent draft of the possible agreement between the • City and MnDOT. He directed the council's attention to page two where MnDOT has sought the City to do some minor patching. He stated that the City is not capable of doing that. He questioned the meaning of certain phrases in that section: "minor patching," "willing to assist," and "at our discretion." Johnson stated that another area of the proposed agreement that needs to be discussed is the term of the agreement. He stated that the City added language that they would be willing to commit to snowplowing for ten years so long as the roadway that MnDOT is going to mill and overlay remains intact. He reported that MnDOT is not willing to accept that language and may be willing to come down to an eight year term. Councilmember Doerr stated that with the current condition of the roads, he would be hard - pressed to enter into an agreement over five years because he believes the roads will deteriorate back to the current condition within that time period after a mill and overlay. Councilmember Abrahamson questioned whether MnDOT would accept the language if the City added that in order for the City to back out of the agreement, the City Engineer, MnDOT's engineer, and one other person needed to provide an opinion as to the condition of the road. City Administrator Johnson stated that another area that the council needs . to discuss is the need to enter into a three -party agreement. He stated that the proposed agreement that they had before them only included MnDOT City Council Meeting Minutes April 22, 2008 Page 4 of 5 • and the City of Oak Park Heights. He stated that another player should be the City of Stillwater since a portion of the south frontage road lies within the City of Stillwater. Johnson stated that staff's position is that the City not sign an agreement unless there is an agreement on the north frontage road with the City of Stillwater. He stated that the agreements should be signed in sequence, or ideally included in one agreement. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to direct staff to write a new letter to the new acting commissioner of transportation to discuss the situation with the frontage road, point out that they have new revenue sources and that they have advanced some projects along, and that they should reconstruct roads that were built in 1932 to bring them up to a reasonable standard. Carried 4 -0. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved that the agreement should include both frontage roads, and at least layout a plan for how Lookout Trail is going to be resolved. Carried 4 -0. Councilmember Doerr noted that MnDOT needs to re- stripe the intersection of Oakgreen and Highway 36. Mayor Beaudet noted that at Omaha and Highway 36 there is no warning sign that the traffic coming • off of Highway 36 has the right -of -way. He suggested that MnDOT place a signs at that intersection warning motorists. VII. New Business: A. Loan Request from MSCWMO to complete Perro Pond Storm -Sewer. Work Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to authorize the loan request for $50,000 to the Middle St. Croix Water Management Organization with no interest. Carried 4 -0. Councilmember Doerr stated that he trusts the Middle St. Croix, but he does not trust the state. He stated that the City is basing the loan request on the fact that the Middle St. Croix has to front the money on the hope that the state will reimburse the money. Mayor Beaudet stated that the state will provide them with a letter informing them that the money is available for their use and they will not be able to take it back. Councilmember Abrahamson questioned when the City should expect to be repaid. Mayor Beaudet stated at the very least it would be March but it could be sooner. Councilmember Abrahamson questioned when the City would disburse the loan. Mayor Beaudet stated the MSCWMO probably . would not request the money until June. City Council Meeting Minutes April 22, 2008 Page 5 of 5 B. Zoning Ordinance Amendment — 401.30.0 — Interim Use Permit: City Planner Richards stated that the City received a request from Andersen Corporation and St. Croix Prep to allow St. Croix Prep temporary use of the upper portion of the former Herberger's site for their school facility. He stated that there currently are no listed interim uses in the B -2 zoning district. Richards stated that in the future, if the council is not comfortable with allowing interim uses, they can remove that section. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to approve the Ordinance Amendment. Roll call vote taken. Carried 3 -0 -1, Councilmember Swenson abstained. C. Interim Use Permit — St. Croix Preparatory Academv — 147815 9th Street N.: City Planner Richards stated that St. Croix Preparatory Academy is a charter school that will have approximately 450 students, 21 faculty members, and roughly 15 other staff members. He stated that there is are no issues with parking or signage. He stated they will have temporary fencing around the playground equipment. Councilmember Abrahamson, seconded by Councilmember Doerr, moved to approve the Interim Use Permit. Roll call vote taken. Carried 3 -0 -1, Councilmember Swenson abstained. D. Little Ponv Preschool & Childcare — Conditional Use Permit 5850 Omaha, Ave. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to approve the Conditional Use Permit for Little Pony Preschool & Childcare. Roll call vote taken. Carried 4 -0. VIII. Adiournment: Councilmember Abrahamson, seconded by Mayor Beaudet, moved to adjourn at 7:59 p.m. Carried 4 -0. Respectfully submitted, A roved Content and Fo , 1 k 1 a Jennifer Thoen David Beaudet Administrative Secretary/Deputy Clerk Mayor