HomeMy Public PortalAbout11.18.2020_Park Commission Meeting MinutesMedina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2020
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The Park Commission of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on November 18, 2020 at
7:00 p.m., which was held virtually pursuant Minn. Stat. Sec. 13D.021. Park Commission Chair
Ann Thies presided.
1) Call to Order
Commissioners Present: Ann Thies, Steve Lee, John Jacob, Terry Sharp, Troy
Hutchinson, Mary Morrison, Angela Bernhardt
Commissioners Absent: None
Also Present: City Council member John Anderson, Public Works
Director Steve Scherer, Assistant City Administrator Jodi
Gallup, Planning Director Dusty Finke
2) Additions to the Agenda: None.
3) Approval of the Minutes from:
October 21, 2020 Meeting
Page 5 – Lee noted that the trees should be removed… Lee stated he was
supportive of pickleball and staging the park improvements.
A motion was made by Sharp and seconded by Morrison to approve the minutes from
October 21, 2020 as amended.
A roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - aye
Park Commissioner John Jacob – aye
Park Commissioner Troy Hutchinson – aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison – aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt – aye
Motion passed unanimously.
4) Public Comments (on items not on the agenda): None.
5) City Council Update
Anderson provided an update on recent City Council actions.
6) Weston Woods of Medina – Park Dedication Review
Finke provided a staff report for the Weston Woods preliminary plat and PUD request,
located east of Mohawk Drive and north of Highway 55. The applicant has proposed 150-
unit residential development on two properties with 76 twinhomes on the northern
property, 42 single-family homes, 32 townhomes and a 7-acre park/nature preserve (5.1
net acres).
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2020
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Finke stated that the Park Commission had reviewed this plan at a concept level a year
ago. He noted that on April 7, 2020 the City Council provided a conditional approval for
a Comprehensive Plan Amendment.
Finke showed an aerial of the site, noting that Polaris and The Wealshire are located to
the west of the site. OSI is southeast of the large wetland, along with additional future
Business property to the north of OSI. Bridgewater neighborhood is located across the
large wetland to the east of the site. There are homes on rural lots north and northwest of
the site, which are included in future development area designations in future
Comprehensive Plan processes.
Finke stated that the Park Dedication Ordinance requires dedication at the rate of 10%
land, 8% cash value of the pre-developed land, or a combination thereof. This property
would calculate to 7.1 acres of land or approximately $525,000 of cash in-lieu.
Finke stated that the subject site has 14 acres of Maple Basswood forest in moderate
quality on the southern portion. He noted that the proposed 7 acres of preserved
woodland is from the southern half of this 14-acre woods. The City’s natural resources
specialists walked the site and believed that the southern portion was the best quality
woods with less invasive species and has a mix of old and new trees.
Finke noted that the City’s Park and Trails plan identifies an active park search area near
this site, and the Park Commission had discussed a year ago and recommended at the
time to locate the active park on other nearby properties as the opportunity arises. The
Park and Trails plan also identifies trails along the new Chippewa Road and from
Chippewa Road through the northern property to Mohawk Drive, which the applicant has
addressed in their proposal along with proposed private trails through the twinhomes and
townhomes to connect to the preserved woodland.
Finke stated that the preserved woods to the City accounts for the park dedication
requirements of the subdivision. In addition to the dedication, the applicant’s proposed
trail improvements are additional amenities related to obtaining the maximum density for
the townhome development and in connection with the PUD and Comprehensive Plan
Amendment.
Thies questioned how the City will delineate property as park land, since several private
homes will abut the City owned 7-acre woods? She noted that property owners will likely
start to encroach on the woods and slowly start using more of the woods as their private
property.
Finke stated there could be signage at the corners of each lot.
Finke asked the Park Commission if they wanted the proposed trail through the
townhomes to be public or private?
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2020
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Discussion occurred whether the trail should be private or public, noting that if the trail is
public it will be the City’s responsibility to maintain. It was questioned if the trail could
remain privately owned but allow the public to use it?
Mark Smith, the applicant, stated that he is open to ideas, but wanted to make sure to
protect the HOA, so he would refer to his attorney Bill Griffith to comment.
Griffith recommended that if the City would like the public to be able to access the trail,
the simplest course of action would be to make the trail public.
It was confirmed that a sidewalk would run all along Hillside Lane, but that would entail
residents crossing a number of driveways to access the wooded trail. Consensus was to
make this trail through the townhomes a public trail. It also lines up with the trail north
of Cherokee Road.
There would not be a request for a trail along Mohawk Drive south of Cherokee Road,
but that the road shoulder be graded as best as possible for a potential future use.
A motion was made by Lee , with a friendly amendment by Thies, and seconded by Jacob
to recommend to the city council to accept the 7.1 acre passive park land for park
dedication purposes,( with boundary markers at the residential lot lines,) along with
accepting the construction of the Chippewa Road Trail, construction of the trail within
the park land, construction of the northern option trail, construction of a trail connecting
the townhomes to the park land (center-option 1,on staff report), and accepting the
townhome trail connection as a public trail
A roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - aye
Park Commissioner John Jacob – aye
Park Commissioner Troy Hutchinson – aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison – aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt – aye
Motion passed unanimously.
7) Lakeshore Park Master Plan – Resident Engagement Ideas
Scherer stated that Councilmember elect Robin Reid is willing to help us get in contact
with the email list for this neighborhood to get information out to residents.
Discussion occurred if a postcard should go out in the mail as well.
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November 18, 2020
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Hutchinson worried that people would not respond to a postcard and recommended an in-
person event at the park.
Scherer suggested that we wait on this project until social gatherings can happen again.
Bernhardt stated that she liked the idea of an e-blast to get people to the event, but also
thought it would be important to have multiple ways for people to participate and give
input.
Consensus was to wait and hope for better opportunities to pursue Independence Beach
resident input in 2021.
8) Staff Report
Park Commissioner Terms – Gallup reported that there are three Park
Commissioner terms expiring at the end of this year: Thies, Jacob, and Morrison.
Thies stated that she will not be renewing her term. Jacob and Morrison both
indicated that they plan on renewing their terms.
City Sewer Pond History – Thies provided history on the Metropolitan Council’s
old sewer ponds in the City behind the Elm Creek neighborhood. She noted that
the Park Commission had previously considered that site as a future dog park, but
that it should also be kept in mind for an additional park area close to residential
density.
9) Adjourn
A motion was made by Jacob, seconded by Sharp, to adjourn the meeting.
A roll call vote was taken:
Park Commissioner Ann Thies - aye
Park Commissioner Terry Sharp - aye
Park Commissioner Steve Lee - aye
Park Commissioner John Jacob – aye
Park Commissioner Troy Hutchinson – aye
Park Commissioner Mary Morrison – aye
Park Commissioner Angela Bernhardt – aye
Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jodi Gallup