HomeMy Public PortalAbout04.15.2020_Park Commission Meeting MinutesMedina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
April 15, 2020
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The Park Commission of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on April 15, 2020 at 7:00
p.m., which was held telephonically pursuant Minn. Stat. Sec. 13D.021. Park Commission Chair
Ann Thies presided.
1) Call to Order
Commissioners Present: Ann Thies, Terry Sharp, Mary Morrison, Angela
Bernhardt, Steve Lee, John Jacob
Commissioners Absent: Troy Hutchinson
Also Present: Public Works Director Steve Scherer, Assistant City
Administrator Jodi Gallup, Planning Director Dusty Finke
2) Additions to the Agenda: A motion was made by Thies and seconded by Lee to add a
discussion on the Friends of the Park program under the Staff Report/General Items. A
roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison - aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - aye
Park Commissioner John Jacob – aye
Motion passed unanimously
3) Approval of the Minutes from:
February 26, 2020 Meeting
A motion was made by Thies and seconded by Morrison to approve the minutes from
February 26, 2020 with one change on page 1 by adding “consultants from SRF as
representatives to Three Rivers Park District”.
A roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison - aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - abstain
Park Commissioner John Jacob – abstain
Motion passed unanimously.
4) Public Comments (on items not on the agenda): None.
5) City Council Update
Park Commissioners were directed to read the minutes on recent City Council actions.
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
April 15, 2020
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6) US Home Corp. (Lennar) – Meadow View Townhomes – N of Hwy 55 – S of
Meander Rd., W of CR116 – Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Plan –
Park and Trail Review
Planning Director Dusty Finke provided a presentation on the applicant’s, Lennar (US
Home Corporation) request for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Plan
Review for a proposed 138-unit townhome development south of Meander Road, west of
CR116 and north of Hwy 55. He explained the PUD process in that it is a distinct zoning
designation that the applicant can request to allow flexibility such as bonus density if the
applicant exceeds minimum requirements in other areas such as affordable housing, low
impact development, sound suppression, oversized garages, or open space and
recreational facilities.
Finke stated that the park dedication for the entire property was required when the portion
which now contains the Fields of Medina neighborhood was platted and 10% of the
buildable portion of the entire property was deeded to the City for the Park at Fields of
Medina. He noted that the applicant proposes a system of trails throughout the
neighborhood and along the eastern side of future Chippewa Road. The applicant has
indicated that they will construct these trails regardless but would grant them to the City
as public trails as additional benefit for the PUD, if the City desires the trails to be public.
Finke noted that the concept plan review does not require formal action by the Park
Commission but rather discussion and feedback for the applicant on if the trails should be
dedicated to the city or kept private.
Paul Tabone, representative from Lennar (the applicant), explained that the total
proposed open space on the site is 11.4 acres of the 19.81-acre developable area, which
includes a 1.9-acre central trail corridor with a total of 2,106 lineal feet of trails
throughout the community. He stated that the open space and trail corridor will be a nice
amenity for the community that goes beyond the minimum park/trail dedication
requirement, which is nothing for this site.
Tabone stated that they had received feedback to shift the townhomes south on the site to
be able to move the trail corridor from the center of the site to the north, which will help
reduce pavement and create a buffer between these townhomes and the neighborhood to
the north.
Thies then asked Commissioners for their feedback.
Lee questioned when the proposed property is staged for development in the current
Comprehensive Plan. Finke confirmed that it is in the current staging period and
development could happen at any time on this site.
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April 15, 2020
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Lee stated that he liked the idea of shifting everything south to eliminate the loop roads to
reduce pavement. He asked for Steve Scherer’s opinion on keeping the trail corridor in
the middle of the site or moving it north.
Scherer stated that he did not like the trail corridor in the middle of the site, because it
would be difficult to maintain by having to cross all the private drives. He would prefer
that the trail be shifted to the northern part of the site. He questioned if the HOA could
maintain ownership of the trails but allow public access.
Sharp stated that the Park at Fields of Medina is a great amenity and it will be important
for the new residents in the townhomes to have trail access to the park.
Tabone confirmed that Lennar’s goal is to provide connectivity from this proposed
development to the Park at Fields of Medina. He stated that Lennar is also proposing a
North-South trail along the future Tamarack Road to help with this connection.
Sharp questioned if there were any plans for play structures within the townhome
development? Tabone stated that this development does not have any proposed play
structures but does show passive play areas/open space.
Jacob stated that he liked the idea of creating a berm with a tree/landscape barrier south
of Meander Road to create separation from the Fields of Medina neighborhood and this
proposed development. He stated that he would like this development to have lower
density.
Tabone asked if the trail stayed privately owned by the HOA but accessible to the public,
if that would be a benefit of the PUD? Finke noted that it could help, but the decision
would be made by the City Council.
Morrison asked for clarification if the trail corridor would be next to Meander Road or
below the berm on the townhome side. Tabone stated that it would likely be below the
berm on the townhome side, but he is open to placing it where the city prefers it.
Lee stated that he would prefer the trail corridor be placed away from the road.
Bernhardt agreed with the comments made and appreciated the applicant’s proposal to
build the trails.
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April 15, 2020
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Thies noted that this concept plan was quite dense. She stated that she would advocate for
shifting the buildings to the south, reducing pavement, creating more green space, and
making the trail corridor more interesting as a linear park experience. She stated that she
did not see a public benefit for the city to own these trails.
Lee agreed that the city does not need to own the trails. He noted that the city already had
a public trail on the north side of Meander Road that the city needs to maintain.
Jacob stated that he liked the idea of expanding green space and that he agreed that there
is not much value in the city owning the trails.
Tabone noted that if the townhomes were shifted south, it could result in a little more
wetland impact.
Thies and Lee stated that the wetland impacts could be reduced if the development
removed a proposed housing unit or two.
7) Staff Report
May Park Tours – Thies stated that the bus park tours that were scheduled in May
would not be able to happen as a group due to social distancing requirements. She
asked the Park Commissioners to individually visit their parks and update the
Park Asset Inventory spreadsheet prior to June 1st and send the updates and
comments to Gallup. She asked that Park Commissioners bring an updated
Capital Improvement Plan with them on their visit to the parks to be able to start
planning for future park needs, and to review what is to occur this year. Lee
provided an updated explanation of the Park Asset Inventory spreadsheet. Thies
suggested that as this document is updated, we keep the past items as a historical
reference.
2020 Park Commission Goals – Park Commissioners reviewed the 2020 goals.
Thies asked that the city keep moving forward on hiring a consultant to start the
park concept planning for Hunter Lions Park and for Lakeshore Park.
General Items:
o Friends of the Park Program – Thies requested that an article be placed in
the next newsletter to help promote the Friends of the Park program. She
noted that they were going to try to promote it at Medina Clean-up Day,
but this event has been postponed. She asked if roadside garbage would
still be picked up by the Boy Scouts before the grass grows even though
Clean Up Day was not happening. It was noted that if the Boy Scouts
picked up garbage, they could not do it as a group and would have to work
with their family units. It was suggested that a note be placed in the
newsletter or on the website asking residents to pick up roadside garbage
near their homes since it may not otherwise occur this year.
o Other items – Steve reported that he was working on putting an offer on
potential park land and would provide a future update as more information
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April 15, 2020
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can be shared. Scherer stated they were working on the lakeshore
restoration project for Lake Independence.
8) Adjourn
A motion was made by Lee, seconded by Jacob, to adjourn the meeting.
A roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison - aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - aye
Park Commissioner John Jacob – aye
Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jodi Gallup