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2005-04-12 Goal Setting Workshop minutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP MINUTES APRIL 12, 2005 The 2005 City Council Goal Setting Workshop was held on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 in the Large Conference Room at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 a.m. The following Councilmembers were present: Mayor Huber and Councilmembers Vitelli, Schneeman, Krebsbach, and Duggan. City Staff present were City Administrator Jim Danielson and Administrative Assistant Patrick C. Hollister. REVIEW OF 2004 TARGET ISSUES Mr. Danielson provided an overview of the 2004 Target Issues. Mr. Danielson said that the City won the Garron- Acacia lawsuit. Mayor Huber said that the Trust for Public Land and the Pilot Knob Preservation Association are trying to buy the Garron property. Mayor Huber said that the two entities are negotiating with John Allen and Joel Butenhoff for a price in the neighborhood of one million dollars. Mayor Huber said that the sum would come mostly from Dakota County money, but that the parties were looking for a contribution from the City in the neighborhood of $400,000. Councilmember Duggan said that the City would get a portion of the land for Park Dedication in the event that it were subdivided. Councilmember Krebsbach said that Ron Clark could still place town homes on the Acacia site if the Garron property were acquired for open space. Councilmember Vitelli asked how the Council could justify an expenditure of $400,000 to the residents. Mayor Huber said that the expense would be justified as preservation of open space. Councilmember Duggan said that the City should make a contribution for historical preservation. Councilmember Krebsbach said that the City should keep the site green for a gateway. Mayor Huber said that the-City could just pay for it now and replenish the funds later as an on -going expense from the General Fund. Councilmember Krebsbach said that if the City made a contribution for the purchase of the Garron site, people would make demands that the City also purchase the Par 3 golf course. Mayor Huber said that the Par 3 golf course is a different situation because the owners in that case are not willing to sell. Councilmember Duggan said that the City should own the entire Garron/Acacia site. Mr. Danielson said that the proposed Property Maintenance Ordinance would be on the Council agenda in May. Mr. Danielson said that Ross Fefercom was working on completing his first withdrawal of the Metropolitan Council grant money for Town Center. Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Fefercorn would be coming to the next Council meeting to provide an update on the status of Town Center rather than his usual monthly Wednesday meeting with Staff and Councilmember Vitelli. Mr. Danielson said that the City still has a contract disagreement with the City of Mendota over how to calculate the number of police calls and that Chief Aschenbrenner was working on the issue. Councilmember Schneeman said that one of the bars in Mendota has been purchased by the owners of Axel's for conversion into a restaurant, which should cut down on the number of police calls. Mr. Danielson said that Staff is now processing all Critical Area permits through the Planning Commission before presenting them to the Council. Mr. Danielson said that on the subject of building permits, some homeowners are delinquent on the one -year time limit and that the Code Enforcement Officers are working with them to get them to finish. Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Grittman is continuing work on the Infi11 Ordinance. Councilmember Schneeman asked about the status of the Hanson property on Aztec Lane. Mayor Huber said that the Hanson property would be handled as part of the Property Maintenance Ordinance. Councilmember Duggan said that he would call former Mayor Mertensotto about the commitment by Mendakota Country Club to donate 40% of their land to the City in the event that they subdivide. Councilmember Duggan suggested rezoning Mendakota Country Club and Somerset golf courses from R -1 to R- IA. Councilmember Krebsbach asked if the City should create a separate Golf Course zone. N Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Grittman is working on this question as part of the infill study. Mr. Danielson said that the OPUS redevelopment of the Ecolab site is on the April Planning Commission agenda and will be on the first City Council agenda in May. Councilmember Krebsbach asked if the neighborhood would prefer only one condominium building. Councilmember Duggan said that they would not. Mayor Huber said that Dave Menke of OPUS met with the Cherry Hill Road neighbors, and says that the Sachs are now okay with the development. Mayor Huber said that Mr. Menke reports that most or all of the neighbors are now comfortable with the adjustments made the to plans. Councilmember Duggan said that the biggest concern was the height of the roof. Mayor Huber said that the trail would go down Wachtler Avenue. Mayor Huber said that he would discuss the roof issue with the neighbors. Mr. Danielson said that OPUS wants to do the entire infrastructure for the development themselves, and that they want to complete the project this summer and place a trailer on the site to sell housing units. Mayor Huber said that the City should discuss work on Saturdays with OPUS. Councilmember Duggan suggested asking OPUS what their construction start and end times would be and considering prohibiting construction on Saturdays if there is a problem. Councilmember Krebsbach asked if the corner of the development would stay green. Mr. Danielson said that it would. Mr. Danielson gave an update on the Dakota County Green Space and the status of the Park Bonding Referendum financing. Councilmember Schneeman said that she did not believe the population numbers. Councilmember Schneeman said that the City should think about acquiring the Foss property. Councilmember Schneeman said that the Foss property is beautiful and Mrs. Foss is about 96 years old. Mr. Danielson said that the Par 3 case is now at the Minnesota State Supreme Court. Councilmember Schneeman asked Mr. Danielson to let the Council know when the hearing is. Mr. Danielson said that another issue discussed last year was communication with the Council. Mr. Danielson asked how he was doing in that regard. Councilmember Krebsbach asked Mr. Danielson to inform the Council when Staff had scheduled meetings with developers. Councilmember Duggan asked Mayor Huber to let the Council know when he has meetings with other Mayors. Mayor Huber described his meetings with other Mayors. Mr. Danielson reported that the Xcel gas line would not be increased. Mr. Danielson said that Colette Jurek of Xcel would come back to a future Council meeting to update the Council on the line. Councilmember Duggan said that it would also be good to get an update from Ms. Jurek on the Rogers Lake Line. Councilmember Duggan asked Mr. Danielson to request that Ms. Jurek bring an engineer with her. Mr. Danielson reported that it appeared that the state will take away the City's 2005 Market Value Homestead Credits and HACA. MENDOTA PLAZA DEVELOPMENT Mr. Danielson showed the Concept Plan for Mendota Plaza and said that Ed Paster was envisioning more freestanding buildings. Councilmember Duggan asked if MnDOT would allow a "right -in, right -out" on Highway 110. Mr. Danielson said that MnDOT has indicated that they would allow this. Councilmember Krebsbach asked if Paster Enterprises intended to keep the swale. Mr. Danielson said that they did. Councilmember Duggan asked if Mendota Heights already has too many restaurants. Councilmember Duggan suggested requiring Paster Enterprises to submit a market study showing that Mendota Heights was not already over - saturated with restaurants. Councilmember Krebsbach said that in 1996 the Council thought that the remodeling of Mendota Plaza would mirror Town Center. M Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Paster still wants something similar to the original concept plan. ANIMATED/DIGITAL SIGNS Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Fretschel has now made a formal application for a digital sign at Henry Sibley High School and that this application would be at the Planning Commission meeting in April and the Council meeting in May. Councilmember Krebsbach said that the message should not rotate or blink. Councilmember Duggan said that he was going on a tour with Mr. Fretschel of digital signs on April 20. Councilmember Duggan said that Robert Street has only one digital sign, on a bank that gives time and temperature. Councilmember Schneeman said that Planner Grittman told her that the sign companies are pushing for these signs. Councilmember Schneeman said that she has seen some ugly digital signs at Kitty's Acres and McDonalds. Councilmember Schneeman said that Orono turned the request for digital sign down. Councilmember Duggan suggested that Planner Grittman show a map showing potential digital signs in the City in a worse case scenario. Mayor Huber suggested two maps, one that only shows churches and schools, and one that shows businesses. Councilmember Krebsbach said that supporters of the digital sign are pointing out the sign that the City approved for Saint Thomas. Councilmember Krebsbach said that the Council should clarify that they are not against a large monument sign for Henry Sibley, but that is a separate issue from a digital sign. Councilmember Krebsbach said that a message board could create traffic problems with teenage drivers. Councilmember Vitelli said that the Council should not open the door to digital signs merely for a trivial reason. Councilmember Vitelli said that once the Council opens the door to digital signs they cannot close it. Councilmember Vitelli asked how the Council could know that the school does indeed have the resources to build the sign as proposed. Councilmember Vitelli asked if in the event it later turns out that the school cannot afford the sign they proposed, would the City insist that they build the sign as proposed. Councilmember Duggan said that he received a letter from the School Board saying that they have the money to buy the sign. Mayor Huber said that the Council would insist that the school build the sign as proposed. Councilmember Schneeman said that she is tired of receiving phone calls on this subject and that some kids who go to Sibley High School do not want the sign. Councilmember Krebsbach said that it would be acceptable for Sibley to have a large sign, just not a digital sign. Councilmember Krebsbach said that Council needed to clarify for the public the difference between the St. Thomas sign and the Sibley sign. Councilmember Krebsbach suggested getting an opinion from City Attorney Dan Schleck on the digital sign issue. Mayor Huber suggested waiting until after the Planning Commission meeting to ask Mr. Schleck for an opinion. ALVAREZ Mayor Huber said that he had received a lot of calls in sympathy of Mr. Alvarez asking him why the Council would force Mr. Alvarez to build an "undersized" house. Councilmember Duggan showed his preferred scenario with a house in the rear of the property- Councilmember Krebsbach said that it is important to keep the house in scale with other houses in the neighborhood. Mayor Huber said that an adequately sized house could be built without a variance. Councilmember Schneeman said that she is concerned that Mr. Alvarez is trying to make one additional lot in the future. Mayor Huber said that the neighbors are concerned about the number of cars and want Alvarez to have a larger garage. Councilmember Krebsbach said that the Council needs better agenda management because people keep coming back making the same requests after they have been turned down. Mayor Huber said they come back because the Council waives the six -month waiting period. Mayor Huber said that the Council needed to be tougher on the six -month waiting period. Jack Vitelli said that Staff should not allow people to come to a Council meeting for a concept discussion. Mr. Danielson said that in the case of PUDs, the Concept Plan phase is written into the ordinance. Co Councilmember Krebsbach said that she did not want people to keep coming back to the Council. Mayor Huber said that sometimes it is useful to deny an application and let the applicant come back soon. SMOKING IN PARKS Mr. Danielson said that he received a letter from Planning Commissioner Marina McManus, who wants a "social enforcement" policy against smoking in the parks. Councilmember Vitelli said he is not interested in such a policy. Mayor Huber said that he is not interested in such a policy. FIFTY-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Councilmember Duggan said that next year is the 50"' Anniversary of Mendota Heights. Councilmember Duggan asked if the City wants to do anything. Mr. Danielson said that Bill Wolston quit working on this item because no one was interested. Councilmember Krebsbach said that maybe people are not interested. Mr. Danielson said that Mr. Wolston has a lot of information about the history of Mendota Heights. Councilmember Duggan suggested forming a Heritage Commission that would convene and disband. Councilmember Krebsbach suggested incorporating celebration of the 50"' Anniversary into the annual Parks Celebration. Mayor Huber suggested modifying the "Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks" event. Mayor Huber remarked that the 50' Anniversary of the Fire Department was a big event. Mayor Huber suggested making the parks celebration from mid-afternoon to late afternoon. Mayor Huber suggested placing the 2006 Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks event and 50"' Anniversary Celebration on the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda, and that the event could include a parade and/or a band. 7 COMMISSION TERM LIMITS Councilmember Duggan suggested a three -term limit for Commissioners of three years each for a total of nine years. Mayor Huber suggested three full terms not to exceed eleven years in total. Mayor Huber asked what the best way was to explain this change to Commissioners. Mayor Huber suggested sitting down with Chairs Lorberbaum, Spicer, and Beaty and explaining it to them. Mayor Huber said that the Chairs could then in turn explain the change to their Commissioners. Councilmember Vitelli volunteered Mayor Huber and Councilmember Krebsbach for this task. NOACK WOODPILE UPDATE Mr. Danielson said that the City has agreed to give Mr. Noack another year. Mr. Danielson said that Staff has determined that Mr. Noack is in violation of the zoning ordinance because the woodpiles are on separate lots from the house. Mayor Huber said that Mr. Noack could store less wood on the lot and bring wood in more frequently. Mayor Huber said that under the proposed ordinance two chords of wood times three lots equals six chords that Mr. Noack could have. SUCCESSION PLANNING (FD, PD) Mr. Danielson said that Assistant Fire Chief Jim Kilberg has said that he does not want to be Chief and that Chief Maczko wants to start a training program for future leadership. Mr. Danielson said that Chief Maczko would like to hire a consultant for leadership training. Councilmember Duggan said that Chief Maczko should tell the Council how much the consultant would cost. Councilmember Krebsbach said that the consultant should have no connection to the candidates. Councilmember Duggan said that the City should offer to pay %2 of the consultant cost. Mayor Huber said that the Council should ask Chief Maczko to make a proposal. Mr. Danielson said that as for the Police Department, none of the three sergeants want to be Chief. Mr. Danielson said that Chief Aschenbrenner sees some leadership potential in some of the junior officers. Councilmember Vitelli suggested letting the police issue wait for now. Councilmember Duggan said that the leadership training could overlap for the two departments. Mayor Huber suggested figuring out when Donn Anderson is leaving and skip police training for this year. 2004 BUDGET UPDATE Mr. Danielson said that Market Value Homestead Credit cuts are coming. Mr. Danielson said that the City has to find $42,000. Mr. Danielson said that the bill for the furnace came in $10,000 cheaper than anticipated. Mayor Huber said that the radio upgrade might be one more year further out, in 2007. Councilmember Vitelli said that the City could pay $65,000 - $70,000 per year for the radio upgrade. Councilmember Vitelli suggested giving Chief Aschenbrenner special thanks for the way he handled the recent departures of officers. COUNCIL STARTING TIME [City Attorney Dan Schleck entered the room at this point.] Councilmember Schneeman said that she would like to start the Council meetings earlier because Councilmembers are getting too tired when the meeting goes late. Councilmember Krebsbach said that she would like the starting time to stay at 7:30. Councilmember Vitelli suggested starting at 8:00 so that Councilmember Duggan would tire more quickly. Mayor Huber said that the Council should try to make the meetings go faster. Councilmember Schneeman suggested that the Planning Commission might wish to meet earlier. Mr. Danielson said that since Mayor Huber, Councilmember Krebsbach, and he are meeting with Chair Lorberbaum anyway they could bring up the subject of starting times. Mr. Schleck suggested putting the consent agenda at the end of the meeting, or having two meetings, one on camera and one off camera. Mr. Schleck said that the Council could refrain from taking votes at the off - camera meeting, but merely discuss the issues. Mr. Schleck said that the votes would then be taken at the on- camera meeting. E Mayor Huber said that the reason why the consent agenda is at the beginning of the meeting is because very often there are items that several residents are concerned about and that it is good to get them out of the way so that they can go home. Mayor Huber said that the meeting structure works well so far as it is. DARTS MEETING Mr. Danielson asked the Council if they wished to do a group tour of the Darts facility The Councilmembers said that they prefer to visit the Darts facility separately. The Workshop adjourned at 9:00 am.