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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001 11-20 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 SESSION NOVEMBER 20, 2001. CONFERENC� ROOM B CALL TO ORDER The F3rooklyn Center Housing Commission was called to order by Chairperson Erickson at 7 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Ernie Erickson, Cornmissioners Kris Lawrence-Anderson, Lloyd Deuel, Kattileen Carmody, Michael VonDeLinde, and Mark Yelich. Also present was Community Development Specialist Tom Bublitz. Commissioner Shawn Taylor was absent and excused fram the meeting and Commissioner Dennis Snook was absent and unexcused from the meeting. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There was a motion by Commissioner Deuel and seconded by Comrnissioner Yelich to approve the agenda as submitted. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES -October l6, 2001 There was a motion by Commissioner Deuel and seconded by Commissioner VonDeLinde to approve the October 16, 2001 Housing Commission minutes as submitted. The motion passed. CH�IRPER,�ON 5 REPORT Chairperson Erickson commented on Commissioner Deuel's report on nursing homes and requested Commissioner Deuel to elaborate on his reports, Cominissioner Deuel commented that he had been asked by Mayor Kragness to attend a community meeting on senior health issues in the city of Crystal and explained that after attending the meeting his assessment was that senior health issues and housing are shaping up as a Smart Growth type issue in that there is a great deal of concern with regard to what is happening statewide concerning nursing homes. He noted Minneapolis and Hennepin County have a great number of nursing home vaca�t beds and there is a move to consolidate Minneapolis nursing homes. He noted the Minneapolis area tends to serve lower income seniors in their nursing homes. 11-20-01 -1- Commissioner Carmody inquired whether there is a shortage of assisted living facilities. Commissioner Deuel explained that assisted living facilities are strictly private facilities and there is no state oversight as there is with nursing homes. Commissioner Carmody commented that the problem she sees with seniors is that they do not want to leave their single family homes even if a facility, such as a nursing home or assisted living facility, would be more appropriate. The Commission briefly discussed the nursing home sittiation and Commissioner Deuel stated that he would keep the Commission iriformed vwith regard to this item. DISCUSSION OF RV PARKING ORDINANCES Commission members discussed the summary of ordinances from other cities submitted by staff and Commissioner Cannody stated she believed the setback provisions from the street and boulevard might be an important item to consider. Commissioner Yelich inquired as to the current regulatiotis. The Coriununity Development Specialist noted that RVs come under the same parking requirements as other vehicles including either parking them on the driveway on an improved extension of a driveway, the side yard or back yard of single family houses and they are not allowed to be parked on [he grass on the front yard or boulevard. The commission members debated the issue of why RVs are a problem and why they should be considered different from other types of vehicles. Commissioner Yelich stated that �erhaps the Commission should address the problem by the size of vehicle if that is the current problem. Commissioner Carmody questioned whether the Commission should consider limiting the size and noted that certain large vehicles do seem to be more of a problem. Commissioner Deuel expressed a concern that he believes parking of RVs can be unsightly. Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson noted that the parking restrictions from the curb, size of recreational vehicles and quantity are all issues of some importance. Chairperson Erickson noted that several of •the ordinances appear to require a 15 foot setback from the street. He inquired �vhether the Commission would want to consider adding a restriction prohibiting parking 5 feet from the side and rear praperty lines and 15 feet from the front. Commissioner Carmody stated that the 5 foot distance from the side yard may prevent people from parking t�ieir RVs along the sides of garages. 11-20-01 _2_ Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson commented that she believes the exceptions noted in the Crystal ordinance wher� special parking probler�is may be dealt with on a case by case basis, might be advisable to include in an ordinance. Corrunissioner Carmody suggested that it may be helpful to ask the City Manager whether this would be an appropriate itein to have for a variance situation. The Community Uevelopment Specialist noted he would contact the City of Crystal regarding how their special exception provisions wurk in the RV parking ordinance. Chairperson Erickson summarized the Commission's recommendations in considering an RV ordinance including, a 15 foot front yard setback from the street with 5 feet side yard and rear yard setbacks, a limit on the quantity of RVs to 2 recreational vehicles and exceptions to be handled through the use of a temporary waiver issued administratively. Additionally, he inquired whether the Commission wants to consider limiting the size of recreational vehicles. The Commission consensus was to limit recreational vehicles to no greater than 24 feet in length and no higher than 10 feet in height. There was also a Commission consensus ta use the definition in state statute as the definition for recreational vehicles. The Community Development Specialist stated that he would put together a draft ordinance for reviewing the areas indicated by the Cominission. REPORT ON CODE ENF'ORCEMENT ACTIVITIES The Commissioners reviewed the data submitted relative to code enforcement activity for 2001. The data included the action summary totals consisting of letters, citations and formal complaints issued. The 2001 data showed 975 letters were issued with regard to code enforcement violations and that 323 of the 975 required a second letter before compliance was achieved. Of the 975 initial first letters, 51 were required to go to a citation or formal cornplaint. The Commission reviewed the data a expressed a concern over the chronic abusers of the code enforcement ordinances. Commissioner Yelich indicated it is difficult to look at the data as showing a success when there continue to be chronic abusers of the system. Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson inquired whether there may be some way to limit the number of first letters a particular property could receive in a year. Chairperson Erickson responded by noting that there are due process issues that need to be required both in the ordinance enforcement and court system and that even though violators may be prosecuted for` a particular complaint, the due process starts over again each time there is a new enforcement action. Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson stated that it seems there should be something that could be done to address those people that chronically abuse the ordinance. 11-20-01 _3_ The Commission continued its discussion of code enforcement activities and emphasized the need to address the chronic abusers of the code enforcement ordmance. STAFF REPORT ON BUILDING PERMIT DATA ON SINGLE FAMILY REMODELING The Community Development Specialist briefly reviewed data showing permits issued by work type for the years 1992, 2000 and 2001. He explained the purpose of the data is to show the level of activity particularly with regard to basement remodeling and other substantial remodeling activities including additions. He noted the data is not as dramatic as he had anticipated between 1992 and 2000 and 2001 but it does appear to show more activity for 2000 and 2001 for items such as major remodeling, house additions and egress windows which would indicate there are more people remodeling their basements and using them as living space. OTHER BUSINESS The Commission picked up its discussion of senior housing and Commissioner Carmody suggested that the Commission might now address the issue of senior housing with most of the ordinance revision discussion complet�d. Chairperson Erickson stated that he feels the need to obtai�� more specific direction from the City Council on senior housing. He noted that much of what happens in the housing market is market driven and much of this is beyond the scope of governmental entities. Commissioner Yelich suggested that the Commission should take an inventory of what senior housing exists in the City already to help assess the needs for the future senior housing needs. The Commission agreed to continue discussion of senior housing at a future meeting and to address the issue with the Community Development Director when he attended a future Housing Commission meeting. ADJOURNMENT There was a inotion by Commissioner Deuel ancl seconded by Commissioner Carinody to adjourn the meeting. The inotion passed. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission adjourned at 8:35 p.m. rChairman 11-20-01 -4-