[00:00:02]
>> [NOISE] WELCOME TO THE MONDAY,
[Roll Call ]
FEBRUARY 26TH BURNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE AND PRESENT.
NORMALLY WE START WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE FOLLOWING BURNSVILLE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS PAUL ELMSTRAND, MATTHEW RUGGIE, AND ADAMS FINSETH.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THIS IS DEFINITELY WHY WE AS A CITY SUPPORT OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
WE FLY THE BLUE LINE FLAG, THE RED LINE FLAG.
I KNOW I DO QUOTES AT THE END, BUT I HAVE ONE QUOTE TO START WITH THIS WITH AND IT'S FROM AN UNKNOWN POLICE SPOUSE.
IT SAYS, "I SLEEP ALONE SO YOU CAN SLEEP SAFE." IF YOU CAN JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT UP ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA,
[Approval of Agenda ]
WHICH INCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.ON ONE VOTE, WE WILL APPROVE EVERYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOMETHING OFF, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAB THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda ]
>> I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT THIS EVENING.
I'D MOVE TO ACCEPT ITEMS 1-7 AS IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? WHAT WE'VE GOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT. YES.
>> IF IT'S PERMITTED, AS I READ THE OPENING PARAGRAPH, MAYOR, I MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL REGARDING THE ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 12TH ARE CONSIDERED PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA. AM I RIGHT?
>> NOW, THEY'RE PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA, BUT THEY'RE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA CURRENTLY.
>> DOES THAT MEAN I DON'T GET THE TIME?
>> DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MINUTES?
>> YOU CAN TALK ON PUBLIC COMMENTS IF YOU'D LIKE.
ANYBODY ELSE? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> OPPOSED? I NOTE THAT PASSES 5-0.
THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT AND WE'LL BE STARTING WITH NUMBER 8 WHICH IS LA 23-62,
[8. LA23-000062, Peter Eskuche, 4423 North Shore Drive, Variances]
PETER SUCHY 4423 NORTH SHORE DRIVE VARIANCES.>> GOOD EVENING. THIS APPLICATION IS FOR A NEW HOME.
THE NEW HOME REQUIRES VARIANCES FROM AVERAGE [INAUDIBLE] SETBACK AS WELL AS VARIANCES TO CONSTRUCT AND GRADE WITHIN THE BLUFF SETBACK AND BLUFF IMPACT ZONE.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS A LAKE LOT THAT FRONTS ON A CHANNEL AS WELL.
THE PROPERTY HAS BLUFFS THAT SURROUND BOTH THE LAKE SIDE AND THE CHANNEL SIDE.
THE EXISTING HOME IS NON-CONFORMING.
THE EXISTING HOME HAS A WALKOUT AND A STEEP DRIVEWAY.
THE PROPOSED HOME WILL ALSO HAVE A WALKOUT WHICH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL GRADING AND RETAINING WALLS WITHIN THE BLUFF SETBACK.
THE STEEP DRIVEWAY IS PROPOSED TO BE MITIGATED BY REDUCING THE BASEMENT FLOOR ELEVATION, WHICH ALSO ADDS TO THE ADDITIONAL GRADING WORK WITHIN THE BLUFF SETBACKS.
THE CITY COUNCIL DID REVIEW THIS APPLICATION AT THE PREVIOUS FEBRUARY 12 MEETING.
THE COUNCIL MOVED TO TABLE THE APPLICATION IN ORDER TO VISIT THE SITE.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS VISITED THE SITE THIS PAST WEEK.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE PLANS SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
JUST AS A REMINDER, STAFF IS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE APPLICATION AS APPLIED DUE TO THE SENSITIVITY OF THE BLUFF, STAFF CAN SUPPORT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE APPLICATION INCLUDING THE AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK VARIANCE AS WELL AS VARIANCES REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT THE DRIVEWAY THAT IS WITHIN THE BLUFF SETBACKS.
STAFF DOES NOT BELIEVE THERE'S PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY PRESENT TO SUPPORT THE ADDITIONAL GRADING AND RETAINING WALLS TO THE REST OF THE HOME IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE WALKOUT BASEMENT.
STAFF WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE AND JUST CLARIFY THAT THE PROPOSED WALKWAY ON THE SITE, AS WELL AS THE SHED REBUILD, IS OUT OF THE SCOPE OF THIS APPLICATION.
CURRENTLY, THERE ISN'T ENOUGH INFORMATION ON THE PLAN NEEDED FOR THOSE, SO THOSE WOULD BE SEPARATE APPLICATIONS JUST SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION THERE.
STAFF IS ASKING COUNSEL TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND PROVIDE STAFF WITH DIRECTION IN ORDER TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION.
NO RESOLUTION WAS ATTACHED AS PART OF YOUR PACKET TODAY.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE TONIGHT AS WELL AS THE HOMEOWNERS,
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AND I'M HERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.>> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF?
>> I DO HAVE ONE. WHAT'S THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE?
>> THE PLANS THEY PROVIDED ARE A BIT ROUGH.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THE HOME.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT A 4,000 SQUARE FOOT FOOTPRINT, BUT I THINK THE ARCHITECT IS HERE AND HE CAN VERIFY THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FINISHED VERSUS UNFINISHED SPACE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I KNOW THE APPLICANTS HERE IF THEY LIKE TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THEIR APPLICATION AS WELL, THAT WE'VE ALL VISITED YOUR PLACE.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PAUL SCHMELING, 5115 MINNEAPOLIS AVE IN MINNETRISTA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH MY WIFE, JUDY, PETER ESKUCHE FROM, ESKUCHE DESIGN, AND OUR BUILDER, DAVID BAKER FROM DENALI HOMES.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF AND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR VISITING THE PROPER PROPERTY OVER THE LAST WEEK.
THIS IS A COMPLEX SITUATION TO VISUALIZE ON PAPER.
I HOPE THAT AFTER YOUR VISIT, YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE REQUEST AND WHY I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE LAKE SHORE PROPERTIES IN ORONO.
TO BRIEFLY RECAP, THIS LOT IS A 1.5 ACRE PROPERTY.
AFTER APPLYING ALL THE CITY DEFINED LAKE SHORE AND BLUFF SETBACK RULES, ONLY 10% OF THE LOT IS BUILDABLE.
THE CURRENT DRIVEWAY HAS A STEEP PITCH, WHICH CREATES SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS THAT MAY NEED TO ACCESS THE PROPERTY.
WE ONLY OWN HALF OF THE DRIVEWAY.
ABOUT 50% OF THE DRIVEWAY IS NOT ON OUR PROPERTY, BUT IT'S ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
THAT LIMITS OUR OPTIONS ON WHEN WE CAN START ADJUSTING THE DRIVEWAY AND TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT STEEP PITCH.
THE CURRENT HOME HAS LAKE AND CHANNEL VIEWS AND WALKOUT BASEMENT TO THE WEST AND THESE ARE KEY DESIGN FEATURES THAT WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN IN THE NEW HOUSE.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, OUR DESIGN AND BUILD TEAM HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO THREAD THE NEEDLE ON THE CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
FIRST, AFTER THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, WE DID MAKE CHANGES TO OUR PROPOSAL AND ADDRESSED AND COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE REQUESTS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE'VE MOVED THE ENTIRE HOUSE OUT OF THE BLUFF IMPACT ZONE, WHICH IS AN IMPROVEMENT AS THE CURRENT HOUSE IS IN THE BLUFF IMPACT ZONE.
WE'VE IMPROVED THE LAKE SHORE SETBACK SO THAT THE NEW HOUSE WILL NOT BE ANY CLOSER TO THE LAKE TO THE SOUTH THAN THE CURRENT HOUSE, WE'VE IMPROVED THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVEWAY BY REDUCING THE GRADE TO 8.5% AND WE'VE DESIGNED A FLAT ROOFED MODERN HOUSE THAT WILL INTEGRATE VERY WELL INTO THIS LOT AND ITS HILLSIDE LOCATION.
THE ONE AREA WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FULLY RESOLVE IS THE GRADIENT VARIANCE TO THE WEST AND MY WIFE AND I ARE SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL FOR THAT TONIGHT.
BEFORE I CLOSE, I DID WANT TO MENTION A FEW OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS SPECIFIC TO THE VARIANCE REQUEST AND THE SITUATION TO THE WEST.
FIRST, I WANT TO BRING IT TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION THAT I BELIEVE THE BLUFF AREA ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY WHERE WE ARE REQUESTING THE GRADING VARIANCE IS WHAT I WOULD CALL BARELY A BLUFF.
THE BLUFFS ARE DEFINED IN THE ORONO CITY CODE AS SLOPED AREAS THAT NEED TO MEET FOUR CRITERIA.
CRITERIA NUMBER 2 STATES THAT THE SLOPE RISES AT LEAST 25 FEET ABOVE THE ORDINARY HIGH WATER LEVEL OF THE WATER BODY.
IF YOU REVIEW THE SURVEY DATA FOR THE TOP OF THE BLUFF THAT IS IN QUESTION, THE ELEVATIONS AT THE TOP OF THE BLUFF RANGE BETWEEN 24.6 FEET TO 25 FEET TO 25.9 FEET ON THE SOUTH END OF THAT AREA.
IT APPEARS TO ME THAT BASED ON THE SURVEYOR'S DRAWING, MUCH OF THE BLUFF IS ACTUALLY UNDER 25 FEET.
NOW, WE'RE NOT BRINGING INTO QUESTION THE SURVEYOR OF DETERMINATION THAT THAT'S A BLUFF, BUT ADMITTEDLY, IT'S REALLY ON THE RATTY EDGE.
THE SECOND POINT IS THE BLUFF WAS ACTUALLY CREATED WHEN THE CURRENT HOUSE WAS BUILT.
THE CURRENT RETAINING WALL AT THE TOP OF THE BLUFF WAS INSTALLED TO CREATE A FLAT AREA OUTSIDE OF THE CURRENT WALKOUT BASEMENT.
WITHOUT THE CURRENT RETAINING WALL, THERE WOULD BE NO BLUFF.
NEXT, THE OVERALL SPIRIT OF THE BLUFF REGULATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE BLUFFS AND ULTIMATELY TO PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE BLUFF ENDS IN THE WATERWAY.
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIS PROPERTY, THE BLUFF RUNS RIGHT AT THE WATER.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE TO THE WEST AS THERE IS A FLAT SPOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLUFF BEFORE THE FOREST LAKE CHANNEL.
THERE'S A NATURAL BUFFER TO THE WEST THAT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO THAT WATERWAY.
THE LAST POINT, AND MAYBE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT,
[00:10:01]
IS THE PROTECTION OF THE BLUFFS AND OUR WATERWAYS ARE POINTS THAT MY WIFE AND I SHARE IN COMMON WITH THE CITY.THE TOPOGRAPHY AND LANDSCAPE, OUR WOODS, AND OUR WATERWAYS ARE THINGS THAT MAKE THE CITY OF ORONO VERY SPECIAL.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN AND PROVE THAT ON THE PROPERTY FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THE GOOD OF OUR OWN PROPERTY VALUE.
I THINK WE'VE CLEARLY PROVEN WE MEET THE THREE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVING THE VARIANCE; UNIQUENESS, REASONABLENESS, AND ESSENTIAL CHARACTER.
CLEARLY, THIS IS A UNIQUE LOT.
WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD AND THOUGHTFULLY TO DESIGN THE HOUSE, AND POSITION IT ON THE LOT IN A REASONABLE MANNER.
THE PROPOSED HOUSE WILL MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE LOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BOTH OF OUR NEIGHBORS, BY THE WAY, HAVE SENT LETTERS IN, SUPPORTING OUR REQUEST.
I REQUEST TONIGHT, YOU SUPPORT AND CONSIDER THIS VARIANCE REQUEST. THANK YOU.
>> HI. PETER ESKUCHE, 18318 MINNETONKA BOULEVARD IN DEEPHAVEN.
IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION, I BELIEVE IT'S AROUND 2,900 SQUARE FEET ON THE MAIN LEVEL OF THE GARAGE.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D REITERATE THE POINT THAT ON MOST BLUFFS, THE WATER BEING THE BIGGEST CONCERN, THIS BLUFF TO THE WEST DOES HAVE QUITE A BIT OF GRASSY ABSORPTION AREA, SO I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS WORTH MENTIONING.
I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
>> SORRY. CAN YOU [NOISE] REPEAT THAT.
YOU SAID 2,900 SQUARE FEET WAS THE MAIN LEVEL?
>> APPROXIMATELY. WHAT'S THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOME, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE FOOTPRINT?
>> IF YOU HAVE THE GARAGE, IT'S PROBABLY 800 FOR THE GARAGE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AT ALL?
>> NO. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING US COME OUT.
THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND VERY UNIQUE AS YOU PUT IT.
>> ANYBODY ELSE FROM YOUR GROUP WANT TO COME UP AND SPEAK AT ALL? NO. WELL, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
ANY THOUGHTS AFTER VISITING AND EVERYTHING? [OVERLAPPING]
>> I GUESS YOU BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING POINT, I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT.
THE BLUFF HAS FOUR CRITERIA AND ONE OF THEM IS IT HAS TO BE 25 FEET OVER THE ORDINARY HIGH WATER?
>> WHAT AREAS IS IT UNDER AND WHERE IS IT OVER AT 25 FEET?
>> I'D HAVE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, BUT AS THE HOMEOWNER NOTED, THE SURVEYOR DID NOTE THAT THE ENTIRE AREA HERE IS A BLUFF, AND SO WE'RE TREATING IT AS SUCH THAT IT MEETS THE BLUFF QUALIFICATIONS AND SO OUR SETBACKS ARE DETERMINED FROM THAT.
>> YEAH. WHETHER IT'S BARELY A BLUFF OR IT'S A BLUFF, IT'S STILL A BLUFF AND WE STILL HAVE TO TREAT IT AS SUCH AND HAVE OUR 20-FOOT AND 30-FOOT SETBACKS FROM IT.
>> THEN WHEN I LOOKED AT THEIR SURVEY, IT APPEARED THAT THE ELEVATION TO THE TOP WALL OF THE EXISTING RETAINING WALL WAS 953.6 FEET.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE I GOT THESE NUMBERS RIGHT?
>> YES, I HAVE AN ELEVATION OF 953.6 NEAR THE THE EXISTING WALL ON THEIR EXISTING SURVEY.
>> THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING THAT UP, WHEN I WENT THERE JUST LOOKING AT THE SITE, WHAT SEEMED LOGICAL AND COMPROMISING WITH WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THERE WAS USING THE TOP OF THE EXISTING WALL THAT WAS THERE AT 953.6 AND LEAVE THAT WALL.
I WAS HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE YOU WOULD PROPOSE A NEW FINISHED FLOOR HEIGHT OF THE LOWER LEVEL, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'VE MADE THAT CHANGE.
I SHOWED THE FINISHED FLOOR HEIGHT OF THE BASEMENT AT 953.1, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON THE CURRENT PROPOSAL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S WHAT WAS IN OUR PACKET, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S RIGHT.
I THOUGHT, WHAT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME IS THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING BOULDER WALL THAT'S THERE,
[00:15:04]
NOT DISTURB THE REST OF THE BLUFF, CREATE A LITTLE SPACE THERE.BUT THE PROPOSED PLAN HAS A FLOOR HEIGHT OF FIVE INCHES LOWER THAN THAT [OVERLAPPING] RETAINING WALL.
LIKE STAFF, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE VARIANCE FOR THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK, WORKING WITH THEM ON THE DRIVEWAY IN THAT SETBACK, BUT THAT THE EXISTING WALL ON THAT WEST SIDE REMAINS, AND I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH ALLOWING THAT TO BE AS THE GRADING HEIGHT.
THEN THEIR FINISHED FLOOR ELEVATION OF THEIR LOWER LEVEL, THEY GET TO DECIDE WHERE THE FINISHED FLOOR HEIGHT IS, THAT'S THEIRS.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE IT BE UNDER, THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY WANT TO BRING IT UP, THAT'S PART OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE EXISTING RETAINING WALLS THAT ALREADY ARE IN THE BLUFF.
>> MATT, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHEN THAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY DO SIGNIFICANT GRADING, THEY WILL BE ADJUSTING THAT RETAINING WALL AND WE'LL NEED TO LIKELY REBUILD IT, DOING THE REST OF THE PROJECT, CORRECT?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD.
>> I THINK THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS THAT THEY WANT TO REMOVE THE WALL AND DO SOME MORE GRADING IN THAT AREA.
>> YES. WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THAT WALL.
THAT WALL IS TO THEIR BENEFIT, IN MY OPINION, THAT IT EXISTS SO THEY CAN USE IT AND HAVE A SPACE TO GRADE TOO BECAUSE TECHNICALLY, THAT'S IN THE NO-GRADING AREA UPEND TO THERE.
BUT IT SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL STOPPING POINT.
THE BLUFF BEYOND THAT WOULDN'T BE IMPACTED AND THEY CAN PUT THEIR SILT FENCE IN FRONT OF ALL THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T.
THAT WAS JUST MY TAKE AND TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT THAT WAS AN AREA THAT, I THINK, ONE, THEY CAN ACHIEVE IT ARCHITECTURALLY AND, TWO, IT KEEPS US CONSISTENT WITH OUR PROTECTION OF THE BLUFF.
>> I AGREE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO TEAR DOWN THE WALL IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THAT WOULD JUST CREATE MORE DISTURBANCE WITHIN THE BLUFF.
I THINK IT IS IT IS TO THEIR BENEFIT TO HAVE IT, SO I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF TAKING THE WALL DOWN, BUT I AM SUPPORTIVE ON ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED AS WELL.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT FIVE INCHES OFF FROM THE TOP OF THE WALL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FINISHED FLOOR, WHICH IS PROBABLY MANAGEABLE TO WORK WITH, UNLESS YOU ARE THINKING DIFFERENTLY.
>> IS THE ARCHITECT WANT TO COME BACK OUT?
>> YES. SURE. FOR EVERY INCH THAT WE LEFT THE LOWER LEVEL, OF COURSE, THAT IMPACTS THE DRIVEWAY PITCH UNLESS YOU ADD MORE STAIRS BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND THE MAIN HOUSE.
>> HOW MANY STAIRS ARE IN THE GARAGE TO THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW?
>> WE HAD ZERO ORIGINALLY AND WE ADDED TWO.
FROM PLANNING COMMISSION TO THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, WE ADDED TWO STEPS.
IN THE PROCESS WE TOOK 18 INCHES OUT OF CEILING HEIGHTS AND RAISED THE HOUSE A FOOT SO IN TOTAL, WE RAISED IT LIKE TWO-AND-A-HALF FEET.
BETWEEN THE [NOISE] DISTANCE FROM THE WALK OUT TO THE EDGE OF THE RETAINING WALL, YOU STILL NEED ABOUT A FOOT OF PITCH JUST FOR PROPER DRAINAGE SO YOU DON'T FLOOD ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE.
IT IS TRUE IT'S ABOUT FIVE INCHES, BUT ALSO YOU NEED ANOTHER FOOT OR SO FOR POSITIVE DRAINAGE SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT 18 INCHES THAT YOU'D NEED.
>> WELL, THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT THAT IS THAT WHOLE FLAT AREA IN THE BACK IS ALREADY MANMADE, CORRECT? IT'S NOT TRUE BLUFF ANYMORE.
WHEN THEY BUILT THAT HOUSE, WHATEVER, 50, 60 YEARS AGO, THEY FLATTENED THAT WHOLE THING SO IT WASN'T MADE IN GOD CREATOR'S MIND ANYMORE.
NOW IT'S IN REAL MANMADE IN TERMS OF FLAT.
SO I GUESS I'D HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT IF THE FIVE INCHES IS TOO MUCH, CAN YOU WORK WITH GRADING IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEN WE'RE USING SOME DRAIN TILE OR FRENCH DRAINS OR SOMETHING TO GET THE WATER OUT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T HAVE STUFF SLOPING TOWARDS YOU, HOW WE CAN MANAGE THAT.
>> WHAT WE WERE SAYING IN THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS WAS WE WERE TRYING TO REMOVE THE RETAINING WALL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS NATURAL.
WE WERE TRYING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE OLD GRADING AND NOT HAVE A WALL PER SEE.
[00:20:07]
BUT WITHOUT THAT THERE, THIS SLOPE WOULD JUST BE LIKE THAT.>> I THINK THE ISSUE IS YOU JUST DO MASSIVE DISTURBANCE OF THE SLOPE AT THAT POINT.
WELL, RIGHT NOW IT'S ACTUALLY HOLDING WATER IN PLACE.
IF YOU RECREATE THE WHOLE SLOPE THE WAY GOD CREATED IT, YOU JUST HAVE JUST MORE WATER RUNNING DOWN.
>> MORE RUN OFF. EVEN THOUGH IT IS COMING DOWN TO A FLATTER SURFACE AT THE BOTTOM BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT PAUL WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH THAT.
BUT YEAH, THE SLOPE ITSELF, THAT WOULD CONCERN ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M OKAY WITH THE OTHER VARIANCES.
>> BUT CAN YOU MANAGE THAT FIVE INCHES OR HOW CAN WE SOLVE THAT FIVE INCHES?
>> IT'S ABOUT 18 INCHES BECAUSE YOU NEED ANOTHER FOOT FROM THE HOUSE TO THE WALL.
IF THIS WAS LIKE THE END ALL YOU COULD PROBABLY TAKE ONE ROW OF BOULDERS OUT.
THE BASE OF THE WALL PROBABLY HAS MORE OF A STRUCTURAL IMPACT ON THE BLUFF THAN THE TOP.
IF YOU TOOK ONE ROW OF BOULDERS OUT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY GET PRETTY CLOSE TO BUYING ENOUGH SPACE, WE COULD ADD A COUPLE INCHES OF HEIGHT TO THE ENTIRE HOUSE.
THAT WOULD ONLY HAVE A MINOR IMPACT ON THE DRIVEWAY PITCH.
>> I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT AND I KNOW YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT IF YOU DID NEED TO DO SOME GRADING, IT WOULD ONLY BE, I DON'T REMEMBER, 10 FEET WIDE, 15 FEET HIGH, WHATEVER IT WAS FROM WHERE ACTUALLY THE DOOR COMES OUT.
THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY SPOT YOU NEED TO DO AT A CERTAIN WIDTH.
>> TWENTY FEET WIDE. I REMEMBER.
THE OTHER THING TOO, I DON'T KNOW WHEN RETAINING WALLS GO FROM BEING STRUCTURED TO JUST LANDSCAPING.
WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF HEIGHT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE WALKOUT, YOU COULD DIMINISH THE IMPACT OF A WALL PER SE AND MAKE THAT MORE OUTCROPPING STONES THAT WOULD LOOSEN UP.
IF THAT BECOMES THE DEAD IN THE WATER DEAL, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY TO SOFTEN AS OPPOSED TO HAVING WALLS.
NOW, THAT MEANS MORE GRADING, OF COURSE.
>> WELL, WHEN YOU'RE DIGGING THAT HOUSE UP, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A WHOLE BUNCH OF MACHINES BACK THERE, DESTROYING THAT FLAT AREA TO BEGIN WITH SO IT'S GOING TO GET GRADED REGARDLESS.
>> IT'S GOING TO GET GRADED JUST IN GENERAL.
NOW IT'S JUST A MATTER, CAN WE GRADE IT TO YOUR BENEFIT WITHOUT CREATING OTHER CRAZY STUFF? I DON'T KNOW. YOU GUYS HAVE SOME COMMENTS AS WELL?
>> I DO. I DID REVIEW THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ITEM AND ALSO VISITED THE SITE, BUT MY OPINION ON THIS ONE HASN'T CHANGED SINCE LAST MEETING WHEN I SAID THAT I WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE STAFF BECAUSE I JUST DON'T FIND THAT THERE'S A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY CRITERIA THAT'S BEEN MET WITH THE NEED FOR A WALKOUT BASEMENT.
I THINK THE GRADING COMPROMISES ON THE DRIVEWAY SEEM APPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND I CAN GET BEHIND THAT AND ALSO THE AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE WALK OUT AND THE DISTURBANCE WITHIN THAT BLUFF ZONE, I DON'T SEE THAT IT MEETS THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE LIGHT FOR SOLAR PANELING OR OTHER SORTS OF THINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN CHOICE SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH STAFF AND PLANNING ON THIS AS IT STANDS.
IF THERE WAS A WAY TO REDESIGN THE ORIENTATION OR GIVE UP IN OTHER AREAS, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE IF A WALKOUT WAS REALLY A DESIGN FEATURE THAT WAS A NECESSARY PART OF THE DESIGN, THEN MAYBE LOOKING AT A REDESIGN TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WHILE NOT IMPACTING THAT BLUFF SOME ONE FURTHER.
BECAUSE I CAN AGREE WITH THE GRADING OF THE DRIVEWAY, BUT NOT WITH THIS OTHER PORTION OF THE APPLICATION.
>> NO, I THINK THAT IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE DISTURBANCE.
I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GRADING THAT'S HAPPENING ANYWAYS.
I DO THINK THAT THEY'RE PUT IN A VERY HARD SPOT BECAUSE OF THE WALL THAT WAS PUT IN ARTIFICIALLY THAT NOW HANDCUFFS THEM TO FOLLOWING GUIDELINES.
I'M REALLY TORN ON THIS, IF I'M BEING HONEST.
I CAN SEE IT BEING VERY UNIQUE.
I CAN SEE SOME PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES IN THAT THE WALL WAS THERE AND NON CONFORMING TO START.
>> WHAT'S INTERESTING TOO, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE DRIVEWAY WHICH HAS THE SLOPE ISSUE, AND NOBODY WANTS A HUGE SLOPING DRIVEWAY IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO, JUST FOR, ESPECIALLY ALL THE WINTERTIME THAT WE HAVE AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ON THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THAT'S AN INHERENT PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.
BUT BY SOLVING THAT PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY, YOU ARE CREATING ANOTHER PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY IN ANOTHER PART, WHICH THEY'RE CALLING A BLUFF THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FLATTENED OUT 50 YEARS AGO TO MAKE IT BE A BACK YARD SO I GUESS I'M A LITTLE FLEXIBLE.
[00:25:01]
I REALLY DON'T WANT TO MOVE THAT RETAINING WALL SO I THINK IF YOU CAN CREATE A FEW INCHES OF GRADING, I'M WILLING TO GIVE YOU A FEW INCHES OF GRADING IF YOU CAN WORK WITH DRAIN TILE OR SOMETHING ELSE TO GET THAT WATER THROUGH THE BOULDER WALL.>> BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT AND WOULD YOU BE OPPOSED TO JUST HAVING THE ONE LAYER OF BOULDER WALL AS OPPOSED TO TWO AND LETTING THEM GO DOWN TO THE FIRST LAYER OF BOULDER WALL, WHICH WILL HELP A SLOWER SLOPE AND FLATTER SURFACE.
THE SPIRIT OF THE BOULDER WALL WOULD STILL BE MET THERE AND IT'S A COMPROMISE.
>> MAYBE FOR THE 20 FEET AND BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT A VERY SMALL.
I'M THINKING FOR THAT AREA SLIGHTLY TO GO DOWN AND MAYBE JUST HAVE THE ONE BOULDER WALL.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A ONE BOULDER WALL, BUT IT'S JUST WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S TWO BOULDERS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.
>> THERE MIGHT BE MORE. [LAUGHTER].
>> YOU'VE GOT THE BASE AND THEN THE ONE ON TOP IS WHAT'S VISIBLE, ANYWAY.
>> I THINK IT'S ABOUT THREE FEET HIGH.
>> YOU MIGHT WIND UP REPLACING THOSE ANYWAY WHILE YOU'RE DOING ALL THIS WORK BECAUSE THE ODDS ARE YOU'RE GOING TO RUIN IT WITH THE EQUIPMENT.
>> WELL, THEY'VE GOT THE SILT FENCE UP WHICH THEN TECHNICALLY TELLS YOU YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING WORK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SILT FENCE.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE SILT FENCE IS THERE.
>> GOOD LUCK WITH THAT WITH GROUND AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
>> I THINK IT'S WITHIN REASON TO SAY FOR THAT 20 FEET, IF YOU CAN SHOW MAYBE ON THE FLY THAT I'M WILLING TO LOSE A TOP LAYER IF IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, AND IF IT'S NOT, LEAVE THE ONES THAT AREN'T BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT JOCKEYING UP AND DOWN.
BUT KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TEARING STUFF DOWN ANYWAYS, AND FOR A FEW INCHES UPGRADING AND SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MAN-MADE TO HELP SOLVE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY THAT WAS CREATED BECAUSE YOU HAD TO SOLVE ANOTHER PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.
[LAUGHTER] IT'S A QUANDARY BUT WE [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S THE BEGINNING. WE ENFORCED IT THAT TOP OF THE HILL EVEN MORE WITH THE PRODUCTS AND WHATEVER YOU PUT IN.
>> THEY'RE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS THAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.
IT'S JUST SOLVING ONE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY THAT CREATES ANOTHER ONE, AND FOR A MINOR ADJUSTMENT ON DIRT, WE'RE ONLY TALKING A FEW INCHES, AND A BOULDER WALL OF 20 FEET WIDE, I THINK THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE.
>> YOU THINK IT'S A REASONABLE COMPROMISE?
>> I WAS JUST LOOKING AT, HE'S GOT THAT BIG SCREEN OVER THERE, SO YOU CAN JUST BLOW IT UP, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT APPROVAL LANGUAGE WOULD BE BUT [OVERLAPPING] WE BASICALLY WE'D HAVE TO GET STAFF DIRECTION ON A.
>> THERE WAS SOMETHING WHERE [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'D BE ASKING FOR SOME AMENDED PLANS THAT MEET YOUR QUALIFICATIONS, SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY, THAT'S LEAVING THE BOULDER WALL IN PLACE AT LEAST FOR THE MOST PART, OR AT LEAST [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I THINK WE WOULD DISTURB IT IS THAT 20 FEET, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY'RE PLACED SO IT'S A GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITY [OVERLAPPING]
>> MAYBE ONE LAYER CAN BE REMOVED AT THE BOULDER WALL.
>> JUST HAVE THAT 20 FEET THEY NEED IT TO COME OUT.
>> LET'S SAY THAT'S A FOOT AND A HALF OR WHATEVER.
>> JUST WHATEVER THE TOP LAYER.
>> YEAH, THE TOP LAYER, A FOOT AND A HALF.
>> BUT THERE WOULD BE SUPPORT FOR THE GRADING BETWEEN THE WALKOUT AND THE BOULDER WALL.
>> THAT SPACE BETWEEN, THAT'S 30 FEET. IT'S ABOUT 30 FEET, RIGHT?
>> IT'S WHAT? TWENTY FEET? [OVERLAPPING]
>> TWENTY FEET WIDE TO THE BOULDER WALL.
>> THEN TO THE 30 FEET TO THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> HOLD THE 20, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE.
>> THEN SUPPORTIVE OF SOME WING WALL RETAINING WALLS STILL IN THAT?
>> I GUESS I GIVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY FOR IF RETAINING WALL IS NEEDED TO HOLD STUFF UP.
IF IT'S NEEDED THEN IT WOULD BE OKAY.
RETAINING WALLS DON'T COUNT AS STRUCTURE OR HARD COVER IF THEY'RE RETAINING THEIR STRUCTURE [OVERLAPPING]
>> STRUCTURE THERE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> HARD COVER. THEY'RE STRUCTURE NOT HARD COVER, THEY'RE HARD COVER, NOT STRUCTURE?
THEY GO TOWARDS STRUCTURAL COVERAGE.
>> I THINK IT'S CONSIDERED A STRUCTURE.
>> YEAH. BUT THEY'RE NOT COMING TOWARDS HARD COVER, BUT THEY'RE NOT STRUCTURAL.
>> THEY'RE NOT. [LAUGHTER] THIS IS VERY CLEAR. THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER]
>> YEAH. WE GET TO FOLLOW OF 12 CITIES IN THE LAKE.
>> LET'S PULL UP THE WEST ELEVATION I THINK THEN. CAN WE DO THAT?
[00:30:14]
YES. THAT WAS IT. THERE IT IS.WHAT'S THAT WALKOUT, WHAT'S THAT DIMENSION DOWN THERE?
>> NO, OF THE WALKOUT. WHAT'S THAT? THAT'S LOOKS LIKE AN EIGHT FOOT DOOR WITH A COUPLE OF FEET ON EACH SIDE, NO?
>> OH, THE WHOLE ROOM? BUT IT'S STEPPING DOWN THERE?
>> YES, FROM THE OTHER PARTS OF THE HOUSE, FURTHER BACK, YES.
>> I WOULD JUST SAY WHATEVER ON THAT ON THAT RETAINING WALL, IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN ALLOWING THEM TO TAKE THE ONE LAYER OFF TO BE THE WIDTH BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT IN, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING?
>> YEAH, WE CAN FLOW THE REST PRETTY NATURALLY BECAUSE IT'S ONLY A FOOT.
LET'S SAY IT'S A FOOT, AND THAT'S VERY EASY TO TRAIN NATURALLY WITHOUT ANY WALLS.
>> THEN MAKE THE WIDTH WHATEVER THAT THE ACTUAL WALKOUT PORTION IS, NOT THE WHOLE ROOM DOWN THERE WHERE IT COMES INTO THAT RETAINING WALL, RIGHT?
>> WELL, THAT 20 FEET'S THE WHOLE THING.
BUT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL WALKOUT PORTION THAT'S FLAT, STRAIGHT IN, YOU GOT [NOISE] A PAIR OF DOORS THERE AND A LITTLE WALL ON EACH SIDE, RIGHT?
>> CORRECT. FOR DRAINAGE, IT WOULD REALLY BE GREAT IF AT LEAST THAT WALL WAS STAYING AT THAT 20 FEET BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU GET INTO TROUBLE WITH DAMAGE AROUND DOORS ANY TIME WATER PASSES IT ENDS HERE.
>> YEAH. YOU WANT IT COMING AWAY.
NO. BUT AT THE HOUSE IT CAN BE OUT, RIGHT?
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TAPERING IT IN.
YOU GO FROM THE HOUSE AND YOU TAPER IT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> YOU'D HOLD IT FROM THE SIDE OF EACH WALL.
SAY THERE'S FOUR FEET ON EACH SIDE OF THE DOORS AND JUST STRAIGHT OUT, THAT'S ABOUT 20.
>> NO. I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE 20 IS COMING FROM, BUT CAN YOU TAPER IT IN? STARTS 20 AND BY THE TIME IT GETS TO THE WALL, IT CAN BE EIGHT AS AN EXAMPLE.
>> PROBABLY CAN DO THAT, YEAH.
AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET THE DRAINAGE.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE IT SO. THIS IS A REALLY NICE HOUSE.
I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. IT'S A WONDERFUL SITE.
THERE'S AN EXISTING WALKOUT THERE, SO YOU'RE NOT INTRODUCING SOMETHING NEW, IT'S ALREADY THERE, AND SO LET'S FIND A WAY TO MITIGATE THAT AT THE WALL.
>> ONLY BECAUSE IF YOU TAPER IT DOWN, AND I'M JUST USING EIGHT AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU START AT 20 AT THE HOUSE AND YOU'RE DOWN TO EIGHT, THEN WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT EIGHT FEET OF BOULDER WALL WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE OUT A LAYER.
>> WHAT IS A REASONABLE NUMBER THAT THE 20 TAPER'S TO?
>> THAT'S UP TO YOUR INTERPRETATION.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU ACCELERATE FROM 20 FEET OF WATER DOWN TO EIGHT, YOU'RE ACCELERATING WATER, SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY THE BEST THING FOR THE BLOCK.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU STICK WITH 20, YOU'RE GOING TO GET HEAT ABSORPTION THROUGH THAT WHOLE NETWORK [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, EXCEPT YOU'RE HEATING A RETAINING WALL, SO YOU'RE HEATING YOUR DRAINAGE ON THE RETAINING WALL.
THE WATER COMING OFF THAT SHOULD HIT YOUR RETAINING WALL, NOT GO OVER IT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE IDEA OF THAT RETAINING WALL IS TO HAVE ALL THIS GOING OVER, YOUR RETAINING WALL'S TO HOLD IT BACK.
YOU RUN YOUR DRAIN TILE AND YOU MOVE THE WATER ALONG, I THINK THAT'S THE WORKABLE SCENARIO.
I HATE GETTING INTO DESIGN AS PART OF AN APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW US SOMETHING TO APPROVE SPECIFICALLY, SO IT COMPLICATES THE APPROVAL.
BUT FOR ME, AS LONG AS IT'S REDUCING DOWN TO THAT AND WE CAN WORK WITH THEM ON THAT LAST BIT OF BOULDER WALL, I GUESS I COULD GET BEHIND THAT.
>> WHAT IS THAT NUMBER THOUGH?
>> YEAH. WHEN IT GETS TO THE END, WE GOT TO FIND A REASONABLE NUMBER TO PUT IN A MOTION TO HAVE THEM CREATE A [OVERLAPPING]
>> ON THE ENGINEERING SIDE, CAN YOU JUST REVIEW THEIR PLAN AS PART OF OUR APPROVAL? CAN WE DRAINAGE PLAN [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU CAN DIRECT THE APPLICANT TO REVISE THE PLANS PER THESE COMMENTS.
WE CAN BRING THOSE TO THE NEXT MEETING AND I CAN BRING AN APPROVAL RESOLUTION THAT'S DRAFTED WITH THAT AND YOU CAN STILL REVIEW THOSE PLANS AND SEE IF THEY'RE SUFFICIENT.
[00:35:01]
>> BUT YOU STILL GOT TO PICK A NUMBER.
>> IS THIS JUST A MOTION TO HAVE STAFF DRAFT THE APPROVAL?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE STAFF DRAFT THE APPROVAL TO ALLOW THE VARIANTS FOR THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK IN THE IN THE DRIVEWAY UP TO AND AT MOST 10 FEET OF THE DRAINAGE FROM THE RETAINING WALL NOT TO EXCEED 10 FEET IN WIDTH.
>> ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE WHICH IS 20 FEET.
>> AT THE WALL, IT WOULD BE [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT GIVE YOU ENOUGH FOR A MOTION STANDPOINT?
>> LIKE I SAID, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH STAFF ON PLANNING ON THIS ONE SO IF WE'RE AMENDING THE MOTION, I'M OKAY WITH THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK AND ALSO THE DRIVEWAY MODIFICATION BUT NOT WITH THE BLUFF WORK, SO IS THIS A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF ON ALL THOSE BLUFF WORK AS WELL?
>> IT IS, BUT IT IS A MOTION TO HAVE THEM DRAFT IT SO WE'LL COME BACK TO US AT THE NEXT MEETING IN THIS FASHION.
>> AND TO HAVE THEM REDO THE PLANS TO REFLECT THE MOTION.
>> COULD WE SEPARATE IT INTO TWO VOTES? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING?
>> NO, IT'S ALL ONE SO IT CONFUSES.
>> NO. I'M FINE TO DO THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M JUST BEING CLEAR ON WHAT I'M SUPPORTING.
>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT I SUPPORT AND WHAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF BASED ON STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, SO IT'S FINE.
>> I GOT A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SO THAT PASSES FIVE TO ZERO. THANK YOU.
>> I'LL SEE YOU IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
>> THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 9 IS LA 23-67,
[9. LA23-000067, Lakewest LLC, 3245 Wayzata Blvd, Concept Plan]
LAKE WEST LLC 3245 WAYZATA BOULEVARD CONCEPT.>> GOOD EVENING. JUST ONE SECOND HERE WHILE I PULL UP [INAUDIBLE]. [NOISE] INFRONT OF YOU TONIGHT, HERE IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMAL FEEDBACK ON A CONCEPT PLAN.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DEVELOP A 30 ACRE PARCEL OFF OF WAYZATA BOULEVARD INTO A MASTER PLANNED CONDO TYPE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS AREA IS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING SPLIT LAND USE DENSITY PER OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH URBAN HIGH DENSITY, WHICH ALLOWS FOR 20-25 UNITS PER ACRE TO THE SOUTH AND URBAN LOW DENSITY, WHICH IS 3-8 UNITS PER ACRE TO THE NORTH.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MUSA AND IS ANTICIPATED TO BE SERVED BY CITY WATER AND SEWER.
THERE ARE LARGE AREAS OF WETLANDS, FLOODPLAINS, AND CONTAMINATED SOIL FROM AN OLD LANDFILL ON THE SITE.
THE PROPOSED PLAN SHOWS SEVEN SEPARATE BUILDINGS RANGING 18-24 UNITS, WHICH ARE MULTIFAMILY CONDO STYLE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 156 UNITS BEING PROPOSED.
EACH BUILDING IS PROPOSED TO HAVE UNDERGROUND PARKING, AND THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SURFACE PARKING AS WELL.
THE BUILDINGS ARE ARRANGED AROUND OPEN SPACE AND A PROPOSED COMMUNITY AMENITIES, WHICH INCLUDE POOL, CLUBHOUSE, PLAY AREA, AS DESCRIBED IN THE CONCEPT PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE DEVELOPER IS WORKING WITH THE MPCA TO ADDRESS A LANDFILL CLEANUP.
THEY ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THE CONTAMINATED MATERIAL FROM THE WATER TABLE AND WETLAND AREA.
THE CONTAMINATED SOIL MATERIAL WILL BE KEPT ON SITE IN THE AREA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY IN A BERM, WHICH WILL BE KEPT, WHICH IS INDICATED IN THE DARK GREEN SPACE ON THE CONCEPT PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE APPLICANTS WORKING WITH THE MPCA GUIDELINES TO MANAGE THE LANDFILL IN THE AREA IDENTIFIED IN HIGH DENSITY PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WOULD TAKE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT TO REMEDIATE THAT CONTAMINATED SOIL TO ALLOW FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
BECAUSE OF THAT, THE DEVELOPER HAS PROPOSED THIS DENSITY TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PARCEL, WHICH IS IN OUR LOW DENSITY AREA.
TO MEET AND ALIGN WITH OUR COMP PLAN, A COMP PLAN AMENDMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MATCH
[00:40:01]
THE PROPOSED DENSITY AS PART OF THIS, AS SHOWN HERE.THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE REZONED TO AN R PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT STYLE, AS WELL AS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDANCE.
LET'S SEE HERE. THE RPUD WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY TO SOME SETBACK AND OTHER ZONING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
THE COUNCIL SHOULD REVIEW THE PROPOSAL AND CONSIDER THEIR WILLINGNESS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO RPUD AND ALLOW FOR THAT FLEXIBLE ZONING.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED THE APPLICATION IN JANUARY.
THE MEETINGS WERE ATTACHED TO YOUR PACKET.
OVERALL, THE COMMISSION WAS POSITIVE AND HAD POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PROJECT.
TONIGHT, COUNSEL'S ASKED TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND PROVIDE NON BINDING FEEDBACK TO THE APPLICANT.
STAFF HAS CALLED OUT A FEW SPECIFIC POINTS.
SPECIFICALLY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, THE REZONING THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS REGARDING THE LANDFILL, AND THE COORDINATION OF THE CONTAMINATED SOIL AND ALSO YOUR REACTION TO THE PROPOSED DESIGN OF THE SEVEN CONDO BUILDING AND THE AREAS ASSOCIATED IN THE CONCEPT PLAN.
THE APPLICANTS HERE TONIGHT, I BELIEVE THEY'VE PREPARED A PRESENTATION TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND AS WELL.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AND I ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER MAPS AND OTHER THINGS I CAN SHARE THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
JUST CURRENTLY WE'VE GOT THIS IS LIKE IN TWO DIFFERENT PARCELS, TWO DIFFERENT DENSITIES.
YOU WANT TO REMIND US WHAT THE ONE IS RIGHT ALONG HIGHWAY 12 AND THEN WHAT THE BACK ONE IS?
THIS IS THE PARCEL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE TAN COLOR RIGHT HERE IS LOW DENSITY, SO THAT'S GUIDED FOR 3-8 UNITS PER ACRE.
AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARCEL IN THE DARK BROWN IS HIGH DENSITY WHICH IS 20-25 UNITS PER ACRE.
>> THAT FRONT IS HOW MANY ACRES?
>> WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE ACRES OF PARCEL UP THERE.
>> AND WHAT ABOUT THE BROWN ONE?
>> I BELIEVE THERE WAS ABOUT 10 ACRES BACK THERE ACCORDING TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DEPENDING WHEN WE GET THE WETLAND DELINEATIONS.
IDENTIFY THE FLOOD PLAIN IN THE AREA AND THE MPCA AREAS OF THE BERM.
ALL OF THOSE SPACES CAN POTENTIALLY BE COUNTED OUT AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR DENSITY CALCULATIONS.
SO AS WE GET FURTHER INFORMATION, WE CAN DO A FULL ANALYSIS BUT ESTIMATED, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
ABOUT 15 BUILDABLE ACRES IN [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF I TOOK THAT JUST AS A NUMBER, JUST TO LAY THE TABLE OF WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
IF WE JUST WENT TO THE LOW END OF THE DENSITY AND THE FIVE ACRES AND THREE UNITS PER ACRE, THAT WOULD GIVE US 15 UNITS.
THE LOW END IS 20, SO THAT WOULD BE 200 SO CURRENTLY WE'VE GOT IT SLATED FOR, ON THE LOW END, 215 UNITS.
>> YEAH. THERE HAS BEEN SOME UPDATES BECAUSE OF THE BERMING AND EVERYTHING WITH THE MPCA.
I'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THE MET COUNCIL WHERE WE ESTIMATE THERE MIGHT BE ONLY ABOUT SEVEN BUILDABLE ACRES ON THE SITE ONCE YOU HAVE THE CONTAMINATED SOIL CAPPED IN THAT BERM AND THE BUFFER ASSOCIATED TO IT, SO THERE MIGHT BE LESS LAND ACTUALLY DEVELOPABLE OR BUILDABLE ACCORDING TO MET COUNCIL.
BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BROWN PIECE SPECIFICALLY.
>> BUT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU SAID THAT'S TEN ACRES AND THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY SEVEN.
SO IF IT WAS SEVEN ON THE LOW END, JUST TO LAY THE TABLE ON THE NUMBERS, THAT WOULD BRING THAT DOWN TO 140 UNITS PLUS THE 15 UP FRONT WOULD BE THEN 155 TOTAL.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING HERE THAT THEY'VE GOT PROPOSING 154 UNITS RIGHT NOW.
>> BEFORE I GET INTO ALL THE SPECIFICS IS AT LEAST UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS REAL CLEARLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAND?
>> YEAH, I DO. IS THIS WHAT ORONO WOULD YOU SAY WE'RE SLATED FOR 250 UNITS? IS THAT WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO SATISFY THE MET COUNCIL'S REQUIREMENTS FOR DENSITY IN THE AREA? OR COULD WE BE DOING MORE THAN THAT?
>> WE CAN ALWAYS BE DOING MORE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DENSITY THROUGH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
MET COUNCIL, YOU TAKE THE LOW NUMBER OF YOUR RANGE TIMES THE NUMBER OF BUILDABLE ACRES TO GET AN ESTIMATED NUMBER OF UNITS.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SUBMIT TO THE COUNCIL TO GO TOWARDS YOUR OVERALL DENSITY FOR THE CITY.
THAT'S HOW WE CALCULATE OUT OUR GUIDING.
>> THAT'S DENSITY FOR THE SEWER SYSTEM.
>> THE SEWERED AREAS OF THE CITY.
>> ABOVE A THREE UNIT PER ACRE NUMBER.
[00:45:01]
>> YOU CAN BUILD IF IT'S A THREE TO EIGHT UNITS LIKE ON THOSE FRONT, FOUR ACRES, AND YOU BUILD EIGHT, YOU STILL ONLY GET CREDIT FOR THREE BECAUSE THAT'S THE LOW END.
I'M JUST GOING JUST ON THE LOW END IF WE WANTED TO GO THAT WAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE PLANNED FOR, OUR SEWER DENSITY.
AND JUST TO JUST THROW THE NUMBERS OUT THERE, BUT WE YOU CAN ALWAYS DO MORE FOR SURE.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO COMBINE IT INTO ONE PARCEL, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HEARING.
WE WOULD HAVE TO THEN REZONE THE PARCEL IN GENERAL TO BRING IT TO MET COUNCIL.
AND THEN I'M ASSUMING THAT BECAUSE WE ARE 20-25 AND WE HAVE IN OUR SEWER DENSITY PROPOSAL, WE HAVE THE 200 UNITS FOR THE BACK.
IF WE'RE GOING TO THEM AND THEN BRINGING KNOWING THAT WE'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE SEVEN BUILDABLE, THAT WOULD IMPACT FOR SURE OUR SEWER NUMBER, AND WE'D HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT DOES TO US AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE AN ANALYSIS OF THAT?
I HAVE SOME ESTIMATED NUMBERS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MET COUNCIL ON.
BECAUSE MAJORITY OF THE DENSITY FOR THIS SITE IS PROPOSED IN THE FRONT.
THE MET COUNCIL HAS RECOMMENDED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT TO MATCH THAT HIGH DENSITY.
I THINK THE DENSITY ON THIS DEVELOPMENT IS LIKE 20.1 UNITS PER ACRE, ROUGHLY.
BASED ON MY ESTIMATED ANALYSIS WITH MET COUNCIL AND THE ACRES THAT WE HAVE, WE'D BE AROUND 3.1
>> WE'RE STILL HOLDING THE THREE BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT NUMBER FOR US.
>> THAT'S A RELATIVELY, AGAIN, JUST AN ESTIMATED SKETCH, AND THAT'S A NEWER NUMBER THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO THERE WAS A DISCUSSION REGARDING DENSITY CONCERNS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THAT NUMBER WASN'T AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S A UPDATED INFORMATION FOR YOU.
>> THANKS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? AND NOW, CURTIS HERE, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN YOU A FEW TIMES ON THIS ONE.
>> IT'S COMPLICATED OBVIOUSLY.
>> MY NAME IS KURT FRETHAM, LAKE WEST DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT AND IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE AND WORK WITH A LOT OF FACES I'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE AND TO MEET SOME NEW FACES AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
STAFF HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN HELPING US WORK THROUGH THIS.
I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IT A LOT AND YOU'RE PROBABLY STARTING TO GET BURNT OUT ON IT.
AT LEAST I HOPE YOU'RE NOT YET.
WE THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO A FINISH LINE.
A LARGE PART OF OUR CHALLENGE HAS REALLY BEEN THE CLEAN UP WORK.
TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH MET COUNSEL AND GET A TALL BALANCE SO THAT WE CAN DO SOME CLEAN UP THERE.
I HAVE WITH ME KELSEY THOMPSON FROM MY OFFICE.
SHE'S GOING TO GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT FOR SOME OF YOU THEY DON'T, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US.
WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING MOSTLY IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS.
WE DO A LOT OF SMALL INFILL DEVELOPMENTS.
WE'VE DONE A LITTLE OVER 80 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.
WE ENJOY WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE WESTERN SUBURBS.
I ALSO HAVE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST TO WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN, BUT YOU NEED MAYBE SOMEBODY TO CLICK IT FOR ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE SITE WHICH YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SOME OTHER PROPOSALS.
I WON'T GET INTO THEM MUCH BECAUSE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THEY MADE SENSE IN A LOT OF WAYS.
BUT WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP COMPONENT WAS OVERBEARING TO MAKE IT WORK, I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE I'LL LET KELSEY COME UP AND TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. NICE TO SEE YOU.
I'M KELSEY THOMPSON LAKE WEST DEVELOPMENT.
I DID PRINT THIS OUT IF ANYONE WANTS A PRINTED COPY.
I REALIZED MY EYESIGHT WASN'T AS GOOD AS I THOUGHT IT WAS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. IF ANYONE WANTS ONE.
[NOISE] THEY'RE BOTH ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU AND PRINTED OUT IS OUR SITE PLAN.
I'LL BRING YOU INTO THE DEVELOPMENT AS IF YOU WERE TO DRIVE INTO THIS DEVELOPMENT FROM, IS AT A BOULEVARD.
I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE COUNTY IS REQUIRING A A RIGHT IN TURN LANE INTO THE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS WOULD BE A 500 FOOT LONG CUL-DE-SAC.
WE'RE PLANNING OR PROPOSING TO PUT A LITTLE MEDIAN INTO THAT ROAD THAT WOULD
[00:50:04]
OFFER A NICE MONUMENT SIGN OR SOME NICE LANDSCAPING TO WELCOME THE RESIDENTS.WE ARE PROPOSING 108 UNITS ON THE FIVE BUILDINGS ALONG THE NORTH.
THERE'D BE 18 UNITS IN THE SMALLER FOOTPRINTS AND THEN 24 UNITS IN THE LARGER FOOTPRINTS.
THESE ARE CONDO FLATS OR TOWNHOME FLATS.
I CAN GET INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN ANOTHER SLIDE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE RENDERINGS.
BUT THEY ARE A TOWN HOME CONDO HYBRID.
THEY ARE DESIGNED AS CONDOS, BUT THEY REALLY LIVE LIKE A TOWN HOME.
THERE'S 2.5 STOREYS 30 FEET IN HEIGHT.
WE ARE REQUESTING A SETBACK VARIANCE 45 AND 35 FEET FROM THE RIGHT AWAY THERE.
[NOISE] BUT SINCE THE HUNDRED FOOT RIGHT OF WAY WAS MEASURED WHEN THIS WAS A STATE HIGHWAY AND NOW THAT IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, WE THINK THAT MAYBE THE COUNCIL COULD USE THIS TO PROVIDE A LITTLE LEEWAY ON SETBACK MEASUREMENTS.
ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE'S A TOPOGRAPHY COMPONENT THAT'S HELPFUL IN OUR PLANS THAT CREATES SCREENING BERM BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND THE STREET.
WE LIKE YOUR OPINION ON THAT TONIGHT WITH THE SETBACK VARIANCE.
WE'RE PROPOSING THIS NICE POOL AMENITY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THAT WEST BUILDING OF THE FIRST FIVE, THAT WOULD HAVE A GRILL AREA, PERGOLA, CLUBHOUSE AMENITY, OR LIKE A COMMUNITY CENTER.
THIS WOULD BE OWNED BY AN HOA.
WE'RE THINKING THAT WE WOULD DO THIS IN LIKELY TWO PHASES.
THE MOST MINIMAL CLEANUP IS ALONG THE NORTH OF THIS PROPERTY.
SO WE'D PUT IN THOSE FIRST FIVE BUILDINGS AND PUT IN THE POOL AS AN AMENITY TO GET SOME MOMENTUM GOING.
AND THEN FINISH THE REST OFF IN THE PHASE 2 WITH THE TWO BUILDINGS THERE ON THE SOUTH THAT ARE EACH 24 UNITS, SO A TOTAL OF 48 UNITS.
THIS BRINGS US TO THAT TOTAL OF 156 UNITS THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
THEN A NICE AMENITY PACKAGE, AGAIN, HERE ON THE SOUTH OF THAT CUL-DE-SAC.
WE'VE GOT PICKLEBALL COURTS, DOG PARK, COMMUNITY GARDENS AT TOT LOT AND JUST QUITE A BIT OF OPEN GREEN SPACE AREA.
THE LANDSCAPING BERM ITSELF CAN BE UTILIZED FOR LIKE WE HAVE A LABYRINTH HERE, BUT LIKE WALKING TRAILS, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE AMPHITHEATER IN THIS AS WELL AT THE BASE OF THAT BERM.
[NOISE] THE BERM ALSO OFFERS SCREENING ALONG HIGHWAY 12.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A VAST TRAIL NETWORK HERE ON SITE AS WELL.
THESE RESIDENTS WILL REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NICE VIEWS AND HAVE THAT VERY GREEN FEEL.
WE ARE EXPLORING WITH OUR ARCHITECTS AND MAYBE PUTTING IN MORE OF A SHADED ROOF SOUTH-FACING TO ALLOW FOR SOME A RAY OF SOLAR PANELS TO GET THAT SOUTHERN EXPOSURE.
HOWEVER, THE WAY THAT CODE MEASURES HEIGHT IS TO THE MIDPOINT OF A PITCHED ROOF.
IN THIS CONCEPT, WE WOULD MEET THAT HEIGHT REQUIREMENT.
BUT IF WE DID A SHED ROOF, THAT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY THAT THE HEIGHT IS MEASURED.
WE WOULD NEED A VARIANCE REQUEST FOR HEIGHT.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED US TO EXPLORE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT.
BUT ANOTHER TOPIC THAT WE'D LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK ON TONIGHT IS IF HAVING A HEIGHT VARIANCE OF FIVE FEET, IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING AT ALL, IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE BUILDING FROM THE FRONT, BUT TO GO TO A SHED ROOF, IT WOULD JUST NEED A HEIGHT VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR THAT SOLAR.
I THINK WE CAN SWITCH TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
YEP. HERE'S A RENDERING OF THE TOWN HOME FLAT OR CONDO FLAT.
AS I MENTIONED IT, SO THE TOWNHOME CONDO HYBRID.
THIS IS REALLY GEARED TOWARD THAT EMPTY NESTER DEMOGRAPHIC, OFFERING THE ONE LEVEL LIVING, MAINTENANCE, FREE BARRIER, FREE LIVING.
THAT'S NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
[00:55:04]
IT REALLY LIVES LIKE A TOWN HOME IN THAT THERE'S NOT A CENTRAL CORRIDOR, LIKE A TYPICAL CONDOMINIUM BUILDING.WHEN YOU WALK INTO THIS DOOR, YOU'RE GOING TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT INTO YOUR UNIT, OR YOU CAN TAKE THE STAIRS OR THE ELEVATOR UP TO YOUR UNIT.
THERE'S UNDERGROUND PARKING IN ALL THESE BUILDINGS.
MAYBE IF YOU FLIP BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, I DON'T THINK I TOUCHED ON THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE DRIVEWAYS INTO EACH BUILDING THAT GOES INTO AN UNDERGROUND PARKING.
EACH UNIT WOULD HAVE TWO STALLS.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF AMPLE GUEST PARKING ALONG THE ROADS.
YEP. GREAT. AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY A SINGLE FAMILY INSPIRED DESIGN TO GIVE A WELCOMING RESIDENTIAL FEEL WITH HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS TO GIVE IT A TIMELESS CHARACTER.
AGAIN, 30 FEET IN HEIGHT WITH THIS SPECIFIC DESIGN WITH THE PITCHED ROOFS AND A RENDERING OF THE POOL, THE AMENITY AREA.
IF I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DESIGN OR ABOUT THE UNITS THEMSELVES, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
THE CITY OF ORONO HOUSING AND DENSITY GOALS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT THAT WE TOOK FROM THE COMP PLAN.
THERE'S AN AGING HOUSING STOCK, SO 56% OF THE HOUSING STOCK CURRENTLY IN ORONO IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD.
WITH THE LIFECYCLE HOUSING AND DIVERSITY IN HOUSING OPTIONS, 94% OF ALL RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN ORONO ARE SINGLE FAMILY, WHILE ONLY 6% OF UNITS ARE MULTIFAMILY.
FURTHER, THERE'S A LACK OF THIS TYPE OF ONE LEVEL LIVING PRODUCT ON THE MARKET IN ORONO REALLY GEARED TOWARD THAT EMPTY NESTER.
SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING TO GET OUT OF THEIR TWO-STOREY SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON A DOWNSIZE, THEY CAN DO THAT STAYING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS OFFERS THEM THAT PLACE.
ALSO, THE COMP PLAN AIMS TO PROVIDE AS MANY HOUSING CHOICES AS POSSIBLE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE.
HERE'S THAT DENSITY MAP AS WELL, THE ZONING MAP THAT SHOWS THE DENSITY GUIDED FOR THIS SITE.
IF WE DID A BLENDED DENSITY, WE WOULD MEET THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS, OR WE STILL HAVE TO FIGURE SOME OF THAT COMPONENT OUT, JUST HOW THE WETLAND DELINEATION COMES IN AND THE CLASSIFICATIONS COME IN, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
WE COULD POTENTIALLY GET MORE DENSITY THOUGH, IN THIS SITE.
IF YOU WANT A SITE IN ORONO THAT YOU KNOW COULD HOUSE MORE PEOPLE, WE ARE OPEN TO EXPLORING THAT IF THERE'S AN APPETITE HERE WITH THE COUNCIL FOR MORE DENSITY.
IF YOU'RE OPEN TO PARTNERING WITH US, WE'RE OPEN TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY ON FUNDING, WHETHER THROUGH TIFF OR OTHER MEANS, IF YOU WANT FULL REMEDIATION OF THE CONTAMINATED SOIL TO CLEAN THAT ALL UP AND PROVIDE FOR HIGHER DENSITY.
WE'D LIKE YOUR INPUT ON THAT TONIGHT AS WELL, IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR THAT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MPCA.
WE THINK WE'VE GOT THE BEST OPTION FOR THIS LAND THAT WOULD BE PRIVATELY FUNDED.
SO IF THE CITY WASN'T OPEN TO EXPLORING SOME OPTIONS TO PARTNER, WE ARE READY WITH THIS PLAN.
IN GREEN, I'VE GOT IT LABELED AS FIRST PHASE.
THIS HAS THE MOST MINIMAL CLEAN-UP.
SO WE WOULD START WITH THE FIRST FIVE BUILDINGS, GETTING IN 108 UNITS THERE, PUTTING IN THE POOL, AMENITY FEATURES, AND THEN GETTING SOME MOMENTUM.
WE WOULD COMPLETE THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH IS THE TWO BUILDINGS AT THE SOUTH, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE AMENITIES.
THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE MOVES THE CONTAMINATED SOIL INTO A LANDSCAPING BERM THAT WE WOULD CAP, AND THIS WOULD OFFER SCREENING ALONG THE HIGHWAY.
ACCORDING TO THE MPCA, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL USE WITHIN 200 FEET OF THIS BERM.
THAT'S WHERE THAT DOTTED LINE IS ON THE MAP.
BUT WITHIN THAT 200-FOOT SETBACK, WE CAN HAVE AMENITIES.
[NOISE] I'M GOING TO HAVE AMENITIES.
>> TIME'S UP. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT IT WAS A FIRE.
[01:00:03]
>> IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A FIRE.
>> NO, WE'RE GOOD. WE CAN USE THE SPACE FOR AMENITIES AND RECREATIONAL AREAS, WALKING TRAILS, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE PROPOSE, PARKING, ET CETERA.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS AREA.
THE BAD MATERIAL IS GOING TO BE SENT TO THE LANDSCAPE BERM.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTAINED AND NOT GOING TO BE HARMFUL TO ANYBODY?
>> WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE MPCA'S GUIDELINES.
WE'VE GOT A RAP REPORT THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED BY THE MPCA, WHICH IS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE REPORT THAT HOW WE ARE BASICALLY HANDLING AND MANAGING ALL OF THE CLEAN-UP, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IF WE RUN INTO X OR Z AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT, AND THE MPCA HAS TO SIGN-OFF ON THAT.
SO WE ARE HOPEFUL OF GETTING THAT APPROVAL.
>> WHAT WAS THE CONTAMINATION?
>> IT PRECEDES MY TIME HERE AT LAKE WEST.
BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WAS DUMP YARD.
I THINK A LOT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHWAY WAS THE FARMER WHO OWNED THIS PROPERTY ALLOWED THEM TO PUT, I DON'T KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE LAND AND THEN NEIGHBORS, IF THEY HAD THINGS TO GET RID OF, THE FARMER LET THEM PUT THAT HERE, TOO.
I THINK IT'S A LOT OF LEAVES AND JUST COMPOST.
WE'VE DONE A FEW ANALYSES ON THIS.
TELL ME ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE STEPS OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO GET DONE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE SAID YOU WANT TO BUILD THOSE FIVE BUILDINGS, BUT IS ALL THE REMEDIATION AND ALL THE LANDSCAPING BERM GOING TO GET DONE AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE BUILDING THOSE FIVE?
>> WELL, WITH THE FIRST FIVE, WE REALLY HAVE MINIMAL CLEAN-UP.
SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH WE RUN INTO WHEN WE START DIGGING.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT GETS PUT INTO THE LANDSCAPING BERM AT THAT PHASE, BUT LIKELY NO.
THE LANDSCAPING BERM WILL LIKELY BE MORE DONE DURING THE SECOND PHASE.
>> HERE'S MY CONCERN WITH THAT.
NOT SAY THAT KURT WOULD DO THIS, BUT THIS IS MY CONCERN IS THAT RIGHT NOW THESE ARE TWO PARCELS.
THE FRONT PARCEL WHERE YOU'VE GOT YOUR FIVE BUILDINGS IS 3-8 DENSITY PER ACRE.
SOMEONE COULD COME AND SAY NOW I'VE GOT 20 AND I GET TO GET MY FIVE BUILDINGS DONE WITH A 20 UNITS PER ACRE ZONING, AND NOW I JUST SKIPPED DOING THE REST OF IT IN THE BACK AND I'VE GOT 20 UNITS PER ACRE INSTEAD OF THREE IN THE FRONT.
I JUST ACCOMPLISHED MUCH HIGHER ZONING THAN I WOULD HAVE HAD IF I WAS JUST DOING THAT PARCEL BY ITSELF WHERE IT SITS TODAY.
SO I WOULD BE CONCERNED THAT NOT THAT KURT WOULD DO IT, BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS UP HERE WHERE THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPER SOLD IT OFF BEFORE ANYTHING GOT DONE AND THE PERSON WHO TOOK IT OVER JUST FOLLOWED THE PLANS THAT WERE DONE AND SOMEBODY ELSE COULD COME IN AND JUST DO THOSE FIVE IN HIGH DENSITY AND LEAVE EVERYTHING IN THE BACK, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE DENSITY THAN WE WANTED IN THE AREA THAT WE WANTED TO BEGIN WITH.
SO TO ME, I'D SAY IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, I WOULD SAY ALL THAT LANDSCAPE ENVIRONMENT, ALL THAT REMEDIATION HAS GOT TO GET DONE BEFORE YOU CAN GET CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY ALSO FOR ALL THOSE FIVE.
IT FORCES THE ISSUE THAT THAT'S ALREADY DONE, AND THEN IT'S EASY JUST TO COME AND FINISH THOSE TWO BUILDINGS FOR ANYBODY AT THAT POINT.
>> I HAVE A DIFFERENT QUESTION. YOU'D MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT PROPOSALS FOR THIS AREA IN THE PAST.
WHAT IS THE IMPETUS TO BRINGING THIS ONE NOW?
>> THAT DOTTED LINE WHERE THAT SHOWS THE CLEAN-UP IS, THAT 200-FOOT BUFFER, IN ORDER TO DO THE CLEAN-UP ON SITE, WE CAN USE THAT SPACE SOUTH OF THE DOTTED LINE, BUT WE CAN'T PUT HOUSING THERE.
WE'RE USING THEM MORE AS OPEN GREEN SPACE AND AS AMENITY AREA FOR THE DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WE'RE PUSHING THE PRODUCT TOWARD THE NORTH.
OTHERWISE, IF WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP FURTHER TO SOUTH, IT ALL HAS TO BE HAULED OFF SITE, AND ECONOMICS DON'T WORK.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT A FACTOR FOR THE CITY, BUT IT'S A FACTOR THAT WE AS A DEVELOPER HAVE TO PUT INTO THE EQUATION.
>> BECAUSE DIDN'T WE TALK ABOUT THAT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE $5-8 MILLION RANGE TO HAUL IT ALL AWAY AND EVERYTHING?
>> IT WOULD BE THAT MUCH, YEAH. THAT'S WHY WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS OVER THE YEARS WITH THE POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH.
[01:05:01]
WE'D RATHER HAVE YOU AT LEAST GET THE STUFF OUT OF THE GROUNDWATER TABLE.IF THE PROJECT CAN'T AFFORD TO HAUL OFF-SITE, IT WOULD STILL BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT TO GET THE CONTAMINANTS OUT OF THE GROUNDWATER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING.
IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S A BIG STEP.
>> MPCA IS PRETTY STRICT, TOO.
THEY'VE GOT SOME PRETTY SERIOUS GUIDELINES ON.
THEY WANT TO START MOVING THAT STUFF AND HOW IT'S GOT TO BE MANAGED AND WATCHED ALL THE TIME.
THEY HAVE A GOOD SYSTEM IN PLACE.
>> THERE WILL BE A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION TEAM THERE THAT WILL BE TESTING PRODUCT ALL THE TIME.
WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT HOW IT'D BE MANAGED, THE CONSTRUCTION CREW WILL HAVE TO ANSWER TO THAT TEAM ABOUT THIS GOES HERE OR IT CAN'T BE IN THE BERM, IT'S GOT TO GO TO A SPECIAL LANDFILL.
THERE'S PROBABLY SOME STUFF THAT WILL HAVE TO BE HAULED OFF-SITE.
>> I LIKE THE CREATIVITY IN TERMS OF GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THIS.
I KNEW AT SOME POINT YOU'D FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, BUT MY CONCERN STILL STANDS ABOUT JUST DOING ONE PART AND THEN EVERYTHING JUST GETS LEFT POTENTIALLY.
IT'S A POSSIBILITY, AND SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I WORRY ABOUT UNLESS SOMEBODY COMMITS TO DOING IT FOR SURE UPFRONT WITH THAT FIRST FIVE BUILDINGS.
>> I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING COMPLETELY, AND THE REASON WHY WE WERE PHASING IT WAS THAT SECOND PHASE, IT GETS COSTLY FOR THE CLEAN-UP BECAUSE THE MORE YOU MOVE SOUTH, THE DEEPER AND MORE STUFF IT IS.
OUR IDEA, WE CAN DO IT IN TWO PHASES, THAT'S BEING TRANSPARENT RATHER THAN TO SAY WE'LL GO FOR IT AND THEN NOT BUILD THE LAST TWO BUILDINGS.
BUT IT WILL ALLOW US TO GET SOME FINANCIAL MOMENTUM IN THE PROJECT TO SET ASIDE FUNDS TO DO THE CLEAN UP FOR THE SECOND PHASE.
HAVING SAID THAT, MAYBE THERE'S SOME MIDDLE GROUND THAT WE COULD AGREE TO ESCROW FUNDS TOWARDS THE CLEAN-UP SO THAT WE CAN STILL DO IT IN TWO PHASES AS WE GO THROUGH THE FIRST PHASE.
>> THAT'S PROBABLY MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
I KNOW THE MPCA IS GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO, SO IT'S LIKE WHEN WE REFERENCE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE WATERSHED GUIDELINES.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW SOME PRETTY TOUGH GUIDELINES AS WELL, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THESE DESIGNS, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE DESIGNS, SETBACKS FROM THE ROAD, WE'D HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
HEIGHT VARIANCE, I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE, NO, WE REALLY HAVEN'T SAID THAT IT WILL VARY FROM THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE REASONING IS.
I KNOW WHEN WE BUILT THE ORONO ORCHARD PRESERVE OVER HERE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAD WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SCRUNCHING HOUSES TIGHTER TOGETHER, AND THEY HAVE DRIVEWAYS, EVEN THESE DON'T HAVE DRIVEWAYS, IS THAT WHERE IS ALL THE PEOPLE GOING TO PARK WHEN THEY COME OVER TO VISIT? WE MADE THEM HAVE A 28-FOOT ROAD BECAUSE CARS ARE GENERALLY SIX FEET WIDE.
>> YOU'VE GOT 24 FEET ON HERE, BUT A FULL WIDTH ROAD IS 28, WHICH GIVES YOU ABILITY TO PARK ON BOTH SIDES.
>> IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE NEED MORE.
>> I'M JUST THROWING OUT JUST MY OBSERVANCES.
I'M ASSUMING THOSE PERGOLA WALKWAYS, THOSE ARE WALKWAYS.
WHEN IT SAYS PERGOLA, ALL THOSE LITTLE WHITE YELLOW LINES BETWEEN, THOSE ARE WALKWAYS?
>> BECAUSE I KNOW OVER ON THERE, WE SAID KIDS ARE GOING TO BE RIDING THEIR BIKES AND STUFF, SO YOU GOT TO HAVE SIDEWALKS AT SOME POINT SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WALK IN THE ROADS.
BUT YOU COVER THAT WITH ALL THE WALKWAYS, SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
BUT I'VE BEEN A BIG PROPONENT OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE FULL WIDTH ROADS AND WE HAVE LOTS OF STUFF THERE SO YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH PLACE TO PARK AND YOU CAN GO BACK AND FORTH.
BUT BEYOND THOSE, THE DESIGN LOOKS NICE.
I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE BACK PIECE GETTING DONE WITH ALL THAT ADDED DENSITY WE'RE PUTTING ALONG THE ROAD THERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TODAY.
OTHERWISE IT LOOKS NICE AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
>> I HAVE SOME OTHER THOUGHTS. I'M JUST WONDERING.
BASICALLY IF THIS BERM OR THIS CAPPING WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT'S AN AREA THAT'S NEVER GOING TO BE BUILDABLE.
IS THAT RIGHT? IT SHOULD SAY NEVER, BUT IT WON'T BE BUILDABLE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S CONTAMINATED.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY PUTTING CONTAMINATED SOIL IN THE GROUND AND SECURING IT.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU. IT PROBABLY NEVER WILL BE, BUT MAYBE SOME DAY THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR A CLEAN-UP THAT WOULD MERIT FOR THE CLEAN-UP OF IT AND IT WOULD ALLOW DEVELOPMENT TO GO FURTHER SOUTH.
>> YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT FULL REMEDIATION OF THAT SOIL IN ORDER TO HAVE HIGHER DENSITY IN THAT OTHER PART OF THE PARCEL?
>> WE WOULD BE OPEN TO IT, AS KELSEY COMMENTED.
[01:10:05]
THE PROJECT COULDN'T SUPPORT DOING THAT.WE WOULD NEED SOME FINANCIAL HELP TO DO THAT.
>> MY THOUGHT IS, WITHOUT GETTING TOO HEAVILY INTO THE DESIGN, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AREA HERE THAT CAN SUPPORT HIGHER DENSITY.
PART OF MY THINKING IS TO HAVE THIS AREA DOWN HERE THAT'S ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE CAPPED AND NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT HIGHER DENSITIES LOCKING US IN IN THE FUTURE TO AN AREA THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MORE.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY YOUR QUESTION.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HIGHER DENSITY IN HERE. IS THAT YOUR THOUGHT?
>> I THINK WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS IF THIS IS CAPPED, IF THE SOIL IS NOT TAKEN OFF, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN AREA THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE CONDO HOMES OR ANY OTHER SORT OF TOWN HOMES ON IT.
>> UNLESS IN THE FUTURE YOU EXTENDED THE ROAD AND YOU TOOK IT ALL OUT LATER.
>> THEN IT WOULD BE BUILDABLE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN YEARS WORKING ON THIS, TO TAKE IT ALL OUT AND SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AT THE SAME TIME CURRENTLY?
>> I I GUESS I HAVE A A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT WHICH IS THAT IF THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING IN OUR CITY WITH THE MET COUNCIL CAN GET DENSITY ARRANGEMENTS OR CREDITS WITH, I OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT OPEN SPACE AND I THINK DESIGN IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT I ALSO THINK NOT UNDERSTANDING AS MUCH AS OTHERS DO ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP ASPECT, WE'RE LIMITING OURSELVES BY CAPPING THAT OFF AND CREATING ESSENTIALLY AN UNTOUCHABLE AREA FOR YEARS TO COME.
I DID WANT TO COMMENT ON THE ROOF.
I DID REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT I HEARD ABOUT THE SHED ROOF BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT SOLAR IS AN IMPORTANT OPTION.
AS IT RELATES TO ITS DESIGN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PITCH ROOFS MAY BE THE BEST DESIGN FOR THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I AM INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT IS THE OPTION FOR SOLAR, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE MAYBE A SHED STYLE ROOF.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SINGLE FAMILY-INSPIRED, BUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING HERE IS SINGLE FLOOR LIVING FOR EMPTY NESTERS OR RETIRED INDIVIDUALS.
BUT TO HAVE A DESIGN THAT IS INSPIRED BY SINGLE FAMILY. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. DESIGN IS INSPIRED BY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.
IT WAS DONE INTENTIONAL TO TRY TO GIVE IT THAT LOOK.
BUT IT'S SINGLE LEVEL, WHICH USING THE WORD SINGLE OVER AND OVER STARTS TO GET CONFUSING.
I'LL COMMENT TO YOU ABOUT THE SOLAR, TOO, BUT I'LL MAYBE YOU KEEP THROWING THAT UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT THE SHED ROOFING, TOO.
>> NO, IT'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO LOOK AT.
>> IF YOU COULD GO TO THE SLIDE WITH THE BUILDINGS ON, THE RENDERINGS.
WHAT YOU SEE FROM THE STREET, YOU'D STILL SEE THE PITCHED ROOF, WE'D STILL MAKE THE HEIGHT 30 FEET.
THE RIDGE THERE IS ABOVE 30 FEET, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW HEIGHT IS MEASURED.
WE COULD GO ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND DO A SHED ROOF, WHICH IS COMMONLY I SEE AT THE MOST IN ST. LOUIS PARK, WHERE THEY HAD THE ONE-STORIES, AND THEY KICKED THE BACK ROOF OUT AND THEY PUT A BEDROOM.
WE COULD KICK THE BACK ROOF LINE OUT, AND NOW WE HAVE A FLAT SPOT AND WE COULD PUT A BUNCH OF SOLAR UP THERE.
BUT THAT'S NOT HOW YOU MEASURE HEIGHT.
SO WE WOULD NEED A HEIGHT VARIANCE EVEN THOUGH THE RIDGE IS NO TALLER.
WE COULD DISGUISE IT ON THE END SO WHEN YOU DRIVE BY ON THE STREET, YOU COULD STILL SEE THE PEAKED ROOF, BUT THEN STEP IT IN 10 OR 20 FEET ONTO A SHED ROOF.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T LIKE TO GRANT VARIANCES FOR HEIGHT FOR ANY REASON, AND WE RESPECT THAT AND WE'RE NOT PUSHING IT, WE'RE JUST SHARING OPTIONS.
>> THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH. I AGREE.
>> ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FROM YOU GUYS?
>> JUST TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO YOUR DIRECT QUESTIONS THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HARDSHIP WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE ANY SORT OF VARIANCES FOR HEIGHT OR SETBACK.
I THINK DANNY'S CONCERN IS ALSO MY CONCERN.
MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT THE SITE WAS FULLY REMEDIATED BEFORE ANY BUILDING STARTED BECAUSE THEN YOU KNOW THAT THAT PIECE IS DONE.
JUST LOOKING AT THIS FROM A SHEER INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY,
[01:15:02]
I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE THE MARKET REACTION TO A SITE THAT WAS REMEDIATED AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT VALUES AND OCCUPANCY THERE.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A ROLE THAT WE PLAY, BUT WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT A PROJECT THAT GOT STARTED THAT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.
WITH RESPECT TO THE DESIGN ITSELF, I THINK REALLY ATTRACTIVE DESIGN AND I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT TYPE OF HOUSING.
SO I THINK YOU DID A NICE JOB.
THEN, YES, I THINK THE PARKING COMPONENT, HOW MANY PARKING SPACES WOULD YOU HAVE PER UNIT UNDERGROUND?
>> YOU'D HAVE TWO. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT OFF STREET PARKING PIECE IS, LIKE DANNY ALLUDED TO, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I'D BE LOOKING TO SEE TOO.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BACK. THANK YOU.
>> I GUESS MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT'S PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF.
THERE'S KIDS BACK THERE OR ANYBODY PLAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET SICK.
TENNY AND MATT BROUGHT BACK SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS FAR AS WHERE DO YOU START THE PROJECT BUT I HEAR YOU, KURT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO GET SOME FUNDING FROM PEOPLE PUTTING MONEY DOWN AND THEN IT GIVES YOU MORE DOLLARS OVER HERE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GETS PROPERLY ACCOMPLISHED.
>> THAT'S THE DEVELOPER'S ROLE.
>> THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT THE DESIGN ITSELF IS FANTASTIC.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY NICE JOB.
I'D PROBABLY LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE STREET PARKING JUST TO MAKE SURE IT ACCOMMODATES EVERYBODY.
AGAIN, THE NUMBER 1 CONCERN WOULD BE THE SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH THE LAND TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY AT ALL COULD GET SICK OR ANYTHING.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP YOUR PROJECT ANYWAY.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE BUYING AND THEY'RE SECURE, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE THERE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY ISSUES.
I'M NOT PUSHING FOR MAXIMUM DENSITY.
THIS IS ORONO, I WANT LESS DENSITY HERE.
BUT THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED TOWARDS MORE DENSITY IS AROUND THE CORRIDOR SO IT MAKES SENSE TO ME AND I THINK IT'S A WELL DESIGNED PROJECT.
>> GOOD ENOUGH FEEDBACK FOR YOU?
>> SURE. I'LL JUST SAY THAT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO CONSIDER IS IT'S NOT CLEAR HERE WHERE THE HEIGHT GRADING IS WITH THIS PLAN AND WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING BY THE ROAD, HOW TALL THESE BUILDINGS, IS THIS GOING TO BE SET LOWER THAN THE ROAD OR HIGHER.
MY ISSUE WITH SOME OF THOSE GABLED ROOFS IS THAT THEY CAN GET QUITE TALL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MEASURED AT THE MIDWAY POINT, BUT I WOULDN'T BE OPEN TO LOOKING AT ROOFING THAT IS NOT GABLED JUST BECAUSE IT CAN ADD THAT MORE APPEARANCE OF HEIGHT.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE IN THERE ANY SLIDES THAT SHOW IT OR NOT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALLER THAN THE ROAD, BUT WE'RE MAKING A CUT ON OUR SIDE, SO THERE'LL BE A SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE BERM THAT'S GOING TO COVER UP PRETTY MUCH THE FIRST FLOOR.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK A LOT SHORTER WHEN YOU PASS BY ON ZETTA BOULEVARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT ON ANYTHING TO SHOW ON TAPE.
I JUST THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES NOW.
I THINK MITIGATING THAT WITH PROPER AMOUNT OF SETBACKS AND LANDSCAPING AND DOING WHAT'S POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE HEIGHT, THAT APPEARANCE SUBDUED IS IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOORWAY, HOW MANY UNITS ARE YOU HAVING ACCESS TO?
>> GO LEFT AND RIGHT TO ONE OR TWO UNITS.
THEN YOU'D GO UP THE STAIRS OR ELEVATOR TO SECOND FLOOR LEFT OR RIGHT OR CONTINUE UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR LEFT OR RIGHT.
>> DOWN TO THE PARKING GARAGE TOO.
>> JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION. WHAT'S THE TIME? DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE?
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO START CLEAN UP THIS SUMMER, SOMETIME.
WE ARE A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY.
[01:20:05]
WE WERE HOPING WE COULD USE THE WET LINEATION PREVIOUSLY DONE, BUT IT'S SLIGHTLY OUT OF DATE.WE DON'T REALLY EXPECT ANY CHANGES TO IT, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S DESIRE TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT PROBABLY TILL APRIL, SO MAYBE THE END OF SUMMER WE CAN GET STARTED. ANYWAY THIS SUMMER.
OUR FIRST STEP WOULD BE CLEAN UP.
IF WE COULD GET ONE BUILDING STARTED SO WE HAD A MODEL TO USE TO SELL OUT OF, THAT WOULD BE OUR NEXT STEP. THANK YOU.
>> THAT WILL BRING US TO NUMBER 10, LETTER TO STATE REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
>> ITEM NUMBER 10 IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
[10. Letter to State Representatives Regarding Proposed Legislation]
THE COUNCIL SAYS TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED LETTER IN OPPOSITION OF NEWLY PROPOSED LEGISLATION REGARDING LAND USE AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESSES.THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES HAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WERE DRAFTED.
THEY HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT THE HOUSING FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEES FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH CURRENT COMMITTEE PROCESSES.
I'VE ATTACHED LINKS IN YOUR PACKET OF THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE OF THE BILLS.
THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES IS REQUESTING FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF TO CONSIDER CONTACTING STATE REPRESENTATIVES IN OPPOSITION OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
THE BILLS COULD PREEMPT CITY ZONING AND LAND USE AUTHORITY.
IT COULD ALSO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO PETITION GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT THAT IMPACTS THEIR PROPERTY.
I OUTLINED A FEW CONCERNS THAT THE LEAGUE HAS IDENTIFIED IN MY MEMO, BUT MOSTLY, SOME POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED DENSITY ON SINGLE FAMILY ZONING THAT WOULD PREEMPT OUR ZONING, AS WELL AS SOME POTENTIAL PROCESSES THAT MIGHT ELIMINATE THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS RATHER NEW LEGISLATION.
BUT I DRAFTED AN OPPOSITION LETTER CONSISTENT WITH THE LEAGUE'S LANGUAGE FOR YOUR REVIEW.
>> THEY TRIED TO PASS THIS I THINK A YEAR AGO TOO, MAYBE IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, BUT I REMEMBER WE DID THE SAME THING IN OPPOSITION TO TAKING AWAY OUR ABILITY TO SAY NO TO PEOPLE CREATING DUPLEXES ON ANY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS GOES EVEN FARTHER IN TAKING AWAY OTHER PUBLIC PROCESSES.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD WE DON'T GET TO OBVIOUSLY CONTROL THE PROCESS THAT'S GOING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW BUT HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T TAKE CENTRAL PLANNING AND TAKE OUR ZONING ABILITY AWAY, WHICH WOULD BE A SHAME FOR SURE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
IF THEY'VE READ THIS LEGISLATION OR UNDERSTAND IT OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
>> NO ONE THINKS FOR SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING THIS LETTER TOGETHER AND GET A NOTE.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THIS TYPE OF THING SO I WOULD AGREE WITH THE LEAGUE.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DRAFT OPPOSITION LETTER REGARDING THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH HAD TO LEAVE.
WE'RE DOWN TO FOUR AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR?
WE HAD A HANDFUL OF LAND USE APPLICATIONS COME IN LAST WEEK, SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THOSE FOR COMPLETENESS AS WELL AS THE LEGAL IS DUE THIS WEEK, SO WORKING ON GETTING THAT DRAFTED AND PUBLISH.
ALSO, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN OUR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEEK, BUT WE'VE STARTED OUR RECODIFICATION SECTIONS OF THE ZONING CHAPTER.
A CHUNK OF THEM WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
I ANTICIPATE AT LEAST ONE MORE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION OF ADDITIONAL TEXT AMENDMENT, SO WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENTS ON THAT.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT COMING TO YOUR AGENDA HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
OTHER THAN THAT JUST BEEN BUSY.
>> SPEAKING OF BUILDING, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'VE SEEN DOWN THE LIST SERVE AND FACEBOOK AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT ROAD RESTRICTIONS.
>> ROAD RESTRICTIONS WENT ON AS WELL.
>> YOU BETTER MAKE NOTES. THIS IS A LITTLE EARLIER THAN NORMAL IN GENERAL.
>> IS THERE A PROJECTED AT THREE WEEKS?
[01:25:01]
>> NO, THERE'S NO PROJECTED END TIME.
NORMALLY THEY'LL STAY ON APPROXIMATELY A MONTH BUT IT'S REALLY A SITUATION DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE UNDERNEATH THE PAVEMENT.
AS THE GROUND THAWS IN, THAT MOISTURE CAN DISSIPATE THEM, IT MAY BE FASTER.
>> IT COULD BE LONGER IF WE HAVE LONG FREE STALLS.
>> THAT'LL BRING US TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPORT.
>> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TONIGHT.
>> WELL, THAT'LL BRING US TO NUMBER 11 UNDER
[11. Approve Next Work Session Draft Agenda]
A CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT APPROVED NEXT WORK SESSION, DRAFT AGENDA.>> MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BEFORE YOU ACE THE NEXT DRAFT AGENDA WE HAD, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, A COUPLE ADDITIONAL TOPICS THAT VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE MADE ME AWARE OF THAT THEY MIGHT LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AT WORK SESSIONS.
ONE TOPIC WAS ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP THAT WAS PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VEACH AND I'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS COUNCIL VISION AND GOAL SETTING.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TOPICS FOR CONSIDERATION.
OTHERWISE, THE REST OF THE SCHEDULE REMAINS AS IT IS.
BUT IF THOSE ARE THE TOPICS THAT THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE WOULD LIKE TO TALK, THEN WE TALK ABOUT, THEN WE CAN SLATE THEM IN SOME OF THOSE OPEN SLOTS THAT WE HAVE COMING IN BEFORE MAY OR JUNE.
>> THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME.
EVERYBODY AGREE WITH THAT? I MAKE A MOTION.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE UPCOMING WORK SESSION AGENDAS.
[12. 2023 City of Orono Annual Report]
CITY OF ORONO ANNUAL REPORT.>> MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BEFORE YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET THE 2023 CITY ANNUAL REPORT, EVERY YEAR AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE STAFF PUTS TOGETHER THE REPORT WHICH REPORTS ON A BUNCH OF VARIOUS METRICS FOR THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
SAY STAFF PRODUCE DOCUMENT, TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OR THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON HOW VARIOUS METRICS ARE BEING MET BY THE STAFF.
YOU HAVE THE FULL REPORT IN THE PACKET, ONCE ACCEPTED BY THE COUNCIL, WILL ALSO BE HUNG ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE.
I'LL JUST GO OVER HERE IN A PRESENTATION JUST A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PROPOSED WORK SESSION.
BUT OUR CITY MISSION, VISION, AND GOALS WHICH ARE SET BY THE COUNCIL, THEY HAVE NOT CHANGED.
I THINK THEY WERE ALL SET IN 2017, SO THAT FORMS AND ADVISES HOW THE STAFF GOES ABOUT ITS BUSINESS.
THE AGENDA THAT WE'LL FOLLOW TODAY IS BASICALLY PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW AND THEN GO THROUGH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
AT THE END WE'VE GOT COREY, I THINK STILL ON STANDBY, HE'S GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEPTH AND PROVIDE Y'ALL, POLICE DEPARTMENT MORE THOROUGH UPDATE.
OVERVIEW. TWENTY TWENTY THREE IN MY OPINION, AS A CITY ADMINISTRATOR WAS CHARACTERIZED BY ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND CHANGE IN PERSONNEL ORGANIZATIONALLY.
AS I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS WELL AWARE, A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF STANDING UP A NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR LOOKING AT THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEN SPENDING THE SECOND PART OF THE YEAR FIGURING OUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION, GETTING THAT ESTABLISHED, AND THEN WORKING TOWARDS MANNING THAT ORGANIZATION, AND EQUIPPING THAT ORGANIZATION.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ORGANIZATIONALLY THAT WE DID.
WE DID BRING OUR FLEET SERVICES OR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE IN-HOUSE.
THAT ACTUALLY STARTED IN 2022, BUT REALLY GOT RUNNING IN 2023 TO THE POINT THAT WE JUST RECENTLY APPROVED THE HIRING OF ANOTHER MECHANIC ORGANIZATION.
THEN THE OTHER THING, KIND OF A MINOR CHANGE IN-HOUSE DIDN'T CHANGE OUR OVERALL NUMBERS OF OUR STAFF, BUT WE DID RECOGNIZE THE SPECIFIC DUTIES OF OUR UTILITY WORKERS AND SEPARATED THOSE OUT SO WE NOW HAVE TWO DEDICATED UTILITY WORKER POSITIONS WITHIN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
IN THE PERSONNEL ARENA, WE HAVE NINE NEW STAFF MEMBERS OF PARTICULAR NOTE.
WE CHANGED OVER SEVERAL KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE A NEW CLERK, WE HAVE A NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, WE HAVE A NEW FIRE CHIEF, AND WE HAVE A NEW DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF IN THE ORGANIZATION.
[01:30:02]
FINALLY, IN THE PERSONNEL ARENA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WORKED ON OVER THE YEAR WAS CHANGES TO OUR PERSONNEL HANDBOOK SO THAT WE COULD ENSURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE AND STATUTORY CHANGES, PARTICULARLY WITH SICK AND SAFE LEAVE AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH.THIS IS WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION LOOKS LIKE IN CHART.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO READ ALL THE SMALL PRINTS.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN THERE AND GREEN ALL THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES WE HAD WITHIN THAT ORG CHART SO THAT WAS THE POINT OF REALLY SHOWING THIS IS WE HAD A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.
IN THE ADMIN DEPARTMENT IS LED BY OUR CITY CLERK CHRISTINE, ONE OF OUR NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS THIS YEAR.
SHE HAS A SMALL BUT VERY BUSY STAFF.
THEY DO ALL THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES, RECORDS MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH, RUN OUR RECYCLING ORGANICS PROGRAM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HERE IN 2020, AS WE GO INTO 2024, THEY RUN ELECTIONS FOR OUR CITY.
SOME KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN '23, THEY IMPLEMENTED THE NEW COUNCIL PACKET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE GRANICUS SYSTEM AND THE ILEGISLATE THAT YOU'VE BEEN USING, WE HAD DEALT WITH A VERY INCREASED LEVEL OF DATA REQUEST RESPONSES IN '23 AS YOU CAN LOOK ON THE METRICS CHART THERE, WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 34-50 IN 2023.
THEN THE OTHER PROJECT THAT THE PREVIOUS CITY CLERK ACTUALLY TOOK UP IN THE EARLY PART OF '23 WAS WE DID DO A WEBSITE REFRESH FOR OUR OVERALL WEBSITE THAT ALSO INCLUDED SOME SPECIAL WORK ON OUR POLICE WEBSITE AND OUR GOLF COURSE WEBSITE.
THE REST OF THE METRICS I JUST THROW ON THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE PERMITS AND LICENSES HAVE BEEN GOING UP OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
OUR MESSAGING AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS ARE FAIRLY STEADY AS WE LOOK AT THOSE YEAR END NUMBERS.
OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ANOTHER NEW LEADER, MAGGIE JIN, HAS TAKEN OVER THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS RON RETIRED LAST YEAR.
THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT ALSO TAKES CARE OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTIONS IN THE CITY AND OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SO OUR IT WORK.
YOU'VE GOT THE BUDGETING, ACCOUNTING, FINANCIAL REPORTING, AND THEN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS LISTED THERE.
SOME KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023.
ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR AAA RATING WAS MAINTAINED.
WE DID SUCCESSFULLY GET THROUGH THE 2024 BUDGET PROCESS, MAINTAINING A FLAT LEVY RATE.
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER UPDATING THE PERSONAL HANDBOOK THAT WAS LARGELY TAKEN CARE OF BY OUR HUMAN RESOURCES PERSON.
WE UPGRADED THE COUNCIL CHAMBER VIDEO IN ADDITION TO THE PACKET SOFTWARE STUFF THAT WE DID, THE CLERK WAS RUNNING, THEN OUR IT MANAGER WAS RUNNING THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE VIDEO INCLUDING THE GREEN LIGHT FROM WHEN THE MICS ARE ON AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
ALSO, THE IT DEPARTMENT MANAGED THE PROJECT TO GET FIBER TO THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY AND IS BUSY GETTING THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT BUILDING.
THEN THE OTHER THING THAT MAY HAVE GONE UNNOTICED BY THE COUNCIL, BUT WE DID SWITCH OUR CELLULAR SERVICE TO FIRSTNET, WHICH WHICH IS A FIRST RESPONDER-BASED CELLULAR SERVICE WHICH GIVES OUR POLICE AND FIRE SOME PRIORITY AND THEN IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE REST OF THE STAFF.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE METRICS THERE, THE AMOUNT OF THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SHOWING JUST THE GENERAL WORK LOAD THAT'S REMAINING FAIRLY STEADY.
UTILITY BILLING IS STAYING ABOUT STEADY.
GOOD NEWS IS OUR RISK MANAGEMENT, OUR WORKMAN'S COMP EXPERIENCE FACTOR STAYED RELATIVELY LOW.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LED BY LAURA SITTING TO MY LEFT DOES OUR PLANNING AND ZONING, OUR BUILDING AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THE KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF '23, YOU'LL BE SEEING THE RESULTS OF HERE HOPEFULLY SHORTLY, BUT A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THE RECODIFICATION OF THE ZONING PORTION OF OUR CODE, THAT'S STARTING TO TRICKLE ITS WAY THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROCESS AND WE'LL EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY TO YOU.
A BIG THING IS WE STARTED GETTING OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT FULLY TRAINED UP SO WE CAN DO ALL OF THE SEPTIC REVIEW AND INSPECTIONS IN-HOUSE.
IT MAY SOUND LIKE A SMALL THING TO BE ABLE TO DO, BUT IT IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SCHOOLING, TESTING AND PRACTICAL EXERCISES THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET THAT CERTIFICATION.
WE'RE A YEAR INTO THAT PROCESS.
>> WE HAVE TWO OF THEM, RIGHT?
>> TRYING TO GET BOTH THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE INSPECTOR CERTIFIED.
[01:35:03]
OVERALL YOU GET THE BUILDING PERMIT SLIDE EVERY MONTH SO YOU KNOW HOW THAT'S BEEN GOING AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE THE OTHER STATS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEIR METRICS.PARKS AND FACILITIES DEPARTMENT LED BY JOSH.
THEY HAVE NOT ONLY THE PARKS AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE GOLF COURSE, BUT MOST RECENTLY THEY TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OUR FACILITIES AND THEN ALSO UTILIZING OUR GOLF COURSE MANAGER.
THEY COORDINATE MOST OF THE EVENTS FOR THE CITY.
THE BIGGEST ONE OF COURSE AS YOU KNOW IS THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.
KEY THINGS THAT THAT DEPARTMENT HAS ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE LAST YEAR IS THE HACKBERRY PARK MASTER PLAN.
THEY HAD A HEAVY FOCUS ON TREE MAINTENANCE THIS YEAR.
WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME GRANTS SO THAT WE CAN THIS YEAR DO A TREE MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THIS CITYWIDE, NOT JUST FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
OUT OF THE GOLF COURSE, THEY'VE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL IN DRUMMING UP NEW LEAGUES AND THEN PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME JUNIOR PTA TOURNAMENTS TO BE HOSTED AT OUR GOLF COURSE, WHICH IS GOOD.
TREE LIGHTING EVENT. THEN THE OTHER TRANSITION THAT WE HAD IN THAT DEPARTMENT WITH THE FACILITIES, AS WE DID TRANSITION THE CUSTODIAL POSITION FROM A PART-TIME POSITION TO A FULL-TIME POSITION, ADDED SOME DUTIES TO THEM AND THEN ALSO PREPPING AND THEN WE HAVE SOME MORE FACILITIES HERE.
DOG PARK PASSES, EVERYBODY ALWAYS WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT DOG PARK, 605 LAST YEAR THAT IS DOWN FROM '22 AND '21.
HOWEVER, OUR GOAL AND OUR SUSTAINABLE NUMBER THAT WE THINK THE PARK IS REALLY AIMED AT ABOUT 450.
WE'RE STILL SHOOTING ABOVE WHAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE SUSTAINABLE NUMBER THERE WILL BE.
>> WE'RE ADDING PARKING AND EVERYTHING NOW TO HELP WITH IT JUST IN GENERAL BECAUSE WE'RE OVER CAPACITY AS WELL.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT A PARKING EXPANSION PROJECT THIS YEAR TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UNDER SUPERVISION OF DJ, HAS OUR STREETS, OUR STORMWATER, SANITARY SEWER OR WATER, THAT NEW FLEET SERVICE AND THEN WHAT AT LEAST I CALL COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE BRUSH SITE, THE CLEANUP DAYS, HELPING WITH THE COMPOST SITES.
ALL THOSE ODDS AND THEN TYPE TASKS.
THE BIG THINGS FOR THEM IN '23 WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FLEET SERVICES PROGRAM, THE CREATION OF THE UTILITY WORKER POSITIONS.
THIS YEAR'S BEEN A BIT OF A DROUGHT WHEN IT COMES TO SNOW BUT SINCE IT WAS IN '23 LAST YEAR THIS TIME THAT DEPARTMENT WAS HEAVY INTO KEEPING SAFE AND CLEAR WITH THE NUMBER OF SNOWFALLS AND ICE STORMS AND WHAT HAVE YOU THAT WE HAD.
THEN THIS YEAR ALSO, THEY PUT A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON OUR STORMWATER PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
YOU CAN SEE THERE THE FOURTH NUMBER DOWN IN OUR METRICS.
STORMWATER INSPECTIONS JUMPED FROM 71 IN '2022 TO 469 IN '23 LARGELY WITH OUR NEWER STORMWATER SUPERVISOR GETTING ON TOP OF THOSE INSPECTIONS.
ENGINEERING LED BY THE EXCELLENCE OF EDWARDS.
[LAUGHTER] OBVIOUSLY, A BIG PART OF THE ENGINEERING IS DONE BY OUR SERVICE CONTRACTOR, WHO'S BOLTON AND MENK, WHO DOES A LOT OF THE DETAILED WORK, MOSTLY RUNNING OUR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS, ALSO DO THE GRADING REVIEWS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THOSE NUMBERS WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN '23, BUT STILL PRETTY HEFTY.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN OTHER FORMS, SO I WON'T BELABOR THAT, BUT BIG ONES FOR US IS THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY CONSTRUCTION, THE NAVARRE PARKING LOT, AND THE FORCE MAIN PROJECT THAT WE HAD OVER IN PARTENWOOD AND TONKAWA.
AND THOSE WERE THE HUGE PROJECTS.
PUBLIC WORKS OUT IS STILL UNDERWAY, BUT THOSE OTHERS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY WAITING PUNCH LIST AND SPRING FOR GRASS TO GROW IN THE DISTURBED AREA AND THAT SORT OF THING.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BRAND NEW.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY GOOD METRICS FOR THEM YET BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FULLY OPERATIONAL BUT LED BY CHIEF VANEYLL.
THEY'RE SHOOTING FOR EIGHT PART TIME DUTY CREW AND 18 PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS IN THIS FIRST ROUND OF PHASE 1 OF STANDING UP THE DEPARTMENT.
THE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY ARE THOSE THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY ASSOCIATE WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY SERVICES,
[01:40:02]
FIRE PREVENTION INVESTIGATIONS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.SOME KEY 23 ACHIEVEMENTS THAT WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, FIRE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPING THE ORGANIZATION, AND BEGINNING ALL THE PROCUREMENT AND HIRING FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
WITH THAT, I'LL SHIFT OVER AND LET CHIEF FORNIOK COME TALK ABOUT HIS DEPARTMENT.
>> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR TONIGHT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SHOW WHAT WE DO AS AGENCY, AS DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONLY DO WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OF ORONO, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE THAT SAME SERVICE TO MOUNT MANTAKA BEACH AND SPRING PARK.
WE DO IT WITH HONOR AND PRIDE IN THE SERVICE THAT WE DO.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE MADE IT VERY NOTICEABLE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT WANTED TO BE ENGAGED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
PART OF THIS PACKET THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS ABOUT 50 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY IN ORONO, BUT MOUNTAIN SPRING PARK AND MANTAKA BEACH.
WE REACH FAR REACHING IN OUR NURSING HOMES, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE DIDN'T PULL SROS FROM THE SCHOOLS WHEN SEVERAL AGENCIES DID.
BECAUSE OF OUR CONNECTIVITY, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOLS, IT MADE IT VERY IMPORTANT, AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TO DO.
THOSE HAVE BEEN YEARS OF SERVICE THAT INDIVIDUALS IN OUR DEPARTMENT HAVE WORKED ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, AND WE JUST STRIVE.
WE SEE THAT THIS PAST WEEK WHEN IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR THE COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA, ESPECIALLY BURNSVILLE, WHEN WE HAD OFFICER FIRST RESPONDERS PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE, DEFENDING THAT LINE BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD.
IN THOSE SITUATIONS, INDIVIDUALS WENT IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND THEY GAVE THEIR LIFE WHILE DOING WHAT IS EXPECTED THEM FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THEY DID THEIR JOB.
WE DO IT WITH PRIDE, WE DO IT WITH HONOR AND WITH SELFLESSNESS.
I'M SO PROUD OF OUR DEPARTMENT, AND COLIN IS ONE OF THEM.
HE'S A GREAT SERGEANT THAT LEADS OUR DEPARTMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN THIS PACKET THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO, NOT ONLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THOSE LEVEL OF COMMITMENTS TO OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND IT'S FAR REACHING.
WE ALL HAVE INDIVIDUALS, WE ALL HAVE A CONNECTION TO BURNSVILLE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND WE ALL REALIZE THAT THIS COULD BE ONE OF US.
I THINK THEIR CHIEF SAID IT BEST IN THE NEWS CONFERENCE IS THAT WE ARE A FAMILY AND WE WORK AS A FAMILY, WE ARE DEDICATED IN DEVOTION.
ALL THAT WE DO AS A UNIT AND EVEN IN SITUATIONS WE'LL LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR A BROTHER OR SISTER IN THAT.
THERE AGAIN, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKER PROGRAM, OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, OUR MOBILE FIELD FORCE WAS USED AND BROUGHT UP.
OUR DRUG TASK FORCE HAS DONE PHENOMENAL.
WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 18,000 CALLS IN 2023, CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR OUR SERVICE AREA.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE METRICS.
YOU LOOK AT THE EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKER WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE A SOCIAL WORK, WE HAD ZERO.
NOW IN 2022, 72 REFERRALS, 2023, 120, AND WE'RE ON PACE TO HAVE PROBABLY ANOTHER 120.
WE'RE SEEING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN MOST OF OUR CALLS EITHER RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH OR ADDICTION ISSUES.
THAT'S WHERE OUR EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKER HAS BEEN A VALUABLE RESOURCE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.
BUT THERE AGAIN, I THINK OUR ANNUAL REPORT IS ABOUT 24 PAGES.
IT HIGHLIGHTS SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'RE PROUD OF THIS DOCUMENT THAT I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR.
I HAVE A GREAT STAFF, A GREAT TEAM THAT I COULDN'T DO IT ALONE.
I AM PROUD TO BE CALLED CHIEF FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND I'M ALSO VERY PROUD TO WEAR THE INSIGNIA OVER MY PATCH IN HONOR OF THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS AS A MORNING BADGE, AND I'M ALSO PROUD THAT WE FLY THE THIN BLUE LINE FLAG.
IT'S JUST MORE IMPORTANT IN THIS TIME THAT THAT IS A SYMBOL THAT IS FOR US TO SHOW AS A SIGN OF RESPECT, THAT WE DEFEND THAT.
IT'S UPSETTING WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE, AGENCIES, DIFFERENT GROUPS USE THAT TO SPIN SOMETHING ELSE.
THIS PATCH FLAG AND MORNING AND THE THIN BLUE LINE, THE THIN RED LINE THAT IS DISPLAYED ALL THROUGH BURNSVILLE, ALL THROUGH THE PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU'LL SEE IT ON WEDNESDAY, AND A LOT OF VEHICLES HAS MUCH MORE MEANING THAN OTHERS TRY TO WEAPONIZE IT, POLITICIZE IT, DEMONIZE IT, AND WHATNOT.
SO I AM PROUD TO LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT AND I'M PROUD OF THAT WE HAVE
[01:45:04]
PRESENTED TONIGHT AND VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT I GET THE PRIVILEGE TO LEAD.>> WELL, CHIEF, WE ARE PROUD TO CALL YOU OUR CHIEF AS WELL, NUMBER 1.
NUMBER 2, I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING OUT THE FAMILY AND THE BLUE LINE FAMILY AND THE RED LINE FAMILY AND EVERYBODY THAT'S THERE.
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY, WE, AS YOU SAY, HAD A TRAGEDY IN BURNSVILLE.
WITH THAT CAME A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS IN ORONO.
YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN JUST ASKED TO DO IN GENERAL BECAUSE OF THAT AND HOW WE'VE HELPED OUT AS WELL.
>> WEDNESDAY AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE, WE'LL BE SENDING 14 PEOPLE DOWN TO ASSIST WITH ATTENDING THE CEREMONY.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROL HELPING WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL.
SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO RESPECT OR SHOW RESPECT BY ATTENDING, OTHERS WANTED TO SHOW RESPECT BY WORKING.
WE'RE SO PRIVILEGED THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THAT.
WE'VE ALSO SENT RESOURCES DOWN.
BATTERY CHARGERS FOR PORTABLE RADIOS.
CHIEF VANEYLL AND MYSELF, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE, WILL BE SITTING AT ONE OF THE BUSIEST SECTIONS IN AN PRAIRIE.
HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT 20 DEGREES AND THE WIND IS BLOWING, BUT WE'LL BE STANDING OUT THERE DIRECTING TRAFFIC FROM SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TILL WHENEVER THE PROCESSION IS DONE.
THERE'S ROLES THAT NEED TO BE PLAYED, AND WE'RE STEPPING UP, PLAYING OUR PART TO SHOW THAT WE ARE PART OF THIS, THAT IT IMPACTS US ALL DOING WHEREVER WE CAN HELP.
WE'LL HAVE, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT 14 OFFICERS IN ATTENDANCE EITHER WORKING OR ATTENDING THE MEMORIAL SERVICE.
>> CHIEF, BEFORE YOU GO, I THINK WE'RE PROUD OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND I APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE BLUE LINE FLAG.
I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO FLYING IT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON FULLY STAFFING YOUR DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONLY ARE YOU FULLY STAFFING IT, BUT YOU'RE GETTING QUALITY PEOPLE. NOT EVERYBODY.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S A REAL TESTAMENT TO THE CULTURE THAT YOU'VE CREATED WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND OUR REPUTATION AS, I THINK, A COMMUNITY I HOPE HELP PLEASE.
I THINK THE SMALL PART AS A COUNCIL, WE PLAY IN SHOWING OUR SUPPORT WHERE WE CAN.
BUT I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT STAFFING, IN GETTING THE GREAT QUALITY OF STAFF THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
WE HAVE THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FLAG CHANGED TOO.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT OUR BADGES AND SIGNAGE? IS THAT GOING TO COME AS A COST TO US?
>> WITH THE POTENTIAL CHANGING OF THE STATE'S SEAL FLAG, ESPECIALLY THE STATE SEAL, ALL OF OUR BADGES, ALL OF OUR PATCHES, OUR VEHICLES STRIPING, ALL LETTERHEAD, OUR BUSINESS CARDS ALL HAVE THE STATE SEAL.
WE ESTIMATED ABOUT 30,000 IF WE WOULD CHANGE OUT BECAUSE OF THE BADGES.
EVERYTHING IS INDICATED WITH THE MINNESOTA STATE SEAL.
SO IF THAT STATE SEAL CHANGES, IT DOES COME AT A PRETTY DIFFICULT COST.
IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT CHANGING OUT A FLAG AT OUR CITY OFFICES, THERE'S MORE DETAIL BECAUSE WE USE THAT ON, LIKE I SAID, STATIONARY LETTERHEAD, OUR BUSINESS CARDS.
BECAUSE WE INTEGRATED INTO OUR PATCHES, INTO OUR BADGES, INTO OUR VEHICLE DECALS, IT WILL BE COSTLY.
>> DO WE DESIGN OUR OWN? HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THE BADGES? AS A DEPARTMENT, DO YOU COME UP WITH YOUR OWN DESIGN OR IS THERE A UNIFORM?
THERE'S SOME VARIATIONS, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE PRETTY STANDARD WHERE THEY HAVE THE STATE SEAL.
>> AND THEN GOLD FOR CHIEF, GOLD AND SILVER FOR POLICE OFFICER.
DIFFERENT COLORS FOR A DIFFERENT, AND THEN PATCHES, AGAIN THAT'S INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED BY EACH DEPARTMENT AGENCY.
THERE ARE SOME THAT HAD FORETHOUGHT THAT TOOK OUT THE SEAL A WHILE AGO.
OURS HAS ALWAYS HAD THE SEAL AND CONTINUED TO BE THE SEAL AND WE JUST USED IT AND INTEGRATED.
SINCE I'VE STARTED 28 YEARS AGO, IT WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE BADGE.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED ON THE BADGE IN THOSE YEARS.
WE DID HAVE A PATCH CHANGE RECENTLY, SO SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE THESE ARE THE NEW PATCHES.
WE HAVE NOT TOTALLY GOTTEN ALL THE UNIFORMS RETROFITTED WITH THE NEW PATCH.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS ON THE FOREFRONT OR ON THE AGENDA.
SO THEREFORE, WHEN WE REDESIGNED OUR PATCH, WE CONTINUED TO HOLD WITH TRADITION AND TO KEEP SOME OF THE OLD PATCH INTO THE NEW, AND WE CONTINUED TO USE THE STATE SEAL, WHICH THERE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT AUTHORITY IF WE ARE OBLIGATED TO CHANGE IT OR IF IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE.
[01:50:01]
>> THANK YOU. IT WAS A VERY DETAILED REPORT. VERY GOOD, CHIEF.
>> THAT'S ALL THEY REALLY HAVE, OTHER THAN I JUST ONE OTHER ADDED IN NOTICE THAT AS WE STARTED TO DEVELOP OUR CITY ANNUAL REPORT, WE DID USE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS OUR MODEL BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN PROVIDING ONE FOR MANY YEARS.
CURRENTLY, I THINK WE HAVE A 50 PAGE REPORT IN 25 PAGES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. [LAUGHTER].
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT REPORT.
IT'S A GREAT WAY JUST TO GO TO ONE SPECIFIC SPOT TO SEE ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENTS DO, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS DO.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT GETS INTO WHICH WE HAD A COMMUNICATIONS MEETING TODAY, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT ABOUT TRYING TO, ALL THE DIFFERENT AVENUES OF INFORMATION, AND PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THE ROADS JUST GET DONE AND WHO DOES IT, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
IT'S A GREAT REPORT, NICE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT LINK PROBABLY ON OUR WEBSITE ALL THE TIME SO PEOPLE, YOU CAN ALWAYS BRING THEM AND SAY, HERE'S ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE YEAR AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO GREAT THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
>> I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THE REPORT, ADAM, AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING IN ALL THE TIME ON THIS.
I WANT TO GIVE SOME FEEDBACK BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS.
CAN YOU PULL UP PAGE 5 PLEASE, ORONO GOALS.
>> I JUST HAD IT IN THE SLIDE IF THAT HELPS.
>> YES. SPECIFICALLY, NUMBER 2, TO MAINTAIN SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE MAINTAINING A STABLE TAX LEVY.
CAN YOU GO TO PAGE 13 OF THE ACTUAL REPORT, THE 2023 REPORT? PAGE 13 IS THE SECTION ON THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU. I'M LOOKING AT SECTION 4.03 ON THE BUDGET.
THE QUOTE HERE IS THAT THE CITY WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE CITY COUNCIL GOAL OF MAINTAINING A LEVEL LEVY RATE, WHILE PROVIDING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN QUALITY LEVELS OF SERVICE.
THERE'S A DISCREPANCY HERE, BECAUSE IN OUR GOAL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE LEVY.
THIS SAYS A LEVEL LEVY RATE, AND THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE DIDN'T MAINTAIN A LEVY AS THE BARS ON THE BOTTOM SHOW, IT WENT UP 12% THIS YEAR OVER LAST.
I CAN'T AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT THAT WE'VE MET OUR GOAL AS MAINTAINING A STABLE LEVY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ORONO, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WE WENT UP 12%.
WE DID MAINTAIN A STABLE TAX RATE OF ABOUT 16%, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING AS THE LEVY NOT INCREASING.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ON BECAUSE IF THIS IS A GOAL THAT WE'RE SAYING WE'VE MET FOR THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, WE DID NOT, OUR LEVY INCREASED BY 12%.
BY KEEPING THE RATE STABLE AT 16% DOES NOT MEAN THE LEVY IS NOT GOING UP, BECAUSE HOME VALUES WENT UP LAST YEAR BY A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, AND OUR CITY IS ESSENTIALLY TAKING THAT OVERAGE WHILE MAINTAINING A STABLE RATE.
THAT'S A DISCREPANCY I SEE THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT, AND IT'S NOT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT THAT WE'VE MET THAT GOAL.
>> THE CITY COUNCIL GAVE US A GOAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGETING CYCLE WHICH WAS TO MAINTAIN A STABLE TAX CAPACITY RATE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IN MY REPORT IS THAT WE MET THE COUNCIL'S GOAL, WHICH THEY PROVIDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
>> THAT'S NOT WHAT THE GOAL SAYS IN NUMBER 2.
CITY GOALS, THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> HERE I USED THE LANGUAGE CITY COUNCIL GOAL.
>> WHICH IS THE GUIDANCE WE GOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET CYCLE.
WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT I CAN MAKE AN EDIT.
>> JUST ADD PLACE OF THE CHANGE OF WORD ON NUMBER 2 TO TAX LEVY RATE,
[01:55:03]
WHICH IS TAX LEVY, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD, WHICH IS WHAT THE GOAL WAS.>> OUR CITY GOAL EVERY YEAR IS TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT TAX LEVY RATE, NOT A CONSISTENT LEVY, BECAUSE THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> WELL, SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE, POP US BACK UP.
>> WHAT I HAVE HERE IS THE CITY MISSION-VISION GOALS WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED, LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE IN 2017.
NUMBER 2 SAYS WHAT NUMBER 2 SAYS, THAT WAS WHAT WAS DECIDED BACK THEN.
>> IN MY REPORT, I'M REFERRING TO THE GOALS THAT WE WERE GIVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, IF THAT'S UNCLEAR, WE CAN CERTAINLY FIX THAT IN THE REPORT.
>> I THINK IT'S JUST THE CLARIFICATION HERE IS THAT CITY OF ORONO GOALS AS A WHOLE, THIS NUMBER 2, WE AS A CITY DIDN'T MEET THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE LEVY DID GO UP.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TALK AT BUDGETING TIME ABOUT ARE OUR TAXES INCREASING OR NOT? YES, OUR TAXES ARE INCREASING IN 2024, EVEN THOUGH THE RATE HAS STAYED THE SAME.
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THE REPORTING IS REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THESE TWO DIFFERENCES.
>> WELL, I THINK YOU CAN STILL CONSIDER IT A STABLE TAX LEVY. IT'S STABLE.
>> IT IS NOT STABLE BECAUSE A STABLE TAX LEVY WOULD IMPLY THAT WE'RE MAY BE INCREASING BY MAYBE 2% OR 3%, NOT 12%.
>> THAT'S YOUR OPINION OF THAT.
>> I THINK WHAT DOES STABLE MEAN THEN HOW DO WE DEFINE STABLE?
>> WOULD BE THE STABLE TAX LEVY RATE, IN THE SAME RATE.
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S SET UP FOR INTERPRETATION, BUT I THINK WHAT ADAM'S POINT IS OUT IS WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO IN HIS, WITHOUT HAVING TO ARGUE ABOUT WHAT STABLE MEANS THERE IN HIS REPORT, THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE GOALS THAT WE GAVE HIM IN 2023.
>> OKAY. THAT'S FINE AND IF THE GOAL OF THE CITY OR IN LAST YEAR IS TO MAINTAIN A STABLE TAX RATE, THEN THAT'S ONE THING I THINK MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, I THINK WHAT MOST, MY OPINION, IN TALKING TO RESIDENTS IS THAT WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AS TAXPAYERS IS NOT THE RATE AT WHICH THEY'RE TAXED, IT'S THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE PAYING IN TERMS OF A LEVY.
>> I AGREE BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING THAT ALL THE OTHER CITIES AROUND US ARE 20-100% MORE THAN AND WHAT WE'RE PAYING, AND THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE THE LOWEST AND WE PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE, THE MOST FUNDED STRUCTURAL STUFF FOR ROADS, WATER, SEWER, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
THEY SHOULD KNOW ALL THAT EXACTLY, AND WE'RE 20-100% LOWER THAN EVERY CITY AROUND US, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY MEETING, HOW WELL WE HAVE BUDGETED, HOW LOW OUR TAX RATE IS, AND WE CONTINUE TO FUND ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING FULLY, WHILE DOING IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
>> THE INCREASE IS PRIMARILY COMING FROM HENNEPIN COUNTY.
>> THE REASON THAT WE CAN KEEP THE TAX RATE LOWER IS BECAUSE OUR HOME VALUES ARE VERY MUCH HIGHER THAN MOST COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
I DON'T WANT TO GET DERAILED HERE BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE REPORT.
>> WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA WATER, EXTRA SEWER.
WE HAVE A LOT MORE ROADS TO PLOW, BASED FROM THE AMOUNT OF CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE TWICE AS MUCH, THREE TIMES AS MUCH LAND AS MOUND DOES [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE DON'T GIVE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
>> WE DON'T DO SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, AND OUR RATES ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THEM, AND WE'RE A MUCH LARGER COMMUNITY WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF POPULATION.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE PROVIDE, WE ARE JUST SIMPLY AMAZING.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUST FINISH THAT THOUGHT BY SAYING THAT I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE VERY CLEAR IN MY COMMUNICATION, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO TAXES, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IN YEARS TO COME THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY GOALS, THAT WE TALK ABOUT THEM IN WAYS THAT ARE VERY CLEAR, AND THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAINTAINING A STABLE TAX LEVY AS WE DID IN ORONO CITY GOALS, THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE RATHER THAN RATE.
MOVING ON, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ONE OTHER SECTION OF THE REPORT WHICH IS ON PAGE 5, THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CITY.
I THINK YOU DID HAVE IT OUT, BUT LET'S JUST STAY IN THIS REPORT, ADAM, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO WANT TO LOOK AT THE FIRE SECTION AS WELL.
THE MISSION STATEMENT ON PAGE 5 INDICATES THAT OUR CITY IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ESTABLISHED FROM CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
CAN YOU JUST GO DOWN ONE PAGE TO PAGE SIX TO THE ORG CHART, PLEASE? THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SHOWING THAT RESIDENTS OF ORONO ARE AT THE TOP OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
THE COUNCIL ANSWERS TO RESIDENTS, AND THEN WE DIRECT STAFF.
I WANT TO GIVE SOME FEEDBACK ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SECTION OF THE REPORT ON PAGE 27,
[02:00:02]
PLEASE IF YOU COULD FLIP TO THAT.SECTION 801 TALKS ABOUT THIS WAS THE ORONO FIRES FIRST YEAR IN EXISTENCE.
EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICE, IT WAS A GOOD YEAR.
THE COMMENTS I HAVE ON THIS SECTION ARE THIS, THIS STATEMENT THAT IT WAS A GOOD YEAR, THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT WE AS A CITY ARE PRODUCING FOR NOT JUST COUNCIL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE RESIDENTS THAT WE ANSWER TO.
TO INDICATE THAT IT WAS A GOOD YEAR DOES NOT FULLY ADDRESS THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THIS ISSUE WITHIN OUR CITY.
THIS STATEMENT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT ISSUE HAS BEEN HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE YEAR IN 2023.
IT DOES NOT MENTION THE FACT THAT THE ORONO FIRE DEPARTMENT PROJECT HAS BROUGHT ABOUT PROFOUND IMPACTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING DIVISION AND DISCORD SURROUNDING THIS FIRE SERVICE ISSUE, A PENDING LAWSUIT, AND ALSO A TAX LEVY INCREASE THIS YEAR THAT REQUIRES THAT OUR RESIDENTS PAY FOR A DEPARTMENT THEY DID NOT CONSENT TO CREATE.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT SAYS THAT THE CITY OF ORONO WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ESTABLISHED FROM CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
SECTION 8.02, THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN THIS AREA DOES NOT MENTION THE FACT THAT BY OUR OWN METRICS AND BY THE HEARING WE CONDUCTED THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT, AND ALSO THE COMMENT CARDS AND THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, OUR PUBLIC OVERWHELMINGLY DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THIS ISSUE NOR WERE THEY IN SUPPORT OF IT.
>> I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.
I THINK YOUR SUPPORTERS, THE VERY FEW OF THEM THAT CONTINUE TO COME TO YOU, LIKE A FEW OF THAT ARE SITTING OUT HERE, ARE THE ONES THAT CONTRIVE AND MAKE UP ALL OF THIS DIVISION.
IF IN TWO HANDS I CAN COME UP WITH ALL THE PEOPLE AND THAT'S ALL THAT I EVER SEE.
IT IS CONTINUAL AND IT IS CONSTANT, BUT IT IS 10 PEOPLE AND THAT'S ALL IT IS.
ALL THE PEOPLE I TALK TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S VERY OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY THERE IS THE ONLY DIVISION THAT'S BEING CREATED IS THE DIVISION BY A VERY FEW PEOPLE.
SOME OF THEM AREN'T EVEN RESIDENTS OF OURS.
DOES LONG LAKE LIKE THAT, THEY'RE LOSING, THAT THE CONTRACT IS ENDING WELL, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT HAPPY.
BUT ALSO EXCELSIOR WASN'T HAPPY WHEN THEY LOST IT.
MOUND WASN'T HAPPY WHEN THEY LOST IT.
MAPLE PLAIN WASN'T HAPPY AND THEY LOST IT, AND WAYZATA.
BUT THE CONTRACT'S ENDING, AND IT'S VERY STANDARD PART FOR THE COURSE. CONTRACT ENDS.
WE'RE REDOING STUFF AND WE'RE BRINGING IT IN HOUSE.
IT'S NOT DIVISIONAL, IT MIGHT BE DIVISIONAL TO LONG LAKE AND YOUR SUPPORTERS, BUT THAT'S IT.
>> WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN HERE IS THAT WE SENT OUT COMMENT CARDS TO OUR CITIZENS AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO WROTE BACK EITHER SAID THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE OR DIDN'T SUPPORT IT.
>> OH MY GOD, THAT WAS 100 COMMENT CARDS, YOU ARE BLOWING THIS WAY OUT OF PROPORTION ONCE AGAIN, IS AS YOU ARE MAKING THIS UP AS YOU GO.
>> I PRODUCED A DOCUMENT, A SPREADSHEET, THAT IDENTIFIED THIS INFORMATION THAT'S ON RECORD WITH OUR CITY.
>> YOU'RE MAKING IT UP THAT IT'S A DIVISION WHEN YOU HAVE 100 PEOPLE, NOT ALL OF THEM WERE RESIDENTS.
EVEN MARIA VIC'S CARD GOT PUT IN THE WRONG PILE, AND IT WAS ALL INTERPRETED BY YOU AS YOUR OWN PERSON.
I TAKE THAT DIVISION IS CAUSED BY YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE WAY YOU WANTED IT TO COME OUT.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE FIREMEN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT ALL NIGHT.
ABOUT HOW GREAT OF A JOB WE'RE DOING, EVERYBODY THAT DOES SUPPORT IT, AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
>> I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO MY POINT, WHICH WAS SIMPLY THAT THIS REPORT IS NOT INDICATIVE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS ISSUE.
>> IF I COULD. THIS REPORT, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IS MEANT TO BE A REPORT ABOUT THE STAFF EFFORTS IN 2023, IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE ABOUT THE POLITICAL MASS.
>> OR POLICY MAKING THE COUNCIL MIGHT DO.
WHEN WE SAY WE DIDN'T RESPOND TO SERVICES BUT IT WAS A GOOD YEAR.
OUR STAFF PUT IN A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT, PUTTING TOGETHER A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO STAND UP A FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND A GREAT DEAL WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD AN ORGANIZATION.
WE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE HIRING PROCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT.
THE REPORT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A POLITICAL STATEMENTS, IT'S MEANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR STAFF HAS DONE FOR YOU AS IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST YEAR, WITHOUT TRYING TO GET IN THE MIDDLE OF POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS.
[02:05:04]
I JUST WANT TO PUT THE REPORT INTO PERSPECTIVE.IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A COMMENTARY ON POLICY THINGS THAT THE CITY IS DOING, IT'S MEANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CITY STAFF IS DOING.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I ALSO FEEL A REAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT SOMETHING I'M VOTING TO ACCEPT IN SOME WAY RECONCILES WHAT OUR CITY GOALS ARE AND WHO WE ANSWER TO WITH THE DATA THAT WE'RE PRESENTING HERE.
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A GREAT REPORT.
I THINK IT REFLECTS EVERYTHING THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE.
I'M GLAD IT POINTS OUT ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE AND THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP THE TAXING ISSUES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS EVERY SINGLE TIME AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT MORE.
BUT IN THE END, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THE STAFF HAS PRESENTED.
I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE 2023 CITY OF ORONO ANNUAL REPORT.
>> HEY, CAN I JUST ADD A LITTLE?
>> I MEAN, MY TONE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN READING THIS DOCUMENT.
I THINK EVEN FROM OUR POSITION THAT WE SEE WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CITY FUNCTIONS.
I COULDN'T HELP BUT WHEN I READ THIS TO APPRECIATE WHAT OUR STAFF DOES AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECOGNIZE JUST HOW GREAT OF STAFF.
WE'VE GOT TO TELL COREY WHAT A GREAT JOB HE'S DOING.
BUT FROM A STAFF, FROM A PUBLIC WORKS, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE HAVE GREAT PERSONNEL AND THIS REFLECTS ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.
I WAS STRUCK BY ALL THE DATA REQUESTS WE'RE GETTING ONE A WEEK AND WE HAVE A LOT OF REPEAT PEOPLE DOING IT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE PEOPLE DOING DATA REQUESTS AND NOT EVEN PICKING UP THE DATA, AND IT'S OUR STAFF JUST DOES IT AND THEY DO IT WITHOUT COMPLAINT, AND THEY MOVE ON.
WE KEEP FUNCTIONING AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF MILESTONES BURIED IN THIS REPORT, TOO.
WE HAD KYLE AND MELANIE HIT 20 YEARS.
I MEAN, THAT'S TREMENDOUS RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S A CREDIT TO THEIR LEADERSHIP ABOVE THEM TOO, AND REALLY GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF THEM HITTING 20 YEARS.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING FORMALLY AT A COUNCIL LEVEL WHEN PEOPLE HIT THESE MILESTONES BECAUSE THAT'S NOTEWORTHY FOR SURE.
I JUST THE SAME THING ABOUT ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THAT WE'VE CHANGED IN OUR PACKET AND OUR SOFTWARE AND THE VIDEO AND MAKING CHANGES, SO PEOPLE WITH WE ADDED THE CLOSED CAPTIONS AND ALL THOSE THINGS AND WE'RE IMPROVING IT.
MAGGIE FROM YOUR SIDE, THE AMOUNT OF TRANSACTIONS THAT THEY'RE DOING TO KEEP THIS CITY GOING AND HAVING TO ACCOUNT FOR IT, I WOULDN'T WANT THAT JOB.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THIS REPORT IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE SHEER VOLUME OF WORK THAT GOES IN BEHIND THE SCENES THAT PEOPLE DON'T GET TO APPRECIATE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED ON THE REPORT, AND THAT WAS AT 5.05 IS THE ONLY TIME WHERE THE YEAR GOES FROM BIG TO SMALL.
WHEN I WAS REVIEWING IT, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED.
BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT'S THE ONLY SPOT, REALLY INSIGNIFICANT PIECE TO THE FEEDBACK OF THIS REPORT.
THANK YOU TO STAFF AND ALL THE PIECES THAT GO INTO IT.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I FULLY AM AWARE AS THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THAT I REFERENCED SAYS STAFF WORKS AT OUR DIRECTION.
WHAT MY COMMENTS ARE IS NOT A CRITICISM OF THE WORK THAT'S GOT INTO IT, IT'S A RECONCILING AND A REAL CLEAR LOOK AT THESE ISSUES IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD.
THANK YOU, ADAM FOR PRESENTING.
>> I'VE GOT A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> WELL, I WANT TO COMMENT. YEAH. SORRY. IT'S BEEN LONG.
I THINK THE STAFF HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE HAD TO OVERCOME.
ADAM, YOUR HELP WITH HELPING ESTABLISH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.
YOUR WORK WITH JAMES HAS BEEN TERRIFIC.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ALWAYS SHINES.
[02:10:01]
IT'S BEEN AWESOME WORKING WITH POLICE OFFICERS, AND THIS IS ONE CITY THAT TRULY APPRECIATES THE POLICE OFFICERS, AND WE ALWAYS WILL.AS LONG AS THIS COUNCIL'S HERE, WE ALWAYS WILL.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT REPORT.
I THINK IT REPRESENTS EVERYTHING WE WORK FOR.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT WERE NEVER DONE IN THE PAST AS FAR AS BUDGETING FOR ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DO, WE'VE CLEANED UP THE PARKS.
WE'RE STARTING A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE THINGS THAT TAKE CARE OF THE CITIZENS OF ORONO, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
I'LL SECOND IT, AND WE MOVE ON WITH THE MOTION.
>> OPPOSED? THAT PASSES 4-0 CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT. ANYTHING ELSE?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BEYOND THAT.
WE HAVE COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[Council Committee Reports ]
I KNOW WE HAD COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE.I'M NOT SURE WAS THERE ANY OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS THAT I'M AWARE OF?
>> WE GOT A WEEKLY SUMMARY THAT SAID THE LEGAL COMMITTEE MET.
I WAS THERE WAS GOING TO BE SHARE OUT ABOUT THAT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] A PHONE CALL TALKING ABOUT.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE BECAUSE THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS MORNING.
>> THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS MORNING.
THE LEGAL COMMITTEE WAS, I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
I'M TRYING TO THINK. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT [INAUDIBLE]
>> OH, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE AGENDA, AND HAVING THE BUILDING APPROVAL OVER BY NAVARRE ON THE AGENDA IF IT WAS READY.
AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF FINE TUNING THINGS.
BECAUSE WE HAD A COUPLE OF FINE TUNING ISSUES WE HAD TO GO BACK ON AND SO THAT'LL BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
THE COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE, I THINK IT'S THE SECOND TIME WE WE'RE TRYING TO MEET MONTHLY.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'VE DONE IS TASKED ADAM AND CHRISTINE, TO START FIGURING OUT HAVING A CALENDAR OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
COMMUNICATION HAS GOTTEN, OBVIOUSLY MORE COMPLICATED IN ALL THE YEARS NOW THAT FACEBOOK IS OUT, TWITTER IS OUT, INSTAGRAM IS OUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATING, AND YOUNGER PEOPLE USE CERTAIN METHODS, OLDER PEOPLE USE CERTAIN METHODS.
I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES I DO BUSINESS AND THEN I GET A LOT OF CITY NEWSLETTERS FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT CITIES.
I'VE TALKED TO A FEW OF THE MAYORS THAT I NOTICE THAT THEY ALL HAVE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF THAT JUST HANDLE THAT.
IN MEETING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE, WE SAID, LET'S TASK TO SEE IF WE CAN START COMING UP WITH A GOOD CALENDAR OF GETTING FRIDAY FUN FIREFAX OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO AS A CITY, AND ALL OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, ALL THE DIFFERENT BIG EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP TO START PUTTING THEM ON A BIG CALENDAR SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING ALL THESE THINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SO PEOPLE KNOW ACTUALLY WHAT THE CITY IS DOING AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING.
BECAUSE I EVEN KNOW IN MY VALENTINE'S DAY, I HAD COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, I HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY, GOD, I LEARNED SO MUCH TODAY.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE CITY DID ALL THIS STUFF OR WE HAD THAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IN.
THAT'S WHAT THOSE MAYORS FOR COFFEE SHOULD BE ABOUT DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS OF HOW DOES THIS WORK, AND BECAUSE I KNOW IT AND SOMETIMES MARIA HAS BEEN THERE, SOMETIMES MATT HAS BEEN THERE, AND WE HAVE GREAT CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN TASKING TO SEE CAN WE HANDLE THIS INTERNALLY BY OURSELVES OR DO WE NEED TO HIRE A TEMPORARY PERSON THAT'S JUST AS DEDICATED TO THAT? OR DO WE NEED TO PART PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE FOR OUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR TO SEE IF WE NEED A FULL TIME STAFF PERSON THAT REALLY JUST MANAGES ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATION BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH TIME TO TRACK DOWN THE PEOPLE IN PARKS, POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND SO THAT THEY CAN TRACK THEM DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE LINKS GET OUT TO OUR FACEBOOK SITE, OUR WEBSITE, OUR INSTAGRAM, OUR LIST SERVE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY GO, AND THEN MAKE SURE ALL THE OLD SITES THAT WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT WE HAVE, WE CLOSE THEM DOWN OR FIND OUT IF WE EVEN KNOW THE PASSWORDS, CLOSE SOME OF THE OLD SITES DOWN THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING WITH FOR A LONG TIME.
THAT'S WHAT THAT ONE WAS ABOUT, AND SO THAT IS ON A CONTINUATION AT THIS POINT, MONTHLY, JUST TO SEE HOW IT'S WORKING INTERNALLY WITH STAFF.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GET A LOT MORE MESSAGING OUT THERE FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT GREAT THINGS THAT WE DO HERE IN ORONO WITH THE STAFF BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS AS WE'VE ALL JUST TALKED ABOUT.
NEXT IS GOING TO BE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER TWO AND A HALF HOURS HERE AND WE'LL COME BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.
>> BACK IN SESSION. NOW, WE'RE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Public Comments ]
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.THE COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.
[02:15:01]
HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF OR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME, HOME ADDRESS, AND CITY OF RESIDENCE AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING.
WE'LL START WITH ORONO RESIDENTS FIRST AND WHEN THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED ORONO RESIDENTS, THEN WE WILL TAKE NONRESIDENTS.
WE HAVE THREE MINUTES AND OUR TIMEKEEPER IS OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR, ADAM.
WITH THAT, IS THERE ANYONE UP? THERE WE ARE.
>> JANIE DELANEY, 1315 WOODHILL AVENUE.
MAYOR WALSH, I DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED OUT ALONG WITH ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I JUST THINK THAT'S REALLY UNFAIR.
I'VE BEEN COMING TO PARK COMMISSION MEETINGS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS BEFORE ANY OF YOU WERE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SOREN WAS HERE, [LAUGHTER] THAT'S NOT REALLY FAIR.
I COME BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT GOES ON IN OUR CITY AND I APPRECIATE PEOPLE COMING FROM NEIGHBORING CITIES.
I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN WHAT MOUND AND LOISETTA AND EVERYBODY'S DOING WITHIN THEIR CITY TOO, SO CAN WE JUST NOT DO THAT ANYMORE? [NOISE] JUST NOT CALL OUT PEOPLE PERSONALLY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S VERY NICE FOR ONE THING AND I THINK FOR AT LEAST COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, I WANT TO SUPPORT HER BECAUSE SHE IS A DIFFERENT VOICE THAN THE REST OF YOU.
BECAUSE YOU ARE STEP SIDE BY SIDE WITH EACH OTHER AND SEEMS ON EVERYTHING, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO JUST PUT YOURSELF IN HER SHOES ONCE IN A WHILE BECAUSE SHE DOES SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC, IT'S NOT JUST A LONE FEW THAT ARE HERE OR 100 FOLLOWERS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE TALKING AND WONDERING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS FIRE ISSUE, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING AND PICKLEBALL AND ALL THE ISSUES.
SO LET'S JUST BE MUCH MORE KIND TO EACH OTHER, AND START SEEING BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JANIE. IS THERE ANY OTHER RESIDENTS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TONIGHT?
>> JAMES ELDER, 195 SOUTH BROWN ROAD, ORONO.
I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE ABOUT THIS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THROUGH MY BUSINESS CAREER, THAT WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE OR PUBLIC, YOU NEED TO HAVE ACCURATE, TIMELY MINUTES.
SO IT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN I WENT TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR A FEW MEETINGS, WHICH MAY HAVE PLEASED YOU.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO CAUSE TROUBLE.
BUT I WANTED TO SEE THE MINUTES FOR THE 12TH FEBRUARY, AND ALL I GOT WAS CLOSED CAPTION.
BUT THE CLOSED CAPTION VIDEO WENT ON FOR OVER TWO HOURS AS THIS ONE, I GUESS.
BUT THE WRITTEN VERSION OF THAT MEETING WAS VERY SKELETAL.
IT WAS A MINIMALISTIC KIND OF THING.
IT DIDN'T HAVE MUCH DETAIL OF DISCUSSIONS AND DIDN'T COVER THE TOPICS VERY CLEARLY, AND WHEN IT CAME TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, EXCEPT FOR NAME AND ADDRESS, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE TO READ AND I THINK MINUTES SHOULD HAVE AND REFLECT THE COMMENTS OF THE SPEAKERS, WHETHER THERE ARE NO CITIZENS OR NOT.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL COURTESY TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM, PERHAPS DIRECT ME TO STAFF, IF THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO GO OR JUST TO LISTEN TO.
THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION DATA PRACTICES STATE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ARE OBLIGATED UNDER MINNESOTA LAW TO MAKE AND PRESERVE ALL RECORDS NECESSARY FOR A FULL AND ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, A WRITTEN RECORD GIVING A FULL TRUE REFLECTION OF THE MATTERS DISCUSSED AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE VIEWS OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE DISCUSSIONS, AND ALL OTHER INFORMATION IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THESE WRITTEN MINUTES ARE THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF ALL COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO THE FEBRUARY 26TH MEETING, I WOULD HOPE WOULD BE RENDERED MORE IN DETAIL TO FULFILL THAT OBLIGATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS A CHANGE OR THERE WAS A GLITCH
[02:20:03]
OR WHAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE WAY THAT YOU DID THE MINUTES.BUT THEY ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THE WRITTEN MINUTES OF TONIGHT'S MEETING COVER SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE COMMENTS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE PUT INTO THE RECORD. THANK YOU.
>> WITHOUT CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION, I WOULD SAY, YES, I AGREE WITH YOU, AND IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, I WOULD DIRECT YOU TO STAFF TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT PROBLEM WAS.
>> WELL, JUST THE LACK OF CONTENT IN THE WRITTEN MINUTES.
>> I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT CREATED THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOT THE INTENT OF WE PUT A BRAND NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE.
>> YEAH. WITH THAT CLOSED CAPTIONING SHOULD BE VERY THOROUGH. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHEN I TRIED TO READ THE CLOSED CAPTION, I COULD ALMOST KEEP UP.
>> SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CLOSED CAPTIONING AND OUR MINUTES.
OUR MINUTES ARE MEANT TO REFLECT THE DECISIONS OF THE COUNCIL, AND COMPLY WITH THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.
OUR MINUTES ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A YEAR AGO WHEN THE MINUTES WERE ALSO A WRITTEN RECORDING OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
>> IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE MORE DETAIL TO THE MINUTES, EVEN WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE? IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, I ASSUME.
>> WE COULD TAKE THE CLOSED CAPTIONING AND TURN IT INTO MINUTES.
>> THAT IN A SENSE IS SO WORDY.
>> YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH YOUR MINUTES., AND SO WE'VE BEEN SHRINKING OUR MINUTES BACK TO WHAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATUTE SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIND SOMETHING IN THEM INSTEAD OF HAVING 200 PAGES.
>> WILL THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD WORK SESSION COMMUNICATION SINCE IT HAS CHANGED, AND I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT HAS CHANGED LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE PUT IN A NEW SYSTEM BECAUSE WE WANT TO CLOSE CAPTIONING, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AFFECTED THE MINUTES ITSELF.
BUT THAT'D BE A GOOD REVISIT THERE, JUST BECAUSE OF YOU BRINGING THAT UP.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.
>> IS THERE ANY OTHER ORONO RESIDENTS HERE TONIGHT THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? IS THERE ANY OTHER NON ORONO RESIDENTS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP?
>> BRAD ERICKSON, 201150 HORSESHOE TRAIL IN CORCORAN.
I JUST PASSED 10 YEARS DOWN THERE ON MAIN STREET WITH MY BUSINESS, MY AMERICAN DREAM, THAT WHOLE THING.
BUT I SUPPOSE I HAVEN'T MADE ENOUGH OF A CONTRIBUTION IN THE COMMUNITY HERE TO BE, YOU HAVE MY VOICE HEARD AS EQUALLY AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LETTING ME GO ON ABOUT IT IN ANY CASE.
SO I WAS IN DEPOSITION HERE LAST MONDAY, AND THE MONDAY BEFORE, AS I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW, AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT MR. CROSBY BEING OUT IN WASHINGTON, DC ON JANUARY 6TH, IS A KNOWN FACT, AND IT'S IN THE DEPOSITION.
IT WILL BE IN THE MINUTES OR WHATEVER THEY CALL THAT REPORT THAT THEY GIVE ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT WAS MY ISSUE WITH THE BLUE FLAG OUT THERE IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED AND I WANT TO BE COMPLETELY RESPECTFUL.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM SUPPORTING THE POLICE, BUT THIS IS A FAMILY.
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS A FAMILY.
WAS HE CARRYING THAT FLAG OUT THERE? IS THAT THE SAME FLAG THAT WAS IN WASHINGTON DC? THAT WAS MY POINT.
IS HE DOWN THERE PARADING AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION WITH THAT FLAG? I DON'T KNOW.
HE HAD A BLUE LINE FLAG DOWN THERE THAT HE WAS BEATING ANTIFA AND BLM OVER THE HEAD WITH.
WHAT'S GOING ON? I DON'T GET IT.
IT'S NOT THE FLAG ITSELF, IT'S WHAT IT'S BEEN CO OPTED INTO, LIKE THE NAZI SYMBOL.
THE SWASTIKA, YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT BEING FROM ST. LOUIS PARK.
THAT WAS AN ANCIENT RELIGIOUS SYMBOL FOR THE BUDDHIST PEOPLE AND IT GOT CO-OPTED AND IT GOT CHANGED, AND I DON'T HOPE THAT HAPPENS.
WHAT I HOPE HAPPENS IS THAT IT'S USED RESPECTFULLY AND WE START TREATING EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT.
YOU GUYS ARE DOWN AT THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TOMORROW, I THINK AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE HONEST AND FORTHCOMING.
MY ATTORNEY WILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OF YOU.
THEY MIGHT BE POINTED, THEY MIGHT SEEM, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, FRIVOLOUS TO USE ONE OF YOUR WORDS, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THIS JUST BE AS OPEN AND HONEST AS YOU CAN BE AND LET'S GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IT FOR TWO YEARS.
[02:25:02]
YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.HOW CAN YOU DEFUND SOMETHING THAT'S NOT FUNDED? AND HOW CAN YOU BE 100% LESS THAN OTHER CITIES ON YOUR TAX LEVY? GOOD JOB.
>> THANK YOU. WELL, NOW WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE MEETING AS PERMITTED BY 13 DO5 SUBSECTION 3A TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S PERFORMANCE OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR.
>> WE ARE NOT DOING MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT?
[Mayor/Council Report ]
>> NO. I'LL PAUSE THAT FOR A MOMENT. THANK YOU.
>> AT LEAST I HAVE SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T. I'LL GO AHEAD.
>> I DO SO. GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.
>> THANK YOU. THE NATURE OF CITY GOVERNANCE INCLUDES THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT, A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND BALANCING THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH THAT OF THE COMMUNITY IS AN ONGOING CONSIDERATION AND A VOTE THAT SERVES ONE STAKEHOLDER MAY RESULT IN A LESS DESIRABLE OUTCOME FOR ANOTHER.
BECAUSE OF THIS, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE, WHO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS, ADHERE TO BEST PRACTICES AS RELATED TO CIVIL DEBATE.
WE OUGHT NOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO AN ATMOSPHERE THAT FURTHERS DISCORD WHEN THE ISSUES THEMSELVES CAN BE FRAUGHT.
WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO FULLY LISTEN TO VIEWPOINTS DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN AND RESPECTFULLY VOICE DISAGREEMENT WHILE REMAINING CIVIL, WE DO OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING STAFF, A GREAT SERVICE.
CIVIL DISCOURSE IS A BUILDING BLOCK NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT WE AS COUNCIL ARE TURNING OVER THE ROCKS ON EVERY ISSUE WHILE ALSO HAVING THE COURAGE TO DEBATE OPENLY TO HELP ENSURE A THOROUGH REVIEW.
CIVIL DISCOURSE IS NOT AGREEING TO SOMETHING WE DON'T SUPPORT OR REFRAINING FROM VOICING CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS AS THEY ARISE.
IT MEANS SPEAKING BRAVELY AND ALSO LISTENING WITH GENEROSITY.
CIVILITY INCLUDES SETTING OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES AND RESPECTING THOSE THAT ARE SET BY OTHERS.
THIS IS HOW WE CAN PERFORM OUR BEST WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A CONVERSATION ON CIVILITY AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION BECAUSE IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR A HEALTHY AND EFFECTIVE CITY GOVERNMENT.
FINALLY, I WANT TO SHARE THAT YESTERDAY THERE WAS A VEHICLE CONVOY FOR THE BURNSVILLE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON FEBRUARY 18TH.
OFFICERS PAUL ELMSTRAND, MATTHEW RUGGIE, AND FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC ADAMS FINSETH WERE HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE, AND MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE VICTIM'S FAMILIES, THE BURNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE COMMUNITY FOLLOWING THIS UNIMAGINABLE LOSS.
>> I WAS IN THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA AT THE LAST MEETING, SO I HAD MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THE MEETING LIVE.
SO HAD THAT PRIVILEGE THAT THE SYSTEM WORKED REALLY WELL.
I HAD RECEIVED A CALL FROM A RESIDENT WHO OUR GOLF COURSE STARTED A NEW GOLF LEAGUE FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS.
THAT'S REALLY GREAT AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A YEAR-END TOURNAMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED TO ME IN THIS CALL IS HOW EXCITED OUR STAFF IS UP AT THE GOLF COURSE FOR THE NEW PAVILION.
>> THE PAVILION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY MAKING PLANS TO UTILIZE THAT SO THEY CAN HAVE THESE JUNIOR EVENTS AND NOT BE TAKEN OVER THE WHOLE CLUBHOUSE AND HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM TO EAT, AND SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE PURSUING AND MOVING AHEAD WITH THAT PROCESS AND I GOT A CALL OF SUPPORT AND THANKS, SO A GREAT JOB THERE. I ALSO GOT A CALL FROM SOMEBODY THAT'S COME FORWARD WITH INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF THE STOLEN CAMPAIGN SIGNS THERE IN THE CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S GOING TO BE LOOKED INTO HERE BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM ON THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF SOME OF THAT.
BUT JUST IN SUMMARY WITH STAFF, AND THANKS FOR A GREAT REPORT AND A GOOD YEAR, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I UNDERSTOOD
[02:30:01]
THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE WE'VE ACHIEVED A LOT TOWARDS THE FIRE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT SENTIMENT WAS ABOUT AND I AGREE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> THANKS, MA'AM. THE EVENTS OF PAST WEEKS WITH THE OFFICERS BEING MURDERED AND THE FIREFIGHTER BEING MURDERED IS INCREDIBLY HEARTBREAKING.
I DON'T THINK EVEN AS MUCH AS I TRY TO VISUALIZE WHAT YOU GUYS DO AS POLICE OFFICERS AND HOW YOUR FAMILY FEELS EVERY TIME YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR AND PUT ON A UNIFORM.
I CAN UNDERSTAND IT TO A DEGREE, BEING A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR SPOUSES.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A MINNETONKA POLICE OFFICER.
I WAS IN THE MALL AND I SAW HIM STANDING THERE AND I WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW THAT WE HAVE CARE, WE HAVE YOUR BACK, WE HAVE YOUR FAMILY'S BACK, AND THAT AS A COMMUNITY, IF YOU REALLY DO CARE AND YOU CARE ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE RIGHT OF LAW, NOT WHAT YOU PERCEIVE IT TO BE, BUT THE TRUE RIGHT OF LAW, YOU'RE GOING TO CARE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE ON THE FRONT LINE DEFENDING IT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO CARE ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE EVERY DAY THEY WALK OUT THE DOOR, THEIR SPOUSES DON'T KNOW.
NOW WE NEED TO SHOW THEM THE UNITY AND THE BACKING.
[NOISE] WHAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO IN MINNESOTA WAS HORRIFIC.
NOT SUPPORTING POLICE, NOT SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT, HAVING VERBAL WORDS OF THERE MIGHT BE A CULTURAL PROBLEM THERE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE NEED TO BACK THE POLICE BY DOING THAT.
I'VE NEVER MET AN OFFICER THAT WAS RACIST.
I'VE NEVER MET A FIREFIGHTER THAT WAS RACIST.
I THINK WE TALK ABOUT RACE WAY TOO MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S RIDICULOUS. WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS.
IN MY VIEW, WE COME FROM GOD, WE'RE ALL THE SAME.
I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERYBODY HAS TO.
BUT I THINK THIS STATE SHOULD BE IN A DEEP DEGREE OF MOURNING BECAUSE LOSING OFFICERS LIKE THAT AND THE FIREFIGHTER WHO WENT TO RISK HIS LIFE TO HELP OUT A FELLOW OFFICER, IT'S A PRICE THEY ALWAYS KNOW THEY COULD PAY, BUT IT'S AN UNIMAGINABLE PRICE, IT TRULY IS.
I WANT TO LET EVERY OFFICER OUT THERE KNOW AND EVERY FIREFIGHTER, MY HEART AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU.
>> I ECHO EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAID.
FALLEN OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS JUST IT'S SAD, BEYOND BELIEF.
I DID REACH OUT TO THE MAYOR IN BURNSVILLE, WHO I HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND LET HER KNOW THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANYTHING THAT ORONO CAN PROVIDE, AND I'M GLAD THAT THE CHIEF AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE COREY AND JAMES FIRE CHIEF, HAVE COORDINATED AND DONE A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF OF PROVIDING SERVICES AS WELL AS RADIOS, ETC., AND THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOING THERE FOR THE PROCESSION.
ONE THING WE CAN'T FORGET TOO, IS WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THE FAMILIES IN THE RIPPLE EFFECT THAT THESE THINGS HAVE.
THE FAMILIES, THE KIDS, THE FRIENDS OF THE KIDS, THE FRIENDS OF THE FAMILIES, THE AUNTS, THE UNCLES, THEY ALL NEED SUPPORT.
IT IS NOT JUST A SINGULAR THING.
IT IS A TRUE BLOWN FULL FAMILY AND IT'S LARGE.
WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND WE ARE ALWAYS TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT WITH CIRCLES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY AND THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM.
I ECHO THE ORONO ANNUAL REPORT.
IT WAS A FABULOUS REPORT, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THOSE.
EVERY YEARS WE HAVE, THE POLL HAS BEEN PROVIDING AS WELL SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING IN MARCH.
MARCH, I CAN'T LET HIM KNOW WHAT IT IS.
BUT WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN MARCH BECAUSE THE SECOND MEETING FELL ON SPRING BREAK AND HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HAVE COUNCIL BECAUSE ALL THE PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS BY MOVING THAT MEETING UP A WEEK,
[02:35:03]
THAT THE STAFF REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA TO BEGIN WITH SO THEY SUGGESTED THAT REALLY WE SHOULD JUST SKIP THAT MEETING AND NOT HAVE THE MEETING.WE'RE GOING TO SQUEEZE EVERYTHING WE CAN INTO THE ONE MEETING IN MARCH.
WE ALSO HAVE A COFFEE AT THE MAYOR ON MARCH 13TH AS WELL, SO WE'LL COME TO THAT.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME THIS LAST TIME AS WELL.
I STARTED OUT WITH THE QUOTE OF THE UNKNOWN POLICE SPOUSE AND IT RUNS DEEP, AND IT RUNS THROUGH THAT.
SHE SAID, I SLEEP ALONE SO YOU CAN SLEEP SAFE.
BECAUSE THOSE OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
YOU'VE BEEN SITTING IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AT QUARTER TO NINE WITH MORE TIME TO GO.
I HAVE THREE MORE QUOTES I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU BEFORE WE CLOSE THE MEETING TO GO INTO SPECIAL SESSION.
ONE OF THEM'S MORE OF A BUSINESS AND A FRAME OF MIND. IT'S BY HENRY FORD.
SAYS, WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING AGAINST YOU, REMEMBER THAT THE AIRPLANE TAKES OFF AGAINST THE WIND, NOT WITH IT.
WHEN IT COMES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINALS AND JUST BAD PEOPLE, PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN SAID, EVIL IS POWERLESS IF THE GOOD ARE UNAFRAID.
WE CANNOT BE AFRAID OF THE EVIL, WE HAVE TO STAND UP AGAINST IT.
ROBERT KENNEDY SAID, EVERY SOCIETY GETS THE CRIMINAL IT DESERVES.
WHAT IS EQUALLY TRUE IS THAT EVERY COMMUNITY GETS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IT INSISTS ON.
IN ORONO, WE INSIST ON TOP NOTCH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE SUPPORT IT.
I HAVE SINCE DAY ONE, THIS COUNCIL HAS SINCE DAY ONE, AND IT SHOWS BECAUSE WE'RE FULLY FUNDED, WE FLY THE FLAGS AND WE ARE UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT IT.
THE ORONO RESIDENTS ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT BECAUSE I'VE GOT MANY, MANY KUDOS FOR THAT OVER THE YEARS.
WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS GOING TO BE CLOSED AS PERMITTED BY 13D-05 SUBSECTION 3A,
[Closed Session ]
TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR.THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S PERFORMANCE OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR.
A MOTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING.
>> MOTION TO GO TO CLOSED SESSION.
>> WE WILL TAKE A COUPLE MINUTE BREAK SO EVERYBODY CAN CLEAR OUT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.