Approved Minutes 3-17-1999 SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE SAINT PAUL CITY COUNCIL
Wednesday, March 17, 1999 - 3:30 - 5:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 3RD FLOOR
City Hall and Court House
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
The meeting was called to order at 3:25 p.m. by Council President Bostrom.
Present- 5 - Bostrom, Coleman, Harris, Lantry, Reiter
Absent - 2 - Benanav, Blakey(Excused)
CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1 -23)
Councilmember Harris moved approval of the consent agenda Yeas - 5 Yeas- 0
FOR ACTION
1. Claims of Floyd Johnson, Larry Lanier, Murrin Law Firm (for Debra Sutton), Saleem Salim
and Bernice Woulfe.
Referred to Employee/Risk Management Office
2. Letter from the Office of the City Attorney announcing a public hearing before the City
Council on March 24, 1999, concerning adverse action against licenses held by Eighth
Financial dba Lincoln Pawn and Jewelry, 1675 White Bear Avenue. (Uncontested)
3. Letter from the Real Estate Division announcing a public hearing before the City Council on
April 14, 1999, to consider the vacation of part of Hoyt Avenue lying westerly of Arkwright
Avenue and easterly of the Minnesota State Bike Trail. (File No. 20-1998)
4. Letter from the Real Estate Division announcing a public hearing before the City Council on
April 14, 1999, to consider the vacation of part of Western Avenue lying northerly of vacated
Palace Street and releasing utility easements therein. (File No. 24-1997)
5. Letter from the Citizen Service Office/Property Code Enforcement declaring 503 Belvidere
Street East as nuisance property. (For notification purposes only; public hearing will be
scheduled at a later date if necessary.)
6. Letter from the Department of Planning and Economic Development announcing a public
hearing before the City Council on March 24, 1999, to consider the application by Zigmunt
Kanstul to rezone property from R-4 to RT-1 to allow for subdivision of property at 976
Hazelwood Street.
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 2
7. Letter from the Department of Planning and Economic Development announcing a public
hearing before the City Council on March 24, 1999, to consider the application of the Church
of St. Thomas the Apostle for a Combined Preliminary and Final Plat Review to allow the
existing residential property to be subdivided into separate lots.
8. Administrative Orders:
D001655 Authorizing payment, not to exceed $7,000.00, for the Holiday Inn East to
provide services and expenses to the Saint Paul Police Department for the
Honored Volunteer Banquet on April 17, 1999.
D001656 Authorizing payment, not to exceed $8,000.00, for the Landmark Center and
vendors to provide services to the Division of Parks and Recreation for the
Honored Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on April 27, 1999.
D001657 Amending the 1998 budget in the Department of Libraries to appropriately
reflect General Fund expenditures for 1998.
D001658 Amending the 1998 budget in the Department of Libraries, to appropriately
reflect Interlibrary Loan Fund expenditures for 1998.
D001659 Amending the 1999 Special Fund Budget in the Office of License, Inspections
and Environmental Protection to receive application support by Information
Services for the ECLIPS system.
Noted as on file in the City Clerk's Office
9. Resolution - 99-241 - Approving the appointment of Daniel Scott, by Mayor Coleman, to the
Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Commission.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
10. Resolution - 99-242 - Authorizing the proper City officials to apply for the Outdoor Recreation
Grant Program funding from the State Department of Natural Resources for the Battle Creek
Recreation Center Site Development Project.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
11. Resolution - 99-243 - Authorizing the proper City officials to apply for the Outdoor Recreation
Grant Program funding from the State Department of Natural Resources for the Rice and
Arlington Dome Lighting and Field Renovation Project.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
12. Resolution - 99-244 - Acknowledging the gift of artwork entitled "Remembrance" from an
anonymous donor to the City of Saint Paul for public viewing in the Office of the Mayor.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
13. Resolution - 99-245 - Rescinding Council File 96-74 and acknowledging the receipt of loaned
artwork from an anonymous donor to the City of Saint Paul for public viewing in the Office of
the Mayor.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 3
14. Resolution - 99-246 - Refunding advance payment for a sanitary sewer in the amount of
$1,683.00 to Joseph and Laura Benysek.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
15. Resolution - 99-247 - Amending the 1999 Spending and Financing Plan - Special Fund 320 in
the Office of License, Inspection, and Environmental Protection for the addition of one new
inspection position and one new plan examiner position.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
16. Resolution - 99-248 - Authorizing the purchase and payment to Ashland, Inc. in the sum of
$15,000.00 for property located at 1083 Prosperity Avenue as part of the Phalen Wetlands
Project and realignment of Prosperity Avenue.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
17. Resolution - 99-249 - Accepting new plat for the redevelopment of the Phalen Shopping Center
site.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
18. Resolution - 99-250 - Agreeing to defend, indemnify and hold Daytons Energy Park harmless
from any and all damages it may be required to pay as a result of suits, claims, actions or
judgments arising out of the use of the 1930 Energy Park Drive parking lot as a parking site
for the Saint Paul Saints home games and approved events during the 1999 season.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
19. Resolution - 99-251 - Approving organizations to the 1999 10% Club List of Eligible
Recipients.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
20. Resolution - 99-252 - Disbursing proceeds from charitable gambling to eligible community
based non-profit organizations by the Youth Programs Fund Advisory Board.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays -0
21. Resolution - 99-253 - Authorizing the Saint Paul Police Department to transfer ownership of a
police K-9 to a K-9 handler.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
22. Resolution - 99-254 - Supporting the funding request of the Minnesota Labor Interpretive
Center as an important future part of the overall economic development, tourism, and
educational efforts for a healthy City and encouraging the Minnesota Legislature to appropriate
their request for funding.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 4
23. Resolution - 99-255 - Approving the issuance of a bingo hall license to 5005 Properties, Inc.,
dba Hillcrest Bingo, 1610 White Bear Avenue, in accordance with the opinion of the
Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Adopted Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
FOR DISCUSSION
24. Resolution - 99-201 - Directing the Police Department and City Attorney to explore the
feasibility and advisability of filing suit against gun manufacturers and report their
recommendation to the City Council on March 24, 1999. (Substitute introduced and laid over
from March 3)
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over to April 14.
Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
25. Resolution - 99-256 - Requesting that the Office of the City Attorney (CAO) prepare a Request
for Proposal (RFP) that would seek proposals from private law firms to commence suit against
gun manufacturers and dealers and after the proposals have been evaluated, the report and
recommendations of the CAO shall be submitted to the Mayor and Council, if possible no later
than June 1, 1999.
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over to April 14.
Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
26. Report from Gerry Strathman, Council Research Director, on the cost for lobbying assistance
on State Legislation prohibiting municipalities from adopting amortization ordinances of any
kind. (Requested by the Council on March 10).
Gerry Strathman reported he has had some informal conversations with professional lobbyists
who have provided him with information. The bill at issue is currently in the Rules
Committee of the Senate. Mr. Strathman said he also talked to Ann Higgins, Minnesota
League of Cities, who indicated they are not expecting to be successful in preventing passage
of this bill. There is a possibility that it will not make it out of committee and will be defeated
on the floor. The further the bill gets in the legislative process, the more expensive lobbyists
are because there are more elected representatives to be dealt with. Mr. Strathman said there
are two things the Council should know: 1) it may be too late for the City to weigh in on this
with a lobbying effort, 2) if it is not too late, it was speculated to Mr. Strathman that a
lobbyist will take this on for $15,000. The actual cost will depend on where the bill is in the
process. Because the bill is so far advanced, it has powerful support and interest groups
behind it. One of the lobbyists Mr. Strathman talked to said he would be unavailable because
his firm is representing one of the powerful groups supporting this bill. Mr. Strathman was
unsure if a lobbyist could be found at this point.
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 5
Councilmember Coleman questioned whether $15,000 is cost effective at this point and
requested Mr. Strathman coordinate with the League of Cities. Coleman stated he would be
available to talk to people in the Senate.
Mr. Strathman stated he will volunteer the assistance of City Councilmembers in their lobbyist
efforts.
ORDINANCES
Councilmember Coleman moved to lay over Items 27 through 33 for three weeks.
27. Second Reading - 99-227 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 33 to
remain consistent with the 1997 Uniform Building Code.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
28. Second Reading - 99-228 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 34 to
accurately reflect certain structural requirements.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
29. Second Reading - 99-229 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 200;
including animal facilities to act as deputy license vendors for dog licensing in response to a
proposed change in the title of Chapter 347.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
30. Second Reading - 99-230 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 347
by adding "Animal Facility" to the chapter title.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
31 Second Reading - 99-231 - An ordinance amending Sections 376.16 and 376.17 of the Saint
Paul Legislative Code; establishing taxicab driver training as a prerequisite for licensure.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
32 Second Reading - 99-232 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 381 to
conform the process for review of currency exchange license applications with other Class III
licenses.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
33. Second Reading - 99-233 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 417
regarding parking lots and parking garages; citing the license fees to Chapter 310, and defining
private and government parking garages.
Laid over to April 27 for third reading/public hearing Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 6
34. First Reading - 99-257 - An ordinance amending Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 402
pertaining to lawful gambling; maintaining the local gambling tax at two and one-half(2 1/2)
percent in 1999 and citing the fees for charitable gambling licenses to Chapter 310.
Laid over to March 24 for second reading
POLICY SESSION
35. Resolution - 99-89 - Mayor recommendation and City Council adoption of the Saint Paul
Comprehensive Plan: Summary and General Policy. (Laid over from March 3)
Staff: Marcia Moermond, Council Research; Ken Ford, Department of Planning and
Economic Development.
Council President Bostrom stated the Council was not ready to take fmal action on the housing
issues at this time (Items 35 through 39).
Councilmember Harris added that Councilmembers Benanav and Blakey are both interested in
this issue and since they were not present, he moved to lay over one week.
Laid over to March 24 Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
36. Resolution - 99-90 - Adopting the Saint Paul Housing Plan as an amendment to the Saint Paul
Comprehensive Plan contingent on further review by adjacent communities and the
Metropolitan Council. (Laid over from March 3)
Staff: Marcia Moermond, Council Research; Nancy Homan, Department of Planning and
Economic Development
Discussed with Item #35.
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over one week.
Laid over to March 24 Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
37. Resolution - 99-258 - Adopting the Saint Paul/Ramsey County Five-Year Housing and
Homeless Services Report and Plan.
Ron Elwood, Staff to City-County Oversight Committee and report author.
Discussed with Item #35
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over one week.
Laid over to March 24 Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
March 17, 1999 City Council Summary Minutes Page 7
38. Resolution - 99-259 - Directing the Department of Planning and Economic Development, in
consultation with the Council Research Center, to prepare a report for the City Council's
consideration outlining key issues, steps necessary and costs associated with the development
of a Housing Resource Center for presentation to the City Council on June 23, 1999.
Discussed with Item #35.
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over one week.
Laid over to March 24 Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
39. Resolution - 99-260 - Directing the Department of Planning and Economic Development to
report on the overall implementation over the last ten years of Replacement Housing Policy,
Chapter 93 of the Administrative Code on May 26, 1999.
Discussed with Item #35.
Councilmember Harris moved to lay over one week.
Laid over to March 24 Yeas - 5 Nays - 0
Councilmember Harris moved to adjourn the meeting.
ADJOU E AT 3:50 P.M.
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Daniel Bostrom, Council President
ATTEST:
Minutes approved by Council
Nancy An rson �, 1 ��
Assistant Council Secretary
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