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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.01.08 CCM STUDY SESSION01/08/24 -1- DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION JANUARY 8, 2024 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Study Session called to order by Mayor April Graves at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor April Graves and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, Kris Lawrence-Anderson, Dan Jerzak, and Teneshia Kragness. Also present were City Manager Reggie Edwards, Zoning Administrator Ginny McIntosh, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Jason Hill. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS AND QUESTIONS Councilmember Kragness requested the following amendment to the December 11, 2023 Regular Session minutes: - Page 10, under Item 10A, 3rd paragraph, replace “Councilmember Kragness stated the City Charter was adopted before the City had a grant policy” should read “Councilmember Kragness stated the grant policy was adopted before there was a request to change the City Charter.” MISCELLANEOUS Mayor Graves stated, at a recent retreat, that the City Council discussed ways to improve how the City Council functions, communicates, behaves, and legislates. She added the City Council expressed a desire to have a more intentional space to improve discussions with each other as well as City Staff and the community. She noted the City Council decided to set aside 1 hour for a Work Session to be held before the Regular Session meetings. Mayor Graves stated these Work Sessions will be open to the public but will not be televised. She added the Open Forum portion of the Regular Session will occur after the meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. She noted this format will have a 3-month trial period to determine whether it is beneficial to the City Council to have more robust discussions before the Regular Session. The City Council agreed. City Manager Reggie Edwards asked whether the City Council envisions that the Work Session 01/08/24 -2- DRAFT will take the place of the EDA Work Session which occurs at the end of the Regular Session meeting. Mayor Graves stated the City Council Work Session should not take the place of the EDA Work Session. Dr. Edwards stated City Staff will prepare a Work Session agenda in preparation for the City Council’s next meeting. He asked that the City Council consider a process for generating Work Session discussion topics and ideas to provide to City Staff to prepare for the Work Sessions. Mayor Graves encouraged the City Council to review the list of Work Session items and identify their top 4 or 5 items for discussion. City Attorney Jason Hill stated a resolution can be prepared for the City Council’s next meeting that specifies the 3-month trial period for the new Work Session format with formal adoption at a later date. Mayor Graves agreed. Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu stated, that for purposes of clarification, changes to the agenda would occur during the Regular Meeting under Agenda and Consent Agenda. DISCUSSION OF WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEMS AS TIME PERMITS CONCEPT REVIEW AND DISCUSSION ON PROPOSED REUSE OF 5501 XERXES AVENUE NORTH (FORMER BIG O TIRES) Dr. Edwards introduced the item and invited Zoning Administrator Ginny McIntosh to present the report. Ms. McIntosh reviewed the process for the proposed reuse of property located at 5501 Xerxes Avenue. The State of Minnesota has proposed a vehicle inspection station on the site, which is a new use that is not listed in the City’s Use tables. The City Council is required to determine whether the use is substantially similar to an existing use in the use table. City staff and the City Attorney have agreed that the closest use is “automobile and truck repair and service station”. Ms. McIntosh reviewed staff considerations with regard to this proposed use: potential storage; overall intensity of use; and overall condition of the property. Policy considerations include site layout, traffic flow, and architecture, as well as whether the development proposal is in keeping with the City’s 2040 future land use plan and long-range vision for the area. Councilmember Kragness stated she appreciates the staff comment section in the staff report. Councilmember Jerzak stated he appreciates the detailed report, and he thinks that the proposed facility, run by the State of Minnesota, would be a good use of this property, and would be better than a vacant building. 01/08/24 -3- DRAFT Mayor Graves agreed, adding the proposed use could be a benefit to attract other businesses and be a benefit to the local economy. Bruce Carlson, Launch Properties, stated he is a project coordinator hired by the property owner to coordinate the project. He added this is a good solution for this property. ADJOURN STUDY SESSION TO INFORMAL OPEN FORUM WITH CITY COUNCIL Mayor Graves adjourned the Study Session at 6:38 p.m.