HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/30/1991URBAN AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
CITY OF APPLE VALLEY
April 30, 1991
1. CALL TO ORDER
The April 30, 1991 meeting of the Apple Valley Urban Affairs
Advisory Committee was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the City
Hall large conference room by Chairman John McKay.
Members Present: Chairman John McKay, Members Pam Sohlberg,
Sharon Schwartz, JoAnne Ellison., Robin
Curran, Van Holston, and Shirley Doering.
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Scott Hickok, Captain Terry Cook, Mary
Mueller, Peggy Tittle, and Dennis Welsch.
Others Present: None.
2. ACRPiOALEDGEMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER
BARBARA SAVANICR
Chairman John McKay on behalf of the Urban Affairs Advisory
Committee expressed his appreciation and thanks for the years of
service that Councilmember Barbara Savanick provided to the City
and the special support and friendship that she provided to the
City's Urban Affairs Committee, as well as to the various
environmental groups throughout the community including the Girl
Scouts.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA OF APRIL 30, 1991
With the following additions, the agenda proposed. for the
April 30th meeting was approved. The additions included:
1. Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Attendance Policy.
2. Retailer recycling comments.
3. A message from Tom Melena regarding cemeteries.
4. APPROVAL OF THS MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 27, 1990
A motion was made by Member Schwartz, seconded by Member
Ellison, to approve the minutes of the November 27, 1990 meeting
with the following corrections:
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 2
1. On page 5, paragraph D, change "7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m."
to "10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m."
2. Page 6, number 4, should read "servicing of automobile"
3. Page 6, item E should read "nauseous" vegetation instead
of "nosiest" vegetation.
4. Page 3, item B3, should read "The exposed wood window
product.1°
MOTION: The motion to approve the minutes carried
unanimously.
Chairman John McKay noted that former Member Jeannine
Churchill has been asked by the City Council to serve on the
Planning Commission. She has resigned from the Urban Affairs
Committee. On behalf of the Urban Affairs Committee, Chairman
McKay extended his thanks and best wishes to Jeannine Churchill in
her new volunteer position.
5. INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS
Chairman McKay asked new members,. Robin Curran and Van
Holston., to introduce themselves and explain their background to
the other members of the Urban Affairs Committee. The other
members of the committee reintroduced themselves as well.
6. ENERGY PROGRAM IIPDATE
Scott Hickok reported on the Energy Program activities and
introduced Peggy Tittle, Director of the Self-Reliance Center,
which is the prime contractor for the City's Energy Program. Peggy
Tittle explained that there are two types of housing audits
provided within Apple Valley. One type of landscape energy audit
also done here. She asked the committee to provide feedback
regarding the program which will last through 1992. She explained
the Mayor's Energy Audit and the articles placed in the papers, as
well as the kickoff events done in February in the Apple Valley
Square Shopping Center.
Tittle explained that the Apple Valley Program is unique in
that it provides more than a house energy audit. The landscape
energy audit allows the City Forester to inventory the exterior of
the house and suggest vegetation which might reduce the energy
consumption of the home, especially in the hot summer months. The
landscape energy program has sold 272 trees. There have been 140
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 3
inquiries for the landscape audit, of which 130 actually signed up
for the audit. In addition, Minnegasco is providing an energy
audit for low and modern income households as well as a $10.00
audit for households not qualifying for the Minnegasco Free Audit.
Minnegasco will pay for 180 home energy doctor visits and 800
energy check-ups throughout the two year grant program.
Scott Hickok related information regarding an energy audit
completed on his own home. He noted that a video of this process
will be available for members of the committee as well as Star
Cablevision.
Chairman McKay urged Peggy Tittle to use the school system to
distribute information. Member Schwartz said it had been difficult
to find the information in the local newspapers. Member Doering
said that the City Newsletter was a good source of information.
Peggy Tittle suggested the use of a mail back card with additional
information which the committee thought was an excellent idea.
A general discussion ensued regarding the use of landscape
energy audits in townhouse associations. Scott Hickok noted that
the landscape audit program can work in a townhouse association..
However, the association must approve of the landscape audit
process and planting of trees prior to actually commencing the
program.
B. ORDINANCE REVIEWS
B-1) Accessory Structures.
Scott Hickok provided an overview of accessory building and
structure ordinance revisions which would include a section on the
maintenance of accessory storage buildings. The committee agreed
that the language should be changed to read "all accessory building
shall be suitably anchored in a manner approved by the building
inspector, that the structure will withstand wind loading to 80
miles per hour." The committee urged that item (i) be eliminated
since it is a redundant statement on anchoring of buildings. The
committee also approved of a revision to item (g) in which an
accessory building shall not exceed sixteen (16) feet in height and
seven hundred fifty (750) square feet in area (this is a change
from twelve (12) feet in height and five hundred (500) square feet
in area). The committee also approved of a change which states
that any accessory building in excess of one hundred twenty (120)
square feet in size shall be constructed to the Minnesota State
Building Code Standards (the proposed code stated one hundred forty
four (144) square feet).
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 4
B-2) Recreation Vehicles.
Scott Hickok provided a review of a portion of the City Code
related to general parking requirements. A section of the general
parking requirements would add a specific requirement for the
parking and use of recreation vehicles. In this section, the
committee recommended that a fourteen (14) day parking period is
adequate; that no notification of the zoning administrator is
necessary; that a definition of recreation vehicle should be
written into the ordinance; and that a definition of housekeeping
for purposes of use of a recreation vehicle should also be written
into the ordinance.
B-3) Noise Standards.
Scott Hickok reviewed a section of a draft ordinance prepared
for the committee on excessive noise standards. Code Section 14-75
regulates noise and noise prohibitions. The committee reviewed
this information and approved of the draft after deciding that the
noise prohibitions from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. were more
appropriate for the City as a whole, whereas the 6:30 garbage pick-
up requirements should remain within the code for garbage haulers.
B-4) Weeds.
Scott Hickok provided background information on a weed
ordinance to replace Code Section it-9. In this proposed ordinance
amendment, weeds and grass in excess of 12 inches in height would
be considered a public nuisance if they are "closer than 150 feet
included natural areas such as woods, pastures, parks, bogs,
marshes and. agriculture areas. The committee found this ordinance
revision to be much clearer and acceptable.
C. TA%I CAB ORDINANCES
City Clerk Mary Mueller explained the current taxi cab
licensing and regulations. She noted that the current ordinance is
extremely out of date because Apple Valley licenses vehicles only
and does not even require information on drivers. She recommended
that if amendments are considered, licensing should be ordinances
similar to Bloomington and/or the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport
ordinance. One of the reasons for licensing cabs in Apple Valley
is that is provides a local operator with the ability to deliver
passengers to the airport, without having to have an airport
license.
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 5
Member Holston stated that in most cases, to survive as a cab
company in the Twin Cities area, cab companies must have licenses
to operate in Minneapolis and in the airport area. A general
discussion ensued regarding the need fora taxi cab license and the
ability to regulate the cab companies based on our current
ordinance. Captain Terry Cook of the Police Department stated that
it is unenforceable as an ordinance today.
MOTION: Member Doering moved, seconded by Member Holston, to
recommend an ordinance to the City Council which removes the taxi
cab section from the City Code because there appears to be no need
for the City to license taxi cabs. The motion carried 7 - 0.
D. SAUNA/MASSAGE PARLOR LICENSES
City Clerk Mary Mueller provided a background report on Apple
Valley's ability to license sauna and massage parlors. She noted
that a second type of massage parlor is now available in the
Southern Metropolitan area. It is called a therapeutic massage.
This is a health related massage of the entire body done by a
qualified masseuse. The current business definition in the
ordinance is not adequate to address a therapeutic. massage. She
noted that in Burnsville, a conditional use permit is issued for
each therapeutic massage and is attached to a home occupation
permit. In other communities, beauty shops, regardless of whether
they are in the home or in a retail business area offer therapeutic
massage.
Mary Mueller also noted that currently there are no state
certifications, no definitions, or qualifications for a therapeutic
masseuse. It is difficult to write a description of the training
or classes necessary for a therapeutic masseuse.
Chairman McKay asked Mary Mueller to provide a background
packet at the next committee meeting. The committee will discuss
whether individual and business licenses should be required, and if
so, what the qualifications for such licenses should be. In
addition the committee will discuss limiting the license to a
business address and determining in which zoning districts this
activity would approximately located. The committee may also wish
to consider whether a health club is a legitimate place to operate
a therapeutic massage operation.
Captain Terry Cook noted that from a police department
perspective it would be more appropriate to keep the activity on a
licenses premises. He did note that many therapeutic masseuses
will travel to the office or work site for a neck, shoulders and
back massage. Additional information will be available at the next
Urban Affairs Committee meeting.
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 6
7. REVIEW OF BYLAWS
Dennis Welsch distributed examples of bylaws which have been
written for the City Planning Commission.
Chairman McKay polled the Committee on the need for an
attendance policy. Member Doering stated that a schedule, such as
the Urban Affairs Committee has which is irregular, makes it
difficult for each member to attend all meetings. She gave the
example of a member attending classes on a regular basis when Urban
Affairs Committee meetings are inadvertently scheduled over the
same evening.
Member Ellison noted that with the School Advisory Council
there are two types of absences, an excused and an unexcused
absence. An excused absence is related to sickness or work. If a
member of the School Advisory Council has two or more unexcused
absences, a Staff Member or the Chairman of the Council is
requested to call the non-attending member and ask if they are
interested in continuing to serve or whether they should resign at
this time. The Committee felt that the phone calling system may be
more personal and address the issue better than a simple number of
absences after which automatic resignation occurs.
Chairman McKay noted that even when a member is absent from
the. meeting, they may be able to study the issues and provide a
report in advance of the meeting to either the Staff or the
Committee, thereby still providing the key function of a key member
(feedback).
Member Sohlberg noted that the most difficult part of being a
member of the Urban Affairs Committee is that the Committee does
not meet regularly. If there was a regular schedule which could be
counted on year round, members would align their personal work and
family schedules to allow for the Urban Affairs Committee meetings.
More discussion will occur on this at future meetings.
8. CEMETERY BURIAL NEEDS IN APPLE VALLEY
Dennis Welsch distributed a background report addressed to the
Urban Affairs Committee from Thomas Melena, City Administrator, in
which he requested that the Urban Affairs Committee discuss whether
Apple Valley should encourage (through private investment) or build
a public cemetery within the city limits.
Chairman McKay asked the Committee to review the April 30th
memo from Tom Melena and to be prepared to discuss whether this is
a need of the City at the next meeting. If the Committee feels
Urban Affairs Advisory Committee Minutes
April 30, 1991
Page 7
there is such a need, at that time the Staff will begin a detailed
study of the issue. The next meeting the Staff will simply prepare
additional background information regarding cemeteries in
surrounding communities.
9. SCHEDIILE FOR N8%T MEETING
Chairman McKay and Committee Members agreed that the next
meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 4th, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
in the large conference room at City Hall. Items on the agenda
will include:
1. Attendance policy.
2. Update on the garbage and recycling issues, especially as
it relates to commercial buildings and restaurants from
Jeff Weldon.
3. Cemetery issues.
4. Sauna and massage parlor issues.
4. Other study or code issues.
10. ADJOIIRNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:02 p.m. The Staff was asked to
submit a completed sign-up sheet regarding the Community Energy
Audit Program to Peggy Tittle. Members of the Urban Affairs
Committee provided names and addresses for this audit.