HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-17 HEDC Minutes
MINUTES OF THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA
JANUARY 17, 2019
6:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
A meeting of the Commission was held in the City Hall Council Chambers and was called to order
at 6:00 p.m. by Chairperson Jenkins.
2. ROLL CALL
Commissioners
Denis Dupee, Commissioner Present
Brian Finley, Commissioner Present until *7:40 p.m.
Mark Jenkins, Chairperson Present
Jennifer Sauer , Commissioner Absent
Joy Tkachuck, Vice Chair Present
Dennis Unger, Commissioner Absent
Staff
Michael Martin, Planner, Economic Development Coordinator
Steve Lukin, Maplewood Fire Chief
Jason Brash, Building Official
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Tkachuck moved to approve the agenda as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Finley. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Dupee moved to approve the HEDC minutes for September 20, 2018 as
submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Tkachuck. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. 2018 Business Engagement Program Report
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin gave the 2018 Business
Engagement Program Report and a video was shown about the business retention and
expansion program and various businesses in Maplewood.
The commission would like to continue the business engagement program. With the help of the
SPACC the commission felt they were receiving better data. The feedback received has been
positive. The commission asked what the cost to the city was to be involved with the SPACC.
The Business Council would like there to be an increase in the number of meetings.
January 17, 2019
1
Housing and Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes
The commission felt business networking is valuable and meeting every other month plus maybe
2 other networking events would be valuable. The commission wondered if there could be a link
on the HEDC page on the city website for contacts.
No action was required.
b. Housing and Economic Development Commission Rules of Procedure – Annual
Review
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin gave the report on the Housing and
Economic Commission Rules of Procedure – Annual Review.
After a lengthy discussion the commission requested Amendments to B2 and D2 in the Rules of
Procedure.
Commissioner Dupee moved to recommend the revisions to the HEDC Rules of Procedure with
the amendment to maintain Visitor Presentations with a 3 minute time limit and to move it to the
end of the agenda.
Seconded by Commissioner Tkachuck. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
c. 2018 Housing and Economic Development Commission Annual Report
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin gave the 2018 Housing and
Economic Development Commission Annual Report.
Commissioner Finley moved to approve the 2018 Housing and Economic Development
Commission Annual Report.
Seconded by Commissioner Tkachuck. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
Chairperson Jenkins will be the HEDC representative at the February 25, 2019, city council
meeting with Commissioner Tkachuck as the alternate if he cannot attend.
d. Election of Officers – No Report
Commissioner Tkachuck moved to recommend Mark Jenkins to continue in the role as the
Chairperson of the HEDC.
No second to the motion was needed. Ayes – Commissioner’s Dupee,
Finley & Tkachuck
Abstention – Chairperson Jenkins
Commissioner Dupee moved to recommend Commissioner Tkachuck to continue in the role as
the Vice Chairperson of the HEDC.
No second to the motion was needed. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
January 17, 2019
2
Housing and Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes
e. Recent Business Outreach Events – (No Report)
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin stated because one of the
commissioners has to leave the meeting a little early he wanted to move ahead to the
Rental Housing Licensing discussion and this item was briefly touched on during the
Business Engagement discussion.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Rental Housing Licensing Discussion
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin gave the report on the Rental
Housing Licensing Discussion and answered questions of the commission.
ii. Maplewood Fire Chief, Steve Lukin addressed and answered questions of the commission
about fire and safety inspections.
Commissioner Finley was concerned about the burden of the fee for the rental program for single
family homes and in the draft ordinance under 12-613 (1) letter (m) regarding the excessive calls
to the police and fire and (n) pursue of eviction of tenants. He also asked about Air B & B not
being in the ordinance. *Commissioner Finley had to leave the meeting during this discussion
item at 7:40 p.m.
Commissioner Dupee was mostly in support of the rental housing licensing idea.
Chairperson Jenkins believed the intent is to have a safe environment for renters and for the
property owners. He asked Fire Chief Lukin to address the rental screening process. To him the
license types and inspection schedules are a concern to him. If you have a rental property on a 3
year licensing and inspection process or a yearly rental license and inspection process the level
of income to the city changes. If there is a rental property that has no problems and is very well
behaved there would be one type of license and a property that has been a repeat offender could
be another type of license.
Do we license out of a behavioral scenario or out of a fiscal scenario where we need to maintain
a certain level of licensing in order to keep the program fiscally neutral. He said he understood
the sliding scale but he would like to see if everyone is a type A license the program is still
sustainable. One scenario would be what if you have a property owner with multiple rental
properties and one property is a type A and one property is a type B and another is a type C
property etc. how does the property owner remember to pay the fee once a month, once every 6
months or once a year. Ideally the city would love to have all rental properties a consistent type
A. An annual license would be easier to enforce and inform regardless of the level of compliance
and then adjust the fees according to the good or bad behavior of the property owner. If
everyone is on a 3 year program the income is a lot less to the city compared to an annual
license. Chairperson Jenkins wants to make sure the rental program is fiscally sustainable.
Commissioner Tkachuck enjoyed the discussion on the rental licensing and asked how hotels,
senior housing, and nursing homes were handled and inspected which Fire Chief Lukin
discussed.
No action was required and this item will come back to the HEDC in the spring.
7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
None.
January 17, 2019
3
Housing and Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes
8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS
Chairperson Jenkins said if you would like to serve on the Maplewood city council you can apply
to serve as a city council person and for more information go to the City of Maplewood website
www.maplewoodmn.gov for further details and the application process.
9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
a. Development Summary – (No Report)
i. Economic Development Coordinator, Michael Martin gave a summary of development
projects in the city.
a. A CUP for 1690 McKnight Road for G7 Laundry.
b. A CUP for 1800 White Bear Avenue for the former Junior Achievement building for a
multi-use building for a banquet center, fitness center, etc,
c. A CUP for 1955 County Road D, the old Ziebart business for a used Auto Sales
building.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Chairperson Jenkins adjourned the meeting at 8:08 p.m.
January 17, 2019
4
Housing and Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes