01-12-10 CM Minutes
Council/Manager Meeting Minutes
January 12, 2010
Present: Mayor Loomis and Council Members Freiberg, Pentel, Scanlon and Shaffer, City
Manager Tom Burt, Public Works Director Jeannine Clancy, Director of Planning and
Development Mark Grimes, City Engineer Jeff Oliver, and Assistant City Manager Jeanne
Andre
The meeting began at 6:49 pm in the Council Conference Room.
Golden Hills Development Concept Proposal: The Three. Nine. Four
Mark Globus of Global One Financial reviewed the two year process his team has navigated
working with City staff and adjacent property owners to develop a concept for the excess
Minnesota Department of Transportation Department (MnDOT) property at 1-394 and
Highway 100. The current proposal for the four acre site includes an apartment (138 units)
with five levels of housing and two, below ground levels of parking, a 165-unit, six story,
wood construction hotel, with one level of underground parking, and a 3000 square foot
branch business bank. Mr. Globus highlighted the proposed stormwater pond, sidewalk and
driveway connections and landscaping.
Mark Grimes explained that many issues such as stormwater management, shading
impacts of the buildings, location of the bank monument sign, access to the site and
possible collaboration with adjacent property owners need to be studied. A neighborhood
meeting is required as part of the process, but staff recommends that many of the questions
regarding the site plan be addressed before such a meeting is scheduled. He explained that
MnDOT plans to dispose of this property. The Housing and Redevelopment Authority can
secure the site to sell immediately to the developer if an acceptable redevelopment plan can
be developed, or the HRA can give up the right-of-first-refusal and allow the site to be
auctioned to the highest bidder. In either case, the City would have planning authority over
the site, which was rezoned to mixed use after the 1-394 Corridor Study.
The Council requested staff to direct the developer to work with MnDOT and the HRA on the
purchase of the property.
Transit for Livable Communities Funding Amendment Request
Mark Grimes explained that representatives from Golden Valley met in January with the
staff of Transit for Livable Communities to discuss the difficulty of proceeding with interim
improvements in keeping with the City's original grant proposal and TLC requirements to
restripe the road, build a sidewalk on the east side and reduce the speed limit to 35 miles
per hour. At the meeting with TLC, the group discussed possible amendments to the
proposal that could meet the needs of the City, county and TLC. If the Council approves
amending the proposal, it would be presented at the February Bike/Walk Advisory Meeting.
That body would then make a recommendation to the TLC Board at its March meeting.
The amendment discussed by City and TLC staff is to repair the surface and restripe
Douglas Drive from Golden Valley Road to County Road 8 in Crystal. Hennepin County
would do a mill and overlay with of the segment from St. Croix Avenue N. to County Road 8
and the City of Golden Valley would do a seal coat on the segment from Golden Valley
Road to St. Croix Avenue N. Hennepin County would take handle all of the striping. After
Council/Manager Meeting Minutes
January 12, 2010 - Page 2
the road work is done, a speed study would be undertaken. This would constitute the
temporary road improvements.
Staff recommended that the City and County undertake this work with local resources,
which is less cumbersome than utilizing grant funds, which have many requirements. The
City would request that grant funds be designated for the design of the proposed 2015-16
Hennepin County Douglas Drive project, with any remaining funds designated for early
acquisition needed for the project. Jeannine Clancy reported that Hennepin County met with
staff to review this approach, and City and County are developing cost estimates for their
respective portions of the project. These estimates should be ready within the week. The
Council supported submitting an amended grant proposal to TLC.
Proposed Ordinance Amendment - Massage Parlors Saunas and Other Adult
Oriented Services
Mark Grimes reported that the current Section 6.36 of the City Code dealing with
requirements for massage therapists is antiquated and not well suited to current approaches
to massage therapy. He also noted that although massage therapy is currently allowed as a
home occupation in a Single Family Zoning District, he thinks additional guidelines should be
considered.
The Executive Summary in the agenda packet included language that could apply when
evaluating massage therapists for a license. Since the State of Minnesota does not license
this profession, the burden is left to each community. Mark Grimes recommends relying on a
number of other certifying agencies and also allowing staff to seek additional information to
consider licensing massage therapists who do not meet the common certifications. He also
recommends that massage therapy as a home occupation be limited to a single practitioner
in order to avoid dealing with onerous facility licensing requirements. If the Council concurs
with this approach Grimes said he would undertake a more thorough review of the ordinance
and bring a proposed ordinance amendment for future Council consideration. The Council
supported this approach.
Proposed Ordinance Amendment - Deck Front Yard Setback Restrictions in Single
Family Residential Zoning District
Mark Grimes reported that staff has received a number of requests for front yard decks set
back 30 feet from the front lot line. The City Code currently allows a front porch with a roof to
meet this 3D-foot setback, but not a deck. This issue was presented to the Planning
Commission, which supports the proposed amendment. The Council expressed support for
this approach and asked that the ordinance also include a definition of a deck, so the type of
permitted structure that is allowed will be clear. The ordinance amendment will come to the
Council at a future meeting.
Proposed Ordinance Amendment - Curb Cut Restrictions in Single Family Residential
Zoning District
Mark Grimes noted that limiting driveway cuts had been discussed by the City Council and
Planning Commission, to establish provisions for how many driveway aprons are allowed for
each residential lot, particularly as the streets are reconstructed. Proposed new provisions
identify a limited number of circumstances in which more than one curb cut is allowed. By
placing this language in the Zoning Chapter, residents would be allowed to seek a variance
in the case of hardship.
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January 12, 2010 - Page 3
The Council discussed whether the Pavement Management Program Policies should be
changed to require residents to be assessed for any driveway cut beyond the normal single
cut. After some discussion, the Council decided not to change the assessment policy now,
as it nears completion of reconstructing all of the streets.
The Council asked that staff further define how a permanent handicap would be discerned
and bring a draft ordinance back for consideration at a future Council/Manager Meeting.
Finished Grades of Manhole Castings
Tom Burt reported that this item has been removed from the agenda.
Winter Maintenance - Three Rivers Park District Trail System
Jeannine Clancy reported that the City and Park District each receive numerous calls
requesting that the Luce Line Trail be plowed in the winter. Three Rivers Park District policy
is that it does not plow trails in the winter, but local jurisdictions may chose to plow. Many
residents do not understand the winter maintenance policy. Staff at Three Rivers Park
District has suggested that this issue be reconsidered by its Board, and indicated that a letter
from the City initiating this request might help initiate the discussion. The Council asked staff
to draft a letter making this request.
Legislative Agenda
Tom Burt suggested that the Council consider drafting a smaller legislative agenda with a
few items the Council considers to be the most important. Discussion ensued on this
approach and which items might be selected. The Council directed staff to streamline the
legislative agenda to focus on glitches in the fiscal disparities law and support for bonding
for infrastructure to interconnect the Minneapolis and St. Paul water systems and support
local infrastructure improvements to correct inflow and infiltration to the storm sewer system.
Council Workshop
The Council supported scheduling a Council Workshop on Saturday, February 6 and using
the agenda staff drafted and included in the agenda packet.
The meeting adjourned at 8:37 pm.
Jeanne Andre
Assistant City Manager