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CCM 06/26/2017 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF FRIDLEY JUNE 26, 2017 The City Council meeting for the City of Fridley was called to order by Mayor Lund at 7:04 p.m. ROLL CALL: Mayor Lund Councilmember Barnette Councilmember Saefke Councilmember Varichak Councilmember Bolkcom OTHERS PRESENT: Wally Wysopal, City Manager Darcy Erickson, City Attorney Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director Julie Jones, Planning Manager Debra Skogen, City Clerk Representative Connie Bernardy PROCLAMATION: Women of Today Founder’s Day – July 1, 2017 Connie Bernardy , MN House of Representatives, provided a State legislative update. APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: City Council Meeting of June 12, 2017. APPROVED. NEW BUSINESS: 1.Resolution in Support of an Application for a Minnesota Lawful Gambling Premise Permit for Fridley Lions Club at Route 47 Pub & Grub to be Located at 7820 University Avenue N.E. (Ward 3). ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2017-31. 2.Appointments: City Commissions. APPROVED APPOINTMENT OF RACHEL SCHWANKL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND AARON JAHNKE TO THE APPEALS COMMISSION. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 2 3.Claims 177006 – 177202 APPROVED. 4.License – Temporary On-Sale Liquor License APPROVED. ADOPTION OF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA: MOTION by Councilmember Barnette to approve the Proposed Consent Agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Varichak. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OPEN FORUM, VISITORS: No one from the audience spoke. ADOPTION OF AGENDA: MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to approve the agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Saefke. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 5.Consideration of a Proposed Ordinance Amending Fridley City Charter, Chapter 7. Taxation and Finances MOTION by Councilmember Saefke to waive the reading of the notice and open the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE PUBLIC HEARING OPENED AT 7:25 P.M. Debra Skogen, City Clerk, stated the Fridley Home Rule Charter is the fundamental law defining the powers citizens agree to give to the City. The Charter Commission is comprised of 15 court-appointed citizens who meet 8 times annually to discuss and refine the Charter in response to the needs of the community. MN Statute Section 410.12, Subd. 7 allows for charter amendment by ordinance upon recommendation of the Charter Commission. It requires notice of public hearing and publication of the full text of the amendment at least two weeks prior to the public hearing. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 3 Ms. Skogen stated that on May 15, 2017, the Charter Commission recommended an amendment by ordinance to the City Council. On May 22, 2017, the Council scheduled the public hearing for June 26, 2017. On June 2, 2017, the proposed ordinance was published in full in the City’s official newspaper. The Charter Commission has discussed and reviewed Chapter 7 extensively over the past year, in light of budget concerns due to the restrictions placed in the Charter in 2000. The amendment to Section 7.02.1 proposes to remove inflationary Consumer Price Index (CPI) allowing Council to increase tax levy up to 5% over the previous year’s tax levy. Ms. Skogen said the Charter Commission also recommended the City Council have the ability to increase the previous year’s tax levy up to an additional 3% with an affirmative vote of four members of the City Council. A few other amendments were required to correct inconsistencies with Minnesota State Law and general accounting standards. After the public hearing, the proposed amendment requires a first and second reading and a unanimous vote of the City Council to become adopted (July 10 and July 24). If a vote is unanimous, the ordinance becomes effective 90 days after publication, or on November 2, 2017. Staff recommends holding the public hearing on the proposed amendment to Fridley City Charter, Chapter 7. Taxation and Finances. Dave Oswald , Fridley resident and Chair of the Charter Commission, said he has been very involved with this ordinance. The Charter Commission has spent around 8 months looking at the information presented and the finances of the City. The Charter knew this amendment needed to be made. Fourteen voting members overwhelming approved the amendment to give freedom up to 8%. There were a few “no” votes because they thought the ordinance did not remove enough restriction. The Charter Commission came up with a compromise. Steven Eggert , 1090 Hathaway Lane, is a long-term resident and knowledgeable of the finance concerns of the residents. He has been concerned about the cuts that have happened over the last 15 years and is supportive of this amendment. Jerry Balls, 7514 Alden Way, is in favor of the amendment to give the City more flexibility in meeting obligations and paying bills. Councilmember Bolkcom commended the Charter Commission in their work on this and noted that this was a learning process for everyone. City staff provided a lot of information and guidance and now we have an amendment that we can all support. MOTION by Councilmember Barnette to close the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Varichak. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 7:34 P.M. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 4 NEW BUSINESS: 6.Resolution Approving Safe Routes to School Plans for Stevenson Elementary School, Hayes Elementary School, and Fridley Middle School Julie Jones , Planning Manager, stated SRTS addresses the collective need to address public safety issues, encourage biking/walking to school as part of the solution, qualify the City for future SRTS infrastructure funding and complete a task for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The three schools included in the SRTS are Stevenson Elementary, Hayes Elementary and Fridley Middle School. Ms. Jones said the planning team included consultants, City staff, ISD 14 staff, County Highway and Health Department staff, and community volunteers. The planning team participated in a 1 ½ day rapid planning session and walk audits to develop the plans. There were rapid planning sessions and walk audits, and a 1 ½ day team planning session to develop a plan. The Fridley School Board approved the three plans on May 16, 2017. Ms. Jones stated that on June 16, the City held a street event on Seventh Street to obtain public input on proposed changes in the plan for Seventh Street. Three hundred sixty postcards were th sent out and 7 Street was blocked off. Different options were displayed for people to vote on. Thirty-seven adults and thirty-five kids took time to think through the options. The kids got to complete an exercise, enjoy a bounce house, see fire and dump trucks and get free bike stuff. Participants got a coupon for a free Grandpa’s Ice Cream cone, compliments of the City. Ms. Jones shared the results: stth  61 to 59 – 2 of 37 said leave the street design as is; 86% want parking on both sides to remain for games/events and widening of existing sidewalk to 10’ wide th  59 to Medtronic Parkway – 4 of 36 said leave as is; 81% wanted to remove east side parking lane and construct a 10’ wide raised multi-use trail in its place rd  Medtronic Parkway to 53 Avenue – 2 of 32 said to leave as is; 72% wanted to remove the east side parking lane and replace it with a 10’ wide raised multi-use raised trail The direction is consistently clear; for safety reasons, a grade separation from vehicles is desired. There was general agreement that parking on both sides of the street is not needed or used. th Change is desired and there is an additional need to connect to shopping on 57 Avenue. Ms. Jones noted the plan must still be funded. Three SRTS Plans will serve as a guide to the City and ISD 14 to pursue funding. There is no guarantee that funding will be found for every project listed in the plan. Staff would like to hold future street events prior to future infrastructure grant applications to ensure public support. Staff recommends that the City Council approve the three SRTS Plans presented and adopt the resolution. Staff further recommends that the key components of the plan be incorporated in the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 5 Mayor Lund noted that the Safe Routes to School improvements will not be used just for students—it will be used by the public as well. Ms. Jones replied yes, it will benefit residents that live in the area too. Councilmember Bolkcom asked why the funds could not be used for the high school. Ms. Jones said she was not sure why. She would have to ask MnDOT. This funding is very limited and highly competitive. She assumed they limit it to the youngest students so they can get to school safely. Councilmember Bolkcom noted that this is a way to encourage people to move to our community. Ms. Jones stated that the Seventh Street proposal is just one project; but the most significant one in the plans. MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt Resolution No. 2017-32. Seconded by Councilmember Saefke. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7.Approve Capital Project Grant Agreement #2021711 between the City of Fridley and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director, said in 2015, the City constructed a chamber system in Summit Square Park to provide storm water quality. This project was funded by a capital grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO). We have monitored this system, and the system has outperformed its intended design, and has additional storage capacity. We also requested a budget allocation from the MWMO for the 2016 street project, but found no suitable cost-effective method of providing water quality treatment in this area, with the sole exception of adding capacity to an existing dry detention pond at 45th Avenue and Main Street. Mr. Kosluchar said during development of the Main Street Trail Project, it became apparent to the City through design evaluations provided by its consultant engineer, Bolton & Menk, that there was limited water quality treatment and capacity of the drainage system along Main Street. In order to offset added impervious surface, a concept plan was evaluated to allow controlled diversion to the Summit Square Park water quality treatment system. This would have the dual benefit of added water quality benefit and recovering pipe capacity on Main Street. The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) reviewed the feasibility of these two improvements and their use of previously allocated funding, and subsequently encouraged application for their Capital Grants Program. On May 9, the MWMO board approved the Capital Grant Request for this work. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 6 Mr. Kosluchar said the proposed project will both improve the water quality of storm water discharged to the Mississippi River, and reduce the potential for flooding on Main Street. It also maximizes prior investments in the Main Street detention pond and Summit Square Park systems. The first part of project includes improvements to an existing pond on Main Street, at 45th Avenue NE. The Main Street pond is owned by Anoka County and was created in 1961. As part of this project, we are proposing to excavate the existing pond to add approximately one additional foot of storage and to add an outlet control structure to the basin. Increasing the size of the pond and adding the control structure will provide an additional 4,639 cubic feet of treatment volume and encourage infiltration. Mr. Kosluchar stated these improvements are estimated to remove an additional 6 pounds of total phosphorus and 1,100 pounds of sediment each year. In addition, the pond will be planted with a native seed mixture, replacing the turf grass that is currently in place. The second project involves the installation of an 18-inch storm sewer pipe and diversion structure at 53rd Avenue to divert a limited amount of flow from an existing pipe along Main Street to another existing system in Horizon Drive. Benefits of this project include: 1) routing a “first flush” 11-acres of stormwater runoff that currently flows to the Mississippi River untreated (Main Street system) into a system that drains to an infiltration gallery at Summit Square Park (which the MWMO funded in 2015); and 2) providing hydraulic relief to the Main Street system under a 10-year storm event. Estimated water quality benefits of the 53rd Avenue diversion project are the removal of an additional 9 pounds of total phosphorus and 1,600 pounds of sediment per year. The City of Fridley prepared a funding request to the MWMO for this work, and they have provided the construction funding for these projects of $248,230. Mr. Kosluchar said staff recommends the City Council approve the attached Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Capital Project Grant Agreement #2021711 for the Fridley Main Street Pond and 53rd Avenue Diversion Projects. If approved, bid documents will be issued in July for completion of the project. MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to approve the Capital Project Grant Agreement #2021711 between the City of Fridley and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization. Seconded by Councilmember Barnette. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 8.Informal Status Reports th Councilmember Barnette stated Plaza Park trail was closed off at the end of 69 Avenue a few years ago due to a major project. There was a temporary trail put in. After talking with neighbors there is unanimous support that once the project is completed, they would like to see the fence replaced and the asphalt trail removed. This will take place in the next 2-3 weeks. Jim Kosluchar , Public Works Director, added that the plan is to start paving this week. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2017 PAGE 7 Councilmember Bolkcom thanked everyone who attended Summer Solstice at the Banfill- Locke Center for the Arts. They had a good turnout and it was a huge success. She also commented that the ‘49ers parade attendance was down and there have been conversations on whether the parade should continue and if it should be held on a Thursday night or a Saturday. Julie Jones , Planning Manager, announced there will be a summer recycling day on Saturday, July 22. Postcards will be mailed out soon. The event will be at Green Lights Recycling Center to process materials, and there will be coupons to get 2 drop-off items free. There will be no paper shredding at this location, but same day paper shredding will be held outside City Hall under the electronic sign from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Recycling events will be held again in August, September and October--watch for details on the website. Councilmember Bolkcom said residents can sign up online to receive the Sun Focus by mail. th Mayor Lund wished everyone a happy and safe 4 of July and noted City offices would be closed July 3 and 4. ADJOURN: MOTION by Councilmember Barnette to adjourn. Seconded by Councilmember Varichak. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:04 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Krista Peterson Scott J. Lund Recording Secretary Mayor