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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 04-08 CCM Study SessionMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION APRIL 8, 2019 CITY HALL — COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Study Session called to order by Mayor Mike Elliott at 6:15 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Mike Elliott and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, April Graves, and Dan Ryan. Councilmember Kris Lawrence -Anderson was absent and excused. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards, Community Development Director Meg Beekman City Attorney Troy Gilchrist, and Mary Mullen, TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS AND QUESTIONS Councilmember Ryan requested the following correction to the March 25, 2019 Study Session minutes: -Page 2, 1St paragraph, 2nd sentence, replace "rehousing" with "housing" MISCELLANEOUS Vacant Storefront Space Councilmember Butler reviewed an initiative sponsored by the Minneapolis Downtown Council to make vacant retail space in Gaviidae Common available for use by small businesses and vendors on a temporary basis. She added this might be something the City of Brooklyn Center could consider for vacant storefront space. Mr. Boganey agreed to have City Staff look into this and bring recommendations back to the City Council. Opportunity Site Design Workshop Councilmember Butler expressed her disappointment regarding the recent Opportunity Site design workshop, organized by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Alatus, LLC. She added there was a good turn -out, but it was not representative of Brooklyn Center's diverse population. She noted it might be good to consider holding the workshops at a location other than the Brookdale Library where residents would feel more comfortable. She requested that efforts be made to increase the amount of diversity at these events. 04/08/19 -1- Mr. Boganey stated City Staff agrees that the diversity of participants was not what they wanted to see either. He added strategies are being discussed for an overall engagement strategy to encourage more diverse participation at the remaining two workshops, including providing incentives. He noted LISC facilitates the workshops and works with City Staff on engagement which includes plans for listening sessions to be held at other locations, to be hosted by CAPI community engagement. Mr. Boganey stated the four workshops are part of a broader engagement process, and City Staff has expectations that other parts of this process will be effective. He added, however, City Staff will work with LISC to ensure that there is an assertive outreach to expand participation levels at the remaining two workshops. Councilmember Ryan stated it was his understanding that LISC was engaged by Alatus to facilitate the design workshops, and he agreed he would have liked to see the community better represented. He added the use of a community engagement process is a new approach to an emerging redevelopment project, one that he has not seen used before. He noted there are a number of factors that would affect participation, including work schedules and other commitments. He expressed the importance of continuing to use all available avenues to approach and engage Brooklyn Center's diverse communities. He commended City Staff for doing a great job handling a new and difficult process. Councilmember Butler stated she respects Councilmember Ryan's opinion and understands that this is a new process, and City Staff does a great job. She added the City is paying for this process. She noted Brooklyn Center is a majority minority City, and 90% of the workshop attendees were not minority. She expressed the importance of doing a better job of engaging the whole community, especially since the City is paying for community engagement support. Mayor Elliott echoed Councilmember Butler's remarks. He added, considering the population of Brooklyn Center, the engagement process so far has been an utter failure. He added the workshop sessions are progressive and build on each other, and it is necessary to have representation that is reflective of the community. He noted this is an important development opportunity for the City which will be there for many years, and it is imperative to do a better job of community engagement. Mayor Elliott stated he participated in community meetings regarding the development before he was on the City Council, and that made an impression on him as a citizen. He added he felt that the community engagement process was one aspect of the development proposal that the City Council supported. He noted he feels very strongly that the involvement of the community is not "nice to have"; it is a "must have". Mayor Elliott stated he comes from a youth engagement and organizing background in Brooklyn Center, and he knows firsthand that it is possible to engage the full breadth of the community, reaching lots of people from many diverse backgrounds. He added this is a very exciting 04/08/19 -2- process, and everyone should be involved. He requested that the City Council receive feedback on the process itself from participants, to ensure that the development is something unique that reflects the entire community. He noted that information about the community engagement process needs to reach everyone in Brooklyn Center. Mr. Boganey stated City Staff hears and agrees with the concerns of the City Council. He added every effort will be made to increase community awareness and engagement. Councilmember Ryan stated this is the first part of the process, and he believes there will be more diverse participation as it continues. He added that the first 32 acres of the development site can hold a broad range of possibilities, but that property is not large enough to encompass everything that was discussed at the workshop. He noted the key will be to have the highest -use, best -value development, planned with appropriate finances, that serves the interests of all residents of Brooklyn Center. Mr. Boganey stated City Staff will work to broaden participation at the two remaining workshops. He added the workshop might not be a format that works for some residents, and other outreach efforts will be considered and implemented to ensure maximum participation. He thanked the City Council for acknowledging that elected officials play an important role. He asked that the City Council continue to encourage participation and involvement, as individuals that have deep connections in the community. Board of Appeal and Equalization Councilmember Ryan stated the City Council's April 15, 2019 meeting will include a Board of Appeal and Equalization. He added he is currently the only City Councilmember who has had related training, and he hopes another member or members can get the training as well. He noted it will be helpful to have more than one Councilmember who knows the process. Councilmember Butler asked when certification training sessions will be held. Mr. Boganey stated training dates have not been set, but he agreed to provide that information to the City Council when it is available. Mr. Boganey stated Kris Lawrence -Anderson is unable to attend tonight's meeting. Economic Development Authority (E -DA) and City Owned Properties Mr. Boganey stated City Councilmembers received a copy of Economic Development Authority (EDA) and City owned properties, as requested by Mayor Elliott. Conference Attendance Mayor Elliott stated he is interested in attending the Annual African American Mayors Conference in Houston, Texas. He added they have offered to waive the $600 registration fee. He noted this would be his third trip and would therefore require City Council approval. He requested feedback from the City Council and noted that he is fine either way. 04/08/19 -3- Councilmember Graves stated the City Council is allocated two travel allowances during their four-year term. Mayor Elliott requested clarification regarding this allocation. Mr. Boganey stated, as part of the budget process, City Councilmembers are allowed out-of-state travel once in the current calendar year or twice during their term. He added the Mayor is allowed out-of-state travel once per calendar year during his or her term. He noted travel can be approved by majority vote of the City Council. Councilmember Graves requested clarification regarding the travel budget. Mr. Boganey stated the current balance in the City Council travel budget is $2,620. Councilmember Graves stated she is hoping to attend the Young Elected Officials conference in Miami in July 2019. Councilmember Ryan stated he would like to attend the League of Minnesota Cities conference in Duluth in June 2019. Councilmember Ryan stated he would feel more comfortable making a decision on Mayor Elliott's request if all five Councilmembers were present. He added, however, it is not absolutely necessary. Mr. Boganey stated Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson is registered for the League of Minnesota Cities conference in Duluth. Mayor Elliott stated he would like to ensure that there is funding in the budget for the other Councilmembers to attend conferences and agreed to pass on the conference in Texas. ADJOURN STUDY SESSION TO INFORMAL OPEN FORUM WITH CITY COUNCIL Mayor Elliot adjourned the Study Session to Informal Open Forum with the City Council at 6:45 p.m. RECONVENE STUDY SESSION The City Council reconvened the Study Session at 6:46 p.m. PARKING CITATION STUDY Community Development Director Meg Beekman reviewed a citation study conducted by the Police Department in August and September 2018. She added 28 overnights occurred during this time frame, and a second Community Service Officer was scheduled for 15 of those nights. 04/08/19 -4- She noted the purpose of the study was to create a baseline of the actual number of violations and to identify hot spots, to determine whether the current complaint -based overnight parking restrictions policy is effective. Ms. Beekman stated there were 513 citations during the 28 -day period of the citation study, with an average of 34 citations per night when averaged equally. She added hot spots have been identified around multi -family apartment complexes, including Gateway Commons, Unity Place, Victoria Townhomes, and Brookdale Towers. She noted primary roadways run through most of these complexes, and other apartment complexes do not appear to be hot spots. Ms. Beekman stated there is currently no requirement for provision of off-street parking, and City Code does not define what constitutes as an "approved hard surface" for parking. She added these sections should be amended so they are clearer. Councilmember Butler stated she spoke with a resident at a neighborhood meeting at Twin Lake Beach Park last year, who commented that he could never fmd parking on his street. She added there are areas in the City where there is no street parking at all. She asked whether those areas were also included in the study. She noted parking restrictions were set in the 1970s and neighborhoods have changed since then. Councilmember Butler stated she can understand why neighborhoods with single family homes would not want overnight parking. She added she is concerned about the lack of apartment complex parking, particularly Victoria Townhomes, where each unit is allowed 1 parking stall. Councilmember Ryan agreed with Councilmember Butler that overnight parking would not be welcome in single-family residential neighborhoods, and many residents have expressed that sentiment. He added streets in these neighborhoods are narrower, so on -street parking has an impact on two-way traffic. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Ryan moved and Councilmember Butler seconded to close the Study Session at 7:00 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. 04/08/19 -5- STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Study Session of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on April 8, 2019. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its April 22, 2019, Regular Session. Barbara Suciu, City Clerk 04/08/19 -6- Ci;M:ikke WEIliott.,ayor