Loading...
01-08-08 Worksession CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Richfield, Minnesota Special Worksession January 8, 2008 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 5:34 p.m. ROLL CALL Members Present: Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Sue Sandahl (arrived at 5:37 p.m.); Susan Rosenberg; Fred Wroge and Bill Kilian. Staff Present: Steven Devich, City Manager; Mike Eastling, Public Works Director; Dan Scott, Public Safety Director; Tom Foley, Transportation Engineer; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary. Item # I DISCUSSION REGARDING TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BY-LAWS (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 4) Transportation Engineer Tom Foley reviewed the history of the Transportation Commission and their by-laws that indicate the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission liaisons have voting privileges. The City Council liaison does not have voting rights. Mayor Goettel asked what other advisory commission liaisons have the right to vote. Public Works Director Eastling responded none. Council Member Kilian stated the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission liaisons are appointed by their respective commission. The issues considered by the Transportation Commission overlap with these other commissions. Council Member Kilian continued that he believed if the liaison is not able to vote there is not as strong a relationship with the commission. Council Member Sandahl expressed agreement with Council Member Kilian’s comments. She stated she believes liaisons regularly attend because they are voting members. The perspectives of the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission are very helpful since the Transportation Commission deals with issues that involve development and parks. Council Member Wroge stated that if the Transportation Commission was established to be similar to the Planning Commission there was a lack of consistency in voting because liaisons to the Planning Commission do not vote. He said he did not believe liaisons only attend because of voting privileges. He added that he favored liaisons not voting. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Richfield, Minnesota Special Worksession January 8, 2008 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 5:34 p.m. ROLL CALL Members Present:Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Sue Sandahl (arrived at 5:37 p.m.); Susan Rosenberg; Fred Wroge and Bill Kilan. Staff Present:Steven Devich, City Manager; Mike Eastling, Public Works Director; Dan Scott, Public Safety Director; Tom Foley, Transportation Engineer; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary. Item # IDISCUSSION REGARDING TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BY-LAWS (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 4) Transportation Engineer Tom Foley reviewed the history of the Transportation Commission and their by-laws that indicate the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission liaisons have voting privileges. The City Council liaison does not have voting rights. Mayor Goettel asked what other advisory commission liaisons have the right to vote. Public Works Director Eastling responded none. Council Member Kilian stated the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission liaisons are appointed by their respective commission. The issues considered by the Transportation Commission overlap with these other commissions. Council Member Kilian continued that he believed if the liaison is not able to vote there is not as strong a relationship with the commission. Council Member Sandahl expressed agreement with Council Member Kilian’s comments. She stated she believes liaisons regularly attend because they are voting members. The perspectives of the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission are very helpful since the Transportation Commission deals with issues that involve development and parks. Council Member Wroge stated that if the Transportation Commission was established to be similar to the Planning Commission there was a lack of consistency in voting because liaisons to the Planning Commission do not vote. He said he did not believe liaisons only attend because of voting privileges. He added that he favored liaisons not voting. Special Worksession Minutes-2-January 8, 2008 Mayor Goettel agreed that voting privileges should be consistent on all commissions. Council Member Sandahl said the City Council liaison to the Transportation Commission does not vote. She added that the current Transportation Commission by-laws work so they should remain the same. Transportation Commission Member Barb Kritzman stated the liaison to the Friends of Wood Lake (FOWL) Board votes. Transportation Commission Member Bob Shotwell said he was not for or against the liaisons voting but it does appear two Commission members are permitted to vote on two other commissions. Mayor Goettel stated that people are not allowed to serve on more than one commission other than the Celebrations Commission. Council Member Rosenberg stated that there is a consistency conflict with liaisons voting. Transportation Commission Member Bob Elliott said the liaisons sit at the table and participate in discussions that provide two additional points of view. The commission has been working well and he suggested it continue unchanged. Council Member Wroge stated that sitting at the table doesn’t mean there is a right to vote and it is time to correct the inconsistency. He understood a liaison’s role is to return to their respective commissions with reports. Council Member Kilian said that if liaisons are not invited into the full process, it is difficult to obtain input and attendance may be spotty. Mayor Goettel suggested that the City Council might want to change membership in the future. City Manager Devich stated this issue would be on a future City Council agenda so direction can be provided to staff. Council Member Wroge said the City Council consensus is to have voting privileges consistent. The City Council requested staff provide information on liaison voting and liaison attendance on the advisory commissions. Item # 2DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED CITYWIDE STOP SIGN POLICY (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 5) Transportation Engineer Foley stated the Transportation Commission has studied alternatives to the existing City Stop Sign Policy for over two years. Results of the neighborhood demonstration area of a new stop sign pattern has led the Commission to recommend a new citywide stop sign policy. The proposed policy establishes two-way stop signs on north/south streets with east/west streets open. Council Member Wroge expressed support for the policy and asked about implementation. Special Worksession Minutes-3-January 8, 2008 Transportation Engineer Foley replied that the neighborhoods closest to the Crosstown would be first due to added traffic from the reconstruction project. The other areas will be by resident request. The basketweave stop signs in place north of Best Buy will remain in place unless the residents request changes. Council Member Kilian expressed support for the policy. Mayor Goettel said she supported the policy and acknowledged the Transportation Commission’s work. Bob Elliott, Transportation Commission Chair, stated he originally did not support the policy but the statistical data changed his mind. Council Member Sandahl commended City Staff and the Transportation Commission for their work. The City Council consensus was to support the proposed stop sign policy. Item # 3DISCUSSION REGARDING 7600 BLOCK OF ALDRICH AVENUE PARKING (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 6) Transportation Engineer Foley stated residents on the west side of the 7600 block of Aldrich Avenue have requested a Parking By Permit Only Program for their side of the block. The Transportation Commission has held several meetings where this topic has been discussed. The Commission has made no recommendation since several residents objected to the proposed special parking restrictions. Council Member Wroge said he personally contacted every resident on the westside of the block. A petition was submitted previously by the residents to the City requesting a 24-hour/7 day week parking permit be established. The City Council opted to put up signs restricting parking Monday through Friday, 11a.m. to 1 p.m. on a temporary basis to allow time for the Transportation Commission to review this issue. Council Member Wroge continued that one resident, who originally signed the petition, now does not support parking restrictions. The remaining residents on the block support what he supported all along; a 24/7 parking permit for the residents, with additional permits that they could give to their guests temporarily. There should not be a fee because the residents did not create this situation. The permit could be placed in the back, left hand corner of the vehicle and on every car at that address. A new resident would be responsible for getting a permit. Council Member Wroge stated the enforcement should be easier with permits and renewing the permits every three years could reduce administrative costs. Council Member Kilian said the residents on both sides of the block should be included in the permits. Council Member Wroge responded that the eastside of the block was not included because the City has not heard from them but they could be included if they wished. He said the permits could be started with the westside and then on the eastside if a problem develops. Transportation Engineer Foley stated that the townhomes on the eastside have been contacted and there appears to be no interest. Special Worksession Minutes-4-January 8, 2008 Mayor Goettel stated the parking problem was created after the Kensington Park development project. She said she did not agree with a fee structure for the permits and the City Council should be able to waive fees when the City creates the situation. Council Member Rosenberg stated this issue is a big city problem that must be handled. She expressed agreement with Council Member Wroge that no fee should be charged. Council Member Sandahl expressed concern with setting a precedent for the other parking restriction signs in the City. The City Council policy in the past has been to bill for services. She said the City needed to charge for the permits because costs are involved that are extra services for a certain block. She added that in general she did not support parking permits. It appears the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. signage has solved a large part of the problem. th Council Member Sandahl stated parking has shifted to 75 Street and those residents may want restrictions imposed. th Council Member Wroge said that if the parking problem on 75 Street was caused by the Kensington Park development, he would support solving the issue. Chad and Celeste Wiederholt, 7626 Aldrich Avenue, stated they lived on the block before the Kensington Park development. They said the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. restriction did not work and that they should not have to pay to park in front of their own home. Jayne Parker, 7600 Aldrich Avenue, spoke against parking permits because it was a hassle and an extreme solution for only one block. She said she originally signed the petition but it was more of a problem with long-term parking, and she has no problem parking in the evening. She added that residents should have the freedom to park on a public street. Mayor Goettel asked Ms. Townsend what she would suggest as a solution. Ms. Townsend suggested that the Kensington Park businesses be given alternatives for parking privileges. There should be more enforcement for the businesses that do not cooperate. City Manager Devich explained the parking alternatives, for Kensington business owners and employees, arranged by the City at Hampton Inn and the Richfield Lyndale Liquor Store lots. One Kensington Park business owner and his employees refuse to participate. The enforcement of parking for businesses must be the same as for others. The City has no hold over the businesses; Kensington Park may have some limited hold. Public Safety Director Scott stated he has not had any conversations with the businesses. He discussed the difficulties of enforcing parking restrictions. He suggested the permit parking might not be the best option but rather ‘Resident Parking Only’ signs be considered. He added the neighborhood is now feuding and a solution should try to be reached. Mayor Goettel questioned how it would be determined if the vehicle was owned by a resident. Public Safety Director Scott said the license plates would be checked. There is no problem with the police enforcing the law if there is a violation. The City has received several complaints regarding non-enforcement and enforcement. Council Member Sandahl expressed an interest in trying the new resident parking only option because it was a different approach. She asked about guest parking. Council Member Wroge discussed how areas in St. Paul, i.e. Hamline and St. Thomas, handle permit parking. He said the area polices itself after a while because the permits have been in place a long time. He added he believes the Aldrich Avenue problem will go away after two or three years. Special Worksession Minutes -5- January 8,2008 Council Member Kilian agreed the residents parking only option should be used. Doris Rubenstein, 6515 Emerson Avenue, spoke in support of Council Member Wrage's suggestion of parking permits even though there is some inconvenience to using them. Matt Lux, 7620 Aldrich Avenue, stated the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. restriction was supposed to be a temporary solution but it is a hassle and no one supports it. He said 'Resident Parking Only" signs may be acceptable. Ms. Parker suggested removing the current 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. signs and seeing what happens. Council Member Wrage said that what the neighborhood wants should be done and that four affected families, which is the majority of the westside of the block, are present. Public Safety Director Scott suggested that the Public Safety Department meet with the neighborhood regarding resident parking only. Mayor Goettel expressed agreement for communication with the neighborhood. The City Council consensus was to install 'Resident Parking Only' signs on the westside of the 7600 block of Aldrich Avenue and request that neighbors contact the Public Safety Department to report businesses in violation. They added that hopefully neighbors don't report on each other or their friends. Council Member Wrage asked how they will be able to differentiate the family vehicles from business vehicles. Public Safety Director Scott said the City would rely on neighbors. He added that another option is not enforcing the 'Resident Parking Only' signs unless neighbors report a violation. [ ADJOURNMENT ~~ Cheryl Kru holz Recording Secretary The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consept-at,~:55 Pia' .,' ...-~ '.A...,. 1 \. I (.' (/!: ' Date Approved: January 22. 2008 ,l.. ~. /~ 9&ii?i{;l ~~;bboJ Gi(b~~~"'~ _/ F/o even L. Devich City Manager