City Council - Regular Meetings

CITY OF WEBSTER GROVES September 17, 2019 The City Council met this date in a regular session in the Council Chambers at City Hall at #4 E. Lockwood at 7:32 p.m. Present at Roll Call: Mayor Gerry Welch Councilmember Frank Janoski Councilmember Bud Bellomo Councilmember Laura Arnold Councilmember Pam Bliss Councilmember David Franklin Councilmember Emerson Smith A quorum was present. Also present: Mr. Steve Wylie, City Manager Mr. Neil Bruntrager, City Attorney Ms. Katie Nakazono, City Clerk REMARKS OF VISITORS Dick Estes, 609 E. Lockwood Ave., stated that he has had his business in Webster since 2003. We have grown from five people to 45 to 50 and now we have some internationally. We like the area. We have people visit the restaurants every day for lunch. We like that we can walk there. One of the biggest issues that we have had, and we have always had it, is parking. For the last five years we have consistently contributed at least $10,000 to Webster Groves in the form of taxes and parking permits. We are probably one of the largest if not the largest small business contributor as far as revenue goes. We want to stay in Webster but as we grow, we have 45 people and 16 spots. We are working on another long-term lease. We are looking for something to happen on Bompart. I talked to Mara about it, and r guess there has been a couple of petitions or meetings regarding parking there. Currently it is the Nerinx students parking there. The spots there are all full before 7 a.m. My understanding was when Webster University built their parking garage they were going to have some Nerinx students park there. I believe that is the reality, but my understanding is not a lot of people park there because it costs money. I spoke with Mara and asked if there was a way we could put blue parking tags there, pay the City revenue like we do for our other tags. The only reason we can't park there is that it is full by the time our folks get there. I know I talked to Bud last night on this. There is space behind Imo's and while it is a five minute walk vs. a two minute walk, when you recruit people and try to get them to come to the company some of them are older and walking five minutes isn't appealing to them. If it is students parking there, would you rather have a student park there and walk over, rather than someone with a business. I am willing to bring the City additional revenue in the form of the parking spaces. I am just trying to figure out how to get some additional parking there. Residents aren't the ones parking there, it is the students, and if it is not the students it would be us or someone else. My point or plea to you is that we have 45 people and 16 spots and are just looking for more spots. Janet Noble, 333 North Gore, stated that she thinks this topic has come up before and I'd like to know if there has been any suggestions about it or if we are going to move forward with it about videotaping of City Council meetings. I came two weeks ago and got here late, I would really like to participate more in our local government and I think a lot of other people would too. Even if we do not have an interest September 17, 2019 our policies. I think it is a really important renewed call to action about what is and isn't happening. I hope it can get on some work sessions and get into conversations in some meaningful ways because there is a lot of work to do and a lot that hasn't been done. Sarah Richardson, 46 Chestnut Hill Lane, stated that she has been following with interest the discussion about Parks and Recreation fees. I went to the Parks and Recreation meeting when those were first proposed. There was much discussion there about the sponsorship requirement that is still in place and there was some real interest it seemed on the Commission to have that requirement removed. I was surprised it didn't come up in the Work Session today. It seems to me that if we are looking to increase revenue at the pool, there is your answer. Take the sponsorship away. I have mom friends and kid friends who are residents who don't go to the pool because of the sponsorship requirement because it is exclusionary and they don't get to be with their buddies. If we take that requirement away you will see an increase in revenue. NEW BUSINESS - MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER No New Business. UNFINISHED BUSINESS BILL #9084- FOURTH READING On motion of Councilmember Smith, seconded by Council member Janoskj, BILL #9084 ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE TRAFFIC CODE, CHAPTER 60, BY AMENDING SCHEDULE H TO CREATE A PERMIT PARKING ONLY SECTION ON THE WEST SIDE OF BOMPART AVENUE BETWEEN EAST LOCKWOOD AVENUE AND LAKE AVENUE, MONDAY - SATURDAY, 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., having been introduced and read twice on August 20, 2019, and a third time on September 3, 2019. It was taken up its title read a fourth time and placed upon its passage to become Ordinance #9084. Councilmember Bellomo stated that he talked with Mr. Estes last evening, and some trungs have come up. I want to make clear that I am very pro-business. Parking is always an issue though. I didn't realize the Old Orchard parking lot was employee and customer parking. We received information on the open spaces during the day and most of the day there are a lot of spaces there. I know it is further away but I walked it. I am still trying to get my arms around how much your employees are using that lot. lt bothers me that I have heard from others that Nerinx students are using those spaces. I went there this morning to see for myself and observed where the drivers went. All were adults. If those nine people are employees, they are parking for free now, why would you want to make that paid parking? There is a parking lot across the street there at the Episcopal church ... Mr. Estes said he has offered to pay there and they aren't open to that. Councilmember Bellomo asked how recently. Mr. Estes said last year. Councilmember Bellomo asked if they had asked the University about spots in their garage and Mr. Estes said that the University is further away than parking behind Imo's. I don't know if you went on a day that Nerinx started later, but when I go to work, a couple of them may be my employees, but I guarantee you they all aren't because I know where they are parking. I am trying to bring additional revenue to the City by having some paid parking. The fact that some people went right or left or whatever, I can tell you on a typical day that is not the case. Councilmember Bellomo stated that he is going to go there again tomorrow morning, if anyone wants to join me to see what's there. 3 September 17, 2019 Councilmember Franklin asked how much each permit is. Mr. Estes stated it is either $220 or $230 per year. Councilmember Arnold asked if there is a limit on the number of parking permits a single business can have. Mara Perry, Director of Planning and Development, stated that the former director used to have a very specific number. It is still on the old permits, but we have been working with business owners. We had a limitation for Old Webster, mainly because it was so tight with so many businesses. In Old Orchard, the blue permits are really only asked for by the businesses at that end of the district that are farther from the employee area. So we have never had a specific limitation for blue permits. Councilmember Bellomo clarified that the limit is on the application. Ms. Perry stated that was correct, but we have not upheld the limitation in the last few times because we have only had two or three permits available a year. Mayor Welch called for the vote on Bill #9084. MEMBERS YOTfNG: AYES: JANOSKI, ARNOLD, FRANKLfN, SMITH, WELCH NOES: BELLOMO, BLISS Mayor Welch stated that Bill #9084 was approved. Prior to her vote, Councilmember Bliss stated that she thinks it should remain free parking for the ebb and flow of the neighborhood, for businesses, residents, and students. I think taking that space up for businesses is just going to push those cars other places that may not be desirable as well, and we will have additional problems in the future. I am all for growing business, but I am going to vote no. BILL #9086 - THIRD READING (THIRD READING NOT CONDUCTED) A motion was made by Councilmember Bliss, seconded by Councilmember Janoski, to table, BILL #9086 - ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ESTABLISHING THE RATE OF ANNUAL PROPERTY TAXES TO BE COLLECTED FOR THE YEAR 2019 BY THE CITY OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI, AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 9035, to a future date. (When final tax rate numbers are available.) Joan Jadali, Director of Finance and Administration, stated that the Board of Equalization was overwhelmed this year, and they finally got most of the information to the Department of Revenue to do their calculations, with the exception of new construction. We still can't do our numbers because part of our number is based on new construction. So we, as well as all of the other communities, are waiting for those numbers. City Manager Steve Wylie stated that we will have to have a special meeting to approve the rates. Mayor Welch called for the vote to table Bill #9086. MEMBERS VOTING: A YES: BELLOMO, ARNOLD, BLISS, FRANKLfN, SMITH, WELCH, JANOSKI NOES:NONE Mayor Welch stated that Bill #9086 would be tabled to a future special meeting. 4 September 17, 2019 BILL #9087- THIRD READING (THIRD READING NOT CONDUCTED) A motion was made by Councilmember Bliss, seconded by Councilmember Janoski, to table, BILL #9087 - ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ESTABLISHING THE RATE OF ANNUAL PROPERTY TAXES TO BE COLLECTED FOR THE YEAR 2019 BY THE WEBSTER GROVES LIBRARY DISTRICT, AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 9036, to a future date. (When final tax rate numbers are available.) Mayor Welch called for the vote to table Bill #9087. MEMBERS VOTING: AYES: BELLOMO, ARNOLD, BLISS, FRANKLIN, SMITH, WELCH, JANOSKI NOES:NONE Mayor Welch stated that Bill #9087 would be tabled to a future special meeting. CONSENT AGENDA A motion was made by Councilmember Bellomo, seconded by Councilmember Janoski, to approve the Consent Agenda. Mayor Welch called for the vote on the Consent Agenda. MEMBERS VOTING: AYES: ARNOLD, BLISS, FRANKLIN, SMITH, WELCH, JANOSKI, BELLOMO NOES:NONE Mayor Welch stated that the Consent Agenda was approved. The following consent agenda was approved: • Approval of Minutes - September 3, 2019 • Resolution #2019-44-Amending the Budget for FY 2019 and FY 2020 • Resolution #2019-45 - Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract to Purchase a One Ton Roller for the Street Department APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS • Quinton Nehring was appointed as the Youth Liaison to the Police Community Engagement Board. • Pam Niehaus was reappointed to the Business Development Commission. • Anne Kelly and William Stancil were reappointed to the Historic Preservation Commission. EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION No Executive (Closed) Session. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 7:58 p.m. on motion of the Mayor, duly seconded. PASSED AND APPROVED this /2-r day of t:)c:TlJ;:,EX.. 2019. 5