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MINUTES
LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION MEETING
7:00 p.m., May 4, 2009
Minutes are not a verbatim transcription, but rather an attempt to capture the intent of the speaker by the City Clerk.
ITEM 1 – CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Lakewood Civic Center, 480 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, Colorado.
ITEM 2 – ROLL CALL
Those present were: Mayor Bob Murphy, Presiding
Diana Allen
Doug Anderson
Karen Kellen
Sue King
Debbie Koop
Adam Paul
Ed Peterson
Tom Quinn
Vicki Stack
Absent: Cindy Baroway
Staff in attendance: Mike Rock, City Manager
Tim Cox, City Attorney
Full and timely notice of this Study Session had been given and a quorum was present.
Joni Inman, Director, Mayor and City Manager’s Office; Erma Steck, Coordinator, Advisory Commission for an Inclusive Community (ACIC); and Karen Harrison, ACIC Chairman, gave a three-part presentation regarding the Advisory Commission for an Inclusive Community.
Joni Inman asked ACIC members in attendance to stand and be recognized. She gave a brief history as to how the 60-member ACIC was formed. She explained that at the City Council's February 2007 annual planning session, concerns about the then-current commission structure were discussed, particularly the lack of communication and direction at all levels and the high level of frustration for City Council, staff and commission members. A decision was made to form a team to study best practices across the country. From this study, came the recommendation to combine the four commissions into the ACIC, with a mission to advise City Council on policy and to encourage communications between ACIC members and the community. ACIC is multi-disciplined so that if one sub-group is short of members, the entire Commission can work to bolster it. Ms. Inman reviewed procedures developed recently to improve communications between ACIC and City Council.
Erma Steck gave a summary of ACIC’s first year, including challenges and how they were addressed by the Commission.
Karen Harrison spoke about the very bright future of ACIC because of the talent that exists on the Commission. She feels that the greatest strength of ACIC is its diversity. She also commented on committee meetings, ACIC meetings, outreach programs, and City Council involvement. Plans are to submit to Council two new proposals from each of the nine committees before the end of this year. She noted too, that ACIC needs more assignments from City Council.
Council members expressed appreciation to the ACIC for their dedication and hard work, and extended words of encouragement to continue doing a fine job.
For presentation purposes, Items 4 and 5 were combined.
ITEM 4 – PRESENTATION – WEST CORRIDOR CITY STATION AREA PLAN
ITEM 5 – PRESENTATION – UNION CORRIDOR CONSTRUCTION PLAN IGA
Roger Wadnal, Comprehensive Planning and Research Manager, gave Council an update on recent light rail station activities. The West Corridor Light Rail Station Plan includes Federal Center Station, Oak Street Station, Garrison Station, Wadsworth Station, Lamar Station and the Sheridan Station. Scheduled lines and openings are slated for the year 2013. He also spoke about the Master Infrastructure Plan, current planning efforts that are underway and what is included in the next planning effort. He noted that, with the assistance of a consultant, they are working on a required level of improvement, identifying costs and priority phasing. They hope to have a draft report by Summer 2009.
Rob Smetana, Principal Planner, spoke about the Federal Center-Union Corridor Connectivity Plan. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued in December 2008 and a Review Committee was formed. A consulting team was selected to assess the plan. The next step is to present to City Council a resolution to enter into an IGA with Rapid Transit District (RTD) for the final funding and to contract with OV Consulting by the end of May 2009. Action requested tonight is to move these items forward to the May 11, 2009 City Council Meeting.
A brief discussion ensued regarding notification to homeowners to involve them in the planning process. Home/property owners will be notified through homeowner association meetings as well as the usual and standard manner for mail outs. Open public meetings will also be scheduled.
It was the consensus from Council to move these items forward to the next Council meeting.
ITEM 6 – PRESENTATION – INFORMATION ON CITY’S LIEN POLICIES AND PRESENTATION
Tim Cox, City Attorney, gave a presentation regarding the City’s nuisance regulations, which includes the definition of a nuisance, methods of abatement and abatement procedures, cumulative remedies, concurrent remedies, right-of-entry, costs/ charges, and how the process works in obtaining liens in Code Enforcement situations. He noted other similar lien provisions in the City of Lakewood.
He compared what’s happened in other jurisdictions where such actions are authorized, with how it’s done in Lakewood. He gave Lakewood statistics from 2006 to 2008 regarding Code Enforcement cases, abatement cases, liens placed, liens certified to tax rolls and tax sales. He mentioned that during that three year period, 97% of code enforcement cases do not require abatement in that they were resolved through negotiations, citations, or in court. Also, 30%-50% of abatement cases are paid before a lien is imposed and 20%-50% of liens are paid before they are certified to Jefferson County.
As discussion ensued about removing the lien process from our system, some felt that many residents are appreciative of the work done by Code Enforcement and feel it is a necessary component of the City of Lakewood. Also, the lien process helps to maintain property values in the neighborhoods, and no one has lost their home under this system. The majority of Council members present feel the system works.
It was the consensus of members present to leave the system as it is.
ITEM 7 – OPEN DISCUSSION
Councilwoman Allen stated that she hopes to get help for the Head Start program from the General Fund. Currently, this is being worked on.
ITEM 8 – REPORTS
Mayor Murphy and City Council Members reported their attendance at previous meetings and events and announced upcoming neighborhood meetings and events.
ITEM 9 – ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Council; Mayor Murphy adjourned the meeting at 9:14 p.m.
Submitted by,
Sharon Blackstock, Acting City Clerk
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