1989-05-30 Joint Workshop minutesPage No. 1
May 30, 1989
CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
JOINT WORKSHOP OF CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING AND PARKS COMMISSION
DAKOTA COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Minutes of the Special Meeting
Held Tuesday, May 30, 1989
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the special workshop
meeting of the City Council, Planning Commission and Parks
Commission, City of Mendota Heights, was held at 7 o'clock P.M.
at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota.
Mayor Mertensotto called the meeting to order at 7:05 o'clock
P.M. The following members were present: Mayor Mertensotto,
Councilmembers Biesener, Cummins, Hartmann and Witt; Planning
Commission Chairman Morson, Planning Commissioners Anderson,
Duggan, Dwyer, Koll, Krebsbach, Tilsen; Parks Commissioners
Damberg, Katz and Lachenmayer; City Administrator Frazell,
Public Works Director Danielson and Administrative Assistant
Batchelder.
AGENDA Councilmember Hartmann moved to adopt the
agenda and Councilmember Cummins seconded.
Ayes: 15
Nays: 0
REVIEW OF APRIL
WORKSHOP
TARGET ISSUES
City Administrator Kevin Frazell presented
the executive summary of the April 15th
workshop and outlined staff's follow-up to
the workshop.
City Administrator Frazell raised the
question about who sets the list of priority
City issues. Mayor Mertensotto addressed
this by stating it should be a participatory
process with the staff and commissioners
voting, with the City Council members making
the final decisions.
Frazell provided an update on the priority
issues identified in the workshop as
"highest" and "high." It was agreed to limit
the highest category to seven top priorities.
(See attachment)
The Southeast Area Park Development and the
Keinsington proposal were discussed in the
terms of land use issues, densities, park
dedications and the Comprehensive Plan. City
Administrator Frazell highlighted the
Page No.2
May 30,1989
process, decisions and policies involved in
the Southeast Area Plan that was adopted in
1985. Council reaffirmed the policies set
forth in the SE Area Plan and that the
Kensington project should be evaluated in
light of that plan.
The workshop members categorized target
issues according to highest, high or lower
priorities. Some target issues were
combined. Item #9, Southeast Area Park
development was combined with item #4, Park
Development. Item #10, Use of "Garron Site",
was combined with Item #3, Highway 55
Corridor Study. Item #14, Tax Increment
District was changed to "Monitor Tax
Increment Financing Authority." Item #15,
Infra-structure Replacement Policy and Item
#18, Financial Management were moved up from
lower priority to high priority.
Updating the Comprehensive Plan was
discussed. Councilmember Cummins felt it
wasn't necessary because the SE Area Plan had
just been done and that was the only area of
the City changing. The Mayor suggested that
a new Comprehensive Plan would take three
years and is a time consuming project for
staff. City Administrator Frazell stated
that the Comprehensive Plan is spread
through many documents and amendments, and
this probably needed consolidating versus a
changing of the policies.
Mayor Mertensotto suggested that the Land Use
Map be redrawn to incorporate all the recent
changes and amendments. Councilmember Witt
felt that she perceived the Commissioners as
asking for more definitive guidelines or a
better understanding of the Comprehensive
Plan. Councilmember Cummins suggested that
the Planning Consultant conduct a seminar for
the Parks and Planning Commissioners to
address this. Both suggestions were
approved.
City Administrator Frazell indicated that
staff would work up the new list of target
City issues, based on the input and action of
April 15th and this evening. The list would
then be presented to the City Council for
Page No. 3
May 30, 1989
final adoption.
PLANNING PROCEDURES Administrative Assistant Batchelder presented
AND PROCESS the proposed draft of planning applications,
checklists and procedures. It was decided
that staff would work with Councilmember
Blesener and Planning Commission Chairman
Morson to develop the new documents and
present them to the Planning Commission.
PARKS
There was discussion about when to refer
development proposals to the Parks
Commission. Park Commissioner Lachenmayer
addressed the Parks Commission's frustration
about receiving issues only after they were a
"done deal", and that the dedications were
often the poor, undevelopable portions of the
development. Mayor Mertensotto wanted a
policy statement delineating when planning
issues are referred to Parks Commission. It
was decided that all subdivisions would go to
the Parks Commission first and then to the
Planning Commission with a Parks Commission
recommendation on parks related issues.
Planning checklists will also include Parks
Commission recommendations.
COMMUNICATION AND The workshop members reviewed the items
INFORMATION FLOW concerning planning synopsis, staff liaison,
and attendance by commissioners at City
Council meetings. For important issues the
Commission Chairs will appoint a commissioner
to represent the commission at the City
Council meetings. Also discussed was the
communication flow between commissioners and
council members. These officials were
reminded that any time they gather there are
open meeting laws that must be adhered to.
To keep the process open and fair all
communication should go through the City
staff and announced at meetings.
ADJOURN There being no further business to come
before the workshop members, Councilmember
Hartmann moved to adjourn the meeting.
Councilmember Witt seconded the motion.
Ayes: 15
Nays: 0
TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 9:00 o'clock P.M.
evin he •e
Adminis1rative Assistant
Page No. 4
May 30, 1989
ATTEST:
Charles E. Mertensotto
Mayor