City Council Work Session

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES Wednesday, March 06, 2024 at 6:30 PM Baxter City Hall, 13190 Memorywood Drive, Baxter, MN “A Growing Community” CALL TO ORDER Mayor Olson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Darrel Olson and Council Members Connie Lyscio, Zach Tabatt, Jeff Phillips, and Mark Cross were present. City Administrator Brad Chapulis, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Steele, Public Works Director Trevor Walter, Community Development Director Josh Doty, Finance Director Jeremy Vacinek, and Police Chief Jim Exsted were present. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Long Range Planning Commission Discussion City Administrator Chapulis explained at the February 6th council meeting, Council Member Tabatt requested and obtained concurrence with other attending council members to have a discussion if the Long Range Planning Commission (LRPC) should remain as a city commission. To aid in the conversation, staff has assembled information from the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance regarding the duties of the LRPC. Staff has also provided a council work session report from March 17, 2020, regarding the potential of transferring responsibilities from the LRPC to the planning commission and dissolving the LRPC. Staff notes in 2020 the council did not support dissolving the LRPC. Council Member Tabatt explained he brought up this discussion to streamline operations and not hold up developers with duplicated meetings weeks apart. The LRPC was established in 1990 and has been tasked with updating the Comprehensive Plan. There have been three projects that have required a comp plan amendment since the plan was last adopted. The tasks that have been completed by the LRPC can be done by the planning commission if the council wants to go that direction. City Administrator Chapulis explained the city code would need to be amended to disband the commission. Staff can prepare a work plan to complete this process if the council wants to go in this direction. The council consensus was to direct staff to start a work plan to dissolve the LRPC. ADJOURN MOTION by Council Member Tabatt, seconded by Council Member Lyscio to adjourn at 6:58 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Approved by: Respectfully submitted, 3/6/2024 City Council Work Session Minutes Page 2 _____________________________ Darrel Olson Kelly Steele Mayor Assistant City Administrator