CITY OF COON RAPIDS, MINNESOTA
CHAPTER 3-200
ADVISORY COMMISSIONS AND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS

3-201 Appointments, Vacancies and Continuation. All appointments to advisory commissions, committees, and the Board of Adjustment and Appeals shall be such as to maintain any required proportional representation and shall be approved by a majority vote of the City Council. The term of each member shall be for three (3) years and shall terminate on December 31 of the third year or until a successor has been appointed and qualified. When vacancies occur in a position, an appointment shall be made in like manner for the remainder of the unexpired term. Each of the members serving at the time of the adoption of this Code shall serve out his or her term. All commissions, committees, and the Board of Adjustment and Appeals, established by prior ordinances, are hereby continued. [Revised 10/17/00, Ordinance 1711]

Employees of the City of Coon Rapids shall be entitled to serve on any commission, committee, or the Board of Adjustment and Appeals except, however, that the employee shall not serve on any committee for which his or her supervisor is the staff liaison. [Revised 10/17/00, Ordinance 1711]

3-202 Organizational Structure. The chair of each commission, committee, and the Board of Adjustment and Appeals shall be designated by the City Council from among the members of each such body. The chair shall be responsible for presiding at the meetings and shall be entitled to an equal vote with other members. Each such body shall elect such other officers as may be deemed necessary and adopt its own rules of procedure, which rules shall conform to the provisions of the City Code and resolutions adopted by the City Council. [Revised 10/17/00, Ordinance 1711]

3-203 Meetings. At its annual organizational meeting, the commission, board, or committee shall designate the time and place of its regular meetings, which shall be not less than quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the chair or by any two (2) members of the commission, board, or committee by the giving of written notice to all members of the commission, board, or committee 48 hours prior to the time of the meeting. All meetings shall be open to the public and shall be held at the City Hall or other public or semipublic facility. The City Council reserves the right to adopt, by resolution, additional rules for the operation of commissions, boards, and committees.

3-204 Annual Work Program. Each commission, board, or committee shall prepare an annual work program which shall be submitted to the City Council for approval on or before February 1 of each year. Any major deviation from the approved work program during the year shall be approved in advance by the Council.

3-205 Election Issues. No commission, board, or committee shall advocate any position on an issue in any election without prior approval of the City Council.

3-206 Compensation. Members of commissions, boards, and committees shall not be entitled to compensation for serving in such capacity except as follows:

(1) Members may be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses that directly relate to their position except for any expenses associated with members’ attendance at regular or special meetings of the commission, boards or committees.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the City may provide meals for members who are required to meet over a normal meal time.

(3) Not more frequently than once per calendar year the City may sponsor a recognition event that members and one guest each may attend at City expense. [Revised 11/6/02, Ordinance 1788]

3-207 Staff Liaison. The City Manager shall assign an employee to each commission or board to serve as liaison to the staff.

3-208 Board of Adjustment and Appeals.

(1) Composition. The Board of Adjustment and Appeals shall be composed of five (5) members. [Revised 10/17/00, Ordinance 1711]

(2) Functions. The functions of the Board shall be as follows:

(a) To conduct hearings and deny or grant variances from the terms of the zoning and building codes and ordinances.

(b) To consider and decide appeals from decisions made by the Building Official.

(c) To consider and decide appeals from decisions made by the Zoning Administrator.

(d) For the purpose of such decision, to interpret, construe, and decide meanings of the zoning and building codes; but the Board shall not determine the validity of any such provision of the code.

(e) To perform such other duties as may be prescribed in this Code or by Minnesota Statutes.

3-209 Capital Improvement Committee.

(1) Composition. The Capital Improvement Committee shall be composed of one (1) member from the City Council, one (1) member from the City Planning Commission, one (1) member from the Parks and Recreation Commission, the City Manager, the Finance Director, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Planning and Development, and three (3) at-large appointees from the general community.

(2) Functions. The functions of the Capital Improvement Committee shall be as follows:

(a) Develop and periodically review procedures for the handling of capital improvements, whether petitioned for or not.

(b) Develop and maintain a five (5) year capital improvement program anticipating in broad scope the needs of the community, the priorities of improvements, and the ability of the community to bond for these improvements. In the preparation of the capital improvement program, the Committee will:

i. Estimate the ability of the City to bond including annual debt reduction.

ii. Take into consideration the bond rating.

iii. Compute (with ratios) the immediate maintenance cost and the increasing maintenance cost for the period covered by the capital improvement program.

(c) Upon Council request, review within the allotted time, petitions for capital improvements and the relation of these petitioned improvements to the predetermined priority scheduling, and recommend a course of action to the City Council.

3-210 Economic Development Commission.

(1) Composition. The Economic Development Commission shall be composed of seven (7) members.

(2) Functions. The functions of the Economic Development Commission shall be as follows:

(a) Consistent with the mission defined by the Commission and approved by the City Council, provide advice and appropriate assistance to the City Council regarding objectives, policies and strategies for the economic development of the City including encouraging the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of desirable new businesses to the City.

(b) As requested by the City Council, engage in special activities regarding the economic development of the City. [Repealed 2/25/92, Ordinance 1403][Re-established 9/28/93, Ordinance 1464]

3-211 Arts Commission.

(1) Composition. The Arts Commission shall be composed of 15 members interested in the development of the arts. They need not be residents of Coon Rapids.

(2) Purpose. The Arts Commission was created by the Coon Rapids City Council in 1974 to foster the development of the arts, to advise the City Council on arts related matters, and to stimulate participation in and appreciation of the arts by all area residents.

(3) Functions. The functions of the Arts Commission shall be as follows:

(a) Promote and support local artistic events and activities.

(b) Identify cultural needs in the community.

(c) Support new cultural organizations by co-sponsoring events. Encourage them to continue their efforts independently.

(d) Develop a plan and financial budget to carry out the goals.

(e) Coordination of other programs as directed by the City Council. [Revised 6/22/93, Ordinance 1453]

3-212 Historical Commission.

(1) Composition. The Commission shall consist of nine (9) members of whom at least one (1) member of the Commission shall be a member of the Anoka County Historical Society, if available.

(2) Functions. The functions of the Commission shall be as follows:

(a) To act as an advisory board to the City Council in matters relating to the preservation of buildings, lands, areas, or districts which possess historical or architectural significance and which will promote the educational, cultural, and general welfare of the City of Coon Rapids.

(b) To recommend to the City Council the acquisition and maintenance of buildings, lands, areas, or districts which the Commission has determined to be of historical or architectural value.

(c) To recommend to the City Councilmembers, places, or events which are recognized as being of historical significance to the City.

(d) To recommend to the Council means of recognizing and recording such persons, places, or events; to plan activities which shall from time to time recognize the history of the City.

(e) To plan and coordinate all City activities relating to the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration.

(f) Such other programs and activities as the Council may refer to the Commission.

3-213 Human Rights Commission. [Repealed 2/6/07, Ordinance 1941]

3-214 Human Services Commission. - [Repealed 04/10/90, Ordinance 1330]

3-215 Parks and Recreation Commission.

(1) Composition. The Parks and Recreation Commission shall be composed of seven (7) members. [Revised 10/17/95, Ordinance 1545][Revised 12/20/05, Ordinance 1913]

(2) Functions. The functions of the Parks and Recreation Commission shall be as follows:

(a) To prepare and maintain a comprehensive plan for the development of parks and recreation within the City.

(b) To conduct hearings and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to proposed changes of ordinances relating to parks and recreation in furtherance of the Comprehensive Plan and regulations therefor. [Revised 12/20/05, Ordinance 1913]

(c) To study and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to programs and practices of the Parks and Recreation Department concerning the utilization of facilities, and coordination of long-range park and recreation plans with the County, the Metropolitan Council, and the State of Minnesota, and in regard to licensing and concession operations.

(d) To study and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to the development of guidelines to ensure proper coordination of public recreational programs and park use; community school programs, programs such as those offered by other public agencies such as the Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District; and with all private organizations offering park and recreational programs.

3-216 Planning Commission.

(1) Composition. The Planning Commission shall be composed of seven (7) members.

(2) Functions. The functions of the Planning Commission shall be as follows:

(a) To prepare and maintain a comprehensive plan for the development of the City.

(b) To conduct hearings and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to proposed changes in zoning classifications and in regard to proposed special use permits.

(c) To study and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to amendments to the zoning code.

(d) To study and make recommendations to the City Council in regard to means to carry out the Comprehensive Plan and regulations therefore.

(e) To assume such other and further duties as may from time to time be directed by the City Council.

3-217 Safety Commission.

(1) Composition. The Safety Commission shall be composed of 11 members.

(2) Functions. The functions of the Safety Commission shall be as follows:

(a) To act as an advisory board to the City Council on matters related to public safety.

(b) To determine safety priorities for the Sidewalk System Plan.

(c) To provide a forum for the review of public requests and concerns regarding safety in all phases of community life and refer citizen concerns to the appropriate organization or body in an attempt to promote public safety.

(d) To serve as the appeal body for decisions made by City staff concerning traffic safety issues and forward a recommendation to the City Council.

(e) To perform other duties as the Council may refer to the Commission. [Revised 6/1/04, Ordinance 1839]

3-218 Cable Communications Commission. [Repealed 11/6/96, Ordinance 1579]

3-219 Housing and Community Development Citizens Advisory Commission.

(1) Composition. The Commission shall consist of nine (9) members, five (5) of whom shall be appointed by the City Council from the community at large. In addition, the Planning Commission, Capital Improvement Committee, Economic Development Commission and the Human Rights Commission shall each appoint one of its members to the Commission. [Revised 2/22/94, Ordinance 1482]

(2) Function. The function of the Commission shall be as follows:

(a) To assist the City Council in determining priorities for the Community Development Block Grant (C.D.B.G.) program.

(b) To provide a forum for the collection of public input on C.D.B.G. programs.

(c) To make recommendations to the City Council on the use of program income for eligible projects.

(d) To consider such other programs as the Council may refer to the Commission. [Revised 02/25/92, Ordinance 1403]