City Council Meetings

MINUTES OF THE Mayor Steve Washburn WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL Deb Everson Regular Meeting Tuesday, April 24, 2018 Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters 1. Call to Order and Roll Call Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the Watertown City Council was called to order at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in the Council Chambers of City Hall by Mayor Steve Washburn. Council Members present: Washburn, Mike Walters, Deborah Everson, Lindsay Guetzkow and Adam Pawelk. City Staff present: City Administrator Shane Fineran, City Engineer Andrew Budde, and City Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Tschudi. Those who signed in were: Jim May, Karyl Horton, Kyle Jarvis, and Gary Kirt. Guests present: Miss Kristy’s Young Royals preschool class, Seth Peterson, and Diane Langenbach. 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion and Approval All items listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion on an affirmative vote by roll call of a majority of the members present. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council member or citizen so requests, in which event, the item(s) will be removed and discussed prior to the adoption of the consent agenda. WALTERS REQUESTED TO REMOVE ITEM 3C FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. WALTERS MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ITEMS A, B, D, E, F & G. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. A. Adopt a motion to approve City Council Work Session Minutes from April 10, 2018 B. Adopt a motion to approve City Council Meeting Minutes from April 10, 2018 C. Consider Resolution #2018-56, Authorizing Transfer of Funds from Youth Splatter Escrow to Commission on Aging Escrow Fineran explained that the Splatter Escrow account is no longer utilized and the auditors suggested closing unused accounts. Walters pointed out that the original use for this account was directed toward the 12-17 age group. He suggested teaming up with the school district to see if there is a use for these funds. Pawelk explained that the group originated by a high school senior along with the Park Commission. After not being able to find a leader for the group, the Splatter Commission dissolved. Council discussed different options for the account balance. Fineran gave a suggestion to have youth type groups apply for the funds. Everson asked about using the funds to get youth involved in government. Pawelk would like to see the funds moved to the general fund for future Page 1 of 5  use. EVERSON MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO MOVE THE YOUTH SPLATTER ESCROW TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY USE. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. D. Consider Resolution #2018-57, Approving Use of Streets & Declaring Sidewalk Sale – Mario’s Italian Kitchen E. Consider Resolution #2018-58, Accepting Solid Waste Reduction & Recycling Grant Funds and Approving Agreement F. Consider Resolution #2018-59, Approving Step Movement – Lynn Tschudi G. Consider Resolution #2018-60, Declaring Surplus Equipment & Authorizing Sale 4. Open Forum A resident, Omar, approached the podium and shared his feelings on allowing residents to have chickens. He would like to see Council allow this in Watertown. 5. New/Old Business A. Watertown Area Fine Arts Council Use of Streets, Municipal Lot and Outdoor Concert Fineran stated the City has received an application from the Watertown Area Fine Arts Council for use of streets for an outdoor concert fundraiser. They are also asking for a waiver of the rental fees being that this is a fund raiser. Jim May and Kevin Holmes approached the podium to explain the concert fundraiser by Slip Twister. Beer will be sold by the Watertown Lions Club. There will be a 6:45 ribbon cutting at Davinci’s Wing by the McDonald family followed by music and food in the municipal parking lot. Guetzkow asked if there will be seating brought in. May answered he will be working with the City on additional details. Walters thanked the Watertown Fine Arts Council for their programming. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2018- 61, APPROVING USE OF STREETS & OUTDOOR CONCERT. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. B. Highway 25 Unbanization Fineran introduced the Highway 25 urbanization project with MNDOT. Diane Langenbach with MNDOT approached the podium to present the 2020 Highway 25 project. She said the original project started out as a paving project. The project then developed into one of “Complete Streets” and making the road ADA compliant as well as safe for pedestrians. Work to the project has been added since MNDOT received funding from the Main Street program. Added work includes: curb and gutter between High St and White St, sidewalk on east and west sides of Highway 25, new/modified drainage infrastructure, trail on east side of Highway 25 from High St to Hutchinson Rd, consider eliminating five accesses off of Highway 25. The proposed improvements would consist of two 11’ through lanes, 4’ shoulder and 12’ center turn lane. Langenbach explained that to construct a trail on the west side, about 1,500 feet of retaining wall Page 2 of 5  would need to be installed. MNDOT would require municipal consent from the City for completing this project. Langenbach shared the timeline proposed for the project with construction beginning summer of 2020. Washburn asked about the impact to the area during construction. Langenbach recommends complete street closure during the reconstruction would be the safest thing to do. Washburn asked staff about their opinion on the suggested entrance closures off of Highway 25. Fineran stated he thinks the closures would be reasonable since there are already alternate accesses available. Washburn asked who is going to take the lead on the communication piece with the residents. Fineran would like to see it as a joint effort with MNDOT. Guetzkow suggested having MNDOT at Rails to Trails for informing residents. Fineran stated that the additional trail access through Highland Park may require some municipal responsibility. MNDOT will figure the cost of this additional trail segment. Everson asked an approximate cost for the trail segment. Fineran is estimating the cost around $160,000 - $200,000 however a more accurate cost will be provided by MNDOT. Guetzkow asked about maximum speed on Highway 25 and if that would change after this project. Langenbach said a speed study would be done to determine and warrant a speed change. Pawelk would like staff and MNDOT keep Council informed if there are engineering challenges. C. MPCA Effluent Limit Permit Comment Letter City Engineer Andrew Budde introduced the NPDES comment letter for the wastewater treatment facility on the new limits for phosphorous and salty discharge (chlorides). Seth Peterson from Bolton and Menk explained that the new wastewater treatment facility will address the phosphorus limits. The chloride limits are more difficult to take care of on the wastewater side. The best way to reduce soft water is by eliminating water softeners in the City. One method of addressing chloride levels is by installing a softening system at the treatment plant which would deliver soft water to residents. Peterson suggested applying for a variance of 15 years for the chloride limits in Watertown. Washburn asked what the plan would be at the end of 15 years. Peterson stated that it would be the centralized water softening process at the treatment facility which is very costly in the ballpark of $15M. Washburn asked if utility rate studies have been done for 15 years. Fineran stated that has not been done. Pawelk asked if the Met Council is held to the same standards for the chloride limits. Peterson answered that the chloride limit requirement is a state wide limit. He also said that reverse osmosis would be available to homeowners to purchase but it’s mostly only for the drinking water. Guetzkow asked about the waiting period on hearing back from the MPCA on the variance. Peterson believes this process would be complete within a month. WALTERS MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT NNPDES COMMENT LETTER AND COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. D. Sanitary Sewer Televising Fineran explained that in the 2018 Capital Investment Plan is the televising and CIPP lining of sanitary sewer main lines in hopes to reinforce old pipe material. He showed Council where previous televising and CIPP lining has taken place as well as the future pipes to be lined. Guetzkow asked about moving up those pipes that could fail. Fineran said that is the purpose of the televising, to determine the state of these pipes. PAWELK MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2018-62, AUTHORIZING THE SOLICITATION OF QUOTES FOR SANITARY SEWER MAIN LINE Page 3 of 5  TELEVISING. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. E. Chicken Keeping Ordinance City Administrator Fineran introduced the revision of an ordinance to address keeping of chicken hens. Staff was tasked with drafting an ordinance that allows for the keeping of chickens and what is required to do so. Highlights include: up to 5 chickens kept on a single family zoned property, chickens shall be kept within a separate enclosed accessory structure and or fenced outdoor animal run, they are not permitted in the dwelling unit, garage or to run free. Other requirements relate to commercial activity as well as storing feed and waste. Fineran said the code was developed to tie to existing code relating to accessory structures and fences. Setbacks would still be required on the accessory structure as in zoning code. Fineran said that anyone desiring to put up a structure or fence would need to apply for a zoning permit which are issued for $50. Pawelk asked if a resident already has a fence if they could put up chicken wire within it. Fineran said no. Pawelk asked if a chain linked dog fence could be used to contain the chickens. Fineran said yes, however they would still need the zoning permit. Guetzkow asked if it is the fenced area or just the structure that can only be 120 feet. Fineran answered it is just the structure. Walters asked if decorative garden fencing can be used. Fineran said yes. Everson asked about cleaning up some of the existing code on fences and accessory structures to support this ordinance revision. Fineran said we could, but that is not being proposed now. Washburn asked about permitted construction on the coups. He confirms that this would be stick construction with vinyl siding and a shingled roof as long as it matches the primary structure. Guetzkow asked about the number of accessory structures allowed per code and if the coup would count toward that number. Fineran said yes, the coup counts as an accessory structure. Watertown resident, Karol Horton approached the podium. She would like to have chickens but wants to be law abiding. Washburn asked about the difference between the R-1 and R-2 and requirements for those zones. Fineran showed an example of what a lot would look like with a 10x12 accessory structure within the lot. Washburn voiced his concerns on property maintenance issues within Watertown. He would also like to see the code have no inconsistencies. He thinks this ordinance will negatively impact neighbors. Everson asked about bringing this item to the Planning Commission. Washburn asked for clarification on what inconsistencies exist in the ordinance and the zoning code. Fineran stated that mainly it is the size of the chicken coup being limited to 120 square feet. Everson asked what the consequences are for violations. Fineran explained that it depends on what is being violated. Walters suggested a temporary status to monitor the success of the ordinance. Fineran said this would be unnecessary, the City would instead amend the ordinance. Council discussed striking item 4A from draft. WALTERS MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE BY STRIKING ITEM 4A. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 406 AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-1 WITH WASHBURN VOTING NAY. Page 4 of 5  F. Equivalent Residential Unit Calculation Research Fineran introduced the discussion and direction item regarding Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs) as they relate to commercial businesses. He explained that a number of businesses were surveyed in hopes to gather concrete data for a side by side analysis. Fineran said that Watertown does not have inconsistencies from the method used by the Met Council. Staff is looking for direction from Council about the current ERU calculation method. Washburn asked Council if they are happy with the way we are collecting fees for water and sewer and if it is helping us achieve our goals. Pawelk and Guetzkow agree and point out the healthy enterprise cash balance as proof. Walters and Everson agreed as well. Washburn asked if our model puts Watertown at a disadvantage. Everson said it actually makes us more competitive and more desirable since our calculation would generate a lower monthly bill. Walters agreed. Pawelk and Guetzkow would like to see this information marketed to potential commercial businesses. Council agreed that there is not a better approach to address this topic. 6. Other Reports Fineran reported that drug take back is at City Hall from 10am – 2pm on Saturday April 28th. April 28th is also city wide cleanup taking place in the industrial park from 8am - noon. Household hazardous waste will be collected at the Watertown Township shed. He reminded residents of the City Hall summer hours. Guetzkow thanked staff for their snow plowing. She reported on the future of the Primary School. The EDA will be interviewing for their vacant spot. Walters reported on a planning meeting taking place on Thursday April 26. 7. Claims PAWELK MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE 2018 CLAIMS AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8. Adjournment Members of the City Council and City staff may convene directly following the adjournment of the meeting at the Luce Line Lodge in a purely social event. Membes of the public are welcome to attend. EVERSON MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:29 P.M. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. Page 5 of 5