City Council

City Hall and Court House City of Saint Paul 15 West Kellogg Boulevard Phone: 651-266-8560 Minutes - Final City Council Council President Kathy Lantry Councilmember Dan Bostrom Councilmember Amy Brendmoen Councilmember Russ Stark Councilmember Dai Thao Councilmember Dave Thune Councilmember Chris Tolbert Wednesday, January 28, 2015 3:30 PM Council Chambers - 3rd Floor ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Council President Lantry at 3:30 p.m. Present 7 - Councilmember Dan Bostrom, Councilmember Amy Brendmoen, City Council President Kathy Lantry, Councilmember Russ Stark, Councilmember Dai Thao, Councilmember Dave Thune and Councilmember Chris Tolbert COMMUNICATIONS & RECEIVE/FILE 1 AO 15-11 Amending the CDBG budget for the 2015 Community Engagement Program. Received and Filed 2 AO 15-12 Authorizing the Police Department to provide continental breakfast, snack, and beverage for the Professional Development Institute courses. Received and Filed 3 AO 15-14 Authorizing purchase of food and beverages for Police Department special ceremonies and events. Received and Filed City of Saint Paul Page 1 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 CONSENT AGENDA Note: Items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion with no separate discussion. If discussion on an item is desired, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate consideration. Approval of the Consent Agenda (Items 4 - 14) Councilmember Brendmoen moved approval of the Consent Agenda. Consent Agenda adopted Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 4 RES 15-197 Approving the Settlement Agreement and Release between the City of St. Paul and Ramla Bile and her attorney Andrew J. Rorvig. Adopted 5 RES 15-200 Approving the lobbying contract for Ward Einess to assist the City in lobbying for the city's tax policy positions at the state legislature during this legislative session. Adopted 6 RES 15-201 Authorizing the City to enter into professional services agreements with Lockridge Grindel Nauen, PLLP for lobbying activities. Adopted 7 RES 15-180 Approving the Mayor's appointment of Joe Collins to serve on the Business Review Council. Adopted 8 RES 15-194 Celebrating Saint Paul District Councils' 2014 Neighborhood Honor Roll Volunteer Awards Night on Friday, January 30, 2015. Adopted 9 RES 15-104 Preliminary Order setting the date of City Council Public Hearing for February 18, 2015 to approve construction along Snelling Avenue North from Selby Avenue to Pierce Butler Route with above standard street lighting and other improvements as needed; and approving the annual operation and maintenance costs for said lighting, to be assessed to benefitted properties via the Right-of-Way program. (File No. 19179, Assessment No. 155100) Adopted City of Saint Paul Page 2 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 10 RES 15-140 Preliminary Order setting the date of City Council Public Hearing for February 18, 2015 to consider approval of a street paving and lighting improvement along Third Street East from Arcade Street to Johnson Parkway. (File No. 19169, Assessment No. 155202) Adopted 11 RES 15-187 Approving reimbursement of travel expenses up to a total of $1,500 per person per interview for finalists of the Director of the Department of Public Works position. Adopted 12 RES 15-137 Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation's Division of Special Services to apply for a three year grant totaling $180,000 from the Saint Paul Foundation to support the Aquatics Programs with fee assistance, and if awarded, accept and enter into a grant agreement which includes indemnification language. Adopted 13 RES 15-95 Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to solicit and accept donations for the 2015 Citywide Spring Cleanup event. Adopted 14 RES 15-134 Authorizing the Department of Planning and Economic Development to apply to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for a redevelopment grant for the New Phalen Village Center project. Adopted FOR DISCUSSION No items City of Saint Paul Page 3 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 ORDINANCES An ordinance is a city law enacted by the City Council. It is read at four separate council meetings and becomes effective after passage by the Council and 30 days after publication in the Saint Paul Legal Ledger. Public hearings on ordinances are held at the third reading. Final Adoption 15 Ord 14-9 Amending Chapter 225 of the Legislative Code to regulate use of bows, arrows, and crossbows in the City of Saint Paul. (Public hearing held February 19, 2014; laid over from September 24, 2014) Councilmember Stark moved approval. He said the item had been before the Council for many months and reviewed thoroughly by the Department of Safety and Inspections, and they didn't think there as a way to safely allow this in backyards. He said grant funding was being pursued to create an archery range in Ward 7. Adopted as amended (amended January 22, 2014) Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 16 Ord 15-4 Memorializing City Council action granting the application of Face To Face Health And Counseling Service Inc. to rezone the property at 798 Rose Avenue East from RT1 Two Family Residential to T2 Traditional Neighborhood, and amending Chapter 60 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to the Saint Paul zoning map. (Public hearing held December 3, 2014) Councilmember Bostrom moved approval. Adopted Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 17 Ord 15-3 Memorializing City Council action granting the application of Joe Urbanski to rezone property at 1396 White Bear Avenue North from B2 Community Business to T2 Traditional Neighborhood, and amending Chapter 60 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to the Saint Paul zoning map. (Public hearing held December 3, 2014) Councilmember Bostrom moved approval. Adopted City of Saint Paul Page 4 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 18 Ord 15-2 Memorializing City Council action granting the application of Big Steer Meats to rezone the property at 1762 Minnehaha Avenue East from R4 One-Family Residential to B2 Community Business and White Bear Avenue Overlay District, and amending Chapter 60 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to the Saint Paul zoning map. (Public hearing held December 3, 2014) Councilmember Bostrom moved approval. Adopted Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 19 Ord 15-1 Amending the Zoning Map of Saint Paul as recommended in the Shepard Davern Area Zoning Study. Councilmember Tolbert moved approval. Adopted Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 First Reading 20 Ord 15-6 Amending Chapter 39 of the Saint Paul Administrative Code pertaining to Payroll Deductions for Nonprofit Entities. Laid over to February 4 for second reading SUSPENSION ITEM Councilmember Stark moved suspension of the rules. Rules suspended Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 City of Saint Paul Page 5 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 Reconsideration RLH TA 14-633 Deleting the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for Real Estate Project No. J1502A, Assessment No. 158501 at 661 LASALLE STREET. Councilmember Stark said the assessment had been approved the previous week, but it should have been deleted. He moved to delete the assessment. Adopted as amended (assessment deleted) Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 SUSPENSION ITEM Councilmember Bostrom moved suspension of the rules. Rules suspended Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 City of Saint Paul Page 6 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 RES 15-254 Recognizing the Saint Paul Police Department Community Billboard as a community asset. Councilmember Bostrom said the billboard on top of the police team office at Minnehaha and Payne had been under discussion for a long time, and this was an opportunity to put it to good use and promote the good things happening on the East Side. He said there would be no cost to the City, because there was a party that would pay for the billboard. He moved approval of the resolution, which he said recognized that the billboard was an asset that the Council supported. Councilmember Brendmoen said the conversation had been going on for well over two years, and previous to the current dilapidated it state the billboard had a message from the police department and a faded photograph of a police officer. She said she understood ward preference, but the billboard was on the border of wards 5, 6, and 7, and she had been intimately involved in conversations for the whole period of time. She said she was interested in hearing more about funding and plans for the message on the billboard and a timeline for getting it done. She noted the existence of a Facebook group called Tear Down the Board with 185 members, and said to take a vote without involving the people who were interested and concerned would not be appropriate. She said she would like to learn more and was glad Councilmember Bostrom was taking leadership on the issue, and she asked that the matter be laid over for a public hearing. Councilmember Bostrom the City Council was able to make this kind of decision, and the District 5 Community Council, Payne Arcade Business Association (PABA), and ESNDC had all expressed support for maintaining the billboard for the purposes of advertising the good things happening in the area. He said he recognized that there were Council members and community members who just didn't like billboards. He said was in Ward 6 and he would appreciate the courtesy of support but was willing to take a stand on the issue. He said there was business support on Payne and Arcade. He showed photographs of the billboard in its current condition, along with a representation of how it might look, and noted that the Mayor's office would have the final say on the message that would appear. He read the dedication message from 1996. Council President Lantry noted that the billboard was blank in 1996 when the dedication plaque was placed. Councilmember Bostrom said the intersection needed some work, and he was willing to assist in its turnaround. He asked for the Council members' support, and said the Mayor's office was looking for direction. Council President Lantry read from a resolution passed unanimously in 2002 by the Council, including Councilmember Bostrom, regarding the community's desire to reduce the number of billboards; and the City's comprehensive advertising sign ordinance which was designed to reduce billboards and define all existing billboards as nonconforming uses. She said this was an example of blight. She said the donation would have to be accepted by the Council , and she expressed concern about choosing a message that everyone would find positive. She said it sent a bad message for the City to do something that was against City policy. She said there would have to be a committee to oversee the billboard and seek additional funds to keep it maintained, and donations sought to support the East Side would be better spent elsewhere. She said she would not support the motion, and felt it was disingenuous and disrespectful for this to be brought in under suspension given the amount of time it had been worked on by herself and Councilmember Brendmoen as well as Councilmember Bostrom. Councilmember Bostrom said he suspected the response would have been the same if the item had been brought in earlier and not under suspension, given some Council members' general opposition to billboards. He said the Mayor was looking for City of Saint Paul Page 7 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 direction and would be making the final decision as to the message. He said the billboard was not dilapidated, but was solid and an integral part of the building. Councilmember Stark said he respected the desire to highlight things going on the community, but felt this did go against City policy. He said if this were privately owned and had sat vacant, it would have been ordered to be torn down. He noted the potential problem of deciding what the message would be, and said while he agreed with the desire to promote the area, the primary issue was City policy. He said to bring in something under suspension that was against City policy didn't make any sense. Councilmember Brendmoen said she respected Councilmember Bostrom's leadership, but constituents had concerns and didn't respect ward boundaries as much as the Council. She moved to lay the matter over to the following week's public hearings. Councilmember Bostrom said he would speak against a layover, and the Council had the ability to take this action. He reiterated that District 5, PABA, and ESNDC had all already spoken, and a layover would not change the minds of Council members. Vote on motion to lay over. Yeas - 3 Nays - 4 (Bostrom, Thao, Tolbert, Thune) Councilmember Bostrom moved approval of the resolution. Yeas - 4 Nays - 3 (Lantry, Stark, Brendmoen) Council President Lantry said this would require a lot of community process, she wished Councilmember Bostrom good luck. Adopted Yea: 4- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 3- Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry and Councilmember Stark Council members shared information about upcoming events in their wards. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Brendmoen moved adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 3:59 p.m. Yea: 7- Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Brendmoen, City Council President Lantry, Councilmember Stark, Councilmember Thao, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert Nay: 0 City of Saint Paul Page 8 City Council Minutes - Final January 28, 2015 Council Meeting Information The City Council is paperless which saves the environment and reduces expenses. The agendas and Council files are all available on the Web (see below). Councilmembers use iPads to review the files during the meeting. Using the iPad greatly reduces costs since most agendas, including the documents attached to files, are over 1000 pages when printed. Web Meetings are available on the Council's website. Email notification and web feeds (RSS) of newly released Minutes, Agendas and Meetings are available by subscription. Please visit www.stpaul.gov/council for meeting videos and updated copies of the Agendas, Minutes and supporting documents. Cable Meetings are live on St Paul Channel 18 and replayed on: Thursdays at 5:30 p.m., Saturdays at 12:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. (Subject to change) City of Saint Paul Page 9