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VII.1. Legislative Policy Manual Update – Chapter 7 Neighborhood Meetings; Lindahl May 5, 2020 City Council Report 2020-031 Legislative Policy Manual Update – Chapter 7 Neighborhood Meetings Proposed Action Staff recommends the following motion: Move to adopt Resolution 2020-024 - Approving Revisions to the Legislative Policy Manual - Chapter 7 Related to Neighborhood Meetings. Overview This item was initiation by staff and seeks to revise and update Chapter 7 of the City’s Legislative Policies Manual related to neighborhood meetings. A copy of the proposed changes is attached for your reference. Since this is a legislative policy change, not an ordinance change, no public hearing is required prior to City Council action. Staff worked with the City Attorney when preparing the suggested revisions and updates and recommends approval. Primary Issues to Consider • Background • Alternatives Supporting Documents • Resolution 2020-024 • Draft Legislative Policy – Chapter 7 Neighborhood Meetings _____________________ Jason Lindahl, AICP City Planner Financial Impact: $ N/A Budgeted: Y/N ____ Source: _____________ Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): _________________________________________ Notes: City Council Report 2020-031 Page 2 Background Staff recommends revising Chapter 7 of the City’s Legislative Policies Manual related to neighborhood meetings. The suggested revision would allow staff administrative discretion to deviate from this policy for unforeseen circumstances where in-person meetings are either impractical or potentially unsafe such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor’s Executive Order prohibiting public gatherings and the City’s Energy Declaration regarding the same. Staff also recommends several other minor “housekeeping” updates. As mentioned above, staff worked with the City Attorney when preparing the suggested revisions and updates and recommends approval. When at all possible, staff will work with an applicant to find a practical alternative to an in-person neighborhood meeting that maintains the original spirit and intent of this policy which is to expand and enhance the dissemination of information to the residents of the City and to encourage involvement by residents in the planning process. An example alternative to an in-person meeting could be having the applicant post the plans and project information on their website for the public to review, ask questions or make comments at their discretion. Alternatives 1. Vote to approve. Approving the proposed revision will allow staff administrative discretion to deviate from the neighborhood meeting policy for unforeseen circumstances and approve several other housekeeping updates. 2. Vote to deny. Denying the proposed revisions and updates will maintain the existing neighborhood meeting policy and require certain applications to hold in-person neighborhood meeting, regardless of unforeseen circumstances that could make these meeting impractical or potentially unsafe. 3. Continue for further information. If the City Council finds that further information is needed, this item should be continued. CITY OF HOPKINS Hennepin County, Minnesota RESOLUTION 2020-024 A RESOLUTION APPROVING REVISIONS TO THE CITY’S LEGISLATIVE POLCY MANUAL CHAPTER 7 RELATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WHEREAS, the applicant, the City of Hopkins (the “Applicant”), initiated an application to revise Chapter 7 of its Legislative Policy Manual related to neighborhood meetings; WHEREAS, the proposed revision are detailed in the attached draft policy (Exhibit A): WHEREAS, the procedural history of the application is as follows: 1. That the City has an existing an existing neighborhood meeting policy detailed in Chapter 7 of its Legislative Policy Manual; 2. That staff initiated an application to revise the above stated section of the City’s Legislative Policy Manual on April 24, 2020; 3. That the City Council reviewed such application on May 5, 2020; 4. That the written comments and analysis of City staff were considered; and, WHEREAS, staff recommended approval of the proposed revision detailed in Exhibit A attached based on the findings outlined in City Council Report 2020-031 dated May 5, 2020. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hopkins hereby approves revisions to Chapter 7 of the City’s Legislative Policy Manual related to neighborhood meetings as detailed in Exhibit A to this resolution. Adopted this 5th day of May 2020. _______________________ Jason Gadd, Mayor ATTEST: ______________________ Amy Domeier, City Clerk CITY OF HOPKINS, MINNESOTA NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGSMEETING POLICY SECTION 1: PURPOSE 1.01 1.1 It is the City's intent to expand and enhance the dissemination of information to the residents of the City and to encourage involvement by the residents in the planning process. Applicants for development proposalsFor these reasons, applicants for either new conditional use permits (excluding fences) or rezoning requests that are located adjacent to or within any portion of a residential zoning districtsdistrict shall holdfacilitate and host a neighborhood meeting for conditional use permits (excluding fences) and rezoningin accordance with this policy. The City may also require a neighborhood meeting for other land use applicants, as determined necessary and appropriate. The neighborhood meeting required under this policy is separate and distinct from any public hearing that is required pursuant to state law. SECTION 2: SCHEDULING 2.1 2.1 The applicant shall schedule the meeting to take place only after the City has accepted its application and at least one week prior to the Zoning & Planning meeting. Meetingstatutorily required public hearing on the application. Meetings shall only be scheduled on Monday through Thursday eveningevenings after 6:30 p.m. and, although meetings shall not take place on an evening precedingany of the following dates: (1) on a legal holiday and not on Halloween. The notice of the meeting shall be sent out at least 10 days prior to the meeting., as that term is defined in Minnesota Statutes, Section 645.44; on October 31; on the evening of a major political party caucus; or on the date of an election being held within the City’s boundaries. The applicant shall host the meeting and present the proposed project for questions and answers. 2.2 The meeting shall be held after the City has accepted the application, but prior to the Planning Commission meeting on the applicationcomments from those in attendance. SECTION 3: NOTICESNOTICE AND INVITATION 3.1 Notices/invitations to3.1 Notice of the neighborhood meeting and an invitation thereto shall be sentmailed at least 10 days before the meeting to those names and addresses listed on the public hearing notice list (mailing list will be provided by the City's Planning & Economic Development department)Department. The area of notification may be enlargedmodified by City staff based on the specific project, in the sole discretion of City staff. 3.2 3.2 The applicant shall make available to the public a complete description of the requestproposed project necessitating the application, including copies of printed materials and maps, where appropriate. The notice/invitations and invitation shall include the following: Date, time, and location of the meeting;(1) 1. Project location map; and(2) 2.Contact person,information for the applicant, including an email address, and a(3) telephone number. DOCSOPEN\HP145\9\650227.v1-4/27/201 3.3 3.3 The applicant shall prepare a list of individuals presentcirculate a sign-in sheet at the meeting to be signed at the option of those in attendance. The applicant willshall also be responsible for takingtake minutes at the meeting. A copy of this information willshall be provided to City staff the day following the meeting. 3.4 3.4 The schedule of meeting dates for Zoning &Planning & Zoning Commission, Park and Recreation Commission, and City Council considerationto consider the application, as applicable, should be provided to those in attendance at the meeting, if those dates are known. 3.5 3.5 A copy of the meeting invitation shall also be sentemailed to the members of the Zoning & Planning & Zoning Commission,the City Council, and the City Planner. A list of these individuals and their email addresses shall be provided to the applicant by the City Planning & Economic Development departmentDepartment. 3.6 3.6 If the applicant desires to use a room in City Hall for the meeting, this needs to be coordinated with the City Manager's secretaryClerk, or its designee. SECTION 4: STAFF DISCRETION TO DEVIATE 4.1 The City recognizes that not all land use applications or circumstances are similar in nature and certain situations might warrant deviating from the express requirements contained herein for reasons that cannot necessarily be predicted or contemplated within a rigid set of policy provisions. To that end, the City Manager, or its designee, shall have the discretion to authorize a land use applicant to deviate from any of the express requirements contained in this policy if s/he determines that such deviation is reasonable under the circumstances. This paragraph shall not be interpreted to act as a mechanism through which an applicant may request or apply for deviations, but rather is only intended to provide City staff with the flexibility to initiate a deviation if and when it deems it appropriate to do so. Approved by the City Council on ____________________, 2020. DOCSOPEN\HP145\9\650227.v1-4/27/202 Document comparison by W orkshare 10.0 on Thursday, April 30, 2020 10:23:19 AM Input: Document 1 ID PowerDocs://DOCSOPEN/650227/1 Description DOCSOPEN-#650227-v1-Neighborhood_Meeting_Policy Document 2 ID PowerDocs://DOCSOPEN/650227/3 Description DOCSOPEN-#650227-v3-Neighborhood_Meeting_Policy Rendering set Standard Legend: Insertion Deletion Moved from Moved to Style change Format change Moved deletion Inserted cell Deleted cell Moved cell Split/Merged cell Padding cell Statistics: Count Insertions 72 Deletions 47 Moved from 2 Moved to 2 Style change 0 Format changed 0 Total changes 123 1 CITY OF HOPKINS, MINNESOTA NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING POLICY SECTION 1: PURPOSE 1.1 It is the City's intent to expand and enhance the dissemination of information to the residents of the City and to encourage involvement by residents in the planning process. For these reasons, applicants for either new conditional use permits (excluding fences) or rezoning requests that are located adjacent to or within any portion of a residential zoning district shall facilitate and host a neighborhood meeting in accordance with this policy. The City may also require a neighborhood meeting for other land use applicants, as determined necessary and appropriate. The neighborhood meeting required under this policy is separate and distinct from any public hearing that is required pursuant to state law. SECTION 2: SCHEDULING 2.1 The applicant shall schedule the meeting to take place only after the City has accepted its application and at least one week prior to the statutorily required public hearing on the application. Meetings shall only be scheduled on Monday through Thursday evenings after 6:30 p.m., although meetings shall not take place on any of the following dates: (1) on a holiday, as that term is defined in Minnesota Statutes, Section 645.44; on October 31; on the evening of a major political party caucus; or on the date of an election being held within the City’s boundaries. The applicant shall host the meeting and present the proposed project for questions and comments from those in attendance. SECTION 3: NOTICE AND INVITATION 3.1 Notice of the meeting and an invitation thereto shall be mailed at least 10 days before the meeting to those names and addresses listed on the public hearing notice list provided by the City's Planning & Economic Development Department. The area of notification may be modified by City staff based on the specific project, in the sole discretion of City staff. 3.2 The applicant shall make available to the public a complete description of the proposed project necessitating the application, including copies of printed materials and maps, where appropriate. The notice and invitation shall include the following: (1) Date, time, and location of the meeting; (2) Project location map; and (3) Contact information for the applicant, including an email address and a telephone number. 3.3 The applicant shall circulate a sign-in sheet at the meeting to be signed at the option of those in attendance. The applicant shall also take minutes at the meeting. A copy of this information shall be provided to City staff the day following the meeting. 3.4 The schedule of meeting dates for Planning & Zoning Commission, Park and Recreation Commission, and City Council to consider the application, as applicable, should be provided to those in attendance at the meeting, if those dates are known. 3.5 A copy of the meeting invitation shall also be emailed to the members of the Planning & 2 Zoning Commission, the City Council, and the City Planner. A list of these individuals and their email addresses shall be provided to the applicant by the City Planning & Economic Development Department. 3.6 If the applicant desires to use a room in City Hall for the meeting, this needs to be coordinated with the City Clerk, or its designee. SECTION 4: STAFF DISCRETION TO DEVIATE 4.1 The City recognizes that not all land use applications or circumstances are similar in nature and certain situations might warrant deviating from the express requirements contained herein for reasons that cannot necessarily be predicted or contemplated within a rigid set of policy provisions. To that end, the City Manager, or its designee, shall have the discretion to authorize a land use applicant to deviate from any of the express requirements contained in this policy if s/he determines that such deviation is reasonable under the circumstances. This paragraph shall not be interpreted to act as a mechanism through which an applicant may request or apply for deviations, but rather is only intended to provide City staff with the flexibility to initiate a deviation if and when it deems it appropriate to do so. Approved by the City Council on ____________________, 2020.