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HomeMy Public PortalAbout05.03.2022 City Council Meeting MinutesMedina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 1 MEDINA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 3, 2022 The City Council of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on May 3, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers. Mayor Martin presided. I. ROLL CALL Members present: Albers, Cavanaugh, DesLauriers, and Martin. Members absent: Reid. Also present: City Administrator Scott Johnson, Assistant to City Administrator/City Clerk Caitlyn Walker, Attorney Ron Batty, Finance Director Erin Barnhart, City Engineer Jim Stremel, City Planning Director Dusty Finke, Planning Consultant Nate Sparks, Public Works Director Steve Scherer, and Chief of Police Jason Nelson. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (7:00 p.m.) III. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA (7:01 p.m.) The agenda was approved as presented. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (7:01 p.m.) A. Approval of the April 19, 2022 Work Session City Council Meeting Minutes Martin noted that prior to the meeting Johnson provided changes that she suggested for incorporation into the minutes. Moved by Albers, seconded by DesLauriers, to approve the April 19, 2022 work session City Council meeting minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously. B. Approval of the April 19, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Moved by Cavanaugh, seconded by Martin, to approve the April 19, 2022 regular City Council meeting minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously. V. CONSENT AGENDA (7:02 p.m.) A. Approve 2021 Annual Report B. Approve Resolution 2022-32 Authorizing Publication of Ordinance No. 686 by Title and Summary C. Approve First Amendment to Development Agreement – Pulte Homes of Minnesota LLC Martin commented that the Annual Report is very well drafted and commended staff for an excellent job. Albers agreed that the report was well done, highlighting many accomplishments. He asked and received confirmation that the report is posted on the City website. Moved by Cavanaugh, seconded by DesLauriers, to approve the consent agenda. Motion passed unanimously. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 2 VI. COMMENTS (7:05 p.m.) A. Comments from Citizens on Items not on the Agenda There were none. B. Park Commission Scherer reported that the Park Commission met on April 20th to discuss the Hamel Road townhome project related to park dedication and the Commission recommended cash in lieu for that project. He stated that the Commission also discussed Lakeshore Park plans and the subcommittee will complete further work based upon that direction. Martin thanked the Park Commission for its participation in Cleanup Day. Scherer reported that the Park Tour will be held on May 18th. DesLauriers asked if the tennis courts and pickleball courts are anticipated to be opened at Hunter Park. Scherer anticipated those could be opened later this summer noting that he is coordinating with contractors to complete the project. C. Planning Commission Finke reported that the Planning Commission will meet the following week to hold a hearing to consider a Concept Plan for the Cates Industrial Park and to consider draft ordinance language for electric vehicle charging regulations. VII. PRESENTATIONS A. Introduce Police Officers John Vinck and Justin Hanson (7:09 p.m.) Nelson recognized that many things have changed in the last two years since the Council has met in person. He introduced the two new Officers that have been added to the department and provided background information on their experience. Martin commented that she receives comments of praise for the Police and Fire departments and their members, and it is a pleasure to receive those calls and emails. VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. Hamel Townhomes (7:16 p.m.) DesLauriers recused himself from this discussion. Johnson stated that this is an application for preliminary plat and site plan for a proposed townhome development to be located at 342 Hamel Road. He stated that there are 30 townhome units proposed and the proposal meets the current zoning requirements of the City. Sparks presented the application for preliminary plat and site plan review for property at 342 Hamel Road and would contain 30 townhomes on 2.1 acres of land. He stated that the site is zoned Uptown Hamel which is a district that allows for a mix of commercial and residential uses. He noted that the proposal would include a mix of three- and four- Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 3 bedroom townhomes which would be platted as individual lots for sale. He stated that the proposed density would fall within the allowable range. He reviewed the adjacent property uses and highlighted the topography and features of the site. He displayed the site plan and reviewed the details of that plan, along with the proposed plat for the property. He stated that the Uptown Hamel district does not have a front yard setback as the intent is to have street focused design. He reviewed details related to proposed setbacks and parking which meet or exceed the requirements. He provided additional details on the proposed access and circulation and the related comments from staff on those topics. He stated that there would be a large amount of tree removal on the site, therefore a significant amount of tree replacement would be required both onsite and offsite. He reviewed proposed details related to hardcover, stormwater treatment, retaining walls, and fencing. He displayed architectural renderings of the site as proposed and recalled previous comments from the Council related to a desire for increased architectural features. He stated that generally all the buildings meet the City Code requirements in terms of building materials. He noted that Uptown Hamel requires porches or plazas and provided details on the attempted porches for the street facing units. He stated that staff pointed out some concern as to whether the buildings would look like the proposal because of the grade changes on the site. He stated that the Planning Commission noted that the sides of the buildings would be visible from the street and the applicant responded by adding windows to the sides of those buildings. He also reviewed the elevations of the buildings on the other portions of the site. He reported that the Planning Commission held a public hearing at its last meeting. He noted that despite some concerns, staff recommended approval as the application generally meets City Code, but the Planning Commission recommended denial based on a general consensus that it was inconsistent with the Uptown Hamel regulations. He used the example of the porch requirement and noted that the Commission felt that the spirit and intent of the ordinance was not met. He stated that the Commission also noted a lack of connectivity to adjacent sites and had concern with the proposed circulation of the site, lack of plaza or greenspace, and limited internal walkability. He stated that ultimately the Commission felt that the density was too high for this use to allow for the other concerns to be met. He stated that staff recommends approval of both actions before the Council, subject to the recommended conditions. Martin noted that one of the recommended conditions indicated that architectural design should be updated as described by the Planning Commission. She asked if that condition should be updated to reference the specific direction of the City Council. Sparks stated that the language in the report was a carryover from the Planning Commission report and that it would make sense to update the language depending on the direction of the Council. Martin asked staff about proposed Condition 17 in the staff report. Sparks stated that the comment is related to the reconstruction of the sidewalk and if trees are placed there, then there would need to be assurance that the trees would not interfere with operations of the City. He commented that the landscaping plan exceeds the minimum standards. Martin requested comment from staff regarding the proposed landscaping in the right of way. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 4 Scherer commented that he and Stremel would look at that further because there are already issues with snow removal in that area. He commented that the zero front setback throughout Uptown Hamel would be an issue in the future because there is not room for snow storage and therefore would need to be hauled out. Martin asked about the configuration of the front porches. Sparks stated that the sides are open. Johnson commented that there would be a step up from either side and the person would then walk onto the porch. Martin requested City Council comments on the front porches. Cavanaugh asked if a long rail would be more suitable or a small rail between the pillars. Martin noted that there could be a gate that could be locked. She asked if that recommendation could be made as a condition. Sparks noted that there would also need to be coordination with the landscaping plan. Martin suggested restating condition 17 to consider engineering the front porches visible from Hamel Road to permit individualized gated entrances to each unit in a manner that does not compromise the availability of space for streetscape landscaping. Cavanaugh stated that if he looked at the picture with the long gate, he did not think that looked as nice as the photo with the vehicle that was more broken up. He commented that a long linear gate would perhaps be better broken up. He stated that his main focus is to ensure the Hamel Road piece is well done. Martin noted that the homes adjacent to the park should also be considered. She commented that the entrances should be more individualized to feel more like a traditional row house with a door and front porch. Albers agreed that there should be a distinct look for each unit. He noted that at the last meeting there was a consensus that the rendering at the last meeting perhaps did not capture that intent but recognized it is hard to tell on a flat rendering. Matt Eller, developer, stated that the rendering will answer some questions as to where the pillars, gates and separate entrances are located. Albers noted that the rendering looks like a straight wall rather than eight individual homes. Martin asked the goal for closing on the property and breaking ground. Eller commented that they would proceed once the approvals are obtained. He stated that July or August would be the goal. Martin commented that the Council would like to see distinct units so it is clear there are eight individual homes along Hamel Road with streetscape landscaping. She stated that Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 5 she does welcome the density as proposed and believes the architecture is generally nice looking. She stated that she would like to see architectural features which would break up the front facades to make them less monotonous and show more obviously that there are a number of separate units. Albers asked if something could be put around the windows to break that up, such as shutters or awnings. Eller commented that he can work with the architect to make it look more individualized. Martin suggested clarification for the proposed conditions within the preliminary plat. She also suggested a condition related to HOA regulations, including what would be allowed on the porches. Finke commented that there is concern that the right-of-way would be unusable once the buildings are constructed because of the zero-lot line. He stated that the developer has agreed to realign the sidewalk with the construction of the buildings but noted that would eliminate the ability for on street parking. Martin commented that the developer has a piece of property that abuts the right of way and a zoning district that calls for a zero-front setback, therefore she believed the issue is on the City and not the developer. Finke commented that there was a discussion regarding on street parking and provided additional details on parking related to the Hamel Road fronting units. Albers asked if the units along Hamel Road are three- or four-bedroom units. Eller replied that it would be a mix of three- and four-bedroom units. Martin asked what would need to be done in order to accommodate street parking. She asked if there is any need to add conditions of approval to the site plan. Albers commented that he recalled a discussion of that nature. Finke replied that conversation was with a different developer for a different property. Moved by Martin, seconded by Cavanaugh, to direct staff to prepare for review by the Council at its next meeting, a motion to approve the Hamel Townhomes Preliminary Plat subject to the recommended conditions in the report and as discussed and to prepare a motion for the Council to approve the Hamel Townhomes Site Plan subject to the recommended conditions in the report and as discussed with an eye towards making those units on the south and west boundaries non-monolithic and more individualized. Motion passed unanimously. DesLauriers rejoined the Council. B. Bonner Variance Request – Public Hearing (8:15 p.m.) Johnson stated that the applicant is requesting a variance from the 150 foot minimum side yard setback to rebuild a barn on his property, noting that the existing barn would be torn down. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 6 Finke stated that the proposed larger accessory structure would be 110 feet from the northern property line which would be the same setback as the existing barn. He stated that there was a variance to allow for the barn in its current location in the 1970s and because of the intensification the variance is presented again to the Council. He reviewed the floorplan of the proposed structure and reviewed the variance criteria to be considered. He stated that the Planning Commission held a public hearing at its last meeting and the Commission unanimously recommended approval of the request. Martin opened the public hearing. No comments. Martin closed the public hearing. Martin stated that the variance is a request to reduce the side yard setback from 150 feet to 110 feet. She noted that the existing barn is setback 110 feet, therefore this would be the same location from the northern property line. She noted that the barn will become a bit bigger but would remain the same distance from the northern property line. She asked the width of the lot, north to south. She commented that the width of the lot cannot be changed and this is an issue that the Council has considered before. Finke commented that there is something to be said about considering the set of regulations the City has, noting a minimum lot width of 300 feet in the Rural Residential district. He noted that perhaps there is an inconsistency between the minimum width and setback for animal buildings. Martin commented that she sees the hardship and issue and did not note any opposition from neighbors or other residents. Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to direct staff to prepare a resolution approving the variance, subject to the conditions noted in the staff report. Motion passed unanimously. C. Marsh Pointe Final Plat and Easement Vacation – Public Hearing (8:23 p.m.) Johnson stated that the subject site is east of Arrowhead Drive and south of Bridgewater noting that the applicant requested final plat. Finke stated that the project would include 30 detached villas on approximately 12 net acres. He stated that preliminary plat was granted in March and reviewed the actions before the Council tonight including final plat, easement vacation establishment of the storm sewer tax improvement district, and development agreement. He stated that the final plat is essentially the same as the preliminary plat with the adjustments noted as conditions of the preliminary plat approval. He stated that many of the conditions of preliminary plat would be continued to final plat and memorialized in the development agreement. He noted that the sale of a 30 foot strip of property owned by the City of Medina is a condition of approval and the developer will pay $1,850 for that property sale. He stated that the easements under the old lot would not be necessary as easements will be provided through the new plat and a public hearing is required for the vacation of those easements. He stated that the Council held a public hearing for the Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 7 establishment of the storm sewer tax improvement district at its previous meeting. He stated that staff recommends approval of the actions before the Council. Martin opened the public hearing. No comments. Martin closed the public hearing. Martin invited the applicant to speak. George Stickney, applicant, commented that he is pleased to be here and it has been nice to work with the City. He hoped that this will be a development everyone will be proud of. He stated that he will be meeting with the Bluebell residents in the coming weeks to work on the agreed upon landscaping. He stated that although he did not desire the 30 foot strip of property, he agreed that would make everything clean moving forward. Rick Osberg, representing the applicant, expressed appreciation to the staff for their cooperation throughout this process. 1. Resolution 2022-33 Granting Final Plat Approval for Marsh Pointe Preserve Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to adopt Resolution 2022-33 Granting Final Plat Approval for Marsh Pointe Preserve. Motion passed unanimously. 2. Resolution 2022-34 Vacating Drainage and Utility Easements at 4250 Arrowhead Drive Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to adopt Resolution 2022-34 Vacating Drainage and Utility Easements at 4250 Arrowhead Drive. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Ordinance 687 Establishing Marsh Pointe Preserve Storm Sewer Improvement Tax District Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to adopt Ordinance 687 Establishing the Marsh Pointe Preserve Storm Sewer Improvement Tax District. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Resolution 2022-35 Authorizing Publication of Ordinance Establishing Storm Sewer Tax Improvement Tax District by Title and Summary Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to adopt Resolution 2022-35 Authorizing Publication of the Ordinance by Title and Summary. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Planned Unit Development Agreement Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Martin, to approve the Planned Unit Development Agreement by and between the City of Medina and BPS Properties LLC. Motion passed unanimously. Martin appreciated the work of the City Attorney in writing these documents, specifically the development agreement. D. Ordinance 688 Amending Regulations Pertaining to Signs within City- Owned Parks (8:33 p.m.) Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 8 Johnson stated that at the April 5th meeting the City received a generous donation from the Hamel Lions for a digital scoreboard at the Paul Fortin Field. He noted that staff has done a great job creating an ordinance amendment related to signage within City parks. Finke stated that the purpose for this language was discussed at the April 5th meeting. He stated that the intent would be to clarify the past practice of the City in that sign permits were not required for signs/scoreboards interior to parks. He stated that a public hearing was held by the Planning Commission at its last meeting and the potential impact to neighboring residences were discussed. He stated that staff recommends adoption of the ordinance noting that the Commission also recommended approval with a vote of 5-1. DesLauriers stated the concern that Commissioner Sedabres expressed was related to the size of the sign and whether that regulation should apply equally to commercial properties. He noted that he does not share that concern. Finke commented that the dynamic display regulations are meant to apply adjacent to roadways to minimize distraction of drivers and visual clutter. He noted that when that sign is internal to a site it would not have the same impact. He recognized that there may be additional discussions on whether there should be regulations for internal signs that are not located on City owned property, such as school district property. He noted that this exemption was focused on signs internal to City owned parks. DesLauriers stated that he is not concerned with impacts to neighbors because of the location of the sign and the direction it is directed. Finke commented that the scoreboard will be visible from a few businesses in Uptown Hamel. Martin commented that would seem to add vibrancy to those businesses in the evenings. DesLauriers commented that the sign would not be used that often given the short baseball season and limited number of games per week. Albers agreed that this sign would be used in a limited capacity compared to a commercial sign that would be on 24 hours per day. Moved by Cavanaugh, seconded by DesLauriers, to adopt Ordinance 688 Amending Regulations Pertaining to Signs within City-Owned Parks. Motion passed unanimously. IX. CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT (8:40 p.m.) Johnson thanked the members of the Council that participated in Cleanup Day, along with Scherer and his staff for their efforts. He advised of the Spring into Hamel event that will occur on May 21st and 22nd. Martin agreed that Cleanup Day was a fun event and was glad to have participated. She noted the Park Tour on May 18th. Johnson confirmed that Fox 9 will be coming on July 6th to film a segment as well. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes May 3, 2022 9 Martin confirmed the dates of the Hamel Rodeo. X. MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL REPORTS (8:42 p.m.) Martin noted that there were some recent pancake breakfasts hosted by the Loretto and Long Lake Fire Departments that were well attended. XI. APPROVAL TO PAY THE BILLS (8:45 p.m.) Moved by Cavanaugh, seconded by DesLauriers, to approve the bills, EFT 006347E- 006367E for $75,587.70, order check numbers 052849-052907 for $895,001.69, and payroll EFT 0511813-0511845 for $62,997.08. Motion passed unanimously. XII. ADJOURN Moved by Albers, seconded by DesLauriers, to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. __________________________________ Kathy Martin, Mayor Attest: __________________________ Caitlyn Walker, City Clerk