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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 04-13 HCMCall to Order Roll Call Approval of Minutes 2 -10 -76 Town Meeting '76 Park and Recreation Policy Plan MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairman Howard at 7:30 p.m. Chairman Howard, Commissioners Hastings, Ward, Magnuson, Haroldson, Beikler and Plummer. Also present were Councilman Bill Fignar, Director of Planning and Inspection Blair Tremere, and Administrative Assistant Ron Warren. Motion by Cmmissioner Hastings and seconded by Commissioner Haroldson to approve the minutes of the February 10, 1976 meeting as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. Chairman Howard recognized Mrs. Mary Ellen Vetter, a member of the Brooklyn Center School District Community Education Advisory Council. Mrs. Vetter announced that her organization was sponsoring the Town Meeting '76 program to beheld May 8, 1976 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, at the Brooklyn Center High School, She explained that over 5,000 communities throughout the country will be conducting town meetings as bicentennial events. She stated that Town Meeting '76 in Brooklyn Center will afford citizens the opportunity to review "where the City has been, where they would like it to go, and how they can get there." She further stated that the program will involve a morning session intended to identify local problems and possible olutions, and an afternoon session in the form of three separate workshops to develop a history of Brooklyn Center, a symbol representing the community, and a song created for the City. REGULAR SESSION APRIL 13, 1976 CITY HALL Commissioner Weitzel arrived at 7:35 p. m. Mrs. Vetter concluded her remarks by expressing her appreciation for the opportunity to address the Commission and urged the membership to participate in Town Meeting '76. Chairman Howard reported that Chairman Robert Zerban of the Park and Recreation Commission has forwarded copies of a draft park and recreation policy plan to Commission members for their review and input. He stated that the Park and Recreation Commission has been reviewing park systems for some time and is now seeking input and feedback from individuals or civic groups. He explained that the Park i d Recreation Commission will be accepting su ch comments at its April 20, 1976 meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Chairman Howard urged the Commissioners to review the plan and to direct any comments they might have to Chairman Zerban or his Commission. The Secretary stated that there is probably nothing in the park and recreation policy plan that directly relates to the Housing Commission's scope of activities. He urged the Commissioners to review the plan in terms of its effects on them as individual citizens and to direct any comments they may have in this regard to the Park and Recreation Commission. A brief discussion ensued relative to park policy statement #6, on page 3, regarding the possible danger of using utility easements, where power transmission lines exist, for a trail system. The Secretary next reported on the current ntatus of rental dwelling licensing in the City. He reviewed a map showing the location of the licensed rental dwellings and tha date on which these license applications were approved by the Council. He stated that all apartments in the City have been licensed and that the second phase of rental dwelling licensing, involving duplexes and rental single family homes, will begin shortly. A brief discussion ensued relative to rental dwelling licenses with the Secretary responding to Commissioners' questions. Chairman Howard recognized the Director of Planning and Inspection, Blair Tremere, who briefly reported on the present City Council and Planning Commission review of setback standards. He stated that this review of standards is the result of a number of requests for various setback variances and the Council's policy of only permitting variances that specifically meet the standards set forth for a variance. He explained that due to the number of requests the Council felt the requirements should be reviewed. He briefly reviewed the requests in question which include modifications to side yard setbacks, rear yard setbacks, and the setback require- ments for garages on small corner lots. He explained that except for possible modifications to side yard setbacks, which have community -wide significance, proposals will be forthcoming from the Planning Commission to be discussed at the April 19, 1976 City Council meeting. The Director of Planning and Inspection stated that the of modifying side yard setbacks will be part of a community -wide attitude survey conducted by the Brooklyn Center Jaycees to measure the community's preference for changing, or not changing, the present requirements. He briefly reviewed the process to be utilized in the community attitude survey. 4 -13 -76 -2- Rental Dwelling Licensing Report Setback Standards Report Recess The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission recessed at 8:35 p.m. and resumed at 9:00 p.m. Land Use Inventory Data Chairman Howard inquired if there has been consideration given to the concept of no setback requirements, to allow the combining of small lots to permit larger concentrations of housing in small areas. The Director of Planning and Inspection responded that this concept has been considered, but generally in the context of an entire block of vacant Ion where townhouse and/or row houses could be developed. He pointed out that the major problem with a development of this nature is the possibility of over taxing in-place utilities, such as sewer and water, which could not handle the increased use that the development would require. He stated that utilities, in most cases, were put in to handle single family homes on specific size lots and that the increase in the number of dwellings in the same area could very well make the utility systems inadequate. Following further discussion relative to setback standards and alternative housing methods, Chairman Howard thanked the Director Planning and Inspection on behalf of the Commission for his report. The Director of Planning and Inspection reported that a land use inventory has recently been completed. He stated that the entire City had been physically canvassed and that each type of residential dwelling unit counted. He briefly reviewed the results of the inventory and reported that there are, in the City of Brooklyn Center: 7,228 single family dwellings; 251 single family attached townhouses; 2,794 multi-family units (fourplexes and above); 43 struc- tures built as duplexes; and 17 other structures that are not classified within the above mentioned classifications, such as parsonages, rectories and model homes. He next reviewed the breakdown of these dwelling units by neighborhoods, noting that the southeast neighborhood has the highest concentration of single family dwellings, 1,877 or 27% of all single family dwellings, and that the north- east neighborhood has the highest concentration of multi-family dwelling units, 1,190 units or approximately 40% of all multi-family dwelling units in the City. NSP Housing Chairman Howard reported that NSP is presently sponsoring, Workshop in conjunction with the Minneapolis Housing and Redevelop- ment Authority, a home renovation workshop at its downtown office. He explained that the workshop is intended to be a means of showing homeowners how to renovate and make minor repairs to their home and includes sessions devoted to the structural aspects of the home, electrical and plumbing problems, roofing, interior decorating, heating and cooling, -3- 4-13-76 fire safety and other related items. He stated that the program's emphasis is to get local businessmen and citizens involved, and that, if the Commission is inter- ested, it may be possible to jointly sponsor such a housing workshop in Brooklyn Center. He further stated that ,the program might be well received by the Brooklyn Center Community Education Advisory Council. A brief disc scion ensued relative to becoming involved in an NSP Housing Workshop. Following the discussion it was the consensus of the Commission that the Housing Commission attempt to solicit the cooperation of the Community Education Advisory Council and to pursue the possibility of conducting a housing workshop in Brooklyn Center with a representative of NSP. Chairman Howard requested that Commissioner Hastings contact Mr. Jim Norwick of the Community Education Council regarding this matter, and stated that he would contact Ms. Judy Labon of NSP regarding the possibility of having such a workshop. He recommended that the Housing Commission's June meeting be held on Tuesday, June 1, 1976, instead of June 8, 1 976 and that Mr. Norwick and Ms. Labon be invited to discuss the specifics of such a program. Chairman Howard recognized Commissioner Hastings who Mobile Home reported that she and Commissioner Haroldson had attended Seminar a mobile home seminar in January. She stated that they had obtained a numerous amount of literature concerning the different types of mobile homes. She further stated that many mobile home builders express the opinion that they can provide homes that meet setback standards and codes on undersized lots for less cost than conventional homes. Commissioner Haroldson stated that completely furnished homes can be sold for approximately $29,000 $30,000 plus the cost of a lot. He further stated that these homes can be put on foundations and do not look like what is normally considered a mobile home. A brief discussion ensued relative to mobile homes and their use as an alternative to the high cost of conventional housing. Following the discussion, it was the consensus of the Commission to give this subject further consideration at a forthcoming meeting. A brief discussion ensued relative to a meeting schedule for the upcoming summer months. It was the consensus of the Commission that the May meeting be cancelled, that the Commission meet June 1, 1976 to discuss the proposed NSP housing workshop, and not meet again until the regularly scheduled meeting in September. Summer Meeting Schedule Adjournment Motion by Commissioner Haroldson and seconded by Commissioner Ward to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission adjourned at 9;40 p.m. Chairman -5- 4-13-76