Minutes 4-23-2008
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE
SAINT PAUL CITY COUNCIL
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 3:30 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 3RD FLOOR
City Hall and Court House
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
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The meeting was called to order by Council President Lantry at 3:30 p.m.
Present – 6 – Bostrom, Carter, Harris, Helgen, Lantry, Stark
Absent – 1 – Thune (arrived after Consent Agenda)
CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1 - 21)
Councilmember Carter removed Item 5 for separate consideration.
Councilmember Carter moved the Consent Agenda as amended.
Adopted as amended Yeas – 6 Nays – 0 (Thune not present)
COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS
1. Claims of Blake Bane, Michael F. Bernis, Lisa L. Law, Jane Moeckel, and Kristin A.
Werner.
Referred to Risk Management
2. Summons and Complaint in the matter of MidCountry Bank vs. the City of Saint Paul, et
al. (Re: 654 Armstrong Avenue)
Referred to the City Attorney’s Office
3. Letter from the Department of Public Works/Technical Services announcing a public
hearing before the City Council on May 7, 2008 to consider the petition of Brian
Launderville to vacate part of an alley in the block bounded by Churchill and Greve
Streets and Orchard Avenue in order to privatize a portion of the alley upon which two
owners own property on both sides of said alley.
April 23, 2008 City Council Summary Minutes Page 2
4. Letters from the Department of Safety and Inspections declaring 390 Arlington Avenue
East, 903 Burr Street, and 88 Magnolia Avenue as nuisance properties. (For notification
purposes only; public hearings will be scheduled at a later date if necessary.)
FOR ACTION
6. Approval of minutes of February 20 and 27 and March 5, 2008.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
7. Resolution – 08-421 – Requesting the Department of Planning and Economic
Development and the Planning Commission to review the Grand Avenue Special Sign
District Plan amendments and submit a recommendation to the City Council within six
months.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
8. Resolution – 08-422 – Authorizing the Police Department to enter into an agreement with
Camp Ripley for use of the United States Army’s advanced facility at Camp Ripley, Fort
Ripley, Minnesota from May 18 through May 23, 2008 for the 2008-1 Saint Paul Police
Academy Class training.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
9. Resolution – 08-423 – Amending the Bruce Vento Regional Trail Master Plan into the
regional park system and concurring with Parks Commission Resolution 06-07 to adjust
the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary boundary to include additional properties to allow for
construction of an interpretive center, entrance area, and space for parking, and approving
a grant submittal to the Metropolitan Council Land Acquisition Opportunity Fund for
purchase of said property.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
10. Resolution – 08-424 – Approving the donation of tile and flooring materials, valued at
$15,000, from the Home Depot for completion of the Grand Lobby entrance at the Jimmy
Lee Recreation Center and Great River West Water Park facility.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
11. Resolution – 08-425 – Authorizing and directing the proper City officials to execute a
ten-year lease agreement with Landlord for the Building for relocation of the Department
of Safety and Inspections to 375 Jackson Street commencing on September 15, 2008.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
12. Resolution – 08-426 – Approving adverse action against the Taxicab (Provisional) license
application submitted by Mia Monique Isaac for the City of Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
April 23, 2008 City Council Summary Minutes Page 3
13. Resolution – 08-427 –Approving adverse action against the Taxicab (Provisional) license
application submitted by Joseph T. Bloom for the City of Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
14. Resolution – 08-428 – Approving adverse action against the Taxicab (Provisional) license
application submitted by Alexander D. Brown for the City of Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
15. Resolution – 08-429 – Memorializing City Council action taken March 19, 2008 granting
the appeal of the University of St. Thomas to a condition imposed by the Planning
Commission that required adding decorative elements to the openings (on the east and
south side) of the new campus parking ramp, to be located at the southwest corner of
Grand and Cretin Avenues, in order to minimize the impact of light and noise on nearby
properties. [File No. 08-031289]
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
16. Resolution – 08-430 – Memorializing City Council action taken April 2, 2008 denying
the appeal and granting an extension to April 4, 2008 to vacate the property at 955 Jenks
Avenue, per the recommendation of the Legislative Hearing Officer.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
17. Resolution – 08-431 – Memorializing City Council action taken April 2, 2008 denying
the appeal for a Vehicle Abatement Order at 701 Montana Avenue East, per the
recommendation of the Legislative Hearing Officer.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
18. Resolution – 08-432 – Amending C.F. 08-305 by deleting the assessment for garbage
hauling services from January 1-15, 2008 for property at 445 Arlington Avenue East.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
19. Resolution – 08-433 – Amending C.F. 08-243 by deleting the assessment for property
cleanups from December 12-29, 2007 for property at 1692 Thomas Avenue.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
20. Preliminary Order – 08-434 – In the matter of acquiring property rights needed for right-
of-way purposes for the public purpose of realigning the intersection of Rose Avenue and
Clarence Avenue, and setting date of public hearing for May 21, 2008. [File No. AE2008-
5]
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
April 23, 2008 City Council Summary Minutes Page 4
21. Resolution Approving Assessment – 08-435 – In the matter of the assessment of
benefits, cost, and expenses for summary abatements (graffiti removal) on private
properties from February 26 to March 24, 2008 [J0804P]; summary abatements for the
excessive consumption of inspection services for property code violations from
September to December 2007 [J0708E]; summary abatements (property clean-up) on
private properties from March 4-28, 2008 [J0806A]; weekly garbage hauling services
from March 12-31, 2008 [J0806G], and setting date of public hearing for June 4, 2008.
Adopted Yeas – 6 Nays – 0
FOR DISCUSSION
5. Executive Order:
E-64 Recognizing the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s tragic death and the
passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
Councilmember Carter stated that he wanted to acknowledge that the City was taking
action to recognize the passing of Dr. Martin Luther’s King.
Adopted Yeas – 7 Nays - 0
22. Resolution – 08-389 – Adjusting the rates of pay for various aquatics titles in the
AFSCME Technical Salary Schedule, Bargaining Unit 02. (Laid over from April 16)
Councilmember Bostrom moved approval.
Adopted Yeas – 7 Nays – 0
23. Resolution – 08-436 – Recognizing May 3, 2008 as Comcast Cares Day in the City of St.
Paul and saluting the efforts of the Comcast employees, their families and community
volunteers who make a difference in our local community.
Cathy Donnelly Cohen, Government Affairs Person at Comcast, appeared.
Council President Lantry read the resolution and Ms. Cohen addressed the Council saying
that a lot of the projects have to do with landscaping. One example is they are going to
regrade a steep hill that the kids are getting hurt on at Roosevelt Elementary School.
There is a lot of buckthorn removal, landscaping and a lot of painting. They are doing 31
locations, with 11 in Saint Paul.
Councilmember Bostrom moved approval.
Adopted Yeas - 7 Nays - 0
April 23, 2008 City Council Summary Minutes Page 5
ORDINANCES
NOTE: AN ORDINANCE IS A CITY LAW ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. IT IS READ AT FOUR
SEPARATE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND BECOMES EFFECTIVE AFTER PASSAGE BY THE
COUNCIL AND 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE SAINT PAUL LEGAL LEDGER.
PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ORDINANCES ARE HELD AT THE THIRD READING.
24. Final Adoption – 08-340 – An ordinance establishing zoning overlay requirements for the
Central Corridor area to implement the Central Corridor Development Strategy which
was adopted by the City Council as a chapter of the Comprehensive Plan in October
2007. (Substitute introduced April 16)
Councilmember Stark moved approval.
Adopted Yeas – 7 Nays – 0
25. First Reading – 08-437 – An ordinance amending Chapter 33 of the Saint Paul
Legislative Code to create a process for vacant building total remodel and increasing
vacant building fees.
Laid over to May 7 for second reading
26. First Reading – 08-438 – An ordinance amending Chapter 43 of the Saint Paul
Legislative Code to set the vacant building registration fee to $500.00 per year.
Laid over to May 7 for second reading
Suspension Item:
Councilmember Helgen moved suspension of the rules to introduce the following resolution:
Yeas – 7 Nays – 0
Resolution – 08-439 – Authorizing the Director of Parks and Recreation to enter into
agreements with Rebuilding Together for Wilder Recreation Center and Bruce Vento
Nature Sanctuary.
Councilmember Helgen moved approval.
Adopted Yeas – 7 Nays – 0
April 23, 2008 City Council Summary Minutes Page 6
Councilmember Harris moved to adjourn the meeting. Yeas – 7 Nays – 0
ADJOURNED AT 3:42 P.M.
ATTEST:
_______________________ ____________________________
Mary Erickson Kathy Lantry, Council President
Assistant Council Secretary
Submitted by: ___June 25, 2008____________
Racquel Naylor Minutes approved by Council