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10-239Susaension 3/0312010 Couacil File # 1�-239 GreenSheet# 3100476 RESOLUTION SAfNT PAUka�111NNE50TA Presented by 2 3 4 WHEREAS, the Deputy Legislarive Hearing Officer recommends that the application (LD. #2009000461� for a Hotel/Motel license far Supreme Management LLC, doing business as Midwest Hotel, 2144 University Avenue West, be approved. 5 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Saint Pau1 hereby approves 6 this license application. 7 8 9 10 I1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Bostrom Cartef Harris Helgen Lantry Stark Thune Adopted by Council: Date Yeas I Navs I Absent Adoption Ce�rt 6y Cou �I Secretary gY� ! / /.CIA/s�l4S�0� Approved by�rlay � �ate J�j/O f/Q f � ? ,� By: (�<� Requested by Department of: By: Form Approved by City Attomey By: Form Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council By: � Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet � CQ _ Council Contact Person & Phonec Nhia Vanp 266-8566 � Must Be on Council Agenda by (Date): 03-MAR-10 Doc. Type: RESOLUTION E-Document Required: Y Document Contact: �ean Birkholz ConWctPhone: 266-8673 Date Initiated: 10-239 26FE62010 Green Sheet NO: 310Q476 � � 0 S Assign Z Number 3 For RouGng 4 Ordec 5 ToWI # of Signature Pages _{Clip All locations for Signature) Action Requested: Approving the license application, per the Deputy Legis]arive Hearing Officer, for a Hotel/Motel license for Supreme Management LLC, doing business as Midwest Hotel, 2144 Universiry Avenue West. Recommendations: Approve (A) or Reject (R): Planning Commission CIB Committee Civil Service Commission Personal Service Contracts Must Answer the Following Questions: t Has this persoNfirm ever worked under a contract for this department? Yes No 2. Has this personJfirm ever been a city employee� Yes No 3. Does this person/firm possess a skiA not norznally possessed by any current city employee? Yes No Explain all yes answers on separate sheet and attach to green sheet. Initiating Problem, lssues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Wfiy): Advantages lf Approved: Disadvantages If Approved: Disadvantages If Not Approved: Total Amount of Trensaction: Funding Source: Financial Information: (Explain) CosURevenue Budgeted: Activity Number. March 3. 2010 9:48 AM p � E[��c39 LICENSE HEARING MIN U"I'ES Midwest Hotel at 2144 LJniversity Avenue West Thursday, January 14, 2010, 10:00 a.m. 330 City Hall, 15 Kellogg Boulevard West l�Thia Vang, Deputy, Legislative Hearing Officer The hearing was called to order at 10:05 a.m. Staff Present: Jeff Fischbach, Depariment of Safety and Inspections (DSI); and Jean Birkholz, Council Research Others Present: Asit and Terlike Waghani, owners; Amy Sparks, Executive Director, St. Anthony Park Community Council Midwest Hotel: HotellMotel— up to 50 rooms and Food Vending Machine licenses (change in ownership of an existing hotel) Ms. Vang stated that this is an informal legislative hearing for a license application. This particular license requires a Class N notification which means that the neighborhood is notified and people have a chance to voice their concerns. If anyone has a concern, it automatically triggers a legislative hearing. Other Class N Licenses include: tattoo parlors, entertainment, liquor sales, auto repair, etc.—things that have an immediate impact on the neighborhood. The City received one (1) letter of objection regarding the issuance of this license. Ultimately, there are three (3) possible outcomes from this hearing: 1) Ms. Vang may recommend to the City Council that they issue this license without any condirions; 2) she may recommend to the City Council that they issue this license with agreed upon conditions; or 3) she may recommend to the City Council that they not issue this license but refer it to an administrative law judge for a further hearing and findings. The hearing will begin with a report from the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI). Staff will be asked to explain their review of the application and will also explain their recommendation. Next, Ms. Vang will ask the applicant to talk about the business plan. Then, she wiil hear from people who are here in support of the issuance of the license and those with concerns about the issuance of the license. At the end of the hearing, she will make a recommendation for the Ciry Council to consider. Her recommendation will be on the consent agenda. The City Council is the final authority on whether the license is approved or denied. Mr. Jeff Fischbach, Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI), reported that District 12 St. Anthony Park Community Council submitted an objecflon to this license after they received a complaint of some unspecified illegal activities occurring on the premises. 10-239 He added that a Building review is not applicable; Environmental Health is under review; Licensing has approved; and Zoning has approved. DSI is recommending approval with no conditions once the Environmental Health inspection has been approved. (Mr. Waghani stated that the health inspector has been at the hotel.) Mr. Waghani explained that this hotel is located in a very busy area of Saint Paul. They rent oat rooms on a daily and weekly basis. The hotel has been in operation for a long time; the previous owner operated it for over 22 years. Mr. Waghani has owned it for the past three (3} months. Ms. Vang asked whether Mr. Waghani / his wife have had any experience rurniing this type of business. Mr. Waghani replied that he and his wife have worked in the hotel business for about six (6) months. They also have tcvo (2) other staff inembers. Their hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. seven (� days a week. Daily customers fill out a card with their name and driver's ficense number; weekly customers need to sign a contract that contains their informa�ion, duration of sYay and the xental conditions. Ms. Vang asked if the hotel has security. Mr. Waghani responded that they don't have security but they do have eleven (ll) or twelve (12J suroeillance cameras with two (2) mounted outside and the rest mounted inside the hotel. Tapes are kept for seven (� days. Ms. Vang asked about 4he problems of wates leakage and carpet smell during the previous owner's tenure. Mr. Waghani replied that after they purchased the hotel, they realized that the carpets needed attention, so they have purchased new carpeting far the entire business. So faz, about ten (10) rooms have had the carpet repIaced. Ms. Vang asked how many rooms were there are on each floor. Mr. Waghani responded that the hotel has a total of 35 rooms with fourteen {i4) xooms on the third floor, thirteen (13) rooms on the second floor and eight (8) rooms on the first floor. Ms. Vang asked if the floors were separated by smokers/non-smokers. Ms. Waghani answered that the whole building is non-smoking. Ms. Amy Sparks, Executive Director, St. Anthony Park Community Council, addressed the hearing. She noted that the districYs concem is about the 43 police calls received within the past year which seems like a Iot. She would Iike to see this hotei be a safer place far clients and the neighborhood than it was during the previous owner s tenure. Ms. Vang asked Mr. Fischbach how DSI handles po&ce calls. Mr. Fischbach responded that they did contact an officer with the police department to see if they had any opinion on this matter. The officer has not gotten back to DSI on this license application. 2 10-239 Ms. Vang encouraged the appficants to establish a relationship with their district council. Mr. Waghani stated that many of the police calls listed came from the hotel guests themselves. When the managers find out about disturbances that the guests are responsible for, fihey take action immediately. First, they are usually given a warning; a second incident results in immediate eviction. The employees are cautioned to scrutinize potential guests; if things don't seem right, they will not be allowed to register. If there are problems, they are encouraged to call the police. Ms. Vang asked what percentage of the hotel's customers is weekly; what percentage is daily. Mr. Waghani responded that about &0 percent are long term. The remaining are over-night guests. The long-term guests pay a refundable damage deposit of one (1) week's rent. Daily rates are $40. Long-term rates are determined by how long they stay, i.e. $175 per week -$140-$160 per week if they stay for four (4) weeks. The type of room also plays into the pricing. Ms. Vang asked Mr. Fischbach to explain the City's policy on hotei/motel record- keeping. Mr. Fischbach explained that the City requires them to recard: 1} the name of each person who stays overnight; 2) the time that the room was rented out to them; 3} the room #; and 4) the number of people residing in the room. The records are to be retained for at least one (1) year. A room is not to be rented out mare than once within a given 8-hour period. Mr. Waghani said that it would be helpful to have a list and photo of people who are wanted for criminal activity or who are known to be troublemakers so that they can keep them from renting and also to alert the police. Mr. Fischbach replied that to his knowledge, there is no such list. Ms. Vang suggested that Ms. Sparks and the applicants have a conversation about crime prevention. Mr. Fischbach will email police contact information. Ms. Vang will recommend approval pending the environmental health inspector's final review. The hearing was adjourned at 10:32 a.m. Jjab Environmental health inspector review was finafized on 02/2bj2010.