11-27-07 Worksession
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
November 27,2007
I CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 5:32 p.m.
I ROLL CALL
Members Present:
Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Sue Sandahl; and Susan Rosenberg.
Members Not
Present:
Fred Wroge and Bill Kilian.
Staff Present:
Steven Devich, City Manager; John Stark, Assistant Community Development
Director/Community Development Manager; Dan Scott, Public Safety
Director; Betsy Osborn, Environmental Health Manager; Corrine Heine, City
Attorney; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
Item#1
DISCUSSION OF OUTSIDE PARKING/STORAGE OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
City Manager Devich stated he asked staff to research the ordinances from neighboring cities
on the parking and storage of recreational vehicles in residential areas. He added that City Council
direction should also be provided on how to proceed.
Environmental Health Administrator Osborn reviewed the ordinances from Edina,
Bloomington, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis and Oakdale. Many cities have zoning involved with
enforcement but Richfield does not. She also distributed Richfield's current ordinance, Section 1325.
Parkina: recreational vehicles. The definition of recreational vehicles includes boats, motor homes,
campers, jet skis, snowmobiles, etc.
City Manager Devich said that Council Member Wroge specifically requested that Oakdale be
included in the research.
Mayor Goettel asked City Attorney Heine about case law issues.
City Attorney Heine responded she did not recall any recent court decisions in Minnesota.
She discussed a case from many years ago related to a commercial vehicle parked in a residential
district but it did not set a precedent because the district court judgement was prior to the non-
conforming statute.
Mayor Goettel asked about the necessity to have a grandfather clause.
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November 27, 2007
City Attorney Heine stated that type of restriction is not related to the use of the property but
rather imposing parking restrictions.
Mayor Goettel stated that she found the storage of recreational vehicles in residential areas
an eyesore and that she likes the screening requirement in other cities.
Public Safety Director Scott clarified that only what the ordinance states is enforceable.
Environmental Health Manager Osborn reported that staff informed her that of approximately
10 recreational vehicle ordinance violation complaints received, 2 were in violation and 8 were not.
This is out of approximately 1,500 various environmental/maintenance complaints received this year.
Mayor Goettel asked about the number of complaints received by other cities and court cases
from other cities.
Public Safety Director Scott stated revising this ordinance was approached in the 1980's by a
previous City Council and was very controversial and not pursued.
Council Member Rosenberg said that she has received several complaints, especially about
boats parked in front yards but not as many about motor homes.
Council Member Sandahl stated she liked the requirement of screening to prevent visual
blight. She also suggested size limits be considered. The cost of ownership of a recreational vehicle
should include paying for storage.
City Manager Devich reported the comments from Council Members Wroge and Kilian as they
requested:
Council Member Wroge:
. April 1 to October 1 recreational vehicles, including boats, can be parked in the driveway
for any 7 days in that 6-month period.
. October 1 to April 1 recreational vehicles, including board, can be parked in the driveway
for up to 7 days.
. Boats, recreational vehicles and trailers should be treated the same.
. Parking in backyards is acceptable, but not front and side yards.
Council Member Kilian:
. Boats, trailers, recreational vehicles should be stored so they're not visible from the street.
. Storage should in the garage or off-site.
. Can be in driveway in the summer for no more than a week at a time.
. Parking in backyards is acceptable.
Mayor Goettel said her issue was backyard parking.
Environmental Health Manager Osborn said tracking the time would be difficult. No
recreational vehicles are permitted forward of the house on non-surfaced areas.
Council Member Sandahl asked Ernie Lindstrom if screening would be of assistance to his
particular situation.
Ernie Lindstrom, 7407 Fremont Avenue, stated the issue is improving neighborhoods. His
issue is storage of vehicles in front and side yards. He suggested the City do an inventory of
foreclosures, rental properties, single family homes with more than one police call and apartments
with more than three, and the magnitude of the recreational vehicle storage issue. He said screening
in the front or side yards should not be required because residents are entitled to the views from a
setback. He discussed the Burnsville ordinance. There should be no entitlement to a grandfather
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November 27, 2007
clause but rather a short time period in which to comply. Part of ownership of a recreational vehicle is
storage costs.
Council Member Rosenberg acknowledged Mr. Lindstrom's concerns and discussed the
ordinances considered by the City Council that address the housing issues. She also discussed the
success of the neighborhood property maintenance program.
Mayor Goettel said the cultural value of neighborhoods is trying to be restored but it takes time
to establish ordinances.
Public Safety Director Scott stated Burnsville is included in the research and a list of Top 10
violations is on the Richfield's website. The number of single family rental properties is known.
Mayor Goettel requested staff move forward with the research on the ordinance, including
pros and cons.
Council Member Sandahl suggested there be no grandfather clause but rather a timeframe to
comply, screening be required, and front yard parking be prohibited.
City Manager Devich said further discussion will be at the annual goalsetting session and a
City Council Worksession in January.
I ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consen~44 POll" () c . / .
Date Approved: December 11. 2007 f:::::)~ ~
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Cheryl K mh ~'-v
Recording Secretary