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072307 CC WS MinCITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2007 MINUTES CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS 6:15 P.M. Mayor Lizee called the meeting to order at 6:23 P.M. A. Roll Call Present. Mayor Lizee; Councilmembers Turgeon, Wellens, and Woodruff; Administrator Dawson; Assistant Attorney Mayeron; Finance Director Burton; Director of Public Works Brown; and Engineer Landini Absent: Councilmember Callies B. Review Agenda Wellens moved, Turgeon seconded, Approving the Agenda as presented. Motion passed 4/0. 2. BILLBOARD REGULATIONS Administrator Dawson stated Council had asked staff to review the current sign regulations with regard to electronic billboards. The City's Zoning Code does not allow new billboards; existing billboards were all nonconforming uses which must be maintained as they were. 3. DEER MANAGEMENT Administrator Dawson stated at a June 25, 2007, Council work session Council expressed interest in the possibility of the use of the bow-and-arrow method to dispatch deer and requested additional information. Dawson explained the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was aware of two groups that had provided deer removal services for local governments and owners of private properties. The groups were Minnesota Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB) and Urban Deer Management (UDM). Both groups carry sufficient insurance and offer their services at no cost. Dawson went on to explain MBRB had done deer removal since 1995. To become an MBRB member an individual must pass an accredited bowhunter education course, sign a waiver of liability, sign an ethics pledge, and pass an archery proficiency test. Qualified hunters were selected for hunts by lottery. A coordinator was designated for each deer removal project. During the hunting season the hunters can keep the meat; outside of hunting season the meat must be donated to food shelves. MBRB's practice was to focus on removing does as part of its deer control operations. On private properties, the landowners set the conditions under which the bowhunters may operate. Either the MBRB or the City would gain permission and make arrangements with private landowners. Dawson then explained UDM had limited membership that was not open to the general public. It was careful in its membership selection process to ensure marksmanship and safety. It used a hunting party CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING July 23, 2007 Page 2 of 3 approach to deer removal, and it made use of the party hunting provisions of the DNR's deer regulations. UMD had conducted deer removal operations on both public and private lands. Councilmember Turgeon stated she had reviewed the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base website. She highlighted some of her findings. She stated that group had demonstrated an excellent success rate in deer removal. She then stated she would be supportive of using MBRB for deer removal efforts. She commented that the UDM website had been suspended. Richard Stromber~, 551.0 Wedgewood Drive, stated that via email in 2006 he stated his preference for the deer removal effort to be City-wide, and that the bow-and-arrow method should be allowed to dispatch the deer. He explained that the MBRB did not allow residents to participate in a removal effort unless they had been certified to become a member of the MBRB. He commented that deer would be less stressed by using the bow-and-arrow removal method than by the trap-and-dispatch method. He also commented that one doe on his property had given birth to triplets each of the last five years. Cross-bows had recently been approved for use during the firearm deer hunting season. He stated the MBRB had conducted a public hearing for a community, and of the approximate 300 attendees a very large majority was in support of a removal effort. The following noteworthy clarifications were made. - A special permit from the DNR would be required for a deer removal outside of the hunting season. - The special permit for the Minnetonka Country Club deer removal effort was issued to the City in 2006. - The City's Ordinance was modified in 2006 to allow for deer management activities. The intent was the deer removal efforts would be conducted by organizations. - A private resident could remove deer from their property during hunting season provided he /she had a DNR license and authorization from the City. - It was not clear if the deer census conducted in February 2007 depicted if the deer had been spotted on City-owned or private property. - The deer bow-and-arrow season goes from September 15, 2007, through December 31, 2007. - The Minnetonka Country Club had related that the deer removal effort done on that property had been successful and may consider making a request to repeat the effort again. There was Council consensus that for the first year deer removal efforts would be coordinated by an organized group during the bow-and-arrow deer hunting season, and only members of the group could participate in the removal. Council requested that MBRB be asked to make a presentation to Council. There was comment that the City's parks and large marshy areas could be considered for deer removal. The Public Works staff may be able to provide insight on that topic. 4. OTHER Administrator Dawson made the following clarifications in response to questions from Councilmember Turgeon. The Home Leasing & Management's standard lease for the City-owned property at 5795 Country Club had been modified to include the terms agreed upon at the May 29, 2007, Council work session (he reviewed those terms). The lessee was scheduled to move into the house on August 1, 2007. An additional $100 damage deposit would be paid for the lessee's elderly cat (the total damage amount was $1600). The monthly rent was $1500. The property manager would keep the first months rent as an CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING July 23, 2007 Page 3 of 3 up front fee for a new tenant. After that the property manager would receive 10 percent of the monthly rent for its services. The property manager would collect the rent, and the City would be paid within ten days of the rent being received. 4. ADJOURN Wellens moved, Woodruff seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session Meeting of July 23, 2007, at 6:50 P.M. Motion passed 4/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder Christine Lizee, Mayor Craig W.~1)~wson, C~tL~~dministrator/Clerk