Fridley Council Set to Vote on Farmers Market Ordinance Monday

The Fridley City Council will vote Monday on changing the zoning code to .

In response to questions at the council's May 7 meeting, city staff has proposed removing the word "outdoors" from the proposed definition of a farmer's market so markets could also happen indoors.

from their gardens from their front yards or driveways, according to a June 7 staff memo included in the full agenda for Monday's regular council meeting (see PDF, page 86).

The staff memo also said that has inquired about whether the company would need a new farmers market permit to hold a private, employees-only market on company property. The answer, according to the memo, is no.

New St. William's Church Sign
The council will also take up a resolution to approve a at the Church of St. William. Twenty square feet of the new sign's total area of 40 square feet would carry electronic messages. 

Fridley Fire Use of Minneapolis Training Facility
Another item on the council's Monday agenda is a contract to allow the Fridley Fire Department to lease the Minneapolis Fire Department training facility—that happens to be in Fridley. According to a memo from Fridley Fire Chief John Berg:

The Minneapolis Training Facility has amenities that are not available at the training facility jointly owned by the SBM, Brooklyn Center and Fridley Fire Departments. The amenity of most interest to Fridley is the two story Burn Building which would allow Fridley Firefighters to conduct “Live Fire Training”. Fridley Firefighters have not participated in live fire training for several years and there are firefighters on the department that have not been exposed to this environment since that training took place.

Rates are $500 for two hours at the facility's burn building or its rail car live fire simulator; Berg noted there are grants to pay for live fire training in 2013.

East River Road Corridor Plan
The Fridley City Council will also vote on whether to change the city's comprehensive plan to accommodate the East River Road Corridor Study that the council approved in March.

Gateway Marketing Funds
The council will consider how to spend more than $5,000 raised from a 3 percent lodging tax that Twin Cities Gateway, a regional tourism bureau, collects. City staff proposed:

• (an increase of $400): $2,400
• Springbrook Nature Center "": $1,100
• /Fridley Parks and Recreation: $1,100
• Springbrook Nature Center (new): $752

Commission Vacancies
Before its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m., the council will gather at 6 p.m. to interview applicats for vacancies on city commissions. Both meetings take place at .