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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP January 17, 2001 ~ oJY I.D,O\ ;¿..; ~ CITY of ANDOVER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION APPLICANTS INTERVIEW SCHEDULE January 17, 2001 Conf. Room A 6:30 p.m. Maynard Apel 6:45 p.m. Cameron Anderson 7:00 p.m. Paula Larsen 7:15p.m. Fred Larsen III 7:30 p.m. Chris DeLaP orest 7:45 p.m. Rex Greenwald 8:00 p.m. Randy Peek 8:15 p.m. Jay Squires 8:30 p.m. Don Skelly PARK AND REC. COMMISSION APPLICANTS INTERVIEWS 8:45 p.m. John Swoyer 9:00 p.m. AI Grabowski CITY of ANDOVER 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD NW.· ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304· (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION INTERVIEWS Wednesday, Januarv 17, 2001 8:45 PM - John Swoyer 9:00 PM - AI Grabowski ~oJY ~ d- -lp-b\ CITY of ANDOVER ANDOVER SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING - JANUARY 17,1001 MINUTES A Special Meeting of the Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Mike Gamache on January 17,2001,6:31, at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Councilmembers present: Don Jacobson, Mike Knight, Julie Trude Councilmember absent: Ken OrtteI Also present: Acting Administrator, Dave Carlberg PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION INTERVIEWS The Council interviewed the following applicants for the Planning and Zoning Commission, alternately asking questions on the applicants' backgrounds, reasons for applying, experience, their decision making process, their opinions on the important planning issues facing the City, types of development the City should actively pursue, the role of the Metropolitan Council; why they should be chosen for the position and their ability to attend scheduled meetings: Maynard Apel Cameron Anderson Paula Larsen Fred Larsen III Chris DeLaForest Rex Greenwald Randy Peek Jay Squires Don Skelly Maynard Ape! - has been on the Commission on an off for over 20 years; is interested in City government; sees the handling of development as the most important issue facing the City in balancing the rights of the people already living here against the rights of those coming in; feels the Metropolitan Council tries to interfere too much into local affairs; was concerned with extending the MUSA line too far that it is arbitrary, needing to balance property rights; is willing to serve on the Commission if the Council feels he can help; thinks the development in the City should be done the way the City wants it and not done because of economics or because the Metropolitan Council says so; stated the Commission may have to recommend approval of something because it is allowed by ordinance even though personally they are opposed; felt it is not reasonable to let every developer get every nickel he/she can out of a development and then leave the City which is a different philosophy than the property owner living on the land and now wanting to take advantage of what the family helped create. Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2001 Page 2 (Planning and Zoning Commission Interviews, Continued) Cameron Anderson - is familiar with construction trades; graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in banking and finance; moved to Andover almost two years ago, likes it and plans to build his next house here; is interested in starting a business here, possibly in financial consulting or landscaping; has quite a few ideas about the future in Andover; sensed a struggle in the City with development and the wetland areas, noting people want more wetlands and parks versus development; is impressed with the commercial development and is interested in what is going on in the commercial area; doesn't have a lot of experience with single family versus multiple developments but felt there should be a mixture because just townhome areas seem to deteriorate very quickly; noted an area in Brooklyn Park with single homes on one side of the street and town homes on the other that seems to have worked out wel1; has had no other experience on commissions or committees; thought he should be appointed because he might have a different view than someone more qualified, looking at items from a long-term perspective; has no conflicts regarding the attendance of meetings; is not familiar with smart growth and felt that a plan for one city doesn't necessary fit in another; preferred a healthy mix of high density, single family homes, commercial, parks and wetlands. Paula Larsen - has lived in Andover al1 her life having recently purchased her family's home here; has a law degree specializing in tax work; is interested in the community and would like to give something back to it; felt her background would be helpful; has had no other public experience; sees the tremendous growth in the City as the main planning issue, balancing the needs of the residents with what they want to do with their property; feels her accounting background wil1 help her deal objectively with the overal1 needs of the City; thinks a master plan is needed for orderly development; understands the needs of the property owners and how they want to use their land but also understands that it needs to be part of the grand plan; wants to do what's best for Andover in terms of increased density, personally thinking the Metropolitan Council is too restrictive, trying to push its ideas in the communities when it doesn't necessarily fit; would look at the ordinance and the situation and how it affects the adjoining property owners when making decisions; would general1y take the middle ground; would provide objectivity to the issues on the Commission; likes the way Andover has developed in the past but would like to see more commercial in certain areas with heavy industrial only in designated areas; would like to see more enforcement of the snowmobile laws; would occasionally not be available for meetings due to work; would like to know more about the structure of the Commission and about the job. Fred Larsen III - grew up in the Anoka area and moved to Andover five years ago; loves the area with its large lots, parks and trails; is a business owner in Blaine but wil1 be moving to Ramsey; became interested in govemment since the recent election; knows ITom experience that the decision of the Commission and Council can have a huge affect on environmental, economic and business issues noting a squabble with the City of Blaine over a zoning issue which resulted in his moving his business to Ramsey; has no experience serving on commissions outside of business; feels his experience as a business owner and property owner gives him more balance; tends to be more conservative and doesn't really care for the Metropolitan Council, which is not elected but has been Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2001 Page 3 (Planning and Zoning Commission Interviews, Continued) given so much power; suggested high density housing should be carefully scrutinized before approval, taking into consideration that the people moving here did not do so to live next to townhouses; sees the issues of smart growth, high density housing forcibly moving into the area and industrial parks as the most important planning issues facing Andover; has the flexibility to be able to attend the Commission meetings; prefers the Planning Commission over the Park and Recreation Commission but would definitely be interested in the Economic Development Authority because of his background in applied economics and experience as a business owner. Chris DeLaForest - grew up in Roseville; graduated from St. John's University in the ROTC program and served in a variety of posts; attended the University of Minnesota law school; worked for a law firm in Coon Rapids for a year doing 30 percent municipal law; now does negotiations for the State of Minnesota; moved to Andover a little over one year ago; believes in good government and thinks he has a duty to help out in any way he can; dealt with land use, condemnation and comprehensive plan issues as assistant city attorney; makes decisions by first looking at the ordinances and then looking at the circumstances that may be unique to the situation, always remembering the Commission is an advisory body to the City Council; would want to get to know the Councilmembers in a professional sense to know their philosophies and vision for Andover; would prefer to see more open spaces rather than high density housing; has dealt with the Metropolitan Council on a number of issues; noted that Council has had a tendency to use strong arm tactics with respect to cities but views his role on the P & Z to be protective of the prerogatives of the Andover City Council; would have no conflicts attending P & Z rneetings; feels he is more suited to the Planning Commission but would be willing to serve on the Park and Recreation Commission if the Council prefers. Rex Greenwald - moved to Andover in 1995; is community oriented; loves to coach kids; has a degree from the Carlson School of Management and is vice president of a roofing company which does commercial roofing; has a sense of construction; wants to do something for Andover and be a part of what is going on; loves the growth taking place in the commercial area; is bothered by the concept of the Metropolitan Council as an unelected body that has such power and influence over money; thinks Andover has done a fine job of developing and cleaning up the community so far; likes the fact that the City is getting restaurants; likes the growth ofthe schools; likes the diversity but doesn't liked the forced density; has had some experience on govemment commissions and a lot in the church community; felt he should be chosen for the position because he has a passion to do it; would like to see the City focus more on parks and recreation for the children; felt the City needs to develop but must be cautious, generally liking it the way it is; felt development should not be done strictly for financial reasons but because that is what the community really wants; sees Andover growing at the pace of Maple Grove and felt the person who developed highway 10 should be shot, figuratively; would have no conflict attending Commission meetings; would prefer the Planning Commission over Park and Recreation. Randy Peek - has been a resident in Andover for 12 years; previously left the Planning Commission two to three years ago because offamily commitments but is now able to serve again; has always Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2001 Page 4 (Planning and Zoning Commission Interviews, Continued) been interested in public service; felt the community has to develop with a variety of housing types; is not opposed to density housing if it is appropriate; felt the density of housing like Presbyterian Homes is about as dense as the City would want; felt smart growth is appropriate; noted the area is more spread out than Los Angeles for which everyone is starting to pay; sees the rights of land owners being weighed against the public good; felt there should be a higher bar in terms of the level of quality required in development as other cities require much more; is concerned that Andover will become a bedroom community without a tax base to support it; feels the City needs commercial development that is not traffic related but probably smaller incubator companies and service oriented businesses; noted the response time of the deputies has not been the greatest and sees police as an issue the City needs to address; would have no trouble attending meetings. Jay Squires - has made a more informed decision to run for another term thinking he still has a lot to offer the City; has lived in Andover for 10 years, seeing the City change drastically in that time; has been on the Planning Commission for about eight years; believes he has participated in making good recommendations to the City Council in that time but there are more decisions that need to be made; sees the City is still experiencing growing pains with road and transportation issues, the battle to preserve the rural portion of the City as well as the interests of the Metropolitan Council versus the interests of the City; sees other issues such as commercial development to provide a tax base and law enforcement in terms of contracting with the county versus the City having its own department; has some concerns with the direction the Metropolitan Council is taking in terms of smart growth and the mentality of imposing quasi mandates on municipalities; thinks the communities have to protect their own interests, which he felt Andover has done; stated disregarding the benefits of the Metropolitan Council in favor of the City's best interest is a very tough decision for the City Council; asked that if reappointed he also be reappointed as Chair of the Commission because of the value and example he has to give the City; has received positive feedback from other Commissioners on his chairing the meetings, keeping the Commission on focus and on task, plus crowd control has been positive under his tenure. Don Slœlly - has lived in Andover for 12 years; grew up in Minneapolis; has been in the automobile business in sales and service manager for ten years; has worked for Hanson Builders for the last five years and became keenly aware ofland issues; is at a point in his life where he is interested in using his knowledge to become a part of the process; has no govemment experience but has been involved in church for most of his adult life; senses a struggle with people moving into the suburb versus those living here on the land; sees the issue as how the City will continue to grow and still maintain the character yet face the realities of living here; stated decisions should be to do what is right for everyone involved, noting how those who originally strongly opposed the location of the high school are now strongly in favor; doesn't totally understand the power of the Metropolitan Council versus the perceived power, realizing there is always a struggle, wanting to get along with them but not wanting to cowtow under to an unelected body; sees there are ways to do high density housing that is even more attractive than low density housing; predicted high density housing is coming; it's a matter of how the City deals with it; sees developers as a group that often doesn't look out enough for the City but are only looking out for themselves, which is frustrating to him; thinks Andover is Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2001 Page 5 (Planning and Zoning Commission Interviews, Continued) far too lenient on the developments in terms of requirements in neighborhood betterment compared to other communities; noted in the building business, consumers are willing to pay a lot of money for neighborhood improvements; would have no conflicts in attending Commission meetings. PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION INTERVIEWS (NOTE: The remaining applicants for the Park and Recreation Commission are scheduled to be interviewed at a Special Council meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2001) The Council interviewed the following applicants for the Park and Recreation Commission, alternately asking questions on the applicants' backgrounds, reasons for applying, their opinions on the most important issues facing parks in the City, recreational activities such as a community center or ice arena, what they would like to see in the City; why they should be chosen for the position and their ability to attend scheduled meetings: John Swoyer AI Grabowski Damon Noga (was scheduled but did not appear for the interview) John Swoyer - has lived in Andover 10 years; likes the rural atmosphere in the area; has children who are very active in a variety of sports plus uses the parks and trails; often bikes to work in Columbia Heights all on trails except in his neighborhood; loves being able to contribute to the City; is interested in working on plans for the City to retain and set aside open spaces; would like to explore different avenues for doing so such as DNR funding or through developments or working with organizations and enlisting the help of youth for maintenance; doesn't feel all parks need equipment or paved trails but can be just as enjoyable with unpaved trails or just natural open spaces; felt the City, school district and county do a nice job of offering a lot of activities; felt Sunshine Park was a wonderful addition to the City but is still concerned with losing the open spaces; would consider public funding of open spaces but would have to examine the details; was opposed to paying people not to develop their land, preferring instead that the city or county buy the land so the people can access it; doesn't have a strong opinion on a community center but would be interested in finding out the cost. Al Grabowski - was frustrated with the lack of attendance by some Commissioners because they don't get enough input; wants to remain on the Commission because there are more things to get done such as the trail connections; sees the replacement of park equipment as the biggest issue, suggesting building a fund for it similar to what other cities have done; doesn't want to do the scheduling and running the leagues for the association any more and will be cutting back this year; thinks it is important that people involved in the associations be on the Commission to provide input from their perspective; knows that only one hockey arena breaks even and Anoka breaks even because of pull tabs in five different locations; felt the City needs a hockey arena especially with the high school because there is no other place for them to go; felt a community center would be a white Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2001 Page 6 (Park and Recreation Commission Interviews, Continued) elephant unless partnered with a private enterprise; suggested the City would have to subsidize a staff person to do the scheduling of athletic events but felt it will have to happen, that the worst thing would be to have the school district do it. SELECTION OF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONERS The Council reviewed the strengths of the applicants and made their selection of two candidates to fill the vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission. After two rounds of voting, the following Motion was made: Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Knight, that Jay Squires and Rex Greenwald be appointed for three-year terms and that Paula Larsen and Maynard Apel be named as alternates in case someone on the Commission cannot fulfill their terms; and that Jay Squires be appointed Chair for one year. Motion carried on a 4- Yes, I-Absent (Orttel) vote. The Council was impressed with the number and quality of candidates interviewed and asked Staff to send letters to those not appointed to be signed by the Mayor thanking them for their interest and inviting them to participate in any of the other task force or committees that are coming up. There was also a brief discussion on the attendance policy per the ordinance on the Park and Recreation Commission, noting the concern of absences by at least two Commissioners. Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Knight, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:36 p.m. Respectfully submitted, \\~~~L- Marcella A. Peach Recording Secretary