06-11-2013 WSMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Raspberry Room — 6:30 p.m.
The meeting was started at 6:38 p.m. Present were Mayor Maxwell and Council members Molly
Cummings, Jason Gadd and Kristi Halverson, City Manager Mike Morrison, Assistant City Manager
Jim Genellie, Building Official Christopher Kearney, Housing and Property Maintenance Inspector
Liz Page, Rental Housing Inspector Susan Zasada, Public Works Director Steve Stadler, Director of
Planning & Economic Development Kersten Elverum, Community Development Coordinator Meg
Beckman and representatives of Walker Parking Consultants Carl Schneeman and Andrew Vidor.
New business:
Rental Inspection Update
Mr. Kearney introduced the Inspection Department staff and gave an overview of the rental
inspection process. In less than five years, the Inspection Department has inspected every licensed
rental property in the City of Hopkins at least once. The purpose of the Rental Inspection program is
to assure rental housing in the City of Hopkins is decent, safe, sanitary and maintained. Staff
demonstrated the inspection software that the staff utilizes for the inspection process and recording
of inspection results. Mr. Kearney gave an overview of the Inspection categories where properties
are scored and put in a category of A, B or C. Category A properties are inspected on a 3 year cycle,
Category B on a 2 year cycle and Category C every year. Mr. Kearney gave an overview of the
Rental Licensing and Inspection Program revenues and expenditures. In 2012, revenues exceeded
expenditures with a similar trend in 2013. Mr. Kearney gave an overview of the improvements to
multi -family housing properties in Southwest Hopkins and comparison in the number of rental
properties from 2006 to 2013. Mr. Kearney updated the Council on possible additions to the rental
ordinance:
• "In all cases where the owners of a rental dwelling lives outside a 50 -mile radius of the rental
dwelling, the owner must name an operator living within the 50 -mile radius of the rental dwelling"
Having a local manager will make it easier for scheduling, getting the routine rental inspection
completed and the property in compliance. A local manger also gives the tenant a contact to call
when issues arise.
• "Licensee shall provide proof of criminal background checks on tenants within seven days of
request by Building Official" At this time, we ask the property owner to check a box on the license
application stating that they have done criminal background checks on tenants. Staff feels this
additional language will actually let us see proof of the background checks being done when
requested.
• "Licensee shall post current rental license on premises in the immediate area of front entry" Staff
feels this addition would benefit Police and other City employees as they enter a rental property
they will know immediately it rental and it has a current license.
There was much Council discussion regarding trends in the rental market, criminal background
checks, the penalty for an unlicensed rental dwelling, inspection categories and the pre -inspection
list timeframe.
Mr. Genellie addressed Council regarding administrative citations and circumstances where fees or
fines are issued.
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There was Council discussion regarding the number of owners of rental dwellings who live outside
the 50 -mile radius of Hopkins. Inspection Department staff discussed the reasons for a local contact
person, that other cities do include this condition in their ordinance and staff will update Council on
more detailed information on the number of owners outside the 50 -mile radius. Council discussed
the posting of the rental license in the front entry, how properties are chosen to be inspected, pest
extermination documentation and Police Department input.
Council directed staff to have the city attorney review the three possible additions to the ordinance,
encouraged Inspection Department staff to promote the Fire Department Home Inspection program
with rental owners and investigate Crime -Free Housing education classes for landlords of category
"C" properties. Staff will investigate possible Police Department grants to defray costs of Crime -
Free Housing education classes.
Parking Study
Mr. Stadler gave an overview of the downtown parking study. Mr. Vidor and Mr. Schneeman of
Walker Parking Consultants gave an overview of what has been completed to -date, plus the parking
study's preliminary results and conclusions. Mr. Vidor reviewed the purpose and goals of the study,
overview of the study area, total parking supply, overview of the public parking supply and morning,
afternoon & evening parking occupancy totals. Currently there is still adequate availability of
parking spaces. Mr. Vidor identified parking demands for known and speculative future
developments and projected future parking shortages. Mr. Vidor discussed possible strategies to
alleviate future parking shortages and reduce the amount of parking that would need to be built.
Strategies include additional parking signage, reduce parking time period and increase use of parking
lots by employees. Mr. Vidor reviewed approximate costs to construct additional parking spaces and
suggested that marking of on -street spaces where parking shortage is the greatest will increase on -
street parking efficiency by 5-10%. In Conclusion Mr. Vidor commented that the existing parking
supply is adequate, future parking shortages are projected with future development and that greatest
cost saving is to utilize existing parking availability and supplement with new parking. Walker
Parking Consultants still need to prepare the parking study draft, final report and public presentation.
There was much Council discussion of parking deficits, existing parking availability, timeframe for
parking expansion, parking demand ratios based on land use types, marketing of parking areas &
availability, lighting, safety, parking enforcement, 1500 parking space availability and the minimum
number of required accessible parking spaces as mandated by the ADA. Mr. Vidor recommended
building additional parking at the same time as the development project for cost sharing & saving
measures and that pedestrian and driver "way -finding" signage is important for visitors to Hopkins.
Mr. Genellie discussed employee -parking mandates with the Council. Mr. Vidor recommended
strategies that include reducing the number of permits in lots, reduce time limits for free parking,
enforce time limits, increase parking fees for preferred parking areas and investigate agreements to
utilize a percentage of spaces in private parking lots.
Council consensus is that the city needs to communicate and educate businesses, residents and
potential developers regarding parking availability and that the city is addressing the parking
capacity issue. Council directed staff to investigate striping of parking spots on Mainstreet at the
time of street resurfacing to maximize on -street parking efficiency.
Walker Parking Consultants will be completing the parking study report and it will be presented to
Council at a future meeting.
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Snyder Discussion
Ms. Elverum introduced Meg Beckman as the new Community Development Coordinator. Ms.
Elverum gave an overview of the potential acquisition of the former Snyder property at 15_9 'h
Avenue North for additional parking. Ms. Elverum gave an overview of the grants received &
requirements to acquire the property, property pricing, appraisal, potential environmental issues, and
possible uses for the property. Requests for grant funds for the construction of a parking ramp have
not been successful. Ms. Elverum reviewed possible options with the Council. Options include:
• Purchase the property and continue to work towards single use parking or joint development.
This option has greatest risk of not being able to meet the Met Council grant requirements.
• Negotiate an option to purchase the property and market a joint development project through a
RFP or RFQ process. Staff recommends discussing the possibility to use grant funds to acquire
the properties at 26 and 30 -8th Avenue North and to determine the Interest of those property
owners in selling their property.
• Return the grant money and no longer consider the purchase of the Snyder property. Returning
the grant money increases the risk of judgments against future grant requests.
There was much Council discussion regarding the 2018 grant deadline, property appraisal, risks of
city buying the property, risk of returning the grant money, potential uses & zoning of the site and
environmental issues.
Council consensus is to have staff prepare an option to purchase the property and market a joint
development project through a RFP or RFQ process and discuss with adjoining property owner their
interest in selling their properties. Council consensus is to not return the grant money as it may affect
future grant requests.
Other
• Council Member Youakim will attend and update the Council on the SW LRT management
meeting on Wednesday, June 12.
• Mr. Morrison updated Council on the Cargill Graduation event.
• Council discussion regarding a possible "cruising" event on July 20.
• Council & staff will have a booth at Raspberry Festival Family Days on July 20.
• Mr. Mornson update Council on his vacation dates the week of July 1.
• Citizen Academy alumni event is scheduled for September 18 at Hopkins Center for the Arts.
With no further business to discuss there was a motion by Council member Youakim and a second
by Council member Halverson to adjourn the meeting at 9:13 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Vold