Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-28-2021 Council Minutes MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,202i 6:00 o'clock p.m. ROLL CALL The Orono City Council met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Mayor Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Matt Johnson,Aaron Printup,and Victoria Seals. Council Member Richard Crosby, III was absent. Representing Staff were City Attorney Soren Mattick, Community Development Director Jeremy Barnhart,Public Works Director/City Administrator Adam Edwards,and Finance Director Ron Olson. Mayor Walsh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.,followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA Printup proposed adding item number 13 to the Consent Agenda. 1.MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 14,2021 2. COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES OF JUNE 14,2021 3. CLAIMSBILLS 4.LURTON PARK TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS 5. BIG ISLAND PARK ADA TRAIL PROJECT(19-033)—INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE& STATE GRANT AGREEMENT 6.LA21-000035—DARRIN ROSHA OB/O ORONO STATION WEST,LLC,2160 WAYZATA BLVD WEST, SIGN VARIANCES—RESOLUTION NO.7196 7.LA21-000030—TOM BERGSTROM, 1509 LONG LAKE BOULEVARD,VARIANCES —RESOLUTION NO.7197 8. LA21-000032—AL AZAD, 165 BEDERWOOD DRIVE,VARIANCES—RESOLUTION NO.7198 13. PROVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SPRING PARK BY THE CITY OF ORONO Mayor Walsh noted they will also add item 10b)Presentation from the Westonka Historical Society. Printup moved,Johnson seconded,to approve the Consent Agenda as amended.VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. PUBLIC COMMENTS Richie Anderson,3205 Crystal Bay Road,is here as a Lake Minnetonka Conservation District(LMCD) representative. He gave a presentation and said for 2022 the Aquatic Invasive Species(AIS)levy is zero across the board for all cities.The reason for this is because they have a lot of money in the AIS reserve fund and it did not make sense to charge the cities this year;the City of Orono will save$11,400 dollars. Page 1 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,202( 6:00 o'clock p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS—Continued Right now in the reserve funds they have$156,978 and at the end of fiscal year 2020 they have$554,000 which includes the General Fund,the AIS Fund, and an Equipment Replacement Fund which are now combined. He spoke about the Save the Lake Fund which are donations that come in for safety,buoys, and education and he would like to focus more on safety.Mr.Anderson said in 2021 they have two dedicated deputies and they worked to raise$84,000;Hennepin County puts in water patrol but those patrols can be pulled off the water for a riot in Minneapolis or other emergencies.Now they have two dedicated officers who will keep the lake safe. They have started a fundraising campaign for the 2022 budget. He read a letter they wrote to Sherriff Hutchinson which said:At no time in the lake's history has pressure on lake safety been driven more by demand and diversity of lake use. This unprecedented demand has placed pressure on every aspect of Lake Minnetonka and commands that we elevate safety to our highest priority. It is to this end that we have assembled an alliance of stakeholders to unite financially to help meet the financial need to support the presence of additional dedicated deputies for Lake Minnetonka. It is with great concern for the safety of the lake that we present the enclosed copies of donations made to empower the Save the Lake Fund to continue contracting with you to provide two additional deputies dedicated to Lake Minnetonka patrol. In addition to which,you will find the names of business owners and companies represented that without hesitation or reservation provided these donations.It is important to note that all those who contributed highly regard your office and the vital role you hold in keeping the lake safe and enjoyable. Mr.Anderson noted they asked for donations of $2,500 and some even stepped up with$5,000. He stated the checks keep coming in and noted that roughly half of those have come from Orono donations.He walked the Council through the funding, goals, and fundraising for 2022. Gabriel Jabbour,985 Tonkawa Road,noted they have 14 cities on the lake and whatever happens on the lake affects Orono profoundly.He spoke about a time in the 1990's when they broke up a party on Big Island and Fletcher's had to close at 9:00 and they experienced a six-figure loss in revenue in one night. When people think what happens on the lake is the responsibility of the County-that is State statute-but he asked at what level of service is the County obligated to provide?With the Orono Police Department having Mound, Spring Park,and Minnetonka Beach,they do get a disproportionate amount of impact. Mr.Jabbour stated they have a selfish reason to keep things under control because they will pay for it one way or another.He stated right now the focus is on Minneapolis unrest;they can be the rich people complaining about noise on Lake Minnetonka but these two auxiliary officers will add more patrol after 1:00 as it is not that easy to get the County to do it. PRESENTATIONS 9. GILLESPIE CENTER ANNUAL REPORT Susan Navratil,President of the Gillespie Center,gave a presentation.The Gillespie Center and Senior Community Services(SCS)have been partners since the 1970's and twenty years ago,the Westonka Senior Citizens became The Gillespie Center. Senior Community Services provides a Home Program, minor repair services,outdoor chores,and housekeeping. They are Medicare Partners,supporting healthy lives by lifting the burden of copays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses so receiving healthcare is more accessible for Medicare beneficiaries. Sarah Roberts,their on-site social worker meets with caregivers and seniors that need services and helps them work through the process. CareNextion.org, Page 2 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,2021 6:00 o'clock p.m. PRESENTATIONS—Continued Ms. Vandam also noted the history of the Indian Mounds which is what Mound was named after; she stated they highlight all of the cities. PUBLIC HEARING 11.LA21-000026—JALIN DESIGN LLC O/B/O TIM HOLLAND, 1395 ORONO LANE, VARIANCES—RESOLUTION NO.7199 Mayor Walsh noted they voted at the last meeting to bypass the Planning Commission to come directly back to the City Council without having to go through the entire process again. Staff provided a summary packet of information. Barnhart stated the Applicant is proposing to rebuild a boathouse and a carriage house;the Council had some concerns with relocating the boathouse.The Applicant is now proposing to keep the boathouse in the same location but to meet the flood plain requirements by raising it. The raising of the boathouse requires a variance as they are required to have a 15 foot bench on the outside of the building as a place of refuge so one can be rescued from their property in the case of a flood. That 15 feet is not able to be provided due to the proximity of the structure to the property line and the lake. He noted they are looking for feedback and public comment on that variance. Mayor Walsh opened the public hearing at 6:55 p.m. A group of neighbors are present tonight and trying to get more information as to what is being approved. Mayor Walsh noted the Applicant can keep the boathouse in the same location but because it is a flood plain,they must raise it up a couple feet which requires a variance.He noted they will most likely tear down the building,raise the floor two feet, and rebuild. The Applicant clarified it is three inches. Mayor Walsh closed the public hearing at 6:57 Motion by Printup,seconded by Seals,to approve LA21-000026, 1395 Orono Lane,Variances as presented.Vote: Ayes: 4,Nays 0. 12.ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING FOR MS4 STORM WATER PERMIT City Administrator Edwards stated the City is required to talk about the permit on an annual basis.The goals are to educate interested residents and to receive comments from the public.The storm water permit is part of a multi-layer governmental requirement with many agencies/organizations and many requirements within the City.Ultimately the MS4 permit is a way for the City to protect their waters from construction materials,animals waste,fertilizers,trash,etcetera.The basic requirements of the permit are to have a storm water pollution prevention program,best management practices,and report to the State on an annual basis.It also includes that the ordinance have storm water protection provisions.He noted they have 6 minimum control measures and in 2020 they completed the East Long Lake Trail requirement and parts of that project contributed to improving the storm water protection,as well as putting in a rain garden. Edwards noted they completed erosion control and infrastructure inspection and 113 inspections Page 4 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,202) 6:00 o'clock p.m. PRESENTATIONS—Continued developed by Senior Community Services is a free online care team tool that helps caregivers coordinate care of a loved one by assigning and organizing tasks, locating local resources,and journaling visits, updates and progress.During Covid-19 they introduced Virtual Programs including virtual tours of museums,games,pu771es,crafts,and more. The Gillespie Center is run by volunteers and they contract for some of their services through Senior Community Services.Ms.Navratil spoke about the COVID Shutdown Plan,and how they kept staff and community members safe during the pandemic. She noted they had one case of COVID-19 in December 2020,they closed down for two weeks,did a deep clean, and were able to reopen again. She shared their financial picture at the end of 2020 and noted it was pretty dire as there were no fundraisers for a year;member dues and support from the cities go into their Investment Fund so day-to-day operations were close to not having money. Thankfully, 10 years previous a Reserve Fund was started and they were able to tap into that fund which is how they are currently operating. In May,fundraisers began again,and activities continue to return, including the Coffeehouse, Card Groups, Square Dancing,Ukulele Group,Cribbage,Quilters,Movies,Defensive Driving,and Wednesday Lunches. She noted the SCS program served 39 Orono residents, and the Center has 31 registered members from Orono.They are celebrating 20 years in July and are planning an anniversary celebration on October 15,2021. Mayor Walsh thinks they do a great job and will put it on their calendars in October to come and celebrate. 10a.TOUR DE TONKA—TIM LITFIN Tim Litfin gave a presentation on the upcoming Tour de Tonka on Saturday,August 7,2021. He noted many major sponsors making the event happen;registration started well and many of those are brand-new to the event.He showed some historical numbers and said they have had riders from 43 states throughout the years.The bikers travel through many cities including Orono and they are looking forward to the Tour. He noted people can ride or volunteer for the event at www.tourdetonka.org. 10b.WESTONKA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Liz Vandam,5816 Grand View Blvd,Mound,represents the Westonka Historical society,stating they preserve and share the history of local areas. During the shutdown,they started phase 2 of their inventory and are supported through a Legacy Grant which enabled them to add 2 more rooms to the history museum which is filled with more exhibits.Families and children are welcome to come to the history center in Mound,and they have a quarterly newsletter where they highlight one of the five cities they represent; she brought some past newsletters for the Council to view.Ms. Vandam stated during COVID- 19,6 of the 9 historical societies that preserve Lake Minnetonka history gathered together and received a grant and they are looking to form some kind of alliance and perhaps even consolidation to align their strengths and resources rather than working side-by-side. They are always looking for volunteers, working on fundraisers,and will start on a"Pastport"project,and are inviting everyone to celebrate July as Lake Minnetonka History Month. Mayor Walsh thinks it is very interesting to go and take a tour to see the build-up of Mound,what it used to look like,the history of Tonka Toys. Page 3 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,2021 6:00 o'clock p.m. 12.ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING FOR MS4 STORM WATER PERMIT—Continued were completed with 9 major repairs and other minor repairs.They also ran the grass and leaf program, website,and street sweeping(a primary best practice)and they calculate they were able to remove 23 pounds of phosphorus and 47 cubic yards of debris.Regarding the MS4 permit,they are at the end of the renewal process and as of May 6, Orono completed part 2 of that application.Key changes in the permit are increased requirements for volume control on any project that impacts more than an acre,performance based responses to TMDL's(total maximum daily loads),and the City must track chloride,phosphorous, and other things that are sent into the storm system. Edwards stated they must send reports on what they are doing to improve those situations every year and must also look at snow and ice operation, particularly in the use of and storage of salts. Mayor Walsh opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. Mayor Walsh closed the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT Barnhart reported on the Comprehensive Plan amendment that the City Council initiated. The public hearings are scheduled for the Planning Commission later this month and the direction from the Council was to create two new land-use categories so there was not a gap or breakdown in densities. Currently they have a Medium Density Residential which is 3-10 units/acre, an Urban Medium High Density which is 10-20 units/acre,and an Urban High Density which is 20-25 units/acre. He clarified if a project came in at 18 units/acre,they would drop the guided density all the way down to 10 and that would impact the land-use categories.Barnhart is proposing to create a new land-use category Urban Medium High with a range of 15-20 units/acre.He said Eagle Ridge(the project at 2060 Wayzata Boulevard)will be re-guided to Urban Medium High. Barnhart is also proposing to rename the Urban Low Density(3-8 units/acre), which is the City's current lowest density that has access to sanitary sewer,to Urban Estate Density Residential.He noted they would not be changing the density but just the name. The Urban Medium Density Residential is currently 3-10 units/acre and he proposes it to be 3-8 units/acre which would have no impact to density calculations.Perhaps the biggest change is the area currently classified as Urban Medium High mixed-use density would be changed to Urban Medium with a range of 8-15 units/acre;he noted it does not really impact density calculations but gives that stepped density.Barnhart noted they will start to see public comment on that and he does not anticipate a lot of concern or issues.The initial public hearing is scheduled for the July Planning Commission meeting. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT None FINANCE REPORT Finance Director Olson reported they are working on the budget and they have about 10 applications for the Accountant position. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT Attorney Mattick has no updates.He noted there have been a number of lawsuits filed and is curious if the Council would like to go into closed session regarding those. Page 5 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,June 28,2021 6:00 o'clock p.m. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT—Continued Johnson asked to receive an update before the July 12,2021 Council meeting. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORTS Seals noted they had the opening of Pfeffer Meats. She noted her husband was called to a fire while they were at the meat market and she was left without a ride so the police brought her home; she said the ride- along was great. Seals said the police department has a hard gig,they are good men and women,and the perception is that they are pulling people over left and right and that is not true. She noted they tried and tried but the citizens were too law-abiding to pull over. Printup had nothing to report. Johnson reported that he went with Richie Anderson to the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD)budget meeting the previous Thursday.It has been a slow-moving ship and Mr.Anderson is making tremendous progress there. He noted it was just the two of them and the representative from Tonka Bay-he stated now someone is paying attention so taxpayer dollars are going to a public good and there is benefit to it and they will have$11,000 more in the budget thanks to Mr.Anderson. The big thing is the water patrol with the officers that the donations came in for.Now,regardless of issues of civil unrest or other Sherriff related activities,they will stay on patrol.He noted it used to be an all-call and Lake Minnetonka would be unprotected,but this puts some resources on the lake. Mayor Walsh asked the community to support neighborhood businesses,as well as the new meat store. ADJOURNMENT Printup moved, Seals seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 7:15 p.m.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. ATTEST: id7,frret_ ' Ir ONI Anna Carlson,City Clerk Dennis Walsh,Mayor Page 6 of 6