Loading...
09/11/2007 - City Council Special MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2007 5:30 P.M. EAGAN ROOM ? EAGAN MUNICIPAL CENTER City Councilmembers present: Mayor Maguire, Councilmembers Bakken, Carlson, Fields and Tilley. City staff present: City Administrator Hedges, Director of Administrative Services VanOverbeke, Parks and Recreation Director Seydell Johnson, Superintendent of Enterprise Operations Mesko, Director of Communications Garrison, City Planner Ridley, Utilities Superintendent Schwanz, Superintendent Olson, Campus Facilities Manager Vaughan, and Director of Community Development Hohenstein. City Attorney Dougherty was also present. I. ROLL CALL AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Mayor Maguire called the meeting to order. Councilmember Fields moved, Councilmember Bakken seconded a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 II. STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE / PROPOSED EAGAN CHARTER City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting per the direction of the Council at the September 4, 2007 City Council meeting, the City Attorney has revised the recommended disclosure pertaining to the proposed Eagan Charter. Hedges added that it is proposed that the disclosure statement would accompany any copy of the Charter provided by the City and will be posted on the City?s web site where the proposed Charter is also available. Councilmember Carlson moved, Councilmember Tilley seconded a motion to approved the following statement of disclosure pertaining to the proposed Eagan Charter, per the recommendation of the City Attorney: This document was not prepared by or on behalf of the Eagan City Council. Questions concerning the wording or content should be directed to the members of the Charter Commission and not to the Eagan City staff at City Hall. The Eagan City Council is not associated or affiliated in any manner with the Charter Commission. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 The City Council also directed that the disclosure be prepared on blank paper with no City letterhead and that the disclosure be added to the City?s web site. Special City Council Minutes September 11, 2007 Page 2 III. PARKS AND RECREATION 5-YEAR CIP City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that one of the primary responsibilities of the APrC is the annual preparation and updating of the departmental Capital Improvement Plan, which serves as a blue print and planning guide for Parks? projects. Dorothy Peterson, Chair of the APrC, summarized the process taken by the Commission in preparing the proposed CIP. Superintendent of Parks Olson summarized the proposed 2008 projects. The City Council discussed the proposed projects and the balance of the Parks Site Acquisition and Development Fund. Parks and Recreation Johnson noted that one major acquisition could deplete the fund. The Council also discussed an ?adopt a park? program. Director Johnson noted that there are currently a number of volunteers working in the parks and they find that clean up projects are best suited for one-time projects. Councilmember Carlson moved, Councilmember Tilley seconded a motion to direct the formal approval of the 2008 ? 2012 Capital Improvement Projects to the September 18, 2007 regular City Council meeting. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 IV. PROPOSED 2008 PUBLIC UTILITY ENTERPRISE BUDGETS City Administrator Hedges provided background information regarding the proposed 2008 Public Utility Enterprise Budgets, which includes water, sanitary sewer, street lighting, storm drainage, and water quality. The City Council discussed the proposed budgets. It was noted that various lakes, ponds and retention basins scattered throughout the system are slowly starting to fill up with sediment and debris requiring major excavation and dredging improvements to restore the pond basin in its original storage capabilities. It was also noted that the excavation and dredging improvements are proposed to be an ongoing maintenance program, and thus an annual allocation is proposed within the budget. Councilmember Tilley, Councilmember Fields seconded a motion to direct the budgets to future City Council meeting for formal consideration. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 V. PROPOSED 2008 CASCADE BAY BUDGET City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that the proposed 2008 budget shows a decrease of approximately 1.9 percent. Hedges also added that the balanced budget provides for the appropriate level of renewal and replacement funds, including an allocation for capital equipment and annual debt service. Special City Council Minutes September 11, 2007 Page 3 The City Council discussed efforts needed at Cascade Bay in order for the water park to remain viable, including marketing efforts to focus on the product being provided. Parks and Recreation Director Johnson highlighted some of the current marketing efforts, and noted that group sales remain to be strong and Captain?s Course has been an added package to be marketed. The City Council discussed future opportunities available at Cascade Bay. Councilmember Carlson moved, Councilmember Bakken seconded a motion to direct the 2008 Cascade Bay budget to a future City Council meeting for formal consideration. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 VI. PROPOSED 2008 COMMUNITY CENTER BUDGET City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that the proposed 2008 Eagan Community Center budget is proposed to increase by 2.9 percent over the 2007 budget. Hedges added that the Council is requested to take action on the proposed 2008 membership rates. Superintendent of Enterprise Operations Mesko provided a history on rates at the Community Center. The City Council discussed the proposed rate increase. Councilmember Fields moved, Councilmember Bakken seconded a motion to raise the 2008 rates to the following: Resident, first member - $35.00; resident ? each additional member - $30.00 Non-resident, first member - $40.00; non-resident ? each additional member $40.00 Aye: 4, Nay: 1 (Councilmember Tilley opposed) The City Council discussed the proposed Community Center fee schedule. The Council voiced their consensus that they approve of a policy to update the fees bi-annually, thereby increasing predictability and overall stability in revenue forecasting. City Administrator Hedges and Director of Parks and Recreation Johnson summarized proposed expenditures for 2008 at the Community Center. The Council discussed the expenditures and the proposed coffee bar operation. City Administrator Hedges also summarized the successful reorganization of personnel that occurred at the Community Center, noting that more employees are on the floor to accommodate customers. The City Council discussed a proposed new item for The Blast indoor playground. There was also consensus amongst the Council to research lease opportunities with regard to the fitness equipment. Special City Council Minutes September 11, 2007 Page 4 Councilmember Bakken moved, Councilmember Fields seconded a motion to direct the 2008 Community Center budget to a future City Council meeting for formal consideration. Aye: 5, Nay: 0 The City Council recessed at 7:05 p.m. The City Council resumed their meeting at 7:17 p.m. VII. MODIFICATION OF DYNAMIC SIGN/BILLBOARD REGULATIONS City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that in response to the initial installation of electronic digital billboard signs in late 2006, a number of cities in the region, including Eagan, enacted moratoriums on the placement of additional dynamic signs to permit them to study and consider additional regulations in their regard. Hedges added that the City of Eagan enacted its moratorium in January of 2007 and it is set to expire on October 31, 2007. Community Development Director Hohenstein provided additional background on the issue. The City Council discussed the policy issues surrounding the issue of dynamic signs. The City Council voiced their consensus that steadfast rules need to be applied up front, prior to lifting the moratorium. The Council suggested that a criteria be established as to the amount of time for public service messaging. The City Council also noted that traffic speed monitors should be an exclusion within the ordinance. Following City Council discussion, City Administrator Hedges noted that the proposed City Code amendment regarding the regulation of dynamic sign is scheduled to go before the Eagan Planning Commission on September 25, and back to the City Council at an October City Council meeting. The City Council recessed at 8:32 p.m. The City Council reconvened at 8:42 p.m. VIII. COMMENTS RE: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION OF USPS FACILITIES AT EAGAN BULK MAIL CENTER SITE City Administrator Hedges noted that no formal action was needed on this item given changes that occurred through a meeting with the Post Office Partnership to discuss the short review time the City has had with regard to the proposed environmental assessment. Mr. Hedges stated that comments to the proposed environmental assessment would be included on an upcoming regular City Council meeting agenda for formal consideration. Special City Council Minutes September 11, 2007 Page 5 IX. COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE PLAN REVIEW (LAND USE CHAPTER) City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that the City is required to update its Comprehensive Plan every ten years. Hedges added that work in this regard has been ongoing since last year and the City Council has seen draft sections related to Parks and Recreation, transportation and utilities at previous work sessions. City Planner Ridley noted that the Advisory Planning Commission (APC) and City staff have spent a number of workshop meetings working on updating the land use section. Ridley added that in addition to updating facts and figures, the APC has worked on visioning land uses for the next ten to twenty years. Mr. Ridley presented a map/list of the proposed seven special areas created with the 2000 update and the map/list of the nine proposed special areas for the 2008 update. The City Council discussed the purpose of the special area designations, and it was noted that such designations would be needed to support the City Council goals within those areas. The City Council also discussed the public facilities and major office designations. The Council requested that additional review occur on proposed special areas 10, 11 and 12, as well as review with the City Attorney. It was noted that the City Council will have a future opportunity to review the proposed updates to the 2008 Comprehensive Guide chapters. X. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. XI. VISITORS TO BE HEARD There were no visitors to be heard. XII. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Fields moved; Councilmember Tilley seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. Aye: 5, Nay: 0