HomeMy WebLinkAbout05(G) - Adopt Two Ordinances and a Resolution Updating Chapters 1, 2, 5 and 8 of the City Code Relating to Public Safety Report
City of Prior Lake | 4646 Dakota Street SE | Prior Lake MN 55372
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
ITEM: 5G
MEETING DATE: August 17, 2020
PREPARED BY: Sarah Schwarzhoff, City Attorney; Ann Orlofsky, City Clerk
PRESENTED BY: Sarah Schwarzhoff
AGENDA ITEM: Adopt Two Ordinances and a Resolution Updating Chapters 1, 2, 5
and 8 of the City Code Relating to Public Safety
GOAL AREA
OBJECTIVE:
High-Value City Services
6. Seek community engagement through a variety of
communication methods to reach all residents.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Two Ordinances Updating Chapters 1, 2, 5 and 8 of the City Code Relating to Public
Safety; and Adopt Resolution Approving Summaries of the Ordinances for Publication
BACKGROUND:
The ordinances of the City were previously codified in 1974. Over the years, as the number of
ordinances increased with the growth of the City, the staff has determined that a complete and
detailed recodification and update was essential in order to facilitate transparency and keep the
City Code up-to-date as to the current law. With the recodification and update staff plans to
accomplish the following: (1) elimination of repetition and non-essentials; (2) easy revision and
ease of incorporation of new ordinances; (3) comprehensiveness; and, (4) ease of locating a
subject provision.
Council adopted the first ordinances (reorganization and Chapters 1 and 2) early this year. The
ordinances before the Council tonight update Chapters 5 and 8 along with some additional
updates to Chapters 1 and 2 which result from the proposed revisions to 5 and 8.
Chapter 5 and 8: Chapter 5 currently contains Fire Regulations and Chapter 8 currently contains
Police Regulations. Staff determined that combining Chapters 5 and 8 into a new Chapter 8
named Public Safety would be more user friendly. Therefore, the proposed ordinance deletes all
sections in Chapter 5 and reorganizes all of the Fire and Police regulations under Chapter 8.
Proposed Chapter 8 will regulate the following: 801 Animals; 802 Emergency Management; 803
General Offenses; 804 Dangerous Weapons; 805 False Alarms; and 806 Fire Code. The
following is a summary of the major revisions related to Public Safety:
801 Animals – Significant revisions to reorganize and revise. Combines existing 801 “Animals
and Fowl” and 802 “Dogs and Cats” into one section. Redefines animals into three categories –
farm, pets and exotic. Updates how many animals are allowed in each zoning district.
Consolidates the various seizure and impoundment regulations for consistency. Updates the
potentially dangerous and dangerous dog requirements to be consistent with State statute.
802 Emergency Management – No substantive revisions, relocated from Chapter 1
Item 5G
Page | 2
803 General Offenses –The current Code language is outdated and the proposed revisions
primarily update the language to match existing State law and nearby cities language. For
example, “disturbing the peace” has been updated to “disorderly conduct” and references to
State statute have been updated as appropriate. In addition, several existing sections such as
“obscenity” have been combined for ease of use and enforcement.
804 Dangerous Weapons – This section was updated fairly recently. The only proposed
revisions are the deletion of “special hunts”. Over the last several years the Council has shown
discomfort with special hunts due to the development of the City and the concerns about
discharging firearms near residences, schools and trails. Based on this staff and Chief Frazer
are recommending the removal of special hunts. This would mean the only special hunts
permitted within the City in the future will be County approved hunts on County property.
805 False Alarms – General clarification and language updates
806 Fire Code – This is a new proposed section which consolidates fire code regulations
including adoption of the State Fire Code and open burning permits which previously existed in
Chapter 5. The language was also updated to adopt the most recent State Fire Code.
Chapter 1:
109 City Departments and Officers – This is a new section which establishes the various
departments and officers within the City. Some of these existed already and are being
consolidated, others did not exist and are new. This section now reflects the current operations
of the City.
111 Disposal of Property – This primarily exists in Section 111 but there is also a disposal
provision in Chapter 8. This is a combination of the two sections without any major substantive
revisions.
Chapter 2:
Fee schedule – updated to delete fees that are no longer needed and to add new fees for the
revisions to Chapters 5 and 8.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None expected.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Motion and second as part of the consent agenda to adopt two ordinances which amend
City Code Chapters 1, 2, 5 and 8 and adopt resolutions approving summaries of the
ordinances for publication.
2. Motion and a second to remove this item from the consent agenda for additional
discussion.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2020 02 11 - Ordinance Chapter 1 Update
2. 2020 02 11 - Ordinance Chapter 5 and 8 Reorg