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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.03.25 CCM WORKSESSION3/25/24 -1- MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WORK SESSION MARCH 25, 2024 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in a Work Session called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Kris Lawrence-Anderson at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Pro Tem Kris Lawrence-Anderson and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, Dan Jerzak, and Teneshia Kragness. Mayor April Graves was absent and excused. Also present were City Manager Reggie Edwards, Director of Public Works Elizabeth Heyman, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Jason Hill. MISCELLANEOUS Councilmember Jerzak stated an error in the March 11, 2024, Regular Session minutes. On page four of the minutes, Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson explained how the social worker could be in place without a City contract. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson agreed with Councilmember Jerzak. Councilmember Jerzak pointed out there isn’t a set agenda, but he has a few items he would like to discuss. First, he stated he would like to prioritize and assign dates for the outstanding work session topics list. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson noted her agreement with Councilmember Jerzak. Also, some of the items are underway or being handled by Commissions. Therefore, she would like updates on those items. Councilmember Butler stated the food truck ordinance is likely coming to the Council soon , and she would also like an update from Dr. Edwards. City Manager Reggie Edwards stated staff reviews the list of pending items regularly. They add the topics to the list as needed and address the items as they are available. He asked the Council to prioritize the list and then allow staff to find dates that would work to address the list. Councilmember Butler explained that the recent Parks and Recreation Commission meeting included discussing the memorial policy. The Commission previously addressed it but has not been 3/25/24 -2- brought back to the Council. She added that trash cleanup is an important topic for her. She asked if the fence item was related to the airport. Dr. Edwards confirmed the fence item was related to the airport. Councilmember Butler stated the fence item is important to her as well. Councilmember Jerzak asked what is being carried forth from the opioid settlement. He asked for Dr. Edwards to address the settlement and provide updates on the recent expenditures. Also, he has been paying close attention to the spending and balances. Per the Charter, the Council should be receiving regular updates. Councilmember Kragness stated her priorities are the grant policy, purchasing policy, ARPA funds, and special assessment fees. She also wants to revisit the Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock- Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. The Council hasn’t thoroughly reviewed it, but they continue to make decisions related to it. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson agreed that reviewing the Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock- Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act is her priority, as is the purchasing policy. She suggested that the meeting time before the regular session be used to address their priorities. Dr. Edwards asked if there is a certain method the Council would like staff to prepare for discussion of the Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson suggested that each council member review the document and bring talking points to the discussion. Councilmember Jerzak stated he wasn’t opposed to the suggested method. He stated that the Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act calls for the alternative response team to serve city residents, but they should respond to anyone within the community. Details need to be clarified. The document needs updating, especially because two current Councilmembers weren’t on the Council at its passing, and one current Councilmember voted against the measure. Councilmember Jerzak added that the document calls for a review of Chapter 19, which needs to be considered. The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act needs to be accurate. Councilmember Butler stated she would relay information about the memorial policy to the Parks and Recreation Commission. She added the Commission requested that any Councilmember be able to nominate Commissioners and that there be an ordinance regarding litter. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson and Councilmember Jerzak agreed it would be beneficial for any Councilmember to recommend Commission appointments. There is a possibility the Charter would need to be amended to allow for the change. Councilmember Kragness pointed out Mayor Graves has solicited input from the Council for Commission appointments. 3/25/24 -3- Councilmember Butler stated the point of the suggestion by the Parks and Recreation Commissioner was for all Councilmembers to recruit folks, review applications, and bring them for a vote. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson noted it may not be appropriate to have public discussions regarding applications to avoid negative comments about residents. Councilmember Kragness explained she had applied the role, and the Mayor explained it before appointing her to the Financial Commission. The Commissioners need to have more realistic expectations of the position. Councilmember Jerzak asked the Council to consider the request regarding the therapy animals proclamation. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated she requested the item be on the first April agenda. DISCUSSION OF WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEMS AS TIME PERMITS BROOKLYN BLVD. FAILED SOD DISCUSSION Dr. Edwards introduced the item and invited Public Works Director Elizabeth Heyman to continue the Staff presentation. Ms. Heyman explained during the reconstruction of Brooklyn Boulevard; sod was installed in many locations in the corridor without an accompanying irrigation system. Unfortunately, much of the unirrigated sod, both publicly and privately owned, is dead. The Public Works Department is aware of the issue and is exploring alternative approaches to managing sod in the corridor. Specifically, staff are researching sod options that are low maintenance, salt-resistant, and can withstand extreme weather conditions. On a positive note, there is still money left in the project fund. Ms. Heyman stated the sod was installed in 2021 and 2022 with the standard maintenance period. The timing of the installation was not ideal due to the extreme weather. Additionally, the Boulevard is a heavily trafficked area. Despite being a County road, the city is responsible for the area's landscaping. There are approximately 2.1 acres of publicly owned unirrigated sod in the corridor, but approximately 6.3 acres of the unirrigated sod is privately owned and the responsibility of the abutting property owner. During the construction, a flyer was sent to each property along the corridor explaining their duties and sod care best practices. Ms. Heyman added the construction project had several special elements. However, there wasn’t a maintenance plan as it wasn’t a typical residential road reconstruction. Per city policy, the roadway strip is the property owner's responsibility. However, it would be difficult for the property owner to water and maintain the area. She suggested that the road be handled similarly to Bass Lake Road, where the city takes over the maintenance. 3/25/24 -4- Ms. Heyman noted staff considered the typical sodding method, hydroseeding, and a new sod alternative. The cost estimates are conservative and are driven by watering and contracting out the eight months of maintenance. She noted removing the topsoil would cost $200,000 no matter what. The typical warranty period is 30 days, but staff recommends extending the warranty to 60 days. Ms. Heyman stated the first option is to use standard sod for 1 acre of public land and 3 acres of private land. The installation would cost $310,000, and the maintenance would cost over $700,000. The city knows how to use this method, and the full corridor could be addressed within the year. Also, it looks good as soon as it is installed, and the community is familiar with caring for the typical sod. It is important to note this is the method that previously failed. Ms. Heyman stated the second option is hydroseeding. The installation would cost $250,000 and an overall cost of around $600,000. The County has used this option when facing issues of sod failure. There could be progress made in 2024. The public is familiar with the product as it is typical grass. If the drought continues, then this approach could fail. Ms. Heyman added the third option is a native sod. It has been used in Minneapolis, and it is similar to traditional sod, but it promotes pollinators and reduces weeds. It requires intensive watering for the first month but less watering and maintenance than the other options. The City would work with the manufacturer to develop a unique seed mix . The native sod is also more resilient and eligible for grant funding. The installation costs around $45 per square foot. The product has not been tested on a County road, so staff would recommend a pilot area to test the product. The public would be unfamiliar with the product, and it wouldn’t match existing private lawns. Ms. Heyman stated staff is suggesting a hybrid option to hydroseed behind the sidewalk and the trail to match the existing lawns and to use native sod in the Boulevard strip area. It is suggested the City adopt the strip area, and the native sod only requires mowing once per year. She showed maps of the different areas. The pilot project would also include an area of hydroseeding to test which option is best for the Boulevard strip. Ms. Heyman stated there wouldn’t be progress until 2026. They would hire someone in the spring for the hydroseeding and order unique native sod. Those things would be installed in the fall. In mid-summer of 2025, they would see the results of the pilot. If the native sod is successful, it could be fully installed in fall 2026. Ms. Heyman stated the pilot would cost $297,000 with a maintenance cost of $359,000. If the native sod were successful, it would cost $811,000 for full install and a maintenance cost of closer to $300,000. The full installation could be funded by grants sought out by staff during the pilot period. Ms. Heyman pointed out that private and public owners would share maintenance costs. Each fixing method comes in under the $450,000 left in the project fund. If the Council is interested in the native sod option, it needs to be ordered soon. 3/25/24 -5- Councilmember Jerzak asked if anyone has approached private property owners regarding the project and the cost implications. He asked if the Garden Club could do anything for the strip area, similar to the Monarch garden by the powerlines. He asked if the EDA-owned land had been offered for sale to the neighboring property to become a parking lot. Also, he asked if the resident artist had been consulted to do an art installation that required little to no maintenance. Ms. Heyman stated the City wouldn’t be handing the bill to the private property owners. After the 60-day warranty, the private property owners are responsible for maintenance. Councilmember Jerzak asked if the responsibilities had been explained to the private property owners. Also, he wouldn’t want a community member to be unsafe by crossing Brooklyn Boulevard to water the strip area. Ms. Heyman agreed that more communication needs to be done with the property owners. Staff didn’t want to communicate with property owners before discussing this with the Council. Ms. Heyman noted staff is on a quick timeline to determine how to address the sod. The art idea is another option, but it would take longer for the effect to be seen. She isn’t sure if the EDA staff has spoken with the adjacent property owners about taking over the EDA-owned lot. Councilmember Kragness stated it is an expensive lesson to learn. Staff has said it wasn’t an ideal time to install sod, and there wasn’t a maintenance plan in place. The city can only afford the first two options because the grant isn’t guaranteed. The sod was installed in 2021, and it would be unfortunate for the project to continue through 2026. Councilmember Butler agreed she doesn’t want to rely on grant funding for the project. The Boulevard is important for visitors to see the vibrancy of the City. Councilmember Kragness asked if there is an option to install an irrigation system. Ms. Heyman stated there is some irrigation, but it would be even more expensive. Additionally, the irrigation system is near other utility features, which has caused issues when utility companies access the utility lines. Staff would be hesitant to install that much irrigation, considering the access required by other entities. Ms. Heyman clarified the sod installation was done at the proper time of year, but they didn’t see standard weather patterns with the drought. Staff had the same concerns about cost. The benefit of the pilot is that there would be time to seek out a grant before moving forward with a full native sod project. Councilmember Kragness asked if people could see that the sod failed after 30 days. Ms. Heyman stated it appeared to be working well at the 30-day mark. The weather is the factor that determines the longevity of the installation, and the recent weather patterns upended the typical maintenance practices. Councilmember Kragness stated that extending the warranty period to 60 days wouldn’t impact 3/25/24 -6- them. Ms. Heyman stated that some other cities have extended the warranty to 60 days, and contractors are unlikely to take a project with a warranty longer than 60 days. The hope is that a higher level of communication will improve longevity. Councilmember Jerzak noted that seeking out grants yearly is problematic and beyond staff capacity. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson asked why native flowers aren’t being considered. For example, marigolds are inexpensive and attract pollinators. Ms. Heyman stated the installation needs to be salt-resistant. The native sod is likely to be the best option to survive the road salt. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated she is not supportive of the pilot option and that staff should consider planting native plants. Ms. Heyman stated there are strict height requirements to allow for visibility. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson pointed out that yarrow is a native plant that is short, perennial, and spreads well. Councilmember Jerzak noted his agreement with Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson. Councilmember Kragness added that the city failed on the project and that they need to make it right. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson agreed the private areas need to be fixed. She asked if the EDA-owned lot is included in the cost estimates. Ms. Heyman explained that the EDA-owned lot on the north side of the 63rd is not buildable, so it was included in the estimates. Ms. Heyman asked if the Council is asking the Public Works Department to determine other options or to fix the private areas. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated the Council agrees to repair the residential properties with the hydroseeding and that the Public Works Department should determine other options for the City-owned land. Ms. Heyman noted the current regulations put the responsibility of the strip on the homeowners. Staff are recommended to hydroseed behind the sidewalks and trails while the city takes over strip maintenance. Councilmember Kragness stated she is comfortable spending the $450,000 to fix all areas. Ms. Heyman stated she could return to the Council in a few weeks with additional information. Still, there is a strict timeline for obtaining the necessary materials during the growing period. Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated that the homeowners must do the Brooklyn Center right. Councilmember Jerzak noted his agreement with Mayor Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson. Councilmember Jerzak requested the Council review the policy so that the homeowner would not be responsible for the strip. 3/25/24 -7- ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Kragness moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to close the Work Session at 7:04 p.m. Motion passed unanimously.