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HomeMy Public PortalAbout02.02.2022 City Council Meeting MinutesMedina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 1 MEDINA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 2, 2022 The City Council of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on February 2, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers. Mayor Martin presided. Martin read a statement stating that the meeting is being held in a virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic and provided instructions for public participation. I. ROLL CALL Members present: Albers, DesLauriers, Martin, and Reid. Members absent: Cavanaugh. Also present: City Administrator Scott Johnson, City Attorney Ron Batty, Finance Director Erin Barnhart, City Engineer Jim Stremel, City Planning Director Dusty Finke, Public Works Director Steve Scherer, and Chief of Police Jason Nelson. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (7:03 p.m.) III. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA (7:03 p.m.) The agenda was approved as presented. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (7:03 p.m.) A. Approval of the January 18, 2022 Work Session City Council Meeting Minutes Moved by Martin, seconded by DesLauriers, to approve the January 18, 2022 work session City Council meeting minutes as presented. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Cavanaugh absent Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. B. Approval of the January 18, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Martin stated that prior to the meeting Johnson distributed suggested changes to the minutes that she submitted for incorporation. Moved by Martin, seconded by Albers, to approve the January 18, 2022 regular City Council meeting minutes as amended. A roll call vote was performed: Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 2 DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. V. CONSENT AGENDA (7:05 p.m.) A. Approve Hennepin County Lidar Agreement B. Approve 2022 Goals C. Approve Hiring of City Clerk/Assistant to City Administrator D. Authorization to Advertise and Fill the Full-Time PW Maintenance Technician Position Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Reid, to approve the consent agenda. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. VI. COMMENTS (7:06 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 January 19th and appointed officers for the year and introduced the newest member of the Commission. He noted that one application has been received for the remaining vacant position. He stated that the Commission discussed three potential developments in terms of park dedication. C. Planning Commission Finke reported that the Planning Commission will meet the following week to hold a public hearing to consider a request for a Conditional Use Permit to construct an accessory structure at 3003 Hamel Road. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Ordinance 682 Amending Chapter 3 of the City Code of Ordinance Pertaining to Third Party Gift Card Procurement (7:09 p.m.) Johnson stated that the Police Department has experienced an increase in fraudulent third-party gift card procurement at establishments in Medina. He stated that law enforcement agencies spend a lot of time investigating these cases, which places a strain on limited resources within the department. Nelson is recommending the proposed ordinance to address this issue. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 3 Nelson stated that additional background information was included in the memorandum within the Council packet. He stated that they are attempting to stop the fraudulent third- party gift card procurement. He stated that these fraud cases involve multiple victims and a lot of staff resources. He stated that they used the Shakopee ordinance as a model, which was the first ordinance of this nature and was recognized nationally. He noted that since the implementation phase, Shakopee has seen a nearly 100 percent reduction in third party gift card procurement fraud cases. He stated that there were some concerns expressed from the Minnesota Retailers Association and reviewed those comments. He explained that as proposed in the ordinance, identification would be required to be shown in order to purchase a third-party gift card. He noted that a third- party gift card also could not be purchased at a self-checkout. He stated that he has spoken with neighboring communities to advise them of the potential action of the Council tonight. Martin commented that the Council previously discussed this matter and there was additional study of actions taken by other communities. She stated that information was distributed from the Minnesota Retailers Association (MRA) and invited that representative to speak. Bruce Nustad, MRA, appreciated the opportunity to address the Council and also appreciated the opportunity to discuss his concerns with Nelson and Albers. He understands the desire of the community to reduce fraud cases. He stated that they are concerned with the unintended impact to consumers. He commented that this ordinance could impact the consumer and retailer rather than the criminal. He stated that the possibility that a store clerk could be punished with a misdemeanor would have an impact on retailers. He noted that some stores in Shakopee have pulled the third-party gift cards to avoid a situation in which a young clerk could be punished. He noted that there is also a conflict in asking for identification when selling a Visa or Mastercard gift card as the retailer is not allowed to require identification for purchase, therefore the cards will need to be pulled from the store. He stated that there concern with the definition of identification did not include all valid forms including tribal identification. He asked that the City take a pause and determine if they could collaboratively work with retailers. DesLauriers asked if Nelson has spoken with Target and whether the clause with Visa and Mastercard could create a conflict. Nelson replied that he did speak with representatives from Target and did not find out about the conflict until he reached the corporate level. He stated that their solution would be to pull those gift cards from the store rather than comply with the ordinance. DesLauriers asked if there was ever a cashier working in conjunction with a thief in the cases they have investigated. Nelson replied that Shakopee had two incidents where there were reports of violation of the ordinance and in one of those cases there was potential involvement from cashier. He commented that they have not seen that type of involvement in Medina. DesLauriers commented that he believes that the residents of Medina would appreciate this ordinance as it will help to keep criminals out of Medina. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 4 Albers commented that he spoke with Nustad to listen to his concerns. He stated that he comes from a payments background, and this is a problem that all the card issuer networks have to deal with. He stated that if the problem only exists with the high value third party gift cards and does not impact the lower value gift cards for restaurants and other venues, he believes the Council could be confident in reducing the fraud risk to those that have had their cards stolen. Martin agreed with DesLauriers and Albers and appreciated the input of Nustad and his association. She also commended Nelson for all the work he has put into fraud investigation, and this proposed means to address it. Moved by Albers, seconded by Reid, to Adopt Ordinance 682 Amending Chapter 3 of the City Code of Ordinance Pertaining to Third Party Gift Card Procurement. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. 1. Resolution 2022-08 Authorizing Publication of Ordinance by Title and Summary Moved by Albers, seconded by Martin, to Adopt Resolution 2022-08 Authorizing Publication by Title and Summary. A roll call vote was performed: Reid aye Albers aye DesLauriers aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. B. Loram and Scannell Medina Industrial – Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) – Proposed Commercial/Industrial Development (7:26 p.m.) Johnson stated that Scannell and Loram submitted an EAW for potential development of 450,000 square feet of warehouse, office, light industrial development which would be located on approximately 25 acres. He stated that for a community of Medina’s size, any development of this type over 300,000 square feet requires an EAW. Finke stated that the formal applications for development have not yet been submitted. He stated that the subject site is guided for business development. He stated that the purpose of the EAW is to inform the subsequent planning process and determine if further environmental study is needed in the form of an EIS. He stated that some conceptual renderings of one of the buildings was received today, again noting that the Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 5 development is not being reviewed at this time. He stated that if the Council authorizes publication, a 30-day comment period would begin, and the document would be routed to the proper agencies for review. He stated that after that comment period expires, staff would bring the comments back to the Council for review to determine if additional study would be necessary. He commented that staff did have discussions with the applicant about the potential site layout in order to avoid wetland impacts. Martin thanked Finke for the comments that would be added. She asked if there is intent to provide an attachment E, as she did not find that attachment to the EAW. Finke commented that staff excluded some of the attachments for brevity in the Council report but noted that would be submitted as a part of the document. Martin commented that the document appears to be in good order. Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Reid, to Adopt the Resolution 2022-09 Authorizing Release of the Loram/Scannell Medina Industrial EAW for Distribution and Public Comment. A roll call vote was performed: Albers aye Reid aye DesLauriers aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. C. Medina Ventures – Medina Park and Boardwalk – PUD Concept Plan 1472 Highway 55 (7:33 p.m.) Johnson stated that Medina Ventures is requesting PUD concept plan review for a development that would contain commercial uses along with a three-unit townhome located at 1472 Highway 55. He stated that the purpose of the concept discussion is to provide feedback to the applicant prior to formal application. Finke reviewed the surrounding land uses of the subject site, noting that Meander Road bisects the site with one segment guided for commercial development and the other for residential. He stated that the concept plan proposes uses consistent with the Comprehensive Plan guiding. He noted that conceptual renderings were provided in the packet. Martin asked for additional information on the setback and drive aisle notations. Finke replied that the setback of the drive aisle of the parking lot on the eastern property line would not meet the commercial highway zoning requirements, but otherwise the dimensional layout of the development is consistent. He stated that for the residential portion of the property, the distance that is being discussed there is the distance from the closest garage to the drive aisle which is shown as 20 feet and generally the setback would be 25 feet. He provided additional details on the residential development, noting that the proposed density would fall on the low end of low density residential. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 6 Martin noted that the hardcover proposed is significantly less than what might be expected for both the commercial and residential developments. Finke confirmed that there are large areas of greenspace. He noted that recreation space is needed for the daycare use. He stated that much of the greenspace to the west is internal to the wetland. He stated that by attaching the residential units, it also provides more greenspace. Martin commented that the clustering of commercial buildings also lends itself to more greenspace. She stated that this is a key corner, and this proposed site plan seems to be accommodating of the request to keep Highway 55 pretty with nice vistas. Reid commented that this is an interesting project, and she did not see any problems with it. She noted that this would also provide architecture that does not exist in other parts of Medina. Albers asked if the renderings are accurate of what the final development would be. Finke commented that the renderings are conceptual in nature. Albers stated that there are unique buildings within and if that would be the final product, it would be very unique for Medina and would be very inviting. He believed this would be a nice product if it followed those examples. Finke commented that architectural design was a primary purpose of the PUD to have flexibility from the standard commercial highway district which typically assumes concrete as the main construction material. He noted that the applicant would propose to use wood and metal as primary construction materials. He stated that lot lines have not yet been shown, but various buildings would potentially need flexibility to dimensional standards in order to have their own parcel as a part of the overall development. He stated that the boardwalk and exterior spaces were called out as well as the applicant would like to maximize the outdoor space. He stated that the flexibility for the residential parcel would be to have attached units within low density residential. Albers asked for clarification on the statement that the applicant would plat buildings on different lots to allow flexibility for sale to separate owners. He asked if the applicant would build the buildings or gain approval for the development and have individual owners build the buildings themselves. Chris Peterson, owner of Medina Ventures, stated that he is doing his best to find great businesses to come into the development and is asking the business what they prefer. He stated that he would love to see the businesses come in as owners, if desired. He stated that some of the potential businesses have expressed more interest in owning the buildings but noted that would come down to the negotiations. He stated that he would love to see most of the owners own their property with an overall HOA to manage the property, lawn, and snow maintenance. He stated that the buildings on the south side could be pushed together, and the three-story venue could be pushed down a bit. He stated the intent is to have this be a beautiful development and would exceed the standards of what would typically be asked for. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 7 Finke commented that a PUD provides the City with better ability to add requirements upon the approval for unified design. He stated that typical subdivision and site plan review would allow any site development without any tie to the other buildings. Peterson commented that they would like the buildings to look similar and would plan to use a general contractor that would assist in that process. Albers noted that was his main concern. He stated that if this proceeds, he would want the architectural design memorialized in the approval to ensure consistency in design. Martin stated that there is a related recommendation within the staff report. She asked if there should also be a condition related to delegating the outdoor maintenance responsibility to an owners’ association. Albers commented that he believed that condition applied to the residential portion of the property and would like that to apply to the commercial development as well. DesLauriers asked if that clause for the commercial development should be tied to the CH district standards. Martin commented that the intent is to have flexibility from the CH district standards and it would not be determined until the formal application is submitted. Finke commented that he would not want to reference the minimum standards of a district as the intent of the applicant is to seek flexibility from those standards in order to provide the noted type of architecture. He noted that the condition does not need to be drafted tonight. DesLauriers stated that overall, the vision of Peterson to put something unique along Highway 55 is great foresight on his part and hopes to see this project go through. Martin echoed the comments thus far and stated she looks forward to more detail as this moves forward. She then asked for input on the different architectural examples provided. Reid stated that she would not prefer the standalone modern design. DesLauriers stated that he believes the conservatory would be a good addition. Albers commented that he prefers the outdoorsy lodge type look, or even the barnwood look might fit with the rural character of Medina. Finke provided input on transportation and connectivity. He stated that the Council previously completed a visioning study for Tamarack Drive and is planning for a signalized intersection at Highway 55 and future Tamarack. He stated that study contemplated connections in different places along Tamarack to provide circulation between commercial developments. He noted that study contemplated some connection from Tamarack to Meander in order to provide connectivity for vehicles and link various commercial uses together. He recognized that if the City would like to see a major roadway going through the site, that would have impact on the site and its potential layout. He stated that staff would like to see more of a direct access from Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 8 Meander to the eastern property line of the subject site that could be a drive aisle through the parking lot. He noted that in that instance staff would not want to see parking stalls along the drive aisle. He commented that if this develops prior to the property to the east, the applicant would have limited options for an access location. He stated that staff would suggest concept B, with the access on the west end and then linking to the location shown in black and providing connectivity to the through road. He stated that even internal on the concept plan, it would be beneficial not to have vehicles parked along the entire length of the drive lane. He noted that the drive aisle could split into different parking pockets. DesLauriers stated that the more they push people on Tamarack, the better. He stated that perhaps the suggestion from staff to push it to the bottom would be a good solution. He stated that parallel parking versus vertical would place a burden on the developer in terms of space. He stated that if the sites were developing together, A would make sense but noted that they cannot landlock Peterson from development and therefore without knowing when Cavanaugh would develop, a road would not make sense. He stated that it would seem neither A nor B would make sense without having a development commitment from Cavanaugh. Reid stated that she is having trouble visualizing and therefore will reserve comment. Albers agreed with DesLauriers on the timing of the developments. He stated that concept B would work much better for the proposal in front of the Council with the flow of traffic. He stated that concept B would also take away land that would be developable by Cavanaugh. He stated that it is unfortunate that this entire area is not being planned for development at the same time. He believed that concept B would fit the needs of Peterson better. Peterson stated that he appreciates the effort and funds that the City have spent on the Tamarack Drive study. He stated that concepts A and B do not benefit his development. He stated that he would not support concept A as that would remove 1.5 acres of the property and run through the best portion of the property which is the boardwalk. He stated that in terms of concept B, there is a hill near the eastern edge of the property. He stated that the best access is on the western most point of the development from Meander. He stated that he has heard five to ten years for when the other development may occur. He stated that it would not be beneficial for his development to have cut through traffic moving through. He stated that they will already lose parking in order to improve those plans and would not want to lose additional parking in order to provide a connection to the east. He noted that people coming to his development would come from Arrowhead to Meander. He noted that of the 18 acres, they are only developing on six and would find it hard to give up land to provide a needless connection. He stated that he does not want to spend time and money to accommodate something that has not yet been planned and will provide no benefit to his property. Martin commented that the desired landscaping aisles would take away from the proposed parking. She stated that the report mentioned that with the differing uses, there may not be a need for the parking specified under the traditional count. She stated that perhaps there could be a proof of parking requirement to accommodate additional parking if that is shown in the future to be necessary. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 9 Finke agreed that could be a good idea. He stated that the concept of shared parking is great and the proof of parking would allow flexibility in missed calculations or changed uses. DesLauriers stated that the packet notes percentages of contribution towards the costs for Tamarack Drive improvements. He asked what those estimations would be. Finke stated that he does not have that information available right now but could attempt to develop those estimates. Albers asked if that would be dependent upon whether the development actually connects to Tamarack. He noted that the developer does not want to connect to Tamarack. Finke stated that staff believes that concepts A and B both connect to Tamarack and staff would look for connectivity through the site, even if it does not go through the site. He stated that the site would be benefitted and serviced by the Tamarack and Highway 55 intersection. He stated that because of the proximity to Fields of Medina Park, staff is not recommending park land. He reviewed the recommendations related to trails for the property. He also highlighted the potential Diamond Lake Regional Trail (DLRT) route in this area, noting that perhaps that trail could wander through this development. Reid agreed that the trail segment along the northside of Meander could make sense. Albers agreed. He stated that he is still digesting the thought of running the DLRT along the west side of Fields of Medina. DesLauriers and Martin agreed with the trail segments as proposed. Martin stated that she looks forward to seeing a unique design with architectural standards that reflect that design. She stated that the Council would also like to see a property owners association that would manage the overall property, use restrictions, and outdoor features maintenance. DesLauriers referenced the boardwalk and stated that he would like details on that boardwalk when the formal application is submitted. Peterson stated that when he comes back with the general plan, he will be requesting a fourth villa on the north side which would be of the same nature as the others. He stated that a major piece of the development is the boardwalk which will cost a fair amount of money. He recognized the buffer requirements and stated that he does not intend to disturb the wetlands but would like to run adjacent to the wetlands. He referenced the northside property going west and wanted to make sure that they would not be responsible to connect a trail to Arrowhead and would want the trail obligation to end at the property boundary. He referenced the 60-foot strip to the east of the property, on the south side, which will be a dead strip if he does not purchase it. He stated that he has expressed interest to the property owner, but that is something to consider as this moves forward. He stated that there is a likelihood that the northern property, north of Fields of Medina, will be sold at some point and there would be opportunity to connect as a private drive. He stated that perhaps that access road does not need to be as robust as the private road would most likely be converted to a public road in the future. He Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 10 stressed the importance of the boardwalk and asked who he would need to talk to in order to place that boardwalk as close to the wetland as possible. D. BPS Properties, LLC – 4250-4292 Arrowhead Drive – Marsh Pointe Preserve – Preliminary Plat/PUD General Plan (8:48 p.m.) Johnson stated that the applicant is requesting a preliminary plat and PUD general plan for a 30 unit detached development on Arrowhead Drive. Finke stated that the Council reviewed this concept in December, and it has come back for formal consideration. He reviewed the subject site and proposed site plan. He reviewed the comments provided by the Council at its last review and the updates that have been made to the plan since the last review. He stated that the general layout remains the same. He stated that the developer met with the abutting property owners in Bridgewater which led to an increase in trees along the northern line and throughout the landscaping plan. He stated that specific information was also provided relating to the architectural standards for the units within the development. He stated that the PUD is designed to allow flexibility from the underlying zoning standards in return for a more desirable development. He stated that the R-1 zoning district would be the default for low density residential development. He stated that the architectural requirements are summarized in the staff report, noting the applicant proposes a higher standard than generally required in the R-1 district and summarized those elements. He stated that the applicant had stated that there would be a benefit to having single level villas compared to two story homes, and therefore a maximum elevation could be specified. He stated that some of the concepts submitted since that time show rooflines that are fairly tall and further limitations could be placed on some of those buildings that may have more visual impact. Martin referenced the recommendations from the Planning Commission, specifically six, and asked if this would be the list of Council requirements that would be referenced. Finke confirmed that the requirements would be found within that condition. He noted that the bulleted list is meant to serve as architectural requirements. Martin referenced the building height and asked what 35 feet would look like. She stated that when she thinks of Charles Cudd and villas it makes her think of the golf course villas and The Enclave, asking for heights of those homes. Finke replied that the villas along the west end of the golf course are not similar as they have sideloaded garages. He stated that the units on the northwest corner of the golf course are similar to what is being proposed and would have similar elevation. He stated that he also compared to the Pulte homes being constructed which are two story homes and have a similar height of 35 feet. He stated that the intent would be to have usable space that would be within the roofline. Martin commented that would seem to be more than one story. She referenced the graph on page three of the report and expressed concern with the proposed hardcover of 55 percent which exceeds the R-2 requirement of no more than 50 percent and R-1 requirement of no more than 40 percent. Reid commented that considering the topography and wetlands, this seems to be a good use of the property. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 11 DesLauriers stated that he agrees with Martin on the issue of hardcover and would like to see that closer to 40 percent. He believed there was a discussion related to the three homes closest to Bridgewater and an attempt to flatten that road out but noted that there appear to be no changes. He stated that he would like to limit the height, as there were two story developments approved last year that were 36 feet. He stated that he would like to see the height of the homes adjacent to Bridgewater limited and could support taller homes on the eastern end where there would be no impact. He stated that he believes that a tree is a tree and does not support the concept that planted trees should not count in the tree preservation ordinance. Martin asked why it would be appropriate to consider approving 55 percent hardcover ratio. Finke replied that the hardcover is important to recognize as that is the percentage within the bounds of any individual lot and not across the development. He stated that these lots could be platted differently to lower the hardcover percentage without actually lowering the hardcover. He stated that all the wetland buffers are outside of the bounds of the lots, which is encouraged by staff but is not a requirement. He stated that is significant because the average buffer is 50 feet in width, therefore if the buffer were included in the lots, they would meet the hardcover. He stated that this results in more common greenspace than lot space. Martin commented that Finke’s explanation does make sense. Finke stated that enforcement of wetland buffers is much easier when the buffer lies outside of property lines. DesLauriers stated that his concern is appeased. Martin asked what happened to the tot lot concept. Finke replied that it was the impression of staff that the majority of the feedback on the concept is that there was not much benefit in the tot lot and therefore that was removed. Martin asked for input on the architectural requirements list proposed. Reid stated that she does not understand the enormous roofs on these units if these are one story homes. Rick Denman, Charles Cudd, stated that they are aligned with the Council on the architectural integrity being sought. He stated that they have built many homes in Medina and the overall Twin Cities area. He stated that they are attempting to create architectural integrity but noted that he would not mind reducing that to some degree. He stated that on a one dimension drawing it looks tall, but they are similar to the homes in Medina Country Club on the north and west. He stated that they sell to a luxury buyer and therefore attempt to maintain an architectural integrity. He did not believe they compare to the Pulte homes, which have a lower pitched roof for lower costs. He commented that they are one story rooms, and any bonus space would not go above the 35 feet. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 12 Martin asked the height of the home shown on the screen. Denman replied that those have a height of 35 feet. He confirmed that the measurement is from the front of the home to the top of the roof. Reid asked if that would be usable space under the roofs. Denman commented that in some cases they may place a bonus room or bonus space in that area if desired by the homeowner. He stated that in other cases it would not be usable space. Albers commented that he is fine with a height of 35 feet. DesLauriers stated that he would prefer to protect the views of the Bridgewater residents and would want a lower height for those homes visible from Bridgewater. Martin asked the maximum height in R-1 and R-2. Finke replied that a similar peak with an addition of another eight to ten feet could be allowed for a two-story building. He stated that because the height is averaged, the roof may need to be slightly less pitched on a two-story home which would be 42 or 43 feet. Martin commented that she could perhaps support 35 feet in height. Finke stated that the Council could consider the units closer to Bridgewater be more limited in height, recognizing there could be unintended implications. Martin asked the height of the golf course villas on the west side. Denman replied that those have a height of 33 to 36 feet. DesLauriers stated that those homes face the golf course and do not have homes behind them. He stated that he is not asking the entire development to be further limited in height, but specifically would like those three homes closest to Bridgewater further limited. Martin noted a fourth home in the northwest corner. She stated that perhaps those four lots should have a reduced height. DesLauriers agreed, noting that he would be fine with the 35-foot height for the other homes. Denman stated that he thinks they could do that and suggested a maximum of 32 feet in height for those four homes. He stated that the Bridgewater homes are quite a bit higher than these homes would be. Finke commented that he believes that those units are lookouts which would have less rear exposure. Denman confirmed that those are lookouts or walkouts in the Bridgewater development. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 13 Rick Osberg, representing the applicant, commented that the lots adjacent to them are lookouts. George Stickney, applicant, stated that he has met with all the existing residents and has developed agreements with those eight homeowners. He stated that for the one home with a direct sightline, he has agreed to limit to a height of 32 feet. He stated that he has eliminated the tot lot as that was not desired by the existing residents and used those funds to create screening projects for all eight property owners in Bridgewater. He stated that he will work with each homeowner to remove invasive species and replant native trees where needed. He noted that 40 or 50 trees will be planted on adjacent properties to increase their screening, which he does not get credit for on his property. Martin applauded the applicant for having the discussions with the Bridgewater residents and asked if the landscaping plan reflects those agreements. Stickney replied that is not reflected in the landscaping plans because those will lie on the adjacent private properties. Martin asked how that would be memorialized. Batty replied that the City could have a landscaping plan and if that includes plantings on adjacent properties, but authorization would need to be submitted approving those placements. He stated that he does not want the City to be a party to agreements with individual property owners in Bridgewater but would welcome the developer having a plan showing the plantings that could be approved as part of the landscaping plan. Denman confirmed he would be amenable to limiting the height of the four homes directly adjacent to Bridgewater to 32 feet. Reid commented that this is a good plan. DesLauriers agreed that this is a good plan. Albers also agreed. Martin provided updated language for condition six which would provide a maximum height of 35 feet with the exception of the four homes that would have a maximum height of 32 feet. She stated that the landscaping plan would also be updated to include the plantings for the Bridgewater properties with the applicant providing proof that the Bridgewater residents have approved those placements. Stickney commented that he volunteered to work with the Bridgewater residents to provide additional plantings. He noted that they cannot make a final determination at this time on which trees will stay and which will be removed. He stated that the needs and desires of each property owner are different. He stated that he can provide copies of the contracts he has drafted. He stated that those agreements are between the two property owners. He stated that he will be improving his property dramatically and the agreements he has with the adjacent property owners are between the two parties. Martin commented that citizens on adjacent properties have come back to the City in the past asking why the commitment of the developer was not enforced. She stated that the Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 14 City needs some assurance that whatever agreements have been reached will be honored. She stated that she will leave it to Batty as to how to document those agreements. She referenced the strip of City owned property noting that one option would be to deed that property to the developer so that it could be platted with the wetland area. Batty commented that the Council has great discretion as to what to do. He stated that the City does not have to go out to bid or through a formal process. Finke stated that staff wanted to call attention to that and would ultimately report back at final plat with recommendations as to how to do that. He noted that some options were outlined in the report. Martin commented that it would seem to be a good title cleanup exercise. She referenced the trail recommendations, easements, and parking stall construction which seem reasonable. Finke asked if the Council would want to require the trail connection for the Diamond Lake Regional Trail (DLRT) as part of this development, or if the City should only secure the easement and allow Three Rivers Park District to construct that in the future. Martin asked how different users of the trail would realize which path they should follow. Finke commented that there is a sidewalk proposed along the roadway that would connect to the trail and provide connectivity from the homes to the trail. He confirmed that the intention would be for the general public to follow the trail. He agreed that perhaps signage could be of assistance. DesLauriers asked if there would be an easement at the end of the trail to continue the DLRT. Finke commented that the intent would be for the easement to continue across the wetland and provided details on the desired flexibility of the easement. Osberg commented that the depiction of the trail represents the actual trail alignment and not necessarily the easement that would encompass it. He stated that they read into previous comments about the desired route of the DLRT, but as discussion has gone on it seems that it is not certain whether the trail should cross easterly or southerly. He stated that originally, they proposed a gravel base as they were unsure of the desired route. He noted that they would be happy to provide easements for either route but would not want to construct something that may not ultimately be desired. He stated that it does not seem wise to place a trail in the wetland buffer area when the alignment of the trail is not yet known. Reid stated that the DLRT is pretty far into the future and therefore an easement would seem to be the better choice. Albers agreed with an easement. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 15 Batty commented that there can be a similar concept to a blanket easement and when the true alignment is known that easement could be confined to the actual location, but in the time being it would cover a broader area. DesLauriers agreed that the easements would be good to have but the trail construction is not needed at this time. Martin reviewed the augmentations to the recommended conditions as discussed. Moved by Albers, seconded by DesLauriers, to direct staff to prepare documents to approve the PUD General Plan and Preliminary Plat subject to the conditions described in the staff report and as augmented by the Council discussion. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. Martin briefly recessed the meeting. Martin reconvened the meeting. VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. Arrowhead Drive Turn Lane Expansion Project – Approve Plans/Specs and Authorize Advertisement for Bids (10:00 p.m.) Johnson stated that the turn lane expansion project was identified under the visioning study completed in 2019. He provided other recommendations included in that study. Stremel stated that the improvements were identified in the visioning process in 2019 and provided relative background information. He stated that the OSI driveway modification to align with Meander Road was also identified in that study. He noted that the City moved forward with alternate C in that study and walked through the different improvements that would be a part of the proposed project. He noted that the stormwater pond would accommodate the needs for the roadway as well as OSI expansion. He reviewed the estimated project cost and different proposed funding sources. He commented that OSI would complete its driveway realignment using its own contractor. He reviewed the proposed project schedule. He asked the Council to approve the plans and specifications and authorize advertisement for bids. DesLauriers thanked OSI, noting it is a great business partner that is accepting of the realignment and willing to contribute to the project cost. Martin echoed those comments. Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Reid, to Adopt the Resolution 2022-10 Approving Plans/Specifications and Authorizing the Advertisement for Bids. Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 16 A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. IX. CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT (10:10 p.m.) Johnson had nothing further to report. X. MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL REPORTS (10:10 p.m.) Martin reported that she did attend the Fire District meeting this morning with Nelson, Johnson, and DesLauriers. She commented that she is starting to sense interest in the group to think about a broader sharing of resources, although perhaps not on the scale of a fire district. She stated that they are still awaiting the results of the Hamel and Loretto merger discussions. Reid stated that they are starting work on banners for Hamel and should have a design in a few weeks. Martin thanked Reid for spearheading that topic to create something tangible. DesLauriers stated that if there is any assistance needed in installing the banners, he would be happy to assist. He stated that he continues to find benefit in the continued fire district discussions and the benefits that can be provided through equipment sharing. Martin agreed that there is a lot of depth of relationships and experience of those involved in the discussions and it is great to learn from that. XI. APPROVAL TO PAY THE BILLS (10:15 p.m.) Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Albers, to approve the bills, EFT 006238E- 006250E for $59,429.81, order check numbers 052547-052598 for $255,154.54, and payroll EFT 0511585-0511613 for $59,048.98. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. XII. ADJOURN Martin commented that there have been instances of COVID at City Hall which supports the continued decision of the Council to meet virtually. She appreciated everyone’s willingness to honor the wickedness of the virus and its various variants. She hoped that Medina City Council Meeting Minutes February 2, 2022 17 everyone remains safe and healthy. She also recognized members of the community that are no longer with them because of the virus. Moved by DesLauriers, seconded by Martin, to adjourn the meeting at 10:19 p.m. A roll call vote was performed: DesLauriers aye Albers aye Reid aye Martin aye Motion passed unanimously. __________________________________ Kathy Martin, Mayor Attest: ____________________________________ Scott Johnson, City Administrator