Agenda - Charter Commission - 04/20/1995

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express purpose of selling it to industrial f'mns to build on. This Charter provision slows down the transa0ttons. If we bought property and said we are selling it to "Developer A" or a developer who comes along we write an agreement and sell the property. It's cleaner, cheaper and easier to accomplish. The concern at the last Council was what's to protect the City from a Cou~lcil who buys up all the land or sells all the land in town. The City is the largest landowners. What if we decided to sell parkland. Mr. Schroeder stated that Attorney Goodrlch has stated that the sale of parkland is adequately addressed in the Statutes. An or4inance has been drafted that deletes Section 12.5 and Mr. Goodrich is comfortable with~this recommendation. Commissioner Ooode asked what if a citizen in the area where the sale is to take place disagrees with what the land will be used for. He inquired what procedure is available to bring the issue b~ck for more discussion. Mr. Schroeder s~ted that the intent is to deal with commercially and industrially zoned property - the in~nt would not be to go next door to a resident and buy four acres and put some indusu3, there. It would be ludicrous to do that· What's to protect citizens from that occurring - he stated he didn't know but that he would get that information. Chairperson St¢ffen stated he had spoken with Mr. Larry Johnson, a Charter Commissioner fer Coon Rapids, and they have their Redevelopment Authority do the buying and sellin~ of land. Their Authority is made up of the Councilmembers, however, they are acting a~ the Redevelopment Authority and not the City Council. He inquired if the City of Ramsey has something like that or could do something like that. Mr. Schroeder stated that the City of Ramsey cannot do that at present because procedurally we have not tr~sferred assets to the redevelopment agency; however, we have an Economic Development Authority that would have the ability to do that. We funnel transactions throi~gh the Development Authority Account but have Council make the dec,stun as the C~ty Council as opposed to the EDA. Mr. Schroeder stated that at the last City he worked aa the HRA bought and sold all the land. Commissioner G°ode inquired where the control would be in that agency (EDA) to prevent them from doing be same thing. Mr. Schroeder stated there is none really except in this case, we have the entire Council on the EDA. It is possible to have some citizens on the EDA also. The City of Robbinsdale's HRA had two C6uncilmembers and three citizens on it's board. He added that the HRA was far wealthier in cash assets than the City. Commissioner Goode inquired about the funding. Mr. Schroeder replied that the funding is through T[F and land sales. Commissioner Goode felt that the way the process is written right now, it brings the issue back for the public to allow them to petition against. Commissioner Swokowski asked if there is a way to petition to stop an ordinance. Mr. Schroeder replied no, but it gives the public two opportunities to hear about it. The ordinance is actu~ly published in the paper after its passage. Chairperson Steffen stated he feels we should do something to ensure the City can move quickly on redevelopment projects. He stated that the 20 acres here at City Hall is valuable Charter Commission/January 19, 1995