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06-09-09 CM Minutes Council/Manager Meeting Minutes June 9, 2009 Present: Mayor Loomis and Council Members Freiberg, Pentel, Scanlon and Shaffer, City Manager Tom Burt, Public Works Director Jeannine Clancy, City Engineer Jeff Oliver, Finance Director Sue Virnig, Recreation Supervisor Brian Erickson and Assistant City Manager Jeanne Andre. The meeting began at 6:30 pm in the Council Conference Room. 2009 Pavement Management: Request for Secondary Driveway Jeannine Clancy provided background on the request by Ellen and Sheldon Resig to retain a curb cut for a second gravel driveway off of Perry Avenue that serves the back of their home at 4099 Bassett Creek Drive. The Resigs spoke to the need for this driveway to retain direct access to their kitchen and to allow them to retain their garbage bin and garbage pickup service at the rear entry. Mr. Resig read a statement that was submitted for the record. Jeff Oliver noted that wide driveways, paved parking on the boulevard and secondary driveways are all dealt with through the pavement management program. He explained that guidelines for secondary driveways are included in City Council policy for the pavement management program rather than in the City Code. The Council discussed the homeowner's request and determined that since the home is all one level and both doors could be accessed through the main curb cut on Bassett Creek Drive, the Resig's request for a secondary driveway curb cut would be denied. The Council asked staff to prepare a code amendment limiting residential lots to one curb cut. Bremer Grant Submission Golden Valley Human Rights Commission Temporary Chair Anne Dykstra reviewed a Bremer Grant application the Commission would like to submit. The $1500 grant would be to educate segments of the population that may not understand the need for and benefits of the decennial U.S. census process. The target audience would be apartment dwellers, and people with limited English skills. The proposed implementation strategy is to involve high school students in planning and implementing the marketing message. The HRC hopes to apply for another grant in the future that would focus on bullying, using the same strategy. The Council discussed schools that could be invited to participate and suggested Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council as a resource to work with ethnic associations. Temporary Chair Dykstra indicated that the HRC is meeting with four nearby Human Rights Commissions and will also seek their cooperation. Mayor Loomis reported that the HRC had a Saturday morning meeting to develop an annual work plan and these proposals came out of that session. The Council supported the grant application, which would be administered by the City. Discontinuation of Valley Square Tax Increment District Sue Virnig noted that the Council had previously discussed the idea of closing the remaining Valley Square Tax Increment District a year early, and staff is ready to initiate Council/Manager Meeting Minutes June 9, 2009 - Page 2 the process. The advantage of early decertification would be a lower increase in property taxes for an average home in Golden Valley in 2010. However if properties in the district are tax delinquent the City may have to cover a portion of the last bond payment until the delinquent taxes are received. The Council directed staff to proceed with the decertification process. Parking Restrictions in the Vicinity of Lions Park Jeannine Clancy explained that parking restrictions were implemented in 2008 in response to neighborhood concerns about parking for major events at Lions Park. The Council requested to review this parking issue after a year of experience. Staff has periodically toured the neighborhood during significant recreation events and has found the signage to be effective. However two residents complained after the opening softball tournament this spring. In response Police Chief Altonen sent a letter to the neighborhood outlining illegal parking situations and asking them to call 911 if violations occur (letter included in agenda packet). One complaint dealt with parking in front of mail boxes, which is not illegal. If mail is not delivered because the boxes are blocked, property owners must contact the postal service. The Council directed staff not to change the signage but suggested that to the extent possible, games be staggered so that participants of earlier games can leave before subsequent players arrive, thereby alleviating parking problems. Brian Erickson noted that Schaper Park has also been used to distribute games during tournaments. The Council also suggested that staff send an annual letter or post card to neighborhood residents giving them the dates of significant recreational events and reiterating that they should call 911 if there are parking violations. Neighborhood Process for Design of Wayzata Boulevard (France Avenue to South City Limits) Tom Burt explained that there is interest in the neighborhood in the southeast quadrant of Highway 100 and 1-394 to consider traffic issues related to the opening of the West End shopping area in St. Louis Park in the fall of 2009. Resident Gary Cohen sent an email suggesting an approach to involve residents in the decision process. However there are no plans to further study this issue or involve residents in a process until the office portion of the project, which will require a parking deck in Golden Valley, is developed. When this part of the project goes forward, staff anticipates meeting with the neighborhood to discuss traffic issues. In the mean time staff is also looking into funds to evaluate the intersection of the frontage road under Highway 100 with the Wayzata frontage road on the east side of the highway. Staff is also working on a long planned overlay of the Wayzata frontage road that will maintain the road integrity. Staff will send a letter to the neighborhood informing it about the overlay and indicating that additional road modifications will not occur at this time. Mayor Loomis will send a letter to Gary Cohen to explain the delay in further consideration of neighborhood traffic issues. Commercial Recycling Council Member Scanlon would like to find a way to encourage recycling by Golden Valley businesses. She has surveyed a number of cities and some do require businesses to recycle. Tom Burt suggested that one option would be a code amendment requiring all haulers to provide commercial recycling as a requirement to Council/Manager Meeting Minutes June 9, 2009 - Page 3 secure a.Golden Valley garbage hauling license. After some discussion the Council directed staff to bring this issue, along with requirements to recycle construction waste, to the Council for consideration in a year. Council Salaries Sue Virnig explained that the City Code provides for the Council to review and consider amending Mayor and Council salaries the year of a City election. Staff prepared information on cost of living increases for staff salaries in the years since the last Mayor/Council salary increase as a base for considering salary amendments. In the agenda packet the staff also provided a survey of salaries in other metropolitan cities. Due to the poor economy and the fact that the Council has recommended no cost of living increase for staff in 2010, the Council determined that it would not like to formally consider salary increases this year. Minneapolis Charter Commission Letter Mayor Loomis explained that Paul Ostrow, Minneapolis City Council Member, contacted her to request that Golden Valley take a position on a Minneapolis City Charter amendment he has put forward to place park administration under the City Council instead of an independent park board. She recommended that Golden Valley not take a position on a Minneapolis issue, but rather note outstanding issues related to Minneapolis Park Board property in Golden Valley, including Wirth Park and Theodore Wirth Parkway. Since Ostrow sent his letter, the Minneapolis Charter Commission decided not to pursue the Ostrow ballot initiative on the Park Board. However the City of Minneapolis and the Park Board are considering creating a task force to identify how the two entities can better work together in the future. The Council requested staff to draft a letter to provide background and recommendations to the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Park Board on ways to enhance the park operations in Golden Valley. The Council suggested that the letter be sent to the Minneapolis Mayor, Council, Park Board and Charter Commission. Staff will forward the Council a draft of the letter before it gets sent. 2010 Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission Budget Mayor Loomis reviewed highlights of the proposed Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission Budget for 2010, which will be voted on by the Commission on June 18. The Council had no objections to the budget. Letter from Doug Klein, South Tyrol Neighborhood Paula Pentel asked if any of the Council had responded to a letter from Doug Klein requesting the City to fill the pond in South Tyrol Park with water from the fire hydrant. The Council indicated they would receive and file the letter at the next Council Meeting. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm. Jeanne Andre Assistant City Manager