Loading...
02/10/1998 - City Council Special 00048 MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL Eagan, Minnesota February 10, 1998 A special meeting of the Eagan City Council was held on Tuesday, February 10, 1998 at 5:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Municipal Center Community Room. Present were Mayor Egan and City Councilmembers Awada, Blomquist, Masin and Wachter. Also present were Senior Planner Ridley, Planner Farnham, Associate Planner Dudziak, Assistant to the City Administrator Hohenstein, Superintendent of Recreation Peterson and City Administrator Hedges. Also present at the meeting were members of the Advisory Planning Commission including its Chairperson Carla Heyl, Jerry Segal, Paul Bakken, Larry Frank, Steve Burdorf, Peggy Carlson, Greg Steininger and Gary Huusko. Also present were members of the Advisory Parks & Recreation including its Chairperson Lee Markell. Terry Davis, Barbara Johnson. Steve Knutson and Bonnie Karson. Members of the Economic Development Commission were present including its Chairperson Gary Morgan, Mark Reimer, Cal Clark, Cathy Clark-Matuszak and John Young. Also present was Consultant Greg Ingraham. The purpose of the meeting was to review various goals and policies that were prepared by a subcommittee of the Planning Commission and City Council regarding residential land use and goals and policies prepared by the Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission for parks and natural resources and economic development goals prepared by the Economic Development Commission. COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE PLAN UPDATE City Administrator Hedges gave an introduction and brief summary of the background of the development of the goals and policies presented for review. He introduced Greg Ingraham. the consultant, who then introduced himself to the group with a summary of his background and experience. Mayor Egan thanked everyone for attending and for the opportunity to meet jointly with the advisory commissions. Parks and Recreation Council member Awada explained that the changes made by the CC/APC subcommittee are shown on the draft. They added wording to be more inclusive of serving all age groups and abilities. Council member Wachter asked for clarification about the protection of animal species. APrC Member Burdorf asked about what "where feasible" means, and how to interpret that when faced with a question from the public about acquiring a piece of property for parkland. His concern relates specifically to those situations when faced with a development proposal that neighbors object to the development and ask the city to buy and preserve the land instead of allowing it to develop. Council members Awada and Blomquist both indicated that the language allows the city the flexibility to determine feasibility on a case by case basis. Planner Farnham pointed out that as it relates to land acquisition, those areas considered deficient in the parks plan are those that would be considered. Mayor Egan indicated that the City needs to be creative and responsible, we can't acquire every parcel on the "wish list." Wording was changed from "where feasible" to "if feasible." APC Member Segal asked that language be added to provide some recognition that the City is moving toward or will periodically analyze providing year round use of trails. The Council agreed. APrC Member Davis asked for an explanation of the changes to the Natural Resources section why "develop" was removed from the goal about natural corridors. His concern was that the revised goal would eliminate the possibility of acquiring natural corridors to foster ecosystem continuity. APC Member Bakken explained that "develop" is a contradiction to maintaining "natural corridors," and the group revised the wording to "To strive to acquire and maintain, iffeasible, natural corridors. . . ." APrC Chair Markell asked why specific facility types were removed from the policy on special use recreational facilities. Councilmember Awada explained that needs change and although a swimming pool or ice arena may be seen as a need this year, in three years that may change so they wanted the policy to be more general. 00049 Page 2lEagan Special City Council Meeting Minutes February 10,1998 Councilmember Masin thought the policy on land acquisition for special use facilities needed to be more specific. If we need a large tract of land for a special use facility, we need to know what it's for, identify it and bank land for it if possible. If the City doesn't set aside needed land, we forego the opportunity to acquire it as it becomes privately developed. Mayor Egan responded that it's difficult to bank land that the City doesn't own or have an option on. APC Member Frank asked about preserving large open spaces - public or private? Also, he said it was unrealistic of the City to think in this urban area that the "predevelopment natural environment" can be preserved. The APrC and APC/CC subcommittee members all explained that the policy was meant to apply to public open spaces. APC Chair Heyl asked if "where feasible" included working with other communities or the private sector to make something feasible. Mayor Egan agreed that the City needs to be creative because we have limited resources, especially since the most recent parks referendum did not pass. Economic Develooment Assistant to the City Administrator Hohenstein gave a summary of the background of the development of the economic development goals and policies. EDC Chair Morgan gave a brief introduction and commented that the changes made by the APC/CC subcommittee were rather minor. Giving credit to EDC Member Reimer, he indicated that the presence and attraction of corporate headquarters is important for the image of Eagan and economic vitality of the city. Under the image goals, the group discussed the use of the word "vital" and Council member Masin suggested "vibrant" instead, with the explanation that vital connotes essential, and that was not exactly what was meant. Others concurred. EDC Chair Morgan said that the City needs to do more to promote its image and the positive things about Eagan. Councilmember Awada agreed. Councilmember Wachter indicated that people come to Eagan for the schools and tax base and the City needs to maintain those things, and work to keep taxes down, and if we do that the area will sell itself. Council member Blomquist added that Eagan's location and proximity to vital services (airport, Mpls. and 5t. Paul, etc.) adds to Eagan's attractiveness. Councilmember Awada said that it is on the Council's work agenda to revise the home occupation ordinance to be more home-based business friendly, while avoiding problems and nuisances to neighbors. She also asked about the intent of the goal under Diverse Tax Base regarding venture capital and access to capital, indicating she does not support the City getting into funding. EDC Chair Morgan said the EDC had in mind cooperation with providers, incubator programs and such, that help business access capital (i.e. Lull Industries where the City's support of Lull helped them access state funds), but not using Eagan tax dollars for that purpose. It was agreed to change the wording to "To cooperate with other entities in the development of venture capital." Residential City Administrator Hedges gave the background of the process and steps the subcommittee went through in developing the residential goals and policies, beginning with visioning and brainstorming, looking at the whole community, discussing types of housing units and demographics. Councilmember Awada shared the subcommittee's discussion on redevelopment and making better use of the riverfront area. Redevelopment could make the riverfront area a mixed development area, maybe including some high density upscale residential with view overlooking the river, and mixed uses with clean industry and businesses and residential in the same area, or possibly an entertainment center. She added that this area may be suitable for 3-story buildings. Council member Blomquist added that the Seneca treatment plant 00050 Page 3/Eagan Special City Council Meeting Minutes February 10,1998 has been cleaned up and is no longer a barrier to non-industrial development. Other council members added their ideas for other uses of the riverfront area. APC Member Segal explained that in developing the goals and policies, the subcommittee recognized that in the future Eagan will need to think more about maintaining the quality of eXisting structures and redevelopment. Council member Blomquist said they struggled with how to frame goals and policies to reflect a reduction in D-Il development and encouragement of detached single-family on remaining vacant. residential land and asked for feedback from the larger group on that issue. APC Member Burdorf asked how .safe housing" differed from .safe neighborhoods" and if that implied the City intended to implement a housing code? Councilmember Awada indicated safe housing is a building codes issue, whereas safe neighborhoods is a crime issue and added that it was not the intent to embark down the road toward development of a housing inspection program, but rather to be more proactive in enforcing property maintenance (i.e. junk vehicles, etc.). The reference to safe housing was replaced with well-maintained property. APC Member Burdorf also said that when he read the statement regarding development of "strong neighborhoods with individual identities" it seems segregationist and that if each neighborhood has it's individual identity, it separates rather than brings the community together. Council member Blomquist indicated that the intent was not to divide, but rather to encourage the strength of neighborhoods. Council member Masin used the example of neighborhood monument identifications, such as is prevalent along Wescott Avenue - some like them, some don't. Those residents who don't may see such identification as elitist and consequently, rather than fostering community, it divides. APC Member Segal suggested deleting the "with individual identities" phrase. Others agreed. Regarding Services, APC Chair Heyl asked if it is the City's intent to proactively provide trail connections. As people's needs changes, is the City going to go back and retrofit to add a sidewalk where there wasn't one before? APC Member Segal explained that the statement was broad enough to allow the City to do it, but more importantly, to require a developer to provide such services with a new development. The City still has the flexibility to evaluate when and where. The solution was to use .promote" instead of "provide." Regarding Housing Balance, the group discussed the policy relating to multi-family development. Concerns were expressed that this statement could preclude multifamily housing that the City desires and does not have much of (i.e. upscale apartments or condos, senior housing, etc.). It was also noted that the policy seems to contradict the goal to provide housing options for all needs. Ultimately, the group decided to have the subcommittee revisit this policy, and determine the appropriate modification. Councilmember Masin said that transportation and communication are important for residents and the City needs to be more active in planning for those services, but these goals and policies don't do that. She added that the City will be asked to locate a transit hub and we will need to think about an appropriate location for such a hub and for additional park and ride lots. Councilmember Blomquist indicated that those items will be covered in other chapters of the Plan. APC Chair Heyl asked what developing standards for communications infrastructure meant. She suggested what the City really wants to do is "develop standards for the use of public right-of-way to enable the provision of communications infrastructure to provide for future capacity." Others agreed to this rewording. City Administrator Hedges reviewed the next steps listed in the cover memo. Planner Farnham gave an overview of staffs expectations for progress on this project. She indicated that a draft land use map will need to be completed and agreed upon before transportation and sewer elements can be completed. That will also help identify inconsistencies in the plan, zoning and current use of properties. She also indicated that an extensive public review process will be necessary before submitting the Plan to the Metropolitan Council and that the Plan also needs to be reviewed by adjacent communities for comment. 00051 Page 4/Eagan Special City Council Meeting Minutes February 10,1998 OTHER BUSINESS City Council member Awada stated that she would like to schedule a discussion by the City Council regarding a change in scheduling the municipal elections from even years to odd years. She further stated that this would separate school board and city elections from state and national elections, allowing constituents to better focus on local issues. After a brief discussion by the City Councilmembers regarding the pros and cons, the City Administrator was directed to schedule this item for Council discussion at the February 24 workshop meeting. City Council member Masin stated that the City Council needs to consider provisions for an MVTA transit hub to be located somewhere in the City as part ofthe comprehensive guide plan review. She stated that plans are under way to build a transit hub in Apple Valley. There is currently a transit hub in Burnsville and given the size of Eagan, it is likely a transit hub would be located in this community. City Administrator Hedges recommended that the MVTA staff provide some demographic information that would be helpful for the comprehensive guide plan subcommittee in its review of locations. City Council member Wachter stated that he would not have a problem with requesting an amendment to the proposed legislation that will increase the allocation of on-sale liquor licenses by an additional four, action that was approved by the City Council at the January 6 meeting. He specifically stated that the amendment provision would require a sunset provision for these four licenses once the base is adjusted to be concurrent with the population due to the federal census in the year 2000. Mayor Egan recognized that a majority of the City Council is in support of a sunset provision and asked the City Administrator to share this information with the legislative delegation. City Council member Wachter stated that in regard to winter plowing of trails and sidewalks, it is his opinion that residents, including business owners and apartment owners, should be responsible for snow removal on sidewalks and trails adjacent to their property. City Councilmember Blomquist stated that in Bloomington the trails are all plowed and is curious as to whether their associations, neighborhoods or the city provides that plowing. City Councilmember Awada stated that when this matter is addressed by the City Council in a work session, she would like staff to consider a proposal whereby only a three to four foot path would need to be plowed. City Administrator Hedges stated that it was the City Council's desire to bring this back to a work session to determine how and when this issue should be presented to the public for a hearing. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. February 10, 1998 Date ~k~ TLH