Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002 08-24 CCM Planning Session with Facilitator �S COMPANY CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP August 24, 2002 SUMMARY OF KEY OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS MADE BY THE PARTICIPANTS Submitted by Carl H. Neu, Jr. August 26, 2002 ONeu and Company and the Center for the Future of Local GovernanceTM, 2002 CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP August 24, 2002 SUMMARY OF KEY OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS MADE BY THE PARTICIPANTS Submitted by Carl H. Neu, Jr. August 26, 2002 L INTRODUCTION On August 24, 2002, the members of the Brooklyn Center City Council, the City Manager and Assistant City Manager conducted a one-day workshop focusing on a number of issues culminating in the preparation of proposed City goals for 2003. A copy of the workshop objectives and agenda is attached to this report as Appendix A. II. KEY OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS MADE BY THE PARTICIPANTS. A. Feedback from the Pre-Workshop Questionnaire. Prior to the workshop, the Mayor and Council members were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing progress made on the goals for 2002, the City Manager's priorities for 2002, and identifying proposed goals for 2003 and the "next steps" the Council should consider pursuing relative to Smart Growth issues. Four of the council members responded to this questionnaire. A summary of responses to the Pre-Workshop Questionnaire is attached to this report as Appendix B. B. Review and Assessment of Progress Made Relative to City Council Goals for 2002. 1. Goal No. 1: Promote the Inclusion of All Residents in Brooklyn Center's Community Life. 2 a. This goal is an on-going goal for the City. b. Needs that need to be addressed relative to the goal: Achieving more involvement from ethnic communities. Surveying the language capabilities of City staff members who can provide translation services as required when serving the public. 2. Goal No. 2: Support Brookdale Redevelopment. a. This is an on-going goal for the City. b. Needs: The following items still need to be addressed in pursuit of this goal: Seeking development of more retail activity around the Brookdale area. Beautifying the area with landscaping, etc. The City will need to find funding to achieve this. Mounting a campaign, in conjunction with the developer, to enhance the "Brookdale image" and to bring shoppers back to the new Brookdale. 3. Goal No. 3: Continue and Improve Code Enforcement and Compliance Activities. a. This is an on-going goal for the City. b. Needs to be addressed in pursuit of the goal include: Attempting to be more specific in communicating with specific actions and things people must do to come into compliance with codes, especially when they have received a citation for code violation. More enforcement emphasis on: rental properties 67 and Humboldt townhouse area behind Northbrook 3 4. Goal No. 4: Increase Proactively Fighting Crime. This goal was identified as a on-going goal. No specific needs were identified by the participants relative to pursuit of this goal. 5. Goal No. 5: Actively Support Northeast Corner of 69 Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard Redevelopment. a. This goal is identified as an on-going goal for the City. b. There is the potential for expanded or new development in the area as a result of progress being made on the Northeast corner of 69 Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard. 6. Goal No. 6: Complete Community Center and City Hall Retrofitting Project. a. This goal will not be carried over into 2003 since the project is essentially completed with the exception of the items noted below. b. Some finish work and rework needs to be done in the pool- women's locker room area to deal with mold problems that are occurring. The City will need to provide additional funding to address these needs to include possibly paying for the construction of masonry walls. c. There is a punch list of items that need to be worked on to achieve project completion. 7. Goal No. 7: Continue and Implement Long-Term Finaneial Planning. a. This is considered to be an on-going goal. b. The participants recommend that the goal wording be revised to read as follows: Continue and Implement Long- Term Financial Planning, within the Constraints Imposed by the State Legislature. c. The above word changes represent the fact that the State Legislature is severely hampering the City's ability to do rational long-term financial planning. 4 8. Goal No. 8: Support and Promote Major Road and Street Improvement Projects. a. This is seen as an on-going goal for the City. b. Some of the specifics identified for implementing this goal will be changed as a part of the wording for the goal in 2003. 9. Goal No. 9: Plan for Destination Parks. a. The participants recommended that this goal be deleted from the list since a plan has been developed. 10. Goal No. 10: Support and Expand Joslyn Site Development. a. This goal is identified as an on-going goal. b. The only remaining major thing to be accomplished in pursuit of this goal is the completion of Phase III construction. 11. Goal No. 11: Continue Traffic Enforcement Efforts and Expand Information Available to the Public. a. This is considered to be a on-going goal for the City. b. Traffic enforcement remains a big issue with the public. c. The City is making visible progress in this effort and has received numerous favorable comments from the public about expanded traffic enforcement efforts. 12. Goal No. 12: Utilize Recommendations Developed in the Opportunity Site Process to Create a Vision and Plan for Brooklyn Center's Central Business District. a. This is considered to be an on-going goal for the City. b. There are a number of significant long-term issues to be addressed in the pursuit of this goal. c. The City Manager will link this goal to the Smart Growth process discussed below and provide Council with a plan of action for how the City wishes to proceed to address this goal and the Smart Growth issue. 5 C. Ci Mana er s Priorities for 2003. tY g The comments of the participants included in the Pre-Workshop Survey, Appendix B to this report, pretty well suminarize the group's observations pertaining to the City Manager's priorities for 2003. D. Smart Growth "Next Steps". 1. It was agreed that the Smart Growth effort would probably have to be carried out over the next one to one and a half years for completion. 2. It is proposed that a council work session be established to address, at a minimum, the following items: Identifying a long-term comprehensive vision for what the City sees itself to be in the future. Research and explore options available to the City to achieve its vision. Establish specific directions the City wishes to pursue and identify the specific items that it wishes to accomplish as a result of these directions. Establish processes to achieve the directions the City desires to pursue. Identify specific critical land-use issues that need to be addressed. Identify amendments required in the Comprehensive Plan. Establish a process for public involvement. Define the City's priorities so that components of the Plan can be achieved in a staged manner. Identify how the City will fund its involvement in any of the activities required to achieve the long-term vision and implement an amended Comprehensive Plan. 3. Other issues to be considered in the Smart Growth effort: Affordable housing 6 Levels of disposable income needed to support retail development/activities in the City Transit issues/impacts/service requirements The City's economic base. 4. Other direction provided relative to the Smart Growth issue: a. City Manager will start the effort in October-November, 2002. b. A work session will be established for the City Council to begin addressing this issue in October. c. City Manager will draft, and submit to Council, a plan addressing how to proceed, timelines, definition of who should be involved in the effort with the Council, and how the City will communicate with the community at large about the entire Smart Growth planning process. d. The City Council will be designated as the "primary task team" addressing this issue with input to be provided by others as requested by the City Council. E. Capstone Accomplishment that the Council would like ta Complete Within One Year. This particular discussion focused on identifying a project or accomplishment that could demonstrate clearly to the community the progress that the City and City Council have made over the last several years for the benefit of Brooklyn Center and its what it plans for continuing this past momentum into the future. The participants concluded that the Capstone effort should be both a celebration and a skillfully developed marketing activity that celebrates past accomplishments and excites the community's interest and enthusiasm about the City's future. The Capstone accomplishment will be a"success report" to be released by February 2004. This "success report" wi1L• Provide a 5-year snapshot of Brooklyn Center's achievements. Identify what the City and Council is seeking to achieve over the next 5 years as future achievements for the City of Brooklyn Center. 7 Serve as a good marketing piece that will enhance citizen pride in the community and attract new citizens and businesses to Brooklyn Center in the future. The overall effort should focus on a sense of progress, achievement, and a vision for the future attainable through strong leadership momentum that this Council has created and intends to carry forward. F. Proposed City Council Goals for 2003. Goals are not in any order of priority. Goal l: Promote the Inclusion of All Residents in Brooklyn Center's Community Life By: emphasizing opportunities to include all residents in the community's activities and plans. Goa12: Support Brookdale Redevelopment By: use of tax-increment financing monitoring developer performance and project completion. Goa13: Continue and Improve Code Enforcement and Compliance Activities By: coordinated efforts of the police and commuYUty development departments increased effort and focus on high-density areas, while continuing neighborhood enforcement continuing to evaluate additional approaches to achieving improved compliance increased enforcement of noise ordinances; barking dogs and other noise generating nuisances. Goa14: Increase Fighting Crime Proactively By: continuing high visibility of police in neighborhoods and apartment complexes Neighborhood Watch Programs including public safety information in all City newsletters. Goa15: Actively Support Northeast Corner of 69 Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard Redevelopment By: completing project and monitoring developer performance. S Goa16: Continue and Implement Long-Term Financial Planning Within the Constraints Imposed by State Legislature By: continued five-year planning for utilities and capital improvements reviewing and developing contingency planning continuing to evaluate the City's financial priorities. Goa17: Support and Promote Major Road and Street Improvement Projects By: completing Brooklyn Boulevard project north of 65` advocate for Hennepin County's completion of Brooklyn Boulevard south of 65 completing Brooklyn Boulevard project with the County in the year 2002 and streetscaping in 2003 Highway 100: continuing to support and participate in the North Metro Mayor's Highway 100 Council; keeping project schedule with Mn/DOT supporting and participating in the Interstate 694 widening project, with improved sound walls, in a manner advantageous to the City of Brooklyn Center. Goa18: Support Phase III of Joslyn Site Development By: working with the developer to complete Phase III. Goal 9: Continuing Traffic Enforcement Efforts and Expand Information Available to the Public By: continuing enforcement efforts through multiple resources continuing and expanding information to the public on traffic safety and calming efforts enforcement of noise ordinances as they relate to noise originating from vehicles and vehicular use Goa110: Utilize Recommendations Developed in the Opportunity Site Process to Adopt a Vision and Plan for Brooklyn Center's Central Business District By: additional public input on directions and priorities for development and redevelopment of the Central Business District establishing specific development priorities for the next five-ten years modifying and updating the Comprehensive Plan consistent with the results of public input and planning processes. 9 G. February, 2003 Workshop. It was agreed that the workshop scheduled for February, 2003 will focus primarily on orienting members of the new City Council and focusing on the City Council team. Later in the year, in preparation for the August, 2003, Goal-Setting Workshop, a process will be established allowing a dialogue between City Council and key Department Heads around proposed goals for 2004. H. Ground Rules for 2002 City Elections. The following three items generally were established as ground rules to be followed relative to providing information to candidates for City Council in the 2002 elections: Information would be provided as requested by candidates, but Council packets would not be prepared for mayoral and council candidates before the primary election. After the primary election, mayoral and council candidates will receive a copy of the agenda for Council meetings and may request specific documents. Candidates, however, will not be provided the Council packet distributed to the Mayor and current Council members. No special requests for research from candidates will be accepted. The City Manager, however, indicated he would be happy to answer general questions candidates might have. I. Other Issues Raised by Participants. The participants raised a number of other general issues which were addressed quickly by the City Manager and attendees. One issue, however, involved boards and commissions and how the Council may wish to review how boards and commissions are utilized and supported by staff. 10 City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota City Council Workshop August 24, 2002 1. Objectives: Upon completion of this workshop, the participants will have: a. reviewed progress made and provided further direction on the City Council's Goals for 2002 and the City Manager's Priorities b. identified a"capstone accomplishxnent" the council would like to complete within one year c. defined "next steps" to be pursued by the City relative to Smart Growth d. defined proposed City Council Goals for 2003 e. affirmed the ground rules for the 2002 city council elections f. identified the themes and points of emphasis to be included in the January/February 2003 workshop including: the "new" council (post 2002 elections) the council-staff partnership in goal setting and achievement g. addressed other issues raised by the participants. 2. Agenda 8:00 a.m. Welcome and review of workshop objectives and agenda. 8:15 a.m. Feedback from the pre-workshop questionnaire. 9:00 a.m. Review, assessment of progress made, and possible course corrections to City Council Goals and City Manager Priorities for 2002. 10:00 a.m. Break 12 10:15 a.m. City Council: Capstone Accomplishment to be completed within one ear. a stellar feat or celebration Y 10:45 a.m. Smart Growth: Next steps for the City of Brooklyn Center 12:00 a.m. Lunch 1:00 p.m. Proposed City Council Goals for 2003 2:30 p.m. January-February 2003 Workshop: Orientation leadership perspectives of the "new" council team. The Council-Staff Partnership working together in goal setting and achievement. Other ideas. 3:00 p.m. Ground rules for 2002 City Elections. 3:30 p.m. Other topics. 4:00 p.m. Adjourn 13 Ci of Brookl n Center tY Y Minnesota Summary of Responses to Pre-Workshop Questionnaire 4 Respondents 1. PersonalInformation: I Personal information on respondents 2. As you move toward completion of this year, 2002, what is your assessment of progress being made on the 2002 City Council Goals (copy attached)? a. Goal No. Accomplishments Obstacles Encountered 1 Designing section of communicating website to educate getting representation different ethic groups on commission and races was proposed by city Plan for council needs manager. I think we to be implemented have done a good job of reaching out to all members to brin g everyone together as Americans Ordinance translations, etc. Have plan for council 2• Brookdale is image still needs progressing very work nicely. bring people back to Construction on shop schedule Brookdale looking good good progress 3• Taken on a much repeat offenders more a essive tone g�' 15 for the police department since new chief has taken over. This is a good thing. Good 4• Taken on a much more aggressive tone for the police department since new chief has taken over. This is a good thing. Foot patrol/bike patrol helpful different police shifts (12 hr) helpful 5• Development has now commenced Construction starting Groundbreaking of Culver's 6• Pretty much done!! Moving along well Final stages. 7• •"Area of Focus" Legislature cuts on ??difficult to plan aid Ongoing g• Looking good. Congestion during All projects on projects schedule. All projects are moving ahead 9• Need a report on this Working with district one. slows things down, Most parks etc. completed. In process of planning 16 10. This seemed to have Economy hurting stalled. Phase III work. Phase II complete 11. Taken on a much for continued effort mare aggressive tone in this area. for the police department since new chief has taken over. This is a good thing. On goal. Concentrated police detail worked on this issued many citations 12• This is where we need to focus our efforts Plan developed public meeting held to display vision b. Other observations about 2002 City Council Goals. Except for a couple of goals, we have either accomplished the goal or well on our way. Some goals are difficult to implement. 3. What "course corrections"/modifications do you propose for the remainder of 2002 relative to any of the goals? Continued effort especially in traffic calming area. 4. City Manager Priorities: At the February 14 workshop, council identified the five "highest immediate priorities", listed below, for the City Manager. What observationsicomments do you have relative to achievement/progress made on each? 17 Prioritv Achievements/Pro�ress State legislature This year went better than expected; next year will be a challenge. Need to focus on laws as they pertain to subsidized housing Tax increment financing (T.I.F.) Not as available as a tool. None Dealing with the current and next Serious concerns about next year's year's City budget. budget. Challenging due to state aid issues. Smart Growth Public meeting at which "vision" was e�ibited citizens were interested and asked pertinent questions. Need focus to be on middle to upper income bracket home owners and renters Developing information on Not aware of specific progress on education issues and their impacts this priority. on the City. None 5. What goals do you propose council consider for 2003? Some goals will be completed this year. I think we should continue effort on all of the other goals stronger emphasis on some (l, 11). Assess T.I.F. and course of action to take as it relates to legislation and reorganization. 18 Code enforcement sweep of all rental properties in city. 6. Smart Growth issues. What are the "next steps" council should consider pursuing relative to Smart Growth? Start developing our vision independent of Met Council..is Met Council's vision the same as what we want? A lot of study needs to be done on the result of the Calthorpe study. Implementation is a big question mark, as is funding sources. Narrow the focus to one or two proj ects to begin process. Council first needs to understand the BIG picture as it relates to our city's progress, i.e., traffic, retail, jobs, police, etc. 7. Other items you would like to discuss, time permitting, during the workshop. Bus hub Election positive campaign. Conference items Conflicts 8. Other observations or comments. Thank You!!! 19