Laserfiche WebLink
7.02: Receive Update on Metropolitan Council Brownfield Cleanup Grant Award and <br /> Discuss Fair Housing Policy Requirement <br /> Community Development Director Gladhill reviewed the staff report and stated that staff is <br /> seeking broad policy direction and is not providing a specific recommendation. However, staff <br /> reiterates that this policy is not required or otherwise mandated but is necessary if the City <br /> desires to access the cleanup grant dollars recently awarded to the City for the River Walk <br /> Village development project. The policy is not a requirement for all Livable Communities <br /> Grants, from which the City has received nearly $6,000,000 in the past 20 years. <br /> Acting Mayor Riley stated that it seems that if the City wants to accept the award of$900,000, <br /> the City would be required to have this policy in place. <br /> Community Development Director Gladhill confirmed that to be true. <br /> Councilmember Heinrich asked and received confirmation that the Fair Housing Officer position <br /> would be deferred to an existing staff member. She asked for information on the training that <br /> would be required. <br /> Community Development Director Gladhill stated that it is his understanding that the training is <br /> more about Ramsey staff training other Ramsey staff to ensure that the calls are being directed to <br /> the Fair Housing Officer. <br /> Councilmember Heinrich asked if the requirements would be things that current staff could <br /> handle. <br /> Community Development Director Gladhill confirmed that these elements do not seem to place a <br /> burden on staff. He explained that staff is already doing these things; this would just place it <br /> under a new lens. <br /> Councilmember Kuzma stated that he was pleased to see the grant award, noting that this <br /> property has been a problem for years, and therefore he would support this policy. <br /> Acting Mayor Riley stated that he understands that a policy needs to be drafted and adopted and <br /> would like to see the policy as "City friendly" and least restrictive as possible. <br /> Councilmember Musgrove referenced the bullet points; specifically the item which states the <br /> City does not restrict the number of people in a dwelling unit and asked for information related <br /> to the Fire Code. <br /> Communixy Development Director Gladhill stated that it more related to college atmospheres <br /> where there are a number of unrelated individuals living in a home, which can overload. He <br /> stated that case law states that the City can restrict the number of unrelated individuals living in a <br /> dwelling unit, but the City currently does not have such a limit. <br /> City Council/August 27,2019 <br /> Page 5 of 6 <br />