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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-25-2016OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 25, 2016 The following are the minutes for the regular meeting of the City Council held at 7:00 PM on Monday January 25, 2016 in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 590 40th Avenue N.E., Columbia Heights, Minnesota 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Peterson, Councilmembers Nawrocki, Schmitt, Williams and Murzyn, Jr. Also Present: Walt Fehst; City Manager, Jim Hoeft; City Attorney, Gary Gorman; Fire Chief, Scott Nadeau; Police Chief, Katie Bruno; City Clerk /Council Secretary 3. INVOCATION Invocation provided by Rachel Schwenke, First Lutheran Church S. ADDITIONS /DELETIONS TO MEETING AGENDA (The Council, upon majority vote of its members, may make additions and deletions to the agenda. These may be items brought to the attention of the Council under the Citizen Forum or items submitted after the agenda preparation deadline.) Mayor Peterson announced item 8B will be removed from the agenda, as the item has been brought into compliance. 6. PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITION, ANNOUNCEMENTS, GUESTS Councilmember Schmitt introduced Connie Buesgens, announcing she was recently appointed to the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO.) 7. CONSENT AGENDA (These items are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted as part of the Consent Agenda by one motion. Items removed from consent agenda approval will be taken up as the next order of business.) A. Approve Minutes of the City Council MOTION: Move to approve the minutes of the City Council meeting January 11, 2015 B. Accept Board and Commission Meeting Minutes None C. Consideration of approval of attached list of rental housing applications. MOTION: Move to approve the items listed for rental housing license applications for January 25, 2016, in that they have met the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code. D. Consideration to adopt the State Records Retention Schedule * Removed for discussion E. Approve Business License Applications MOTION: Move to approve the items as listed on the business license agenda for January 25, 2016. F. Payment of Bills * Removed for discussion Councilmember Nawrocki requested items D and F be removed for discussion. Motion by Councilmember Williams, seconded by Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. to approve the Consent Agenda items A, 8, C, and E. All Ayes, Motion Carried. The following items were removed from the Consent Agenda for discussion: D. Consideration to adopt the State Records Retention Schedule City Manager Walt Fehst explained the City is looking to come into compliance with the State's recommended Records Retention Schedule. Manger Fehst suggested tabling the item and plan to discuss at a future worksession. Motion by Councilmember Williams, seconded by Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. to table the item adopting Resolution 2016 -13, adopting the General Records Retention Schedule for Minnesota Cities, and to submit notification to the Minnesota Historical Society. All Ayes, Motion Carried, Item Tabled. F. Payment of Bills Councilmember Nawrocki questioned a payment in the amount of $1,164.00 to DC Management & Environmental. It was determined this was a payment for the clean -up of hazardous material from the gun range. Motion by Councilmember Nawrocki, seconded by Councilmember Williams to move that in accordance with Minnesota Statute 412.271, subd. 8, the City Council has received the list of claims paid covering check number 159796 through 159948 in the amount of $1,081,223.50. All Ayes, Motion Carried. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Consideration of Declaration of a nuisance and abatement of violations within the City of Columbia Heights is requested regarding the property at 723 38th Avenue NE and 3924 Main Street NE for failure to meet the requirements of the Residential Maintenance Code. Fire Chief Gary Gorman reported the property at 723 38th Ave NE currently does not have an overhead garage door. Holly Reinke, the owner of the property requested an extension to allow time for her contactor to make the necessary repairs. Ms. Reinke reported she obtained a building permit in December 2014, since that time additional repairs were required on the property. City Attorney Jim Hoeft explained that permits are valid for six months, and if Ms. Reinke would obtain a new building permit; she would have six months to complete the project. Mr. Hoeft suggested the council table the item until the February 8th meeting. If a building permit is issued, there would be no need to consider the item. Councilmember Schmitt questioned if the permit would remain valid if the property is sold within the six months. Mr. Hoeft clarified that the permit would remain with the property. Motion by Councilmember Williams, seconded by Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. to table the item; declaring the property at 723 38th Ave NE a nuisance and approving the abatement of violations from the property pursuant to City Code section 8.206. All Ayes, Motion Carried, Item Tabled. Fire Chief Gary Gorman reported the property at 3924 Main St NE has a fence in disrepair. Motion by Councilmember Nawrocki, seconded by Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. to close the public hearing and to waive the reading of Resolution Number 2016 -11, there being ample copies available to the public. All Ayes, Motion Carried. Motion by Councilmember Williams, seconded by Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. to adopt Resolution Number 2016 -11, being resolution of the City Council of the City of Columbia Heights declaring the property listed a nuisance and approving the abatement of violations from the property pursuant to City Code section 8.206. All Ayes, Motion Carried. B. Consideration of Revocation of the license to operate a rental unit within the City of Columbia Heights is requested against the rental property at 4959 Sth Street NE for failure to meet the requirements of the Residential Maintenance Codes. *REMOVED FROM AGENDA, Property brought into compliance. 9. ITEMS O. ., None 10. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS Councilmember Nawrocki reported the Charter Commission met in January, and is continuing to look for language that may be out of date. The commission discussed increasing the candidate filing fees, and is considering a change from $5.00 to $15.00. Councilmember Nawrocki reported that Columbia Heights has one of the lowest filing fees in the area. City Attorney Hoeft explained the $15.00 amount was suggested as a result of an inflationary rate comparison. Councilmember Nawrocki distributed a copy of the Charter Commission "Year in Review" to the council members. Mr. Hoeft reported the commission will consider a second reading of the item at their next meeting, and then the council will consider the item. Report of the City Manager City Manager Fehst reported the North Metro Home and Garden Show will take place on Saturday, February 6th from 9:00 -3:00 at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Councilmember Nawrocki asked for an update regarding doing business with Financial One Credit Union. City Manager Fehst indicated he hasn't an update at this time. Report of the City Attorney Mr. Hoeft had nothing to report. 11. CITIZENS FORUM Connie Buesgens -1021 44th Ave NE requested the council consider adding "Vertical Farming" as a permitted use in the Zoning Code, and submitted a letter of request to the council. Ms. Buesgens suggested it would be good to have something in place, in the event there is interest expressed. City Manager Fehst stated he would look into it, noting it would likely fall under the light industrial use. City Attorney Hoeft noted that the City Code addresses various uses, and it may not always be necessary to add languages, noting staff would likely look at comparable uses. Manager Fehst stated he will have the Community Development Director look into, and decide if necessary to amend the City Code at this time. Malcom Watson -1717 491h Ave NE commented that the recent article in the local newspaper did not give an explanation or justification of the indicated 9.9% (average) increase in property taxes, other than the voter approved library levy. 12. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Peterson announced school board elections are Tuesday, January 26th, with a second election being April 5, 2016 (Primary will be February 9, 2016). Mayor Peterson announced the Sister Cities group will be hosting the 10th Annual Young Artists Showcase at Murzyn Hall on Tuesday, January 26th at 7:00 pm. The Mayor also announced an upcoming SACA fundraiser; the second annual Fire and Ice Polar Plunge will be taking place on Saturday January 30th at Silver Lake Beach. Mayor Peterson reminded us to remember our service men and women, and our police officers and fire fighters, and to keep them in our thoughts and prayers. Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m. Respectively Submitted, Katie Bruno, Council Secretary /City Clerk RESOLUTION NO 2016 -10 (Tabled) RESOLUTION NO 2016 -13 (Tabled) RESOLUTION NO 2016 -11 Resolution of the City Council for the city of Columbia Heights declaring the property a nuisance and approving abatement of ordinance violations pursuant to Chapter 8, Article II, of City Code, of the property owned by Christos Aleandrou (Hereinafter "Owner of Record "). Whereas, the owner of record is the legal owner of the real property located at 3924 Main St NE, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. And whereas, pursuant to Columbia Heights Code, Chapter 8, Article II, Section 8.206, written notice setting forth the causes and reasons for the proposed council action contained herein was sent via regular mail to the owner of record on January 8, 2016. Now, therefore, in accordance with the foregoing, and all ordinances and regulations of the city of Columbia Heights, the City Council of the city of Columbia Heights makes the following: FINDINGS OF FACT 1. That on December 4, 2015, an inspection was conducted on the property listed above. Inspectors found violations. A compliance order was sent via regular mail to the owner at the address. 2. That on January 8, 2016, inspectors re- inspected the property listed above. Inspectors noted that violations remained uncorrected. A compliance order and statement of cause was mailed via regular mail to the owner listed in the property records. 3. That based upon said records of the Fire Department, the following condition 4. That based upon said records of the Fire Department, the following conditions and violations of City Codes(s) were found to exist, to wit: A. Shall repair /replace fence along driveway. 5. That all parties, including the owner of record and any occupants or tenants, have been given the appropriate notice of this hearing according to the provisions of the City Code Section 8.206(A) and 8.206(B). 6. CONCLUSIONS OF COUNCIL 1. That the property located at 3924 Main St NE is in violation of the provisions of the Columbia Heights City Code as set forth in the Notice of Abatement. 2. That all relevant parties and parties in interest have been duly served notice of this hearing, and any other hearings relevant to the abatement of violations on the property listed above. 3. That all applicable rights and periods of appeal as relating to the owner of record, occupant, or tenant, as the case may be, have expired, or such rights have been exercised and completed. ORDER OF COUNCIL 1. The property located at 3924 Main St NE constitutes a nuisance pursuant to City Code. 2. That a copy of this order shall be served upon all relevant parties and parties in interest.