Loading...
2024 05 21 CC Work Session MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the City Council Work Session Tuesday, May 21, 2024 CN_\AIIIC�Z�7 7�7_�]7 Mayor Levine called the work session to order at 5:00 p.m. Councilmembers Lorberbaum, Mazzitello, and Paper were also present. Councilmember Miller was absent. Other in attendance were City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Torkelson, Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek, Park and Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Meredith Lawrence, Community Development Manager Sarah Madden, Krista Spreiter Natural Resources Coordinator, Courtney Selstad Recycling Coordinator, City Attorney Amy Schmidt, and City Clerk Nancy Bauer. ORGANICS RECYCLING/CURBSIDE ORGANICS Park and Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Lawrence reported that the last update regarding curbside organics recycling was a year ago. Currently there is one staff person at the City who works on solid waste abatement, Courtney Selstad, who is a contract employee and works 14 hours a week. Ten of her hours are funded through a grant with Dakota County. The remaining four hours are funded by the City and are devoted to working on the city's Green Steps program. Organics initiatives currently include the drop-off location at Mendakota Park, City events collection, and organics recycling education at community events. Recycling Coordinator Selstad reported that the City of Mendota Height has the highest usage of the organic drop on location at Mendakota Park with 18% of the city participating. Councihnember Lorberbaum asked where the number of 18% of households that are using the drop off site came from. Recycling Coordinator Selstad responded that is the number of participants that registered through Dakota County. Recycling Coordinator Selstad reported that the Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan released in January requires cities with a population greater than 5,000 to make residential curbside organics collection available to residents by 2030, Recycling Coordinator Selstad noted that the draft Dakota County Solid Waste Plan will be released later this summer, followed by a public comment period. She finther noted that Dakota County must have a final plan submitted to the MPCA by October 2024. Dakota County is funding an organic study done with a consultant. The results of the study will be released early this summer. May 21, 2024, Mendota Heights Council Work Session Page -1 The council was made aware that the MPCA has clarified Minnesota Statue § 115A.93, subd 3(c) which states that the licensing authority shall prohibit mixed municipal solid waste collectors from imposing a greater charge on residents who recycle than on residents who do not recycle. This ruling means that everyone would be charged the same amount whether they use an organics curbside program or not. Staff reviewed the current offerings of organics recycling to either residential or commercial properties by current Mendota Heights waste haulers in other communities. Recycling Coordinator Selstad recapped the experiences from Hennepin County cities that currently have curbside organics recycling. The top cities were Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, and Golden Valley. Residents in those cities are paying an additional $3 to $10 for organics recycling depending on the hauler. Staff asked the City Council for feedback on how to move forward and asked for direction if the Council would like the City to implement a curbside organics collection program before the requirement by the County was mandated. Park and Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Lawrence stated that the soonest the program could be implemented would be 2026. Funding for staff time would need to be increased a year prior to implementation to launch the program successfully. Recycling Coordinator Selstad reported that additional staff would be needed to decide how to roll out the plan, work with the haulers, and educate the public. The City Council was interested in staff planning fora 2027 roll out rather than a 2026 roll out and did not want to move forward with proposals for staffing increases for organics in 2025. The Council wanted staff to get data on how many residents used haulers that did not offer any type of organics program. The Council was not interested in funding the cost difference to residents for the program. SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE DRAFT Community Development Manager Madden reported she would like feedback on the draft ordinance amendment within Title 3, Business and License Regulations, Chapter 5: Rental Housing which would authorize a short-term rental license requirement and application process. Staff requested feedback on the changes to the Short -Term Rental Ordinance draft. Topics for feedback included the requirement for a minimum five -night stay, conditions of the license, and the rental frequency period. The City Council discussed the dates regulation, the number of days for a minimum night stay, maximum occupancy limits, maximum guest number, maximum guest bedrooms, definition of bedroom, the term transient, the permit, the inspection process, code violations, age of renter, and homesteading the property. The Council had consensus to raise the minimum age of a renter to 25. In addition, the Council wanted to add language to include the maximum number of occupants per bedroom as two individuals (remove clause stating that accompanying children shall not count towards the occupancy limit), with a maximum of five May 21, 2024, Mendota Heights Council Work Session pope -2 bedrooms, rented up to seven days per month for the annual limitation of short-term rental. They wanted to add, in accordance with the International Building Code, language for a definition of bedroom. They wanted to remove the minimum five -night stay. They also wanted to change the word transient to temporary guest. The Council did express interest in reviewing long-term rental licensing as well in a future discussion. Including condos in the short-term rental ordinance was discussed and it was the consensus to discuss at the next presentation on the topic. An updated version of the ordinance will be brought back at a later meeting for feedback and consideration by the Council. URBAN FOREST PRESERVATION ORDINANCE Natural Resources Coordinator Spreiter gave an overview of the proposed Urban Forest Preservation Ordinance that is part of the Natural Resources Commission work plan. The goal of the ordinance is to protect, preserve, and enhance our urban forest canopy and mitigate the loss of canopy due to emerald ash borer, and land alteration activities. She reviewed the definitions included in the ordinance such as significant tree, heritage tree, and critical root zone. She reviewed the two instances where the ordinance would be triggered. 1) Forest alteration permit would be required when removing any heritage trees or any significant trees in the following cases: Removal of any heritage tree, 33% or more of any significant and/or heritage tree are prosed for removal, any development or redevelopment project that requires a permit, a grading permit application is submitted, or a lot -split or other land use alteration. 2) Forest management plan would be required when removing significant or heritage trees: 33% or more of any significant and/or heritage trees are proposed for removal on any lot, any development or redevelopment project that requires a permit, a grading permit is submitted, or a lot -split or other land use alteration. Natural Resources Coordinator Spreiter continued by reporting that the most significant part of the ordinance was the planting of replacement trees. If less than 20% of the total significant and/or heritage trees were removed, then replacement trees are calculated by planting one tree per one tree removed. If more than 20% of the significant and/or heritage trees were removed, then mitigation would follow a formula in the ordinance which would use the total Diameter at Standard Height (DSH) in the formula. The formula considers the number of trees saved, number of trees removed, and the size of trees removed. May 21, 2024, Mendota Heights Council Work Session Page -3 The invasive species list of trees listed in the ordinance was discussed. It was suggested that a reference for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources or the Minnesota Department of Agricultural of invasive/noxious trees species be referenced in the ordinance. Clear cutting of a lot, permit fee, conditions for approving or denying a permit, failure to obtain a permit, enforcement, penalties, and invasive/native trees were discussed. It was suggested to do outreach to builders, developers, and tree contractorsibusinesses once the ordinance is approved. POLICE DEPARTMENT FLEET PROPOSAL Chief McCarthy and Sergeant McCarty joined the meeting to give an update on the Police Department Fleet Proposal. Chief McCarthy discussed the proposal to transition the City to purchased squad cars for a take home squad program as compared with the current leasing model. The City Council was supportive of moving forward with the purchasing of the 7 vehicles required to initiate the program and to plan for the full implementation as proposed which will take place over time as the City's current leases expire. The vehicles would be paid for by the public safety funds, fund balance and siren fund. The Finance Director had indicated that there were funds in the reserves for the purchase of the seven vehicles. Delivery of the vehicles would not be until September and then they would have to be built. The proposal and benefits of the proposal were discussed, and it was the consensus to move forward with the fleet proposal. The money requested from the legislature for the police and city hall campus plans was briefly discussed. ADJOiJRNMENT A motion was made by Councilmember Mazzitello and seconded by Councilmember Paper to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 4-0. Mayor Levine adjourned the work session meeting at 6:45 pm. ATTEST: �Gt.J Nafy Bau , City Clerk Stephanie B. Levine, Mayor May 21, 2024, Mendota Heights Council Work Session Page -4