HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 07-19-1993 Special 1MINUTES
STUDY SESSION
JULY 199 1993
A special meeting study session of the Plymouth City Council was called to order by
Councilmember Edson at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Conference Room of the City Center,
3400 Plymouth Blvd., on July 19, 1993.
PRESENT: Councilmembers Edson, Helliwell, and Vasiliou. Mayor Bergman
arrived at 5:25 p.m. Councilmember Tierney arrived at 4:10 p.m.
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Johnson, Assistant City Manager Lueckert, Park and
Recreation Director Blank, Public Works Director Moore,
Recreation Supt. Bisek, Park Supt. Peterson, and City Clerk
Rauenhorst
STUDY ON SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
Park Director Blank introduced Ben O'Connor of Senior Community Services. Plymouth
has contracted with Senior Community Services for the last 14 years and funds 10 hours
of staff time each week. The focus of the senior program is social/recreational functions.
The Senior Citizen Coordinator spends about 3 hours each week in the office and the
remaining time is spent meeting with the three senior clubs in Plymouth.
Mr. O'Connor stated that the office, phone, and photocopying services that Plymouth
provides is shown as an in-kind contribution to Senior Community Services.
Councilmember Tierney arrived at 4:10 p.m.
Mr. O'Connor stated that Plymouth has funded Senior Community Services in the amount
of 10 hours per week for over the last 10 years.
Director Blank stated that the 1994 budget request includes an option for the Senior
Citizen Coordinator to be expanded to 20 hours per week.
Councilmember Edson stated that building a senior citizen housing project will provide
services to over 100 Plymouth seniors, but the City also needs to be aware of ways to
maintain seniors in their private homes and apartments. He asked Mr. O'Connor if he can
identify current gaps in the services provided to seniors in Plymouth.
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July 19, 1993
Page 2
Mr. O'Connor stated that the senior services survey comparison presented by the Park and
Recreation staff is a good starting point in identifying the different levels of service that
are provided for seniors by each city. He stated there is no uniform standard of what
should be offered to seniors. He believes the City has done a good job in selecting the
management company of Walker Management for the senior citizen housing project.
Should the City decide to do more in the area of serving seniors, he would be willing to
provide information on what other services could be considered.
Manager Johnson asked if there were discrepancies between the school districts in services
available to seniors.
Mr. O'Connor stated yes. School District 281 conducts a major effort in this regard. He
stated there are a number of areas in which the City could expand services for seniors.
The social/recreational functions, which Plymouth has primarily been involved with, focus
on prevention. He stated the City could also expand into the Senior Outreach programs
which concentrate on "at risk" individuals or consider ways to make the housing stock
more livable for seniors.
Councilmember Edson stated that he feels the City's responsibility is in serving as a
facilitator to provide information to seniors on where to go for various services. The City
should not necessarily be the service provider for all services.
Councilmember Vasiliou asked if the human service agencies serving Plymouth offer
services that could be expanded to Plymouth seniors.
Mr. O'Connor stated that the human service agencies are primarily planning agencies and
would not be involved in delivery of services. He discussed the HOME Program, and
stated that it is not currently available in Plymouth. The plan is to expand the HOME
Program county -wide. Mr. O'Connor stated that for many of these programs the
recipients pay on a sliding fee basis.
Councilmember Vasiliou asked if there are programs to monitor "at risk" elderly
individuals.
Mr. O'Connor stated yes. The Peer Counseling Program has been very successful, and it
allows Senior Community Services to see about twice the client caseload as Hennepin
County professionals. He also discussed in-home health care and adult day care programs
that are available.
Manager Johnson asked in what services the western suburbs are particularly lacking.
Mr. O'Connor stated that given the age of Plymouth residents, the City is probably under
funding Park and Recreation areas relating to the social/recreational or preventive services
for seniors.
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July 19, 1993
Page 3
Councilmember Edson asked about the demand for congregate dining.
Mr. O'Connor stated the congregate dining programs are currently waning in popularity.
He believes it is an excellent program, but the federal funding for this program has been
frozen over a decade. One of the problems is that congregate dining is perceived by the
elderly as a "welfare" program.
Councilmember Tierney asked how cities provide transportation to and from the
congregate dining facility.
Mr. O'Connor stated that transportation is not automatically part of each program. Each
city handles it in their own way. He stated that Plymouth could probably use the
Metrolink or Dial -A -Ride service, as noon would be the down-time for the service.
The Council reviewed the demographic information relating to Plymouth seniors, noting
that there are 5,874 Plymouth residents age 55 and older, and 3,970 residents 65 and
older.
Director Blank stated that Plymouth has less seniors than other communities from a
percentage standpoint, but the actual number of seniors is larger than most other
communities.
Councilmember Edson stated he had received a call from the League of Women Voters
asking if there is a need for a study on housing in Plymouth. He had suggested that
perhaps a study on senior services would be more appropriate and inclusive.
Councilmember Vasiliou believes the Council should consider all human services funding
requests with the 1994 budget consideration, with particular attention to duplication of
services.
Mr. O'Connor encouraged the City to consider the changing demographics of the
community during budget considerations.
Councilmember Edson stated that traditionally the City has provided physical services and
facilities, whereas the County has provided human service programs.
Mr. O'Connor stated that that is the classical viewpoint, but the role of the cities are
changing.
The Council discussed the problems inherent with having two human service planning
agencies serve the City, as well as four school districts.
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July 19, 1993
Page 4
Mr. O'Connor suggested that the City Council needs to make the choices of what is
needed and best for the community, and then consider ways to fill that need.
PARK AND RECREATION SURVEY
Park Director Blank presented the results of the Plymouth Park and Recreation Survey,
and introduced Pam Schumacher, University of Minnesota Center for Survey Research,
Ms. Schumacher reviewed the process used in conducting the survey. She stated that of
800 surveys mailed, 48 people had moved out of the City. Of the 752 remaining surveys,
508, or 68 percent, were completed and returned. She stated this a very good response
rate with a plus or minus 4 percent accuracy. She reviewed the survey responses.
Councilmember Edson asked if it would be possible to identify by zip code the responses
of individuals who indicated what facilities they would like built and are willing to pay for.
Ms. Schumacher stated yes
Park Director Blank reviewed the responses relating to what facilities the City should
build and operate in the next five years. He noted that trails are the heaviest use, as well
as the highest rating in additional facilities requested. The Council reviewed questions
relating to maintenance of park facilities, and noted that availability of sanitary facilities
and parking appear to be the primary concerns of residents.
Mayor Bergman arrived at 5:25 p.m.
Ms. Schumacher explained the cross -tab system and provided examples of some of the
information that can be obtained by running the survey data in various ways.
Director Blank stated the survey showed that residents want more one-time special events
that the entire family can attend, and residents generally supported the continued use of
chemicals on the park properties. The Council discussed the cross -tabs that they would
like to see run on the survey data. They would like many of the survey questions run by
zip code, particularly those requesting additional services or facilities.
Councilmember Edson stated he would like to see the number of surveys mailed per zip
code.
Director Blank invited Councilmembers to contact him if they have additional cross -tabs
they would like to have run. The Park and Recreation Advisory Commission and staff will
be analyzing the survey data over the next few months.
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July 19, 1993
Page 5
NATURAL PRESERVES POLICY
Park Superintendent Peterson stated that on May 17, 1993 the City received a weed
complaint at 5260 Yorktown Lane owned by Mr. David Briggs. Mr. Briggs subsequently
requested that the City designate this area as a natural preserve. He stated that the City
has historically handled requests for natural preserve designation on a case by case basis,
and he recommended that the Council adopt guidelines for creating natural preserves. He
suggested the following guidelines:
1. Adjacent property owners are in agreement with the designation;
2. Compliance with state noxious weed laws is mandatory;
3. Minimum of 8 feet maintained area is mandatory abutting a public roadway or path;
4. Designated area should consist of native plant communities. This could be natural as
in a marsh or woodland, or be planned as in a prairie.
5. Natural areas should not consist of a previously graded area with little or no top soil
that has simply been allowed to come back with whatever can grow on the site.
6. Extreme slopes may be exempted due to inaccessibility or hardship in maintaining.
Mayor Bergman stated he had visited the Briggs property and would support designation
of natural preserves in the area abutting the wetland, and under the trees and ferns. He
stated that the flat area should not be designated as a natural preserve unless it is
revegetated with native plants, not just allowed to overgrow.
Councilmember Vasiliou concurred, but stated that the natural preserve area should be
explicitly marked off by staff. She stated that Mr. Briggs should also submit a timeline for
revegetating the flat area if he intends to do so. Once the area is revegetated, then the
Council would consider the request for natural preserve designation in that area.
Councilmember Tierney stated that the criteria that natural areas should not consist of a
previously graded area may not apply in all cases.
Following discussion, the Council generally supported the criteria presented by
Superintendent Peterson for natural preserve guidelines. The Council discussed a recent
Minnetonka court case relating to natural preserves and directed staff to check on that
case, as well as any resulting changes to the Minnetonka ordinance.
Councilmember Edson stated he feels it is important that there is continuity between
properties unless there are natural barriers.
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July 19, 1993
Page 6
Councilmember Tierney stated there also may be concerns with the criteria requiring that
adjacent property owners are in agreement with the natural preserves designation should
property ownership change. This should be addressed in the policy.
Councilmember Helliwell stated that natural preserve designation should be limited and
controlled by the City as much as possible.
Park Superintendent Peterson stated he had been contacted by a representative of Welsh
Companies, requesting that the City conduct weed inspections for an entire area. He
stated that the City's practice is to investigate for weed violations on a complaint basis
only.
The Council concurred with this approach.
UPDATE ON PROPOSED PLAYFIELD ACQUISITION
Manager Johnson stated that School District 284 in considering the new secondary school
facility, has contacted the City asking if the City will consider construction of a grade
separation crossing on Peony Lane at the Soo Line Railroad.
Public Works Director Moore stated that Vicksburg Lane and Peony Lane are the two
major north/south streets in the Thoroughfare Guide Plan. The railroad tracks cross at
Peony Lane. He stated that Hennepin County and the City of Maple Grove have studies
underway to consider the Vicksburg Lane alignment. He stated that Vicksburg Lane will
likely not be the major roadway between Plymouth and Maple Grove. If Peony Lane is
the major connecting roadway, it will become necessary at some point to construct a
grade separation at the railroad tracks.
Manager Johnson stated that the School District would like the grade separation in place
by 1996 when the new school opens. This location is outside of the MUSA boundary,
however, Director Moore feels the City could fund the project, possibly through M.S.A.
funds.
Director Moore estimated that a grade separation at this location could cost between
1 million and $1.5 million.
Manager Johnson stated that the grade separation is important primarily from a safety
perspective relating to availability of fire service, as well as for pedestrians.
Councilmember Vasiliou stated she was contacted by a School District 284 board member
who indicated that Superintendent Landswerk has stated to school board members that the
City has already agreed to install the grade separation. She stated that the board decision
to proceed with the proposed site is based on the understanding that the City has already
agreed to install the grade separation.
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July 19, 1993
Page 7
Manager Johnson stated that he would write a letter to the school board members and
superintendent informing them that to date the City Council has taken no action on this
issue and advising them of the process.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
City Clerk