Feb 09, 2026 City Council

[00:00:02]

ALL RIGHT, IT'S NOW 6.10, SO I'D LIKE TO CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. AND AS A FIRST ITEM, I'D INVITE OUR AUDIENCE TO JOIN US IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING.

I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR ARE

[Approval of Agenda]

ITEMS, WHICH ARE ITEMS THAT ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.

WITH NO DISCUSSION, UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF PERSON WOULD LIKE TO PULL AN ITEM OUT FOR A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.

[Consent Agenda]

THAT'S RESOLUTION 7661. AN AGREEMENT. APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ROAD WEAR FOR A DETOUR PLANNED FOR NEXT SUMMER. AMEND THE...

2026 FEE SCHEDULE. THAT'S ORDINANCE 320, AN UPDATE TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY COMMUNITY SURVEY, AWARDING THE BID TO TO CONDUCT THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR. US ARE HIRING A PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER.

REPLACEMENT OF A FLEET MANAGEMENT SERVICE TRUCK VEHICLE REPLACEMENT OF EQUIPMENT AT OUR NORTH WATER PLANT. WELL NUMBER FOUR VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE, CASCO COVE STORMWATER PIPE REPLACEMENT AWARD, AND THEN RESOLUTIONS TO APPROVE A PRELIMINARY PLAT AT 2420 FOX STREET AND AN AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK VARIANCE, RESOLUTION 7663 FOR 2697 KELLY AVENUE. ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THOSE ITEMS UP? MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 9 AND NUMBER 12. AND I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBERS 4 AND 7, PLEASE. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEMS 4, 7, 9, AND 12. MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED. SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION

[14. Mosquito Control Updates]

BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO SHARE KIND OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE DID THIS PAST YEAR, AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAM WITH LOTS OF RESOURCES THAT WE LIKE TO SHARE WITH RESIDENTS, AND THEN ALSO KIND OF A PREVIEW OF WHAT WE EXPECT FOR 2026. SO WITH THAT WE CAN GET STARTED.

SO JUST A BACKGROUND ON MMCD.

WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1958.

OUR GOVERNANCE IS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. SO IN REPRESENTING ORONO, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HEATHER EDELSON, WHO IS ON OUR BOARD. SO THEY DETERMINE OUR OPERATIONS AND BUDGET, AND THEY'RE BASICALLY OUR BOSSES. WE SERVE 2,900 SQUARE MILES, OVER 3,200,000 PEOPLE IN OUR SERVICE AREA.

AND, IMPORTANTLY, FOR MOSQUITOES, WE HAVE OVER 80,000 WETLANDS. SO WE'RE VERY, YOU KNOW... WE'VE GOT LOTS OF LAKES, BUT LOTS OF ALSO AREAS OF STANDING WATER, PONDS AND MARSHES AND SWAMPS.

AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IN JUST A SECOND.

BUT OUR FUNDING DOES COME FROM PROPERTY TAXES. SO THE MEDIAN HOME PAYS ABOUT $11 PER YEAR TO FUND ALL THE MOSQUITO CONTROL SERVICES. AND THOSE SERVICES DO INCLUDE VARIOUS THINGS LIKE COMPREHENSIVE MOSQUITO CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE. WE DO MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE SUPPRESSION. SO PUBLIC HEALTH IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION. AS WE KNOW, MOSQUITOES AND TICKS ARE ANNOYING, BUT THEY ALSO CAN SPREAD DISEASES. SO. AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO MITIGATE THAT. WE DO PUBLIC EDUCATION, SO GOING AROUND AND COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. AND JUST INFORMATION THEY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OUR PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE

[00:05:01]

THE LIFE CYCLES UP THERE, YOU CAN SEE HOW IMPORTANT WATER IS TO THE MOSQUITO LIFE CYCLE. SO THEIR EGGS HATCH IN WATER, AND THEIR LARVA AND PUPA CAN ONLY SURVIVE IN SHALLOW, STAGNANT WATER. AND THAT'S ONLY THE ADULT STAGE THAT THEY EMERGE FROM THE WATER AND START FLYING AROUND. THE TIME PERIOD, IT DIFFERS OF THE 52 SPECIES, BUT OUR MOST COMMON SPECIES, FROM EGG HATCH TO ADULT EMERGENCE, IT'S ABOUT ONE WEEK. SO WHEN WE SEE RAIN IN THE SUMMER, THAT'S USUALLY WHAT CAUSES THOSE EGGS TO HATCH. THEN, ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THAT RAIN, IS WHEN THOSE EGGS WILL START TO EMERGE. SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. MOST OF THE TIME, OUR FIELD STAFF ARE OUT THERE DOING WHAT WE CALL WETLAND SURVEILLANCE. SO THIS IS THE TYPE OF, YOU CAN SEE IN THE VIDEO, THE TYPE OF AREAS THAT MOSQUITOES DEVELOP. IT'S NOT THESE LARGE, OPEN BODIES OF WATER, IT'S SHALLOW, STAGNANT WATER. SO SOMETIMES IT'S THE OVERFLOW AREAS OF LAKES OR RIVERS, OR WOODLAND POOLS, VERNAL POOLS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WHEN IT RAINS, THOSE AREAS FLOOD UP, THE MOSQUITO EGGS HATCH, AND THEN WE SEND OUR FIELD STAFF OUT TO DO SURVEILLANCE.

WE ALWAYS START WITH SURVEILLANCE BEFORE WE DO ANY SORT OF TREATMENTS BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT SPECIES ARE OUT THERE. SO YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT DIP, THERE'S QUITE A FEW IN THAT SMALL, LITTLE AREA.

JUST MULTIPLY THAT BY A GIANT, YOU KNOW, WETLAND, AND YOU CAN SEE WHY WE HAVE SO MANY MOSQUITOES HERE IN MINNESOTA. WE ALSO DO ADULT SURVEILLANCE. SO EVERY MONDAY NIGHT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR SWEEP AND TRAP NETWORK. SO WE SET UP TRAPS THAT LURE MOSQUITOES LIKE THE ONE IN THE PICTURE.

IT'S A CO2 TRAP. THAT LURES MOSQUITOES IN, AND WE ALSO USE HUMAN VOLUNTEERS LIKE MYSELF. WHERE WE GET TO GO STAND OUT IN OUR YARD IN THE SUMMER AND WAIT FOR THE MOSQUITOES TO COME TO US. AND THEN WE TAKE A LITTLE NET AND WE SWEEP AROUND OUR HEAD AND OUR FEET AND WE WRAP IT UP. WE PUT IT IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT, SO WHATEVER'S IN THERE DIES.

AND THE NEXT MORNING, MY KIDS GO TO GET THEIR WAFFLES AND THEY'RE LIKE, DAD, YOU LEFT BUGS IN THE FREEZER AGAIN? AND I'M LIKE, WELL, IT'S FOR SCIENCE, BUT THEN I TAKE IT BACK TO OUR LAB AND THEY IDENTIFY WHAT WE HAVE. SO WE COLLECT A LOT OF DATA TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT INSECTS ARE OUT THERE BEFORE WE DO ANY CERTAIN THING TO TREAT THEM. SO WE HAVE AN ENTOMOLOGY LAB BASED AT OUR ST. PAUL OFFICE, WHERE WE HAVE SEVERAL P.H.D. ENTOMOLOGISTS, AS WELL AS A SEASONAL STAFF OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HELP IDENTIFY THE SPECIMEN. SO EVERYTHING THAT GETS BROUGHT BACK, THEY LOOK AT UNDER A MICROSCOPE AND THEY DETERMINE FOR THE LARVAL SAMPLES, WHICH I CAN PASS AROUND. I BROUGHT A LITTLE VIAL OF LARVAE IF YOU WANT TO SEE.

THEY'RE NOT ALIVE, BUT THEY ARE ROUGHLY THE ACTUAL SIZE. SO WITH THE LARVAE, THEY'RE DETERMINING, ARE THEY ONE OF THOSE HUMAN BITING SPECIES THAT WE NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT.

AND THEN FOR THE ADULT SAMPLES, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY'RE ONE OF THE DISEASE VECTOR SPECIES.

AND THEN WE HAVE A VECTOR ECOLOGIST ON STAFF WHO CAN ACTUALLY TEST ON SITE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS SPECIFICALLY. SO WE CAN KNOW, HOPEFULLY AHEAD OF TIME, IF THERE'S MOSQUITOES OUT THERE CARRYING THE DISEASE BEFORE THEY START BITING HUMANS. AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE DO OUR CONTROL. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW MOSQUITO CONTROL BECAUSE OF OUR HELICOPTERS.

IT'S OUR MAIN WAY THAT WE DO CONTROL. SO WHEN WE FIND THESE LARGE AREAS OVER ABOUT OVER ONE TO TWO ACRES, THEN WE'LL SEND A HELICOPTER IN TO DO TREATMENTS. ALL OF OUR LARVAL CONTROL IS USING DRY GRANULES. SO THE HELICOPTER IS NEVER DISPERSING LIQUID. IT'S ALWAYS DROPPING PELLETS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO CONTROL THE LARVA IN THE WETLAND OR IN THE AREA OF STANDING WATER. SO WE DO LARVAL CONTROL PRIMARILY. WE DO SOME ADULT CONTROL, MAINLY FOR DISEASE MITIGATION. AND WE DO A LOT OF SOURCE REDUCTION.

SO GOING AROUND, DOING ALLEY INSPECTIONS OR WOODLOT INSPECTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT'S HOLDING STANDING WATER THAT CAN BE REMOVED, WE DO THAT. AND A LOT OF THAT IS JUST EDUCATING PEOPLE TO SAY, DON'T LEAVE OUT A POOL AND LET IT GET ALL MURKY AND DIRTY, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BECOME A MOSQUITO PROBLEM.

GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I DID BRING A SAMPLE. THIS IS OUR MAIN MATERIAL THAT WE USE.

IT'S CALLED BTI, BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS ISRAELENSIS. SO THIS IS WHAT OUR HELICOPTERS ARE DROPPING. AND WHAT THAT IS, IT'S A... GRANULE WITH A BACTERIA ON IT THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGETS THE GUT OF A MOSQUITO LARVA. SO MOSQUITO LARVAE HAVE AN ALKALINE GUT AND THE STRAIN OF BACTERIA ON THAT, WHEN THE FILTER FEEDING MOSQUITOES INGEST THAT BACTERIA, IT DISRUPTS THEIR DIGESTION AND BASICALLY KILLS THEM IN THE LARVAL STAGE. BUT BECAUSE THAT'S SUCH A SPECIFIC STRAIN, IT DOESN'T HARM ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT ALKALINE GUT OF MOSQUITO LARVA. SO IT'S NOT HARMFUL TO FISH OR OTHER AQUATIC ANIMALS. IT'S NOT HARMFUL TO ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE WATER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ACTIVATE UNTIL IT'S IN STANDING WATER. SO IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, SAFE WAY TO DO WIDESPREAD MOSQUITO CONTROL. I THINK I HEARD IN A PRIOR PRESENTATION BY ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES, IT'S MADE FROM CORN STALKS? YEAH, SO IT'S GROUND UP CORN

[00:10:01]

TYPICALLY, THIS IS A LATE SUMMER DISEASE, BUT WE SAW IT EARLIER THAN NORMAL. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT. THE OTHER ONE WAS, THERE'S A SPECIFIC SPECIES CALLED THE CATTAIL MOSQUITOES.

THEY ACTUALLY OVERWINTER IN THE WATER AS LARVA. THEY'RE VERY UNIQUE, THAT WAY. AND CATTAIL MARSHES, WHERE THEY GET THEIR NAME FROM.

AND THEY EMERGE ONCE PER YEAR, RIGHT AROUND THE BEGINNING OF JULY, ALL IN ONE BIG SURGE.

BECAUSE OF THE DROUGHT YEARS OF 2021 THROUGH 2023, THEY'D BEEN PRETTY MUCH ABSENT. BUT IN 2024, WE HAD OUR PRECIPITATION BACK, AND SO IN 2025, THE CATTAIL MOSQUITOES CAME BACK. SO WE SAW A BIG MIDSUMMER SURGE, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND. AND THEN FOR WESTERN HENNEPIN COUNTY, ONE OF THE SPECIES THAT YOU GUYS ENCOUNTER A LOT IS WHAT WE CALL OUR SPRING 80S, OR SPRING MOSQUITOES. AND THOSE ARE ACTUALLY A LOT LOWER THAN NORMAL LAST YEAR. THEY ONLY HATCH ONCE PER YEAR, AND WE HAD A VERY DRY SPRING.

SO IF THOSE SPECIES DON'T HATCH BY MID-JUNE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HATCH THIS YEAR. THEY CAN SURVIVE MULTI-YEARS. SO THEY MIGHT SURVIVE UNTIL NEXT YEAR IF WE HAVE A LOT OF SNOW, MELT OR RAIN THIS YEAR. BUT LAST YEAR WE SAW MUCH LOWER NUMBERS THAN NORMAL. GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE. IT'S JUST KIND OF THE GRAPH OF THE OVERALL DISTRICT-WIDE SPECIES ABUNDANCE. SO YOU COULD SAY WE SAW THAT BIG PEAK IN THE WEEK OF JULY 8TH, AND THAT WAS FROM THOSE CATTAIL MOSQUITOES.

THEY ALL CAME OUT AT ONCE, AND THEN THEY SORT OF TAPERED OFF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

YEAH, WEEK OF JULY 8TH WAS THE PEAK. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WERE PRETTY MUCH RIGHT ON THE LINE FOR AVERAGE. SO THE GRAY LINE IS THE 10-YEAR AVERAGE. SO SLOWER SPRING.

HIGHER SUMMER PEAK THAN NORMAL, AND THEN PRETTY MUCH AVERAGE THE REST OF THE YEAR. AND THIS IS JUST OUR LARVAL CONTROL. WE WERE VERY ACTIVE WITH OUR LARVAL CONTROL LAST YEAR. SO WE DID 247,000 ACRES TREATED BY HELICOPTER, 12,000 BY DRONE AND 16,000 BY HAND.

OR BACKPACK FOR THOSE REALLY SMALL SITES.

AND THEN JUST THE GRAPH IS JUST TO GIVE SOME HISTORICAL. SO IT WAS ACTUALLY THE HIGHEST YEAR SINCE 2016, JUST IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF ACRES THAT WE TREATED. AND PART OF THAT WAS JUST WE'D HAD A LOT OF RAIN LAST YEAR. AND IT WAS KIND OF SPREAD OUT RAIN, SO WE REALLY HAD TO BE ACTIVE CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT ONE. THIS JUST SHOWS OUR ADULT CONTROL. I MENTIONED THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE WE USED. AND WE'VE REALLY SHIFTED OUR METHODOLOGY. WE USED TO DO, WE USED TO BE A LOT MORE ADULT CONTROL, WHICH IS THE KIND OF ON-THE-GROUND, BACKPACK-BASED SPRAYING. WE DO STILL DO THAT. IT'S STILL A GOOD TOOL FOR MITIGATING DISEASE MOSQUITOES. BUT THOSE USE BROAD-SPECTRUM MATERIALS THAT CAN IMPACT OTHER INSECTS BESIDES MOSQUITOES. SO WE REALLY TRY TO USE THAT ONLY WHEN NEEDED.

ONLY WHEN WE KNOW IT'S LIKE A HUMAN HEALTH CONCERN IN THE AREA, AND YOU CAN JUST SEE THE HISTORICAL DATA. LAST YEAR WAS OUR LOWEST YEAR EVER FOR ADULT ACRES OF ADULT CONTROL. AND IF YOU LOOK AT COMPARED TO LARVAL CONTROL, IT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE PROGRAM IS ADULT CONTROL. GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SPECIFIC FOR THE CITY OF ORONO, SO WE INSPECTED OVER A THOUSAND SITES LAST YEAR. WE DID ABOUT 3,000 ACRES OF LARVAL TREATMENT. WE DID NOT TREAT ANY ADULT ACRES HERE IN ORONO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SEE ANY DISEASE CONCERNS. WE RECYCLED 33 TIRES, TREATED 793 CATCH BASINS, AND ONLY FIVE RESIDENTS CALLED US. WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GIVE US A CALL IF YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH MOSQUITOES. IT'S JUST GOOD DATA TO SUPPLEMENT. AND THEN WE DO PUBLIC OUTREACH, TOO, AND WE DID CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS AT ORONO HIGH SCHOOL LAST YEAR.

SO IT'S PART OF OUR OUTREACH.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, FOCUSING ON OUTREACH AND EXPANSION. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO MORE AREAS OF THE DISTRICT. TELL PEOPLE MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AND ALSO JUST TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THOSE PRUNING. YOU KNOW, WITH WARMER SUMMERS SOMETIMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS, SOMETIMES EARLIER IN THE YEAR, SOMETIMES LATER IN THE YEAR. AND SO WE JUST WANT THAT MESSAGE TO BE OUT TO PEOPLE. OFTENTIMES, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, THE OVERALL NUMBER OF NUISANCE MOSQUITOES ARE LOW, BUT THE DISEASE MOSQUITOES ARE HIGH. AND SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER. STILL, PUT ON THAT BUG SPRAY WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN, YOU KNOW, EARLY SEPTEMBER, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GETTING BITTEN UP BY A LOT OF BUGS. THE FEW THAT ARE OUT THERE CAN BE HARMFUL.

WE'RE DOING MORE RESEARCH. WE JUST HIRED A RESEARCH ENTOMOLOGIST WHO'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAM, BUT ALSO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN WE'RE DOING SOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. OUR MAPLE GROVE

[00:15:02]

BECAUSE WE CAN BE IN ALL THE WETLANDS, BUT WE CAN'T BE IN EVERYBODY'S BACKYARD. SO THIS IS A BIG CHANGE THAT WE'RE SPREADING THE MESSAGE ABOUT.

SO ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS IS WE DO TIRE RECYCLING. AND PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, WE WOULD GO TO ANYBODY'S HOME AND PICK UP AND RECYCLE TIRES. AND WE'RE A VICTIM OF OUR OWN SUCCESS, BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND LAST YEAR, IT WAS SO BURDENSOME, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET TO EVERYBODY WHO REQUESTED A TIRE PICKUP.

IN A LOT OF CASES, WE'RE GOING TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND THEIR TIRES ARE IN THEIR GARAGE OR UNDER A TARP, WHERE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY A MOSQUITO HABITAT.

SO THE REASON WE DO THIS AS A TIRE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS SOME OF THE MORE DANGEROUS MOSQUITOES LOVE WASTE TIRES AS A HABITAT. THEY FILL UP WITH WATER, THEY'RE VERY HARD TO DRAIN, THEY'LL FLY IN, THEY'LL LAY THEIR EGGS, AND THEN THOSE EGGS WILL SPREAD.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO IT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE CHANGING TO THIS YEAR FOR EASIER ON OUR STAFF IS JUST TO HAVE PICKUP EVENTS INSTEAD OF US GOING OUT TO DO THE PICKUP. SO WE'LL STILL... WE'RE STILL GOING TO COLLECT AND RECYCLE TIRES, BUT WE'RE JUST ASKING PEOPLE TO BRING THEM TO US ON SET DAYS. SO HENNEPIN COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE TWO DAYS DURING THE SUMMER WHERE PEOPLE CAN BRING TIRES TO US, AND WE WILL RECYCLE THEM AT NO COST, UP TO A CERTAIN NUMBER PER HOUSEHOLD. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO A DISTRICT-WIDE EVENT IN OCTOBER TO CATCH ANYBODY WHO MAY HAVE MISSED ONE OF THE SUMMER EVENTS. SO THOSE DATES ARE GOING TO BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, AND MORE INFORMATION IS STILL GOING TO BE FORTHCOMING. BUT THAT IS A CHANGE THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT. RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS. OUR WEBSITE IS A GREAT TOOL IF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE HELICOPTERS ARE UP. THERE'S A REALLY COOL INTERACTIVE MAP WHERE YOU CAN SEARCH IN AN AREA AND FIGURE OUT ALL THE MOSQUITO WETLANDS IN THAT AREA. AND CHECK OUT ABOUT 20 YEARS OF HISTORY ABOUT WHEN THEY BREED AND WHEN THEY DON'T. REALLY COOL INFORMATION TO KNOW. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE RIGHT THERE. SO YOU CAN CLICK ON AN AREA, YOU'LL SEE WHAT TYPE OF SITE IT IS, WHAT TYPE OF MOSQUITOES DEVELOP THERE, AND SEE THE LAST TIME IT WAS CHECKED. PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES, SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE HELICOPTERS ARE GOING TO BE ACTIVE. OR WHEN WE'RE DOING ANY SORT OF ADULT TREATMENT, WE SEND THOSE OUT AT LEAST A DAY IN ADVANCE, SO YOU CAN GET THOSE NOTIFICATIONS. AND I THINK I GOT ONE MORE SLIDE HERE.

PUBLIC EDUCATION, THERE'S OUR MASCOT. SO WE HAVE AN INFLATABLE MOSQUITO THERE WHO APPEARS IN PARADES AND OTHER EVENTS, AND IN THE FOREGROUND THERE IS OUR MASCOT. HER NAME IS VICTORIA, SO YOU MAY SEE HER AT EVENTS THIS SUMMER. SHE'LL BE OUT AND ABOUT. AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL DOING EDUCATION. DO YOU TAKE INTERNS? IS THAT PART OF YOUR PROGRAM? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON. WE DO HIRE INTERNS, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE 18, SO IT'S MOSTLY COLLEGE STUDENTS.

FOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS, IT'S MOSTLY TO TEACH KIND OF THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM IT. OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU.

EDUCATIONAL. SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. IT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOUR CITY COUNCIL.

[Public Comments]

BECAUSE ACTUALLY, THE PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THOSE PROPERTY CONCERNS HAPPENS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHERE YOUR MATTER IS DISCUSSED.

BUT YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP AND GIVE US COMMENTS DURING THIS TIME. WE JUST APPRECIATE KEEPING IT PROFESSIONAL, AND NO PERSONAL INSULTS, PLEASE. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD INVITE THE PUBLIC FORWARD TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TO US.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. COME ON UP.

THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT.

YES. SO MY NAME IS SHARFMAN. I LIVE 2400, FOX STREET. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ITEM FOR FOX STREET. NO, IT'S FINE. OKAY, I WASN'T SURE IF I'D BE ABLE TO.

[00:20:01]

BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP ARE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE DRAINAGE AND OVERFLOW. AND SO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF MY LOT IS ADJACENT TO THE POND AND THE PROPERTY, IT'S LOW-LYING, IT ALREADY RETAINS WATER. IT GETS SOGGY. AND I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASED RUNOFF FROM THE NEW SURFACES, YOU KNOW, ALTERED DRAINAGE PATTERNS, AND JUST THE LOSS OF TREES IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT.

AND AS SUCH, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE DEVELOPERS SHOW STORMWATER PLANS AND COMPLYING WITH THE ENGINEERING COMMENTS BEFORE ANY PRELIMINARY APPROVALS ARE GRANTED. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, AND THIS WAS KIND OF AN AREA OF MIS... UNDERSTANDING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, BUT THAT THE WETLANDS THAT MCA, W.D. HASN'T GRANTED ANYTHING, NOTHING HAS BEEN THERE, NO PERMITS HAVE BEEN DONE.

THEY JUST INDICATED THAT IF THERE'S A FUTURE PROPOSAL FOR A NEW HOME OR OTHER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, A WETLAND BUFFER WOULD BE REQUIRED SURROUNDING THE WETLAND AND A PERMIT WOULD BE NECESSARY. BUT THEY DID NOT APPROVE ANYTHING WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPMENT. ALSO, I MEAN, THIS REALLY IMPACTS THE WILDLIFE. MY AUNT WROTE A LETTER. SHE LIVES DOWNSTAIRS.

HER BEDROOM FACES WHERE THIS LOW-LYING AREA IS. THERE ARE SO MANY DEER, BIRDS, LIKE THERE'S AN INSANE BEAUTIFUL AMOUNT OF WILDLIFE IN HERE. AND OTHER NEIGHBORS HAVE COMMENTED ON FOUR OR FIVE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THIS. AND NOBODY HAS REACHED OUT TO US. NO ONE'S TALKED TO US. I MEAN, NO DISRESPECT TO THE DEVELOPER. I MEAN, HIS JOB IS TO MAKE A GOOD PROFIT, BUT HE'S REALLY MAXIMIZING THE LAND.

AND I DON'T SEE ANY EFFORTS TO TRY TO BLEND. I MEAN, 177 TREES AND THEY'RE MATURE IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. SO ALSO WITH THIS, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK THAT THE COUNCIL PROHIBIT THE REMOVAL OF TREES INSIDE THE WETLAND BUFFER AND ALONG THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES.

FINALLY, I'M ALSO REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF PRIVACY AND THE IMPACT TO ALL OF THE HOMES THAT ARE CURRENTLY SITUATED THAT LOOK UPON THE POUND. SORRY, WE ALL LOOK AT IT TODAY. AND THE NEW HOME COMING IN IS GOING TO DISTURB THIS. AND THERE ISN'T A FORMAL LANDSCAPE PLAN.

AND I WOULD HAVE A DRIVEWAY AND A GARAGE AND LIGHTS FACING INTO MY BACKYARD AND BEDROOM.

AND IN A RURAL RESIDENTIAL AREA, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN.

SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THESE THINGS BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. IT WAS VERY SHORT THE WAY THIS WAS MOVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SORRY TO GO OVER. NO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS. I'M PRICE. I'M THE OWNER OF THE 2420 FOX STREET.

WE'RE DOING A LOT SPLIT.

THAT'S CONFORMED WITH ALL YOUR GUIDELINES, ALL YOUR RULES, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A VARIANCE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE ARE TAKING SOME TREES OUT AND WE ALSO HAVE A TREE PLAN TO PUT THESE BACK. WE DO HAVE SOME TREES BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE THERE. WE FEEL WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ASKED FOR. ALL THE GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN MET.

THERE IS STORMWATER CALCULATIONS IN THAT APPLICATION. IT SHOWS ALL OF THAT. I DON'T THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT OR, LIKE I SAID, NOT ASKING FOR GRANTS. WE FEEL LIKE WE REALLY MET ALL YOUR GUIDELINES.

WE WORKED VERY HARD ON THAT.

AND WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN FOR THE LANDSCAPING AND THE TREES. IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO MAKE IT AS PRIVATE AS WE CAN AND AS NICE AS WE CAN FOR BOTH THE HOMEOWNER AND OUR NEIGHBORS.

THANK YOU. YEAH, IF YOU COULD STICK AROUND, WHEN WE DO CONSIDER THAT, WE'D LOVE TO BRING YOU UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS. SO, YEAH, PLEASE STICK AROUND. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS METROPOLITAN COUNCIL REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT. I

[4. Agreement - Metropolitan Council Reimbursement]

[00:25:02]

REGARDING SORT OF THE MITIGATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER THIS WORK IS COMPLETE, WHENEVER THAT IS, TO THESE ROADWAYS, ONE THING THAT CAME UP BRIEFLY WAS THE IDEA OF PAVING WHAT CURRENTLY IS A GRAVEL PARKING LOT AT FRENCH CREEK PARK. SO IS THAT, IF THAT IS IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, I WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK SHOULD BE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED IF THAT'S PART OF THIS. IF IT'S NOT, AND THAT'S...

TO COME A DIFFERENT TIME, SO BE IT. NO, THE AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU IS A REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE METROPOLITAN CITY OF WARREN FOR THE USE OF A COMMUNITY OR A CITY ROAD DETOUR. WE CAME UP WITH A REIMBURSEMENT STRATEGY WITH THE MET COUNCIL, WHICH THEY AGREED TO GIVE US. WE DON'T HAVE IT PULLED UP, BUT $80-SOMETHING THOUSAND FOR THE USE OF FOX. STREET ON A COUPLE. THAT'S WHAT THE AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU IS ABOUT. OKAY, SO IS THERE STILL ANYTHING ON THE TABLE WITH REGARD TO THIS PROJECT RELATED TO FRENCH CREEK AND PAVING THAT PARKING LOT? OH, YES, THERE IS A THERE IS A AS PART OF THEIR DESIGN FOR THEIR OVERALL PROJECT.

THAT IS THE THE ACCESS GOING INTO, THAT'S THEIR MAIN LIFT STATION.

SO THEY WILL BE TEARING ALL THAT AS THEY PUT PUT IN NEW INTERCEPTOR PIPES. AND WHEN THEY PUT IT BACK, THEY HAVE TO HAVE TO RISK. WE DID ASK THEM TO INCLUDE IN THEIR PLANS TO RESTORE THE ENTIRETY OF THE ROADWAY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE PAVING PORTION THAT'S NOT PAVED IN THE ROADWAY.

BUT COUNCIL SO DIRECTS, WE CAN TELL THEM NOT TO DO THAT. BUT BUT GRAVEL BACK, I WOULD MEASURE CITY ENGINEER, NOT ADVISE THAT. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A PROPER TURNAROUND AT THE END OF OUR ROAD, PAID FOR BY SOMEBODY ELSE. SO I WOULD LOOK FOR THEM TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S A DESIGN ASPECT FOR THE MITIGATION PORTION OF THE PROJECT. WHAT THIS COUNCIL ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS JUST ON THAT REIMBURSEMENT FOR D4.

YES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D NEED TO DISCUSS FURTHER. BECAUSE I WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE IN SUPPORT OF PAVING. WHAT'S CURRENTLY A GRAVEL PARKING LOT IN ONE OF OUR PARKS, WHICH IS A... NATURE-TYPE RESERVE, AND ADDING HARDCOVER TO THAT AREA WOULD SHIFT AND CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THAT PLACE. SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ROADWAY, THAT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THE AREA THAT'S ABUTTING THE PARK LAND.

I COULD TAKE THAT OFF FOR TODAY. I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS ONE, BUT I DO WANT THAT CONVERSATION TO BE SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL CONSIDERS IN THE FUTURE, RATHER THAN FINDING OUT ABOUT IT. MAYBE AFTER IT'S HAPPENED, BECAUSE I DO HAVE OPINIONS ON THAT ONE. SO WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL? IT IS NOT NORMALLY, BUT I WILL BRING IT BACK.

OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AT EXHIBIT A WITH THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR CITY ROAD USAGE. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE PROPOSED AWARD TO POLKO

[7. Community Survey - Award Polco]

WELL, THIS ONE, BECAUSE IT'S EXCITING TO TALK ABOUT. THIS IS A LONG TIME IN THE COMING, AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING OUR CITY HAS DONE IN QUITE SOME TIME, SO I DID JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS AND MAYBE TAKE A SEPARATE VOTE HERE. I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE, AND I DID JUST WANT JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW FROM STAFF AS TO THE TIMELINE AND WHAT RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT WITH THIS PROCESS, AND WHAT, IF ANY, OTHER INPUT OUR COUNCIL WILL BE HAVING ON THIS SURVEY AND THE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. YES, THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER BENSON.

IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT IS AN ACTION TO AWARD A BID TO A COMPANY CALLED POLKO.

THEY ARE A NATIONAL SURVEYING COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN MUNICIPALITY SURVEYS. THEY ALSO DO COUNTY LEVEL AND VARIOUS OTHER SURVEYS, BUT THEY HAVE DONE QUITE A FEW MUNICIPALITIES, SPECIFICALLY IN THE TWIN CITIES REGION.

REGARDING YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT TIMELINE, WITH THE AWARDING OF THIS BID HERE IN FEBRUARY,

[00:30:01]

SO WE ANTICIPATE STAFF DEVELOPING A KICKOFF EVENT TO KIND OF ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO OVERLAP WITH THE SURVEY ROLLOUT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. I INTEND TO RE-ENGAGE WITH POLKO WHEN I HAVE THOSE KIND OF FINE DETAILS REGARDING ENGAGEMENT WITH...

COUNCIL AND DRAFT KIND OF QUESTIONS. WE'VE HAD A WORK SESSION IN NOVEMBER WHERE YOU DIRECTED US TO ENGAGE WITH A TO PUT OUT THE RFP FOR THE SURVEY. WE HAD ANOTHER WORK SESSION IN JANUARY WHERE WE GOT KIND OF SOME TOPICS OF CONSIDERATION AND SOME BENCHMARKING INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL. WHEN WE ENGAGE WITH POCO, WE ANTICIPATE SOME SORT OF DRAFT VARIATION QUESTIONS WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ON. BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO POCO TO KIND OF ORGANIZE AND ROLL OUT THOSE QUESTIONS. AND THEN THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH KIND OF A TOOLKIT ON HOW TO ENGAGE AND GET RESPONSES TO THAT AS WELL. ONE OTHER QUESTION. I CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF THE LAST PARKS COMMISSION MEETING, AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION THERE ABOUT A PARKS SURVEY. SO I'M JUST WANTING TO ENSURE THAT OUR PARKS COMMISSION IS AWARE THAT THIS.

COMMUNITY-WIDE SURVEY WILL BE HAPPENING, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE PARKS IS GOING TO BE SERVING.

THIS MAY COVER PART OF THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS THE SPECIFICS OF THE SURVEY IN PARKS. I'M NOT OVERLY FAMILIAR WITH THE DISCUSSION OF THE PARKS COMMISSION. I DO KNOW THAT I WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ON THIS SURVEY, AS A MAIN OUTCOME OF THIS SURVEY WILL BE TO GAUGE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY SERVICES.

SO WE'LL BE COORDINATING WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ON VARIOUS QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.

AND SO, I WOULD ANTICIPATE.

OUR PARK SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK REGARDING PARK COMMISSION, PARK TOPICS, AND FACILITY TOPICS. RIGHT.

THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT RFPS, THAT SOME OF THEM HAD SORT OF ADD-ON SERVICES THAT WE'D PAY EXTRA FOR. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS ALL INCLUSIVE, CORRECT? THEY PROPOSED IT AS ALL-INCLUSIVE. I DID FIND ONE PROPOSAL ADD-ON. POTENTIALLY, A NEW ELEMENT TO THEIR SURVEYING TOOLKIT IS BEING ABLE TO TEXT PEOPLE. THEY'RE NOT QUOTING THAT AS PART OF THE BID BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A NEW ELEMENT TO THEIR TOOLKIT THAT THEY HAVE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I WILL QUESTION ABOUT. AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING WITHIN OUR BUDGET, AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE WILLING TO DO OR FEEL IS APPLICABLE, I WILL ALWAYS BRING THAT BACK.

IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS ASSOCIATED. OTHER QUESTIONS? I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. I'LL SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.

MOTION CARRIES. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS REPLACEMENT OF A FLEET MAINTENANCE SERVICE TRUCK.

THANK YOU. I BELIEVE COUNCIL

[9. Replace Vehicle - Fleet Maintenance Service Truck]

SO I HAD PULLED THIS FROM THE LAST MEETING, SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS IT AGAIN. I HAD ASKED FOR A TOUR, WHICH OUR CITY ADMINISTRATORS SET UP FOR ME. SO ADAM HAD DJ GORMAN, BRENT WELDON. BRENT IS IN CHARGE OF OUR STREETS. JIM NELSON, WATER AND SEWER.

BRODY, THE FLEET SUPERVISOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON JOINED US AS WELL. WE TALKED FOR PROBABLY TWO AND A HALF HOURS, AND THAT INCLUDED THE TOUR AS WELL. AND IT WAS GREAT TO TALK TO EVERYBODY WHO WAS PRESENT, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR...

PLAN WAS, WHAT VEHICLES THEY HAD, WHAT CONDITION THE VEHICLES WERE IN, AND, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PRICING THAT WE CAN GET, WHY WE WOULD GET A FORD VEHICLE, WE GET GOVERNMENT PRICING FROM THAT, WHICH ACTUALLY, I HAD STOPPED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP JUST FOR A COMPARISON ON A COUPLE OF THEIR USED VEHICLES, JUST TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE, AND ACTUALLY, FOR A USED VEHICLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE WHAT WE ACTUALLY NEEDED. THE PRICE DIFFERENCE WAS $10,000, AND

[00:35:04]

THEY WERE BETWEEN $30,000 AND $50,000 FOR THE TWO VEHICLES THAT I DID LOOK AT AND STUFF.

SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THAT MEETING. THANK YOU, ADAM, FOR SETTING THAT UP, AND THAT IT MADE ME FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING A NOD TO PURCHASING THE NEW VEHICLE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE FLEET MAINTENANCE SERVICE TRUCK. I'LL SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.

MOTION CARRIES. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS FOR DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS THE... CONSIDERATION OF THE PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR

[12. LA25-000050, 2420 Fox Street, Preliminary Plat - Resolution 7662]

I GUESS I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH MATT. WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE APPROVING IF WE PASS THIS? ARE WE JUST APPROVING A SPLIT IN THE LOT, OR ARE WE APPROVING ANYTHING ELSE? THIS IS ULTIMATELY FOR A PRELIMINARY PLAT. THAT IS ULTIMATELY THE PRECURSOR FOR A FINAL PLAT THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED, ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING FINAL GRADES. AND THE ENGINEERING FOR THE SITE.

BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE ON HAND ALREADY. SO THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF THE SUBDIVISION. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS, WHAT DOES THE SUBDIVISION ENTAIL? AND SO THIS IS A LOT SPLIT.

THIS IS NOT APPROVING ANY BUILDING PERMITS OR ANYTHING.

THAT ALL COMES LATER. APPROVAL OF HOW THAT THAT LOT GETS DIVIDED, GETS CHANGED FROM ONE LOT TO TWO. OKAY, SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TREE REMOVAL AT THIS TIME, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SWALES FOR DRAINAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ASIAN. DESIGN REPORT AS REQUIRED, ULTIMATELY FOR DISCUSSION BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, USUALLY WHERE? ANY DIFFERENCES, OR, I GUESS, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLAN ARE REQUESTED AT THAT TIME, AND AS NO REQUESTS WERE MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS, THAT HAD BEEN APPLIED FOR WAS ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING. OKAY. I DO KNOW THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A REQUEST THAT THEY WANTED THE BUILDER TO REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS. I CAN DEFER TO THE APPLICANT ON THAT. I'D ACQUIREMENT COMPELLING AN APPLICANT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE NEIGHBORS. THE LAND USE APPLICATION PROCESS ALLOWS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO BE COLLECTED AND INCORPORATED INTO THE DISCUSSION AT THAT PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DO THAT. SO I'M WONDERING WHY IT WASN'T DONE. I WOULD DEFER TO THE APPLICANT FOR THAT. SIR, DID YOU WANT TO? REPRESENT IT GOES BACK TO. WE DID MEET EVERYTHING IN THE GUIDELINES THERE WAS.

WE WEREN'T ASKING FOR A VARIANCE, WASN'T MUCH TO DISCUSS. WE MET ALL THE GUIDELINES, WEREN'T ASKING FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN THE CITY GUIDELINES OR THE CODES. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT.

THERE WAS A LONG DISCUSSION ON REACHING OUT TO THAT NEIGHBOR, LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS. THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THERE AND THEY HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF THEM WERE ANSWERED DURING THE MEETING. ALL THE QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED IN THAT APPLICATION ABOUT THE TREE SIZES. OKAY, BUT YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION. SO YOU JUST YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS, IS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME THEN? ARE YOU GOING TO? OR I GUESS I'M HAVING A HARD TIME. THAT WAS ONE APPLICATION, MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, THERE WAS NOTHING TO CHANGE ON THAT. THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING, AND THERE WASN'T, LIKE A DEBATE. WE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. WE MET ALL THE RULES. WHICH JUST MADE ME SAY THE APPLICATION HAS MET THE REQUIREMENTS. THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT.

OKAY, SO YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO MINNEHAHA CREEK DISTRICT YET, EITHER. IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE...

WE HAVE A WETLAND DELINEATION, AND WE HAVE MET ALL THE... MR. RICKS, IF I CAN JUMP IN. WHAT I'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS, THIS IS MY FIRST SUBDIVISION APPLICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.

ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE GET INTO THE THREE-LOT TERRITORY, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHEN THE

[00:40:01]

BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY A TWO-LOT SUBDIVISION, THIS DOESN'T TRIGGER ANY APPROVALS AT THE TIME OF SUBDIVISION, AT WHICH TIME BUILDING PERMITS ARE PURSUED FOR... EACH OF THE LOTS, THAT IS WHEN THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT WILL VERIFY BUFFERS ARE MET AND THAT THE STORMWATER PRACTICES ON THE SITE MEET REQUIREMENTS.

OKAY. I'M ALSO LOOKING AT US AS A CITY WHO'S SPENDING OVER $200,000 THIS YEAR FOR THE REMOVAL OF TREES. SO I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH SOMEBODY COMING IN AND TELLING ME. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER 177 TREES OFF OF PROPERTY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. LARGE TREES ON. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE MOVED BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE ALREADY DEAD.

I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY. THE WHITE PINES AND RED PINES IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE ARE GOING TO BE REMOVED SINCE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE FROM THE PLAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY. AND I'M ALSO WONDERING WHY WE'RE MOVING SO MANY OF THE TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. WHEN ONCE YOU GET BEHIND THE HOUSE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH CLEAR CUT DOWN TO THE WETLAND. EXCEPT FOR SOME OF THE TREES THAT ARE THERE.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTION IS, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO JUST MOVE ON THE DRIVEWAY OVER RIGHT OF THE TREES THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO TAKE DOWN AND PUT THE DRIVEWAY RIGHT THERE, WHERE IT ALREADY LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A DRIVEWAY THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN STARTED. AND SO THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTION IS.

I'M WONDERING WHEN THERE'S ALREADY A CLEAR-CUT AREA.

WE'RE ONLY REMOVING THE TREES THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DRIVEWAY. AND WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO REMOVE ANY MORE TREES THAN ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. AND ALL THEY DID ON THE APPLICATION WAS MARKED EVERY TREE THAT WAS IN THE WAY OF THAT DRIVEWAY. SO I'M SAYING, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF YOU MOVING THAT DRIVEWAY THEN TO THE RIGHT AND GOING WHERE THERE IS ALREADY A PATHWAY TO THE BACKYARD? THERE'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE FEET THERE. I WALKED THE PROPERTY TODAY. THERE'S MORE PROPERTY.

THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM THERE.

IT ALREADY IS GOING IN. WELL, THE DRIVEWAY HAS TO GO ON THAT OUT LOT THERE. WE HAD TO CREATE AN OUT LOT FOR THAT DRIVEWAY. SO THAT OUT LOT IS ALSO THE HIGHEST POINT ON THAT LOT, WHICH EVERYTHING SLOPES DOWN FROM THERE. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE TAKING TREES OUT AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING HARD COVER THERE, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE RUNOFF.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THE DRIVEWAY HAS TO GO THERE IN ORDER TO DO THE SPLIT.

THAT'S THE WAY YOU GUYS WANTED TO DO THIS TWO-LOT SPLIT. THAT IS THE WAY YOUR RULES SAID TO DO IT. AND SO THAT'S HOW WE DID IT, AND THAT'S WHERE THE DRIVEWAY HAS TO GO, AND WE'VE GOT TO REMOVE THOSE TREES.

LIKE I SAID, THEY MARKED EVERY SPOT RIGHT IN THERE ON THAT SIDE, TREES, THERE'S A LOT OF TREES. BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE TREES THERE ON THE LEFT OF THAT.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WOODS.

HOW MANY TREES WOULD YOU SAY ARE ON THE LOT? THE 8, 8, 8 PLUS ACRES. I MEAN, ARE WE TALKING, IS 177, 10% OF THE TREES ON THAT LOT, OR HALF THE TREES? YOU KNOW, ALL THE TREES ON FOX STREET, BEHIND THE HOUSE, LITERALLY THE MAIN MAJORITY OF TREES ARE REMOVED. THE SIDE OF THE WOODS, WHERE THE WOODS MEETS THE OPENING, WE'RE REMOVING SOME TREES THERE. SO, MATT, HE'S TELLING US THAT THE CITY IS INSTRUCTING HIM TO... MOVE THAT DRIVEWAY WHERE IT'S AT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S NOT CORRECT.

TO DO A LOT SPLIT LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A LOT FOR THE DRIVEWAY. CORRECT. WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE DRIVEWAY OFF THE STREET.

TO MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, THAT'S HOW IT HAS TO BE DONE.

IN TERMS OF IT BEING A FRONT AND BACK LOT SPLIT, IT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED IN THIS MANNER WITH AN ACCESS OUT LOT. THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY ON THE EAST OR THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. DRIVEWAY IN THE EXISTING LOCATION OF THE DRIVEWAY ACCESS FOR THE HOME SITE THAT WE HAVE EXISTING ON THE PROPERTY ALREADY. SO HE'S UTILIZING THE DRIVEWAY AS IT EXISTS, BUT CREATING IT INTO A SHARED DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS FOR BOTH LOTS.

WHAT I THINK WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE IS THAT THE FRONT BACK LOT NECESSITATES THE CREATION OF THAT ACCESS OUT LOT, AND HE IS ELECTED TO PLACE THAT ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. OR THE WEST, PARDON ME. WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE ON MANY PARCELS IN THE AREA. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I HAVE

[00:45:04]

I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE... OPINION OR A LETTER THAT WAS SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IS, MATT, IN TERMS OF THESE APPROVALS, ARE WE, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'VE REQUIRED, ARE YOU JUST REQUESTING THAT? THE APPLICANT SHOW WHERE THE DRIVEWAY IS LIKELY TO BE LOCATED, OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS APPROVAL IS ACTUALLY SHOWING THAT THE DRIVEWAY WILL IN FACT, GO THERE? BECAUSE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL, IT IS TAKING ONE LOT INTO TWO, AND THEN YOU'RE SHOWING WHAT MIGHT BE WITH THE DRIVEWAY OR WHAT WE ANTICIPATE.

BUT THE THINGS LIKE THE DRIVEWAY PERMIT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UNLESS THERE'S A VARIANCE OR ANYTHING REQUIRED, ARE ADMINISTRATIVELY ISSUED.

AM I CORRECT IN THAT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO YOU'RE GETTING WHAT IS LIKELY GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S BEFORE YOU IN TERMS OF SEEKING APPROVAL. SO BEFORE WE SUBDIVIDE IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT LOT CAN IN FACT BE BUILT ON AND BE CONFORMING WITH THE CODE. SO THE DRIVEWAY MIGHT BE THERE, LIKELY WILL BE, BUT ISN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.

RIGHT. NO, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.

AS WELL AS THINGS LIKE THE DRAINAGE CONCERNS, WHICH I THINK WERE PLENTIFUL IN THE CONCERNS LISTED, UNDERSTANDABLY SO. BUT AGAIN, THERE WAS... IT IS IN PART SPECULATIVE BECAUSE IT IS SAYING, IF THIS HAPPENS, I MEAN, THE HOME IS ALREADY THERE, TALKING ABOUT ADDING A DRIVEWAY, WHEN THAT HOME COMES IN, IF IT TRICKS ANY OF THE TRIGGERS IN TERMS OF HARD COVER, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEN THAT IS SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT. BUT THERE IS A CHANCE ONCE THIS SUBDIVISION, WHICH, ACCORDING TO STAFF'S REPORT AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S REVIEW, COMPLIES WITH YOUR CODE. THAT YOU MAY NOT SEE ANYTHING FOR THAT NEW HOME THAT PRESUMABLY COMES IN, BECAUSE IT MAY JUST, IF IT MEETS ALL THE SETBACKS, MEETS ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

YOU DO, I UNDERSTAND ALL THE CONCERNS ABOUT TREE LOSS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT AS WE SIT, I DID NOT SEE AN AREA, IN TERMS OF ITEMS AND CONCERNS RAISED BY COUNCIL FOR THE NEIGHBORS, WHERE THE CODE WASN'T SATISFIED OR MET. THERE WAS SORT OF REQUESTS FOR DOWNSTREAM, BUT CANDIDLY, JUST DRAWING THAT LINE AND CREATING TWO LOTS IN AND OF ITSELF DOESN'T CREATE ANY DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS. NO, AND I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IT DID. I JUST WANTED YOU TO WEIGH IN BECAUSE WE RECEIVED A LETTER AS PART OF THIS APPLICATION FROM AN ATTORNEY. IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THROUGH THE PLANNING DISCUSSION, AND THEN ALSO THROUGH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THAT THIS DOES MEET ALL OF OUR REQUIREMENTS.

FOR A SUBDIVISION OR A SPLIT FOR A SUBDIVISION. HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ISN'T A LOSS OF TREES. THESE TWO THINGS ARE BOTH ACCURATE, AND THEY CAN BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME. AND THE REASON THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN PULLING THIS ONE TONIGHT IS NOT BECAUSE I DISAGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF COMMISSION AND OUR STAFF, BUT BECAUSE I THINK, TO ME, IT'S A LARGER ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE OUR CITY SHOULD ADDRESS GOING FORWARD.

ABOUT TREE REMOVAL ON LOTS THAT ARE NOT ON THE SHORELINE. BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING AT SHORELINE. THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, AS SOME OF THE LETTERS AND THE NEIGHBORS HAVE EXPRESSED, HAS UNCOVERED AN ISSUE THAT PERHAPS OUR CODE ISN'T ACCURATELY ADDRESSING.

AS WELL AS IT COULD, GIVEN THAT WE ARE A CITY WHO VALUES PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION.

SO I'M AWARE THAT THIS MEETS ALL, CHECKS ALL THE BOXES, AS IT WERE. IT MEETS ALL OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THIS TIME. AND THAT MCWD APPROVAL... AND STORMWATER WILL BE ADDRESSED AS THIS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD, BUT IN TERMS OF THE SUBDIVISION, WE'VE MET, THE DEVELOPERS MET, THE APPLICANTS MET THE REQUIREMENTS. SO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR STANDING FOR QUESTIONS. THE STAFF EARLIER WAS ABOUT THE LARGER ISSUE, WHICH WE'VE STARTED TO ADDRESS IN THE PAST, REGARDING PRESERVATION, PROTECTION OF LARGER TREES. I BELIEVE THERE ARE CITIES WHO HAVE TREE ORDINANCES, THAT TYPE OF THING, THAT AREN'T FOR LAKESHORE. AND THAT IS PART OF THIS, LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE. BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR PUBLIC IS INTERESTED IN PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GETTING THESE TYPES OF COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SUBDIVISION. EVERY PERSON WHO OWNS A PLOT

[00:50:01]

USUALLY... USUALLY, IT IS ASSIGNED TO ONE LOT WITH PERHAPS AN EASEMENT. IS IT AN EASEMENT? YEAH. OKAY. ONE OTHER THING I DO WANT TO NOTE IS THAT IN MY CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH STAFF, I BELIEVE THAT IF THERE WERE ANY SIGNIFICANT FEATURES, SUCH AS TREE STANDS, BLUFFS, SENSITIVE AREAS, THAT WOULD TRIGGER FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND EYES ON THIS APPLICATION. AND SIMPLY REMOVING TREES DOES NOT.

NECESSITATE FURTHER PERMITTING.

SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT.

WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND THESE LETTERS AND CALLS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS A CONCERN OVER WETLANDS, RUNOFF AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. SO IF YOU COULD EDUCATE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR COUNCIL TONIGHT ON THOSE ISSUES, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE.

OR, LAURA? PLEASE THANK YOU, COUNCIL. I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. SO OUR SUBDIVISION CODE IS STRUCTURED IN A WAY.

SO WHEN LOTS COME FORWARD FOR A DESIGN STUDY, THAT'S SOMETHING I BELIEVE WE'VE DISCUSSED AT A WORK SESSION.

PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO NOW, SO A LITTLE WHILE AGO.

BUT WE REALLY LOOK AT IT KIND OF CASE BY CASE, ON UNIQUENESS OF THE LAND. SO THIS SUBDIVISION DID REQUIRE A CONSERVATION DESIGN STUDY AND DID NOT TRIGGER ANY THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON IDENTIFIED THAT WOULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL EASEMENT. WE'VE SEEN IN THE CONSERVATION DESIGN STUDY TELL US THAT THERE'S A BIG THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTING, SO WE'VE PUT A PRESERVATION EASEMENT OVER IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT NATURE. SO OUR SUBDIVISION CODE IS REALLY ORIENTED IN A WAY WHERE THAT CONSERVATION DESIGN IS THE TOOL WE USE TO THEN ADD ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THE SUBDIVISION CODE REQUIRES. AND WE LOOK AT IT UNIQUELY, BY CASE, BY CASE. IT'S NOT A BLANKET OF HOW WE APPLY A RULE. LIKE IF WE HAD A CITYWIDE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO THE ENTIRE CITY UNIFORMLY.

WE REALLY LOOK AT THE SUBDIVISIONS AS THEY COME THROUGH AND THEN REQUIRE A CONSERVATION DESIGN BY THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT TO REVIEW THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPERTY. SO THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF LOOK AT THESE SUBDIVISIONS AND DETERMINE. IF THERE'S STUFF ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT WE NEED TO PUT PROTECTIONS ON, OR THAT'S SENSITIVE AREAS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL, MAYBE NO BUILD SPOTS OR EASEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND PLANNING COMMISSION DID NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS IN ADDITION TO THE CONSERVATION PLAN? THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS? I BELIEVE THEIR MOTION WAS TO APPROVE AS APPLIED, MEETING THE CONDITIONS OF THE ENGINEER LETTER CONDITIONS OR COMMENTS BEYOND THAT. THANK YOU. THANKS. OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE ON THIS ISSUE TONIGHT.

BECAUSE IT IS SUBDIVISIONS AND PROPERTIES BEING DEVELOPED BECOME, IT'S A CENSOR ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT HERE, AND IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO SEE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE NOT.

SEEN ACTIVITY OR DEVELOPMENT, COME UNDER APPLICATION AND START THIS TYPE OF PROCESS. SO I DO APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT. THAT, AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, THAT, WHEN POSSIBLE, THAT PRESERVATION PROTECTION MINDSET, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY, IS GOING TO BE TAKEN UNDER CONSIDERATION. IT'S HELPFUL WHEN NEW FOLKS MOVE INTO THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS. GROW, AND I THINK IT'S NICE TO SEE A CAREFUL PROCESS AND A CONSIDERATE PROCESS WHEN FOLKS ARE MAKING CHANGES. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT PART OF THE APPLICATION. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, AND WITH THAT, I'D BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT LOT BEING SPLIT. I DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW MANY TREES ARE BEING LOST AND I, AFTER MEETING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITIES THIS WEEKEND, THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT WILL NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROPOSING SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR PASSING SOMETHING

[00:55:01]

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF ASH TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN IN THAT AREA ANYWAY, THAT ARE BIG ONES TOO, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY DEAD, SO IT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED. SO, THANK YOU.

TO ME, THIS SEEMS LIKE A CLASSIC HOMEOWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS' RIGHTS VERSUS TO...

ADDRESS TREE REMOVAL. BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT PROTECTION, I THINK, IN PLACE. OR AT LEAST TO HAVE A LITTLE HEIGHTENED AWARENESS AND THE ABILITY TO SAY NO. THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THIS, AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY SO THAT SOME OF THESE MATURE TREES CAN BE SAVED.

BUT ANYWAY, I DO THINK IT MEETS ALL THE OTHER CRITERIA AND I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7662, APPROVING THE REQUESTED PRELIMINARY PLAT, SUBJECT TO CONDITION OF MEETING THE ENGINEER LETTER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15, WHICH IS OUR FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE. AND FOR THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MS. HINN. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT, WE HAVE THE FOURTH QUARTER 2025 FINANCIAL UPDATE. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE UNAUDITED AND MAY CHANGE AS STAFF PREPARES FOR A 2025 AUDIT. SO STARTING OFF WITH GENERAL FUND REVENUE, WE ARE AT 104.9 NEW BUDGET.

THE LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE COMES FROM THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY, WHICH WE ARE AT 99 PERCENT COLLECTED. THE ONE PERCENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 100 PERCENT AND 99 PERCENT COULD BE FROM DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES, FORFEITED PROPERTIES, OR OTHER SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS.

AND THEN NEXT, THREE LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUES, LICENSE PERMITS, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUE, AND CHARGES FOR SERVICE ARE ALL COMING IN OVER BUDGET. AND THEN FINES ARE AT 71.7 PERCENT. OF PLEASURE.

THAT'S JUST DUE TO COURT FINES, NOT BEING AS MUCH AS WE HAD ANTICIPATED WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

INTEREST CURRENTLY OF THE BUDGET, THAT'S DUE TO INTEREST NOT YET BEING ALLOCATED. WE NORMALLY ALLOCATE THAT WITH THE AUDIT PROCESS, AND FROM THE ESTIMATE THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE, ONCE INTEREST IS ALLOCATED, THAT WOULD PUT GENERAL FUND REVENUE AT $100 MORE. AND THEN OTHER SOURCES. AND TRANSFERS ARE CURRENTLY AT $406,000.

2024 LONG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATING SURPLUS, THAT WAS RECEIVED IN 2025. AND THEN NEXT UP, I HAVE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE COMPARISON. SO IT'S A QUARTER-TO-QUARTER, YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISON OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET. AND LOOKING AT 2025,

[15. Fourth Quarter Financial Update]

WE'D BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE NEAR THE 2021-2023 MARK, IF NOT MORE, AND THEN MOVING ON TO GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE.

ON HERE, I HAVE THE NOTABLE DEPARTMENTS HIGHLIGHTED THAT DID HIT OVER BUDGET CLOSE TO, IF NOT UNDER BUDGET. SO ELECTION IS AT 115.4 PERCENT.

THAT'S DUE TO SPECIAL ELECTION.

FOR OUR SWINGLERS POSITION, OR LAST YEAR, SORRY, IS AT 100. SECTION, FIRE, UNION NEGOTIATION, AND WASTE HAULER MATTERS.

THAT'S PROTECTION. WE'RE LOOKING AT 108 LEAD DUE TO THE LAYOFFS OF THE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER.

LIKE WORKS, WE ARE AT 111.2%.

THAT WOULD BE MOSTLY DUE TO THE TREE OVERAGE OF $50,000 THAT WAS APPROVED AT THE JULY 28TH COUNCIL MEETING. AND THEN OTHER PORTIONS FOR THAT OVERAGE WOULD BE FUEL AND VEHICLE PARTS THAT WERE INCORRECTLY NOT BUDGETED FOR 2025. AND THEN SPECIAL SERVICES IS OVER BUDGET AT 111.9%. THESE ARE AN OFFSET BY REVENUE STREAM THAT'S RECEIVED FOR THEM. AND THEN TRANSFER TO OTHER FUNDS IS AT ONE. THAT WAS A TRANSFER THAT WAS APPROVED AT THE NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING. A CABLE FUND FOR A

[01:00:02]

AND THEN MOVING ON TO ENTERPRISE FUND, LOOKING AT REVENUE, THE MOST NOTABLE FUND WOULD BE THE WATER FUND, AT 137.5%. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT $1 MILLION WAS TRANSFERRED BACK FROM THE FACILITIES FUND, WHICH IS WHAT'S CAUSING THAT OVERAGE.

FOR THE OTHERWISE, IF YOU TAKE THAT TRANSFER BACK OUT, THEN. WATER FUND REVENUE IS UNDER BUDGET DUE TO NOT OPTION FOR WATER USAGE DUE TO DECREASE OVER THE YEAR, OVER THE YEARS, ALONG WITH THIS 2025 SUMMER HAVING A LOT OF RAINY MONTHS. AND THEN LOOKING AT EXTRA FUND HAD THE MOST NOTABLE AT 120.3. BUDGET FOR EXPENDITURE, AND THAT WOULD BE DUE TO REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TO STORM INLETS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE OVERAGE FROM WILDHURST TRAIL. ALONG WITH A TRANSFER THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN BUDGET, BUT WAS IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR A MINI LOADER THAT'S USED FOR STORMWATER EQUIPMENT. AND I'M MOVING ON TO INTERNAL SERVICE FUND AND FOR REVENUE FOR ALL OF THE FUNDS WERE CLOSE TO, IF NOT ABUNDANT, EXPENDITURE.

THE MOST NOTABLE WOULD BE FOR IT FUND, AT 119.2%. THAT'S DUE TO SOFTWARE LICENSE AND NETWORK SERVICE FEES. THAT WERE JUST A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE RECODING AND WHATNOT.

TO CATCH IT ALL WITHIN IT FUND INSTEAD OF HAVING IT LUMPED OUT WITH OR SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT EACH DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN THERE WAS AN OVERAGE OF $91,000 APPROVED AT THE JULY 28TH COUNCIL MEETING FOR IT FUND AS WELL. THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AMOUNT. MOVING ON, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. IN 2025, THE END AUDIT PROCESS IS $562,000 APPROXIMATELY. AND THEN JUST A QUICK LOOK AT THE PORTFOLIO.

WE HAVE AN AVERAGE MATURITY DURATION OF 2.67 YEARS FOR THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO, WITH A CURRENT YIELD OF 3.33%, AND AS SOME OF THE OLD INVESTMENT, WITH VERY LOW INTEREST. MATURING, WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THE YIELD OF THE PORTFOLIO JUST SLIGHTLY INCREASING AS SOME OF THOSE FALL OFF. AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE.

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. SO WITH THE MORE THAN BUDGETED REVENUE, LESS THAN BUDGETED EXPENDITURE IN THE GENERAL FUND OR RESERVES, WHERE ARE YOU GUESSING THOSE ARE GOING TO BE IN TERMS OF... PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET AT THE END OF OUR 2026 BUDGET IS SITTING THERE, IN RESERVES AS OF THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. SO ACCURATE AMOUNT. I'M JUST I WOULD SAY. WE HIT A SHARE WHEN WE HAD GONE THROUGH SLIGHTLY UNDER BECAUSE WE WE DID DECREASE OUR RESERVE FROM 45 PERCENT TO 40 PERCENT. SO SO, WITH THIS YEAR'S, I WOULD SAY WE HIT IT. IF NOT OVER THE 40 PERCENT, WE. MAY JUST BE AT THE 40%. OKAY, THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT MAY BE A BIT GRANULAR, BUT IT'S ON PAGE 2 OF YOUR MEMO REGARDING THE FLEET.

LET ME SEE HERE. INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS. I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE HAVE A SENSE, IF YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT WE ARE TAKING IN IN TERMS OF REVENUE FOR THESE. WHERE IT'S CALLED PASS-THROUGH CHARGES FOR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES FOR WORK PERFORMED. OUR FLEET IS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON OTHER CITIES' VEHICLES. AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MUCH REVENUE IS BEING GENERATED IN THAT BUCKET.

I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. OKAY.

AND IN 2026, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE STARTING TO DO NOW IS TRACKING THOSE EXPENDITURES THAT WE SPEND.

[01:05:02]

WELL, IT WAS SPECIFIC. I KNOW WE'RE REPAIRING FIRE VEHICLES, BUT OTHER TYPES OF FLEET FROM OTHER CITIES THAT ARE NOT FIRE-RELATED, POTENTIALLY, JUST ALL OF IT. AND MAYBE FIRE NEEDS TO BE A SEPARATE BUDGET, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN THESE OTHER FLEET REPAIRS THAT OUR FACILITY IS MANAGING OR DOING THE MAINTENANCE ON. YEP, I CAN BRING THAT BACK. THANK YOU.

OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. I ASSUME DETAILS WE CAN CONTACT YOU DIRECTLY WITH. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT. ANYTHING YOU HAVE FOR US, MR. EDWARDS? NOTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY COVERED. OKAY. HOW ABOUT THE ATTORNEY REPORT? NO, NO, NOTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY COVERED. OKAY, THANK YOU. REPORT? ANYTHING TO REPORT? COUNCIL MEMBER SCHWINGLER. I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT. OH, MEMBER RICKS? SURE. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON AND MYSELF ATTENDED THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED PLAN UPDATE MEETING. IT'S TO UPDATE THEIR 10-YEAR PLAN.

THE MCWD TALKED ABOUT PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED, INCLUDING PARKS IN VICTORIA AND ST. LOUIS PARK. IN VICTORIA, THE WASSERMAN LAKE PRESERVE IS ANCHORED ON THE RESTORED LAKE, AND THE PROJECT RESULTED IN WETLAND AND NEW PARK AMENITIES LIKE PICNIC SPACE, CAN I MENTION THE POLAR PLUNGE? COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, OUR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, AND CHRIS, THAT'S HER NAME, LUCIEN, OUR CITY CLERK. ALL FEMALES, I MIGHT ADD. AND ALL OF US, WE'RE JUMPING FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE ORONO 5. AS OF THIS MORNING, WE WERE THE... TOP IN THE LEADERBOARD IN THE SPORTSMAN CATEGORY, THANKS TO SOME VERY GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM OUR RESIDENTS, SO WE'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. I ALSO ATTENDED THE PARKS WORK SESSION AND THE PARKS MEETING ON THE 3RD, THE COMMISSION WITH THE GOALS SET BY THE COUNCIL, AND THE COMMISSION ALSO HAD, WHICH THEY ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR.

PEOPLE TO ATTEND, AND I'LL LET YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THE ELECTED LEADERS INSTITUTE. OKAY. I'LL LET COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON SPEAK ABOUT THAT, IF SHE'D LIKE. IT WAS FANTASTIC. THREE OF US WENT TO THE LEADERS INSTITUTE WITH LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THIS PAST WEEK AND HEARD FROM SOME GREAT PRESENTERS.

AND ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH FOLKS FROM OTHER CITIES, OTHER ELECTEDS. HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR CITIES. SO SOME REALLY GREAT PRESENTATIONS. AND ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IS WE DID TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH WE WILL BE TACKLING THIS YEAR.

AND ONE OF MY TAKEAWAYS, ACTUALLY FROM THAT TALK WAS THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOING A SURVEY AND DOING A GREAT JOB, IT'S EASY TO SAY, WELL, THAT 10%, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. WE'LL FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT 90% WHO ARE FEELING GOOD ABOUT THINGS. AND THE PRESENTER ACTUALLY SAID, THAT'S THE PART YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON. IS THAT 10% BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT FOCUSED ON IT, THAT'S LIKELY TO GROW.

SO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE. DON'T BE COMPLACENT. CONTINUE TO LISTEN. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A NICE POINT TO MAKE AND SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR SURVEY THIS YEAR. SO IT WAS A GREAT TIME. IT WAS NICE TO SPEND TIME LEARNING AND CONNECTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, I'LL JUST GIVE A QUICK UPDATE REGARDING THE SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'VE BEEN GETTING OUR MEETINGS ROLLING, AND A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. THE DEPUTY CHIEF HAS STARTED ENROLL, AND THEY'VE SOLD A COUPLE PIECES OF EXCESS EQUIPMENT, SO THEY'VE HAD FAR MORE THAN I THINK THEY'VE BOUGHT. GOOD NEWS START. THE CITIES THAT THEY SERVE AS SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL START TO SEE SOME WEEKLY CITY UPDATES BEING SENT TO... THE CITIES THAT THEY SERVE. AND SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO START TO SEE SOME GOOD TRACK.

SPENDING SOME TIME WITH RACHEL ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING. SO SO, YEAH, AT SOME POINT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM PASSING ALONG THESE DATES TO THE TO THE COUNCIL. SO, EXCUSE ME,

[01:10:01]

[Mayor and Council Report]

THAT THEY'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH, CARE OF OUR EMERGENCY SERVICE PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO, WELL, SAID. I'M GOING TO ADD ONE MORE THING. YES. I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT LAURA WAS WITH US AT THE MINNEHAHA CREEK. OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY POLAR PLUNGE.

NO, NEXT YEAR. AND ALSO, MIGHT AS WELL, SINCE HE'S THE PUPPY DOG IN THE CORNER, WANT TO THANK RICHIE ANDERSON FOR HIS SERVICE IN THE LMCB.

ABSOLUTELY. APPRECIATE ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR THE CITY OF ORONO AND WHAT WE CAN GET.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS. THIS SCHEDULING ISSUE, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO OUR MEETINGS IN MARCH, ON MARCH 23RD, IT IS DURING ORONO'S SPRING BREAK. AND I AM AWARE THAT AT LEAST THREE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT. SO JUST A HEADS UP THAT WE MAY BE CANCELING THAT MEETING IF WE DO HAVE TO BE. AT THE END OF MARCH, WE WILL RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, WHICH WOULD BE THE 30TH, I BELIEVE.

SO, JUST A HEADS UP ON THAT, THAT WE WILL NOT BE MEETING ON THE 23RD, BUT MAY NEED TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING IF THERE ARE ITEMS OF INTEREST.

TO ADDRESS THAT, I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO IS BRING...

INACTION. AN ACTION TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO ADJUST OUR OFFICIAL MEETING CALENDAR TO REMOVE THAT.

PERFECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ISSUES? OH, I LIKE THE IDEA OF WHAT ADAM'S SUGGESTING, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO JUST HAVE IT AS A REGULAR MEETING, YOU HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY ON THE AGENDA, WHEREAS IF IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING, YOU'RE LIMITED TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. YEAH, OKAY. GREAT.

THANK YOU. AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, I ENJOYED ATTENDING THE ELECTED LEADERS LAST WEEK.

ALWAYS COME AWAY, LEARNING A LOT. REALLY FOCUSED ON ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR REALLY IMPORTANT GOALS.

THAT WAS GOOD INFORMATION, GOOD AND TIMELY INFORMATION FOR US. ALSO ATTENDED THE REGIONAL COUNCIL MAYORS MEETING TODAY. WE HEARD FROM DOUG LOON, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE MINNESOTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AS WELL AS PETER FROSCH, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF GREATER MSB. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY BOTH TALKED ABOUT WAS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR CURRENT SITUATION IN THE TWIN CITIES, WHERE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO EITHER CLOSE OR LIMIT THEIR HOURS, AND IT'S HAVING A PRETTY DRAMATIC ECONOMIC IMPACT ON US. SO IT WAS INITIATIVES, NOT JUST ABOUT THAT SHORT, BUT ALSO LONGER-TERM PLANS TO ENHANCE OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS HANDED OUT AT THAT WAS A... A COALITION OF MINNESOTA MAYORS LED BY SUBURBAN MAYORS, BLOOMINGTON, BROOKLYN CENTER, BROOKLYN PARK, COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, EDEN PRAIRIE, EDINA, GOLDEN VALLEY, HOPKINS, MAPLEWOOD, MINNETONKA, RICHFIELD, AND ST. LOUIS PARK ARE ALREADY SIGNED ON TO THIS. AND IT'S BASICALLY A RELEASE WHERE MINNESOTA MAYORS ARE BANDING TOGETHER TO SAY, LET'S PUT THINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE CURRENT. SURGE IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA. SO BEFORE I WOULD AGREE TO SIGN THIS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL NOT DECIDE UNTIL NEXT MEETING AS TO WHETHER TO SIGN IT OR NOT.

ONE OF MY PLEDGES TO THE COMMUNITY IS TO STAY NONPARTISAN. THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, HAS BECOME TOO MUCH OF A PARTISAN ISSUE, I THINK, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY, SO I'D LIKE TO GET OTHER FOLKS' OPINIONS ON THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. TO BRING BEFORE THE MEETING, IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOTION. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 7.29.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.