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<br />Item #6.2. <br /> <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Scott Clark, Community Development Director ~ <br /> <br />DATE: January 29,2007 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Community Development Discussion <br /> <br />The purpose of this memorandum is to outline a framework for discussion between the Community <br />Development Department and the City Council on a wide array of issues. In part, it is hoped that this <br />discussion will assist in establishing expectations and direction on such issues as code enforcement, <br />staff report recommendations and overall priorities and secondly, to inform Council on the <br />Department's key initiatives that are currently underway or planned for the near future. <br /> <br />1) The League of Minnesota Municipalities has given the City a news release ( attached and <br />dated January 10, 2007) that a number of cities are contemplating changes to their billboard <br />ordinances since that industry is now developing billboards as television monitors with <br />copy that can change rapidly. It appears that many times the electronic billboards are <br />retrofits of existing signs. Since the City has a large number of billboards, does the <br />Council view that this is an issue that should be addressed? <br /> <br />2) At the present time staff is unsure how Council wants to handle code enforcement issues <br />(e.g. proactive, reactive, areas of concern). An example of this is a local car dealership that <br />has a sign that violates existing Ordinances and prior to an enforcement action, staff views <br />that Council discussion and direction be provided. Staff is proposing that one option for <br />code enforcement is that prior to taking any action that a informational memo could be sent <br />to the Council regarding the action, issues, etc. and if no request by Council is given to pull <br />a given item for future discussion, staff would proceed accordingly. In addition to public <br />nuisance and Zoning Ordinance enforcement, the other major issue that would be included <br />in here regards issues associated with certificates of occupancy that are major in nature <br />(meaning that health and safety considerations are at stake.) <br /> <br />3) Another important discussion item is staff reports. A recently expressed concern is that <br />some staff recommendations are "creating policy" which should rest solely with the <br />Council. Staff understands that final policy formation rests with the Council and in no way <br />does staff attempt to create policy with our recommendations. In reviewing zoning and <br /> <br />S: \Cornmunity Development\Scott Oark \2007 CC memos \City Council Update 2007.doc <br />