HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Packet 01-12-1999 SpecialCOUNCIL STUDY SESSION
JANUARY 12, 1999
7:00 PM
Public Safety Training Room
1. Consider The Planning And Development Of The Property North Of Medina
Road, South Of Highway 55 And West Of Plymouth Ponds
2. Discuss Proposed Revisions In Reports And Procedures For Planning
Applications
3. Discuss Council Goals and Priorities Process
Agenda Number: I ,
TO: Dwight Johnson, City Manager
FROM: Anne Hurlburt, Community Development Director
John Rask, Planner
SUBJECT: Consider Initiating a Land Use Guide Plan Amendment for Property
Currently Guided for Industrial Use Located North of Medina Road,
South of Highway 55 and West of Plymouth Ponds Business Park
DATE: January 7, 1999 for the City Council Meeting of January 12, 1999
1. ACTION REQUESTED
Consider whether or not to initiate a Land Use Guide Plan amendment from IP (Planned
Industrial) to CO (Commercial Office) for property located north of Medina Road, south of
Highway 55 and west of Plymouth Ponds Business Park.
The Council could take one of one of the following actions at the January 12 special meeting:
a) set a public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission at its regular meeting on
February 10, 1999 to consider reclassification of the industrial site located north of Medina
Road, south of Highway 55, and west of Holly Lane from "IP" (Planned Industrial) to
CO", (Commercial Office) on the City's land use guide plan;
b) defer any action to a future regular City Council meeting; or
c) take no action to alter the existing Industrial guiding of the site.
2. BACKGROUND
The property in question (see attached location map) is approximately 27 acres in size and is
currently designated for Industrial use by the Land Use Guide Plan. The property is zoned FRD
Future Restricted Development.) The City reviewed an EAW and sketch plan for industrial
development of a portion of the site as part of the Cornerstone Commons project. The southern
10 acres is occupied by farm buildings, and has never been the subject of any City development
approvals.
TTY OF PLYMOUTH
TO: Dwight Johnson, City Manager
FROM: Anne Hurlburt, Community Development Director
John Rask, Planner
SUBJECT: Consider Initiating a Land Use Guide Plan Amendment for Property
Currently Guided for Industrial Use Located North of Medina Road,
South of Highway 55 and West of Plymouth Ponds Business Park
DATE: January 7, 1999 for the City Council Meeting of January 12, 1999
1. ACTION REQUESTED
Consider whether or not to initiate a Land Use Guide Plan amendment from IP (Planned
Industrial) to CO (Commercial Office) for property located north of Medina Road, south of
Highway 55 and west of Plymouth Ponds Business Park.
The Council could take one of one of the following actions at the January 12 special meeting:
a) set a public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission at its regular meeting on
February 10, 1999 to consider reclassification of the industrial site located north of Medina
Road, south of Highway 55, and west of Holly Lane from "IP" (Planned Industrial) to
CO", (Commercial Office) on the City's land use guide plan;
b) defer any action to a future regular City Council meeting; or
c) take no action to alter the existing Industrial guiding of the site.
2. BACKGROUND
The property in question (see attached location map) is approximately 27 acres in size and is
currently designated for Industrial use by the Land Use Guide Plan. The property is zoned FRD
Future Restricted Development.) The City reviewed an EAW and sketch plan for industrial
development of a portion of the site as part of the Cornerstone Commons project. The southern
10 acres is occupied by farm buildings, and has never been the subject of any City development
approvals.
Page 2
In 1989, the City Council guided the subject property for industrial uses as part of a Citywide
Comprehensive Plan update. Prior to 1989, the property was guided LA -2 (Living Area 2) and
LA -3 (Living Area 3).
Since this time, the surrounding area has been developed with the Seven Ponds PUD and the
existing Plymouth Ponds industrial park. The City has given development approvals for
Rottlund Homes/Elim Care's Cornerstone Commons residential project to the west. These
actions have affected this property either directly or indirectly. A summary of these actions is
attached to this report.
Earlier this year, Moen Leuer Construction submitted an application for a preliminary plat, final
plat, site plan approval, conditional use permit and rezoning for an industrial development
consisting of five industrial buildings totaling approximately 389,000 square feet in area (file
98136). This application was withdrawn prior to consideration by the Planning Commission at
the request of one of the land owners. Since then, Moen Leuer Construction has obtained
control of the entire site, and has submitted a new application for a development that is
essentially the same as the one previously withdrawn. The application was found to be complete
on December 30, 1998. Because the application involves a rezoning from FRD (Future
Restricted Development) to PUD (Planned Unit Development), the Zoning Ordinance requires
the City to mail notices to all property owners within 750 feet informing them of the application.
Staff mailed this notice on January 7, 1998. The City will send a second notice to all property
owners within 750 feet once a public hearing date has been set.
In our preliminary review of the Moen Leuer development application, staff has found that the
plan does not provide adequate internal circulation to accommodate the anticipate traffic.
Furthermore, the plan does not provide a street or private drive connection from Holly Lane to
Medina Road. Staff considers this connection of Holly Lane essential in providing adequate on-
site circulation, as well as to provide an alternative route from the existing Plymouth Ponds
development to Medina Road. The proposed site plan also provides access from Lawndale
Lane, contrary to previous Council action. Given these concerns, staff would not be able to
recommend approval of the application in its current form. However, staff believes that the
applicant could modify the site plan and will continue to work with the applicant to address these
concerns prior to the public hearing. A copy of the proposed site plan is attached.
There have been some concerns about the compatibility of industrial use of this property with
the existing residential area to the south and the new residential area to be developed by Rottlund
Homes and Elim Care to the west. The intensity of the use of the site, truck traffic and loading
areas are some of the concerns that have been raised. While the City has previously rejected
plans for residential use of the site, a less intense use (such as office or business campus -type
development) may be more compatible. If the Council initiates a reguiding, the Planning
Commission and staff would undertake the study and hold the public hearings required to fully
re-evaluate the land use designation of the site.
Page 3
3. CONSIDERATIONS FOR A PLAN AMENDMENT
The City's highest level of discretion on a planning and zoning matter is at the level of the
Comprehensive Plan Amendment. If the Council decides that this issue should be studied
further, the following is a list of some of the issues that would be considered in the process of
deciding what land use guide plan designation is in the best interests of the City:
What will be the impact on the City from loss of industrial expansion space? The City's
industrial land supply is shrinking and there are no significant vacant industrial parcels that
have not received some level of development approval. The largest supply of vacant
commercial/industrial land is currently commercial office. There are no comparable sites
available inside or outside the urban service area (MUSA). The Council may wish to also
consider the overall balance of land uses throughout the City, and the need for more
warehouse space compared with the need for more office space.
Can the site be reasonably developed under the IP (Planned Industrial) guiding while
providing the appropriate transitions and buffers from existing and proposed residential
uses? Would a CO (Commercial Office) guiding provide for better transitions? The
majority of the property is over 300 feet from the residential properties south of Medina
Road. The site could accommodate loading docks in compliance with Zoning Ordinance
standards, provided they are screened to a height of ten feet. Office uses generally have a
higher quality exterior building finish, including fewer loading docks (although that is not a
city requirement.)
What type of development would fit best with the existing industrial development ? Industrial
development would allow the site to be integrated with the existing Plymouth Ponds
development, providing an opportunity to internalize loading areas and provide shared
access. Office development would require screening in order to avoid having the office
buildings face the loading areas of Plymouth Ponds.
What would be the traffic impacts of a reguiding? Industrial development consisting of
office/light-manufacturing/warehouse uses would potentially generate fewer trips than office
uses on this site. Office uses would generate more traffic overall, but less truck traffic.
Medina Road is a major collector street and was specifically designed to serve major non-
residential developments such as an industrial or office park and could accommodate the
traffic from either type of development. A thorough traffic study would be performed prior
to a public hearing on a reguiding of the site.
What opportunities might be lost if the property were reguided? The subject property consists
of two lots that are under separate ownership. Moen Leuer recently purchased the 10 -acre
Leuer Farm and currently has a contract to purchase the 17 -acre industrially guided parcel
from Elim Care. Significant opportunities could be lost if a reguiding resulted in the
separation of the two sites. Developing these parcels together allows the greatest flexibility
in providing access, locating loading docks, and makes the most efficient use of both
properties. The approved grading plan for Elim's Cornerstone Commons includes the
removal of material from this site to lower the grade of the industrial property and to provide
fill material for the residential development. It is not known what affect a reguiding might
have on the viability of the Elim project, but Elim has stated their objection in a letter,
Page 4
attached. If the two lots were developed separately, it would be necessary to have the Elim
industrial property receive access from the future extension of Lawndale Lane, as opposed to
receiving direct access from Medina Road. Moen Leuer also has the ability to provide an
easement over the Plymouth Ponds property in order to share the Co. Rd. 24 access, which
would lessen traffic impacts on Medina Road.
If the property were reguided to Commercial Office, what zoning districts would be
appropriate for the site? The corresponding zoning districts for the CO (Commercial Office)
guiding are O -R (Office/Residential) and B -C (Business Campus). The O -R zoning district
allows uses such as: offices, banks, funeral homes, private clubs, and retail commercial
activities limited to those uses permitted in the C-1 (Convenience Commercial) zoning
district. Conditional uses in the O -R district include extended stay hotels, convenience
markets with motor fuel sales, and multi -family housing. Staff would have a difficult time
supporting a rezoning to O -R because of the allowed residential uses. Additionally, the City
Council has denied past reguidings for residential uses on this site. The B -C zoning district
allows uses such as: banks, offices, commercial recreation, reception halls, and wholesale
showrooms. Conditional uses in the B -C district include hotels, manufacturing and
warehousing as an accessory use not to exceed 40 percent of the building, and retail
commercial activities as an accessory use not to exceed 15 percent of the building.
4. CONCLUSION
If the Council believes that a Land Use Guide Plan amendment should be considered for this
property, the Council could adopt the following motion:
Set a public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission at its regular meeting on
February 10, 1999 to consider the reclassification of the industrial site located north of
Medina Road, south of Highway 55, and west of Holly Lane from "IP" (Planned
Industrial) to "CO", (Commercial Office) on the City's land use guide plan.
Given that there is a current development application, it would be appropriate for the Council to
initiate the change at this time rather than waiting until later in the review period. The review
deadline on the current application is April 29,1999.
If the Council believes that the current Industrial guiding is appropriate for the property, then no
action is required by the Council.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. History of Surrounding Development Approvals
2. Location Map
3. Site Plan File No: 98201
4. Letter from Elim Care, Inc. dated December 16, 1998
5. Letter from Moen Leuer Construction dated December 16, 1998
n:\cd\plan\staffrep\cc\CC99\plym ponds for jan12 study session.doc
Page 5
History of Surrounding Development Approvals
Seven Ponds PUD
On September 16, 1991, the City Council approved the Seven Ponds MPUD (MPUD 91-1). The
Seven Ponds PUD included the single family neighborhoods south of Medina Road, a commercial
area east of Co. Rd. 24 and an industrial area north of Medina Road.
In 1993, Hans Hagen Homes requested approval for a land use guide plan amendment to reclassify
the industrial property of the Seven Ponds PUD from IP (Planned Industrial) to LA -2 (Living
Area -2.) The City Council denied this request based on the following findings:
1. The proposed LA -2 guiding does not meet the locational criteria set forth by the Land Use
Guide Plan Element of the Comprehensive Plan.
2. The proposed LA -2 guiding would negatively impact the potential development of industrial
areas in Plymouth by reducing the opportunity for new campus -like development.
3. The proposed reguiding will negatively impact School District 284 by potentially requiring
additional school facilities to be located in this vicinity.
In addition to the above, the staff report noted that the City had already assessed the property for
the road improvements at industrial rates, and Medina Road had been constructed to serve
industrial traffic. Additionally, the Engineering Division found that the reguiding of the site to
Page 6
LA -2 would result in less sewage flow that would reduce the revenues needed to support the
sanitary sewer that the City constructed to serve the future industrial uses.
Plymouth Ponds Industrial Park
On May 16, 1995, the City Council approved a PUD Preliminary Plan for the first three buildings
of the Plymouth Ponds Development. During that Public Hearing process, area residents
expressed concerns regarding the use of the site for an industrial park. Most of the concerns at the
public hearing related to access to the property and the impact of traffic, particularly truck traffic,
on the residents on Holly Lane south of Medina Road. (Area residents expressed a number of
concerns regarding all aspects of the Plymouth Ponds development; however, only those concerns
that pertain to the development of the subject property are discussed in this report.)
The primary access to the Plymouth Ponds Development is from Medina Road, with a right turn
only into the site from Co. Rd. 24. During the development review process, the City Council
requested that staff review the options for access to the site to see if the State or County would
permit an additional or substitute access from Co. Rd. 24 or T. H. 55.
Staff contacted Hennepin County to discuss the possibility of constructing an intersection on Co.
Rd. 24 between T. H. 55 and Medina Road. Hennepin County stated that a full intersection would
not be permitted based on both safety and traffic operations efficiency, but that they would permit
a right-in/right-out intersection on Co. Rd. 24.
City staff also sent a letter to Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) asking them
whether any direct access from this site to T. H. 55 would be acceptable. MNDOT responded by
stating that access to the site from T.H. 55 is prohibited. Additionally, an access from T.H. 55
would have been inconsistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Page 7
Area residents also raised concerns relating to traffic safety at the proposed Holly Lane/Medina
Road intersection. Staff responded to these concerns by stating that the street system had been
designed for the safety of motorists on all the streets. The site access from Medina Road was
consistent with the original plans for the MPUD and with the design of the Co. Rd. 24 and T.H. 55
intersection. In addition, staff did not concur that the Holly Lane/Medina Road intersection would
be more dangerous for pedestrians or motorists than other similar intersections in Plymouth.
Traffic controls, such as stop signs or signals could be installed when and where warranted to
protect traffic movements and safety. Finally, in 1994 the City realigned and reconstructed
Medina Road and Co. Rd. 24 to handle the additional traffic anticipated from this industrial guided
property.
Staff also indicated during the review process that there would eventually be a second means of
access to Plymouth Ponds from the west to connect with Medina Road or Co. Rd. 101. The access
would be from the extension of Holly Lane and would be a local street designed to serve future
industrial developments in the area.
On October 16, 1996, the City Council approved a MPUD Preliminary Plan and Final Plan/Plat
for the fourth building in Plymouth Ponds.
Elim Care/Cornerstone Commons
On April 19, 1996, the Planning Commission reviewed an application by Elim Care for a land use
guide plan amendment from I -P to LA -3. The plan amendment included the entire Elim Care
property. The Planning Commission recommended denial of this application based on the
following findings:
1. The LA -3 guiding would negatively impact the adjacent existing industrial development.
2. The conditions upon which a similar request was denied have not significantly changed.
3. The LA -3 guiding is not in the best interest of the City since the reguiding will reduce the
supply of land available for industrial development.
4. Equally situated alternative locations for industrial land outside the urban service area
MUSA) are not available.
5. The site can be reasonably developed under the IP (Planned Industrial) guiding.
In addition to the above findings, the Planning Commission indicated that they would consider
reguiding the west portion of the Elim Care property provided the land adjacent to Plymouth
Ponds remained industrial. Consequently, the applicant withdrew this request prior to City
Council consideration and submitted a new application that left the subject property industrial and
reguided the remainder of the property to LA -3.
On November 20, 1996, the City Council conditionally approved a land use guide plan
amendment from I -P (Planned Industrial) to LA -3 (Living Area -3) for the Cornerstone Commons
residential development. The Leuer Farm and 17 acres of the Elim Care property remained
industrial. The reguiding was conditionally approved subject to completion of an environmental
review process.
Page 8
When staff analyzed the guide plan amendment request for Elim Care, staff found that the
connection of Holly Lane through the Elim industrial site to Medina Road was essential for the
following reasons: 1) without the connection, the existing Holly Lane would become a permanent
cul-de-sac over 900 feet in length; 2) the design of Holly Lane does not include an emergency
vehicle access or the looping of utilities since the road was anticipated to extend to the west; and
3) failure to connect the Elim industrial property to Medina Road would result in all truck traffic
from Plymouth Ponds using the Holly Lane intersection and the right -in and right -out entrance on
Co. Rd. 24. (Area residents raised concerns about truck traffic at these intersections during the
review of the Plymouth Ponds Development.)
Because the City Council reguided a portion of the site from IP to LA -3, staff found that the
extension of Holly Lane would need to connect to Medina Road as opposed to Co. Rd. 101 to
avoid routing traffic from the industrial buildings through the center of a residential area. Staff
further found that the connection from Holly Lane to Medina Road could be either a public street
or a private street/drive.
On February 18, 1998, the City Council reviewed an Environmental Assessment Worksheet
EAW) for Cornerstone Commons and the Elim industrial property, excluding the Leuer Farm.
The Council adopted a resolution with a finding of "no need" for preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The purpose of the EAW process is to determine if a more thorough EIS
is warranted. The City Council, as well as the Planning Commission, found the EAW to be
complete, and found no irreversible environmental effects or impacts that could not be mitigated.
On August 5, 1998, the City Council approved the preliminary plat and PUD general plan for
Cornerstone Commons. The PUD general plan included 352 residential units consisting primarily
of senior housing. The industrial property was not included in the PUD general plan.
Page 9
The City Council added a condition to the approving resolution for Cornerstone Commons that
prohibited the extension of Holly Lane to the future Lawndale Lane if an alternative access to
Medina Road is developed for the industrial parcel. Consequently, access for future development
on the Elim and Leuer Farm industrial properties would be from a private drive from Medina
Road with a second connection to Holly Lane.
In August of 1998, the City Council reguided a small area of the Cornerstone Commons property
from LA -3 to LA -4 in August of 1998 to accommodate the assisted living and senior cooperative
buildings.
City Initiated Guide Plan Amendment
On September 16, 1998, the City Council approved, 1) a reguiding of approximately twenty acres
located north of Medina Road, south of Highway 55, and east of Co. Rd. 101 from Planned
Industrial (IP) to Living Area 2 (LA -2) and Public Institutional (P -I), and 2) a rezoning of the
same property from Future Restricted Development (FRD) to Multiple Family 2 (RMF -2) and
Public Institutional (P -I).
The reguiding and rezoning included Glory of Christ Lutheran Church, a City of Plymouth water
tower site, an NSP substation and two single family homes. These properties were previously
guided I -P (Planned Industrial). The church property was zoned P -I (Public Institutional) and the
remaining parcels were zoned FRD (Future Restricted Development). The properties were
reguided and rezoned to reflect the existing uses on each of the properties.
There have been no further changes to the guide plan map in this area of the City since the City
initiated amendments. The location map on the following page is a current representation of the
City's Land Use Guide Plan.
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Elim Care, Inc.
Providing Senior Housing and Healthcare
in the Spirit of Christs Love
December 16, 1998
Mayor Joy Tierney
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, Minnesota 55447
Dear Mayor Tierney:
Mike Leuer informed me today that the Council may be asked to re -guide our property located
adjacent to the Plymouth Ponds development on Medina Road. As owner of the parcel I wish to
state our objection to any proposed guide change.
Elim Care has entered into a sale agreement for this property with Moen Leuer Construction and
a proposal has been submitted by Moen Leuer to the planning department for an
office/warehouse development. We support this application as submitted to the city.
The escalating and unforeseen costs required by the development agreement for our Cornerstone
Commons project require that we close the sale to Moen Leuer as soon as possible. Any delay intheapprovalofthisprojectwillcausefurtherfinancialstresstothisorganization.
Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
10
Robert M. Dahl
President/CEO
RMD/rj r
cc: Council Member Wold
Council Member Black
Council Member Preus
Council Member Bildsoe
Council Member Spigner
Council Member Johnson
7540 Market Place Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344-3636
Telephone 612-944-1164 • Fax 612-944-0963 • Internet wwwelimcare.org
Endorsed by and z!ffiGared with the Evangelical Fire Church OfAmerica
I
r
MOEN
LEUER
December 16, 1998
Mayor Joy Tierney
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth MN 55447
Re: Moen Leuer Construction
Dear Mayor Tierney:
We have been informed that Council Member Bildsoe wishes to take action that could result in
the City unilaterally reguiding property that we have purchased adjacent to our existing Plymouth Ponds
office warehouse development. We have been told that if adopted, the proposal could lead to the property
being reguided from industrial to office use. We want to inform you and the Council that we believe that
such an action would be unwise and unfair.
First, such action would be unwise. The City has long planned for light industrial use of this
property. The comprehensive plan was adopted with much study and analysis. There have been one or
two attempts to reguide the property to a different use. These attempts have been voted down by past City
Councils which have steadfastly reaffirmed the analysis that the property would be guided for office
warehouse use.
Based on that history, our firm has purchased and developed our existing development and
purchased the property in question at great expense. What has changed? From an analytical point of
view, nothing has changed The property south of our property has developed as residential, just as
planned. Our development has developed as light industrial, just as planned There is no reason that the
property in question should not be permitted to develop as industrial, just as planned.
Frankly, the problem is not with the planning and analysis that led to guiding this property to
industrial. The problem arises because a politically powerful group in the adjoining residential
neighborhood does not want office warehouse development across the street. The property was guided
industrial long before most of the residential neighbors purchased houses. They knew an office warehouse
development would occur across the street. Nothing has changed which justifies changing the
comprehensive plan.
We hope that this council will not be tempted to jettison a well thought-out comprehensive plan
because of a powerful political group. That is not good government. Yes, council members are expected
to listen to the public, but they are not expected to abandon sound planning because of neighborhood
groups. Planning must be done in the interests of the entire community. Communities need light
industrial districts to lessen the tax burdens on residences and to provide employment opportunities. Land
investors who risk millions of dollars in the City of Plymouth need stability and predictability, not
3600 Holly Lane North, #100 - Plymouth, MN 55447 - Office (612) 550-1961 - Fax (612) 550-3913
unpredictability created by deference to NIMBY groups. Each council member has an ethical duty to
avoid going over that line.
The result of abandoning principle is that a city will become a hodgepodge of neighborhood
decisions rather than a well planned city. People have a right to rely on the comprehensive plan in the
absence of extraordinary change. We have expended millions of dollars and are liable on millions of
dollars of debt in reliance that Plymouth is a well run municipality which has stable planning which is not
subject to political winds. The majority of the land has been purchased We do not have the alternative of
undoing the investment.
Many of you have empathy for the adjoining residents and their concerns. That is appropriate.
We are all families in some neighborhood and we want our council members to take care of our interests
in a manner that is consistent with good government and the law. Some of you may feel that the
neighborhood has complaints with merit. We realize we are not perfect and our tenants are not perfect,
but we have evidenced our desire to work with staff to correct problems and to spend money to address
neighborhood issues, even when we felt we were within both the law and good property management
practices. The result has been an attractive development which is an asset to the City.
We are willing to work with the City and representatives of the neighborhood to address
neighborhood issues relating to our future development. We will design the development so that offices
face the residential areas or so that it is sufficiently screened We will create berms and low building
profiles and landscape to the advantage of the neighborhood We will manage traffic in the best way we
can. We will listen. We think that promoting discussion and compromise is much better government
than arbitrary rezoning. It is constructive, not destructive. It is fair. We urge you to allow us to proceed
with such discussions and vote against reguiding the property.
Very truly yours,
MOEN LEUER CONSTRUCTION, INC.
cc: Council Member Wold
Council Member Black
Council Member Preus
Council Member Bildsoe
Council Member Spigner
Council Member Johnson
Ve
FA
Agenda Number:
TO: Dwight Johnson, City Manager
FROM: Anne Hurlburt, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Changes in Procedures for Staff Recommendation on Planning and Zoning
Applications
DATE: January 7, 1999 for the City Council Meeting of January 12, 1999
1. ACTION REQUESTED
Review and discuss proposed changes to policies and procedures for making staff
recommendations on planning and zoning applications. While the changes do not require any
ordinance amendments or formal approval by the Council, they will affect the public process for
development reviews and the Council should be aware of them before they are implemented.
2. BACKGROUND
The City Manager has requested that the Community Development Department consider some
changes in our staff reports to the Planning Commission to address some concerns expressed by
the City Council. Some have observed that the staff report sometimes becomes the focus instead
of the project, and the public may believe that staff have their minds made up before a public
hearing. It has been suggested that staff consider not making recommendations at the Planning
Commission level on potentially controversial items until after the hearing.
There are advantages and disadvantages to making detailed recommendations in the staff reports.
For "minor" applications (site plan review, conditional use permit or variance) the City has limited
discretion in its decision whether to approve or deny a project. The main issue is whether or not
certain criteria are met, many of which are objective. In such cases, the staff recommendation and
analysis needs to provide clear guidance to the applicant and Planning Commission. Not making a
recommendation could create ambiguity and confusion about appropriate criteria for decision
making and conditions of approval.
We have recently implemented some changes in our reports for "minor" applications. The
changes are aimed at making it clear to the reader what the criteria and standards are for the City's
review of the request. We have expanded the section on "City Discretion in Decision -Making" to
indicate where the standards the City applies to an application are measurable and where they are
Page 2
open to some interpretation. We have expanded the "Analysis" section to more specifically cite
the standards that apply to a particular application, noting again where these are measurable and
where there may be some interpretation. And, our recommendations have been changed to
indicate that if new information is brought forward at the public hearing (or meeting), staff may
reconsider its recommendation or add additional conditions to insure compliance with Zoning
Ordinance standards.
Most of the controversial issues concern "major" development applications. These are
comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings and planned unit developments (PUDs) and PUD
amendments. These are the applications for which we now provide extraordinary notifications
two mailed notices instead of one and a larger notification area, within 750 feet of the site.) The
criteria for these applications are more subjective and open to greater interpretation. The "major"
applications are those on which the City has the highest level of discretion. They are the
applications for which public input is the most important.
For the "major" applications, there are some disadvantages to preparing staff recommendations
prior to the public hearing. When staff have already made their recommendation, they are less
able to incorporate good suggestions and input from the hearing. New issues that surface at the
hearing can't be dealt with in the report. We do address issues from the hearing in our later report
to the Council. But there is no opportunity for further Planning Commission input or public
discussion, which can give the impression that the issues are not being considered. Especially
when the City's level of discretion is high, the public input can be an important consideration in
whether or not an application is approved. Staff recommendations prior to the hearing can appear
to diminish the importance of that input.
There are some good reasons why it has been our practice to prepare staff recommendations prior
to a hearing. One purpose of the staff report is to help focus the debate and provide a starting
place for the discussion to follow at the public meeting. It is the staff's responsibility to
thoroughly analyze an application and use our professional judgment and experience to help the
Commission and Council reach sound decisions. It is difficult if not impossible to credibly
perform that responsibility and appear completely neutral. Another reason to prepare
recommendations prior to the hearing is a desire to streamline the review process. The Planning
Commission then has all the information it needs to act on an application at the same meeting as it
holds the hearing if it wishes to do so.
3. RECOMMENDED CHANGES FOR "MAJOR" APPLICATIONS
There are arguments on both sides of the issue of whether or not staff should make
recommendations prior to the hearing on "major" planning and zoning applications. However, the
current concern about improving the process for incorporating public input into the process for
developing the Planning Commission's recommendation to the Council argues in favor of making
a change.
For major projects on which the City has a high level of discretion, we propose to implement a
new two-step process at the Planning Commission that would allow for public input prior to
preparation of the full project analysis and recommendation, as follows:
Page 3
For the initial public hearing, staff would prepare a report that outlines the request, the review
process and the standards that the City would use to review the request. The Commission
would not act at this meeting, only hear a presentation of the project and hold the public
hearing. The hearing could be closed at that time or left open to the next meeting.
Following the hearing, staff would take the input from the public as well as the Commission
members and complete the staff report, adding the full analysis. In most cases, this report
would also lay out options for the Commission to consider and alternative resolutions for
approval and denial as appropriate.
The Commission would then have the application on their agenda at a later meeting for review
of the detailed analysis and to consider their recommendation to the City Council.
Some disadvantages to be considered are that every major project would require two Planning
Commission meetings instead of one. Review timelines would be extended by a minimum of two
or three weeks, and deadlines will have to be watched more carefully as more meetings are
needed. Mailed notice of the initial hearing would need to explain that there may be two meetings
and citizens might have to attend more meetings to see a proposal through to conclusion.
Some advantages are that the hearing can focus on the project, not on a staff recommendation or
position. Facts and issues brought up at the hearing can be incorporated into the staff's analysis
and recommended resolutions. The applicant could propose changes after the initial hearing that
could improve the project and incorporate them into the plans before the Planning Commission
recommendation is passed along to the Council.
4. CONCLUSION
Unless the Council objects, staff plans to immediately implement the changes to our procedures
for making recommendations on major planning and zoning applications, as outlined above. We
will discuss this change with the Planning Commission at the earliest opportunity. And, we will
be developing handouts and revising our hearing notices to explain the revised procedures to the
public and applicants.
We expect that the first hearings using the new procedure will not occur until February or March.
After using the process for a couple of applications, we will evaluate the results and make
additional changes if needed.
nAcd\p1an\staffrep\cc\CC99\staff reports for cc study session.doc
DATE: January 8, 1999
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Discussion of Goals and Priorities and Visioning Process
In recent years one of the first major efforts tackled by new city councils is the
establishment of the group's goals and priorities for the upcoming two-year period. In
the past, both the council and staff submit ideas for goals and priorities. These are voted
upon and prioritized, and staff then creates a work plan. The process used in recent years
is Attachment A. The end result is a two-year work plan for the city government.
City staff has facilitated the goals and priorities study session in the past. However, it is
possible to retain the services of a consultant to assist you with the goals and priorities
session. Team building also could be incorporated into the overall process.
Some councilmembers have expressed an interest in some kind of visioning process that
will have a longer time horizon. Visioning, or strategic planning, generally involves a
large segment of the community, establishes several broad goals, and has time frame of
five, ten, or even twenty years. Specific objectives and activities flow from the broad
goal areas. Many local governments use the services of a professional consultant and
facilitator for the visioning process. Some notes on visioning processes are found in
Attachment B. Also included are articles on visioning from Governing and the League of
Minnesota Cities magazine, and examples of visioning efforts in Minnetonka and St.
Louis Park.
It is likely that there will be some kind of public visioning process as part of the
Comprehensive Plan update. However, the process will be limited in its scope, primarily
because of the time deadline associated with completion of the Comprehensive Plan
udpate.
Other suggestions from councilmembers for discussion are training on Robert's Rules of
Order and on how the council may deal with its overall workload in an efficient and
effective manner.
Staff would appreciate some direction from the council on how to proceed with the goals
and priorities session, and on whether or not to present more detailed information on
visioning. Listed below are some questions on each topic for you to consider:
Goals and Priorities
1. Do you wish to continue with the same goals and priorities process used in previous
years?
2. Are you interested in using a consultant to facilitate the goals and priorities process?
3. Are you interested in doing any team building as part of the goals and priorities
process?
4. What date is feasible for the study session? The available study session date in
February is February 9. Other possible dates are Tuesday, February 23, Saturday,
February 27, or Saturday, March 6. However, if you wish to use a consultant, a later
date may be necessary.
Visioning
1. Are you interested in undertaking a community visioning process? If so, staff can
develop further information about options and present a recommendation to the
council at a later date. Another option is to form a council subcommittee to
investigate visioning options and make a recommendation to the full council.
2. If the council does undertake a visioning process, how do the goals and priorities fit
into this, or are the two initiatives separate but related?
Although there are no funds specifically budgeted for retaining professional assistance
with either the goals and priorities or a visioning process, possible funding sources are
1998 surplus or the 1999 general contingency fund.
ftlthnwl-l
Recent Process for Goals/Priorities Meeting
1. City Council and staff review current goals and priorities, suggest deletions or
modifications.
2. City Council and staff suggest new ideas for goals and priorities.
3. Lists of ideas for goals and priorities are compiled and organized into categories.
These are written on large sheets of paper.
4. At a special city council meeting, councilmembers are given a certain number of
colored dot stickers. These stickers represent votes for a particular idea. As a group, the
council decides the ground rules for voting (i.e., no more than five votes for one item,
etc.). The council voting tends to prioritize those items considered the most important for
the city to focus in the coming years.
5. After agreement is reached on the top items, the staff creates a work plan for
implementing the items. This work plan is approved by the council at a council meeting.
Visioning or Strategic Planning
General Questions
aikahtno-t S
What are the desired outcomes of this process?
How will the community be involved?
Is the end result a vision/plan for the community, or for the city government?
What is the time frame contemplated by the vision/plan? Five years? Ten years?
How will the vision/plan be used?
How will the implementation of the plan be monitored and measured?
How does the vision/plan fit in with other long range planning initiatives, such as the
Comprehensive Plan update?
Will the vision/plan process use a consultant or facilitator, or will it be a staff -based
process?
What is the completion timeline for the vision/plan—what is the target completion
date?
Process Options
Broad, community-based. This type of process most often involves the use of a
consultant or facilitator. Significant efforts are made to engage as many community
members as possible in developing the vision/plan. The vision/plan starts "from scratch,"
and the community identifies the key elements of the plan. The visioning/planning effort
can take as much as a year to complete. Successful processes have the following
characteristics: are inclusive, have a "flagship" idea, are comprehensive, are community -
driven, and address implementation of the vision/plan. The overall effort can take one to
two years.
Focused Community Process. Key areas for the vision/plan are identified early on, either
by the elected officials or by some other group. The vision/plan for these key areas is
then developed by various community groups or task forces. Input from these groups is
combined into a more fully developed vision/plan. The time frame to complete the plan
likely is around one year.
Council Process. The City Council is the primary author of the vision/plan. An outside
facilitator or consultant helps the Council. The Council may seek community input
during the development of the vision/plan. The time frame to complete the plan likely is
six months to one year.
Council/Stafj`'Process. The City Council could appoint a subcommittee of
councilmembers and staff to develop a vision/plan. This group may seek input from the
community. The time frame to complete the vision/plan is fairly short—around six
months.
Information on Visioning
Article from Governing magazine, May 1998
Article from League of Minnesota Cities magazine, August 1998
Minnetonka, Minnesota Strategic Framework
St. Louis Park, Minnesota "Vision St. Louis Park"
vUvei nu ly. v iswi m lynviay ZTo
Governing home page I Table of contents
Cities and the Vision
Thing
rays i v1 v
The year 2050 will be here before you know it. Is your
master plan in place?
BY JONATHAN WALTERS
With hundreds of blue and white balloons and a blaring high school
band, the official kickoff of "St. Louis 2004" seemed more like a high school pep rally than
the launch of a serious urban redevelopment initiative. But there was no mistaking its scope
and ambition. Former U.S. Senator John C. Danforth, chairman of St. Louis 2004, told the
assembled crowd that they were witnesses to "the beginning of the most dramatic revival St.
Louis has ever seen."
It was expansive rhetoric, more than matched by the resources that the project had already
consumed. At the moment the balloons went up, on a blustery morning in downtown St.
Louis just a few weeks ago, the 2004 visioning effort had been running for nearly two years
and had spent $5 million. In exchange for all that money, and with much more yet to be
spent, it was promising truly magnificent results.
We'll face head on the problem of discrimination...," some of the literature read. "We'll start
acting as a unified region.... Neighborhoods throughout the region will begin to turn the
corner.... More kids will have safe places in their neighborhoods.... Our quality of life will
improve as we take steps to clean up our air and create a world-class system of interlinking
parks and greenways.... The St. Louis region will be well on its way to becoming a national
model for privately led efforts to extend health insurance to people not covered...."
Underlying all those promises was an appealingly down-to-earth motto: "It's time to roll up
our sleeves and dig in!"
Just how will St. Louis accomplish all those goals in the space of six short years? Some of
the details were outlined briefly in a series of 11 papers distributed by the visioners at the
rally. Under "downtown revitalization," the papers suggested "making the central riverfront,
on both sides of the river, the Midwest's greatest tourist attraction and destination of choice
for residents of the region. Under creating sustainable neighborhoods, they announced the
launching of a "Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative." Good ideas, certainly, but still short
on the specifics, leaving lots of unanswered questions about the future of St. Louis and the
future of St. Louis 2004.
One thing, though, was clear: St. Louis — or at least some significant portion of influential
St. Louisans — had been hit with a highly contagious bug that has been sweeping civic
America in the late 1990s: visioning fever.
As the new millennium rapidly approaches, jurisdictions nationwide are going on a binge of
futurist civic introspection. In the process, they are vowing to make their communities the
best and most healthful places to live, work, play, get an education, raise a family and start
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a business anywhere in the world. Vision plans with a target date of 2010, 2020 — even
2040 — are being drawn up by steering committees from Birmingham to Missoula, from
Scranton to Flagstaff. Nearly all of them promise to bring citizens, governments,. nonprofits
and businesses together to fight crime, rein in sprawl, battle racism, rebuild downtown and
bring sustainable economic prosperity to the city and its surrounding region. So while the St.
Louis effort might be an ambitious one, it is not an unusual one. It is unique only in the short
period of time its organizers have given themselves to get all those big jobs done.
No one disputes that there is value in trying to pull some significant portion of a community
together to focus on the future, or that envisioning great things can be a positive exercise in
civic motivation. Skeptics do wonder, though, how well grounded some visioners are in
political, economic and social reality. It is easy to translate visions into inspiring language
and glossy brochures. Translating them into action is another matter.
A classic pitfall of visioning efforts is that there's no mechanism for follow up," says Michael
Stepner, dean of the Newschool of Architecture in San Diego and a veteran visioner himself.
You've raised expectations and then nothing happens, and you've once again proved
there's nothing to these things. That creates real cynicism. A 2040 plan is fine, but what
happens tomorrow?"
In many of the communities that play the visioning game, those questions don't come up at
the start of the process. In fact, the visioning process itself is often viewed as an urban
renewal panacea, similar in some ways to the festival marketplaces that were supposed to
save cities in the 1980s and the entertainment districts that are being launched to rescue
them in the 1990s.
Like those earlier panaceas, visioning has taken off in large part because there is one place
where it can be shown to have worked spectacularly well. In the case of the festival malls, it
is Boston. For the entertainment districts, it is Cleveland. And for visioning, it is
Chattanooga.
The story of Chattanooga's revival is legendary. In 1970, the U.S.
Department of Health, Education and Welfare declared it to be the most polluted city in
America. That led eventually to "Chattanooga 2000," which brought together hundreds of
citizens over the course of just a few months to develop the initial road map for revival.
Twenty years later, a thriving waterfront and rejuvenated neighborhoods all over town were
bringing visitors from dozens of other places — and sending them home with visions of
future greatness for their own communities.
And like all good trends in civic renewal, this one has spawned an entire industry of
supporting consultants. Experts from the National Civic League, the International
City/County Management Association and Partners for Livable Places can all be hired by
communities to help peek down the futurist road. Innumerable planning associations and
civic -minded local think tanks can also be signed on for help. Where budgets are tight, city
staff can coordinate the visioning effort, hiring outside facilitators to help with the community
participation phase.
The cost of this work varies all over the map. Stafford County, Virginia, employing mostly
volunteer help, executed its 2020 visioning effort for a mere $5,400. The annual budget of
St. Louis 2004 is more than 450 times that, $2.5 million, 40 percent of which comes from the
St. Louis -based Danforth Foundation and the balance from other local corporations and
foundations. More typically, visioning expenses seem to run anywhere from $50,000 to
250,000, depending on the scope and consultant.
What these communities actually get for the money is difficult to decipher. Visioning
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documents are, by their very nature, general in tone, with a pleasing and positive forward
spin. The tendency toward vagueness makes it easier to engender agreement among
diverse sectors of the community, but it makes evaluating results a slippery business. In
some cases, it calls the entire process into question.
Vision documents currently being drawn up around the country demonstrate a vagueness
that leaves people wondering who, exactly, will be picking up the ball and when. In Lee's
Summit, Missouri, the "action plan" for fighting "prejudice of all types" states that "the
Human Relations Commission will review data related to patterns of discrimination, hate
crimes, and other general issues of civil rights, human relations, and community relations."
Central Oklahoma 2020" is going to "strengthen Central Oklahoma families through
neighborhood -based support systems." Santa Barbara's "vision 2018" plan for downtown
suggests that the city "develop, fund, implement and promote alternative modes of travel
within and into the Downtown and Waterfront."
Some visioning documents are better than others in bringing "action plans" down to more
specific levels of reality. But "action," according to visioners, consists all too frequently of
more meetings among more people at some date down the road, and the tougher the task
at hand, the vaguer the action plan tends to be. Little Rock's futurist blueprint for downtown
consists in large part of promises "to appoint a Blue Ribbon Group to identify sites for
downtown revitalization and retain a consultant to assist in site identification, master
planning, design and fiscal analysis."
Easy as It IS t0 satirizethese efforts, the fact is that quite a few are going to bring
positive results, just as Chattanooga's did. And it is worth trying to figure out what gives
some visioning efforts a better chance of succeeding than others.
In Chattanooga's case, there was a powerful incentive to get serious: a federal declaration
that the place was, almost literally, a civic cesspool. That not only attracted attention but
offered a tangible focal point for action. Where no such focus exists, visioners can flounder
for years without agreeing on what to do. Missoula, Montana, embarked on a "Vision 2020"
effort that stumbled, says Daniel Kemmis, who was mayor at the time, because the reason
for the exercise was never really made clear.
The promoters of the effort were interested mainly in controlling growth in Missoula and the
surrounding area. Rather than risk an outright battle over sprawl, Kemmis thought it more
strategic to build consensus around the issue through a visioning exercise. But that just
made local business people and county officials suspicious; they refused to participate. It
wasn't until a group of neighborhood activists and developers came together in a call for
growth management that 2020 finally focused on a concrete plan to control growth. The
lesson? "If battle lines are going to get drawn around a particular issue anyway," says
Kemmis, "you might as well call the effort something specific, like 'growth management
planning."'
Where a community pulls "2020" out of a hat for the catchy sound of the thing, the call to
action has a fuzzier ring to it, and the aim of the effort is cloudier, too. There isn't anything in
particular that distinguishes a "2010" from a "2020" or a "2040" plan except the number that
the visioners decided to tag onto it. The "2004" in "St. Louis 2004" has some relevance — it
reflects the double centennial of the St. Louis World's Fair and the 1904 Summer Olympics
and it forces those involved to make crucial choices very quickly. But even some of those
closely involved in the effort wonder if harkening back to the glory days of 1904 amounts to
a compelling contemporary call to sustained civic action.
Beyond the importance of focus, it seems to matter a great deal whether the public at large
is involved early on in the process and on a continuing basis. For visioning to light a fire in
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the community, it generally needs to reflect the hopes and aspirations of more than a civic
elite willing to declare what is best for everyone.
Visioning' is a euphemism for participation and power," says David J. Wright, director of
urban and metropolitan studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government. "It's about
whether regular folks have an avenue by which to discuss the strengths of a community and
the challenges that face it; about the hopes and aspirations that they might have for the
community and for themselves."
Of course, being inclusive has its dangers: If you invite in absolutely everybody, you risk
having the process bog down in months — or even years — of debate and indecision. But
the consensus of those who have been involved in successful (and failed) visioning efforts
in recent years is pretty consistent: Broad community participation is essential, even if it
makes for a messy and drawn-out process. Pure top-down efforts almost never work.
In the late 1980s, for example, San Diego's elected leadership unveiled its vision for civic
renewal, a straightforward list of 20 capital improvement projects. The response the plan
received from San Diegans amounted to a resounding civic raspberry. The reason was that
city officials had made a serious cultural miscalculation. "A city like San Diego is steeped in
the ethic of public participation," says Bernard J. Frieden of M.I.T., author of several books
on downtown revival. "People there would naturally want to be involved in any visioning
effort."
The next plan for civic rejuvenation in San Diego came from a group of 800 concerned
citizens. This time, pieces of the plan are starting to get done, most notably a new city
ordinance to protect sensitive environmental habitats.
It IS not unusual t0 see such a pattern in visioning: Realistic plans frequently rise
from the ashes of unsuccessful efforts. Rochester, New York, is a good example. A few
years ago, Eastman Kodak, the city's longtime corporate angel, decided that it was time to
map out Rochester's future. Kodak signed up all of the usual suspects — business,
educational and political leaders. But no effort was made to enlist sustained community
involvement, and the process eventually degenerated into an argument about where to site
a new stadium for the city's minor league baseball team.
Finally, after years of squandered time and effort, a more inclusive approach to rebuilding
Rochester is now emerging. Called "Neighbors Building Neighborhoods," it reflects a clear
shift in emphasis, from top-down to community -up, toward helping the city's residential
districts and away from finding a one-shot mega -project to salvage downtown.
Neighborhood organizations have become our new action arms," says Community
Development Commissioner Tom Argust. 'They're the ones now coming up with the lists of
things they want to see done."
Indeed, the effort is showing real signs of life as neighborhoods citywide — in cooperation
with local government — have begun to make tangible progress at building new housing,
establishing new businesses and launching capital projects in some of the city's most
distressed neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Rochester is also working on its downtown civic
infrastructure. It is expanding its convention center and moving step-by-step, building -by -
building, to revitalize its riverfront. Its mundane stuff, but it is also the nitty-gritty of real
revival, in the view of Rochester's mayor, William A. Johnson. He has a simple tag line for
what the city is now doing. He calls it "a vision for the present."
Some of the concrete plans that will implement that vision are being made in unlikely ways.
A couple of months ago, for example, a gathering of community activists ate chicken wings
and pizza in a basement meeting room at City Hall and talked casually about what
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neighborhoods thought Rochester should be measuring by way of success. Citizens from
the poorest neighborhoods had equal say with those from the wealthiest. The city's
community development staff listened and took notes.
In St. Louis, the issue of who gets to choose the vision has been a divisive one. St. Louis
2004 officials clearly have learned that some power has to be invested in the people. But
they have learned it the hard way, and there is still broad community suspicion over the
initiative. That is largely because early on, 2004 conducted all its work behind closed doors.
St. Louis has a long tradition of top-down civic activism, and so it came naturally to 2004
organizers to establish their war room in the friendly confines of the glass and marble office
towers downtown, rather than somewhere close to the meaner streets of north St. Louis.
When those methods generated a barrage of criticism, St. Louis 2004 hired a consultant
with expertise in community focus groups to do some fast civic backfilling. The consultant
organized dozens of meetings citywide to elicit input into the 2004 plan. The question now is
whether too much damage was done at the beginning, or whether the change in tactics has
really opened the door to the city's diverse communities. "You have to give them credit for at
least finally getting the message," says James Buford, head of the St. Louis Urban League,
who as a member of 2004's board of directors has been pushing from the start to be more
inclusive. "You don't write the book and then try to sell it to the citizens. You let the citizens
write the book, then you take it back and edit it, and then you give it back to the citizens to
see if the edits reflect what they want."
The fact remains, though, that any community with a large minority population — or any
population that considers itself historically disenfranchised — is going to face continual
questions about race, class and legitimacy as it draws up its visions for the future. Even if a
broad cross-section of citizens is brought into the visioning fold right from the start, they are
going to be watching carefully to see what happens once the visioning report goes public.
And as San Diego's Michael Stepner notes, that is a critical moment. The actions that come
after the report need to be immediate and concrete, not symbolic and down -the -road.
Creating a Web site is a very popular thing to do," says Stepner. "Well, most people in your
community probably don't have access to Web sites. Holding a summit on racism is a very
popular thing to do; we did one in San Diego. Ending racism is a noble goal. But the best
thing you can probably do to improve race relations in your city is to fill the potholes in a
neglected neighborhood or upgrade their library."
The balance between promises and quick action is a dicey one, though, particularly in cities
that are fiscally stressed to begin with. In Rochester, Mayor Johnson decided to keep the
rhetoric in the visioning process muted, and to avoid dramatic announcements that the city
was going to do things that it probably couldn't do. "You have to be careful not to
overpromise what you can do or what you're going to accomplish," Johnson says. "I've had
people in different neighborhoods tell me: 'We've heard all this before."'
Rochester is working as hard on its future as St. Louis is, but nobody in Rochester is
promising to cure racism, make the environment pristine, quell teen violence, tum downtown
into a 24-hour hub of activity or begin a city -county lovefest — at least not all at once or
anytime soon. Rochester's promises tend to be more along the lines of establishing police
mini -stations where citizens ask that they be sited, working with neighborhoods to board up
and sell delinquent properties, helping businesses relocate in abandoned buildings, and
trying to improve public transit.
The lessons of Rochester — and the other places that have been through the visioning
process — would seem to offer some clear lessons for St. Louis and others just setting out.
One is that regionalism, so prominent in the St. Louis 2004 rhetoric, is among the most
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difficult goals for any group of visioners to achieve. The notion that the 12 -county St. Louis
region is going to "start acting as a unified region, rather than fragmented separate
communities divided along state, county and municipal lines," as promised in one of 2004's
four-color brochures — and start doing it this year (or even in the next six years) — comes
off as fanciful, to say the least.
Turning the city's downtown around in a year seems, if anything, even less likely. Downtown
St. Louis actually has a lot going for it, including the Gateway Arch, its beautiful, restored
railroad station and county courthouse, along with downtown baseball, hockey and football
stadiums, which all draw people in on a regular basis. But the city still empties out at the end
of the work day as employees stream back to their homes in the suburbs.
The calls to neighborhood revitalization and reducing teen violence are perhaps more
plausible, but here, too, serious questions remain. Plans for six "sustainable neighborhood"
demonstration projects are short on details and long on promises. To curb teen violence, the
plan is to emulate Boston's Operation Cease Fire — an aggressive youth anti -violence
initiative. These ideas could bear fruit if enough people can be persuaded to get behind
them and if enough work gets done at the community level to build support for them. But
those are large ifs.
And so, as with other places that are thinking bright futurist thoughts, the question in St.
Louis is pretty straightforward: Now that the balloons have been released, can 2004 bring
the whole effort back down to the grassroots, which is where a lot of people expect to be
real partners in achieving results? In that respect, St. Louis — and many of its counterparts
around the country — would probably be well served by spending less money on glossy
public relations material and staged events and more money on chicken wings and pizza.
Governing home page I Table of contents
Copyright ®1998, Conaresslonal Quarterly.
Reproduction in any form wi out the written permission
of the publisher is prohibited. Governing and
City & State are registered trademarks
of Congressional ouarteriy, Inc.
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BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Creating A Vision
Community visioning, or strategic planning, is about the future. It is a process that determines
goals, anticipates surprises, addresses uncertainties, plays out the "what ifs," and creates action
steps and partnerships for the entire community.
By Carl H. Neu
II communities have a
future. But what will be
the quality of that future?
Who bears responsibility
for whether the future is
one of fate or one of
intent and leadership?
Everyone in a community,
especially its elected leaders, should
be concerned about its future
because the citizens of the commu-
nity will have to live some, if not
the rest, of their lives in the future
they create.
The challenges, opportunities
and uncertainties facing all com-
munities are growing in number
and complexity. They can create
conflict, confusion, chaos and
paralysis. Or, they can create the
potential for new horizons, tough
choices and exciting futures. They
can also help recapture a precious
treasure many neighborhoods,
towns, cities and regions have
lost --a sense of community and
caring that binds people together
in common purpose and identity;
a new recognition of "we" and
we'll" as the basis for relating to
each other and the commitment to
get things done.
Community visioning, or
strategic planning, is about the
future. It is a process by which
people envision the community's
desired future and develop the
courage to achieve it. Community
visioning is the means by which a
community of people seek the
future they desire and relate with
each other, personally and corpo-
rately, to make that future happen.
It is not a planning tool such as a
comprehensive or master land -use
plan; it is not a means for allocating
resources such as a budget; it is not
a public relations plan to stimulate
good feelings. It is fundamentally a
process of dreaming, exploring and
creating—a means to give shape
and direction to a community's
thinking and view of itself so that
human imagination and creativity
can increase the influence of the
future over the present as the basis
for understanding and action.
Once the dream is set, all the
planning, budgeting and decision-
making tools have purpose and
application.
Why should a community
participate?
The visioning process gives a city
and the council a framework for
goal setting and establishing
priorities and setting policy. It
involves citizens and helps the city
understand what they want and
value. It provides an opportunity
to reflect on a community's history
and generate ideas for the future.
And, it offers a long-term perspec-
tive for decision-making and
budgeting. Communities that have
seen community visioning as an
adventure have reaped phenomenal
breakthroughs in how people
come together and in the accom-
plishments they achieve.
Questions to consider
Before embarking on a community
visioning adventure, your city
should consider several questions:
AUGUST 1998 MINNESOTA CITIES
Everyone in a commwdty,
especially its elected
leaders, should be
concerned about its
More because the
citizens of the community
Will have to live some,
I not the rest, of the Ives
in the future they create"
It is fundamentaly a process
of dreaming, exploring and
creating --a means to gine
shape and direction to a
community's thinking and
view of itself so that human
imagination and creativity
can increase the influence
of the fiibre over the
present as the basis for
understanding and action."
Do we understand what commu—
nity visioning really is? It is a
process of actively exploring and
anticipating the future and the
challenges to be addressed. It also
means developing consensus and
having the discipline to implement
that consensus without caving in to
political expediency, one's own
biases, or the pressures of specific
groups and individuals whose
agendas conflict with community
consensus.
Are our elected orcials, staff
and community leaders comfortable
sharing power with the community
and citizens? Community visioning
is a form of participatory democ-
racy that harkens back to the
original American democratic
experience. It can, at times, be in
conflict with representative
government and its "representa-
tives." The key is not to fear
popular involvement but to use it
to forge new citizen -elected official
partnerships that expand a
community's capacity to perceive
and achieve.
Can the community visioning
process benefit our community,
and do we really understand the
products and outcomes it will
produce? There must be a clear
expectation among all parties about
the process that will be used, the
roles of various players, and what
the effort will produce; i.e., a
vision statement, specific goals, and
strategies and plans for attaining
these goals.
Is the community ready to
dedicate the time and resources to
do this community visioning process
well? A community visioning
process can take six to 18 months
and involves an extensive time
commitment from those involved.
The process also requires staff
support, an adequate budget,
ongoing community publicity and
communications, and the services
of a professional facilitator. Vision-
ing is not a casual undertaking. It is
intense, disciplined, time-consum-
ing, hard work aimed at producing
rich rewards for the future.
Are the council and other key
groups publicly supportive and
willing to participate? Communi-
ties are comprised of many key
groups—city government, school
districts, chambers of commerce,
business and civic organizations,
major employers, neighborhood
associations—all of whom play a
role in creating, supporting and
achieving the vision. All must be
willing to embrace the process, or
their resistance and non -participa-
tion can hamper its success. Also,
are any groups that have been in
conflict with each other willing to
explore the potential futures in a
spirit of collaboration? Or will they
just seize upon the visioning effort
as another chance for further
polarization and disruption?
Is there a sense of stewardship
that will continue the process and
commitment to implementation?
Community visioning and strategic
planning frequently cover a period
of 20 years and must be refined and
updated regularly. Also, they
transcend the term of office or
tenure of many of the individuals
involved in their initial creation.
Successful visions require commit-
ment to stewardship and ensuring
successive generations of leaders
who will continue the process,
keep it current, and sustain its
potential for creating a better
future.
The future of our communities
requires a barn -raising, rather than
a vending machine, mentality.
Community visioning identifies
and produces the changes we must
bring about in collaboration with
others. These changes are essential
to achieving the vision and future
we want for our community, and
for those individuals who will live
some or the rest of their lives
within it. r
Carl Neu is executive vice president
and general manager of NEW &
Company, providing resources and
services forgovernment. Telephone:
303) 986-8487. This article
excerpted with permission from the
MayJune 1998 issue of Colorado
Municipalities, a publication of the
League of Colorado Cities.
Community visioning
identifies and produces
the changes we
must bring about
in collaboration
with others."
MINNESOTA CITIES AUGUST 1998
i ;f(
Cityof
minnetonka.
STRATEGIC
FRAMEVUoRK
A healthy and vibrant futurefor
Minnetonka depends on efforts made
today to identify and clearly define the
City's purpose and direction.
The followingpages present the vision,
mission andgoas comprising
Minnetonkas Strategic Framework.
Elected oficiah, City stafand residents
involved in formulating this framework
considered thefollowing questions.
What will our community become?
Who are we as an organization?
How will we pursue our mission and
vision?
Their answers to these questions will be
used to guide and measure our actions
as a service organization in the pursuit
ofthis community vision.
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S L IS P RK
A special report
about our community's future
VISION
Dear Neighbor,
St. Louis Park
Ready or not, the future is coming to St.
choices:
have only two
1. Wait for things to happen
2. Make things happen.
O
Because St. Louis Park has decided to :act rather than wait; we want you
to know about "Vision St. Louis Park:" This report is a descnption of our
community's destination and a road map.
Our destination --the vision statement --appears on page three. When we
achieve our vision, we will have created a community so special that
people will make a conscious decision to make St. Louis Park their
lifetime home.
Are we there yet?
No, but we have a road map: the recommendations described on pages
four through eleven. \'c>''
Please, take a few minutes to read this report and consider the kind of
community we can create. Then help us ensure a bright future for St.
Louis Park by working with us to make our vision a realityYou can begin
now: mail us your comments (see back cover), call 924-2519 or fax your
comments to 924-2170. *,,
It's time to begin the journey.
Vision St. Louis Park Committee
The Vision Statement was adopted in 1994 by the members of "Vision
St. Louis Park," a committee representing government, schools,
businesses, community organizations, religious institutions, and St.
Louis Park residents. After adopting this vision statement, task forces
were formed to suggest actions to make this vision a reality.
Y
Our V 15 10 N for the Future
St. Louis Park: our community of choice for a lifetime...
Diversity is a natural part of everyday life that enriches the entire
community. Community leaders are as diverse as St. Louis Park's population.
Community decisions are made within a caring framework of mutual understanding
and respect.
Responsive service is a hallmark of city government. City government
provides valued service by continuously assessing the community's current needs and
anticipating future needs. City government is enriched by citizen participation, positive
community leadership, and. active collaborations and partnerships.
It is a safe environment in which to live, work and learn. Safety is the
result of an active partnership among citizens, businesses, community organizations
and law enforcement agencies working together to solve problems and prevent crime.
Educational opportunities for all ages abound because a high value is
placed on lifelong learing. Quality lifelong learning results from collaboration among
schools --both public and private --and families, neighborhoods, businesses, city
government, and community institutions.
Children are a top priority for the entire community. Families, schools,
city government, community institutions and businesses are actively involved in
creating an environment that enables children to build the assets they need to
succeed.
A wide spectrum of quality housing is available to meet residents'
housing needs through all stages of life. City government, businesses and local
institutions work together to ensure there is a range of financial and structural choices
in housing.
Business provides a solid base for the community and benefits from
strong support from residents, schools and government. Residents' retail and
service needs are met within the community. Businesses, community organizations,
schools and city government work together to create household supporting jobs, spur
desirable business growth and address environmental challenges.
Residents have strong connections to the community thanks to
community pride, civic commitment, mutual respect, and neighborliness.
Individuals, neighborhoods, and community institutions work to enhance the
community, solve problems, prepare future leaders, and market the community's
assets.
Achieving Our VISION - DIVERSITY
As an inner ring suburb, St. Louis Park is experiencing changing demographics.
Although diversity can sometimes be divisive, we advocate using St. Louis Park's
increasingly diverse population as a source of strength.
We examined multicultural issues to find ways to increase community participation by
all groups and involve diverse populations in community leadership. We also sought
to address real and perceived human relations problems and foster a community -wide
attitude of acceptance and understanding.
Our key recommendations:
Provide diversity training for school staffs
Foster diversity among city and school district employees
Encourage diverse role models
Expand involvement of religious institutions
Create mentoring programs in multicultural leadership
Offer multicultural expos
Create crisis response groups
Foster open selection for advisory groups
Expand participation in community celebrations.
When carried out, these measures will help St. Louis Park celebrate and use its
diversity to enrich everyday life.
Diversity Task Force members:
Sharon Anderson
Susan Bloyer
Davin Conner
Mark Felton
Marsha Finkelstein
Michael Garelick
Steven Hansen
Ruth Kirshner
Josine Peters
Jerry Rotman, Chair
Jeff Roy
Rosie Turner
Susan Wiseman
This is only a summary of the Diversity Task Force Report for Vision St. Louis Park. For
a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
X
Achieving Our VISION - RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT
We were asked to identify ways to promote responsive government and civic
involvement. The primary issues facing our community include how to develop a
continuous pool of new community leaders, nurture partnerships and collaborations,
expand organizational commitment to the broader community, and encourage
responsible and responsive city services.
Our general suggestions cover the need to provide a school curriculum on civic affairs,
community -wide leadership training, and an orientation for new commission .
members. We also looked for ways to offer incentives for neighborhood involvement
and recognize the contributions made to the community's quality of life.
We also recommend these steps to personalize city government:
Expand office hours at City Hall
Require customer service training for city employees
Conduct customer satisfaction surveys
Have city employees wear name tags
Provide ombudsperson services
Improve signage in city buildings
Use volunteer greeters
Create open call-in lines
Decentralize City Council meetings.
Implementing these and other measures can help assure that the best government
remains the government closest to home.
Responsive Government Task Force members:
Cindy Ahrens
Barbara Bearman
Chuck Ellis
Marie Hartmann
Marilyn Hoeft
Bob Larson
Bill MacMillan, Chair
Phyllis McQuaid
Laurie Powell
Kenneth Schlenker
Virginia Schlenker
Don Turkington
This is only a summary of the Responsive Government Task Force Report for Vision St.
Louis Park. For a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
Achieving Our V IIS.1"0 N- A SA F E COMMU N ITY
Like citizens everywhere, St. Louis Park residents are concerned about crime and
safety. Although St. Louis Park is a relatively safe community, our task force looked
for new ways to prevent crime in homes, schools, businesses and neighborhoods.
We also looked for ways to deal with the fear of crime and provide help to crime
victims.
Our key recommendations:
Create a greater sense of community
Remove barriers to involvement
Increase neighborhood watch groups
Get citizens to take ownership and responsibility
Strengthen consequences
Establish zero -tolerance school policies
Educate citizens about law enforcement needs
Implement the Crime Free Multihousing Program
Decentralize policing
Build assets in children
Develop local resources for victims.
Our report further emphasizes the need to focus on prevention and youth
intervention, reinforce community values, foster supportive partnerships, and
concentrate on education as well as law enforcement.
Safe Community Task Force membe
Jeff Chanen, Chair
John Herbert
Colleen Johnson
Sharon Johnson
Michael Kadesky
Patrick Kruegel
Jim Lanenberg
John Luse
Gene Murphy
Steve Platisha
Gregg Reed
Linda Trummer
This is only a summary of the Safe Community Task Force Report for Vision St. Louis
Park. For a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
Achieving Our VISION - LIFELONG LEARNING
Although St. Louis Park is already --more than most --a lifelong learning community,
we can build on existing programs to create an environment where learning never
stops.
Our report spells out what's hot and what's not in community education. It pinpoints
populations that are currently underserved. It also identifies the community's three
greatest learning needs: 1) family learning opportunities, 2) intergenerational
programs, and 3) neighborhood educational activities.
Our recommendations for fostering lifelong learning and supporting local public and
private schools:
Establish apprenticeship programs
Develop a summer Junior Achievement program
Teach parents to use the "information highway"
Create intergenerational linkages
Offer parenting classes to teens
Form a local alumni association
Try new time slots for community education programs
Decentralize community education offerings into neighborhoods
Reinvent community education as a broker of learning resources.
If the community has the will to act, these measures can bring the dream of a fully
activated, lifelong learning community to fruition in St. Louis Park
ng Learning Task Force members:
Debra Bohn
Bridget Gothberg
Eileen Hansen
Tom O'Meara
Mary Jean Overend
Bob Ramsey, Chair
Nell Robie
Jerry Rotman
Wayne Smith
Bob Tift
Lynette Waldenberger
This is only a summary of the Lifelong Learning Task Force Report for Vision St. Louis
Park. For a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
Achieving Our V .I.S I ON CHILDREN FIRST
Although the Children First initiative was underway before the Vision St. Louis Park
process began, it is such an important component of community life that it was
incorporated into our vision statement.
This unique citywide initiative now employs a full-time coordinator and is guided by a
team of citizens, students and representatives of the city, education, business, health
and religious communities.
Children First focuses on involving everyone in the community in building the 30 assets
children need to become caring, productive and responsible adults. These assets are
building blocks for healthy development and include internal assets such as
educational commitment, positive values and social competence and external assets
such as family and community support, parental control and structured time use.
The mission of Children First is to create a community that gives children our top
priority so all youngsters can benefit from strong families, positive relationships with
adults, and positive peer influence.
Among the Children First recommendations:
Launch a public awareness campaign to inform each citizen about Children
First to encourage their active participation in developing assets in youth
Help all types of organizations in St. Louis Park determine how they can put
children first
Encourage parents to spend at least 22 minutes a day with their child
Find ways to connect youth with caring adults
Focus on neighborhood involvement as a means to connect youth with adults
Work on ways to provide year-round structured activities for youth of all ages
Provide volunteer opportunities for all youth.
By creating a caring community for youth today, we build a better tomorrow for
everyone.
Children First Vision Team members:
Karen Atkinson Brandon Gallagher
Charlene Barghini Cris Gears
Peter Benson Bill Gleeson
Jack Chaffee Bridget Gothberg
Cari DeWall Eileen Hansen
Ed Egermeier Ben Hershey
Carl Holmstrom
Mick Johnson, Chair
Nancy Lapakko
Charlie Meyer
Mancel Mitchell
Alex Ngo
For more information about Children First, call 928-6075.
Dennis Omnseth
Travis Pearson
Josine Peters
Bob Ramsey
James Sanderson
Mary Jacobs Spaulding
Ann Stokes
Ashley Tomoson
Gail Toatley
Linda Trummer
Jerry Waldman
Sue Wolfe
Achieving Our VISION - H O U S I N G
Any residential community can only be as good as its housing stock. For this reason,
we addressed issues that are critical to maintaining quality housing in St. Louis Park:
how to provide a fair share of low-income housing while enhancing neighborhoods,
how to create more "move -up" housing, how to ensure safe and well-maintained
homes, and how to support quality multifamily housing.
Among our recommendations for preserving and improving St. Louis Park's housing
stock:
Limit additional low-income housing
Publicize existing housing -related services
Strengthen existing inspection, licensing and zoning
Encourage remodeling of homes and multifamily dwellings
Encourage maintenance of homes and multifamily dwellings
Increase city rehabilitation loan funds
Pursue funding for first-time mortgage programs.
St. Louis Park has always been a leader in providing quality, affordable housing. These
recommendations will only enhance our community's "livability quotient" well into
the future.
Housing Task Force members:
Sally Berdt
Ardyce Eckdahl
Wallace Eckdahl
Judie Erickson
Cynthia Guddal
Bruce Larson
Dudley Moyan
John Palmatier
Rick Person
Tom Powers
Sue Sanger, Chair
Cindy Stromberg
Lisa Thorson
Jack Trump
Tonya Walls
This is only a summary of the Housing Task Force Report for Vision St. Louis Park. For
a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
Achieving Our VISION - BUSINESS
St. Louis Park is both a residential and a business community. Business growth and
land development are essential for increasing job opportunities, providing easy access
to goods and services, and expanding the community's economic base.
To achieve these goals, we formulated proposals for supporting and encouraging
business growth and renewal, and creating a positive climate for business and
developers.
Our recommendations:
Adopt a proactive marketing plan to attract business and development
Create a strategic plan to support existing businesses
Create a strategic plan to attract new businesses and develop vacant property
Develop a more user-friendly permit process
Provide public relations training for city staff
Reactivate the Board of Appeals.
The result of these recommendations should foster healthy growth and development
for years to come.
Business Task Force members:
Mark Anthony
Kristen Bertas
Douglas Black
Arnie Bloomquist
Matthew Burton
Carol Bush
Bonnie Crouch, Chair
Teresa Fogarty
Sharon Hanson
Cathy Harrington
Dently Haugesag
Jennifer Hearon
Sherry Martin
Steve McCulloch
Mark Merchlewitz
John Miller
Linda Ross
Laurie '[tach
Jon Weber
Judith Weeks
John Woodhead
This is only a summary of the Business Task Force Report for Vision St. Louis Park. For
a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
Achieving Our V I .S I.O N - COMMU N ITY CO N N ECTI O N S
An integral part of our community's health is ensuring that residents strongly identify
with St. Louis Park and develop long-term ties to its people, neighborhoods and
community institutions.
To accomplish this, the Community Connections Task Force proposes a three -prong
approach: 1) physical improvements to bolster community identity and foster
interaction, 2) efforts to increase the social links between people and 3) marketing
efforts to differentiate St. Louis Park from other communities.
Among our recommendations:
Create a "community focal point" in the area bounded by Excelsior Boulevard,
West 36th Street, Highway 100 and Monterey Drive
Create an environment that is friendly to walkers
Expand our trail system
Provide distinctive city entrance signs
Promote public art work
Rename some city streets
Personalize outreach efforts to new residents
Expand participation in community -wide festivals and events
Promote volunteer opportunities
Publicize community assets and resources.
Adopting these suggestions can go a long way toward promoting strong community
connections through civic pride and commitment, mutual respect and old-fashioned
neighborliness.
N
Community Connections Task Force members:
Jules Beck
Gary Carlson, Chair
Suzanne Carson
Beth Corin
Jerry Croxdale
Barry Dunayer
Max Ellis
Kris Kniefel
Martin Lee
Mindy London
Peggy Newell
Darcy Prochnow
Lynn Schwartz
Arnold Seltzer
Bill Weber
This is only a summary of the Community Connections Task Force Report for Vision St.
Louis Park. For a copy of the complete report, call 924-2519.
11
COMMON GROUND
Although each citizen task force dealt with a distinct area of community life, a number
of common themes emerged:
Individual citizens need to be educated to effectively use existing institutions to
improve the community
All public and private community service agencies should strive to become
more user-friendly
Non-traditional outreach measures are needed to encourage all citizens to
become involved
A comprehensive database of available community resources and contacts is
needed
Collaboration is the key to success
A successful community is as much a matter of attitude and perception as
a specific set of services and amenities.
About V I $ION St. Louis Park
Community improvement does not come about by executive edict: it
grows out of grassroots involvement. Involvement is what Vision St. Louis
Park is all about.
Our visioning process began with a 37 -member steering committee
composed of individual residents and people representing government,
schools, businesses, community organizations and religious institutions.
Aided by strategic planning professionals, this group began the process by
first learning what St. Louis Park is concerned about. This was
accomplished by resident surveys and focus group interviews. This and
other information became the basis for community -wide goal setting
which resulted in the vision statement that appears in this report.
With this vision in hand, citizen task forces were formed to address each
element of the vision statement. The task forces were asked to formulate
specific suggestions that will help us achieve the goals outlined in our
vision statement. In other words, tum our vision into reality. All of this
has been preliminary to the main event: the action phase.
We have now reached the action phase. That's why these
recommendations are being submitted to you: the residents of St. Louis
Park.
Although these recommendations are also being submitted to the St.
Louis Park City Council, St. Louis Park School Board and the TwinWest
Chamber of Commerce, our vision will not be achieved by government or
community institutions. Ultimately, all 44,000 St. Louis Park residents
must share responsibility for making this a healthy and thriving
community in the years to come.
The test of our community will lie in our capacity to act on these themes
and implement the task forces' recommendations. We have the
opportunity to design our community of choice for the future or resign
ourselves to live with whatever happens. You are invited to participate in
living the vision: please call us at 924-2519.
We are the community and the vision is ours!
We'd like to hear from you. Please cut out this section, place it in an envelope and mail it to:
Vision St. Louis Park, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416.
Thank you!
Vision St. Louis Park
c/o St. Louis Park School District 283
6425 West 33rd Street
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Carrier Route Presort
Postal Customer
Non Profit Org.
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 1113
i&
Can you or your
Name: organization
Street Address: help us
City, State & Zip: implement anyDaytimephone: Evening phone: recommendations? I am especially interested in working on:
eDid we overlook
a crucial goal?
My suggestions for St. Louis Park's future:
Do you agree
or disagree
with our goals?
We'd like to hear from you. Please cut out this section, place it in an envelope and mail it to:
Vision St. Louis Park, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416.
Thank you!
Vision St. Louis Park
c/o St. Louis Park School District 283
6425 West 33rd Street
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Carrier Route Presort
Postal Customer
Non Profit Org.
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 1113
i&
DATE: January 7, 1999
TO: Kathy Lueckert
FROM: Helen LaFave
SUBJECT: COUNCIL PORTRAITS
I have made arrangements for Photographer Rod Radke to take portraits of City
Councilmembers on Tuesday, February 2, 6:15 — 7 p.m., in the Medicine Lake Room. I
sent Councilmembers a voice mail message about this today.
Councilmembers may show up anytime during the 45 minute period. Rod will be
shooting color film. He will take about six shots of each person. While we particularly
need Councilmembers Slavik and Harstad's photo for display in the City Hall Lobby, any
Councilmember is welcome to have an updated portrait taken on February 2.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thanks.
CIiY OF
PLYMOUTFF
January 8, 1999
Mr. William Clelland
6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 305
Minneapolis, MN 55420
Dear Mr. Clelland:
I am responding to your letter of December 23, 1998 in which you express concern about
improprieties" relating to the Council's consideration of the Lutheran Bible School
application. You requested that the Council reconsider its action.
Since reconsideration is an action for the entire Council to determine, your letter was sent
to all members of the City Council. As you know, the Council took no action to
reconsider this matter at the January 5h Council meeting. Council rules state that any
reconsideration must take place at the same meeting or the meeting immediately
following.
You had previously requested information from the City Manager regarding City records
on this matter, and I believe that the City Clerk has fully responded to you at his
direction. As I stated at the January 5t' meeting, the Council had the opportunity to
review the Open Meeting law requirements in detail with the City Attorney on December
9, 1998, which itself was an open meeting and on the public record. Since the City
Attorney's presentation to the City Council on that date, no member of the Council or the
public has stated, of their own knowledge, that any open meeting law violation occurred.
Further, for an open meeting law violation to incur any penalty, it must be found to be
intentional. Finally, the City Attorney has advised that even if an Open Meeting Law
violation had occurred, it would not have invalidated any decision by the Council to
either approve or disapprove the application before us.
You also expressed concern about what you refer to as an "ex parte" contact with Council
member Bildsoe during the course of the meeting. The Council's actions on reguiding are
not judicial in nature, but legislative. Judicial rules relating to "ex parte" communications
do not apply to the City Council acting as a legislative body. Citizens are free to contact
PLYMOUTH A Beauti}u(Place To Live
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000
ow -"P. www.dplymouth.mn.us
V
January 8, 1999
Mr. William Clelland
Page 2
their legislative representatives before, during, and after council meetings on such
matters. Indeed, neighbors opposed to the project did contact council members on this
subject. Even so, the 1991 City report in the folder was shown on the overhead cameras
to the entire audience only a few minutes later.
This was a difficult decision for the City Council. I believe every member of the City
Council voted on facts and arguments publicly presented, and their beliefs regarding the
best interests of the City. In my opinion, no "improprieties" occurred and no evidence has
been forthcoming otherwise.
If you wish to pursue this matter further, I would refer you to City Attorney Roger
Knutson of the Campbell Knutson law firm. Mr. Knutson can be reached at 651-452-
5000.
Sincerely,
Joy Tierney
Mayor
JANUARY 8. 1999
1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE.-
NOTE:
CHEDULE.
NOTE: Ward 1 Councilmember Tim Bildsoe meets with residents and receives their
comments in the Administration Library, beginning at 6:00 PM before each
Regular Council meeting.
MONDAY, JANUARY]], S: 30-7: 30 PM OPEN HOUSEANFORMATIONAL MEETING
ON ACTIVITY CENTERIFIELD HOUSE,
Council Chambers
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 7: 00 PM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 7: 00 PM
2. TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 7:00 PM
3. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 7:00 PM
4. THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 7. 00 PM
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
TOPICS: Planning And Development Of The
Property North Of Medina Road, South Of
Highway 55 And West Of Plymouth Ponds;
Proposed Revisions In Reports And Procedures
For Planning Applications; Council Goals and
Priorities Process. Public Safety Training Room
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council
Chambers
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE,
Medicine Lake Room. Agenda is attached. (M-2)
PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers.
Agenda is attached. (M-3)
PRAC, Council Chambers.
Agenda is attached. (M-4)
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO
January 8, 1999
9
9
7
MONDAY, JANUARY 18
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 7:00 PM
Page 2
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY, City Offices
closed
HRA, Medicine Lake Room
January and February calendars are attached. (M-7)
1. NEWS ARTICLES, RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC.
a) NOTE. The Friday, January 22 7:30 AM Public Information Meeting on
Plymouth Metrolink at the SW Metro Transit Hub in Eden Prairie has been
canceled (1-1 a)
b) Agenda for the January 8 Wayzata/Plymouth Area Chemical Health Commission.
1-1 b)
c) Agenda for the January 13 meeting of the Elm Creek Watershed Management
Commission. (I -1c)
d) Agenda for the January 14 meeting of the Shingle Creek Watershed Management
Commission. (I -1d)
e) City Briefs from Communications Supervisor Helen LaFave. (I -1e)
f) Notice from the Robbinsdale School District—based group, Community Ahead,
with information concerning "We Care About Kids Day", on February 6 at the
Northwest YMCA, 760142 "d Avenue N. (1--1fi
g) Northwest Suburban Chamber of Commerce NWS News. (I -1g)
h) Notice from the City regarding a January 28 countywide Y2K conference. (I -1h)
i) Letter to the Mayor from Carol Browner of the U—S Environmental Protection
Agency announcing the establishment of a "Mayor's Desk" for communications
between municipalities and the Federal agency. (I -1i)
j) Letter from the U—S Department of Housing and Urban Development presenting a
favorable review of the City's Consolidated Plan for the CDBG program. (I -1j)
k) Invitation to the Third Annual Plymouth Job Fair, Thursday, March 11, at the
Plymouth Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. (I -1k)
2. MINUTES
a) Wayzata—Plymouth Area Chemical Health Commission December 11, 1998
meeting. (I --2a)
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO
January 8, 1999
Page 3
b) Approved minutes of the November 10, 1998 Environmental Quality Committee
meeting. (I -2b)
c) Draft minutes of the December 8, 1998 Environmental Quality Committee
meeting. (I -2c)
d) Draft minutes of the December 8, 1998 Planning Commission meeting. (I -2d)
e) Suburban Transit Association October 14, 1998 Board of Directors meeting.
I -2e)
Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission November 10, 1998 meeting.
I --2j)
g) Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission November 12, 1998 meeting.
I -2g)
3. COMMISSION RESIGNATION
a) Letter of resignation by Ansar Ahmed as Plymouth representative to the
Northwest Hennepin Human Services Advisory Council. (I -3a)
4. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS POLICY—CORRESPONDENCE
A status report on the most recent correspondence is attached. (I--4)
S. CORRESPONDENCE
a) Letter from Assistant Manager Kathy Lueckert to Shawn Gardner regarding a
clarification of language in the City's massage therapy licensing ordinance. The
letter comes in response to Mr. Gardner's comments at the Forum of the
December 16, 1998 Regular Council meeting. (I -5a)
6. COUNCIL ITEMS
a) Draft agenda for January 19 Regular Council meeting. (I -6a)
b) The League of Minnesota Cities 1999 City Policies Manual is now at City Hall.
Anyone wishing a copy should contact Kurt (509-5054).
Z
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
AGENDA MEETING NO. 80
January 12, 1999
7:00 PM
Medicine Lake Room
Upper Level City Hall
A nPnAn TtPmc•
7:00 PM Call to Order, Chair: Terry Goodfellow -Heyer
Review of Agenda
Approval of Minutes, Meeting No. 79 (Attachment 1, white)
Guest Introduction
7:15 PM 1998 Annual Report & 1999 Work Plan (Attachment 2, green)
A final version of the 98 annual report & 99 work plan has been prepared. The work plan needs to
approved, recommended, and presented to the City Council at their first Feb. meeting.
7:45 PM The Plymouth Business Environmental Partnership -Year End Report And
Outreach Plan For 1999 (Attachment 3, blue)
The report prepared by Kris Hageman, Plymouth Solid Waste Officer, outlines the major activities
planed by PBEP. EQC needs to decide how & where they can participate in PBEP's activities.
8:00 PM Ordinances:
Phosphate Containing Fertilizer Ban (Attachment 4, pink)
No new development in finding any existing ordinances. However, attachment 4, is an example of an
indirect control through landscaping ordinances. Need ideas on how to initiate the process of
developing a phosphate containing ban ordinance.
Light Pollution. No new development. Still searching for a sample ordinance.
8:30 PM EQC Up -Dates:
Membership. With two EQC members completing their terms, we will have two new members
starting in Feb.
Change of Meeting Dates. The Plymouth City Council has changed their Council meetings
from Wednesdays to the I" and 3rd Tuesdays of each month. Consequently, the EQC needs to
consult on changing its meeting dates to Wednesdays.
8:45 PM New Agenda Items:
9:00 PM Adjourned
NOTE:
N *.\Engi.i.g%WTRQLTIIAgmdsU999\AS-J& "-doe
rb
PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDAWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13,1999
WHERE: CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Plymouth City Center
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
CONSENT AGENDA
All items listed with an asterisk (*) are considered to be routine by the Planning Commission and will be enacted by one motion.
There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Commissioner, citizen or petitioner so requests, in which event the item
will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on the agenda.
1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M.
2. PUBLIC FORUM
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
5. CONSENT AGENDA
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Dundee Nursery. Interim Use Permit to allow the deposit of up to 45,000 cubic yards of fill along the
northern portion of the Dundee Nursery site located at 16800 Highway 55. (98187)
B. Puddle Jumper's Child Care Center, Inc. Conditional Use Permit to open a daycare facility in
Oakwood Square located at 1400 County Road 101 North. (98196)
7. NEW BUSINESS
8. ADJOURNMENT
Regular Meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
January 14, 1999, 7 p.m.
AGENDA
1. Call to Order
a. Election of Chair
b. Election of Vice Chair
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Visitor Presentations
a. Athletic Associations
b. Staff
c. Others
4. Report on Past Council Action
5. Unfinished Business
a. Activity center/fiieldhouse update
b. 1999-2003 CIP — request from Zachary Lane PTO to fund playground
6. New Business
a. Review draft annual report and 1999 work plan
b. Select name for park at Vicksburg Ln & Schmidt Lake Rd
C.
7. Commission Presentation
8. Staff Communication
9. Adjourn
Next regular meeting — February 11
n\parks\staft\eric\prac\agendasyan99.doc
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IMPORTANT NOTICE**
DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS,
THE STA REGIONAL BREAKFASTS
SCHEDULED FOR
JANUARY 15 IN BURNSVILLE
AND
JANUARY 22 IN EDEN PRAIRIE
HAVE BEEN CANCELLED
IN LIEU OF THESE MEETINGS, THE STA BOARD OF
DIRECTORS HAS DECIDED TO SCHEDULE INDIVIDUAL
MEETINGS BETWEEN EACH MEMBER OF THE STA
LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND STA LEGISLATIVE
COUNSEL/STA BOARD MEMBERS.
PLEASE CALL JENNIFER PETERS O 651/228-9757 IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
1 S fJ
WPACIAC
WAYZATA/PLYMOUTH AREA CHEMICAL HEALTH COMMISSION
600 RICE STREET • WAYZATA. MINNESOTA 55391 • 612.'473-0234
Meeting Notice
Friday, January 8, 1999
7:00 A.M.
Wayzata School Administration Bldg.
Conference Room
210 County Road 101 North
Plymouth, MN
A. Introductions
B. Review and accept/amend minutes
C. Treasurer's Report
D. Public Safety Update
E. Minnesota Student Survey
F. College Update
G. Other
H. Adjournment
1p
A
NEXT MEETING - February 12. 1999
7:00 a.m. at Wayzata School Administration Building
Wayzata — Plymouth Area Chemical Health Commission Mission
PROMOTE
COMMUNITY EFFORTS
THAT PREVENT CHEMICAL ABUSE
PLEASE DON i
elm creek
Watershed Management Commission
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Judie A. Anderson
3001 Harbor Lane Ste. 150
Plymouth, MN 55447
Phone 612/553-1144
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Hennepin Conservation District
10801 Wayzata Blvd. Ste. 240
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Phone 612/544-8572
AGENDA
January 13, 1999
Call to Order.
a. Approval of minutes of December meeting.*
b. Treasurer's report and submission of bills.
2. Correspondence.
3. Water Quality.
a. Watershed Outlet Monitoring Program.
b. Macroinvertebrate Monitoring and Education Project.
C. Lake Monitoring. *
d. TCWQI Stream Improvement Grant.
4. Wetland Conservation Act.
a. 94-041 Hills of Corcoran, Corcoran.
b. 94-051 Cambria Farms, Hassan.
C. 96-001 Bike & Hike Trail, Hennepin Parks, Champlin.
d. 96-004 Emily Ann Preserve, Hassan.
e. 96-019 Kariniemi, Corcoran.
f. 97-028 Hidden Oaks Preserve, Champlin.
g. 97-051 G & M Properties, Corcoran.
h. 97-055 Rush Creek Golf Course, Corcoran.
i. 98-032 22015 County Road 117, Corcoran.
j. 98-034 Johnson/Kangas, Hassan.
k. 98-053 The Preserve at Elm Creek, Champlin.
1. 98-076 Greg Ebert WCA Violation at CR 116 & CR 10, Corcoran.
5. Project Reviews.
a. 98-072 Infratech, Rogers.
b. 98-073 Rice Glenn, Maple Grove.
C. 98-074 Polaris Headquarters, Medina.
CHAMPLIN • CORCORAN • DAYTON • HASSAN • MAPLE GROVE • MEDINA • PLYMOUTH
Agenda
January 13, 1999
page 2
6. Other Business.
Citizen Advisory Committee.
b. Metro Greenways Grants.*
C. 98-055 Champlin Storm Water Management Plan.
d. 98-075 Plymouth Water Resource Management Plan.
e. City of Rogers Membership.
7. Informational Items.
a 96-044 IME Trucking, Dayton.
b. 96-047 Bumet Realty (Northern Tier Limited), Maple Grove.
C. 96-070 Tavis Metal Fabrication, Hassan.
d. 97-022 Kelly's Wrecker Service, Medina.
e. 97-032 Elm Creek Ridge, Maple Grove.
f. 97-041 The Shores of Elm Creek, Maple Grove.
g. 97-048 Hills of Elm Creek, Maple Grove.
h. 97-056 Meadowview Addition, Maple Grove.
i. 98-005 Five Star Welding, Dayton
j. 98-006 Dehn Tree Company, Inc., Dayton.
k. 98-009 Lake Medina Outlet Retrofit, Medina.
1. 98-017 Turb Spaanem Mini Storage, Dayton. .
M. 98-026 Dayton Park Plaza, Dayton.
n. 98-029 Reinhart Site, Rogers.
o. 98-038 Darrell Krueger Property, Corcoran.
p. 98-042 JMS Trucking/Sundman Paving, Dayton.
q. 98-048 Advance Response System, Rogers.
r. 98-050 Custom Filtration, Corcoran.
S. 98-052 Downtown Storm Sewer Improvements, Corcoran. .
t. 98-056 Elm Creek Twinhome Addition, Maple Grove.
U. 98-057 Rush Creek Golf Club Expansion, Maple Grove.
V. 98-058 Weaver Estates 6th Addition, Maple Grove.
W. 98-060 Shermer Homes, Dayton.
X. 98-062 Ernie Mayers, Ditch Cleaning, Corcoran.
Y- 98-063 Satellite Shelter, Corcoran.
Z. 98-064 Maple Commons 2nd Addition, Maple Grove.
aa. 98-065 Territorial Road and Rush Creek Bridge, Maple Grove.
ab. 98-067 Lawn King, Corcoran.
ac. 98-069 Five Star Industrial Park, Maple Grove.
ad. 98-070 CSAH 30 EAW, Maple Grove.
ae. 98-071 Twin City Hose, Rogers.
in meeting packet.
J:\CLMNMVAWA17MHSTaMMtUKWb.EEnWAN.WM
C13,
SHINGLE CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
3001 Harbor Lane • Suite 150 • Plymouth, MN 55447
Telephone (612)553-1144 • FAX (612)553-9326
A regular meeting of the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission will be held Thursday,
January 14, 1999, at 12:45 p.m. at Lancer at Edinburgh, 8700 Edinbrook Crossing, Brooklyn Park,
MN. An agenda for that meeting follows:
1. Call to order.
2. Roll call.
3. Minutes of December meeting.*
4. Reports from officers.
5. Approval of claims.
6. Consideration of communications.
a. Communications Log.*
b. Discussion - Election of Chair.
7. Water Quality.
a. Shingle Creek Hydrologic Model.*
b. Bass Creek Channel Survey.* (in Commissioners' packets only)
8. Project Reviews.
a. SC98-20 Eagle Lake Business Centre N, Maple Grove.*
b. SC98-21 Bernie Schatz, Robbinsdale.*
9. Wetland Conservation Act.
10. Local Plans.
11. Other Business.
12. Adjournment.
in meeting packet.
JACLIEUMMWATEPSHENSHiHGLECMMEE rMANI.WPD
BROOKLYN CENTER 0 BROOKLYN PARK 0 CRYSTAL 9 MAPLE GROVE 9 MINNEAPOLIS • NEW HOPE • OSSEO • PLYMOUTH • ROBBINSDALE
City Briefs
City of Plymouth
From: Helen LaFave, 509-5090
Date: January 5, 1999
City offices will close for holiday
City of Plymouth offices will be closed on Mon., Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King
Jr. Day. Regular office hours are 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, and 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
Plymouth residents reminded of parking regulations
The City of Plymouth reminds residents of Plymouth's winter parking
regulations. City ordinance prohibits parking on city streets after a 21h inch snowfall until
the street has been plowed to the curbs. Violators may be tagged and towed. Parking also
is prohibited year round on City streets from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
When clearing driveways, residents should not shovel, plow or blow snow into
the streets. Violators of this ordinance slow plowing and make it more difficult to clear
the street, particularly cul-de-sacs.
1 2WECAREBOUT ..
A free family event to promote youth assets
o
Jtin G G
Dear Community Member: Janu ' 99
Community Ahead is a community initiative developed locally to improve the assets of you us
strengthen the Robbinsdale Area Schools community. Assets are those elements in kids' live half a p
young people make wise decisions, choose positive paths, and grow up to be competent, caring,
responsible.
We wrote to you in December to share an exciting opportunity to join us to celebrate the children and
families in our community. Community Ahead is sponsoring We Care About Kids Day, a
community -wide event on February 6, 1999, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are sponsoring the
event to celebrate families and to share information about how to build positive assets in our children.
However, we also want to provide lots of fun for families, like free food, entertainment, student musical
performances, face painting, clowns, a student art show, and more!
The Northwest YMCA in New Hope is very excited to be the host for this event. Other groups who are
joining us include the North Memorial Health Care, Robbinsdale Park & Rec Senior Program, Robbinsdale
Area Redesign, Adventures in Fathering, Robbinsdale Area Schools Community Education programs,
Golden Valley Police and many, many others.
We need your help with these two things:
Role Model Campaign:
One of the special events included in We Care About Kids Day is the Role Model Awards Ceremony at
2:00 p.m. All of us know individuals who "go beyond the call of duty" when it comes to how they care
about kids. They are those wonderful people who provide a great example to children and youth. We
want to take some special time to recognize these folks for their contribution to the well-being of our
community's young people.
We have enclosed a 1999 Role Model Award Nomination Ballot. If you know of someone who should be
recognized for their positive influence, please fill out the ballot and return to Community Ahead Role
Model Campaign, 4139 Regent Avenue North, Robbinsdale, MN 55422. Fax to 504-4911.
People who are selected as positive role models will be notified by telephone the week before the event.
They will be recognized during We Care About Kids Day at a special ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at the
Northwest YMCA in New Hope. Thanks for helping us celebrate the wonderful people of our
community!
Advertising We Care About Kids Day:
On the other side of this letter are two shorter versions of the press release that we sent to you earlier this
month. Please help us get the word out about We Care About Kids Day - include this
information in any publications which will go out in January.
We have also included a flyer about We Care About Kids Day which you can copy
and share with community members. We appreciate it!
If you have any questions, feel free to call one of us, or Linda Kemper (504-4902). COMMUNITY
Join us on February 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for We Care About Kids Day! AHEAD
Sincerely, %_646AJ
Beth BrunstadPLi kin
Co -chairperson Co -chairperson Serving the communities of535-5507 504-4174 Robbinsdale Area Schools
4139 Regent Avenue North Robbinsdale MN 55422 Tel.612.504.4903 Fax.612.504A911
We Care About Kids Day
Press Releases: long and short versions
Note: You can help Community Ahead promote this free family event and build assets in youth by
including either version below in your newsletter or other publication during the month of January
1999. Thank you!
Bring Your Family to We Care About Kids Day!
Everyone is invited to We Care About Kids Day on Saturday, February 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
at the Northwest YMCA, 760142nd Avenue North, New Hope.
Families with children of all ages will enjoy free food, creative interactive activities, the use of the
swimming pool from 1-4 p.m., a student art show, storytelling, puppet show, clowns, musical
performances and much, much more! There will also be information about helping kids build
assets, such as picking the right friends, planning ahead and making good choices, resolving
conflicts and feeling like life has a purpose.
One of the many special events included in We Care About Kids Day is the Role Model Awards
Ceremony at 2:00 p.m. All of us know individuals who "go beyond the call of duty" when it
comes to how they care about kids. They are those wonderful people who provide a great example
to children and youth. We want to take some special time to recognize these folks for their
contribution to the well-being of our community's young people. Pick up a Role Model
Nomination Ballot at your local school. Join us at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate everyday people who
care about kids.
We Care About Kids Day is sponsored by Community Ahead, a coalition of adults and youth,
developed locally to improve the assets of youth. The initiative focuses on the idea that it is
everyone's role to help young people reach their potential. It challenges us all to work together to
address common concerns, share resources and learn from each other to recreate communities that
support and care for children and teenagers.
We Care About Kids Day is free for everyone - you don't have to be a member of
the YMCA. Call Community Ahead at 504-4903 if you have any questions.
Bring Your Family to We Care About Kids Day!
Everyone is invited to We Care About Kids Day on Saturday, February 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
at the Northwest YMCA, 760142nd Avenue North, New Hope.
Families with children of all ages will enjoy free food, creative interactive activities, the use of the
swimming pool from 1-4 p.m., a student art show, storytelling, puppet show, clowns, musical
performances and much, much more! There will also be information about helping kids build
assets, such as picking the right friends, planning ahead and making good choices, resolving
conflicts and feeling like life has a purpose.
We Care About Kids Day is sponsored by Community Ahead, a coalition of adults and youth,
developed locally to improve the assets of youth. The initiative focuses on the idea that it is
everyone's role to help young people reach their potential.
We Care About Kids Day is free for everyone - you don't have to be a member of
the YMCA. Call Community Ahead at 504-4903 if you have any questions.
We Care Ab OUt Kids [)av
A free family event to promote youth assets
Saturday, February 6, 1999
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
D
Northwest YMCA
7601 - 42nd Avenue North,
New Hope
Kids, of course!
Parents, Grandparents,
Sisters & Friends too!
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For kids pre-school - 8th grade. Kids must be accompanied by an adult.)
It's free for evnonel
You dont have e a member of the Y.
Come learn and play together!
For more information or transportation,
call 504-4903
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COMMUNITY
AHEAD /
Here ore some examples to assist you in describing the special qualities of your nominee: i
Offers consistent support to kids • Follows through on promises _ 't
Shows respect for others • Endorses a healthy lifestyle including decisions
Committed to helping children &youth around alcohol, tobacco and other drugs for
Involved with community youth projects self & youth
Portrays a positive self-image • Inspires, motivates & leads others to achieve
Models compassion and caring for others
Please type or print responses. Use an extra page, if needed.)
Question 1: Why are you nominating this person as a role model?
100 words maximum)
Question 2: What characteristics does this person have that make him/her a
positive role model?(100 words maximum)
Question 3: Give examples of how he/she has affected your life or someone else's.
100 words maximum)
Role Models=Everyday People!
If you have questions about the campaign, please call Geri Timperly (504-4821) or Pam
Johannes (504-7200). Return ballots to: Community Ahead Role Model Campaign,
4139 Regent Avenue North, Robbinsdale MN 55422. Tel.612.504.4903 Fax.612.504.4911
Saturday, February 6, 1999
A free family event to promote youth assets and recognize everyday people
who make a difference in the lives of children and youth.
1999 Role Model Award Nomination Ballot
Do you know someone you would like to nominate as a positive role model?
True role models aren't the superheroes of sports or the entertainment world. They are
everyday people who make a difference and positively influence the lives of youth!
Young people learn by watching what others do. Research suggests that those who have
positive role models in their lives are less likely to make unhealthy decisions. Here's an
opportunity to honor people who are committed to helping children and youth succeed.
There are no age limits for nominees. The only qualification is that the person nominated live
or work in the Robbinsdale Area Schools community. Please complete this ballot form and
return no later than Wednesday, January 27,1999, to Role Model Campaign, Community
Ahead, 4139 Regent Avenue North, Robbinsdale, MN 55422. Fax to 504-4911.
People who are selected as positive role models will be recognized during We Care About Kids
Day at a special ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at the Northwest YMCA in New Hope.
THE PERSON 1 AM NOMINATING AS A ROLE MODEL IS:
Please type or print.
Nominee's Name:
Address:
Home Phone: Work Phone:
Are you nominating this person in their capacity as a:
paid staff person volunteer or community member student
My name is:
Address•
Home Phone: Work Phone:
Relationship to nominee:
Complete other side)
PLEASE COPY THIS BALLOT FOR OTHERS AS NEEDED. THANK YOU
Role Model Awards Ceremony at We Care About Kids Dayl
Do you know someone you would like to nominate as a positive role model? True role models aren't the superheros
of sports or the entertainment world. They are everyday people who make a difference and positively influence
the lives of youthl
Young people learn by watching what others do. Aesearch suggests that those who have ,.••"""'••., positive role models in their lives are less likely to make unhealthy decisions. Here's an
opportunity to honor people who are committed to helping children and youth succeed. y`Qead//
There are no age limits for nominees. The only qualification is that the person nominated
live or work in the Robbinsdale Area Schools community. To request a Role Model ; Ca// j
Nomination Ballot, call 504-4903. You can also pick one up at the nearest District 281 f Qq 9
school building. Ballots must be returned no later than Wednesday, January 27, 1999, to 6%*3•; •'
Role Model Campaign, Community Ahead, 4139 Regent Avenue North, Robbinsdale, MN
55422. Fax to 504-4911.
People who are selected as positive role models will be recognized during We Care About Kids Day at a special
ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at the Northwest YMCA in New Hope.
More about assets:
Assets are concrete, positive experiences and qualities that young people need in order to grow up healthy and
productive. Research shows that the more assets youth have, the fewer at risk behaviors they engage in.
Support
1. Family support
2. Positive family communication
3. Other adult relationships
4. Caring neighborhood
5. Caring school climate
6. Parent involvement in schooling
Empowerment
7. Community values youth
8. Youth as resources
9. Service to others
10. Safety
Boundaries & Expectations
11. Family boundaries
12. School boundaries
13. Neighborhood boundaries
14. Adult role models
15. Positive peer influence
16. High expectations
What's Community Ahead?
40 Developmental Assets
Constructive Use of Time
17. Creative activities
18. Youth programs
19. Faith community
20. Time at home
Commitment to Learning
21. Achievement & motivation
22. School engagement
23. Homework
24. Bonding to school
25. Reading for pleasure
Positive Values
26. Caring
27. Equality and social
justice
28. Integrity
29. Honesty
30. Responsibility
31. Restraint
Community Ahead, a coalition of adults and youth, recognizes that it
is everyone's responsibility to build assets in our youth. Members
come from all areas of our community: business, childcare, civic and
service organizations, education, government, health and human
services, spiritual communities, senior citizens, neighbors and other
concerned community members.
Social Competencies
32. Planning and decision making
33. Interpersonal competence
34. Cultural competence
Positive Identity
35. Resistance skills
36. Peaceful conflict resolution
37. Personal power
38. Self-esteem
39. Sense of purpose
40. Positive view of personal
future
To develop a community which
values its youth; and youth
who value their community.
E101
Serving the Communities of Corcoran, Greenfield, Loretto, Medina, western Plymouth, Rockford and surrounding areas.
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, January 5
Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 a.m.
Corcoran City Hall
Tuesday, January 12
General Membership Meeting
7:30 a.m.
Medina Ent. Center
Recruitment & Retention
speaker
9:00 a.m.
Program Committee Meeting
Noon
Workplace Safety Issue Lunch,
Russell's of Course, St. Michael
Tuesday, January 19
Coffee Break Event
7:30 a.m.
Gearty-Delmore Funeral
Chapel, Plymouth
Wednesday, January 20
Membership Service
Committee
Noon
Medina Entertainment Center
Wednesday, January 27
Property Tax Reform Meeting
7:30 a.m.
Russell's of Course, St. Michael
Employee recruitment & retention topic
of January Membership Meeting
Recruiting and retaining employees is an issue every business encoun-
ters. Having the leadership skills and resources available to handle the pro-
cess can be a challenge. At the January 12th General Membership Meeting, Kandy Krieger will present information on recruitment and retention is-
sues. She will explain and identify various recruitment sources and iden-
tify advertising components and strategies.
Kandy received a communications/education degree from Southwest
State University and completed her graduate work at Michigan State Uni-
versity in counseling and personnel administration. She has 25 years of
career development experience in post secondary education settings and
concurrently 15 years of human resource management experience. For over
12 years she has been a career and organization consultant for businesses
and non-profit agencies.
Ms. Krieger also teaches career development and related subjects for
Anoka -Ramsey and North Hennepin Community Colleges and Metropoli-
tan State University.
The January 12th General Membership Meeting is scheduled for 7:30
a.m. at the Medina Entertainment Center. Cost for the buffet breakfast
and program is $9 for chamber members and $12 for non-members. Reser-
vations can be made at 420-3242.
Coffee break planned at Gearty-Delmore Chapel
Plan to attend the coffee break Daniel M. Delmore, who has worked
on Tuesday, January 19th at 7:30- for the company since 1976. Dan's
9:00 a.m. at the Gearty- father, Robert W. Delmore, Delmore Funeral Chapel of retired a few years ago but isPlymouth, 15800 37th Ave. still active with the firm. No.
Rolls, juice and coffee will
There are eight other morti-
cians who are part of thebeservedcourtesyoftheFu- staff, as well as secretaries,
neral Chapel. Reservations drivers and mortuary sciencecanbemadebycallingtheCham- students.
ber office at 420-3242. The Plymouth chapel has been
Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel built to accomodate the growth and
of Plymouth opened in July of 1997. expansion of the western Hennepin
There are two other locations, in
RobbinsUe and St. Louis Park The County area. The building is a 12,000
square foot facility with chapels for
company is owned and operated by services, preparation area and offices.
77TOro.1u
An opportunity to find the time to contribute to your chamber
Welcome to 1999! This is the last
year in this century. Do you ever won-
der where time went? I sure do.
I would like to encourage each one
of you to think about a way, however
big or small, that you could contrib-
ute some of that time to the Cham-
ber.
One way to do this is to volunteer
on a committee. You could be on the
Program Committee and help to plan
the speakers and presentations we see
each month at the General Member-
ship Meetings. Also, as a part of this
committee, you could help plan our
Coffee Breaks and Business Round
Table discussions.
You could work on Membership
Services, which helps to find new
businesses to become Chamber mem-
bers and welcome them once they
join. They also encourage member-
ship participation and coordinate the
new resident bags.
There are plenty of opportunities
to help on the exciting Rodeo Com-
mittee, fun Golf Committee, or cre-
ative Annual Dinner Committee.
There are so many different ways
in the Chamber that we can use your
time and talents to help. Starting next
month in the newsletter, there will be
a Volunteer Comer column that will
list some various opportunities, both
short and long term. You just need to
contact Sharon Erickson at the
Chamber office for information on
any of these fun activities and great
ways to meet people. What can you
contribute to the Chamber in order
to get more out of it for yourself and
your business?
Meet your newest Chamber board members
John Theis
John Theis has been employed by Northern States Power Company for
over 31 years based out of the Maple Grove office. For the past five years, he
has served as Community Service Manager, servicing 29 communities.
His family includes wife Marlys, daughter Julie (married), Amy (just gradu-
ated from ASU) and son Tony (graduated from St. Cloud and in aviation). His
outdoor activities include hunting and fishing. In his younger years, he spent
the summers at his grandparents' and uncles' farms in Hamel and Corcoran.
He is a member of Crystal New Hope Robbinsdale Rotary, member of the
North Hennepin Chamber, North Metro Chamber and presently chair of the
Northwest YMCA in New Hope. John is looking forward to the role as a board
member of this chamber, which he considers very active and diverse.
Mark Murra
Mark is the owner of Prime Advertising & Design, Inc., located in Maple
Grove and has been in business for six years. Mark graduated from the Univer-
sity of Minnesota -Duluth in Business Administration with concentrations in
Marketing and Management, as well as a minor in Psychology. Mark's key
responsibilities at Prime consist of running the overall operations of the busi-
ness with his main focus as a marking consultant for the advertising agency
division.
Mark recently built a new home and office in the Maple Grove area. His
outdoor activities include boating, jetskiing, downhill skiing, mountain biking
and roller-blading.
Mark is a member of the North Hennepin Chamber of Commerce, Maple
Grove Community Organization, Tkin West Chamber of Commerce, Hop-
kins Business Civic Association, Bass Lake Center Merchant's Association,
Peak Performer's Network, as well as the Northwest Suburban Chamber of
Commerce Membership Services Committee.
Mark is looking forward to his new role as board member and is excited to
contribute many new marketing and technology ideas in his coming term.
Page 2
An invitation to a
property tax reform
meeting in St. Michael
From the Rogers Area and Mon-
ticello Area Chambers of Commerce
comes an invitation to a property tax
reform meeting scheduled for
Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 a.m. at
Russell's of Course in St. Michael.
Bill Blazer of the Minnesota Cham-
ber will present an update on prop-
erty tax reform issues.
Also, three employment issues
are being addressed at noontime
workshops this winter. See the en-
closed brochure for details.
iVV) ---_
Looking for ways to combat fraud by phone
Telephone experts estimate that the cost of telephone fraud adds
up to a whopping $4 billion each year. As communications become
even more high tech, criminals are finding new ways to scam unsus-
pecting consumers. It's a crime that can affect people of all ages, in-
come, lifestyles and education levels..
AT&T is fighting fraud in a variety of ways, from sophisticated
systems to detect and deter many types of long-distance fraud to work-
ing with law enforcement officials. AT&T has launched a new cam-
paign to warn consumers about fraud. It includes a new fraud educa-
tion web site (http:/Avww.att.com/fraud) as well as an updated fraud
brochure.
For more information and a list of other resources and organiza-
tions that can help combat fraud, visit the new fraud education web
site. If you would like to request additional consumer fraud brochures
to distribute to family and friends, call AT&T's toll-free hotline at 1-
800-851-0439.
Metropolitan area code change is upon us
Beginning Jan. 10, it will be mandatory to dial 10 digits - the area code plus
the seven -digit phone number - to make a local call between the 612 and 651
area codes. Do not dial a "1" or "0" before making the local call.
Because it will be necessary to dial 10 digits to complete some local calls in
the 'Irvin Cities area, phone customers must think of telephone numbers as
having 10 digits - the area code plus the seven -digit phone number. Include
your area code anytime you print or give out your telephone number.
Starting Jan. 10, use of the new 651 area code is mandatory. At that point, businesses that need to make equip-
ment changes and have not done so will be unable to complete calls into the 651 area code. Also staring Jan. 10, local
calls made between the 612 and 651 area code will not be connected unless all 10 digits are dialed.
Page 3
JWC
Share your expertise /omwi ,
with the NWS Chamber '
One of the best ways to receive Member Highlightsvalueforyourinvestmentinthe
Chamber is to attend meetings and • Congratulations to Roger Miller, Minnetonka Travel, recipient of
other events to network your service/ the Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year
product. Another way is to share award.
your expertise with the Chamber • Congratulations to Abraham Technical on being featured by Dick
through serving on a chamber task Youngblood in the Star Tribune.
force or committee. Whether it's an • Recognition is given to Farmers State Bank of Hamel as a recipient
hour a year or a month that you of the Minnesota Keystone Program 5% Award. The Minnesota Key-
might be able to volunteer, the stone Program salutes the generosity of Minnesota companies which
Chamber is your organization and have contributed significant amounts of their pre-tax earnings to ad-
is as vibrant as you make it. dress community needs. Farmers State Bank is an 8th Year Award
To volunteer, call Sharon at 420- Winner
3242, or fax to 420-6056 or send e-
mail to nwschamber@juno.com. In sympathyConsiderifyoumightbeableto: . Sympathy is expressed to Neil McMillin, Wright Hennepin Elec-, Call or visit a new member
Call or visit a new business in txic, on the recent death of his father, Leonard McMillin. Leonard
the area
was a home builder and developer who lived in the Twin Cities for
Help organize the annual dinner over 40 years. He and his wife Marjorie retired to the Grand Rapids
Secure speakers for meetings area in 1980 but moved back to Brooklyn Park in September because
Host a coffee break event of Leonard's health. Leonard died October 24th at the age of 81. He is
Be a host at a monthly meeting. survived by his wife Marjorie, son Neil and daughter-in-law Judy, and
granddaughter.
NWS Chamber offers advertising and promotion benefits
The Chamber offers many benefits to members. Take ing in the newsletter. If you wish to place an insert in
advantage of these benefits. the newsletter, the cost is $25, and you must supply
the 300 copies. Only three inserts per issue will be
Bulk -Mail Permit available, so think ahead and book a future newsletter.
The chamber's bulk -mail permit is available to cham- Another advertising opportunity is the business card
ber members. The chamber pays $85 annually for the size ad in the newsletter. This is for multi -use adver-
permit, so that is an $85 savings for you. Your respon- tising. Maybe your company has some space for lease
sibility is to prepare your items for bulk mail as required or equipment to sell, or perhaps your company is look -
by the postal service. Call the Chamber office at 420- ing for space ent, or maybe even a new em -
3242 for further information. ployee. c ey a space in the newsletter
The i per a . ace is limited, so only
Page 4
Advertising Benefit in NWS News thr
Chamber members can also benefit from advertis-
issue will be ava
i
Northwest Suburban Chamber of Commerce U.S. .S.
RATE
POSTAGE
8200 Co. Rd. 116 s PAID
Corcoran, MN 55340 Permit No. 2
Dwight .To'rl _?n, F+ Hamel, MN
City 04 1,..ymo__-
t
plyrnouth Blvd -
plyrnouti. ; t N. 55447-1482
Forwarding and Address Correction Requested
Page 4
January 5, 1999
Mark Bernhardson
City Manager
City of Bloomington
2215 W. Old Shakopee Rd.
Bloomington, MN 55341
SUBJECT: Invitation to Attend Countywide Y2K Meeting on January 28
Dear Mark:
With the Year 2000 (Y2K) less than 12 months away, cities throughout the county are
making plans to handle Y2K computer issues. While cities and townships are working
independently on internal computer systems, it is important for representatives from all
cities and townships in Hennepin County to meet and discuss critical, countywide issues
that may affect all of us.
City managers, city administrators, clerks, emergency managers, and key line staff
from cities, the township and Hennepin County are invited to attend a special
meeting to discuss Year 2000 computer issues on Thursday, January 28. We hope
you and your staff working on this issue will be able to join us. The City of Plymouth,
Hennepin County and the League of Minnesota Cities are sponsoring the meeting. Staff
members from all cities and townships in Hennepin County are encouraged to attend.
At the meeting, you will hear from Hennepin County and utility companies about their
Y2K readiness. You will also have a chance to help identify Y2K related issues that
could benefit from a countywide approach.
Y2K: A Management and Community Issue
Addressing the Year 2000 problem and considering the possible impacts on our
communities is an important priority for all cities in the coming year. Y2K is a
management and community problem that has some technical implications. Developing
contingency plans for our city operations and services depends on coordination with other
governments and entities, such as Hennepin County and utility companies. It is vital that
city and county managers think and talk about how we in Hennepin County will serve our
entire community during a significant Y2K event. While we all hope that the turn of the
century will be uneventful, we must plan as if it will cause some disruptions.
PLYMOUTH A Beautiful Tluce'To Lire
3400 PLY.t,,10 . . i ti")!iLEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (6 ;2) 509-5000
y: •• ••••, •• 1,mov.d.phimouth.mn.us
l
entire community during a significant Y2K event. While we all hope that the turn of the
century will be uneventful, we must plan as if it will cause some disruptions.
The January 28 meeting will take place at the Hennepin County Public Works Facility,
1600 Prairie Drive, Medina, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Hennepin County Public
Works Facility is located at the southwest corner of Highway 55 and County Road 118.
A preliminary agenda is attached. The morning will be dedicated to Y2K policy issues
and hearing from Hennepin County and the utility companies. Following lunch, several
working groups will convene to discuss specific Y2K issues. The working groups are
Public Safety Operations, Public Works Operations, Community Emergency
Management, Y2K Technology issues, and Community Public Education. Please invite
your appropriate staff members to attend—the working groups are intended for
line staff.
So that the meeting planners can have a headcount, please RSVP to Kathy Lueckert,
Plymouth Assistant City Manager, by January 19, 1999. When you RSVP, please
indicate the staff members who will attend, how many lunches are needed, and in what
breakout sessions they will participate. Kathy's telephone number is 509-5052, e-mail
kluecker@ci.plymouth.mn.us.
We urge you to attend the Hennepin City/County Year 2000 meeting on January 28. The
planning and coordination efforts that will result from this meeting are critically
important to our communities. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you on January
28.
Dwight D. Johnson
Plymouth City Manager
Robert Hanson
Chief Information Officer
Hennepin County
Kent Sulem
League of Minnesota Cities
Attachments
Countywide Meeting on Year 2000 Issues
January 28, 1999
8:00-3:30
Hennepin County Public Works Facility
Tentative Agenda
I. Registration/Coffee
II. Welcome
Dwight Johnson, Plymouth City Manager
Jeff Spartz, Hennepin County Administrator
III. Presentations on Year 2000 Readiness
Hennepin County
Department of Corrections
Sheriff (Emergency Communications)
Public Works
Property/Tax Assessing
Property Services
Utilities
Telephone --US West, GTE
Power—NSP, Wright Hennepin,
Natural gas—Minnegasco
Water
Emergency Services/Shelters
League of Minnesota Cities
IV. Lunch
V. Break-out Sessions
VI. Break
Anoka Electric
Public Safety Communications
Public Works
Community Emergency Preparedness
Community Public Education
Y2K Coordinators
Reports from Break-out Sessions/Next Steps
8:00 – 8:30
8:30 – 8:45
8:45 – Noon
Noon –1:15
1:15 – 2:30
2:45 – 3 :30
2:45 – 3:30
PLEASE RSVP TO KA THY L UECKERT, 509-5052, BYJANUARY 19. INDICATE
NUMBER ATTENDING, BREAK OUT SESSION INTEREST, NUMBER OF LUNCHES
NEEDED. THANKS!!
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact:
January 8, 1999 Kathy Lueckert, 509-5052
City of Plymouth
Government, Public Utility Officials Meeting to Discuss Y2K Issues
As the year 2000 approaches, officials from local governments, Hennepin County and public utility
companies are planning to meet to compare notes on the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer bug. The day long meeting on
January 28 at the Hennepin County Public Works Facility, 1600 Prairie Dr., Medina, will bring together
representatives from Hennepin County, cities in the county, and officials from electric, natural gas and telephone
companies.
Plymouth Assistant City Manager Kathy Lueckert, an organizer of the meeting, emphasized the importance
of cities sharing information and identifying issues that may benefit from a county -wide approach. "While cities
and townships are working independently on internal computer systems, it's important for representatives from all
cities and townships to meet and discuss critical, countywide issues," Lueckert said.
The year 2000 computer bug, commonly called the Y2K bug or millennium bug, is the long-standing
practice of storing electronic dates in computer systems with two digits. For example, 1999 would be represented
by 99. On Jan. 1, 2000, the concern is that older computer programs may not recognize that 00 is the year 2000 and
shut down.
No organization is an island when it comes to the Y2K issue. While we all hope that the turn of the
century will be uneventful, we have to plan as if it will cause some disruptions. Computer systems are dependent on
external computer systems in other government agencies, utilities as well as vendors. This meeting will give us an
opportunity to hear from the major utilities whose Y2K readiness affects all of our local governments as well as the
broader community," Lueckert added.
The City of Plymouth, Hennepin County and the League of Minnesota Cities are organizing the Y2K
meeting. For more information on the meeting, call Kathy Lueckert at 612-509-5052.
30-
Jr ED STgTl-s
it
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
o = e WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
i+17
PpOS
GS`
D EC 2 8 1998
The Honorable Joy Tierney
Mayor of Plymouth
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Mayor Tierney:
THE ADMINISTRATOR
Our nation's Mayors play a critical role in the development of local programs and policies
to protect public health and the environment. I believe it is important that we have an effective
working relationship between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and our Mayors. In
recognition of this critical role and of the partnership necessary between Federal Agencies and
cities, I have established a "Mayors' Desk."
The Mayors Desk is located in our Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental
Relations, and will help strengthen communication between EPA and local governments. It will
serve as a "one stop shop" for Mayors who have questions about EPA programs, policies and
procedures. Richard Dickerson has been selected to serve as the Director of the Mayors' Desk.
Richard has extensive experience in state and local government. Most recently he served as the
Chief of Staff to Cardell Cooper, the former Mayor of East Orange, New Jersey.
Please contact Richard with any questions and/or suggestions you may have. A dedicated
phone line has been set up to receive your calls (202-260-6029). I look forward to a continued
strong working relationship with you and your mayoral colleagues.
Sincerely,
Carol M. Browner / &
1%4
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Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Recycled Paper (40% Postconsumer)
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JAN
Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447-1482
Dear Mr. Johnson:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Minnesota State Office
220 Second Street South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401-2195
http://www.hud.gov/local/min/minhome.ht.ml
h
SUBJECT: Consolidated Plan End -of -Year Review —Program Year 1997
HUD is required to conduct an annual review of performance by grant recipients. This is to
report to you the results of our review. Additionally, the Secretary must determine that the grant
recipient is in compliance with the statutes and has the continuing capacity to implement and
administer the programs for which assistance is received.
Report
We congratulate you on your many accomplishments during this past year on the achievement of
Department Objectives.
As of May 2, 1998, the City had an acceptable expenditure rate.
During the program year, 12 homeowners received CDBG funding for a variety of home
improvements under the housing rehabilitation program.
A total of $23,816 CDBG funding was expended for affordable housing assistance referred to
as the Plymouth First Time Homebuyer Program.
At the end of the program year, $19,614 was expended to assist 20 households with 46
children to cover the cost of day care.
CDBG funds were used to provide assistance to 82 youths from 30 low-income families to
attend Park and Recreation Department programs.
Provided family self-sufficiency counseling for 42 low-income persons under the TRAILS
program.
The Department would like to acknowledge the efforts of the City to assist low-income renters.
Plymouth HRA modified its 1997 budget to include $50,000 funding to assist low-income
renters due to a growing scarcity of affordable rental units for this income group. We understand
the HRA has initiated a program to work with local landlords to develop incentives to retain
landlords already participating in the Section 8 program and to recruit other landlords to
participate.
Background Information
HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development has sought to establish partnerships
with State and local governments. The focus of our partnership has been to work with
communities to ensure that our joint efforts result in housing and community development
programs and policies that benefit and serve low and moderate income persons. These efforts
occur within the framework of the statutes we administer and the regulations and emerging
policies that are designed to improve program performance.
The provisions of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and the
National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, require the annual submission of performance reports
by grant recipients receiving federal assistance through programs covered under these Acts.
Additionally, these Acts require that a determination be made by the Secretary, that the grant
recipient is in compliance with the statutes and has the continuing capacity to implement and
administer the programs for which assistance is received.
Traditionally, these determinations were made through the review of annual reports submitted by
grantees for each individual program receiving assistance. With the implementation of the
Consolidated Planning Regulations of January 5, 1995, the Department will be making a
comprehensive performance review of your overall progress at least annually, as required by the
statues and section 91.525 of the regulations. The review consists of analyzing your consolidated
planning process; reviewing management of funds; determining the progress made in carrying
out your policies and programs; determining the compliance of funded activities with statutory
and regulatory requirements; determining the accuracy of required performance reports; as well
as evaluating your accomplishments in meeting key Departmental objectives.
This assessment not only meets the mandates of the statutes, but it also provides a basis for
working together collaboratively to help you achieve housing and community development
goals. One critical outcome of this collaboration should be the development of a more
comprehensive, effective, and concise Consolidated Plan and improved performance in achieving
specific goals that correspond to the activities outlined in your forthcoming Action Plan.
Public Access
This Report must be made readily available to the public within 30 days of receipt of your
comments. There are several ways the report can be made available to the public. You can assist
us in this regard by sharing HUD's report with the media; with a mailing list of interested
persons; with members of your advisory committee; or with those who attended hearings or
meetings. HUD will make this information available to the public upon request and may provide
copies of future reports to interested citizens and groups.
Conclusion
As a result of our analysis, we have determined that your overall progress is satisfactory and that
the City has the continuing capacity to implement these programs.
If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact Jerry Patiuk, CPD Representative at
370-3019, ext. 2106.
Sincerely,
Alan L. Joles, Actin Director
Office of Community Planning and Development
WPL il10UlHh1ETBOUNrY y k-
COMMUE WEST
January s,' PLYMOUTINOB FAIR
Dear. Mayor Joy Tierney,
The Cities of Plymouth and New Hope, together with Plymouth Metrolink, New Unity, Inc.
and the Neighborhood Employment Network (NET) are sponsoring the 3rd annual `Reverse
Commute" Job Fair on Thursday, March 11, 1999.
We invite you to again emcee the opening program at 9:00 a.m. and to address the participat-
ing businesses and representatives of the press on behalf of our community. Other dignitaries
and officials involved in employment and transit issues have also been invited.
The 1999 Job Fair will again be hosted by the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, 3131
Campus Drive in Plymouth, and will be open to job applicants from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Plymouth Metrolink will provide free shuttle bus transportation for job applicants from desig-
nated sites in north and downtown Minneapolis. Personnel of various organizations will staff a
full range of informational booths to greet applicants and answer any questions they may have
concerning transit services, local housing, day care facilities, and adult or advanced education
programs.
As in prior years, our primary goals are to provide job opportunities (targeting inner city and
welfare to work applicants) and to assist Plymouth and New Hope businesses attract and retain
employees by demonstrating how the existing transit system makes our west -metro employers
easily accessible from other metropolitan locations. We believe the Job Fair has been effective in
meeting these goals, because ridership on Plymouth MetrolirWs Reverse Commute service
increased by 27% after the 1997 Job Fair, and rose an additional 16% after the Job Fair in 1998. We
provided an estimated 60,772 rides in 1998, which equates to hundreds of hours worked in our
local businesses.
We look forward to your participation in our 1999 opening program, and would like to an-
nounce to the press if you will be able to attend. Please contact me at 509-5521, or our marketing
consultant Jane Norling at 472-7155. We thank you for your continued support of our commu-
nity Job Fair.
Y,
Sweeney
it Administrator
Plymouth Metrolink - 3400 Plymouth Boulevard - Plymouth, MN 55447-1482 - Fax 612.509.5510 - Website ww%v ci.plymouth.mn.us - Phone 612.509.5521
Services: Peak Express, Reverse Commute, Plymouth Rider, and Dial -A -Ride 0 Printed on recycled paper containing at least 20% post -consumer waste fiber.
Wayzata -Plymouth Area
Chemical Health Commission
Minutes
Qmember 11. 1998
Members Prgsent: Donna Marget, Gary Swedberg, Mandy Little, Kevin
Ringhofer, Craig Genies, Jeyn Hofacker, Tim McCarthy, Christine Engel, Denise
Slgnorelli, Martha Anderson, Barbara Hickok, Lydia Kihn, Dave Hadden, Judy
Hoover
Introduction:
WCC presentation at 9:30am by Judy Hanson and Jeyn Hofacker on
marketing alcohol to youth on December 13, 1998.
Wayzata Bay Center 1-3 pm shift coverage. We passed around the sign
up sheet again to ensure coverage.
Minutes:
They will come out next meeting for November and December.
Treasurer's Report:
Mandy reported we have $2480.94. $125.00 going to chamber for
membership.
Twin West covers a large area — Discussion about whether we should join
them also to partner with businesses. Activities are held such as
convening a coffee break. We will check into fees.
Public Safety:
Wayzata will try one more round of compliance checks yet this year.
Plymouth Is in the process of rechecking the 52 sites in the area.
Approximately 27% of businesses did not pass the compliance checks.
Local Collaborative Time Study
Thus far approximately $80,000 will be available for collaborative grants.
Enclosed is an application. The dollars have been generated by random
moments of school staff time.
9611ege U ate:
Betty Ford is beginning to focus on college age drinking and funding is
increased.
Other:
Shutting off the tap to teens was held last Monday and it was very
successful. (George Hacher from Washington DC was here).
They will bring back Penny Wold — from Michigan to talk to providers in
March.
Kevin — discussed work about what is moderate and appropriate use of
alcohol (0-1-3). He will bring information regarding these guidelines.
Jeyn — Mentioned FACE and the material they have available.
Dave — Alcohol 101 — on CD ROM. Re: Alcohol poisoning — being used
by colleges in a proactive mode.
Gary Swedberg — How do we get some of this educational material out
into the community? Perhaps we should be pushing the "hard" questions
with the community organizations.
Jeyn — need to review the mission of the commission — (Read by her)
Please always put on the minutes.
Martha — should we write to Chamber re: Chili Open?
Jeyn — Need to have a strategic plan
Christine and Denise (Wayzata High School students) — reported on
chemical health week — Video, ribbons, case history. They felt it went
well.
Gary Swedberg — Take home folder with red ribbon — maybe need to send
a message with the packet.
MN Student Survey — Not out — Schools will get data first — Probably not
out until February.
Martha — Showed a poster from Acad of Pediatrics and AMA.
Judy — Need Minnesota Prevention to be sent out to churches and clergy
in the area.
Challenge from Jeyn -- come in January with ideas for strategic plan.
Kevin — One frat in the US is going alcohol free by 2003.
Approved
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE j .
MINUTES Meeting NO. 78
Tuesday, November 10, 1998 - 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Martin Frank, Terri Goodfellow -Heyer, Kathy Marshall, Warren Tuel
Members Absent: David Shea, Charles Woodruff, Bob Swanson
Others/Staff Ginny Black, City Council Representative
Present: Dwight Johnson, City Manager
Shane Missaghi, Staff
Fred Moore, Director of Public Works
Barbara Sennes, Planning Supervisor
Sandra M. Walline, Volunteer Secretary
Guest) Sally Strand, Bass Lake Association Representative
Prior to the Call to Order Mr. Missaghi announced that the Noise
Ordinance had been formalized. He then introduced Ms. Sennes who
discussed the history and content of the issue stating that it would be
governed by the City Code, not as a formal ordinance. She stated
that the current draft of this issue is based on a model by the League
of Cities. It will go before the City Council on November 18, 1998.
Ms. Sennes, having an obligation with the Planning Commission left
the meeting.
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Martin Frank, at
7:20 p.m.
Review of Two items were added to the Agenda.
Agenda:
Review of the position of Chair of the EQC.
Staff Report Review of Water Plan.
Approval of It was moved by Mr. Martin, seconded by Ms. Marshall and
Minutes: unanimously approved by the Committee that the minutes of Meeting
No. 77 be approved as amended.
Guest Mr. Dwight Johnson, Mr. Fred Moore and Ms. Strand were
Introductions: introduced as guests attending the meeting.
1999 Work Plan: The 1999 Work Plan was discussed at great length with ideas and
comments duly noted on the plan by Mr. Missaghi for presentation in
a collective summary. to the Committee prior to the next scheduled
meeting.
Page 1 of 3
wi.v_rmawiskl gineering%wrnQLryw+navresuevmsQCMtg-iwapprov.a.aa
Phosphate Free Mr. Missaghi reported that Medina had not adopted an ordinance
Fertilizer banning fertilizer with phosphate. They adopted a resolution which
Medina Ord.: declares as its aspiration and goal that no individual apply any fertilizer
containing phosphorus to any non -agriculture property without first
ascertaining the need for the phosphorus.
Noise A quorum being present, Ms. Goodfellow -Heyer moved, it was
Ordinance: seconded by Mr. Frank and unanimously approved by the
Committee, that the Noise ordinance be recommended for approval
by the City Council.
EQC Chair Mr. Frank announced that he would not be requesting reappointment for
Status his term of office as a member of the Environmental Quality Committee
and would be resigning as a chair effective next meeting. Ms.
Goodfellow -Heyer volunteered to sit in the position of chair in his
absence. It was moved by Mr. Tuel, seconded by Ms. Marshall and
unanimously approved by the committee that Ms. Goodfellow -Heyer sit
as the Interim Chair of the Environmental Quality Committee for the
months of December, 1998; January and February, 1999.
Expiring Terms: Mr. Johnson and Mr. Moore pointed out the status of upcoming
openings on the EQC. It was pointed out that open positions (two) would
be filled by the City Council in 1999. It was also pointed out that
attendance records need not be reported by the EQC but are reported by
staff to the City Council.
Natural Area The history of the Natural Area Study was reviewed by Mr. Moore. It
Study: was the general concensus of the Committee that it would be
beneficial to cooperate with the Open Space Committee in
maintaining open and frequent communications.
Environmental It was announced by Ms. Marshall that the 1999 Environmental
Fair: Fair would be held at Gleason Lake School in May. Other details
regarding the Fair will be brought to the Committee as they develop.
Water Resource Mr. Moore discussed with the Committee the background of the
Management Plannning Commission reaction and questions to the Water Resource
Plan: Management Plan. Lengthy discussion ensued with additional input
from Mr. Moore, Mr. Johnson and the Committee in general. The
Planning Commission will consider making a recommendation at their
meeting tonight.
Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held on December 8, 1998 at 7:00 p.m.
with the 1999 Work Plan being the major agenda item.
It was moved by Ms. Goodfellow -Heyer, seconded by Mr. Frank and
unanimously approved by the Committee that Ms. Walline be cited in
the records as having made a vital contribution to the Committee in
her position as Volunteer Secretary.
Page 2 of 3
PLY NT\nt"l*w*ngintering\WTRQLTY\MINUTES\19'W\EQC%ttg.11-IOappro""M
Adjournment: It was moved by Ms. Goodfellow -Heyer, seconded by Ms. Marshall
and unanimously approved by the Committee that the meeting
adjourn at 8:58 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandra M. Walline
Page 3 of 3
WLY NMWiskl*vvEnOoeeri*W7RQLTM\MIMUTESt1999tEQCMtg.11-IOspproved.dx
DRAFT DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE ` %G -
MINUTES MEETING No. 79
Tuesday, December 8, 1998, 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Kathy Marshall, David Shea, Martin Frank, Robert Swanson
Members Absent: Terri Goodfellow -Heyer, Charles Woodruff, Warren Tuel
Others/Staff Ginny Black, City Council Representative
Present: Fred Moore, Director of Public Works
Shane Missaghi, Staff
Sandra M. Walline, Volunteer Secretary
It was moved by Mr. Shea, seconded by Ms. Marshall, and unanimously agreed that Mr. Frank act as chair
for Meeting 79 of the Environmental Quality Committee.
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Martin Frank, at 7:40 p.m.
Meeting Agenda: It was moved by Mr. Shea, seconded by Mr. Swanson and unanimously approved that the following
addition be made to the agenda:
1. Update on the Council workshop on the Water Plan.
Approval of It was moved by Mr. Shea, seconded by Ms. Marshall and unanimously approved that the minutes of
Meeting Minutes: #78 be approved as amended.
Guest
Introductions: Mr. Moore, Director of the Public Works Department was introduced.
Council Workshop: Mr. Missaghi and Mr. Moore provided the Committee with update information on the activities of the City
Council and the Planning Commission with regard to the Water Plan. It was indicated that the Water Plan
had been favorably received with minor additions. Special mention was made of the section in the Water
Plan which referred to the use of phosphate free fertilizers and the fact that this issue would be reviewed by
the City Attorney prior to its consideration at the December 16th City Council Meeting.
Work Plan 99: The Committee reviewed the 1999 Work Plan activities at great length discussing areas of priority for
action in the new year. Mr. Missaghi will compile the revised Work Plan information for distribution at
the next EQC Meeting. As an aside to this discussion Mr. Missaghi pointed out that the MnDOT has been
more than cooperative with regard to planned contributions of plantings for the Aquatic Landscaping
Program.
EPA Articles: Mr. Missaghi distributed pertinent articles produced by the EPA.
Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held January 12, 1999 at 7:00 p.m.
Proposed Agenda Items are:
1. The EQC 1998 Annual Report & 1999 Work Plan.
2. Storm sewer stenciling.
3. Light pollution.
4. Fertilizer ban.
Adjournment: There being no further business, it was moved by Mr. Swanson, seconded by Ms. Marshall and
unanimously approved that the meeting adjourn at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandra M. Walline
PLY Vr\nWiskrpwlEngineering1W7RQ/.1YIbONIMOVAWfl.Mro.79doc
DRAFT
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
DECEMBER 8,1998
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Mike Stulberg, Commissioners Allen Ribbe, Kim
Koehnen, Jeff Thompson, and Bob Stein
MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioners Roger Berkowitz and John Stoebner
STAFF PRESENT: Planning Supervisor Barbara Senness, Planners Shawn Drill
and Kendra Lindahl, and Clerical Supervisor Denise Hutt
1. CALL TO ORDER:
2. PUBLIC FORUM:
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
MOTION by Commissioner Ribbe, seconded by Commissioner Koehnen approving the
November 24, 1998 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved
unanimously. (Commissioner Stein abstained.)
5. CONSENT AGENDA:
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
A. OPUS NORTHWEST, L.L.C. (98190)
Chairman Stulberg introduced the request by Opus Northwest, L.L.C. for a Site Plan and
Conditional Use Permit to allow construction of a building with up to 100 percent office
use in the I-2 (General Industrial) District, for property located south of 27th Avenue at
28'' Avenue North.
Planner Drill gave an overview of the December 2, 1998 staff report.
Commissioner Ribbe asked if the bottom of the pond is 20 feet below the first floor.
Planner Drill replied affirmatively and said that there would need to be a retaining wall
with fence around a portion of the pond. He added that a condition of the engineer's
memo requires the applicant to provide a 10:1 aquatic bench where feasible. He stated
that the City discourages fencing entirely around NURP ponds, and requires the 10:1
aquatic bench. Commissioner Stein asked why fences are not desirable around NURP
ponds. Planner Drill stated that fences can be an attractive nuisance and can pose safety
concerns. He said that if a child would happen to climb over the fence, it is harder for
DRAFT
Planning Commission Minutes
December 8, 1998
Page #252
rescue crews to respond. Planner Drill stated that a 10:1 aquatic bench allows vegetation
to grow up and provide the desired separation. Planning Supervisor Senness stated that
this site is located in an industrial area which helps since there would not typically be
small children in close proximity.
Chairman Stulberg introduced Craig Patterson, the applicant. Mr. Patterson presented a
colored site plan of the proposal. Mr. Patterson commented that they will adhere to the
10:1 aquatic bench requirement around the NURP pond. Mr. Patterson presented a
colored rendering of the proposed office building. He said that they want to be able to
accommodate 100 percent office use if needed. He said that they are okay with removing
a couple of parking spaces per staff's suggestion. Chairman Stulberg asked the applicant
if he concurs with the lighting change. Mr. Patterson replied affirmatively.
Chairman Stulberg opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to
speak on the issue.
MOTION by Commissioner Thompson, seconded by Commissioner Stein
recommending approval of a Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit for Opus Northwest,
LLC for property located south of 27`h Avenue North at 28`h Avenue North.
Commissioner Koehnen asked if 100 percent office use would have additional impact of
the traffic. Planner Drill replied that 27`h Avenue can easily accommodate the traffic if
the site is developed with 100 percent office use.
Roll Call Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.
B. CITY OF PLYMOUTH (98183)
Chairman Stulberg introduced the request by the City of Plymouth to amend the text of
Chapter 21 of the Plymouth City Code, the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance. The proposed
amendments address both technical (typographical errors, etc.) and substantive changes
regarding Sign Definitions; Public Notification; Non -conforming Buildings, Structures,
Uses and Lots; General Building and Performance Standards; Accessory Buildings,
Structures, Uses and Equipment; Fencing/Screening/Landscaping; Off -Street Parking and
Loading; Building Relocation; Sign Regulations; Temporary Structures; FRD District; O-
R District; C-2 District and PUD District.
Planner Lindahl gave an overview of the December 3, 1998 staff report.
Commissioner Thompson asked how amendments to the temporary structures section
would affect Greenwood Elementary School's temporary structure. Planner Lindahl
replied that this section of the ordinance specifically exempts temporary classrooms for
DRAFT
Planning Commission Minutes
December 8, 1998
Page #253
public or private schools. An example of where this section would apply is the recent
temporary structure on the Honeywell site which was brought in during a building
expansion. The change puts a time limit on how often a temporary structure permit may
be issued. Commissioner Thompson asked how the change would affect tool sheds.
Planner Lindahl replied that tool sheds are accessory and permanent structures which
would not be affected by the change.
Chairman Stulberg open and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to
speak on the issue.
MOTION by Commissioner Thompson, seconded by Commissioner Ribbe to approve.
Roll Call Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
Commissioner Ribbe stated that he would not be able to attend the first meeting in
January.
MOTION by Commissioner Ribbe, seconded by Commissioner Koehnen to adjourn the
meeting. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. The meeting was
adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
SUBURBANTRANSITAsSOCIATION League of Minnesota Cities Buildil
145 University Avenue West, Suite 4:
St. Paul, Minnesota 551(
SUBURBAN TRANSIT ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
OCTOBER 14, 1998
PLYMOUTH ICE ARENA
8:30a.m. —10:30 a.m.
MINUTES
Phone: (612) 228-97`
Fax: (612) 228-971
The meeting was called to order by STA Chair Councilmember Nancy Tyra Lukens.
Voting members present: Tom Pepper, Eagan; Councilmember Nancy Tyra -Lukens,
Eden Prairie; Mayor Joy Tierney, Plymouth; Michael Leek, Shakopee; Executive
Director Beverley Miller, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority; Executive Director Len
Simich, Southwest Metro Transit Commission. A quorum of six was present.
Non-voting members present: John Sweeney, Plymouth Metrolink.
Also present: Bob Renner, Tom Poul and Jennifer Peterson, Messerli & Kramer P.A.
It was moved by Michael Leek and seconded by Mayor Joy Tierney that the minutes be
approved as presented. The motion was approved.
Michael Leek briefly reviewed the treasurer's report. It was moved by Mayor Joy
Tierney and seconded by Beverley Miller that the treasurer's report be approved as
presented. The motion was approved.
Councilmember Nancy Tyra Lukens reviewed the STA lobbyist evaluation report. She
explained that the report contained a variety of comments, but was overall a positive
report. She provided STA's legislative counsel with information regarding areas
needing improvement as well as a new format for informational memos and meeting
agendas.
It was moved by Beverley Miller and seconded by Mayor Joy Tierney that the Board
accepts the lobbyist evaluation report as presented. The motion was approved.
Councilmember Nancy Tyra Lukens and Mayor Joy Tierney volunteered, as Chair and
Past -Chair to serve as the officer nominating committee to select 1999 officers. Their
recommendations would be provided to and voted upon by the Board of Directors at the
January, 1999 meeting.
Members: Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Plymouth Area Transit,
Shakopee Area Transit, Southwest Metro Transit Commission
Tom Poul briefly reviewed some state transportation funding background information for
the Board's information.
Bob Renner reviewed 1999 dues options for the STA's 1999 budget. It was moved by
Mayor Joy Tierney and seconded by Tom Pepper that the Board adopt a dues structure
based upon $.20 per capita with a cap of $9,500. The motion was approved.
Bob Renner reviewed Messerli & Kramer's proposed 1999 retainer, set at $56,000. It
was moved by Beverley Miller and seconded by Mayor Joy Tierney that the contract be
approved as presented. The motion was approved.
IN Bob Renner reviewed the Met Council's legislative agenda proposal regarding changes
to the feathering formula. He explained that the proposed changes would keep benefits
the same or increase them for all STA cities. Tom Poul reviewed the Met Council's
bonding proposal, highlighting which STA projects have been included in their request.
It was moved by Michael Leek and seconded by Len Simich that the language relating
to the Met Council's feathering proposal be moved to the "Monitor Only" section of the
STA 1999 Legislative Program. The motion was approved.
It was moved by Mayor Joy Tierney and seconded by Beverley Miller that the Board
approve the 1999 Legislative Program as amended and authorize the Legislative
Committee to further amend the program as necessary prior to the January Board
meeting. The motion was approved.
The Board set January 7 as the date for the next Board of Directors meeting. The
meeting was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority transit
hub in Burnsville.
It was moved by Councilmember Nancy Tyra Lukens and seconded by Mayor Joy
Tierney that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was approved and the meeting
adjourned.
IN
SUBURBAN TRANSIT ASSOCIATION
1999 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
I. SUPPORTED ISSUES
A. BONDING FOR TRANSIT
Support the Met Council's bonding request for transit. The Met Council is asking
that $52 million in bonding be authorized by the 1999 legislature. The STA
supports both of these Met Council initiatives.
B. STABLE AND PREDICTABLE BONDING AUTHORITY
Support the Met Council in acquiring a stable and predictable bonding authority
for transit. The Met Council is seeking the stable and predictable authority to
bond through either a debt service levy limit mechanism or an outstanding debt
limit mechanism.
C. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT INITIATIVES
The STA supports implementation of the Hiawatha Avenue corridor and will
actively participate in the debate relating to line expansion.
II. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES
A. ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS FOR OPT -OUTS
The STA will work with the Met Council to maximize ability to acquire federal
funds by combining opt -out and Metro Transit service statistics. This will
generate federal funds that will be proportionally shared with the opt -out
providers.
B. REVERSE COMMUTE INCENTIVES
Partner with the Met Council to capture TEA -21 discretionary reverse -commute
funding earmarked as welfare -to -work. The STA will support Met Council's
legislation that increases state appropriations to counties, known as "access to
jobs funding."
y
C. SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR EXPANSION OF TRANSIT SERVICE
AREA
Work with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to obtain federal funding
through TEA -21 for the provision of transit services to residents outside the
MUSA line and the current transit service area.
III. DEFENSIVE ISSUES
A. OPPOSE IMPOSITION OF LEVY LIMITS ON THE TRANSIT LEVY FOR OPT -
OUT TRANSIT PROVIDERS
Current law imposes levy limits on most political subdivisions. However, opt -out
transit systems are not subject to this levy limit. The STA currently abides by the
levy limit on a voluntary basis. The STA would oppose imposition of a mandatory
levy limit.
B. OPPOSE THE ELIMINATION OF THE OPT -OUT TRANSIT PROVIDER
SYSTEM
Opt -out or replacement transit systems have been functioning efficiently and
cost-effectively for more than a decade. The STA would vehemently oppose any
attempts to repeal this law that has dramatically improved transit service for
suburban residents.
C. OPPOSE AMENDMENTS TO TAX FEATHERING LEGISLATION TO INCLUDE
PARATRANSIT" IN THE DEFINITION OF TRANSIT SERVICES WHICH
TRIGGER VARIOUS PROPERTY TAX LEVELS
Current law excludes paratransit when determining the level of transit service
residents receive. This permits certain cities to reduce their property tax levy to
transit. Paratransit should not be included in the definition of regular route
service since its use is restricted to a certain ridership. Communities that provide
paratransit should not be penalized by having their transit tax rate increase.
D. REGIONAL FLEET
The current practice of providing metro transit vehicles to the, entire region has
been beneficial to transit riders in opt -out communities. Since suburban
residents are taxed for the purchase of their buses, fairness dictates that they
receive some benefit in return. The STA will oppose any changes in the
mechanism that assures transit vehicles for opt -out communities.
2
5
I V99 Membprc
IV. MONITOR ONLY
A. TRANSIT ZONE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF LAW
The 1998 Legislature passed a law that included opt -out transit zones under the
law that provided for a 15 percent C -I tax cut for development within the zone.
However, retail development was excluded. The STA will monitor this legislationin1999.
B. ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUTER RAIL TRANSIT LINES
IN THE METRO AREA
The 1997 Legislature appropriated funding for the Minnesota Department of
Transportation to provide an in-depth study of five corridors which will be
completed and presented to legislators in 1998. The STA supports development
of commuter rail corridors as part of a comprehensive metropolitan transit
system.
C. SALES TAXES FOR TRANSIT FUNDING
A legislative proposal to fund transit with a one-half cent sales tax in the
metropolitan area may be introduced. This source of funding would replace the
current reliance on property taxes. If introduced, the STA will monitor this
proposal to ensure fairness and adequate formulas for opt -out funding growth.
D. GAS TAX INCREASE
Legislation that would increase the current gas tax has been discussed as a
FL
potential source of revenue for transit funding. Although not a likely option in the
House, the Senate may come forward with such a proposal, which would require
a constitutional change. As with other funding proposals that might effect transit
funding methods, the STA will monitor this proposal to ensure that the
metropolitan transit system is adequately funded and that opt -out transit
providers are treated fairly.
E. CONSTITUTIONAL DEDICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAXES
A constitutionally dedicated multimodal fund from the proceeds of the sales tax
on motor vehicles (MVET) may again be a viable transportation funding option. In 1998, the Minnesota Senate passed a 25 percent MVET dedication on a vote
of 65 — 0. The STA will monitor this legislation closely if introduced in 1999 to
ensure opt -out transit providers are treated fairly.
3
n
F. ALLOW ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES TO BE ADDED TO THE OPT -OUT
TRANSIT SYSTEM
Although the STA will not be initiating legislation that would add new
communities to the opt -out system, it would support such legislation if it were04introduced.
4-
J
G. SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING
TRANSIT SYSTEM, I.E. BUILDING ADDITIONAL HOV LANES
Support for increased funding to the transportation infrastructure will be a big
issue at the legislature this session. Senator Flynn has expressed numerous
alternative funding initiatives that would increase the State's investment in its
ailing infrastructure such as: (a) one-half cent metro area sales tax; (b) MVET
proposals; (c) increase in gas tax and registration; and (d) increase in general
fund investments.
H. ENLARGED TRANSIT TAXING DISTRICT
Many transit riders live outside the current transit taxing district. They enjoy the
benefits of the subsidized system without having to pay for its full cost. The STA
will monitor legislation that would enlarge the geographical boundaries of the
current transit taxing district.
REDEFINE FEATHERING TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF
Monitor Met Council's request for a statutory change regarding property tax
feathering. The Met Council is asking that a statutory change be made to include
partial feathering from 60 to 30 minute midday frequency. This proposal would
be revenue neutral for the Met Council, although it would have a $2.1 million
impact on the State General Fund.
4
i
elm creek
Watershed Management Commission
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Judie A. Anderson
3001 Harbor Lane Ste. 150
Plymouth, MN 55447
Phone 612/553-1144
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Hennepin Conservation District
10801 Wayzata Blvd. Ste. 240
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Phone 612/544-8572 MINUTES
November 10, 1998
3.00 P.'*-
I. The regular monthly meeting of the Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission was called to
order at 1 oo , Tuesday, November 10, 1998, at Plymouth City Hall, Plymouth, MN, by Chairman Ken
Ashfeld.
Those present were: Jesse Walizer, Champlin; Roger Bromander, Corcoran; Gary Morrison, Hassan;
Ken Ashfeld, Maple Grove; Pat Klise, Medina; Dan Faulkner, Plymouth; Ali Durgunoglu, HCD; Matthew
Goli, Campbell Knutson; and Judie Anderson, Executive Secretary.
II. Minutes. Motion by Klise, second by Bromander to approve the minutes of the October meeting.
Motion carried.
M. Treasurer's Report. Motion by Klise, second by Bromander to approve the Treasurer's Report and
pay the bills. Motion carried.
IV. Correspondence. The Commission. received the following:
A. October 20,1998 letter from DNR to City of Champlin re appropriation of water from eight
wells based on estimated. needs for year 2001.
B. October 14, 1998 letter from Hennepin County to Commission transmitting the EAW for
CSAH 30 roadway reconstruction in Maple Grove.
C. September 14, 1998 letter from DNR transmitting a map displaying the results of the
Minnesota County Biological Survey in Carver, Hennepin and Scott counties. Anderson will order copies
for those expressing interest.
D. October 1998 letter from the Environmental Quality Board transmitting a copy of Soundings:
AMinnesota Water Plan Assessment, evaluating the progress toward carrying out the 14 objectives of the
1991 Minnesota Water Plan and anticipating development ofMinnesota Water Plan 2000.
E October 23, 1998 memo from BWSR re county levy authorities for joint power WMOs.
V. Water Quality.
A. Watershed Outlet Monitoring Program. HCD received a letter from Metropolitan Council
Environmental Services (MCES) requesting information about the equipment at the monitoring station (Elm
Creek at Champlin). The WONT program will be administered by MCES starting next year. They are interested
CHAMPLIN • CORCORAN • DAYTON • HASSAN • MAPLE GROVE • MEDINA • PLYMOUTH
Elm Creek Minutes
November 10, 1998
page 2
in possibly upgrading the equipment at the site. HCD staff is not sure what their plans are but, at this time, feel
that the site does not need any further equipment upgrade except possibly a new shelter. Currently, we are
operating this monitoring site in cooperation with USGS who prefers to work with specific types of equipment.
Any change in equipment may create compatibility problems with USGS' remote control operations. HCD staff
expects that Met Council staff will be contacting us in the future to discuss the monitoring station and WOMP
funding for next year. Motion by Faulkner, second by Morrison to continue with the program currently in place.
Motion carried.
B. Macroinvertebrate Monitoring and Education Project. Successful teacher training was
conducted September 3. Most schools completed their sampling on September 30 or October 1. Many are now
in the process of identifying the macroinvertebrates they collected in the streams. Participating schools within
the Elm Creek watershed include, Osseo, Champlin Park, West Lutheran, Wayzata, Armstrong, and Maple Grove
2 sites).
C. Lake Monitoring. A summary of all the lake data received will be provided soon.
D. TCWQI Stream Improvement Grant (BMP). Two new CRP contracts have been signed
for installation of filter strips. HCD recommended that the Commission authorize the following bonus payments
in accordance with grant bonus payment and cost share policy: Louis Dahlheimer, $125, filter strip on Diamond
Creek, Dayton; and Elwyn Manthei, $480, filter strip on Rush Creek, Corcoran. Motion by Faulkner, second
by Klise to authorize these payments. Motion carried.
E. Streambank Restoration. HCD led an educational streambank restoration project on Elm Creek
in Plymouth at the headwaters of Elm Creek. The project started on October 19, 1998, and will be completed
in the spring of 1999. The restoration repaired an eroded stream bank that was damaging property and depositing
soil into the stream by using bioengineering techniques. This project will stop the erosion and sedimentation in
the creek, stabilize the bank, and prevent further loss of property. Property owner Dennis Hedtke, the City of
Plymouth, and Wayzata and Hopkins High Schools cooperated with HCD to work on this project.
This is an educational project that stresses river stewardship and promotes a more natural
approach to dealing with river erosion problems. In the spring any damage that may occur by the spring high
waters will be repaired and native plant buffer areas on both sides of the stream will be planted. An adjacent gully
coming from TH 55 into the creek at this site was also repaired by using riprap, a more conventional method,
to illustrate the contrast between conventional and bioengineering techniques.
VI. Wetland Conservation Act.
A. 94-050 Finke Farm, Corcoran. HCD staff expects to meet with the consultant in December
to determine the status of the monitoring.
B. 96-019 Kariniemi, Corcoran. No new information.
C. 96-078 Greg Ebert, Corcoran. HCD has determined that to meet the WCA restora-
tion/mitigation requirements, Exert must restore some drained wetlands in addition to creating wetland in
his property (formerly known as Ebert Homestead). This, along with buffers, would give him more than
enough area to meet WCA requirements.
D. 98-032 22015 County Road 117, Corcoran. The property is adjacent to North Fork Rush
Creek, has wetlands, and is within the 100 -year floodplain. The owners excavated a pond within the front
yard; however, the spoils have not yet been spread. Inspection is pending notification of completion by the
owners.
Elm Creek Minutes
November 10, 1998
page 3
E. 98-034 11040 Trail Haven - Tim Johnson/Russ Kangas Property, Hassan. HCD
approved the replacement plan. The first monitoring report will be due by December 31, 1999. This item will
be removed from the agenda until that time.
VII. Project Reviews.
A. 98-064 Maple Commons 2nd Addition, Maple Grove. This is a commercial site just south
of the new Menards site on CR 30 and Dunkirk Lane. District is reviewing the stormwater plans and recommends
no action at this time.
B. 98-065 Territorial Road and Rush Creek Bridge Replacement, Maple Grove. The existing
bridge is a hazard and needs to be replaced. HCD recommends approval contingent on reviewing the hydraulic
design of the bridge. Motion by Klise, second by Morrison to approve the recommendation of the District Office.
Motion carried. HCD will update the floodplain model.
C. 98-066 Village at Glen Meadows, Maple Grove. This medium to high density residential
development is located in northwest Maple Grove just south of the new Target store, near the intersection of
Dunkirk Lane and CR 30. The site is zoned for agricultural use according to the Elm Creek Comprehensive Land
Use Plan and, therefore, a stormwater plan is required to control the runoff peaks from the site. Action on this
project was tabled.
D. 98-067 Lawn ]King, Corcoran. This is an expansion project in Downtown Corcoran. District
requested revisions to the erosion and sediment control plan.
E. 98468 Elm Creek -Oxbow Bypass Repair, Champlin. During the past few years Elm Creek
has gradually bypassed a major oxbow in Champlin 0.5 miles downstream of Hayden Lake. This has resulted
in loss of stream habitat, damage to at least three properties, shortening of the channel, increased slope, and
initiating a new cycle of streambank erosion and sedimentation.
HCD requests approval to restore the flow to the historic channel by building a low dam across
the new eroded Bypass channel. (Bypasses usually occur naturally in streams, but in Elm Creek the increase in
low flows due to urbanization is accelerating this process.) A DNR permit will be required. The work proposed
would result in a no -loss scenario. Motion by Walizer, second by Bromander to approve this project of work.
Motion carried.
F. 86-037 Joe Raskob, Medina. Raskob submitted a plan which includes revised volume
computations below the established 100 -year floodplain elevation on this property. The computations indicated
that the minimum 11,800 CY removal requirement of the Commission has been met. Based on this information,
HCD recommended contingent approval of the revised floodplain plan. Motion by Faulkner, second by Klise to
approve the recommendation of the District Office. Motion carried.
VIII. Other Business.
A. 98-055 City of Champlin Stormater Management Plan. HCD reviewed the first draft of
the City's Stormwater Management Plan and submitted their comments.
B. Citizen Advisory Committee. Anderson will meet with Carolyn Dindorf to determine how and
for what purpose the Pioneer -Sarah Creek's Advisory Committee was formed.
C. Services provided by HCD. Discussion of this matter will be postponed until the new year.
IX. Informational Items.
A. 96-044 IME Trucking, Dayton. No new information.
B. 96-047 Burnet Realty (Northern Tier Limited), Maple Grove. No new information.
Elm Creek Minutes
November 10, 1998
page 4
C. 96-070 Tavis Metal Fabrication, Hassan. Commission gave contingent approval in 1996.
District reviewed revised plans in November 1997 and requested minor revisions. No new information.
D. 97-022 Kelly's Wrecker Service, Medina. No new information.
E. 97-032 Elm Creek Ridge, Maple Grove. No new information.
F. 97-041 The Shores of Elm Creek, Maple Grove. Review of Phase H plan is pending
revisions.
G. 97-048 Hills of Elm Creek, Maple Grove. District received a revised stormwater plan and
requested minor revisions in January 1998. No new information.
H. 97-056 Meadowview Addition, Maple Grove. Contingent approval was given at the
November 1997 meeting. No new information.
I. 98-005 Five Star Welding, Dayton. District requested revisions to the plans received in
June 1998. No new information.
J. 98-006 Dehn Tree Company, Inc., Dayton. District requested erosion and sediment control
plans. No new information.
K. 98-009 Lake Medina Outlet Retrofit, Medina. Commission informed the City of the need
for an official amendment request in May 1998. An adjustable outlet will be put in place for three years and
monitored for efficacy.
L. 98-017 Turb Spaanem Mini Storage; Dayton. Contingent approval of the stormwater plan
was given. No new information.
M. 98-026 Dayton Park Plaza, Dayton. District requested additional information.
N. 98-029 Reinhart Site, Rogers. District approved the stormwater plan but the erosion and
sediment control issues brought out in staffs June 2, 1998 letter have not been addressed adequately. No new
information.
O. 98-038 Darrell Krueger Property, Corcoran. District sent comments on August 20, 1998.
No new information.
P. 98-040 Vista Ridge, Maple Grove. Revised plans were approved by the District Office.
Q. 98-042 JMS Trucking/Sundman Paving, Dayton. Contingent approval of the stormwater
pond was given. No new information.
R. 98-048 Advance Response System, Rogers. District requested minor revisions. Commission
granted contingent approval of the stormwater plan at the September meeting. No new information.
S. 98-050 Custom Filtration, Corcoran. Proposed project will create one acre of impervious
surface on a 2.5 -acre lot. District has requested additional revisions. No new information.
T. 98-052 Downtown Storm Sewer Improvements, Corcoran. Project involves installing a new
sediment pond, culvert replacement, ditch cleaning, and construction of a multi -cell water quality pond in
downtown Corcoran at County Road 116 and 10. District has not received final plans but conceptually prefers
this plan over others proposed. Alternative was to replace the ditch with a storm sewer. A WCA exemption may
be needed for ditch cleaning when the status of the ditch is established. No new information.
Elm Creek Minutes
November 10, 1998
page 5
U. 98-053 The Preserve at Elm Creek, Champlin. District requested additional erosion and
sediment control measures on October 1, 1998.
V. 98-054 Dignity Ponds, Rogers. Plan was modified to send the stormwater from the first phase
of the development to a City facility. The facility needs repair and retrofit to accommodate treatment of the
stormwater from this site. Approval was given, contingent on the City's repair of the stormwater treatment pond.
No sewer connection will be made to the City before the City pond is repaired.
W. 98-056 Elm Creek Twinhome Addition, Maple Grove. District requested revisions.
X. 98-057 Rush Creek Golf Club Expansion, Maple Grove. District is waiting for revisions.
No action is required.
Y. 98-058 Weaver Estates 6th Addition, Maple Grove. District requested minor revisions.
Z. 98-060 Shermer Homes, Dayton. District requested an erosion and sediment control plan.
AA. 98-062 Ernie Mayers, Ditch Cleaning, Corcoran. District visited the site with Mayers and
recommended a course of action. The best alternative is to keep the cleaning within the County Ditch to avoid
permit requirements.
AB. 98-063 Satellite Shelter, Corcoran. District sent comments on October 23, 1998. The City
may require a pond that will be partially in a wetland. Final plans are not ready yet.
There being no further business, motion by Klise, second by Ashfeld to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned
at 4:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judie A Anderson
Executive Secretary
JAA:tirn JACLIEKM MWAIERSHEIELMCPEEKnMEETOSWOVI.WPD
SHINGLE
V-1
WFITERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
A mee1ohize. St
1 1
Hagen on Thtusdb.
Brooklyn Park, MN.
Lane • Suite 150 • Plymouth, MN 55447
612)553-1144 9 FAX (612)553-9326
MINUTES
November 12, 1998
Watershed Management Commission was called to order by Chair Maria
12, 1998, at 12:50 p.m. at Lancer at Edinburgh, 8700 Edinbrook Crossing,
Present were: Scott Brink, Brooklyn Center; Kevin Larson, Brooklyn Park; Tom Mathisen, Crystal; Jim
Kujawa, Maple Grove; Craig Cooper, Minneapolis; Guy Johnson, New Hope; Ron Quanbeck,
Plymouth; Maria Hagen, Robbinsdale; Eric Thompson, Montgomery Watson; Charlie
LeFevere, Kennedy & Graven; and Judie Anderson, Recording Secretary.
Also present: Judy Sventek, Metropolitan Council.
I. Minutes. Motion by Mathisen, second by Quanbeck to approve the minutes of the October meeting
of the Commission with the following correction:
VI.B. ...motion by ... tv adupt die esulation turd to iescirid directing staff to prepare a
resolution rescinding Resolution 98-3 ... .
Motion carried.
H. Treasurer's Report. Motion by Cooper, second by Quanbeck to approve the Treasurer's Report.
Motion carried.
III. Approval of Claims. Motion by Cooper, second by Quanbeck to approve claims totaling $10,972.81.
Claims were approved by roll call vote: ayes - Brink, Larson, Mathisen, Kujawa, Cooper, Johnson, Quanbeck,
and Hagen; nays - none; absent - Osseo.
IV. Correspondence.
A. Communications Log. No action required.
B. September 14, 1998 letter from DNR transmitting a map displaying the results of the
Minnesota County Biological Survey in Carver, Hennepin and Scott counties. Anderson will order copies
for those expressing interest.
C. October 1998 letter from the Environmental Quality Board transmitting a copy of Soundings:
A Minnesota Water Plan Assessment, evaluating the progress toward carrying out the 14 objectives of the
1991 Minnesota Water Plan and anticipating development of Minnesota Water Plan 2000.
D October 23, 1998 memo from BWSR re county levy authorities for joint power WMOs.
V. Water Quality.
A. Winter Sampling. The Commissioners received a copy of Thompson's November 5 memo
requesting $3500 to perform water quality sampling semi-montly from November through March at the outlet
site and at Zane Avenue. Motion by Mathisen, second by Cooper to approve this funding. Motion carried.
BROOKLYN CENTER • BROOKLYN PARK • CRYSTAL • MAPLE GROVE • MINNEAPOLIS • NEW HOPE 0 OSSEO 0 PLYMOUTH • ROBBINSDALE
Minutes
November 12, 1998
page 2
B. Water Monitoring. Montgomery Watson is completing the profile study today. Thompson
will have a report available at the December meeting. Four beaver dams have been found in Palmer Lake.
VI. Project Reviews.
A. SC98-17 Arbor Lakes, Maple Grove. Construction of a 70 acre commercial/residential
development on a 389 acre site located on Elm Creek Boulevard at Hemlock Lane. A complete project review
application has not been received. The proposed project consists of two developments approximately 800 feet
apart along Elm Creek Boulevard. The first project is development of the Arbor Lake Medical Office Building
which will be constructed on a 16 acre site; the second is a development known as Arbor Lakes involving
construction of 26 commercial buildings and facilities on a 100 acre site.
The medical center will have two very large onsite ponds which will be used for treatment and
control of stormwater runoff. The Arbor Lakes development appears to drain to a small onsite pond. No
calculations have been received for either development to demonstrate that the ponds meet Commission
standards. The site lies adjacent to a large Type 5/6 wetland known as Arbor Lake. There appear to be no
proposed impacts to the wetland. The City of Maple Grove is the WCA LGU. Arbor Lake is not identified
as a regional pond in the City's stormwater plan; hence there is no information re 100 -year floodplain
elevations. A limited Erosion Control plan specifying, but not locating, silt fencing and rock construction
entrances has been submitted.
Motion by Hagen, second by Mathisen directing the consultant to notify the City of Maple
Grove that no action was taken on project SC98-17, pending receipt in the office of the Commission's engineer
of the following:
1. A second Project Review Application for processing sites as separate developments.
2. Stormwater calculations demonstrating that each development has ponding sufficient
to contain 100 -year, 24-hour rainfalls.
3. Pond volume calculations demonstrating that each pond has dead storage volume
equal to the runoff from a 2.5" rainfall over its entire tributary area (treatment for entire site).
4. Pond outlet design details demonstrating surface skimming of pond discharges.
5. Information (or calculations) identifying the 100 -year flood elevation for Arbor Lake.
6. Revised Grading Plan identifying lower floor elevations no less than 1.0' above 100 -
year flood elevations.
7. A revised Erosion Control Plan incorporating and locating silt fence, rock construction
entrances, temporary sediment barriers at catch basin inlets, riprap at storm sewer outfalls and a seed-
ing/sodding schedule.
8. Legal document granting easement over all on-site hydrologic/hydraulic features.
9. An Operations and Maintenance Plan which will maintain the onsite stormwater
treatment facility. The plan shall be provided to the City in the form of a recordable agreement that assures
the designated operations and maintenance procedures will be faithfully executed.
Motion carried.
BROOKLYN CENTER • BROOKLYN PARK 9 CRYSTAL • MAPLE GROVE • MINNEAPOLIS • NEW HOPE • OSSEO 9 PLYMOUTH 0 ROBBINSDALE
Minutes
November 12, 1998
page 3
B. SC98-18 Highway 81 Site, Crystal. Redevelopment of a commercial/industrial facility on
a 7.1 acre site located in the northeast quadrant of County Road 81 and Wilshire Boulevard. After completion,
approximately 90% of the site will be impervious surface. A complete project review application was received
October 30, 1998.
Stormwater runoff will be collected in one of two onsite stormwater ponds. Calculations
provided demonstrate that these ponds have been designed according to NURP standards and exceed the
Commission's requirements. There is no regional floodplain onsite. The lowest proposed building floor
elevations satisfy the Commission's freeboard requirements. There are no wetlands onsite. The City of Crystal
is the WCA LGU. A very detailed Erosion Control Plan has been received.
Motion by Kujawa, second by Quanbeck directing the consultant to notify the City of Crystal
that approval of project SC98-18 was granted pending receipt in the office of the Commission's engineer of
the following:
1. Legal document granting easement over all on-site hydrologic/hydraulic features.
2. An Operations and Maintenance Plan which will maintain the onsite stormwater
treatment facility. The plan shall be provided to the City in the form of a recordable agreement that assures
the designated operations and maintenance procedures will be faithfully executed.
Motion carried.
C. Resolution Relating to Management Standards: Amending Resolution 90-1. After
discussion and revisions to the draft presented by staff, motion by Mathisen, second by Cooper, to adopt
Resolution 98-4, "A Resolution Relating to Management Standards, Amending Resolution No. 90-1, and
Rescinding Resolution No. 98-3. Motion carried.
D. Alternative Treatment Device Conditions of Application. In his September 29 (revised)
memo, Thompson presented'a list of conditions an applicant must satisfy in order to receive approval from
the Commission. Provisions for an escrow to cover the costs associated with processing the application and
providing engineering review of the device and a fee to cover the costs associated with the review of the
installation, sampling and water quality monitoring of the device were included in the revised document.
Motion by Kujawa, second by Mathisen to approve the Conditions of Application with the insertion of
Commission ... standards [or those of the member cities if those cities' approved stormwater management
plans have stormwater treatment requirements which are more stringent than the Commission's]" in the first
paragraph. Motion carried.
There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judie A. Anderson
Recording Secretary
JAA:tim
J:\CLIENTS\VAWATERSHE\SHINGLEC\98hMETGS\NOV2.WPD
BROOKLYN CENTER • BROOKLYN PARK • CRYSTAL • MAPLE GROVE • MINNEAPOLIS • NEW HOPE 0 OSSEO • PLYMOUTH • ROBBINSDALE
January 1, 1999
Ansar H. Ahmed MD
3770 Yellowstone Lane North
Plymouth
ION—
i
535448
vis Joy Tierney
The Mayor
Ci y Of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Fy; r,,outh
55447- 1482
Dew Ms Tierney
I-
Vitt: r=egret, I would like to tender my resignation from the advisory Commission
ct the N orthwest Hennepin Human Services Council. !n all honesty I have found
a1 have not contributed to the commission. I think someone with in more
c:oser contact with the northwest community will be in a better position to serve
on the committee.
I have corne to know many wonderful and caring people in the committee and I
w sh them all the success and a happy New Year.
Th--rk yo:: very much for giving me the opportunity to serve my community. I will
be nappy to serve in any other committee where you think I will have something
to contribute.
Happy new year to you and the members of the advisory commission.
relyly
ns m D
Cc Duane Reynolds
HSC Advisory Commission
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CITY OF
PLYMOUTR
January 7, 1999
Shawn Gardner
14110 -37th Avenue North
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Mr. Gardner,
I have spoken with Roger Knutson, the City Attorney, about the "exempt persons"
language in the massage therapy licensing ordinance. He does not recommend that the
city make any changes to the ordinance at this time. Furthermore, it is likely that state
licensure of massage therapists will be considered by the Minnesota Legislature. The
City will await the outcome of issue at the state level before considering any changes to
the Plymouth ordinance.
Thanks again for raising this issue, and we understand its significance to you.
Sincerely,
r
Kathy Lueckert
Assistant City Manager
PLYMOUTH ABeau( iyu(PlaceToLive
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000
0.—..1 www.d.plymouth.mn.us
onaFr 01/08/99
1016 AM
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 19,1999,7:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL
3. PLYMOUTH FORUM—Individuals may address the Council about any item not contained
on the regular agenda. A maximum of 15 minutes is allotted for the Forum. If the full 15
minutes are not needed for the Forum, the City Council will continue with the agenda. The
City Council will take no official action on items discussed at the Forum, with the exception of
referral to staff or Commission for future report.
4. PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
4.1 Recognize Winners of Middle -School Essay Contest sponsored by Plymouth Human
Rights Commission
4.2 Proclaim February 6 as "Kids Day"
4.3 Announce Fire and Ice Festival
5. APPROVE AGENDA—Councilmembers may add items to the agenda including items
contained in the Council Information Memorandum for discussion purposes or staff direction
only. The Council will not normally take official action on items added to the agenda.
6. CONSENT AGENDA—These items are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one
motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Councilmember or citizen
so requests, in which event the item will be removedfrom the Consent Agenda and placed
elsewhere on the agenda.
6.1 Approve proposed City Council Minutes
Items require 5 affirmative votes of the City Council for approval
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
January 19, 1999
Page 2
6.2 Approve Disbursements
6.3 Renew On -sale and Off -sale Intoxicating Liquor Licenses and Wine Licenses
6.4 Adopt Ordinance amending City Code relating to Public Safety, Prohibiting Child
Endangerment in a Motor Vehicle
6.5 Approve 1999 Dues Payment to the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
AMM)
6.6 Approve Interim Home Occupation License to allow non-resident employees for an
existing landscape business located at 1890 Troy Lane North. Karl & Joyce Pokorny.
98178)
6.7 Adopt ordinance amending the City Code to eliminate Ostriches from the Definition of
Wild Animal
6.8 Approve Payments to Human Service Agencies
6.9 Approve City Attorney Fee Increase
6.10 Interim Use Permit to allow the deposit of up to 45,000 cubic yards of fill along the
northern portion of the Dundee Nursery site located at 16800 Highway 55. Dundee
Nursery. (98187)
6.11 Conditional Use Permit to open a daycare facility in Oakwood Square located at 1400
County Road 101 North. Puddle Jumper's Child Care Center, Inc. (98196)
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
7.1 Public Improvement Hearing on Kingsview Lane Street Improvements, Niagara Lane
to Gleason Lake Drive, Project No. 9002
7.2 Approve On -Sale Intoxicating and Sunday Liquor License for Howie G's Signature
Steaks of Plymouth LLC
8. GENERAL BUSINESS
Items require 5 affirmative votes of the City Councilfor approval
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING - ,
January 19,1999 I—
Page 3
8.1 Approve Ordinance Amending the text of Chapter 21 of the Plymouth City Code, the
Plymouth Zoning Ordinance and a resolution approving summary publication of the
ordinance. The proposed amendments address both technical (typographical errors,
etc.) and substantive changes regarding Sign Definitions; Public Notification; Non-
conforming Buildings, Structures, Uses and Lots; General Building and Performance
Standards; Accessory Buildings, Structures, Uses and Equipment;
Fencing/Screening/Landscaping; Off -Street Parking and Loading; Building Relocation;
Sign Regulations; Temporary Structures; FRD District; O -R District; C-2 District and
PUD District. City of Plymouth.. (98183)
9. REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
10. ADJOURNMENT
Items require 5 affirmative votes of the City Councilfor approval