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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001 01-16 HCM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SES5ION JANUARY 16, 2001 CONFERENCE ROOM B CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission was called to order by Chairperson Erickson at 7 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Ernie Erickson, Commissioners Martin Frawley, Dennis Snook, Lloyd Deuel, Michael VonDeLinde, Mark Yelich and Elizabeth Davis. Also present were Council Liaison Ed Nelson, Planning and Zoning Specialist Ron Warren and Community Development Specialist Tom Bublitz. Commissioners Kathleen Carmody and Shawn Taylor were absent and excused from the meeting. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There was a motion by Commissioner Deuel and seconded by Commissioner Yelich to approve the agenda as submitted. The motion passed. APPBOVAL OF MINUTES DECEMBER 19, 2000 There was a motion by Commissioner Deuel and seconded by Commissioner Yelich to approve the December 19, 2000 Housing Commission minutes as submitted. The motion passed. CHAIRPERSONS REPORT Chairperson Erickson noted he had received confirmation of his reappointment to the Commission for a three year term along with Commissioners Kathleen Carmody and Martin i, Frawley who were also reappointed for three year terms. ANNUAL ELECTION OF CHAIRPERON AND APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR Chairperson Erickson turned the meeting over to Vice Chairperson Lloyd Deuel to conduct the annual election of Chair of the Commission pursuant to Council Resolution 98-13. Commissioner Deuel entertained nominations for Chair of the Housing Commission. Conunissioner Yelich nominated Chairperson Ernie Erickson for Chair of the Commission in 2001. Vice Chairperson Deuel asked for any other nominations from the floor, hearing none, he 01-16-01 -1- entertained a unanimous ballot for Chairperson Ernie Erickson to serve as Chair of the Housing Conunission for 2001. Upon a vote being taken, the Housing approved a»na ballot to re- elect Chairperson Ernie Erickson as Chair of the Housing Commission for 2001. Chairperson Erickson stated he appreciated the opportunity to serve another year as Chair of the Housing Commission and noted that next year he thought the Commission should consider another Chair. Chairperson Erickson proceeded to appoint Lloyd Deuel as Vice Chair noting that tradition has been that the most senior member is generally appointed as the Vice Chair. Commissioner Deuel accepted the position of Vice Chair and also suggested that the Commission might want to look at someone else for serving as Vice Chair next year. i l Commissioner Snook arrived at 7:10 p.m. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF CITY ORDINANCES The Community Development Specialist briefly reviewed a table he had prepazed for the Commission which contained a count of unimproved driveways taken in the various street improvement projects conducted in the City between 1995 and 2000. He noted that the Engineering staff makes a total count of homes in the various project areas and the number of unimproved driveways in each project area at the beginning of the street improvement project contract. From 1995 through the year 2000, a total of 1,891 homes were included in project areas and the total count of unimproved driveways in those project areas totaled 37 or 2% of the total homes. He then briefly reviewed the 1991 pavement survey which showed a total of 258 ununproved driveways for residential properties in the City in 1991. Commission Yelich inquired if there was any support at the staff or Council level regarding the S proposed ordinance language requiring paved driveways and first discussed in 1991. Ron Warren, the City's Planning and Zoning Specialist explained that the 1991 report and draft ordinance stems from a 1988 discussion where nuisance parking situations were discussed by the City Council. He explained slides of unimproved driveways and counts of unimproved driveways were taken in 1991 and compiled in the survey which the Housing Commission reviewed. He pointed out that at the time the Council's main concem was with the area from the street to the front of the house and that a main concern at the time was how the property was maintained. Mr. Warren pointed out that in addition to focusing on parking in the front yard areas, the concerns originating in 1988 focused on parking of large commercial vehicles and most of the discussion centered on parking of these types of vehicles. At the tune the Council's concern did not focus on recreational vehicles even though some were as large as the commercial vehicles being discussed, but RVs were considered more of a residential accessory and commercial vehicles were considered to be part of a business activity. Continuing his review of the 1991 discussion, Mr. Warren pointed out that City ordinance does not require garages in residential areas and only requires that two off-street spaces for parking be provided. Also as part of the 1991 discussion, the City discussed how to define a driveway and it was essentially defined as the width of the garage, if any, on the site. He explained many front yard areas were being 01-16-01 -2- expanded for parking without concern for appearance and that this prompted the Council's concern and discussion with regard to paving requirements or restrictions. He explained the Council never took formal action on the proposed ordinance language drafted in 1991 and that the issue has not been raised again until the Housing Commission's current discussion. Commissioner Snook called the Commissioner's attention to the City of Blaine's ordinance which requires paved driveways and pointed out that the City of Blaine's ordinance is worded very specifically and may be one that the City of Brooklyn Center should look at. The Community Development Specialist pointed out that the specificity in the City of Blaine's ordinance may require that a permit be pulled for a driveway. Commission members entered into a discussion regarding the permitting process in general and costs and fees associated with this process. Chairperson Erickson pointed out that building permit fees are technically designed to cover the cost of the inspection for the work being done but that in many cities, Inspection Departments and building permit fees are sources of revenue for other expenditures in cities. Commissioner Yelich stated that he believes Brooklyn Center should meet the standard of surrounding cities with regard to paving of driveways and noted that the issue of an excessive number of cars being parked all over parts of residential properties could be addressed by requiring parking on paved surfaces. Commission members briefly discussed the issue of sand washing into storm sewers from unimproved parking areas. The Planning and Zoning Specialist commented that increasing the unpervious area by paving would contribute to the rate of total run off from residential lots. He explained he had discussed this issue with the Ciry Engineer who indicated that, from an engineering standpoint, it would not be advisable to encourage needless paving of areas especially since the majoriry of soils in Brooklyn Center provide excellent drainage. Further, he noted the City Engineer has indicated it would be advisable to have a limit on the total paved surfaces on a residential lot and that the current 50 rule is a limit on paving, noting that paving has its positive and negative sides. The Planning and Zoning Specialist explained that, currently people can park vehicles in their back yards but inoperable collector vehicles must be screened from view. He noted people may elect to pave their entire back yard to enable tliem to park vehicles if parking is restricted on hard surface only. He suggested that the Housing Commission should consider all the implications if paving is used to limit the number of vehicles and that perhaps it would be more advisable to come up with a reasonable limit on the total number of vehicles on a residential lot. He added that currently residents do not need paved driveways but the present rule of thumb is that if driveways are to be paved the driveway is to be the same width as that of the garage if there is a garage on he lot. He added that extensions of driveways must be improved with either asphalt, concrete or gravel. Commissioner Deuel commented that car parking is often a temporary situation depending on the family size and age of family members. He commented that one option might be to require residents to install a decent driveway with a time limit established to install the driveway. 01-16-01 -3- i I Commissioner Snook inquired whether the Commission should recommend the level of specific ordinance language such as that which is in the Blaine ordinance. The Planning and Zoning Specialist discussed the 1991 proposed ordinance language and stated he believes the ordinance amendments should address parking in visible front yard areas and should allow people to park boats, accessory vehicles etc. in rear or side yards. Chairperson Erickson next addressed the issue of revising the language with regazd to fencing requirements. He noted that one of the areas the Commission wanted to address is to require approved fencing materials to be used as fencing rather than items not intended for fences. He also refened to Blaine's ordinance as a possible modeL The Planning and Zoning Specialist noted he had reviewed the language in the Blaine ordinance and that it is similar to some of the language in the City's ordinance. He added that he believes the City could use Blaine's ordinance and incorporate some items from it into our ordinance. He noted that as ordinances become more complex in their language more staff time is required to enforce them and ultimately the possibiliry of requiring a permit must be addressed. Chairperson Erickson next addressed the issue of yard cover as it relates to the Commission's review of City ordinances. The Planning and Zoning Specialist commented that these types of ordinances are tough to write and tough to enforce and the current code specifies that yard cover or lawns are considered a public nuisance if they are over 8 inches long. He also pointed out that he believes many homes in the City have been improved, with regard to their lawns, as a result of the street unprovement projects. Chairperson Erickson, in review of the Commission's discussion this evening, inquired whether the Commission would like to go forward with recommending that driveways be paved. Commissioner Davis stated that she was hesitant to mandate the paving of driveways and is concerned that affordability may be an issue with homeowners who have not yet paved their driveways. Commissioner Frawley noted that it appears the numbers of unimproved driveways aze relatively low, that aesthetically paved driveways would be a great improvement, but indicated that requiring paving of driveways may be a problem for some homeowners. Commissioner Deuel stated that he believes requiring paved driveways is in the same category as code enforcement requiring certain home repairs required under the maintenance code. Chairperson Erickson noted the lateness of the hour and inquired whether the Commission would like to continue the discussion at the next meeting. Commissioner Yelich stated that he would like to have some type of draft ordinance to review. 01-16-01 -4- The Community Development Specialist inquired whether the Commission wants to look at specific language or to make recommendations with regard to general areas of revision to the code. Cha' erson I up Erickson stated that he does not believe subrmtting a specific draft ordinance is advisable at this point and that the recommendation should be kept more general. There was a general consensus of the Commission to continue the discussion at the February meeting. OTHER BUSINESS Chairperson Erickson reminded Commission members of the Commission recognition function which is to be held Monday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in Constitution Hall. Council Liaison Nelson noted that the Center City Redevelopment Study is just getting underway and also noted that an Affordable Housing Study had been completed by the Metropolitan Council. The Community Development Specialist noted that he would bring a copy of the Affordable Housing Study to the next meeting. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Deuel and seconded by Commissioner Snook to adjo e The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission a urn :45 `�iainnan 01-16-01 -5-