10-09-07 Worksession
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
October 9, 2007
I CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Pro Tempore Sandahl at 6:16 p.m.
I ROLL CALL
Members Present:
Sue Sandahl; Bill Kilian; Fred Wroge; and Susan Rosenberg.
Members
Not Present:
Debbie Goettel, Mayor.
Staff Present:
Steven Devich, City Manager; Bruce Palmborg, Community Development
Director; Betsy Osborn, Health Administrator; Charlie O'Brien, Code
Compliance Specialist; Dave Kelley, Central Garage/Fleet Maintenance Auto
Mechanic; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
Item # I
DISCUSSION REGARDING PARKING/STORAGE OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IN
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 186)
Health Administrator Osborn reviewed the background related to developing criteria to the
parking/storage of commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods. She said staff will discuss a
method of fairly defining oversized vehicles in a manner that the public can easily comprehend and
that staff can easily enforce. The current ordinance limits vehicles on residential property to one ton
or less and yet, the automobile manufacturers keep making personal vehicles larger and larger, some
far exceeding one ton. An ordinance based on weight is difficult to enforce because of their ever-
growing size and also does not effectively address the problem of very large vehicles with low weight.
Code Compliance Specialist O'Brien discussed the proposed recommendation to be
considered by the City Council establishing an "oversize vehicle" definition. This would mean that
vehicles larger than twenty-two feet in length, eight feet in width and eight feet in height would not be
allowed in residential neighborhoods. Several other cities use these same measurements in their
ordinance and weight would no longer be involved.
Code Compliance Specialist O'Brien stated staff has met to discuss this with a Richfield City
employee, Dave Kelley, who is a State of Minnesota certified commercial vehicle inspector and City of
Richfield mechanic. He supports the idea of defining "oversized vehicles" by means of measurement
rather than by weight.
Health Administrator Osborn said the actual vehicle size is the measurement and mirrors or
ladders on the top or side are not included.
Special Worksession Minutes
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October 9, 2007
Council Member Kilian discussed the "cat and mouse" game played by some vehicle owners
in violation of the 48-hour street-parking ordinance.
Health Administrator Osborn explained the separate home occupancy ordinance, which is
enforced through zoning administration.
Code Compliance Specialist O'Brien said the regulations pertain to residential and commercial
lots, not streets, which are public parking.
Council Member Wroge asked about code enforcement only being done when a complaint is
received, which forces neighbors to complain on neighbors and is unfair to them.
Health Administrator Osborn stated, typically, it is complaint-based, but pro-active inspections
are also done. She reviewed the duties of the Community Service Officers.
Council Member Sandahl said if one dimension of the vehicle is not met, it is a violation.
Council Member Wroge said some violations should be handled immediately when observed.
Council Member Wroge suggested the maximum size allowed should be an econo-size van.
Auto Mechanic Kelley said the City of Crystal adopted a size, not weight, limit ordinance.
Council Member Kilian said there should be a closer black-and-white decision, not a gray
area. He added that eight feet may be too high.
Council Member Sandahl suggested the maximum be the size of a small bus.
The City Council consensus was to have the size limit be TxTx22', not exceeding the size of
an extended version of an econo-size van.
Council Member Wroge said he believed length to be not as important as weight and height.
The City Council consensus was to also have staff review the issue of not just moving vehicles
off the driveway and onto the street and the "cat and mouse" parking game played by some
commercial vehicles.
I ADJOURNMENT
Date Approved:
r!Lt~
Che~IKru~holz
Recording Secreta~