[Roll Call]
[00:00:02]
BOB TUNHEIM: ALL RIGHT.IT IS 6 O'CLOCK, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, NOTING THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM, BARELY, TONIGHT, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON EXPECTED TO SHOW UP LATE.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK THE AUDIENCE TO JOIN YOUR COUNCIL IN PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
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.
I WOULD NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON DID SHOW UP JUST IN TIME FOR THE ROLL CALL.
SO WE NOW HAVE FOUR IN ATTENDANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SCHWENGLER WILL NOT BE JOINING US TONIGHT.
[Approval of Agenda]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE IT OR ANY ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA THAT ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD REQUEST.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE ADDITION TO THE AGENDA.
AND THAT IS? JACQUELIN RICKS: THAT IS I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE CIP FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
ALISA BENSON: I HAVE ONE ITEM TO ADD AS WELL.
I DID NOT SEE IT ON HERE, OUR WORK SESSION SCHEDULE-- THE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE.
BOB TUNHEIM: WORK SESSION SCHEDULE? OK.
BOB TUNHEIM: THAT IS-- OH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ON OUR-- DID THAT GET DROPPED FROM THE AGENDA? CLERK: NO, WE HAVE MEETING CALENDAR AS ITEM NUMBER 22, WHICH WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL WORK SESSION.
BOB TUNHEIM: OH, GOT IT, TIMING SPLIT.
ALISA BENSON: THIS WOULD BE TO DISCUSS OUR WORK SESSION SCHEDULE FOR THIS YEAR, SPECIFICALLY DECEMBER 6, WHERE I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY SESSION SCHEDULED.
I HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR THAT MEETING.
I'LL ADD THAT AT THE END AFTER THAT MEETING CALENDAR FOR 2027.
[Consent Agenda]
ALL RIGHT.WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ITEMS THAT ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION WITH NO DISCUSSION, UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF REQUESTS THAT WE PULL THE ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
TONIGHT'S PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS-- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, CLAIMS AND BILLS, RECAP OF OUR ELECTION AND VOTER SERVICES, ITEM FOUR, ELECTION RESULTS CANVAS-- THAT'S RESOLUTION 7729-- ITEM NUMBER 5, WHICH IS SETTING 2027 UTILITY RATES, ITEM NUMBER 06, WHICH IS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH LELS LOCAL 640, NUMBER SEVEN, NON WAIVER OF TORT LIMITS-- THAT'S RESOLUTION 7727.
NUMBER 8 IS ESTABLISHING WATER SOFTENER REBATE PROGRAM.
NUMBER 9, NUISANCE ABATEMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR 3860 SHORELINE DRIVE, THAT'S RESOLUTION 7730.
NUMBER 10 IS AN ORDER TO CORRECT A HAZARDOUS BUILDING-- OR BUILDINGS, I SHOULD SAY-- AT 4580 WATERTOWN ROAD, RESOLUTION 7731.
ITEM NUMBER 11, THAT'S A VACATION OF AN EASEMENT, RESOLUTION 7732 AT 4755 NORTH SHORE DRIVE.
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS A SETBACK VARIANCE AT 315 CRESTVIEW AVENUE.
NUMBER 13, NORTON HOMES AT 700 NORTH SHORE DRIVE WEST-- THAT'S A VARIANCE IN PRELIMINARY PLAT, RESOLUTION 7735.
AND ITEM 14, 2060 SHORELINE DRIVE-- THAT'S A VARIANCE, AND IT'S RESOLUTION 7736.
SO I WOULD OPEN THAT UP FOR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF TO REMOVE ANY OF THOSE TO HAVE SEPARATE DISCUSSION.
ALISA BENSON: MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 11, PLEASE.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS NUMBER 11.
BOB TUNHEIM: MOVED AND-- JACQUELIN RICKS: I'LL SECOND IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NONE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
[Public Comments]
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.COUNCIL WON'T ENGAGE IN A BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION OR TAKE ANY ACTION THAT'S PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, WE MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF FOR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION IN A FUTURE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING AND SHOULD
[00:05:02]
BE MINDFUL OF THE TIME AND LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES, IF POSSIBLE, TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS TO SPEAK.WITH THAT-- AND I WOULD ALSO SAY WE'VE GOT NOW 1, 2, 3-- WE'VE GOT ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING.
AND IF YOU'VE GOT COMMENTS ON THAT, NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON THOSE UPCOMING ACTIONS.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD INVITE FOLKS TO THE PODIUM IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
MARK FINNIE: HELLO, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE AT 3210 NORTH SHORE DRIVE.
WE'RE HERE FOR THE VARIANCE OF-- THE LAST TWO DIGITS ARE 44 WITH THE MARINA.
COULD YOU PULL UP THAT FIRST PICTURE, MELANIE? MELANIE CURTIS: SO I HAVE YOUR WHOLE [INAUDIBLE] THING HERE.
YOU WANT THE-- THAT ONE? MARK FINNIE: YES.
SO WE'VE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS VIEW FOR 26 YEARS.
SO WE ARE IN FAVOR OF HAVING SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS AND THE GARBAGE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR ALL THIS TIME.
SO WE ARE IN FAVOR WITH THE CHANGE, BUT WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE EVERYBODY HEAR ABOUT.
CAN YOU OPEN UP THE PICTURE WITH THE CIRCLE ON IT AT THE VERY END, THE ONE I SENT YOU ON THURSDAY? SO I WANT TO MAKE ONE THING REALLY CLEAR.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OTHER THREE SIDES ARE MUCH NICER THAN OUR SIDE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THE POINT HERE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF IT WHERE THE FLAG IS, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A PATIO, AND IT'S FOR THE POLICE AND THE SHERIFFS AND ALL THAT, WHICH I REALLY RECOMMEND AND APPROVE.
BUT THEY ALSO HAVE-- TO THE LEFT OF THE CIRCLE IS THEIR EXISTING CABIN, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE SINCE WE'VE BEEN THERE, 26 YEARS.
IT HAS A NICE SCREEN PORCH, A BATHROOM, AND ALL THAT.
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A STATE WATER PATROL OR ORONO THERE EVER ONCE.
AND SO THEY ALREADY HAVE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND USE AND RELAX AND DO ALL THAT, WHICH I SUPPORT COMPLETELY.
SO WHEN THEY SAY THEY NEED THIS FOR THE WATER PATROL AND ORONO POLICE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY NEED TWO BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE.
BUT THAT'S-- LET'S GET TO THE DESIGN ITSELF, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
GO BACK TO MY SECOND PICTURE, PLEASE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THEIR NORTHERNMOST EXPOSURE OF IT.
AND THEY ARE BUILDING THIS ON THE SAME FOOTPRINT.
AND I TRIED TO USE THE LINE OF THE WINDOW OF WHAT WE WILL NOT SEE.
SO EVERYTHING TO THE LEFT OF THE TWO PANES WILL NOW BE NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, WHICH THEY CALL AN EXCESS MASK, AND THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE.
BUT THE THING THAT REALLY IS A PROBLEM WITH US IS THIS IS OUR BEDROOM.
AND THE GUTTER THAT YOU SEE IN THE LINE IN THE LOWER LEFT-HAND PANE, THEY ARE PLANNING TO HAVE A DECK THERE.
THIS IS RIGHT INTO OUR BEDROOM.
THIS IS 17 FEET FROM OUR BEDROOM WINDOW, FROM YOU TO ME.
I ALREADY MEASURED THIS FROM THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
AND SO THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO US.
WHY-- YOU HAVE A TOTAL TEAR DOWN.
YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW BUILD, AND THE ARCHITECTS CAN'T COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER TO FACE THEIR OWN MARINA.
THEY FACE US TO THE EAST VERSUS THE MARINA IS ALMOST 90% TO THE WEST, AND OF COURSE, TO THE NORTH.
SO THIS IS OUR INVASION OF OUR PRIVACY.
THEY SMOKE CIGARS ALL THE TIME.
OUR NEIGHBORS TWO HOUSES DOWN CAN SMELL THE CIGARS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE 17 FEET.
WE LIKE CRACKING OUR WINDOWS WITH THE FRESH AIR, SEEING THE SUNSETS, ALL OF THIS.
AND WE JUST FEEL THAT THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE WITH THIS DESIGN.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE THIS NOT APPROVED.
NEXT PICTURE, WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME OTHER ENCROACHMENTS OF OUR VIEWS.
THAT'S THE OTHER WINDOW FROM OUR BEDROOM.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT DECK VIEW IS, AGAIN, RIGHT INTO OUR TWO WINDOWS OF OUR BEDROOM-- PERFECT HEIGHT TO SEE RIGHT DOWN AND INTO OUR BEDROOM-- TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
THIS IS OUR SECOND STORY, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE LIGHT POLE IS.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THE DECK IS GOING TO BE.
IF THEY DO PUT A SECURITY FENCE UP THERE OR PRIVACY FENCE, THEY CAN SEE RIGHT UP INTO OUR UPPER DECK.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO LOOK INTO OUR HOUSE VERSUS THEIR OWN MARINA, BUT THAT'S HOW THEY DESIGNED IT.
THIS IS FROM THE MIDDLE OF OUR HOUSE.
AND SO WHERE YOU SEE THE FLAG AND ALL THAT GOING STRAIGHT UP, THAT WHOLE PART OF THE LAKE WILL BE ELIMINATED.
THERE'S A PRIVACY DECK THAT WILL GO OFF IN FRONT OF IT.
[00:10:03]
AND THAT DECK YOU SEE RIGHT THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A SHELTER OVER THE TOP.WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THIS IS FROM OUR TV ROOM, OUR GAME ROOM.
AND YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, EVERYTHING-- THOSE LEFT TWO PANELS WILL BE THE ONLY VIEW WE HAVE BECAUSE ABOVE EVERYTHING, THAT'S HOUSE.
ALL THOSE PANELS STRAIGHT UP WILL BE NOW THE NEW BUILD IN THAT EXTRA MASS.
SO ALL OF THAT VIEW, ALL THAT SUNSHINE IS ELIMINATED FROM OUR HOUSE.
WE FEEL THAT THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE THIS FOR AN OFFICE BUILDING WITH A BRAND NEW PLAN.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST FROM THE OTHER WINDOW IN THAT PLACE.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT RIGHT TWO PANELS WILL HAVE THAT VIEW ELIMINATED.
AGAIN, THIS IS FROM THE BEDROOM.
YOU CAN SEE DOWN TO-- IT WAS RAINING, SORRY.
BUT AGAIN, THAT DECK WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK RIGHT UP INTO OUR SECOND-FLOOR BEDROOM.
THIS IS A PRIVACY CONCERN FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND MY WIFE.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE SECOND STORY AGAIN.
THAT WHOLE RIGHT TWO PANELS WILL BE-- ACTUALLY, MORE THAN THAT.
THE MIDDLE WHOLE TWO PANELS WILL ALL BE ELIMINATED WITH THE NEW BUILD.
THERE SHOULD BE ONE MORE, I THOUGHT.
ANYWAYS, UP ON TOP OF THE CHIMNEY FROM OUR BEDROOM AND THE BATHROOM, THERE'S A SECURITY CAMERA.
AND I BROUGHT THAT UP WITH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT THE SECURITY CAMERA CANNOT BE LOOKING INTO OUR BEDROOMS, CANNOT BE LOOKING INTO OUR BATHROOMS. IT'S NOT IN THE NEW PLAN AT ALL.
I WANTED IT IN THERE, AND IT NEVER GOT ADDED.
SO AGAIN, I KNOW WHY THEY NEED SECURITY CAMERAS.
WE ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THEM FACING OUR BEDROOMS AND OUR BATHROOMS. IT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS OR AS I BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE.
SO I WANT THAT IN THERE SOMEHOW.
SO IN THEIR PLAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT AWNING OFF TO THE RIGHT.
THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE ONE NEW DECK WITH AN OVERHANG ON IT.
AND PER THEIR COMMENTS, THEY WANT THIS AS A SOCIAL AREA.
WELL, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A SOCIAL AREA, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THAT CABIN RIGHT THERE FOR ALL THEIR SOCIALIZING AND STUFF WITH A SCREENED PORCH.
NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE WITHOUT A SCREENED PORCH, SO MOSQUITOES, EVERYTHING, WHATEVER.
BUT THE POINT IS, AFTER 10 O'CLOCK, MOST PEOPLE JUST COME IN AND LEAVE RIGHT NOW-- GO TO THEIR CARS AND LEAVE.
SO WE KNEW THAT WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE PLACE.
YOU GET WOKEN UP A LITTLE BIT, NOISE OR WHATEVER, 11 O'CLOCK, MIDNIGHT.
WE BOUGHT AND ALL THAT WHEN WE BOUGHT THE PLACE.
BUT NOW THEY'VE GOT THIS SOCIAL COLLECTING AREAS WITH NICE BENCHES, NICE OVERHANGS AND ALL THIS STUFF.
AND WE FEEL THAT AFTER 10 O'CLOCK-- THIS IS-- AGAIN, AS THEY COMMITTED IT TO BE-- A SOCIAL AREA.
AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE NOT JUST WOKEN UP, BUT PEOPLE WILL BE THERE FOR MAYBE 15 MINUTES, HALF AN HOUR.
AND WHAT IS OUR GOAL BACK EXCEPT TO CALL THE POLICE AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT NOISE, AND I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.
BUT IF THEY COULD PUT SOME RESTRICTIONS ON IT AND SOMETHING BETTER, THEN WE WON'T GET INTO THIS BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE MESSING AROUND AND WASTING POLICE OFFICERS TIME ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS THE SECOND FLOOR.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE TWO EXTRA OFFICES.
THEY HAVE ONE OFFICE RIGHT NOW WITH AN ENTRY OFFICE, AND NOW THEY'RE NEEDING FIVE THEY SAY.
SO ALL THIS EXTRA MASS ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS WHAT I FEEL AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE SHOW THIS TO SAY, WELL, THAT'S AN APARTMENT FOR THEM.
AND AGAIN, HOW ARE WE GOING TO STOP THEM FROM USING THIS AS AN APARTMENT? IT LOOKS LIKE AN APARTMENT.
THE MASS IS TOTALLY DISRUPTING OUR VIEWS.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT, IF IT EVER BECOMES AN APARTMENT, HOW WE STOP THAT.
AND IF YOU WOULD GO BACK TO MY MEMO-- THE ONLY THING I REALLY WANT TO GET TO AND-- YOU'VE SEEN THE PICTURES, BUT THERE'S LINE ITEMS IN THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE BECAUSE THE SAME OUTCOME IS WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
IT SAYS RIGHT HERE THAT IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL FOR LINE ITEM X, Y, Z, NOT A BIG DEAL FOR THIS MASS IN OUR VIEW TO BE ELIMINATED, X, Y, Z.
BUT IT'S ALL HERE PER THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE, AND I DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME WITH IT.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE SECOND FLOOR HAS ADDED EXTRA MASS ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE.
IT ELIMINATES OUR VIEWS OF THE SUNSET.
WE'VE GOT A DECK 15 FEET FROM US THAT IT CAN LOOK RIGHT INTO OUR BEDROOMS--
[00:15:02]
UNACCEPTABLE.AND THIS IS GOING TO DECREASE THE VALUE OF OUR HOUSE.
I MEAN, WOULD ANY OF YOU BUY A HOUSE WHEN YOU GO TO THE BEDROOM AND YOU SEE, OH, RIGHT THERE, THERE'S A DECK 17 FEET AWAY? SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BRING UP HERE.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK WE'RE WANTING CHANGED.
WE DO WANT SOMETHING NEW THERE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE THINK WHAT THEY'VE PROPOSED IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THE REASONS THAT I BROUGHT UP.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOB TUNHEIM: THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT? THEY'RE SEEING NO ONE.
[11) LA26-000021, 4755 North Shore Drive, Vacation - Resolution 7732]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO-- I GUESS WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 11 FIRST.THAT WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON? ALISA BENSON: YES, I'VE READ THROUGH THIS, AND I'VE LOOKED AT PLANNING AND STAFF REPORT, AND I AGREE WITH IT.
THE REASON I PULLED IT IS BECAUSE IT HAS THE WORD VACATION IN IT.
AND I HAVE A LONG HISTORY ON COUNCIL OF OPPOSING VACATIONS BECAUSE THEY IMPEDE THE PUBLIC'S ACCESS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF I DO.
MAN: IN CASE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
ALISA BENSON: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S NICE OF YOU TO COME UP.
I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
I OPPOSE THOSE TYPICALLY BECAUSE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN VACATED, THAT I'VE SEEN, THEY ARE TWO PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS ASKING THE CITY TO VACATE PROPERTY WITHIN THAT ABUTS THOSE PROPERTIES THAT LEAD STRAIGHT TO THE LAKE SHORE.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN HAVING LAKE SHORE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I PULLED IT BECAUSE I KNOW, BASED ON MY COMMENTS, SOME FOLKS MAY WONDER WHY I'M APPROVING THIS ON CONSENT.
THE REASON IS BECAUSE THIS IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
I REVIEWED IT WITH STAFF, AND I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS NOT A PARCEL OF PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY ACCESSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC TO UTILIZE FOR PUBLIC SPACE TO ACCESS THE LAKE SHORE.
I WANT TO MAKE THOSE POINTS BEFORE I VOTE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE, MELANIE OR MATTHEW, THAT WOULD SHOW IT? THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD ONE BEFORE THAT-- IT SHOWS THAT IT'S LANDLOCKED.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, IT SHOWS THAT THERE'S-- I THINK IT'S AN EASEMENT FOR A ROAD THAT WAS NEVER BUILT.
AND IT'S BEEN VACATED ON EITHER SIDE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: YEAH, IT'D JUST BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT PICTURE.
MATTHEW: SO IF YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE BETWEEN THOSE DASHED LINES OFF ON THE SIDE.
THAT WOULD BE THE AREA WHERE THE LAKE STREET WAS DEDICATED, HOWEVER LONG AGO, AT A WIDTH OF ABOUT 20 FEET, BUT WITH SOME CHANGES WITH THE LAKE SHORE AND THE TOPOGRAPHY, THAT'S HOW IT LANDS TODAY, ULTIMATELY.
ALISA BENSON: AND IT'S TRUE THAT PROPERTIES-- I'M SORRY.
DO YOU HAVE THE ONE THAT SHOWS THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES? MATTHEW: I THINK I SUBMITTED THOSE GRAPHICS [INAUDIBLE].
BOB TUNHEIM: NO, I THINK THERE'S ONE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: DID WE SEE IT IN PLANNING COMMISSION? BOB TUNHEIM: MAYBE IT WAS IN PLANNING COMMISSION.
JACQUELIN RICKS: BUT THOSE NOTES SHOULD BE IN THERE.
IT WAS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
MATTHEW: WE CAN TRY TO PULL UP THE MAP.
ALISA BENSON: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, I DON'T SEE IT HERE.
MELANIE CURTIS: IS IT THIS ONE? MATTHEW: UP TO THE NORTH A LITTLE BIT.
MELANIE CURTIS: THAT ONE? MATTHEW: NO.
THERE IT IS TO THE SOUTH OF IT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE I WAS THINKING OF TOO, BUT THIS IS FINE.
MATTHEW: SO THAT ONE AND THE NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH OR THE EAST, I GUESS, THOSE WOULD BE THE ONLY TWO PROPERTIES REMAINING THAT STILL CONTAIN THAT LAKE STREET RIGHT OF WAY.
ALL THE OTHER NEIGHBORS OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF DECADES HAVE MADE THOSE VACATION REQUESTS, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN GRANTED AS WELL.
BOB TUNHEIM: AND IS IT SIMPLY AN EASEMENT FOR A ROADWAY? MATTHEW: ESSENTIALLY.
BOB TUNHEIM: NOT AN EASEMENT FOR ANYTHING ELSE? MATTHEW: CORRECT.
BOB TUNHEIM: AND THERE WILL NEVER BE A ROADWAY THERE.
MATTHEW: AND THERE'S NO CITY FACILITIES IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE, THOUGH-- IT'S NOT HIGHLIGHTED WITH THE YELLOW BOX, BUT IT IS THE AREAS THAT JUT OUT FROM NORTH SHORE DRIVE.
THOSE WOULD BE THE LAKE ACCESS IS THAT WE REFER TO.
THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE POSITION TO NOT VACATE.
AS THESE PORTIONS THAT ARE ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT'S WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A NEXUS TO VACATE.
[00:20:03]
ALISA BENSON: DOES CITY STAFF NEED TO ACCESS THIS? AND IF SO, IS THERE AN EASEMENT ACROSS THIS PROPERTY FOR ANY INFRASTRUCTURE? NO, I WOULDN'T THINK SO.I SEE-- MATTHEW: AND REALLY THE GOAL IS-- ALISA BENSON: I JUST WANT TO ASK.
MATTHEW: AND REALLY THE GOAL IS WITH THIS IS BY GIVING THIS BACK TO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP, THAT WILL ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT SLOPE AND THE BLUFF AREA, WHICH WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS.
BOB TUNHEIM: CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO-- JACQUELIN RICKS: WELL, IF I CAN GET THAT ITEM UP BEFORE ME.
YES, MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7732 APPROVING THE REQUESTED VACATION.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND? ALISA BENSON: I'LL SECOND IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15,
[15) LA26-000040, 1840 Shadywood Rd, Setback Variance ]
1840 SHADYWOOD ROAD SETBACK VARIANCE.MELANIE CURTIS: YES, THANK YOU.
THE APPLICANTS REQUEST A REAR SETBACK VARIANCE TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF THE NON-CONFORMING DETACHED GARAGE.
THEY RECEIVED A HARDCOVER VARIANCE IN 2025 TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW HOME ON THE PROPERTY.
CURRENTLY, THEY'RE REQUESTING THE SETBACK VARIANCE TO EXPAND THEIR NON-CONFORMING GARAGE BY RAISING THE ROOF PEAK AND HEIGHT.
THE GARAGE IS 11.4 FEET FROM THE REAR PROPERTY LINE, WHERE A 30-FOOT SETBACK IS REQUIRED.
THEY PROPOSE TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF THE ROOF PEAK BY 3.8 FEET.
FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING IN OCTOBER, THE COMMISSION VOTED THREE TO FOUR ON A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
A SUBSEQUENT MOTION WAS MADE TO DENY THE APPLICATION.
AND THAT PASSED WITH A FOUR TO THREE VOTE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL AS APPLIED.
TONIGHT, THE COUNCIL SHOULD DIRECT STAFF TO DRAFT A DENIAL RESOLUTION FOR ADOPTION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
I HAVE THE EXHIBIT WITH THE GARAGE EXPANSION OUTLINED HERE AS WELL.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I KNOW IN NOVEMBER, WE TALKED ABOUT HARD COVER, AND WE HAD APPROVED TO GO FROM 25 TO 32.5, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
DOES THIS AFFECT HARD COVER AT ALL? MELANIE CURTIS: THEY WERE GIVEN APPROVAL TO MAINTAIN THEIR HARD COVER LEVEL OF THE EXISTING, AND THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THEIR HARD COVER.
THEY JUST WANT TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OTHERWISE, IS THE HOMEOWNER HERE OR REPRESENTATIVE? PLEASE.
HOMEOWNER: HELLO, AND THANK YOU.
SO BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, YEAH, IT DOESN'T INCREASE HARD COVER.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT.
WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A REALLY GREAT HOME THAT DEFINITELY IMPROVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CURB APPEAL.
THE '50S GARAGE THAT IS THERE, IT JUST LOOKS REALLY DATED, LOOKS REALLY TIRED.
I DID GET LETTERS FROM BOTH MY NEIGHBORS STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THE IMPROVEMENT TO THAT GARAGE.
RIGHT NOW, IT ONLY HAS A 7-FOOT CEILING ON THE INSIDE OF THAT GARAGE.
SO IT'S LIKE FUNCTIONALLY, IT'S NOT VERY-- I CAN'T GET-- I CAN'T EASILY GET AN ELECTRIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS IN THAT.
SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, IT ROLLS UP JUST RIGHT TO THE CEILING.
AND THERE'S JUST-- SO BY JUST PITCHING THAT UP, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE PITCH OF THE ROOF.
I WANT TO KEEP THOSE ARBORVITAES.
SO I WANT TO-- RIGHT NOW, I HAVE TO GET UP THERE WITH THE LEAF BLOWER SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR JUST TO GET ALL THE DEAD ABORVITAE AND STUFF OFF THAT ROOF BECAUSE IT JUST SITS THERE.
SO BY INCREASING THAT PITCH A LITTLE BIT, I WILL GET AN EXTRA FOOT OUT OF THAT CEILING IN THE GARAGE.
AND THEN IT WILL COMPLEMENT THE HOUSE A LOT BETTER.
AND IT'LL JUST LOOK BETTER, BE MORE FUNCTIONAL.
I GOT TO PROVE SUPPORT FROM MY NEIGHBORS.
LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT INCREASING HARD COVER AT ALL.
IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SMALL ASK TO JUST IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
BOB TUNHEIM: OTHER QUESTIONS? ALISA BENSON: I HAVE ONE.
HOW MUCH A PART OF THIS REQUEST IS AESTHETIC IN NATURE?
[00:25:05]
HOMEOWNER: IT'S PROBABLY 70/30-- I MEAN, A GOOD CHUNK OF IT, JUST BECAUSE THAT ROOF PEAK IS JUST SO SHALLOW.IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOUSE.
BUT AGAIN, BY PITCHING THAT, IT'S GOING TO KEEP DEBRIS OFF.
IT'LL KEEP WATERSHED AWAY A LITTLE BIT.
AND IT'LL JUST IMPROVE THE GARAGE AND OVERALL PROPERTY AND AESTHETICS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ALISA BENSON: SO 70% IS THE AESTHETIC QUALITY.
WHAT IS THE OTHER 30% THAT'S NOT? HOMEOWNER: I MEAN, JUST AGAIN, JUST KEEPING IT CLEAN, KEEPING IT UP-TO-DATE.
I WANTED-- THERE'S ARBORVITAES ON THE SIDE, I'M GOING TO-- THERE ARE MULTIPLE STEMS THAT ARE IN THOSE, BUT IT DOES CREATE QUITE A BIT OF PRIVACY FROM THE ROAD.
SO I DO WANT TO KEEP THOSE IN THERE.
IT'LL JUST BE EASIER TO MAINTAIN, JUST TO GET THAT TO PITCH UP A LITTLE BIT, AND IT WILL KEEP WATER AWAY FROM THE GARAGE A LITTLE BIT BETTER TOO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OVERHANGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SLIGHTLY WIDER AS WELL.
AND THAT'LL JUST PITCH WATER AWAY.
RIGHT NOW, IT JUST RUNS RIGHT DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE, AND AGAIN, JUST THIS LOOKS EXTREMELY DATED.
I MEAN THAT'S ONE THING THAT CAME UP.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE JUST USING THIS FOR BIKES AND LAWNMOWERS AND JUST EXTRA STUFF.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO PARK IN THERE, YOU CAN TURN AROUND BEFORE IT GOES OUT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE IDEA OF THE NONCONFORMING, IS JUST SO PEOPLE DON'T BACK OUT ON TO A BUSY ROAD.
BUT REALLY, IT'S JUST FOR-- WE HAVE THE ATTACHED, SOMETHING ATTACHED TO THE HOUSE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WALK DOWN A SLIPPERY DRIVEWAY IN THE WINTER TO GET TO A CAR.
BUT, I MEAN, THAT ATTACHED TWO-CAR IS PART OF OUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S JUST-- ALISA BENSON: MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING.
THIS STRUCTURE WILL NOT HOUSE ANY VEHICLES? IT'S FOR RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT? HOMEOWNER: IT CAN.
BUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE USING IT FOR IS EXTRA STORAGE SPACE.
HOMEOWNER: REALLY, TWO-CAR GARAGES, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF ROOM.
I MEAN, BY THE TIME YOU PUT SOME BIKES AND A LAWNMOWER IN THERE, YOU CAN BARELY GET ONE IN IT.
SO I'M JUST THE IDEA-- WE ACTUALLY HAVE A USABLE GARAGE UP AT THE HOUSE.
AND THEN THIS IS FOR EXTRA STUFF AND POSSIBLY A VEHICLE.
YOU GUYS DON'T-- DO YOU HAVE A BASEMENT IN YOUR HOUSE, YOUR NEW HOUSE? HOMEOWNER: WE DO.
SO BASICALLY, WE JUST MAINTAIN ONE LEVEL LIVING, OR ONE LEVEL-- WE DIDN'T GO TWO STORIES.
THE LIVABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF OUR HOUSE IS THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAD WITH OUR OLD CABIN MORE OR LESS.
I HAVE ONE MORE POINT ON THIS GARAGE, BUT-- BOB TUNHEIM: HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO AS AESTHETIC-- IF 70% OF THIS IS FOR AESTHETICS, HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO TO THE AESTHETICS OF THIS WITHOUT CHANGING THE ROOF LINE? HOMEOWNER: WELL, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN THE LAST MEETING IS, SUPPOSEDLY, I CAN GO A FOOT CLOSER TO THE ROAD AND PUT TWO STORIES ON IT.
IT'S WHAT THEY ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT.
BOB TUNHEIM: IF YOU SWITCH THE GARAGE DOORS.
HOMEOWNER: IF I JUST TURN IT SIDEWAYS.
I MEAN, SO IF I TURN THE GARAGE DOORS LEFT, I MEAN, INSTEAD OF LEAVING AS IS, I'M NOT-- I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE AN EYESORE.
IF I REALLY GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, WE COULD TURN THIS INTO AN EYESORE.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT UP FRONT.
AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE AN EYESORE.
I DON'T WANT MY HOUSE TO LOOK LIKE A SHOE BOX.
I WANT IT TO JUST BLEND INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A SMALL, NARROW LOT, SO IT WOULD LOOK PRETTY SILLY TO PUT A TWO STORY OR SOMETHING BIGGER THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAN IT UP.
SO MY HOUSE SITS UP ABOVE IT, SO IT'S NOT CATTYWAMPUS THE OTHER WAY.
I THINK THAT CAME UP IN THE LAST MEETING.
WHAT LEVEL? IS IT HIGHER THAN MY CURRENT HOUSE OR WHATNOT.
BUT I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING FOR 3.5 FEET AND JUST TO CLEAN UP THAT ROOF PITCH.
ALISA BENSON: ARE YOU INTENDING THEN, IF THIS IS DENIED, TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE IT AND BUILD THAT TWO STORY TO HOUSE THE BIKES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT? HOMEOWNER: I'M NOT.
I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
WE'VE GOT ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND WHATNOT INTO JUST DOING THIS TO GET IT SUBMITTED.
AND I'M NOT INTENDING TO DO ANYTHING A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT IS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT AS IS, NOT MOVE IT, NOT CHANGE IT, NOT CHANGE THE HARD COVER AT ALL.
BOB TUNHEIM: I THINK ONE OF THE HARD THINGS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS DEALING WITH IS IT'S-- THE VARIANCE ANALYSIS, AESTHETICS REALLY SHOULDN'T BE A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY THAT WE CAN USE TO APPROVE THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ENTIRELY AESTHETICS.
YOU'D MAKE THIS SPACE A LOT MORE USABLE WITH WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
[00:30:01]
BUT SINCE IT IS LARGELY AESTHETICS, THAT MAKES IT HARD FOR US TO-- HOMEOWNER: IT WILL GIVE US A MORE USABLE SPACE ON THE INSIDE IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GARAGE DOWN THERE.I MEAN, TO BE ABLE TO LIFT THAT INSIDE AND GET AN EXTRA FOOT OUT OF THAT, CHANGE THE ROOF PITCH, IT WILL KEEP THE ROOF CLEANER, SO I'M NOT UP THERE WITH A LEAF BLOWER TRYING TO BLOW THE LEAVES OFF TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR, OR ALL THE DEAD ARBORVITAE THAT FALL ON THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S THAT BACK CORNER, I GET A LOT OF THE SHINGLES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT THAT TERRIBLY OLD, THEY DO GET MOLD ON THEM BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T AIR OUT, AND THE ARBORVITAE JUST SITS THERE.
AND I ALSO GET WATER GOING INTO THAT BECAUSE THE WATER DOESN'T PITCH AWAY FROM IT.
SO I WAS JUST-- I WAS TRYING TO-- IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT, I JUST WANTED TO IMPROVE IT AND MAKE IT FUNCTION BETTER AND JUST MAKE IT DRIER AND JUST NOT HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM LIKE WHAT WE HAVE DOWN THE ROAD.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AESTHETICALLY-- I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT HE DID SAY IT WAS.
BUT I'M STARTING TO THINK THAT HAVING A ROOFLINE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE WATER TO RUN OFF INTO THE GROUND RATHER THAN ONTO THE BUILDING ITSELF WOULD BE A REALLY NICE THING TO DO AS FAR AS SAVING THE BUILDING AND STUFF.
ARE YOU PLANNING ON PUTTING NEW DOORS ON IT TOO? WHEN YOU SAID-- HOMEOWNER: YEAH, I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST CHEAP ALUMINUM DOORS, AND THEY'VE EVEN GOT SOME DENTS WHERE-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
SOMEBODY BACKED INTO IT OR SOMETHING.
SO I'M GOING TO-- WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JUST-- YEAH, JUST CLEAN IT UP SO IT LOOKS-- I WANTED THE SIMILAR GARAGE DOOR THAT I HAVE ON THE HOUSE PUT DOWN THERE.
SO IT'S JUST ONE GARAGE DOOR, A BUMP IN THE SIDE, SO IT JUST OVERALL UPDATED.
THERE'LL BE MORE STORAGE ROOM IN IT.
AND YEAH, BY CHANGING THAT AND PITCHING THAT WATER OUT, HOPEFULLY, WE JUST WON'T HAVE WATER ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD.
JACQUELIN RICKS: AS FAR AS WATER ISSUES AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN TO KEEP THE ROOF CLEAN AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I KNOW JUST FROM HAVING PART OF MY ROOF IN THE NORTH SIDE THAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH FOR MOLD AND STUFF ALL THE TIME AND MOSS GROWING AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I REALIZE THAT PROBABLY-- YOU SEEM TO BE SAYING IT'S MORE AESTHETIC, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE UTILITY OUT OF IT THAN YOU ARE ACTUALLY ADMITTING.
SO I'M STARTING TO HAVE NOT AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM WITH IT AS I THOUGHT I DID BEFORE.
HOMEOWNER: I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 24, 25 YEARS.
I JUST GET USED TO WHAT IT IS, AND I AIR FANS IN IT AND AIR IT OUT IN THE SPRING WHEN EVERYTHING-- SO I [INAUDIBLE].
JACQUELIN RICKS: RIGHT, RIGHT.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HEALTHIER FOR THE BUILDING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A HIGHER PITCH AND HAVE THAT WATER RUN OFF.
I KNOW BEFORE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER, IT DIDN'T CHANGE THE WATER ISSUE AT ALL.
THE WATER FLOWS TOWARDS THE ROAD BECAUSE THE HOUSE IS HIGHER THAN THE GARAGE IS AND STUFF.
SO I'M MORE INCLINED TO LOOK AT THIS IN A MORE FAVORABLE WAY.
STEVE PERSIAN: AND I'LL JUST SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, THIS PARTICULAR LOT-- AND I KNOW THAT WE WENT THROUGH AND APPROVED THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOME.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY AWAY FROM THE LAKESIDE AND ON THE STREET SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, WE'VE DEALT WITH VARIANCES BEFORE THAT HAVE REQUESTED SLIGHT INCREASES IN PITCH THAT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OTHERS' VIEWS OF THE LAKE.
THIS DOESN'T DO THAT WHATSOEVER.
THIS ACTUALLY PROVIDES AN IMPROVED ROOFLINE FOR THE PROPERTY.
IT CERTAINLY-- THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
BUT ALONG WITH JACKIE'S COMMENTS, MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT SINCE THIS IS NOT ON THE LAKESIDE AND KNOWING THAT ACROSS THE STREET THEY'RE NOT LOOKING ACROSS THE STREET PAST YOUR HOUSE, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THIS BUILDING IN AND OF ITSELF, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH APPROVING THIS.
ALISA BENSON: I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK UP HERE FOR DISCUSSION.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A BACK AND FORTH ON THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COMFORTABLE TAKING A SEAT.
ALISA BENSON: SO HERE'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS.
THE REASON I ASKED ABOUT THE AESTHETICS IS BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY AT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE HERE.
WE DON'T GRANT VARIANCES BECAUSE MOLD MAY BE GROWING OR-- NOT MOLD-- MOSS MAY BE GROWING ON A ROOF.
AND I CAN SPEAK TO THIS AS SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN A HOUSE THAT'S OLDER THAN THIS ONE, WITH A TWO-CAR DETACHED GARAGE, HAVING RAISED TWO KIDS THERE-- SO TWO CARS DETACHED, NO EXTRA STORAGE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD SAY I'M NOT AND I WON'T BE IN THE HABIT OF GRANTING A VARIANCE BASED ON CONVENIENCE AND AESTHETICS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE THIS ONE TO BE IN PLAIN TERMS. WHAT I'VE HEARD HERE IS THAT THERE IS AMPLE PARKING THAT'S ALREADY ATTACHED TO THE HOME.
[00:35:01]
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN OUTBUILDING THAT IS HOUSING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, NOT BOATS, BUT BIKES, AND OTHER THINGS.THIS ENTIRE BUILDING COULD BE CLEANED UP AND MADE TO LOOK HOWEVER THE APPLICANT CHOOSES WITH THE EXTERIOR HOWEVER THAT NEEDS TO LOOK IN ORDER TO BE MATCHING THE HOME OR WHATNOT.
BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HEIGHT VARIANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A SITUATION FOR THE FUTURE WHERE OTHER APPLICANTS WILL SAY, LIKELY, I HAVE MOSS GROWING, OR IT'LL BE MORE CONVENIENT, OR I'D LIKE TO KEEP THIS.
SO FOR ME, THIS IS A NO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MEET CRITERIA.
STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED AGAINST, PLANNING HAS RECOMMENDED AGAINST, AND I VIEW IT AS A CONVENIENCE THAT MAY MAKE THE PROPERTY LOOK MORE IMPROVED AND HAVE SOME CONVENIENCES FOR THE HOMEOWNER.
BUT THE VARIANCE TRAVELS WITH THIS, AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE IN SUPPORTING THIS ONE.
AND I TEND TO AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO DO A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY ANALYSIS HERE DOESN'T REALLY FLY.
AND I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF MAYBE.
OTHER THAN CHANGING THE PITCH OF THE ROOF, I'M ASSUMING THEY COULD-- THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IF HE WAS TO PUT IN THE NEW GARAGE DOOR, THE DOUBLE GARAGE DOOR, MAKE OTHER TYPES OF CHANGES LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST THE ROOF PITCH THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
THEY CAN REBUILD THE WHOLE STRUCTURE AS IS AND MAKE COSMETIC CHANGES TO THE SHELL OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S JUST THE VOLUME INCREASE.
STEVE PERSIAN: SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT THE APPLICANT WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE REFERRED TO TURNING THE BUILDING SO IT WAS FACING NORTH AND BEING ABLE TO GO UP TO A WHOLE SECOND LEVEL? MELANIE CURTIS: YES.
SO A DETACHED GARAGE WITH DOORS FACING THE STREET MUST MEET THE PRINCIPAL BUILDING SETBACK, WHICH IS 30 FEET.
THE GARAGE IS OF A SIZE WHERE IT COULD BE BUILT 7.5 FEET FROM THE SIDE PROPERTY LINE AND 10 FEET FROM THE STREET PROPERTY LINE IF THE DOORS FACE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN THE STREET.
IT JUST CAN'T BE TALLER THAN THE PRINCIPAL BUILDING.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OTHER COMMENT OR QUESTION? ANYBODY CARE TO MAKE A MOTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
JACQUELIN RICKS: WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IF YOU WERE TO CHANGE THE DOORS, THEN THERE'S QUITE A BIT, I THINK, OF GROUND THAT HAS TO BE MOVED BECAUSE THIS GARAGE IS BUILT INTO THE SIDE OF THE HILL.
BOB TUNHEIM: IF IT WAS SWITCHED AROUND-- JACQUELIN RICKS: IF YOU SWITCH THE DOORS, THEY'VE GOT TO DIG OUT PART OF THE GARAGE.
YEAH, IT WOULDN'T REALLY WORK WITH THE HILL CONFIGURATION AS IT IS NOW.
ALISA BENSON: THEY COULD TURN THE DOORS TO FACE THE DRIVEWAY HERE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: BUT IT'S STILL BUILT INTO THE-- ALISA BENSON: YEAH, THERE'D BE A LITTLE BIT OF A GRADE CHANGE THERE, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTO, IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I THINK IT IS TOWARDS THE BACK.
PLUS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THE ARBORVITAES.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, ALL THE ARBORVITAES.
ALISA BENSON: DEFINITELY THE ARBORVITAES WOULD GO, BUT THE CHANGE TO THE GRADE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF IT WOULD BE MINIMAL JUST CONNECTED TO THE DRIVEWAY.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, COME ON UP.
HOMEOWNER: SORRY, I'M JUST-- WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT, AND I WAS TALKING TO THE BUILDER BECAUSE I'M LIKE, WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE OPTIONS IF WE JUST PUT IT SIDEWAYS.
AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT GRADE.
IT'S MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN IT LOOKS TO TRY TO GET THAT.
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COME DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND EVEN THINK ABOUT OPENING THERE.
YEAH, IT WOULD EITHER-- FROM THE DRIVEWAY, IT WOULD SLOPE DOWN QUITE A BIT.
IF YOU LOOK AT-- I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S HOW ACCURATE THAT GRADE IS WHEN IT SHOWS A NEW BUILD, BUT IT DOES GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
OR YOU'D HAVE TO SOMEHOW RAISE THAT, WHICH I DON'T-- I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO DIG DOWN.
IT'S MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN YOU THINK OR THAN IT LOOKS.
AND LIKE YOU SAID-- YOU WERE SAYING, CAN WE PUT ONE GARAGE DOOR ON IT? THE INSIDE OF THAT, THE TOP OF THAT, THAT'S A 7-FOOT GARAGE DOOR, AND THE CEILING IS RIGHT THERE.
SO WHEN IT ROLLS UP-- I MEAN, JUST GETTING THAT LITTLE EXTRA SPACE SO I ACTUALLY COULD PUT A FUNCTIONING GARAGE DOOR THERE OR HAVE AN OPENER, SO IT'S NOT-- SO I CAN ACTUALLY NOT JUST SIT AND TURN IT AND LOCK IT WITH THE KEY AND WHATNOT-- IT'S JUST A REALLY OLD GARAGE TO FUNCTION INTO TODAY'S VEHICLES.
IT WAS REALLY MEANT TO BE A GARAGE FOR A CABIN YEARS AGO.
YOU REALLY CAN'T EVEN PUT A NORMAL-SIZED VEHICLE INTO IT AT ALL.
A VEHICLE, THE MIRRORS HAVE TO FOLD DOWN AND WHATNOT.
SO IT DOES-- TO TRY TO PUT MONEY IN OR KEEP THAT ROOF AS LOW
[00:40:01]
AS IT IS FROM THE INSIDE, IT'D BE HARD TO-- I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.I REALLY WOULDN'T [INAUDIBLE] BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH.
ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION? ARE WE READY FOR THAT? ALISA BENSON: I AM.
MOTION TO DENY THE RESOLUTION AS APPLIED.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? I SUPPOSE THE CHAIR CAN SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
BOB TUNHEIM: MOTION FAILS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE DO AT THAT POINT.
MELANIE CURTIS: MAYOR, IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN-- SOMEONE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE IT TO THE NEXT-- BOB TUNHEIM: NEXT TIME? MELANIE CURTIS: TO THE NEXT HEARING.
BOB TUNHEIM: WHEN WE WOULD HAVE A THIRD MEMBER.
MELANIE CURTIS: THEORETICALLY, THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER VOTE THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THIS ISSUE.
AND GIVEN THAT IT WAS-- IT'S TECHNICALLY EVEN A DIRECTIVE TO STAFF TO PREPARE A DENIAL RESOLUTION, I THINK THERE ISN'T ACTUALLY A RESOLUTION FOR THE COUNCIL TODAY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH A MOTION TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT HEARING.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
ALISA BENSON: I SHOULD HAVE MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO-- YES, THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION DIRECTING STAFF TO DENY THIS AS APPLIED.
SO-- ALISA BENSON: I'LL MAKE A MOTION-- LET ME CORRECT THAT ONE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT MEETING.
BOB TUNHEIM: UNTIL NEXT MEETING? ALISA BENSON: YES.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? JACQUELIN RICKS: I'LL SECOND THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? STAFF: ONE MOMENT, MR. MAYOR.
MELANIE CURTIS: I WAS GOING TO SAY, TOO, YOU COULD ALSO MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE STAFF DRAFT A RESOLUTION TO BRING BEFORE YOU AND THEN HAVE IT CONSIDERED.
AT THIS POINT, IT SOUNDS LIKE I WOULD BE BRINGING IT BACK AS IS RIGHT NOW.
ALISA BENSON: I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT IF WE HAVE ENOUGH VOTES.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW THE SWING VOTE WILL GO ON THAT.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST MOVE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING, HAVE THE SAME DISCUSSION WHEN WE'VE GOT A FULL COUNCIL.
ARE WE GOOD ON THAT? ALISA BENSON: YES.
WELL, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO DRAFT A DENIAL AND BRING IT TO THE NEXT ONE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO-- IT'S AT LEAST PUTTING SOMETHING IN CONCRETE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO CREATE A RESOLUTION FOR DENIAL TO BRING TO THE NEXT MEETING.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? MOTION FAILS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR CONTINUANCE OF DISCUSSION ON THIS VARIANCE.
BOB TUNHEIM: A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? STEVE PERSIAN: I'LL SECOND THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ALL THOSE IN-- ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
WE'LL INVITE YOU BACK NEXT WEEK OR NEXT TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
[16) LA26-000044, 3222 North Shore Drive, Site Plan Review and Variances: Setback & Hardcover, Resolution 7734]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 16, WHICH IS 3222 NORTH SHORE DRIVE, SITE PLAN REVIEW AND VARIANCES SET BACK AND HARDCOVER.THE APPLICANT IS THE OWNER OF NORDSTROM ARENA.
THEY HAVE REQUESTED A SITE PLAN REVIEW WITH VARIANCES FOR SETBACK AND HARDCOVER TO REPLACE A NON-CONFORMING OFFICE BUILDING NEAR THE LAKE IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THE PROJECT INCLUDES ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS A DEDICATED ADA PARKING SPACE AND ACCESS RAMP TO THE BUILDING, A COVERED PATIO AREA, AND USABLE OFFICE SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
CHANGES ALSO INCLUDE MODIFICATIONS AND EXPANSIONS TO THE ROOF AREA AND BUILDING VOLUME WITHIN THE SETBACKS.
THE EXISTING OFFICE BUILDING IS SITUATED 6.1 FEET FROM THE EAST-SIDE PROPERTY LINE, AND 55 FROM THE ORDINARY HIGH-WATER LEVEL.
AND THE BUILDING IS 18 FEET LAKEWARD OF THE AVERAGE LAKE SHORE SETBACK LINE.
THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE NEW COVERED PATIO, WHICH WILL EXPAND THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT WITH THE ROOF AREA 5.5 FEET CLOSER TO THE LAKE THAN EXISTING.
[00:45:03]
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 19.THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOR PROVIDED COMMENTS AND SPOKE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, HE HAD SUBMITTED ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DISCUSSION IN OCTOBER, THE COMMISSION VOTED 5 TO 2 ON A MOTION TO APPROVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AN UNPERMITTED SHED WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE PROPERTY DURING THE PLAN REVIEW.
THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, AND THE OWNER HAS REMOVED THAT SHED.
AND PERHAPS THE APPLICANT TONIGHT COULD ADDRESS THE SECURITY CAMERA USAGE AS WELL.
BUT AT THE COMMISSION'S SUGGESTION, THE APPLICANT DID REVISE THEIR PLAN AND PROVIDED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES TO ADDRESS THE PRIVACY CONCERNS RAISED, NAMELY FROSTED GLASS IN THE EAST FACING WINDOWS IN THE OFFICE AREA ON THE SECOND STORY AND A PRIVACY SCREEN ON THE NEIGHBOR'S SIDE OF THE PROPOSED DECK.
AND I CAN SHOW YOU THOSE EXHIBITS SHORTLY, BUT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL AS APPLIED WITH THE NOTED CHANGES.
COUNCIL SHOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION 7734 APPROVING THE SITE PLAN WITH VARIANCES, WHICH ALSO IDENTIFIED THE CONDITIONS ABOUT FROSTING THE GLASS AND THE DECK.
I HAVE THE PLANS AVAILABLE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THEM, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER'S HERE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: HOW ARE YOU? I'M TRAVIS ANDERSON, 3260 NORTH SHORE DRIVE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW, AND WITH MELANIE'S HELP MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
MR. RESSLER HAD BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF WHAT WE COULD DO ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FACING BUILDING.
AS FAR AS THE WINDOWS, WE HAVE TAKEN ALL THOSE WINDOWS-- THERE'S SIX TOTAL WINDOWS THERE.
THERE'S FIVE THAT ARE FROSTED.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THAT EAST-- YEP.
SO THE ONES THAT ARE W12'S, THOSE ARE ALL FROSTED GLASS.
AND THE W5 WINDOW IS AN OFFICE WINDOW THAT IS NOT FROSTED, BUT THERE IS A 6-FOOT HIGH CEDAR FENCE THAT'S PROPOSED BETWEEN US AND THAT EASTERN NEIGHBOR, STILL KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THAT, HOW FAR OFF WE NEED TO SET IT OFF THE PROPERTY LINE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE OTHER SIDE.
SO WE'RE STILL KIND OF WORKING ON THAT PIECE.
AND THEN WE DID ALSO GO AND ADJUST WITH OUR DRAFTER A PRIVACY SCREENING THAT'S 6 FEET, 8 INCHES, I WANT TO SAY, WHICH WE'RE NORMAL NON-BASKETBALL PLAYERS.
SO WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE OVER THE TOP OF THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: WILL THAT BE A SOLID WALL IF YOU WILL, OR IS THERE-- TRAVIS ANDERSON: RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT.
IT'S GOT MAYBE QUARTER-INCH GAP IN IT TO ALLOW WIND TO MOVE THROUGH IT.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE DRAFTER WAS IF YOU CREATE THAT AND IT'S SOLID, THEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF WIND.
OUR BIGGEST FETCH FROM THAT AREA IS OUR NORTHWEST FETCH.
SO THE PROPERTY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, LOOKS PRIMARILY NORTH.
AND NORTHWEST IS WHEN WE GET A REALLY BIG WIND.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY IN THE FALL, WINTER MONTHS IS WHEN WE'LL GET THAT.
AND SO THE DEAL WAS YOU HAD TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GAP, SO IT WOULD ALLOW AIR TO FLOW THROUGH IT.
OTHERWISE, YOU HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL PRIVACY SCREENING THAT'S SOLID.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S NOT A PRIVACY SCREENING ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S GONE BECAUSE OF THE WIND TOOK IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: WOULD SOMEBODY STANDING ON THAT DECK BE ABLE TO LOOK OUT AND LOOK INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S WINDOWS? TRAVIS ANDERSON: I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
BOB TUNHEIM: THEY'RE CONCERNED.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN.
I JUST HAVE RECENTLY BUILT A HOUSE.
AND MY NEIGHBOR'S WINDOWS LOOK INTO MY WINDOWS.
SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS DONE DRAPES.
I HAVEN'T ASKED THEM TO DO ANYTHING ON THE FROSTING SIDE OF THINGS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH THE PRIVACY SCREENING.
I REALLY DON'T THINK YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH IT.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE DAYLIGHT.
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: AND WHAT ABOUT THAT WINDOW BELOW? TRAVIS ANDERSON: THAT'S AN OFFICE WINDOW.
SO THAT WINDOW, I DO BELIEVE, SITS AT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY-- DON'T HOLD ME TO IT-- BUT I THINK IT'S 4 FEET OFF OF FLOOR, AND THEN IT GOES TO 7, I THINK.
SO THE DEAL WAS, IS MELANIE HAD ASKED-- I TRY TO WORK WITH STAFF.
[00:50:01]
SHE KNOWS MORE THAN I DO.I'VE WORKED THROUGH WITH HER AND LAURA ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND SO I ASKED THEM WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE, AND SHE SAID, HEY, A PRIVACY FENCE HERE, A 6-FOOT HIGH CEDAR PRIVACY FENCE, WHICH WE HAVE DONE.
WE DID IT OVER OUR OTHER FACILITY ON BROWNS BAY.
USED TO BE A CHAIN LINK FENCE.
WE BUILT THIS BEAUTIFUL CEDAR FENCE, AND SO WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
AND SO HER SUGGESTION TO ME WAS, HEY, CAN WE WORK AT LOOKING AT DOING THAT.
AND SHE BROUGHT UP THE IDEA, HEY, IT'S GOT TO BE OFF OF THE PROPERTY LINE BECAUSE YOU GOT TO MAINTAIN YOUR NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST SIDE.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW FAR OFF THAT NEEDS TO BE.
BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY IN THE WORKS.
BOB TUNHEIM: SO WOULD THE FLOOR IN THAT OFFICE SPACE BE THE SAME AS THE GROUND LEVEL OUTSIDE, OR WOULD IT BE ABOVE IT? TRAVIS ANDERSON: PRIMARILY-- YEAH, I MEAN IT'S A SLAB ON-- BOB TUNHEIM: I'M TRYING TO-- TRAVIS ANDERSON: NO, I UNDERSTAND.
SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE, IT'S A SLAB ON GRADE BUILD.
SO IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT'S A 8-INCH POUR.
SO YOUR FLOOR HEIGHT IS 8 INCHES OFF OF SLAB OR YOUR GRADE.
SO I MEAN, YOU GOT 8 INCHES ON TOP OF THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE THAT WINDOW BE FROSTED ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHERS? I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT SOMEBODY'S STANDING INSIDE WITH ABOVE THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK RIGHT OVER THE FENCE, OR MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, LOOK UP AT THE SECOND-FLOOR WINDOWS.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: IT'S THE SAME THING.
MR. RESSLER HAD ASKED ME AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
HE SAID, HEY, CAN YOU MOVE THAT AIR CONDITIONER UNIT TO A DIFFERENT AREA? AND I SAID, WELL, WE PUT A MAN ON THE MOON.
I'M PRETTY SURE WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IF IT CAME DOWN TO IT-- YEAH, IT'S NOT IDEAL.
WE'RE TRYING TO ALLOW AS MUCH NATURAL LIGHT INTO THAT SPACE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
IT REDUCES OUR ENERGY, DRAIN ON THE GRID, AND THE NATURAL LIGHT IN THAT AREA IS ACTUALLY PRETTY DECENT, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
BOB TUNHEIM: SO THE NATURAL LIGHT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE FROSTING YOU THINK? TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, I MEAN, I HAVE-- SO ON MY BATHROOM WINDOW, I HAVE FROSTED GLASS.
IT ALLOWS NATURAL LIGHT IN, WHICH IS WHY WE DECIDED TO DO IT ON THOSE W12 WINDOWS, BUT IT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT YOU WOULD GET FROM RADIANT LIGHT.
IT DOES ALLOW NATURAL LIGHT, JUST NOT AS MUCH.
BOB TUNHEIM: I GUESS I'M STILL CONCERNED IF THAT'S AN OPEN WINDOW IN AN OFFICE THAT'S GOING TO BE USED THAT CAN LOOK RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THE FENCE.
SO IS THE SAME CONCERN THEN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF SOMEBODY WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK DOWN INTO THAT? BOB TUNHEIM: ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.
NO, I THINK THIS PROTECTS THAT PERSON'S PRIVACY THAT'S IN THAT OFFICE AS WELL.
I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION FOR SURE.
BOB TUNHEIM: OTHER QUESTIONS? ALISA BENSON: I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE DECK.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT AREA-- THE USAGE IS FOR THAT AREA? TRAVIS ANDERSON: SURE.
OUR CURRENT DECK SITUATION IS JUST A DECK.
AND WE WANTED TO WITH THE COVERED DECK ASPECT-- SO RIGHT NOW, THE-- SO THE WAY IT WORKS RIGHT NOW IS THE KIDS WILL HANG OUT IN THAT DECK AREA AND SEE CUSTOMERS COME IN.
THEY'LL GO OUT AND TAKE THE COVER OFF OF THE BOAT, MAKE IT AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.
SO THEY HANG OUT IN THAT AREA AND BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH.
ONE THING THAT I'VE FOUND WITH OUR YOUNGER GENERATION IS THEY'RE NOT REAL GOOD AT SUNSCREEN, AND THEY'RE NOT REAL GOOD AT KEEPING THEMSELVES OUT OF THE SUN.
THIS WOULD HELP WITH THAT, ALONG WITH THE FACT OF AESTHETICALLY IS REALLY GOOD-LOOKING ADDITION TO THE BUILDING.
ALISA BENSON: YEAH, I WASN'T REFERRING TO THE ONE FACING WEST.
I'M REFERRING TO THE ONE WE WERE JUST SPEAKING ABOUT WITH THE PRIVACY.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: I GOT YOU, I APOLOGIZE.
ALISA BENSON: ARE WE CALLING BOTH OF THESE AREAS DECKS? THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE SMALL DECK FACING NORTH, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THAT BEING A DECK VERSUS SOMETHING ELSE? TRAVIS ANDERSON: JUST BEING ABLE TO ACCESS IT FROM THE OFFICE THERE TO HAVE THE WINDOWS OPEN AND TO BE THERE AS AN OUTSIDE PIECE.
ALISA BENSON: IS THAT AREA NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS, THAT ONE THAT'S LOOKING OUT NORTH? TRAVIS ANDERSON: THE DECK ITSELF? ALISA BENSON: THE DECK.
YOU'RE MENTIONING PEOPLE, AND I GET IT.
YOU'RE SCANNING THE WATERS, LOOKING AT THINGS, AND WHATNOT.
IS THAT DECK OR THAT ABILITY FOR STAFF
[00:55:02]
TO BE POSITIONED IN THAT AREA TO HAVE A QUICK ACCESS TO THAT AREA NEEDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE MARINA? TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, SO AS MY OFFICE BEING UP THERE TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND NOT GO BACK DOWNSTAIRS AND OUT, TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE MARINA AND BEING ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN IS PRETTY KEY.ALISA BENSON: AND STEPPING OUTSIDE IS PART OF THAT FUNCTION? TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, I MEAN, YOU CAN STEP OUT, AND YOU CAN LOOK TO THE WEST OR NORTHWEST.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE.
THE VIEW TO THE NORTH IS DIRECTLY OUT TOWARDS OUR GAS DOCK, WHICH YOU CAN SEE FROM JUST BEING IN THE OFFICE.
BEING ABLE TO STEP OUT ON THAT DECK, YOU CAN NOW SEE TO THE WEST AND THE NORTHWEST, WHICH IS SLIPS 1 THROUGH 65.
THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
ALISA BENSON: I VISITED THE SITE TODAY, SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT.
AND I'VE ALSO SEEN THE PICTURES, SO THAT'S HELPFUL.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING ON.
ALISA BENSON: I DID THIS IN PART-- AND I DON'T DO THIS FOR EVERY APPLICATION.
BUT WHEN THERE ARE CONCERNS, SOME PRETTY SERIOUS CONCERNS, IN THIS CASE FROM A NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, I'M LIKELY TO DO A SITE VISIT.
SO I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT TODAY WITH REGARD TO THE CONCERNS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T PART OF THE VARIANCE, BUT AS PART OF MY DUE DILIGENCE IN THIS PROCESS WITH REGARD TO THE CONCERNS OF THAT AREA, I BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBOR IS THAT AREA THAT WILL STAND OUT.
THE PRIVACY FENCE NOW IS ALSO BEING USED FOR RECREATION INTO THE EVENINGS WITH CIGARS AND WHATNOT.
IS THAT THE SPACE THAT'S BEING UTILIZED CURRENTLY, OR IS IT THE DECK FACING WEST, THAT AREA FACING WEST? TRAVIS ANDERSON: I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO AS FAR AS CIGARS.
I MEAN, SO AS BEING MY OFFICE, I GAVE UP CIGAR SMOKING A LONG TIME AGO.
I HAD A FRIEND THAT WENT THROUGH CANCER, AND I DECIDED TO GIVE MY BODY EVERY OPPORTUNITY IT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.
I DON'T EAT SUGAR, AND FOR THAT.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE THE SMOKING OF CIGARS OR RECREATING OR HANGING OUT CAME FROM.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT.
ALISA BENSON: IS SMOKING PERMITTED ON SITE HERE? TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, IT'S AN OUTDOOR-- I MEAN, YOU ARE-- YEAH, YOU'RE OUT IN NATURE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT-- IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK YOU CAN SMOKE.
SMOKING IS ALLOWED ON SITE HERE.
IS THAT-- THAT'S A QUESTION TO STAFF.
DO WE KNOW THIS? MELANIE CURTIS: I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT PROHIBITS IT.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE INTENTION IS NOT TO BE UTILIZING THAT OFFICE DECK SPACE WITH THE PRIVACY WALL FOR RECREATIONAL SMOKING OR DRINKING OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: NO, I MEAN, IF I DID THAT, MY WIFE WOULD-- I'D BE IN MORE TROUBLE THAN I AM HERE.
ALISA BENSON: BUT FOR THE NEXT-- WHO KNOWS WHO COMES NEXT TO OCCUPY THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S JUST-- IT'S A CONCERN, AND I APPRECIATE THE HUMOR.
AND I JUST-- IT'S NOT-- IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR OPERATION, WE'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS SINCE '76.
SO WE HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS AREA.
AND ANYTHING THAT WE PURCHASE AND DO AS A BUSINESS, AS A FAMILY, WE ALWAYS MAKE IT BETTER.
WE ALL LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, SO WE TRY REALLY HARD TO NOT IMPACT OR MAKE THINGS WORSE.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S BETTER.
IF YOU DRIVE AROUND TO ANY OF THE MARINAS IN THE AREA, IT'S THE SAME THING THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 1900S.
AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ELEVATE THAT AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO JUST MAKE THINGS BETTER AND NICER.
BOB TUNHEIM: HOW MUCH HIGHER IS THIS STRUCTURE THAN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE? TRAVIS ANDERSON: THE CURRENT-- YOU HAVE THE-- DO YOU HAVE THAT ONE? MELANIE CURTIS: I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE-- TRAVIS ANDERSON: IT'S THE COUNCIL EXHIBIT D. IT'S FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET.
MELANIE CURTIS: SO IT WAS ON WHICH-- OH, YEAH.
BOB TUNHEIM: IT'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH HIGHER-- TRAVIS ANDERSON: NO, IT'S NOT.
BOB TUNHEIM: --FROM WHAT I CAN TELL HERE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: SO IF YOU GO TO THE COUNCIL EXHIBIT D-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN FIND THAT ONE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: THE EXACT HEIGHT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT FROM THE-- THERE, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE.
SO IN YELLOW IS THE EXTENSION UP OF HEIGHT.
BOB TUNHEIM: OK, A COUPLE OF AREAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
ALISA BENSON: THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF THEN.
WITH THE AREAS IN YELLOW, ARE THOSE STILL IN CONFORMANCE? THOSE ARE NOT PART OF--
[01:00:02]
THE HEIGHT-- THE HEIGHT INCREASE, IS THAT ALLOWABLE? MELANIE CURTIS: THAT IS PART OF THEIR VARIANCE BECAUSE OF THE SIDE SETBACK.ALISA BENSON: THE SIDE? MELANIE CURTIS: YEP.
ALISA BENSON: OK, SO IT'S SIDE SETBACK, AND THEN ALSO MOVING TOWARD THE LAKE, THE DECK PORTION? MELANIE CURTIS: YEAH, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING MOVING TOWARDS THE LAKE, YES.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING IS THE SAME.
MELANIE CURTIS: IT'S JUST THE NEW PORCH AREA WITH THE ROOF.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, WE'RE NOT MOVING CLOSER TO THE WATER.
THAT WAS-- WHEN MR. RESSLER BROUGHT UP THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT, IT'S LIKE, WELL, OUR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT IS ON THE SAME SIDE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY USING A NEW-- IT'S A MINI SPLIT SYSTEM.
IT'S ACTUALLY 10 DECIBELS LOWER THAN A TRADITIONAL AIR CONDITIONER, SO IT'S ACTUALLY QUIETER AND MORE EFFICIENT AND BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT HE HAD ASKED, HEY, CAN YOU MOVE IT.
I SAID, WELL, I DON'T THINK I CAN MOVE IT TO THE NORTH BECAUSE NOW I'M INCREASING MY FOOTPRINT.
I CAN'T MOVE IT TO THE SOUTH BECAUSE THAT'S THE ADA ACCESS, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO IMPEDE.
AND I CAN'T MOVE IT TO THE WEST BECAUSE I'M ALSO CLOSER TO THE WATER.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO WORK REALLY HARD IN THIS TINY LITTLE SHOE BOX, CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND IS USEFUL FOR OUR BUSINESS.
JACQUELIN RICKS: CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE PATIO? BECAUSE I KNOW THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT NOISE.
THE PATIO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE COVERED NOW FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU STATED, IT'S ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RESIDENT.
AND THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE ELSE.
AND THE OTHER FOUR FEET ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS PRETTY MUCH A WALKWAY FOR THE ADA? TRAVIS ANDERSON: CORRECT.
I'M VERY-- ANYBODY THAT COMES INTO OUR FACILITIES-- YOU CAN ASK AROUND.
ONE OF THE LEADING QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO COME RENT A SLIP FOR US IS I SAY, HEY, WE ARE NOT A PARTY ATMOSPHERE.
WE ARE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE RUN IT.
WE HAVE HAD TO FIRE CUSTOMERS BEFORE BECAUSE THEY DON'T ABIDE BY THAT.
BUT WE ARE VERY FAMILY-FRIENDLY ORIENTATED.
AND IF SOMEBODY IS LOUD-- I LIVE TO THE WEST-- I JUST BUILT A HOUSE THERE-- AND I HEAR THEM, THEY DON'T COME BACK.
SO I CONFRONTED AN INDIVIDUAL LAST YEAR.
HE WAS BEING RIDICULOUSLY LOUD.
AND SO WE HAVE THIS-- ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND I THINK OUR BUSINESS HAS DONE VERY WELL BECAUSE OF THAT AND THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE RULES.
WE DON'T JUST LET ANYBODY DO ANYTHING.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES OF THIS COVERED AREA IS WE HAVE THE WATER PATROL WILL COME IN, AND THEY DO CHECKS ON THE MARINAS AROUND THE LAKE.
I JUST ACTUALLY-- WHEN WE WERE HAULING BOATS IN THE FALL, I CAME BACK, WAS DROPPING A TRAILER OFF, WATER PATROL PARKED OUT AT THE GAS DOCK.
THIS WAS PROBABLY MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.
THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE LAKE ANYMORE.
AND HE COMES WALKING UP, AND WE'RE SHOOTING THE BREEZE, AND HE'S LIKE, I'M JUST USING THE BATHROOM.
AND THAT'S WHAT THESE GUYS DO.
OUR FACILITIES ARE NICE AND CLEAN WITH APPRECIATING TO MY WIFE AND MY MOM WHO ARE, THESE BATHROOMS WILL BE CLEAN OR ELSE KIND OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT GOES-- THAT LAYS ON ME, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT THEY COME TO THAT INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE PUBLIC LANDING WHERE IT'S A PORTA-JOHN.
I MEAN, WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER USE? AND THEY COME IN.
THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL COME DOWN JUST TO SAY HI.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GATE CODE TO GET INTO THE MARINA.
SO I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE DON'T SEE THAT, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF COOL.
I LIKE THE FACT THAT THESE GUYS CAN COME IN WHENEVER THEY WANT TO COME IN, USE THE FACILITY, AND MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT'S THEIRS.
THERE'S A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ORONO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WATER PATROL THAT WE DO AS A BUSINESS.
AND WITH THAT, THERE'S JUST GIVE AND TAKES.
THOSE GUYS ARE VERY OBSERVANT.
LATE AT NIGHT, THEY LEAVE CERTIFICATES ON THE DOOR OF WHEN THEY CAME IN.
HEY, I WAS HERE AT 01:30, SO AND SO.
BOB TUNHEIM: ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR WAS THAT THE SECOND-FLOOR SPACE LOOKS LIKE IT COULD POTENTIALLY
[01:05:03]
TURN INTO RESIDENTIAL SPACE.IS THAT ANYTHING THAT WOULD EVER OCCUR, THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE STAYING OVERNIGHT THERE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? IS IT STRICTLY GOING TO BE OFFICE? TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, IT'S STRICTLY OFFICE.
NO OFFENSE TO PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T NEED ONE MORE RENTER.
I HAVE RENTERS IN THE SUMMER, AND THEY GO AWAY IN THE WINTER.
AND I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S LIKE I DO NOT WANT A-- I WOULD NEVER DO THAT ANYWAYS.
I DON'T-- THAT'S CREATING-- THAT'S LIKE-- OTHER MARINAS IN OUR AREA, THEY TRY TO PUT 20 POUNDS OF CRAP IN A 5-POUND BAG.
WE TRY TO KEEP EVERYTHING PRETTY LOW KEY.
I DON'T DO ANY OF THAT STUFF BECAUSE I WANT IT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, AND I WANT IT QUIET.
BOB TUNHEIM: I GUESS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT MOVED IN THERE, IS THAT EVEN SOMETHING LEGAL THAT WE COULD TOLERATE WITHOUT SOME SORT OF A PERMIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR SOMEBODY TO LIVE THERE? MELANIE CURTIS: NO, IT'S NOT-- IT'S AN OFFICE USE, AND THERE'S NO RESIDENTIAL-- BOB TUNHEIM: NO CHANCE FOR LEGAL RESIDENTIAL.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: I THINK IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU'D HAVE TO CHANGE THE ZONING AND EVERYTHING.
BOB TUNHEIM: I WOULD GUESS SO, YEAH.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: LISTEN, I DON'T WANT HER GETTING MAD AT ME.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? ALISA BENSON: NOT FOR THE APPLICANT, I HAVE MAYBE ONE FOR STAFF.
WHAT IS THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST AND THE PROPOSED BUILD OUT OF THIS PROPERTY? MELANIE CURTIS: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HEIGHT OF THE NEIGHBOR'S HOME IS.
ALISA BENSON: BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING A LOT OF, AND I THINK WE ALL ARE, IS THE IDEA THAT THIS BUILDING IS GOING TO PEER INTO EITHER THE BACKYARD, THE BEDROOM, THE PRIVATE AREAS OF THE HOME NEXT DOOR.
TO MY EYE, THE HOME APPEARS TALLER, AT GREATER HEIGHT TO THE EAST.
BUT I DON'T HAVE MEASUREMENTS TO SUPPORT THAT.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS ZONED FOR BUSINESS.
THIS IS NOT A-- I SHOULD SAY THIS IS A MARINA USE.
IT'S NOT ZONED RESIDENTIAL, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND WHAT I DO KNOW IN CITY OF ORONO IS WITH SOME AREAS THAT ARE QUITE TIGHT, WHETHER IT BE CASCO, FAGERNESS, WE'VE GOT HOMES OFTENTIMES THAT ARE TALLER, THAT HAVE WINDOWS THAT ARE PERCHED AT MAYBE ANGLES THAT ARE NOT IDEAL FOR A NEIGHBOR.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY REQUIRES ANY CLOUDING OUT OR WHITING OUT OF WINDOWS IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO I THINK THIS IS WHAT I WOULD SAY, MAYBE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBOR, WHICH I WOULD SHARE WERE I LIVING THERE.
I WAS JUST WANTING TO KNOW IF THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT HEIGHT DIFFERENCE, IF THIS STRUCTURE, IN FACT, IS GOING TO BE, AS IT SOUNDS, SORT OF LOOMING INTO THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: IT'LL ACTUALLY BE AT A LOWER-- THE ROOF LINES-- OUR ROOF LINE WILL ACTUALLY BE LOWER THAN THEIRS.
ALISA BENSON: THE ROOF LINE WILL BE LOWER THAN THE ONE TO THE EAST? TRAVIS ANDERSON: CORRECT.
LET ME SEE IF I HAD ANYTHING ELSE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: I DON'T-- AM I REQUIRED TO DO THE FROSTING WINDOWS ON THE EAST SIDE? THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDED TO DO AFTER HEARING THE FEEDBACK.
BOB TUNHEIM: THAT COULD BE PART OF OUR APPROVAL.
MELANIE CURTIS: CURRENTLY, THE WAY THE RESOLUTION IS DRAFTED, THAT IS A CONDITION OF THE APPROVAL.
BOB TUNHEIM: DOES THAT COUNT FOR ALL THE WINDOWS ON THE EAST SIDE? MELANIE CURTIS: IT WAS THE WINDOWS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS FROSTED.
SO IF YOU WANT THAT ADDITIONAL WINDOW ON THE MAIN LEVEL FROSTED, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED, AMENDED.
AND THAT ONE, AGAIN, IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THE 6-FOOT FENCE.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THAT FROSTED.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I THINK THE WINDOW IS GOING TO BE BELOW THE 6-FOOT FENCE.
IT'S JUST THAT YOU CAN LOOK UP, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THROUGH IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: NO, I THINK-- TRAVIS ANDERSON: YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE SKY.
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO LOOK OVER THE FENCE.
SO IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IT NOT STANDING IN IT.
BUT IF YOU'RE STANDING HERE AND I'M 6 FOOT TALL, AND I'M A LITTLE BIT-- YOU HAVE A 6-FOOT FENCE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE-- YOU'RE GOING TO SEE-- BOB TUNHEIM: UPSTAIRS, MAYBE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: SO, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT, I GUESS.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN IT.
MAYBE WE CAN MAKE A 20-FOOT HIGH FENCE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD LIKE THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AESTHETICALLY VERY PLEASING.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, CORRECT.
ALISA BENSON: ARE THERE ADDITIONAL-- AGAIN, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL VEGETATIVE SCREENINGS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR NATURAL LIGHT OUT OF THIS ONE WINDOW AND ALSO PROTECT PRIVACY FROM THE FOLKS ON THE EAST, TO THE EAST?
[01:10:01]
NO TREES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I DON'T KNOW, HAVING NOT LOOKING EXACTLY AS WHERE THAT'S GOING TO BE.I MEAN, THERE'S NOT AN ABUNDANCE OF SPACE THERE.
SO WITH WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE FENCE, LOCATING IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN MAINTAIN THE NEIGHBOR'S SIDE OF THE FENCE AS WELL, THEY'RE PROPOSING SOME DIFFERENT SHRUBBERY AND STUFF AROUND THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT WILL BE PLANTED THERE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: ACCORDING TO THE LANDSCAPE PLAN, THERE IS A BUSH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND IT IS, THOUGH, IN FRONT OF THAT WINDOW.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, IS THAT IN FRONT OF THAT OFFICE WINDOW? TRAVIS ANDERSON: IT IS.
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT-- MELANIE CURTIS: IT'S AN AMERICAN-- IT'S A BAILEY COMPACT AMERICAN CRANBERRY BUSH, AND I DON'T KNOW THE HEIGHT OF IT.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, I DON'T EITHER, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BOB TUNHEIM: PROBABLY NOT THAT HIGH.
JACQUELIN RICKS: BUT I SUPPOSE IF YOU HAD A BUSH THAT WAS LIKE-- THAT WAS 6 FOOT IN HEIGHT AND PUT IT THERE, YOU'D STILL GET THE NATURAL LIGHT AND STILL HAVE THE BLOCKAGE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: WHICH WOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO DO.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, AND THEN AS FAR AS-- AND ON TOP OF THE 6-FOOT-- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE OF 6-FOOT CEDAR ONLY GOES TO THE 75 FOOT? MELANIE CURTIS: YEAH, AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST RIGHT IN THIS-- JACQUELIN RICKS: JUST RIGHT THERE.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: THAT'S NO PROBLEM.
I MEAN, THE GUY WHO'D OFFICED THERE IS NOT THAT GOOD LOOKING, SO IT'D PROBABLY BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.
JACQUELIN RICKS: THAT WOULD PROVIDE SCREENS.
TRAVIS ANDERSON: YEAH, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WORK.
ALISA BENSON: I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
BOB TUNHEIM: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, COMMENTS? ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? JACQUELIN RICKS: I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
BOB TUNHEIM: WITH WHAT CONDITIONS? JACQUELIN RICKS: I WILL MAKE A MOTION WITH APPROVAL OF THE PRIVACY SCREEN THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE SECOND-STORY DECK, GLASS ON THE EAST-FACING SECOND-STORY WINDOWS TO BE FROSTED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OFFICE WINDOW, WHICH-- BOB TUNHEIM: IS THAT THE FIRST FLOOR, THOUGH? JACQUELIN RICKS: THE FIRST FLOOR.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, THAT'S THE FIRST-FLOOR WINDOW.
JACQUELIN RICKS: WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A VEGETATIVE SCREENING OF THAT WINDOW.
BOB TUNHEIM: OR IS THAT SECOND FLOOR? JACQUELIN RICKS: IT'S THE FIRST FLOOR.
BOB TUNHEIM: THE FIRST FLOOR, YEAH.
MELANIE CURTIS: IT'S THIS WINDOW HERE UNDER THE DECK.
JACQUELIN RICKS: UNDER THE DECK, YEAH.
THAT'S WHERE I WAS REQUESTING THE VEGETATIVE SCREENING.
BOB TUNHEIM: VEGETATIVE SCREENING TO 6-FOOT HEIGHT OR MORE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: OR MORE-- TO THE HEIGHT OF THE TOP OF THE WINDOW.
AND THE SHED HAS ALREADY BEEN REMOVED, SO THAT'S A MOOT POINT.
AND SO I'M A MOTION THAT COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER A MOTION TO ADOPT THE-- I'M SORRY, MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 7734, APPROVING THE SITE PLAN WITH THE VARIANCES AND WITH THE IDENTIFIED CONDITIONS SO NAMED.
IS THERE A SECOND? STEVE PERSIAN: I'LL SECOND THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY DISCUSSION? ALISA BENSON: I JUST WANT TO ADD A COUPLE COMMENTS HERE BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE, WHICH IS THAT YES, THIS IS A VARIANCE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY TAKE QUITE SERIOUSLY.
I DON'T HAND THESE OUT LIGHTLY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IN THIS CASE, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I'VE WATCHED PLANNING COMMISSION, I'VE READ THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I VISITED THE SITE, I'VE HEARD ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY.
AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THIS APPLICATION HAS GONE THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS FOR MY SUPPORT.
AT THE SAME TIME, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE OUR DILIGENCE HERE TO ADDRESS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SAFETY-- NOT SAFETY, BUT THE PRIVACY CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBOR TO THE EAST.
THAT IS A CONSIDERATION OF MINE HERE.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT IF THERE ARE COMPLAINTS OR ISSUES OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT GOING FORWARD FROM ANY OF THE RESIDENTS AROUND THIS AREA, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE TO BE CALLED INTO THE CITY BECAUSE WE ARE A COMPLAINT-BASED CITY, MEANING THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PROBLEM UNLESS THAT ISSUE IS PHONED IN.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE TO ANYBODY CURRENTLY OR IN THE FUTURE WHO MAY BE LIVING NEXT TO A MARINA OPERATION.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS MADE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[17) Third Quarter Financial Update]
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE TO THE ITEM NUMBER 17, WHICH IS THIRD-QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE.[01:15:02]
MAGGIE JIN: YES, SORRY FOR MY STUFFINESS AND MY VOICE.BOB TUNHEIM: OK, TAKE YOUR TIME.
MAGGIE JIN: SO TONIGHT, I HAVE THE THIRD-QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE UNAUDITED, AND THIRD QUARTER REPRESENTS 75% OF THE YEAR.
SO STARTING OFF WITH GENERAL FUND REVENUE, WE ARE AT 67.1% OF BUDGETED NUMBERS.
FIRST HALF TAX SETTLEMENT WAS RECEIVED IN JULY.
THE REMAINING TAX SETTLEMENT WILL BE RECEIVED IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO LICENSE AND PERMITS.
THAT'S AT 114.9% OF BUDGET, MAINLY DUE TO THE GARAGE CONDOS.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUE IS AT 10.6%, SO UNDER THE 75% EARMARKED FOR THE YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE DID RECEIVE POLICE STATE AID IN OCTOBER, WHICH NOW DOES PUT THAT LINE ITEM AT OVER THE 100%.
SO I BELIEVE 114.7% IS WHERE THAT WILL END, IF NOT JUST SLIGHTLY MORE OR AT THAT PERCENTAGE AT YEAR END.
CHARGES FOR SERVICES IS CURRENTLY AT 93.5%.
WE HAVE BILLED NOW FOR A SECOND HALF OF POLICE SERVICE CONTRACT BACK IN MAY, JUNE, JULY.
SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT LINE ITEM WILL BE AT BUDGET FOR YEAR END.
FINES ARE RIGHT AT THAT EARMARK, CLOSE TO 75% MARK.
AND THEN SKIPPING TO INTEREST, WE ARE AT 0.4%.
INTEREST IS NOT ALLOCATED UNTIL THE 2026 AUDIT PROCESS.
AND THEN OTHER SOURCES AND TRANSFER, WE'RE AT 158.9% DUE TO MAINLY THE REFUND FOR SURPLUS FROM THE LONG LAKE FIRE SERVICE CONTRACT FROM 2025.
AND THEN NEXT, THIS SLIDE JUST COMPARING THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE QUARTER TO QUARTER, YEAR TO YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE QUARTER THREE, WE'RE RIGHT ON TRACK WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE, WE ARE AT 73.2%.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL DEPARTMENT IS AT 84.3% DUE TO MEMBERSHIPS BEING PAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
BUILDING AND ZONING IS AT 101-- LET'S SEE.
SORRY, FIRE PROTECTION, WE ARE AT 101.7%.
THAT'S DUE TO A PREPAYMENT OF FIRE SERVICE FOR SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR QUARTER FOUR, AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL LINGERING FIRE COSTS SUCH AS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PAID OUT AND THEN FIRE INSPECTION SERVICE, AS WELL.
AND THEN ENGINEERING, WE'RE AT 83.8% DUE TO GIS AND MAPPING.
AND THEN SPECIAL PROJECTS, WE ARE AT 122.2% DUE TO THE COUNCIL-DIRECTED GOALS OF FIXING THE SYSTEM PROBLEM REPORTER PROGRAM, OUR SOFTWARE, AS WELL AS THE HIGHWAY 12 GATE REPAIR.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND SUMMARY, MAJORITY OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ARE AT THE 75% EARMARK FOR THE YEAR.
CABLE FRANCHISE FUND FOR REVENUE IS AT 38%.
THIRD QUARTER FEES AREN'T RECEIVED UNTIL OCTOBER.
BUT EVEN WITH THAT THIRD QUARTER FRANCHISE FEE, THE LINE ITEM IS AT 54.4%.
FRANCHISE FEE HAS JUST DECREASED OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S COMING IN UNDER BUDGETED AMOUNT.
AND THEN GOLF COURSE, WE ARE AT 82% DUE TO MAJORITY OF SEASON BEING OVER NOW.
SO GOLF COURSE IS TAKING IT DAY BY DAY, SO POTENTIALLY CLOSING ANY ANYTIME SOON, DEPENDING ON WEATHER.
AND THEN NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.
MAJORITY OF THESE FUNDS ARE ALSO AT THE 75% EARMARK FOR THE YEAR.
FLEET SERVICE EXPENDITURE IS AT 81.6% DUE TO FIRE SERVICE, FIRE EQUIPMENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE.
HOWEVER, THAT'S THEN REIMBURSED ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
SO THAT'S WHY REVENUE, YOU'RE SEEING A 161%.
AND THEN INSURANCE, WE ARE AT 88.4% FOR EXPENDITURE
[01:20:02]
DUE TO ALL OF THE INSURANCE PREMIUM PAID FOR THE YEAR NOW.AND THEN LOOKING AT 2026 INTEREST EARNED, WE ARE AT $484,000 FOR A YEAR.
THAT'S 86% OF WHAT WE HAD EARNED IN 2025, SO LOOKING PRETTY GOOD FOR THE YEAR ALREADY.
AND THEN AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO-- AVERAGE MATURITY DURATION IS 3.24 YEARS, SO I DID INVEST IN A FEW MORE LOOKING FURTHER OUT NOW.
SO THAT WILL COME UP WITH THE QUARTER-FOUR FINANCIAL UPDATE.
AND THEN CURRENT YIELD OF PORTFOLIO IS 3.86%, SO UP FROM 3.77% LAST QUARTER.
SO HOPEFULLY, WITH THE INTEREST RATES, WE'RE SEEING A BIT OF AN UPTICK NOW.
SO THAT SHOULD BE TICKING UPWARDS WITH THE NEW INVESTMENT THAT I'VE BEEN PUTTING THE CITY'S MONEY IN.
SO WITH THAT, I END QUARTER THREE FINANCIAL UPDATE.
AND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BOB TUNHEIM: ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ALISA BENSON: NO, THANK YOU.
STEVE PERSIAN: THANKS VERY MUCH.
[18) Monarch Pledge & Pollinator Gardens Update]
NUMBER 18 IS AN UPDATE ON OUR MONARCH PLEDGE.JOE RUTHENBERG: YEAH, I'LL BE WORKING ON THIS IN TANDEM WITH ADAM, BUT JUST GIVING A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON THE PLEDGE WE'VE MADE THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE, AND FOCUSING ON THE POLLINATOR GARDENS SPECIFICALLY, AND A LITTLE MORE DEPTH OF HOW THOSE WENT THIS YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE-- MOVE ON TO OUR-- JUST TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT HISTORY, WE'VE INCLUDED OUR VISION FOR ORONO, WHICH IS TO BE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY OF CHOICE, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN OUR MASTER PLAN.
AND THEN TALKING ABOUT THE 2040 COMP PLAN, WHICH WILL DELVE INTO A LOT OF ASPECTS OF THE MONARCH PLEDGE, AND THEN JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH INCLUDED SOME PRAIRIE RESTORATIONS AT LURTON, FRENCH CREEK, SAGA HILL, PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, AND THEN SOME OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE GONE ON IN THE CITY, AND THEN INCLUDING THE ADOPT A PARK PROGRAM.
SO SOME OF OUR BIG ACTION ITEMS THAT WE COMMITTED TO OUTSIDE OF THE GARDENS AND INCLUDING THEM IS-- A BIG PART OF THAT IS COMMUNICATION, SO JUST GETTING WORD OUT TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE MONARCH PLEDGE AND WAYS THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN IT AT THEIR OWN HOMES.
RACHEL, OUR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST-- IS THAT HER NEW TITLE-- HAS WORKED TO GET, NOT ONLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA BUT ALSO THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTERS, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GET WORD ABOUT THAT AND ALSO THE GARDENS.
ANOTHER PART OF IT IS TO INTERNALLY ENGAGE WITH STAFF AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO WORK ON SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH WE KNOW IS A BIG FOCUS FOR COUNCIL THAT WE'VE HEARD-- SO GETTING OUR STAFF TO IDENTIFY SAFE MOWING PRACTICES, USE OF DIFFERENT PESTICIDES THAT ARE FRIENDLY TO POLLINATORS, AND TO GET THOSE IMPLEMENTED INTO OUR REGULAR DAY-TO-DAY USE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ANOTHER BIG PART OF IT IS JUST ENGAGING WITH LEADERS, WHICH COUNCIL IS PART OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, TO JUST MAKE PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR POLLINATORS IN THE CITY AND HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THEM ON CITY PROPERTY, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, IN PEOPLE'S HOMES, JUST ENGAGING WITH GROUPS IN THE CITY AND OUTSIDE GROUPS WHO CAN HELP FACILITATE THAT.
WE DID THIS YEAR GIVE AWAY NATIVE PLANTS AT OUR CLEANUP DAY.
AND THEN THE BIG ONE IS HAVING OUR POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY DEMONSTRATION GARDENS HERE AT BEDERWOOD PARK, NAVARRE PLAYGROUND.
SO ANOTHER PART OF THAT IS TO PLANT MILKWEED AND POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PLANTS ALONG THE ROADSIDE, MEDIAN, AND RIGHT-OF-WAY, WHICH WE HAVE DONE AT A FEW OF OUR CONSTRUCTION SITES FOR THE PAST YEAR.
I THINK THEY'LL BE IN THE NEXT SLIDES.
AND THEN MAKE SURE WE'RE JUST HAVING
[01:25:01]
MILKWEED AND NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS IN THE GARDENS THAT WE PUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.SOME OF THE SYSTEM CHANGES-- THESE ARE MORE JUST KIND OF INTERNAL-- IS IF YOUR CITY DOES HAVE MILKWEED AS A NOXIOUS PLANT TO REMOVE THAT.
WE DID NOT, BUT WE'LL TAKE CREDIT FOR NOT HAVING THAT.
AND THEN I TALKED ABOUT THE WEED AND MOWING ORDINANCES, TO LOOK AT THOSE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THEN PART OF THE MASTER PLAN COMING UP IS TO INCORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY PLANS REGARDING MONARCH HABITAT IN THE FUTURE.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, SINCE MOST OF THESE CAME UNDER ENGINEERING, THIS PAST YEAR, ONE OF THE THINGS FROM THE MONARCH'S PLEDGE IS TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO PUT IN POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY HABITAT.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THAT INTO THE PROJECTS THAT WE ALREADY HAD ON THE BOOKS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
SO OVER THIS PAST YEAR, KENOBI POND RESTORATION, WE HAD ABOUT A 1.15 ACRES OF WILD, NATIVE PLANTINGS THAT WE PUT IN AS PART OF THAT PROJECT.
THE CASCO POINT STORMWATER AND WETLAND RESTORATION IS ABOUT 0.7 ACRES OF HABITAT-- HASN'T FULLY SPROUTED YET, BUT IT IS SEEDED.
AND HACKBERRY PARK RESTORATION, AGAIN, WE WON'T SEE THAT NECESSARILY SEED UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT WE DID INCORPORATE JUST OVER HALF AN ACRE OF NATIVES AND POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY HABITAT AS PART OF THAT PROJECT.
JOE RUTHENBERG: AND THEN THIS IS GOING TO GET MORE INTO A RECAP OF THE POLLINATOR GARDENS THAT WERE PLANTED THIS YEAR.
SO ORIGINALLY, ONE OF THE DIRECTIONS FROM COUNCIL AND ONE OF THE STATED GOALS OF THE MONARCH PLEDGE THAT WE COMMITTED TO WAS TO INSTALL POLLINATOR GARDENS, WHAT THEY CALL AN EXAMPLE GARDEN FOR THE CITY.
SO THIS JUST REVIEWS WHAT THE SCOPE OF THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED, AND HOW WE LOOKED AT OBTAINING THAT GOAL AND PROJECT.
ADAM EDWARDS: WE LOOKED AT-- THERE WERE TWO ASPECTS TO THIS PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE MONARCH'S PLEDGE, ONE WHICH WAS TO ESTABLISH A DEMONSTRATION GARDEN, AND IN PARTICULAR, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAN, WAS TO DO THAT OUT HERE AT THE FLAGPOLE.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING WAS TO LOOK AT HOW WE COULD DO SOME OF THESE THINGS USING VOLUNTEER LABOR, AS OPPOSED TO JUST HAVING CONTRACT OR STAFF LABOR DO THOSE THINGS.
AND PART OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN CALLED FOR TO FACILITATE THAT WAS WE WERE GOING TO DO PROJECT COORDINATION USING A PARKS COMMISSIONER.
STAFF WOULD DO SOME SITE PREPARATION, AND THEN VOLUNTEERS WOULD DO PLANTING, WATERING, WEEDING AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE.
JOE RUTHENBERG: AND THIS WAS THE OUTCOME.
SO FOUR FLOWER BEDS WERE INSTALLED AS I BROUGHT UP EARLIER, SO THE CITY HALL FLAGPOLE RIGHT OUT FRONT OF THE MONUMENT, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE ROAD, BEDERWOOD PARKING LOT WHERE WE MOVED A ROCK, A DEDICATED ROCK TO WHEN THE PARK WAS DEDICATED, AND THEN A GARDEN WAS INSTALLED AROUND THAT, AND THEN AT NAVARRE NEAR THE PARK SIGN.
SO THE PROCESS BEGAN IN THE PARK COMMISSION WHERE THE PROJECT WAS FIRST BEING DEVELOPED.
IT KIND OF MOVED OVER INTO RESIDENT VOLUNTEER AND THEN ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS KIND OF TAKING POINT ON THAT TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF, AND THEN VOLUNTEERS TO PUT IT IN AND DOING SOME SITE PREP.
IT WAS A VOLUNTEER-LED PROJECT FOR ALL OF THE PLANTING.
STAFF DID ASSIST WITH SOME SITE PREP ON SOME OF THE SITES AND GETTING A FEW MATERIALS.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME DONATED PLANTS.
THE REST WERE PROVIDED BY THE CITY FOR THE PLANTINGS.
AND THIS IS SOME PROJECT OUTCOMES.
JUST LOOKING AT STAFF TIME AND THE STAFF AND LABOR AND EQUIPMENT COSTS, AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS AND ANY DONATED VALUE FOR THE BEDERWOOD PROJECT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE BEDERWOOD PARKING LOT, GARDENS, EQUIPMENT AND STAFF TIME QUITE LARGER THAN ALL THE REST OF THEM.
THAT WAS DUE TO WHERE THE GARDEN ENDED UP BEING PUT IN
[01:30:01]
AND THE SITE PREP TO GET A ROAD THAT WAS UNDERNEATH IT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A GARDEN THERE.SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THE REST.
AND IT TOOK A LOT OF ADDITIONAL STAFF TIME AND PREP FOR THAT AND THEN FILLING IN EXTRA DIRT AND ALL THE STUFF THAT CAME WITH THAT.
SO THE SUCCESSES-- I THINK ANYONE GOING OUT TO THE GARDEN-- WE HAVE FOUR GREAT POLLINATOR GARDENS THAT WERE INSTALLED, WHICH DEFINITELY CHECKS A BOX OF THE MONARCH'S PLEDGE.
IT WAS MOSTLY DUE TO A DEDICATED, SMALL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WENT OUT AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF HARD WORK AND PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK TO GET THOSE PLANTED AND THE PREP READY FOR THOSE SITES AND GET THEM IN.
SO I THINK THAT CAN GO WITHOUT SAYING.
IT WAS A LOT OF WORK TO GET THOSE IN, AND IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED TO GET THOSE IN.
SO NOW WE DO HAVE A NICE DEMONSTRATION POLLINATOR GARDEN KIND OF IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING, OUR PUBLIC-FACING HERE AT CITY HALL.
SO THOSE ARE ALL GREAT SUCCESSES.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND I JUST I WANTED TO ADD IN THERE TOO, UNDER THE WHY, PART OF IT WAS WE HAD THE SMALL, BUT VERY DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.
BUT I KNOW JOE DOESN'T WANT TO TOOT HIS OWN HORN, BUT WE DID HAVE A VERY FLEXIBLE STAFF.
WE TURNED AROUND ON SHORT NOTICE ON A LOT OF THINGS TO REDIRECT STAFF FROM WHATEVER THEIR ASSIGNED TASKS WERE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT GROUP.
SO KUDOS TO JOE AND HIS TEAM THERE.
JOE RUTHENBERG: SO WE LOOKED AT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS KIND OF A NEW PROCESS FOR US PUTTING THESE IN AND RELYING ON VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE LOOKED AT THIS TO WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THIS PROCESS AND GOING FORWARD, MAKE IT RUN SMOOTHER AND LOWER, I WOULD SAY, THE EFFORT OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE HELPING US OUT.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROJECT PLANNING BEFOREHAND BUDGETED AND SCHEDULED IN A MORE TIMELY AND EFFICIENT MANNER, AND THEN MAKING SURE WHEN WE'RE PROCURING PLANTS, THAT WE HAVE A PLAN GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND THAT WE HAVE THE CORRECT STEPS TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.
AND THEN JUST MAKING SURE WHEN WE ARE PICKING SITES THAT WE CAN DO SOME PROPER VETTING OF THE SITES AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE OF AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
COMMUNICATION, IT'S A PROBLEM ALWAYS, BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE AS A CITY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COORDINATING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING AND WHAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SUCCESSFUL IN A HEALTHY GARDEN.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SITES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, AND THAT WE HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN ALSO FOLLOWING OUR OWN STANDARDS WE HAVE FOR EACH PARK, SO WE'RE NOT HAVING A PATCHWORK PLAN WHERE EACH PARK IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE A NICE STANDARD THAT WE'RE SET-- THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST GARDENS WE CAN HAVE IN THE PARKS.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND SO SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS THAT WE CAME UP WITH IS, JUST TO REITERATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT JOE SAID IN THE LESSONS LEARNED OR THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE A DELIBERATE PLANNING COORDINATION AHEAD OF PROJECT APPROVAL TO MAKE SURE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE IN LINE WITH WHATEVER THE STANDARDS AND PLANS ARE FOR A PARTICULAR PARK, OR IN THE CASE OF CITY HALL, THE OPEN SPACES HERE, THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE PLANTING PROJECTS INCORPORATE INTO THE SITE GOALS AND PLANS, AND THEN A NEED TO DEVELOP A VOLUNTEER COORDINATION PLAN.
AND SO FROM THAT, WE KIND OF TOOK TWO MAIN ACTION PLAN THINGS THAT WE THINK AS A CITY WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD.
ONE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SAY IS ALREADY UNDERWAY-- IT WAS ONE OF THE GOALS FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR-- WHICH IS TO DEVELOP LANDSCAPING PLANS AND STANDARDS FOR ALL OUR PARKS AND FACILITIES.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE ALREADY HAVE-- THE PARKS COMMISSION WAS KIND OF CHARGED WITH ESTABLISHING SOME STANDARDS FOR THAT.
[01:35:02]
AND SO ONE IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE.SO WE SHOULD KNOW IT AT CERTAIN PARKS THAT THIS PARK IS GOING TO HAVE A-- COULD HAVE A MORE FORMAL GARDEN, TWO OR THREE OR ONE OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
AND A DIFFERENT KIND OF PARK IS MORE AMENABLE TO A NATIVE LANDSCAPE OF WILDFLOWERS AND PRAIRIE RESTORATION, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT IN SOME OTHER SETTINGS AS A COUNCIL, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME RENEWED ASPIRATION FOR THIS, BUT SOME OF THESE GARDEN BEDS HAPPENED AT SOME OF OUR SIGNS.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SHOULD WE HAVE A STANDARD FOR, ONE, WHAT KIND OF SIGNS WE PUT IN BOTH AT OUR PARKS AND EVEN OTHER PLACES IN OUR CITY.
AND IF SO, THEN IS A PLANTING BED OR A BORDER BOUNDARY BED, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, A PART OF THAT? SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER GROUP, WE CAN SAY, GREAT, HERE'S A SIGN THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT NEEDS A GARDEN.
OR IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANT TO TAKE ON? AND THEN I GUESS, WHO'S DOING THAT ALREADY? THE STAFF AND PARKS COMMISSION ARE ALREADY WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
THERE MAY BE SOME TWEAKS THAT WE WANT TO GIVE AS GUIDANCE, OR THE COUNCIL SHOULD GIVE AS GUIDANCE, LIKE I MENTIONED, FOR IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIFIC STANDARD FOR THE BASE OF SIGNS.
BUT THEY'RE LOOKING TO FINISH MOST OF THEIR WORK UP HERE BY THE END OF THE YEAR ON THAT SO THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT IN '27.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT WE TOOK AWAY FROM THIS PROJECT IS A NEED TO UPDATE THE CITY'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, REALLY THE ONLY THING WE HAVE AS FAR AS A PROGRAM IS OUR ADOPT THE PARK PROCESS, WHICH IS OLD AND HASN'T BEEN REFRESHED IN QUITE SOME TIME.
AND SO WE'VE HEARD A COUPLE TIMES, AND I'VE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES OVER MY TENURE HERE AT THE CITY, OF DESIRES TO BE MORE ORGANIZED AND PROACTIVE WITH SOME KIND OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
AND SO WE THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA.
AND IF IT IS SUPPORTED, WE WOULD WANT TO DEVELOP-- YOU CAN SEE IN THE HOWS THERE-- DEVELOP SOME DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CITY SO THAT WE'RE READY TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE VOLUNTEERS AND DIRECT VOLUNTEERS AS TO WHAT ARE GOOD FITS WITHIN OUR CITY.
AND PART OF THAT IS DEVELOPING, AS WE SAY AT THESE PARKS, IF WE KNOW-- BECAUSE PREDOMINANTLY, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THESE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ARE-- IS IF WE KNOW WE HAVE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES PROGRAMMED, EITHER AS PART OF A MASTER PLAN OR EVEN JUST A STANDARD FOR OUR PARKS, THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR A VOLUNTEER-LEVEL ACTIVITY, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THAT LIST SO THAT WE CAN MATCH A VOLUNTEER GROUP OR PERSON OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE THAT WE KNOW WE WANT TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND THEN IF WE HAD THAT, WE COULD HAVE OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR HOW WE MANAGE THOSE VOLUNTEERS.
I DO THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS MORE FORMALLY, WE'LL NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS AS A COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY ON RESOURCING, BECAUSE WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT BRINGING VOLUNTEER COORDINATION IN HOUSE INTO THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OUR PAST EFFORTS.
USING A VOLUNTEER TO MANAGE VOLUNTEERS, WHICH WORKS GREAT IF YOU HAVE A REALLY DEDICATED PERSON WHO'S HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME DOING IT, BUT IT TENDS TO BE VERY CYCLICAL AS PEOPLE COME AND GO.
SO IF THERE IS AN ASPIRATION TO DO THAT, WE PROBABLY WOULD NEED TO DEDICATE SOME STAFF TIME AND EFFORT TO THAT.
AND SO I HAVE IT LISTED THERE AS MAYBE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR AS WE LOOK AT COUNCIL GOALS FOR 2027.
MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING FOR THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
BOB TUNHEIM: I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTEER COORDINATION.
I THINK WE'VE GOT WONDERFUL GARDENERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE COULD HOPEFULLY TAP TO DO THIS.
AND BY THE WAY, I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON, WHO REALLY SPEARHEADED A LOT OF THE EFFORTS TO PUT IN THE POLLINATORS THIS YEAR AND WORKED HARD, PLANTED A LOT OF THEM YOURSELF WITH SOME ASSISTANCE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THANK YOU.
JOE RUTHENBERG: THERE WOULDN'T BE GARDENS-- JACQUELIN RICKS: THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON IS THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE MONARCH PLEDGE IDEA TO US AND HAD US IMPLEMENT IT.
AND SHE AND JANIE DELANEY, WHO ALSO RUNS THE DONATION GARDEN, WERE THE FORCE BEHIND ALL OF THESE GARDENS AND ALL THE DESIGNS AND ALL THE PLANTING AND PLANNING.
AND SO KUDOS TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE I THINK THE GARDENS TURNED OUT JUST BEAUTIFUL.
AND THANK YOU TO STAFF TOO, WHO SUPPORTED THEM.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? ALISA BENSON: I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS A BIT, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION AT THE SAME TIME.
THE GOAL HERE IS REALLY TO SAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING FROM HERE ON OUT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE REASONS I INTRODUCED THE IDEA--
[01:40:02]
AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL SUPPORT LAST YEAR FOR ENACTING, AND THE MAYOR'S IN PARTICULAR-- THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE IS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE ELSEWHERE, AND OUR CITIZENS HAVE REALLY RESPONDED TO THIS.THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT VOLUNTEERING IN THE FUTURE OR WALKED BY ON CRYSTAL BAY DURING THESE INSTALLS AND SAID, THIS LOOKS GREAT, WHO'S DOING IT, WHY HASN'T IT HAPPENED BEFORE IS SIGNIFICANT.
SO IT HAS TAPPED INTO WHAT I WOULD CALL A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
THIS ISN'T A ONE AND DONE, AND IT'S NOT EVEN LIKE AN ANNUAL PARTY THAT WE'LL BE HOSTING THIS YEAR.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED.
AND THAT REALLY IS PART OF THE GOAL.
IT'S ITS ENVIRONMENT MEETS COMMUNITY ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
SO I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND HAVE SAID SINCE THE TIME I WAS A PARKS COMMISSIONER THAT OUR CITY NEEDS ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS.
I WOULD DISAGREE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE A STAFF-FUNDED POSITION.
THIS IS MY-- I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS HERE BECAUSE I WON'T BE HERE IN THE NEW YEAR TO DO IT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
I DISAGREE WITH THAT SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT OTHER CITIES OF OUR SIZE ARE DOING.
WHEN A CITY OR A COUNCIL COMMITS TO THIS TYPE OF PROJECT AND THE VOLUNTEER EFFORT THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, IT'S DOABLE.
AND AGAIN, AS SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, IF WE CAN PUT A PERSON ON THE MOON, A CITY WHO HAS THIS MANY FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO COME AND STEP FORWARD AND SERVE AND WHO STEP BY AND WATCH THESE PROJECTS UNFOLD AND SAID, HOW CAN I HELP THIS, THE WILL IS THERE.
WHAT WE NEED IS TALENT IN TERMS OF A SPECIFIC VOLUNTEER WHO'S ABLE AND WILLING TO DO THAT.
JANIE DELANEY'S NAME WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
SHE SPENT HOW MANY DECADES NOW BEING THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, FOR A NONPROFIT, AND ALSO BEING THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.
SHE SERVED ON OUR PARKS COMMISSION AND IS NO LONGER DOING THAT.
I SEE WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT SYSTEM IN PLACE RIGHT NOW AS A CITY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I WOULD NOT SUPPORT SPENDING MORE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE TALENTED PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS IF THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE INVITED TO BE A PART OF IT.
SO THAT'S THE VOLUNTEER PIECE.
REGARDING THE PRESENTATION, SPECIFICALLY THE SLIDE-- A COUPLE SLIDES I WANTED TO TOUCH ON-- THE ONE-- IF YOU COULD PULL UP OR HEAD BACK TO THE ONE ON OTHER EFFORTS, OTHER CITY EFFORTS FOR POLLINATORS IN 2026-- IT WAS KENOBI POND.
SO I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING HERE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID SOME STORMWATER RESTORATION OR REDO OF THESE RETENTION PONDS.
THE FIRST TWO-- HACKBERRY, I'M GOING TO PUT TO THE SIDE FOR A MINUTE.
THESE OTHER ONES ARE RETENTION PONDS ESSENTIALLY.
THOSE WERE IN THE WORKS, AS I THINK STAFF MENTIONED, WHEN WE ADOPTED THIS.
AND SO THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POLLINATOR-FORWARD PROGRAM AND A RETENTION POND THAT HAS, I BELIEVE, BOWSER'S WET DITCH MIX STANDARD PUT IN TO STABILIZE THAT SLOPE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AS THIS KENOBI WAS IN PROCESS WAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING? I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A WET DITCH MIX TO PUT IN TO STABILIZE.
WHAT ARE WE ADDING TO IT? AND THE ANSWER WAS, WE'RE NOT.
SO WOULD IT COST MORE IN THE FUTURE TO DO THAT? YES, POTENTIALLY, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT PUTTING IN SPECIFIC PLANTS TO SUPPORT A MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE, I DON'T BELIEVE THESE NECESSARILY CHECK THAT BOX.
SO I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE.
NOT EVERY WET MIX THAT HAS POLLINATOR PLANTS, A SMALL PERCENTAGE IN IT, IS NECESSARILY THE SAME AS A PROJECT THAT IS LOOKING TOWARD THAT AND DOING NOT BARE MINIMUM, BUT DOING MORE.
AND I THINK IT'S LETTER OF THE LAW VERSUS SPIRIT IN A WAY.
I THINK WE WANT TO DO MORE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I DID WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
HACKBERRY, I DO HOPE THAT WE SEE SPACES IN THAT PLAN TO ALLOW AND ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO INTERACT WITH SPECIFIC SPECIES, NOT, AGAIN, A WET DITCH MIX THAT IS STANDARD BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE, AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE AS PART OF A MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.
FINALLY, YES, I LIKE TO GET MY HANDS DIRTY.
AND YES, I WAS VERY GLAD TO DO IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT I WOULD NOT BE GLAD TO DO IS TO BE A VOLUNTEER IN THE CITY OF ORONO ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
BECAUSE WHAT WAS EVIDENT TO ME-- AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR IT, AND NO BLAME BEING LAID.
I SAW IT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
WE DID HAVE A INDIVIDUAL OFFER THEIR HELP IN THE MIDDLE, WHO WAS ACTUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NAVARRE PARK, WHO OWNS THAT PARK, I GUESS YOU'D CALL IT, UNDER THE ADOPT A PARKS PROGRAM.
AND THIS INDIVIDUAL CAME TO HELP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROJECT AND COULDN'T BECAUSE THE SITE PREP COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE THAT.
SO WE ARE NOT READY AS A CITY WITHOUT SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF HOW
[01:45:02]
WE'RE INVITING THE PUBLIC-- AGAIN, A WILLING, ABLE PUBLIC-- TO BE PART OF THESE PROJECTS.WE'RE NOT READY TO UNDERTAKE MORE OF THIS.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT IF PARKS IS CONTINUING WITH THIS IN THE FUTURE, TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE NEED-- AND I'VE SAID THIS TO MANY OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS IN MY MEETINGS WITH THEM-- WE NEED VOLUNTEERS.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS, NOT SOMEBODY WHO CAN SHOW UP AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE LIKE I DID.
BUT A PLANFUL PROCESS TO WELCOME IN COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF CREATING SPACE IN THE CITY.
WHY? NOT JUST THE MONARCH PLEDGE, BUT BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES.
AND RIGHT NOW, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SERVING ON A COMMISSION, WE DO NOT HAVE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR CITY FOR OUR PUBLIC, WHO SKEWS A LITTLE BIT OLDER, HAS SOME TIME ON THEIR HANDS.
THERE'S FOLKS WHO ARE RETIRED, AND THEY'RE MASTER GARDENERS.
JANIE DELANEY IS A MASTER GARDENER, AS IS THE WOMAN WHO VOLUNTEERED TO HELP IN THE FUTURE WITH THE DAR.
SO MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS ARE THAT WHAT THIS GRAPH-- COULD YOU GO TO THAT ONE SLIDE, PLEASE, ADAM, ON PROJECT OUTCOMES CONTINUED, THE TABLE? YES.
WHAT THIS DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR IS VOLUNTEER HOURS.
SO AS WE CAN SEE THERE IN THE FOURTH TO LAST COLUMN, NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS 2, 3, 2, 3.
THAT DOESN'T TELL THE STORY OF THE HOURS THAT WERE PUT IN.
AND WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME HICCUPS WITH ROCKS BEING PLACED, ALL THIS OTHER SITE PREP, AND YES, STAFF SCRAMBLED, AND THAT'S NOT IDEAL.
WHAT THIS DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR IS THE THOUSANDS, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS PUT IN ON THIS PROJECT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MASTER GARDENER SKILLS, ALL THE TIME SPENT ON PLANNING THE PLANTS, GETTING THE PLANTS, REDOING THE SOIL, ALL OF IT, AND THERE'S NO BLAME BEING LAID HERE.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE VALUE VOLUNTEER HOURS? WE CAN LOOK AT STAFFING THAT'S IN OUR CITY, OR WE CAN SAY THREE MASTER GARDENERS SHOWING UP FOR THREE HOURS, WHAT DOES THAT COST? BECAUSE THESE FOLKS, MYSELF INCLUDED, NOT A MASTER GARDENER, I SHOWED UP WILLINGLY.
AND WHAT THAT DOES NOT REFLECT IS THAT THIS IS PROBABLY 50 PLUS HOURS OF WORK, NOT ON SITE, BUT ALL OF IT.
SO THERE'S REAL DOLLARS ATTACHED TO THIS.
AND I THINK CREATING A SPACE WHERE WE ALLOW IN THE PUBLIC AND INVITE THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CITY WITHIN A STRUCTURE THAT WE CAN GET A HOLD OF AND MOVE FORWARD IN A PRODUCTIVE WAY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I WANT TO ADD THAT BECAUSE WHETHER OR NOT I'M IN COUNCIL, I DO INTEND TO STILL CONTINUE TO PUT FORTH EFFORTS IN THIS AREA BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH IT.
WE, AS A CITY, LIKE EVERY CITY, NEEDS SUCCESSES.
AND I DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE TABLE HERE WITH THE DOLLAR SPENT.
WHAT'S UNACCOUNTED FOR IS THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO HAVE WALKED PAST THESE SIGNS AND PARKS THAT DON'T THINK TO WRITE A COMPLIMENT TO THE CITY.
BECAUSE HOW OFTEN DO PEOPLE COMPLIMENT CITY? AND THAT'S OK.
USUALLY, THE EMAILS ARE ABOUT WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE.
BUT I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED, AND WE ABSOLUTELY COULD BE DOING MORE OF IT AND INTENTIONALLY ADDRESSING STORMWATER ISSUES ABOVE AND BEYOND STATE BOWSER MINIMUM.
BUREAU OF-- OUR STAFF WOULD KNOW.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WET DITCH MIX ASSOCIATED WITH MNDOT AND OTHER SOIL AGENCIES.
I DON'T LIKE ACRONYMS, SO I AIM NOT TO USE THEM.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS, AND I APPRECIATE STAFF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS AND I HAD THE DEBRIEF WITH STAFF.
BUT THIS IS THE REASON I WANTED TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL, BECAUSE IT'S BIGGER THAN BEES AND BUTTERFLIES.
BOB TUNHEIM: GREAT, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE MONARCH PLEDGE? THANK YOU TO STAFF, TOO, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSIONS NEXT YEAR ABOUT MAKING THIS A GOAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 19, REAFFIRMING OUR PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE LONG LAKE CREEK WATER QUALITY.
THIS LAST TIME-- JOE RUTHENBERG: MR. MAYOR, I JUST MAKE ONE SUGGESTION.
WE HAD ANOTHER ITEM THAT WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? BOB TUNHEIM: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SECTION CIP FOR THE GOLF COURSE WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
SO I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS.
AT OUR LAST WORK SESSION ON 10/26 THERE WAS A CIP ASK FROM PARKS FOR $20,000 TO PAY FOR A MASTER PLAN FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
AT THIS POINT, I HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH DATA OR NUMBERS FOR THIS ASK, AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE SUPPORTIVE DATA OR NUMBERS FOR THIS FROM THE GOLF
[01:50:02]
COURSE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL IF WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT SUPPORTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.SO I GUESS AT THIS POINT, I'M REQUESTING FOR THE CIP ITEM TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PENDING PROCESS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK, OR IF THAT'S EVEN SOMETHING I'M ALLOWED TO REQUEST FOR THE 2027 SPENDING BASED ON THAT THERE'S NO DATA, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON DECEMBER 6.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT GIVES US ENOUGH TIME TO TRY TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND IT.
I KNOW IN SOME OF OUR CIP FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS COMING, WE'VE GOT IRRIGATION COMING UP AND SOME OTHER THINGS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IF THE GOLF COURSE, WANTS $20,000, I'D RATHER SEE THAT MONEY PUT DIRECTLY INTO THE GOLF COURSE RATHER THAN HAVING ANOTHER PLAN DRAWN UP.
AND I DID ATTEND THE LAST PARKS MEETING ON THE 2ND.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD IN CLOSING IS THAT THEY ASKED THAT NO MORE CIPS BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMISSION BEING PRIVY TO IT.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE PUSHED BACK AND TAKEN OFF THE CIP REQUEST LIST.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT OR-- STEVE PERSIAN: WELL, THE ONLY COMMENT THAT I WOULD MAKE IS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION WITH A NUMBER OF THE PARK COMMISSION MEMBERS ON PUTTING TOGETHER AND PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF DOCUMENTATION.
I THINK WHAT THEY'VE KIND OF REALIZED THAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO THAT, BUT THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WERE QUITE PREPARED.
AND SO I GUESS KNOWING THAT THE CIP IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT FOR CAPITAL SPENDING, AS OPPOSED TO AN APPROVAL OF A SPEND, I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE LEAVING IT ON THERE.
I GUESS WHERE I'M AT IS IF WHAT THEY PRESENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT, THEN I THINK WE DON'T FUND IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
BUT I JUST-- BOB TUNHEIM: THANK YOU.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON THAT-- SOMETHING THAT IS IN OUR CIP THAT WE'VE APPROVED NEEDS TO COME BACK HERE FOR OUR AUTHORITY BEFORE WE SPEND THAT, CORRECT? ADAM EDWARDS: CORRECT.
THE CIP, AS MENTIONED, IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT AND A PLANNING DOCUMENT ONLY.
SO EVEN WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE CIP IN DECEMBER, THAT DOES NOT APPROVE ANY EXPENDITURES.
AND SO EACH OF THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THAT CIP WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
NOW IT DOES-- WE DO TAKE THAT AS A STAFF ONCE THE CIP PLAN IS APPROVED AS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL SPEND STAFF TIME WORKING ON, IS PREPARING THOSE COUNCIL ITEMS AND THAT INITIAL STAFF WORK TO GET SOMETHING BEFORE YOU.
SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS-- ONE IS WE COULD LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS WITH ADDITIONAL UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BACK TO THE PARKS COMMISSION AND ULTIMATELY TO THE GOLF COURSE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT BEFORE ANYTHING COMES FORWARD, THERE'S A DESIRE FROM THE COUNCIL TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF DOCUMENTATION OF WHY.
THE OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO IS WE COULD JUST TAKE SOME DIRECTION AND SAY, WELL, I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY FOR THAT IN '27.
DON'T NECESSARILY TAKE IT OFF THE CIP, BUT YOU COULD JUST GIVE US DIRECTION.
AND IN THE FINAL DOCUMENT WE GIVE YOU IN DECEMBER, WE COULD PUT IT IN '28, '29 OR SOMEWHERE FURTHER ALONG THAT KIND OF SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE TEAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS SOME MORE BEFORE WE BRING IT FORWARD.
I KNOW THAT-- I GUESS THE ONLY THING-- HAVING SPOKEN TO SOME OF THE MEMBERS WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT ENDEAVOR, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE WANTING TO DO IS TO HAVE ANOTHER PLANNING DOCUMENT GO THROUGH THE CYCLE AND BE APPROVED BEFORE SOME OF THE OTHER GOLF-COURSE-RELATED EXPENDITURES, LIKE IRRIGATION AND SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS OUT IN THE COURSE WERE APPROVED AND IMPLEMENTED.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY AND THEN HAVE TO RIP IT BACK UP IF THE DESIGN IS CONTRARY TO THAT.
ALISA BENSON: MY THOUGHT IS-- ACTUALLY, IT'S PLURAL.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ONE ARE THAT, THIS ITEM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS JUST MENTIONED, CAME WHAT I FEEL LIKE OUT OF THE BLUE ONTO OUR CIP.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT ORIGINATED.
I'VE ATTENDED AND WATCHED MANY PARKS COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A FORMAL VOTE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT GETS FROM AN ADVISORY COMMISSION ONTO OUR CIP, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THAT PROCESS IS.
[01:55:01]
SO IF THE-- MAYBE I MISSED IT, BUT IF THE PARKS COMMISSION, WHICH THE GOLF COURSE IS PART OF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN ENTERPRISE FUND, VOTED AS A COMMISSION TO PUT THIS ITEM FOR THIS YEAR ONTO OUR 2027 CIP, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT.OTHERWISE, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH AN ITEM OF $20,000 SPEND AT THE GOLF COURSE APPEARING ON OUR CIP ABSENT THAT OBVIOUS PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF TRANSPARENCY.
THE OTHER ASPECT HERE IS THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION OF NEEDING TO DEMONSTRATE HOW WE'RE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, NOT JUST AT THE GOLF COURSE, BUT AT ALL OF OUR PARKS.
I HAVE NOT IN MY TIME ON COUNCIL, WHETHER WITH THIS CURRENT COUNCIL OR THAT BEFORE, SEEN A PRESENTATION FROM PARKS OR STAFF ON THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE COURSE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ROI ATTACHED TO A MASTER PLAN.
MEANING, IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $20K IN 2027 TO WHATEVER THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE-- CHANGE THINGS, ADD, SUBTRACT THINGS-- WHAT IS THAT GETTING US IN TERMS OF PLAYABILITY? WHAT IS THAT BRINGING IN IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE? SO WITHOUT THAT DATA AND WITHOUT SEEING THE PROCESS, I WOULD PREFER THAT THIS COME OFF THE CIP FOR 2027 BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO SAY, YES.
WHETHER OR NOT I AGREE WITH THE ITEM, I CAN SAY HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS POINT AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
JOE RUTHENBERG: I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
SO THE PARK COMMISSION DID DISCUSS THE BEGINNINGS OF THIS STUDY IN THE SEPTEMBER WORK SESSION.
AND THEN AT OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH IS AFTER THE CIP WAS PRESENTED TO YOU, THEY DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT GOING FORWARD WITH THAT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S NOT AN APPROVAL OF THE PLAN.
IT WOULD JUST BE PRESENTED FOR COUNCIL'S REVIEW.
ALISA BENSON: THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW.
WAS A VOTE TAKEN ON THAT? JACQUELIN RICKS: KIM, WAS THERE-- KIM CARSWELL: I WOULD SAY, WE'RE STILL LEARNING OUR PROCESS.
THE GOLF COURSE DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCESS.
AND I ACTUALLY THINK MOLLY REYNOLDS CALLED THAT OUT EARLIER, AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP THE POSITIVE EFFORT.
SO THERE'S A BIG LEARNING HERE.
SO I THINK THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE PAUSED.
IT SHOULD COME THROUGH THE PARK COMMISSION TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN WANTS TO DO.
AND FOR ALL THE REST OF YOU, TAKE CARE OF WHATEVER THE PROPER PROPOSAL IS.
AND I THINK TO FIX THIS, WE SHOULD JUST BRING IT BACK AND HAVE THE PARK COMMISSION SEE WHAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS DOING, AND THEN VOTE AND THEN BRING SOMETHING FORWARD, BUT THAT WON'T BE UNTIL 2027.
ALISA BENSON: AND MY COMMENTS ARE NOT TO LAY BLAME IN ANY WAY.
THEY'RE TO EXPOSE WHAT I VIEW AS A DECISION MAKER OF A PROCESS THAT I CAN'T EXPLAIN, THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THEREFORE, I DON'T WANT TO SUPPORT THIS.
WITH OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR CIP, I CAN LOOK TO THAT PROCESS AND SAY, THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE.
SO WHETHER OR NOT IT GOES THROUGH PARKS, IF THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE SAY AS A CITY WE SUPPORT AND THAT STAFF IS GOING TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN HERE.
AND AGAIN, WHAT I WOULD REQUEST OR ADVISE, AT LEAST IN THE NEW YEAR, IS THAT A PRESENTATION BE GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME ABOUT THIS COURSE.
BECAUSE IN MY TIME HERE, WE'VE SEEN MASTER PLANS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TOW ROPES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXPANSION OF FIRE FACILITIES, FIRE PIT THINGS AND KITCHEN REMODELS AND PICKLEBALL COURTS AND BASKETBALL COURTS AND YOUTH SPORT GRANTS, HOCKEY RINK.
SO IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO ME IN PLAIN TERMS. AND I THINK WITHOUT A DELIBERATE PRESENTATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR FINANCIALS AND WHAT WE AS A CITY ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AT THAT COURSE MEETING, COUNCIL WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS IS BEING RESPECTED, AND THEREFORE, I WONDER ABOUT THE TAXPAYERS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP IN THE FUTURE.
FOR NOW, MY OPINION ON THIS IS THAT I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE DIRECTING STAFF TO REMOVE THAT, OR SUGGESTING THAT IT BE REMOVED FROM 2027, THE $20K FOR CIP.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANYBODY HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THAT DIRECTIVE? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED A RESOLUTION PER SE, BUT DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL-- ADAM EDWARDS: IS TO MOVE IT FROM '27? BOB TUNHEIM: YES, MOVE FROM 2027 TO 2028.
KIM CARSWELL: I WOULD JUST SAY WE HAVE TO BRING IT THROUGH THE-- BOB TUNHEIM: ABSOLUTELY.
KIM CARSWELL: --TO YOU TO KEEP IT ON '28.
ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? STEVE PERSIAN: NO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
BOB TUNHEIM: OK, NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 19
[19) Reaffirm Partnership to Improve Long Lake Creek Water Quality - Resolution 7728]
[02:00:02]
UNDER THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT, REAFFIRM PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE LONG LAKE CREEK WATER QUALITY.ADAM EDWARDS: MR. MAYOR, AT THE LAST MEETING, COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO PREPARE A RESOLUTION TO REAFFIRM THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE LONG LAKE CREEK WATER SUBWATERSHED EFFORTS.
SO A RESOLUTION HAS BEEN PREPARED.
I WILL NOTE THAT THIS IS, I THINK, NOW THE THIRD RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THAT FIRST RESOLUTION WE'VE DONE.
BUT IT IS NOT-- THAT DOESN'T HURT ANYTHING IN ANY WAY TO CONTINUE TO REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: WHEN WE REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT, ARE WE MAKING ANY EFFORT TO GIVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT TOWARDS THE SUPPORT? ADAM EDWARDS: WE HAVE NOT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: SHOULD WE BE DOING THAT? BOB TUNHEIM: I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN AN ASK YET.
ADAM EDWARDS: THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ASK FOR THAT YET.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION, IS RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS ARE WHAT DRIVE OUR CIO PROCESS, PARTICULARLY FOR STORMWATER AND OUR COORDINATION.
SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION LIKE THIS THAT SAYS WE SUPPORT THE LONG LAKE WATER SUBWATERSHED PLAN AND PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW AGENCIES, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TELLS US AS STAFF, THEN TO COORDINATE WITH THOSE AGENCIES FOR WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES.
AND SO AS AN EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I THINK I'VE HAD NOW TWO CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DIRECTOR ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT MANIFEST ITSELF AMONGST ALL THE INTERESTED PARTIES.
BUT I WOULD NOT ADVISE NECESSARILY PUTTING A DOLLAR FIGURE TO IT NOW BECAUSE THAT ASK-- I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IN PARTICULAR, THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A GROUP IS SOMETHING IN THE 2030 TIME FRAME.
AND EXACTLY HOW THAT PLAYS OUT MONETARILY ONLY BASED ON GRANTS AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OTHER PARTNERS MAY CHANGE, AND THE COUNCIL WILL WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY OF HOW YOU WOULD HANDLE THAT.
ALISA BENSON: I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS, AND BEAR WITH ME HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A HISTORY INVOLVED.
SO AGAIN, I'M HERE TO IMPART MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION.
WE'VE GOT A RESOLUTION HERE BEFORE US.
AND AS ADAM JUST MENTIONED, WE'VE REITERATED THIS.
AND WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING BECAUSE A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS WE ARE GOING TO AGREE TO PARTNER MEANS THAT WE PUT SOMETHING FORWARD.
IN THIS CASE, THE ASK IS FOR DOLLARS LIKE MEDINA HAS PUT IN TO THE LONG LAKE CREEK WATERSHED PLAN AND LONG LAKE, I BELIEVE, INTENDS TO.
SO IN 2014-- AND THIS IS PART OF THIS FORMER RESOLUTION 6610 THAT WAS MADE A DECADE AGO.
I THINK IT SAYS HERE THAT IT WAS MADE APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
BUT IT WAS A DECADE-- IT WAS A DECADE AGO.
SO IN 2014, STATE OF MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL ESTABLISHED THAT DAILY MAX LOAD OF WHAT THEY WANT US TO REDUCE IN TERMS OF PHOSPHORUS IN OUR LAKE SHORE OR OUR SUBWATERSHED, WHICH INCLUDES ORONO, MEDINA, AND LONG LAKE.
THEN, A DECADE AGO, THIS CITY PASSED RESOLUTION 6610 AFFIRMING SUPPORT OF INTER-AGENCY PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDING MCWD IN PURSUIT OF GRANTS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, TO, AGAIN, IMPROVE THAT SUBWATERSHED THAT FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO LONG LAKE, WHERE WE RECREATE AND WHERE WE'VE CLOSED BEACHES REPEATEDLY.
SO THAT WAS THE SETUP OF THE RESOLUTION.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING BACKWARD AT THE CITY ACTIONS THAT HAVE COME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THAT RESOLUTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO PARTNER, APPLY FOR GRANTS, ET CETERA.
I DID ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF EARLIER TODAY, AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GATHER THE INFO.
AND AGAIN, THIS PACKET, WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO PREPARE ON THIS ONE, BUT I ASKED STAFF-- AND IT'S A GOOD QUESTION-- IN THE LAST DECADE, HOW MANY GRANTS HAS OUR CITY PURSUED TO THIS END? THAT'S AN OPEN QUESTION.
AND ALSO IN THE LAST DECADE, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF GRANTS THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE RECEIVED TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THIS SUBWATERSHED? AND ALSO, FINALLY, AND THIS GETS BACK TO CIP, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE, I THINK, SCHEDULED OUT 2029 TO START PUTTING CIP DOLLARS INTO THIS LONG LAKE ROADMAP, WHICH MCWD GAVE US.
THIS IS THE COOKBOOK ON HOW TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THAT LAKE, IN LONG LAKE.
SO IN THE LAST DECADE, WE'VE ALLOTTED WHAT AND SPENT WHAT OF CIP DOLLARS ON PROJECTS RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THIS? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED CIP DOLLARS AS A CITY.
WHEN WE SEE-- WHEN WE PUT MONEY TOWARD CIP, IT'S FOR STORMWATER.
IT'S FOR STREET SWEEPING, RETENTION PONDS.
IT IS NOT TOWARDS SPECIFICALLY CLEANING UP THIS LAKE.
WHEN I SAY CLEANING UP, I MEAN IMPROVING WATER QUALITY AND REDUCING PHOSPHORUS LOADING.
SO IN 2023, THE MCWD PRESENTED TO THIS COUNCIL
[02:05:06]
ABOUT THIS ROADMAP AND LAID OUT WHAT WAS NEEDED IN TERMS OF CAPITAL DOLLARS.THEY ASKED THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL IN 2023.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN DESPITE HAVING PASSED A RESOLUTION IN 2016.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT PREVIOUS COUNCIL WAS LESS INCLINED TO PROMOTE THOSE SORTS OF PROJECTS OR SUPPORT THEM.
THE WATERSHED JUST RECENTLY PRESENTED THIS AGAIN, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE THE WATERSHED NEEDS TO DO TO ASK US FOR MONEY.
THEY'RE ASKING US FOR MONEY IN OUR CIP TO PUT TOWARDS THE WORK ON THAT WATERSHED UPSTREAM TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY FOR RECREATING, FISHING, KAYAKING, SWIMMING.
SO I BELIEVE-- AND STAFF, ADAM, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
WE DID DO THE RETROFITTING PROJECT AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDED WORK TO BE DONE ON HIGHWAY 6, THE STORMWATER POND.
THAT WORK WAS DONE BY MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED TO TRY TO IMPROVE PART OF THE SUBWATERSHED.
HOW MANY CAPITAL DOLLARS DID THE CITY OF ORONO PUT TOWARDS THAT PROJECT? ADAM EDWARDS: WE DIDN'T PUT ANY TOWARDS THE PROJECT.
ALISA BENSON: SO A PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITHIN THE CITY OF ORONO TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE SUBWATERSHED.
OUR CITY ALLOCATED NO DOLLARS.
SO THIS IS-- I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE I WON'T BE HERE IN THE NEW YEAR TO SAY IT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THEY ARE PRIORITIZING THAT WATERSHED, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC USES THESE SPACES AND PLACES, WHETHER IT'S LONG LAKE, MEDINA, ORONO, OR ALL THE FOLKS WHO COME INTO SUMMIT BEACH.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR CROWN JEWELS IS SUMMIT BEACH AND THIS PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE WATER.
SO TONIGHT, I LOOK AT THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE US, AND IT SAYS LESS THAN THE RESOLUTION IN 2016.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS RESOLUTION THAT I CAN SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
NOT THAT-- OF COURSE, WE VALUE WATER QUALITY.
OF COURSE, WE VALUE THE IDEA OF SWIMMING AND RECREATING IN LONG LAKE AND OTHER AREAS.
BUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WHERE ARE THE ACTIONS? AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SO BY HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE, BY PASSING A RESOLUTION WHICH WE CAN DO, IT DOES NOT HAVE TEETH IN TERMS OF ACTIONABLE ITEMS. SO I HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE WATERSHED IN MY TIME, AND I ACTUALLY-- AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING A LIAISON TO THE WATERSHED.
THERE'S NO MENTION OF THAT IN THIS RESOLUTION.
THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, WHETHER IT'S THIS RESOLUTION OR A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS PART OF DEMONSTRATING AND SHOWING THAT WE AS A CITY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT ISSUES AND PASSING RESOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, JUST LIKE PROTOCOL WITH PARKS COMMISSION, TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS SUCCEED.
BECAUSE WHAT I ALSO SEE IS A FEW YEARS BACK, I NOT ONLY SAW WATERSHED GIVE A PRESENTATION, THE WATERSHED ALSO PRESENTED TO LONG LAKE WATERS LAST YEAR IN THIS CHAMBERS.
AND THE PUBLIC WAS VERY INVESTED SAYING MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT AND DIRECTOR WISKER, WHAT CAN YOU DO? WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE LAKE SHORE AND WATER QUALITY IN LONG LAKE? AND THE ANSWER WAS, WE'VE DONE IT.
WE'VE GIVEN YOU AS A CITY, ALONG WITH MEDINA AND LONG LAKE, A ROADMAP TO HELP.
THEY NEED DOLLARS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NOT PUT ANY IN.
WHETHER OR NOT WE PRIORITIZE THAT IN THE FUTURE IS UP TO US.
I WOULD PRIORITIZE IT OVER MAYBE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR IT IN 2027.
SO PUTTING THIS OFF TO 2030, 2029, TO ME, DOES NOT HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY.
AND AGAIN, MEDINA HAS PUT AWAY NEARLY ALL OF THEIR CIP DOLLARS REQUIRED TO MAKE THEIR PART OF THIS HAPPEN.
SO THIS IS NOT MEANT TO SOUND AS AN INDICTMENT OF OUR CITY.
IT'S MEANT TO SAY THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO OUR CITIZENS THAT I VALUE THIS AND WILL CONTINUE TO VALUE IT AND REGRET, IN PART, THAT I COULDN'T DO MORE IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS HERE TO PRIORITIZE THIS PROJECT.
WE HAD DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND ISSUES AS WE HAVE HAD IN THE LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE'RE THE LAKESHORE CITY.
THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR OUR CITIZENS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR REQUESTS FROM LIDS, WHICH WE'VE ALSO HEARD, LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON GRANTS, CAPITAL DOLLARS TO IMPROVE STUBBS BAY.
THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO COME FIRST BECAUSE THE WATERSHED'S DONE ALL THE DATA ON IT.
AND I KNOW WE'RE DATA DRIVEN HERE.
WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
AND SO MY SUGGESTION AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS, THE ASK, IS TO HAVE A RESOLUTION WRITTEN BY STAFF IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOLKS WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS
[02:10:02]
IS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US SOME OF THE KEY POINTS THAT WE NEED AS A COUNCIL TO DEMONSTRATE GOING FORWARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS.I DO AGREE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT WOULD BE HELPFUL, NOT AS A PART OF A RESOLUTION, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO AMEND OUR CIP AND PUT SOME DOLLARS TOWARD THIS IN 2027.
WE'VE NOT DONE IT IN A DECADE, SO IT DOESN'T FALL FROM THE TREES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE PRIORITIZING OTHER CIP EQUIPMENT AND WHATNOT FOR STREETS.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE FOLKS WHO COME TO THAT LAKE CAN'T SWIM IN IT.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS MY SUGGESTION AGAIN, IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO TAKE A SECOND GO AT THIS RESOLUTION.
AND AGAIN, THE FOLKS AT THE WATERSHED HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL WITH MYSELF, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS, AND WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH STAFF.
SO WHY CAN'T WE WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY WITH A RESOLUTION THAT CAN GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN THE NEW YEAR? I KNOW THEY'RE MORE THAN WILLING, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE SAID TO ME OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS.
AND I THINK ON THIS RESOLUTION, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE OR PARTNERING.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I WOULD AGREE.
I REALLY WANT TO SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE ADD TO OUR CIP.
SO I GUESS I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY THAT.
SO THE CITY HAS VERY MUCH BEEN A PART OF THE LONG LAKE WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP.
SO WE DID, AS RECENTLY AS 2023, APPROVE THAT PLAN AND SAY THAT WE WANTED TO BE PART OF THAT PLAN.
IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT PLAN, YOU'LL NOTICE THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF IT.
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ONE PROJECT.
IT'S ABOUT A SERIES OF PROJECTS AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE WATERS OF THE SUBWATERSHED.
AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACTIONS IN THERE THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN PART IN.
THERE WAS AN ASK A FEW YEARS AGO FOR US TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOME CARP REMOVAL EFFORTS.
AND THE CITY DECLINED TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THAT.
BUT WE DID ADOPT THE PLAN, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE WATERSHED, JUST SO THE COUNCIL KNOWS.
WE HAVE A VERY CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AT A STAFF LEVEL, AND WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THOSE PROCESSES.
AND SO WE DID NOT, AT THE TIME, OPT TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE WATERSHED'S POND.
I MEAN, IT IS THE WATERSHED'S POND.
IT IS NOT A CITY OF ORONO POND.
WE HAVE OUR OWN PONDS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN.
THEY COULD HAVE ASKED FOR SOME MONEY, AND WE MIGHT HAVE CONSIDERED PROVIDING A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, BUT THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR MONEY FOR THAT PROJECT.
WHAT THEY DID ASK FOR WAS FOR OUR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THAT PROJECT THROUGH.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF PERMITTING PROCESSES AND ENGAGEMENTS WITH LANDOWNERS AND EASEMENTS THAT WERE REQUIRED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE DID WORK QUITE CLOSELY WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, AS WE TRY TO DO WITH ALL PROJECTS WITHIN THE REALMS OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND APPROPRIATE AND POLITICALLY APPROPRIATE AT THE TIME.
THERE HASN'T BEEN SOME HIATUS, AND I WAS UNABLE AT 3 O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON TO DO A DIG ON 10 YEARS OF HISTORY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT.
BUT, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT, WE DO, AND WE HAVE ALLOCATED AT MINIMUM SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE DIRECTLY AIMED AT WATER QUALITY IN A PARTICULAR AREA.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE ABOUT THE OTHER ASPECTS OF SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS A BALANCING ACT THERE IN WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD REITERATE, ONE OF THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, PARTICULARLY IN 2027, IS RE-LOOKING AT OUR SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WE DO THAT-- RENEW THAT EVERY 10 YEARS.
WE JUST GOT TO THE END OF OUR 10 YEARS.
AS DIRECTOR WISKER MENTIONED, WATERSHED IS REDOING THEIRS.
WE'RE REDOING OURS, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR HOW-- JUST LIKE WE DID LAST TIME, 10 YEARS AGO, WE'RE LOOKING FOR HOW OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS CAN TIE THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.
LAST TIME AROUND, 10 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A LOT OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT WERE SITTING IN OUR 10-YEAR HORIZON.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE KNOCKED OUT A LOT OF THOSE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, JUST I THINK LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE, WAS, OK, AS WE LOOK AT THIS NEXT 10 YEARS, ARE THERE SOME THINGS WHERE WE COULD TRY TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE A POTENTIAL ALUM DOSING OF LONG LAKE, LONG LAKE ITSELF, THE LAKE, IN THE 2030 FRAME.
[02:15:02]
HENCE WHY I PUT A PLACEHOLDER ON THE 2030 CIP AS WE WENT THROUGH THE STORMWATER CIP THIS TIME.TURNS OUT, THEY MAY WANT A LOT MORE MONEY THAN I PUT THERE, BUT THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S WHY WE DO A CIP REDO EVERY YEAR.
AS WE GET THROUGH THIS SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PROCESS, AND WE REAFFIRM WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AND WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE WITHIN THE WHOLE REALM OF SURFACE WATER, WE CAN SAY, OK, WELL, WE WANT TO SPEND MORE OF OUR EFFORT AND OUR RESOURCES ON PARTICULAR WATER QUALITY INITIATIVES OVER 10 YEARS AGO, IT WAS.
BUT OTHERWISE, WE HAVE THIS LIST OF THINGS LIKE RAVINE STABILIZATION, SHORELINE RESTORATIONS, STORM POND RENEWALS, AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PLAN FROM 10 YEARS AGO, THAT'S WHAT PREDOMINATED.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CITY AT THE TIME AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THAT PLAN IN 2016, 2017, SO NOT TOO LONG AFTER THE STATE PUT TOGETHER TMDL REQUIREMENTS, WHICH THEY DID IN 2014, BUT KIND OF SAYING WHERE WE CAN, WE'LL TRY TO INCORPORATE TMDL IMPROVEMENTS INTO OUR PROJECTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT GUIDED US FOR THIS PAST 10 YEARS.
SO I THINK THERE'S ABSOLUTELY AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT 10 YEARS, SO HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
I GET SOME OF THE POLITICS PAST COUNCILS AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE TO YOU AND TO ANYBODY WHO MIGHT LISTEN THAT THE CITY HAS AND PUTS A GREAT DEAL OF RESOURCES TO MAINTAINING OUR STORMWATER AND OUR SURFACE WATER AND TRYING TO MAKE IT THE BEST POSSIBLE PROGRAM IT CAN BE FOR THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TOWARDS IT.
AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, THE RESOURCES WE USE FOR STORMWATER ARE WHAT WE COLLECT IN OUR STORMWATER FEES.
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IT HAS TO GO TO JUST MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN THE REMAINDER IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER FOR THESE OTHER PROJECTS, OF WHICH WATER QUALITY IS A PART.
FLOODING ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS ARE OTHER PARTS THAT PLAY INTO THAT.
AND IF YOU WANT THE RESOLUTION A DIFFERENT WAY, THAT'S FINE.
WE'VE KIND OF TRIED TO WRITE THESE RESOLUTIONS IN THE PAST TO SAY, HEY, WE ENDORSE AND WE WANT TO DO-- WE WANT TO FOLLOW THIS PLAN THAT WE DEVELOPED IN COORDINATION WITH OUR SISTER CITIES AND WITH THE WATERSHED, WHICH WE HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO.
IF YOU'D RATHER HAVE MORE SPECIFIC THINGS OUT OF THAT PLAN WRITTEN INTO A RESOLUTION, WE COULD DO THAT TOO.
ADAM EDWARDS: IT'S JUST CUTTING AND PASTING.
ALISA BENSON: THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE ONLY BECAUSE LOOKING BACK TO 2016, THERE HAS NOT BEEN CIP DOLLARS PUT IN BY CITY OF ORONO TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT HOMEOWNERS AND FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE WHO COME FROM FAR AND AWAY TO USE THIS BODY OF WATER, SPECIFICALLY LONG LAKE-- WE'VE NOT PUT DOLLARS TOWARDS THAT ISSUE.
SO THE DIFFERENCE, IN MY OPINION, IS BEING-- WE TALKED ABOUT THE POLLINATOR PROJECTS.
A STORMWATER POND THAT'S FITTED WITH THE BUREAU OF SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES WET DITCH MIX VERSUS AN INTENTIONAL ADDITION, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
I SEE THIS AS A SIMILAR ISSUE.
WE DO HAVE STORMWATER SURFACE MANAGEMENT.
WE DO REQUIRE CERTAIN THINGS OF PROPERTY OWNERS AND LANDOWNERS WHEN WE PUT IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
THAT'S WHAT I'D CALL-- I SHOULDN'T SAY BARE MINIMUM.
WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING IN THIS CASE OF THE LONG LAKE SUBWATERSHED IS LOOKING AT A PLAN THAT TAKES US TO THE FUTURE.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO CLAW OUT OF THIS MESS THAT THIS LAKE IS IN AND THAT WE ARE GETTING LOTS OF ISSUES WITH UNLESS WE PUT DOLLARS TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS IT AT THE ROOT CAUSE DOWN.
AND MAINTAINING IS NOT GOING TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THAT AREA FOR THIS LAKE.
THAT IS WHY I FEEL THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THERE'S GOOD COUNCIL SUPPORT RIGHT NOW FOR CLEAN WATER BECAUSE THESE ISSUES WITH LIDS AND BEING ADDRESSED AS A COUNCIL WITH WATER QUALITY AT THIS LAKE, THOSE ARE INCREASING.
AND THE MCWD CAN'T ADDRESS THIS ON THEIR OWN.
SO SHORT OF MAKING A FORMAL REQUEST SAYING WE WOULD LIKE $50,000 IN 2027, I'VE HEARD THE ASK.
AND THE ASK IS, HERE'S THE PLAN.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS PUTTING DOLLARS IN.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS BE REWRITTEN WITH MORE SPECIFICS, IF NOT A DOLLAR AMOUNT, CERTAINLY THAT THE CITY OF ORONO COMMITS TO HAVING A LIAISON POSITION FOR WATERSHED ISSUES AS PART OF THIS COMMITMENT BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THERE IN 2016.
AND I THINK WITHOUT THAT, WE'RE IN DANGER OF LETTING THESE ISSUES SLIDE ANOTHER DECADE.
AND THIS IS NOT AN INDICTMENT OF HOW HARD OUR STAFF WORKS OR OUR STANDARDS FOR STORMWATER.
[02:20:03]
IT'S SAYING, IF THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE WANT TO DO BETTER, WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS DIFFERENTLY.WE HAVE TO THINK MORE CREATIVELY ABOUT THIS SUBWATERSHED.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
BOB TUNHEIM: ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE MAKE A CHANGE TO THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET THAT WE HAVE APPROVED FOR 2027? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? ALISA BENSON: I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT.
IN THE CASE OF IF WE'RE LOOKING-- AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DECIDED TONIGHT.
TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THAT TONIGHT.
WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IS A ACTIONABLE PLAN GOING FORWARD FOR CITY OF ORONO WITH THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE ARE HOLDING OURSELVES BETTER ACCOUNTABLE.
BECAUSE IF WE HAVE-- WE'VE ALL HEARD THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.
THIS IS WHAT I SEE A BIT AS I'M LEAVING IS THAT WE HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS AS A CITY, AND WE'RE NOT MAKING THIS WORK ADVANCE.
SO WITH THE RESOLUTION, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THIS ADVANCE IF WE ARE NOT EITHER ALLOCATING SOME DOLLARS, PUTTING IN A RESOLUTION THAT LOOKS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST WITH MORE ACTIONABLE ITEMS, SPECIFICALLY A LIAISON AND PRIORITIZING THIS ON PAPER AS A CITY GOING FORWARD? THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LIAISON POSITION IN THE DRAFT ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS.
SO WE DID TAKE THE COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE VERY SERIOUSLY LAST TIME.
SO IT IS INCLUDED IN THERE WITH THE NAME SUGGESTED.
WE DID NOT BRING IT FORWARD TO THIS COUNCIL MEETING AS THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD BRING FORWARD IN JANUARY.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER ONE, WE CAN, BUT WE ADDED IT IN THERE.
BOB TUNHEIM: FRANKLY, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AN ELEMENT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR 2050.
THAT'S MORE OF A LONG-RANGE PLANNING TOOL THAT MAY HAVE SHORT-TERM FUNDING AND OTHER OBJECTIVES, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO BE FULLY VETTED.
AND THE WATERSHED DISTRICT IS ALSO DOING A COMP PLAN AND OFFERED TO WORK TOGETHER ON THOSE COMMON ELEMENTS OF THAT PLAN.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE PROPER PLACE TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WHICH ARE NECESSARILY MORE LONG-TERM IN NATURE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I CAN SEE THAT, BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD BE SAVING-- I HATE TO SAY-- FOR A RAINY DAY, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PUT SOME OF OUR MONEY INTO CLEANING UP THE WATER.
I MEAN, LONG LAKE RUNS INTO LAKE MINNETONKA, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ACTUALLY INVEST IN PROJECTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY, DESIGNED TO ACTUALLY CLEAN THE WATER UP, NOT JUST TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF A SHORT-TERM PROBLEM.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
BOB TUNHEIM: THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING IT'S MORE LONG TERM.
JACQUELIN RICKS: BUT THAT'S WHY-- I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE US PUT SOME DOLLARS AWAY EVERY YEAR AND SAVE FOR IT.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING HUGE DOLLARS BEHIND IT.
AND I FEEL LIKE AT ORONO WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE LAKE MINNETONKA-- I MEAN, I CAN'T NAME ONE LAKE IN MEDINA.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING MONEY BEHIND IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: THEY SHOWED US SOME WHEN THEY WERE HERE.
JACQUELIN RICKS: BUT I DON'T KNOW THE NAMES OF THEM.
SO ANYWAY-- BUT THERE ARE SOME.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING SOME DOLLARS BEHIND IT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT IT'S PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND I THINK IT WILL BE.
BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S KIND OF AN IMMEDIATE THING FOR US TO START THINKING ABOUT RATHER THAN PUSHING IT OFF TO 2050.
BOB TUNHEIM: WELL, THE ISSUE I SEE WITH SETTING ASIDE SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR SPENDING IN 2027 IS IT COMES OFF OF SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY SET OUR LEVY.
IT'S ALMOST, IN MY MIND, TOO LATE FOR 2027 BECAUSE SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET PULLED OFF.
AND WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF, WELL, LET'S WAIT ON THIS.
LET'S NOT SPEND AS MUCH ON THIS IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE WE WERE WITH OUR LEVY, AND WE CAN'T GO ABOVE THAT LEGALLY.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT MAYBE WE DO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'VE SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR AND MAYBE LOOK TOWARDS OUR FUTURE, ESPECIALLY THE WATER.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, WE PUT AWAY ABOUT $1.2 MILLION A YEAR FOR STORMWATER, WHICH IS-- I KNOW WE LIKE TO POINT TO OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT SIZABLY MORE THAN WHAT MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO DO OUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, BOTH MAINTENANCE AND PROJECT-RELATED STUFF.
SO AGAIN, THE WAY THAT WE ARE BUDGETED IS WE HAVE DONE THAT.
UNLESS WE WANT TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY, WE PULL THAT OUT OF OUR STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
AND SO THAT ALL GOES INTO OUR STORMWATER FUND.
THAT'S THE REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE STORMWATER FUND, FROM WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH OUR BUDGETING PROCESSES IS WHERE WE PULL OUT OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET
[02:25:01]
FOR STORMWATER, WHICH SITS BETWEEN $600,000 AND $800,000 A YEAR, JUST TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE GOT.AND THEN WE HAVE $200,000 TO $400,000 A YEAR USUALLY IN PROJECT THINGS.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALWAYS PROGRAMMED THAT MONEY BASED ON THE THINGS THAT WE HAD IN OUR SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT SAID, HEY, THESE ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE PLAN FORWARD LONG TERM FOR THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON.
I GUESS, AGAIN, NOT TO BEAT THE DEAD HORSE, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE COMING UP AS WE GO INTO 2027 IS SAYING THIS IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SET MONEY ASIDE FOR.
AND OBVIOUSLY, AS WE GO THROUGH THESE, WE ADJUST EVERY YEAR AGAIN.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE WATERSHED DISTRICT SAID, HEY, WE HAVE THIS POTENTIAL JOINT PROJECT IN 2030.
WILL YOU START SETTING ASIDE SOME MONEY FOR THAT? AND WE SAID, YEAH, WE WILL.
AND AS WE GET MORE REFINEMENT ON WHAT THAT NEED IS, WE CAN ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT WE TOOK THAT FIRST STEP ON THAT ISSUE.
AND IN OTHER PLACES, WE'VE HAD OTHER BATCHES OF MONEY THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE FOR THAT.
NOW, MOST OF THE TIME, IT HASN'T BEEN A PURE WATER QUALITY PROJECT.
IT'S BEEN OTHER THINGS LIKE IN THE LONG LAKE SUBWATERSHED, WE'VE DONE RAVINE STABILIZATIONS THAT FEED DIRECTLY INTO LONG LAKE.
WE'VE DONE A SHORELINE RESTORATION ALONG A MAJORITY OF THE WESTERN SHORE OF LONG LAKE ITSELF.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, SOME OF WHICH PREDATE THAT PLAN.
THE PLAN STARTS ON SUCH AND SUCH DATE.
WE DON'T GET TO BACK CREDIT OURSELVES.
BUT WE SAY, ORONO, WE JUST DID ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT THIS PLAN OF ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, WE DO PLANNING.
WE DO-- AS YOU GUYS HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH AT LEAST TWICE THROUGH A CYCLE WITH US.
BUT WE'RE DOING THE BIG PLANNING AS WE DO THE COMP PLAN AND AS WE DO THE SURFACE-- ALL THE OTHER PLANS THAT GO INTO THAT, SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN BEING THE ONE.
AND IF YOU GO LOOK AT THE OLD ONE, YOU SEE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THESE ARE THE GOALS OF THE CITY AND HOW WE THEN-- HOW THE REST OF THAT PLAN FALLS OUT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: HOW DID WE DO? SINCE WE'RE DOING THE NEW ONE, HOW DID WE DO FOLLOWING FOR THE WATER BASED ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF OLD? ADAM EDWARDS: SAY AGAIN.
JACQUELIN RICKS: SO HOW DID WE DO? DID WE HIT MOST OF OUR GOALS THAT WE HAD FOR-- ADAM EDWARDS: WE GOT THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED IN THERE THAT WERE DONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TALKING CIP.
A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THE CIP SLIDE THIS TALL WITH DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND NOW WE'RE LIKE THIS BECAUSE I KIND OF RAN OUT OF THINGS TO PULL OUT OF THAT SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN TO PUT ON THE CIP BECAUSE WE DID THEM, OR THEY BECAME OVERCOME BY OTHER THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK AS WE START TO GO INTO THIS NEXT PLANNING CYCLE, THAT WAS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE-HEAVY THINGS LIKE RAVINE STABILIZATIONS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND THERE HAVEN'T BEEN A LOT OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN COMING FORWARD THAT I'VE BEEN AWARE OF.
SO WE CAN LOOK TO START TAKING THAT SAME POT OF RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND SAY, OH, WELL, LET'S GO DO-- LET'S GO DO A IN-WATER, AS WE CALL IT, PROJECT OF SOME SORT.
WE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS HAVE BASICALLY SAID, HEY, WE WILL FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE LAND THAT INFLUENCE THE WATER.
AND WE'LL LET THE WATERSHED WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WATER.
THE IDEA THAT IF WE'RE EACH DOING OUR PART, WE'RE OVERALL CONTRIBUTING.
BUT NOW THAT WE'VE GOT ALL THAT OTHER STUFF DONE, MAYBE WE CAN START HELPING.
ALISA BENSON: SO JUST TO CLARIFY SOMETHING, THE ROADMAP THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT IS NOT CONSIDERED WATER TREATMENT.
SO WHAT THIS ISN'T IS GOING IN JUST WITH ALUM TO REDUCE WEEDS.
THE ROADMAP OF-- AND THIS IS ALL CITIES THAT ARE BEING ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE OR BEING REQUESTED.
RESTORATION REQUIRES THREE COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES-- REGIONAL TREATMENT FOR LARGE DRAINAGE AREAS, TARGETED LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, AND IN LAKE MANAGEMENT.
SO WHAT THIS ISN'T IS THE IDEA THAT SOME AGENCY IS GOING TO COME IN HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S, I THINK, THE MISPERCEPTION OF NOT ONLY GOVERNMENT FOLKS, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC, IS THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME IN AND MAKE WATER BETTER.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT INVOLVES LAND IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AND CITIES.
AND SO THE ROADMAP HAS LAID OUT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT IN-WATER TREATMENTS.
ALUM WOULD BE THE VERY, VERY, VERY LAST THING THAT WOULD REDUCE SOME OF THAT PHOSPHORUS OR CATCH IT IN THE LAKE BED.
THIS IS ABOUT THE SUBWATERSHED THAT DRAINS INTO LONG LAKE LAND THAT AFFECTS WATER QUALITY.
SO IT'S ALWAYS-- AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT THIS AS A POLITICAL ISSUE.
THIS IS A WATER QUALITY ISSUE, WHICH I THINK ISN'T POLITICAL.
[02:30:01]
IT'S ABOUT RESIDENTS.AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
NOBODY WANTS TO SWIM IN A LAKE OR CAN WHEN IT'S CLOSED DUE TO BLUE-GREEN ALGAE.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS COUNCIL VALUES ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS AND CONSERVATION-FORWARD THINKING.
AND THE ISSUE IS WE HAVE MAINTENANCE, WHICH WE'RE DOING WITH OUR CIP, WITH REPLACING SNOWPLOWS, REDUCING SALT, GETTING THE STREET SWEEPERS THE IDEA IS, WHAT ELSE? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET A PROJECT LIKE THIS IF WE ARE MAINTAINING.
WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE MAINTAINING WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE STREETS, WITH THE REPAIRS, WITH THE ROADS.
THAT IS NOT LOOKING OUT IN LARGE PART TOWARDS A PROJECT THAT IS VISIONARY, THAT IS INNOVATIVE, AND THAT IS GOING TO REDUCE PHOSPHORUS AND MAKE THIS LAKE LESS LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY THOSE SORTS OF WATER QUALITY ISSUES GOING FORWARD.
SO I DO SEE A DISTINCTION HERE, WHICH IS WHY I'M PUSHING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION COME BACK BEFORE US OR BE CRAFTED IN THE NEW YEAR THAT DIFFERENTIATES WHAT MAINTENANCE IS AS A CITY VERSUS AN INNOVATION THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS, DO WE VALUE THIS TYPE OF FORWARD THINKING PROJECT OR NOT? BECAUSE WHEN WE ALLOCATE DOLLARS, WE'RE SAYING THIS MATTERS, WHETHER IT'S GOLF COURSE, MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED LAKE, THE ROADMAP, OR ANYTHING ELSE.
WHEN WE PUT MONEY TOWARDS SOMETHING, WHICH IS WHY I OPPOSED IT REGARDING THE GOLF COURSE-- DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA.
THIS IS A LOT OF DATA TO SAY THIS IS HOW YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN LONG LAKE AND MAKE THEM BETTER.
SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO DIRECT STAFF, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A FORMAL MOTION NEEDED, TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNER TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION THAT MORE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES IN DETAIL A COMMITMENT TO LIAISON WORK GOING FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OR ANYONE ELSE, JUST AS WE DID WHEN WE FORMED THE LID.
WE CREATED A LIAISON ROLE AFTER THE FACT FOR THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT INCLUDED, AS WELL AS JUST MORE DETAIL REGARDING WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE TO REDUCING THIS TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD, JUST LIKE WE HAD THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNICAL DETAILS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A RESOLUTION THAT REALLY DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A LITTLE THING BECAUSE WE WILL-- IN THE FUTURE, THE CITY WILL SEE MORE RESIDENTS COMING IN TO MEETINGS HERE SAYING, WHY IS THE BEACH CLOSED? AND THIS RESOLUTION IS PART OF THAT SOLUTION.
BOB TUNHEIM: I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST YOU WORK WITH STAFF TO CREATE WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND HERE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD.
ALISA BENSON: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OBJECTION TO THAT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: THAT WOULD WONDERFUL.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 20, 2026 GOALS
[20) 2026 Goals Quarterly Status Update]
QUARTERLY STATUS UPDATE.ADAM EDWARDS: [INAUDIBLE] MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE COUNCIL ESTABLISHED SOME GOALS AND PRIORITIES AT THE BEGINNING OF 2026.
AND ONE OF THE DIRECTIONS WAS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE QUARTERLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHEN WE DO QUARTERLY FINANCIAL UPDATE.
SO MAGGIE BRIEFED YOU ON THE FINANCES, AND I'LL BRIEF YOU ON THE GOALS.
SO AS ALWAYS-- AND WE JUST SPENT A LONG TIME TALKING ABOUT IT-- BUT WE TIE OUR GOALS INTO WHAT OUR MISSION, VISION, AND OVERARCHING CITY GOALS ARE.
SO GOAL NUMBER ONE WAS TO ESTABLISH ONE OR MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS HIGHLIGHTING THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND AT A MINIMUM, TO ESTABLISH A TREE LIGHTING FOR CITY HALL IN 2026.
WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO HAVING A TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY HERE IN LESS THAN A MONTH'S TIME HERE AT CITY HALL.
THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT WAS, IF POSSIBLE, TO PARTNER IN SOME KIND OF FALL EVENT.
THAT WAS MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY-DRIVEN THING.
WE REACHED OUT AND HAD SOME COORDINATIONS WITH SOME DIFFERENT GROUPS, BUT NOTHING THAT MANDATED A WHOLESALE CHANGE IN HOW WE DO THINGS.
NOW THAT SAID, OUR PD, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT HAVE YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN HOMECOMING PARADES AND ALL THAT KIND OF NORMAL STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AS FAR AS SOME SPECIAL THING THE CITY
[02:35:02]
WAS OVERARCHING SUPPORTING, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT CAME UP.THE ONE THING THAT DID COME OUT OF THIS WASN'T PART OF THE ORIGINAL WAS THAT THE PARKS COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT SOME KIND OF VOLUNTEER PARKS-RELATED EVENT IN THE SPRING OF 2027.
CUSTOMER SERVICE METRICS, WE'RE CALLING THIS A GREEN AS WELL.
WE DID FINALLY GET THROUGH ALL OF THE AUTOMATION OR IT STUFF THAT FACILITATED IT.
AND SO I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK, I GAVE YOU ONE OF THE MONTHLY UPDATES ON THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME ASPIRATIONS TO MAYBE EXPAND THAT BEYOND THE INITIAL RESPONSE, WHICH IS WHAT WE FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR.
BUT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IN BOTH ON OUR PERMITTING AND LICENSING SYSTEM AS WELL AS OUR CITIZEN INPUT SYSTEM.
PARKS ASSET MANAGEMENT-- SEVERAL DIFFERENT SUB OBJECTIVES HERE.
ONE WAS TO CREATE A CONSISTENT, EFFICIENT MEETING STRUCTURE.
AND THE PARKS COMMISSION HAS REALLY BEEN DOING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARKS STAFF.
AND JOE, SECOND, WE TALKED ABOUT ACTUALLY DURING THE MONARCH PLEDGE IS ESTABLISHING SOME PRIORITIES FOR OUR PARKS, PROVIDING SOME GUIDES AND SOME STANDARDS FOR THEM.
THERE'S STILL A FEW THINGS TO BE PRESENTED, AND I KNOW THE PARKS COMMISSION CHAIR AND OUR PARKS DIRECTOR ARE STILL PLANNING TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL IN NOVEMBER-- IT IS NOVEMBER, BUT THE SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER-- ON HOW THAT'S GOING.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING WAS THE HACKBERRY PARK REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT ITSELF IS NOT COMPLETED, WE'RE GETTING TOWARDS THE END OF THE CONTRACTOR PART OF THE PROJECT.
AS YOU CAN SEE OUT ON SITE, THEY'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG.
AND THEN SO AS WE MOVE INTO 2027, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'LL BE TURF ESTABLISHMENT AS THE VEGETATION TAKES TIME, VEGETATION ESTABLISHMENT.
AND THEN THERE'S A BUNCH OF ITEMS THAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO INTERNALLY AS A CITY AS FAR AS BENCHES AND SOME OF THESE OTHER ACCESSORIES.
THE NEXT ONE WAS FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.
AND THAT WAS TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND BUILD TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGH TIMELY AND HONEST COMMUNICATIONS.
SO WE'RE CALLING THIS GREEN AS WELL.
SO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR, WE'VE BEEN ADDING MORE COMMUNICATIONS INTO THE VARIOUS-- WHETHER IT BE UTILITY BILLS, NEWSLETTERS, EMAIL BLASTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON THINGS THAT MAY BE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT IMPACT US, BUT JUST AS WELL AS JUST GETTING OUT THERE OUR NORMAL BUDGETING PROCESS AND WHERE AND HOW OUR TAXPAYER AND FEES ARE SPENT AS A CITY.
FACILITIES ASSET MANAGEMENT-- THE ONLY THING WE DECIDED NOT TO DO THIS YEAR AND PAUSED ON WAS THE FINISHING OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SALT SHED AND COMMODITIES YARD.
ALTHOUGH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RE-LOOKING THAT NEXT YEAR.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE AGREEING ACROSS THE BOARD ON THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH THE FACILITIES CONDITION STUDY BEING UNDERWAY.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL REPORT OR THE FINAL FUTURE FACILITY USE OF THE-- WE'RE CALLING IT THE COMMUNITY BUILDING NOW SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TRYING TO USE IT.
BUT WE DID-- AS I MENTIONED, JOE AND I DID GET THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE FACILITIES STUDY, AND THAT IS INFORMING OUR FUTURE FACILITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH THERE'S A LOT TO DO.
JACQUELIN RICKS: CAN I ASK WHO'S DOING THAT REPORT? ADAM EDWARDS: KRAUS-ANDERSON WAS THE PRIMARY.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A PARTNER IN WOLD ARCHITECTS.
SO KRAUS-ANDERSON WAS DOING THE MAJORITY OF THE FACILITY ASSESSMENTS, SO GIVING US THAT LIST OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED OR THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.
I ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT 20 YEARS AND GIVE US PARTICULARLY THE THINGS IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS-- BUT WHEN DOES A ROOF NEED TO BE REPLACED, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SMALLER FIXES, REPLACEMENT OF LIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WOLD ARCHITECTS IS LOOKING MORE AT THE FACILITY USAGE ASPECT OF IT.
SO IN PARTICULAR, WHAT ARE-- BUILDING ON THE PREVIOUS THINGS WE'VE DONE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE MIGHT USE THE OLD PUBLIC WORKS OR COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR IN THE FUTURE AND THOSE CASE STUDIES.
THAT PART I HAVEN'T SEEN BACK.
WE'VE HAD SOME ENGAGEMENTS, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR REPORT.
[02:40:02]
THE KRAUS-ANDERSON BIT IS A MASSIVE SPREADSHEET-BASED SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT.THEY JUST HAVEN'T PRODUCED THEIR WRITTEN REPORT THAT GOES WITH THAT YET.
BOB TUNHEIM: WILL WE EXPECT THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR? ADAM EDWARDS: YES, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
ADAM EDWARDS: AND THEN THE LAST ITEM WAS TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR '27 TO '29.
AND THAT ONE WE KIND OF STOPPED WORK ON.
AS WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESSES, COUNCIL REDIRECTED, KIND OF GAVE NEW DIRECTION ON WHERE TO SPEND THOSE PLANNING DOLLARS FOR THE COMP PLAN.
AND THEN THE OTHER THINGS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY PART OF THE SIX THINGS THE COUNCIL DIRECTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, BUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY TAKE UP A LOT OF THE CITY EFFORT-- SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS WENT VERY WELL THIS YEAR.
AND SO THAT TOOK UP THE MAJORITY OF PARTICULARLY THE SUMMER AND FALL FOR OUR ADMIN STAFF.
TREE MANAGEMENT-- WE DID RECEIVE A GRANT, AND TREES ARE OR HAVE BEEN GOING INTO THE GROUND.
SO YOU MAY SEE A BUNCH OF TREES OUT THERE.
SO KUDOS TO JOE AND HIS TEAM FOR MANAGING THAT.
LAURA AND TEAM KICKED OFF THE COMP PLAN START.
WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THAT, AND WE'VE HAD OUR FIRST STEERING COMMITTEE KICKOFF MEETING.
2027 BUDGET-- WE HAD OUR LAST OF OUR WORK SESSIONS TODAY, AND WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET, THE DRAFT BUDGET AS SCHEDULED AT THE DECEMBER MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION.
FIBER LOCATES-- ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNEW-- I'M PUTTING THAT AS YELLOW BECAUSE IT'S STILL HAPPENING.
IT'S STILL A HUGE STRAIN ON PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF AND OUR UTILITIES FOLKS DOING ALL THE LOCATES AND ALL THE RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMITS THAT GO WITH THAT.
WE KNEW WE HAD THE MIDCO FIBER BUILD OUT COMING, BUT THEN WE'VE ALSO GOT FRONTIER AND SOME OTHERS COMING THROUGH, SO IT'S A HUGE EFFORT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STATUTORILY-- WE HAVE TO DO LOCATES.
'25 AUDIT, WE ALREADY HAD A BRIEFING.
SHORELINE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT REALLY SUCKED A LOT OF OUR EFFORT UP IN THE SPRING, STANDING THAT UP.
AND I THINK I FINALLY BREATHED MY FINAL SIGH OF RELIEF BECAUSE JUST THIS PAST WEEK, THE BOARD DID APPOINT A FULL-TIME FIRE CHIEF, WHICH WAS KIND OF THE LAST BIG MUSCLE MOVEMENT TO GETTING THAT DEPARTMENT STOOD UP.
SO I THINK WE CALL THAT A CHECK.
STILL WORK TO DO, STILL A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THEM NEEDED, BUT IT'S GOOD.
WE SELECTED A NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE A BRANDING GUIDE AS ONE OF THE THINGS THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR.
WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN FRONT OF YOU SHORTLY.
THE WATER SOFTENER DECOMMISSIONING WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ADDED.
WE JUST APPROVED A RESOLUTION TODAY.
THE RENTAL WATERCRAFT LICENSING WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME AT US IN THE FALL.
IT'S CURRENTLY SITTING IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR REVIEW.
POLLINATOR GARDENS, WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
AND THEN THE MOST RECENT THING WAS SOME DIRECTION TO DO SOME LOOK AT OUR LOGO, SIGNS, AND MONUMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I'M CALLING THAT YELLOW BECAUSE WE JUST STARTED IT.
I KNOW WE JUST THREW OUT A REPORT TO YOU ALL AT THE LAST-- WELL, NOT LAST FRIDAY, BUT THE PREVIOUS WEEK'S WEEKLY UPDATE OF WHERE THEY KIND OF ALL ARE.
AND AT SOME POINT, WE'LL WANT TO RE-ENGAGE WITH WHERE DO WE-- SO WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO NOW AS FAR AS WHAT WE WANT TO DO AS A CITY.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I HAVE FOR GOALS AND MAJOR PRIORITY EFFORTS THIS YEAR.
QUESTIONS FOR-- STEVE PERSIAN: I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ONE THING.
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE METRICS-- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REMEMBER SITTING, PUTTING THESE GOALS TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT THESE.
AND FOR A LONG TIME IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE HAD A LOT OF EMAILS AND A LOT OF THINGS COMING OUR WAY AND ASKING US QUESTIONS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT'S REALLY SLOWED DOWN AS FAR AS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME MY WAY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO REALLY NOT ONLY STANDING UP METRICS, BUT ALSO HAVING A STAFF OF FOLKS IN THE CITY THAT REALLY IS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS OR TO THE CUSTOMERS, IN THIS CASE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I GIVE THEM A TON OF CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND A LOT OF IT GOES UNNOTICED, AND A LOT OF IT GOES UNREPORTED.
BUT, FOR ME, THIS IS A BIG ONE THAT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD STAFF THAT DOES A VERY GOOD JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT PROVIDING A LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS JUST A FANTASTIC REPORT.
[02:45:01]
I LIKE THE REPORT THAT WE SAW EARLIER ON THE STATISTICS AROUND THE SERVICE METRICS.AND SO I'D SAY JUST CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BOB TUNHEIM: OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS? JACQUELIN RICKS: I WILL JUST SAY THAT I DO LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED THAT, ALL THE WAY FROM OUR GOAL SETTING TO THE QUARTERLY REPORTS.
IT'S KIND OF NICE TO SEE SOME GREEN DOTS AND KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON SOME THINGS THAT WE SET OUT TO DO.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T DO IT OUR FIRST YEAR, BUT IT'S NICE THAT WE FINALLY DID OUR SECOND YEAR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO US DOING IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, YEAH, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE DASHBOARDS, AND YOU PUT IT IN A VERY LOGICAL WAY.
ANYTHING ELSE? OTHERWISE, WE CAN MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 21
[21) 2027 Street Improvement Project Planning and Engineering Project (27-001)-Revised proposal]
BECAUSE THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED THERE ON NUMBER 20.ON NUMBER 21, 2027 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLANNING AND ENGINEERING PROJECT, IT'S A REVISED PROPOSAL.
AND WE'LL GO BACK TO MR. EDWARDS FOR THAT.
ADAM EDWARDS: SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, COUNCIL APPROVED A SELECTION OF STREETS FOR US TO LOOK AT REDOING IN 2027, AND ALSO APPROVED A PROPOSAL FROM OUR ENGINEERING CONSULTANT TO PREPARE THOSE DESIGNS UP THROUGH BIDDING AND THE PREPARATION OF THE SPECS AND ALL THAT.
AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS THIS YEAR, PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT THE FAGERNESS NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK OF ROADS, WE IDENTIFIED-- AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS DURING OUR CIP DISCUSSION ABOUT STREETS-- WE IDENTIFIED SOME ADDITIONAL NEEDS, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE ADDITION AND IN SOME CASES, REPLACEMENT OF CURB AND GUTTER.
AND SO THAT NECESSITATES SOME ADDITIONAL DESIGN EFFORT, PARTICULARLY SURVEY EFFORT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU INSTALL THOSE ITEMS, YOU NEED SOME SURVEY CONTROL FOR THE CONTRACTORS TO THEN BE ABLE TO GO OFF OF.
SO I WENT BACK TO OUR CONSULTANT, ASKED THEM TO GIVE US A REVISED PROPOSAL THAT WOULD INCLUDE SURVEYING PRETTY MUCH ALL THE ROAD NETWORK THAT WE HAVE IN NEXT YEAR'S PLAN AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL DESIGN AND SPEC WORK THAT'S REQUIRED FOR DOING SOMETHING OF THAT SCOPE.
SO THEY DID PROVIDE A PROPOSAL.
THEIR PROPOSAL TO DO THAT WORK IS-- I JUST LOST MY PLACE-- $344,000 FOR THE PROJECT.
I DO ALSO WANT TO NOTE-- I KNOW THE MAYOR WAS ASKING ME THIS EARLIER IN THE WEEK-- IS HOW DO WE EVALUATE THOSE KIND OF PROPOSALS.
AND THE REALLY SIMPLE METRIC THAT I USE ON A STREETS TYPE PROJECT IS THOSE PROPOSALS SHOULD SIT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10% AND 15% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT, WHICH THIS IN FACT DOES.
SO DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THAT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE WORK OF REPAIRING THOSE ROADS FOR NEXT YEAR'S PROJECT.
ALISA BENSON: I HAVE A QUESTION.
I BELIEVE THE WHOLE COUNCIL GOT AN EMAIL EARLIER TODAY ABOUT OLD LONG LAKE ROAD.
I CAN ATTEST TO THAT ONE BEING VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO BIKE ON AS WELL AS DRIVE.
SO THE IMPLICATION FROM THE EMAIL WAS THAT BY RE-PRIORITIZING SOME OF THIS PLANNING PROCESS, THAT OLD LONG LAKE ROAD WILL BE NOT ON THE 2027 STREETS IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR GETTING REDONE.
ADAM EDWARDS: SO THE OLD LONG LAKE ROAD IS NOT ON THE 2027 STREET PLAN.
SO IT'S THE ROAD THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU NEXT SPRING TO BEGIN THE DESIGN WORK ON.
THAT'S ALSO ONE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT GETTING SOME GRANT DOLLARS FOR FROM THE STATE ROADS ACCOUNT OR STATE PARKS ROADS ACCOUNT, SORRY, BECAUSE OF THE WOOD RAIL SNA THAT'S ON THAT ROAD.
SO WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THAT.
AND SO WE WOULD LOOK TO PUT THAT DESIGN TOGETHER AND PUT THOSE GRANT APPLICATIONS IN IN 2027, SO WE COULD DO THE ROAD IN 2028.
ALISA BENSON: SO HOW MANY TIMES HAS THAT ROAD IN PARTICULAR BEEN BUMPED, AS IT WERE? ADAM EDWARDS: THREE OR FOUR TIMES.
I MEAN, AGAIN, JUST LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, WE REVISIT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS EVERY YEAR.
SO YEAH, IT'S MOVED AROUND AS HAVE ALL OUR ROADS.
I JUST-- AGAIN, WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS, IF SOMETHING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED BACK MULTIPLE TIMES, THAT-- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT ROAD SCORES IN RELATION TO SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES.
DO YOU KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? ADAM EDWARDS: IT SITS RIGHT IN THERE.
SO YOU'VE-- AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING CAPITAL PLANNING.
[02:50:01]
SO WE'VE GOT OLD LONG LAKE ROAD.IT WAS RIGHT IN WITH NORTH ARM, WHICH WE JUST DID THIS YEAR, IN THAT SAME AREA.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT'S LOOKING IN REALLY POOR SHAPE THAT NEEDS A LOT OF ATTENTION IS SPRINGHILL ROAD, WHICH IS JUST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE-- THOSE WERE THE THREE BIG ROAD NETWORKS THAT NEEDED-- THAT NEED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK.
EACH OF THOSE IS A PRETTY BIG LIFT WHEN WE DO IT BECAUSE JUST THE LENGTH AND THE SHEER VOLUME OF ASPHALT THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE.
ALISA BENSON: BUT JUST TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE, IS THIS WORK TAKING THE PLACE OF-- I UNDERSTAND WE WERE GOING TO SCHEDULE IT OUT.
THE CONCERN AGAIN IS JUST IS THAT DEPENDENT ON GRANT DOLLARS, OR WILL IT BE DONE REGARDLESS OF GRANT DOLLARS, IS THE QUESTION.
ADAM EDWARDS: WELL, THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD BE THE DECISION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT POINT, BUT THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO KEEP IT ON THE SCHEDULE.
I MEAN, I HOPE TO GET GRANT DOLLARS BECAUSE THEN THAT WILL HELP US STRETCH OUR PAVEMENT DOLLARS FOR THE SUBSEQUENT PROJECTS.
BUT THERE'S SUFFICIENT FUND BALANCE PROJECTED THAT EVEN WITHOUT THOSE GRANT DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT ONE.
THEN THE QUESTION WOULD THEN BE, WELL, IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT DOLLARS, WHAT HAPPENS TO SPRINGHILL ROAD AND ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT SIT FURTHER ALONG ON THE PAVEMENT CAPITAL PLAN, SO TO SPEAK.
ALISA BENSON: OLD LONG LAKE IS USED MAYBE MORE THAN SPRINGHILL.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S A HEAVY USE BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION TO THE SNA, SCIENTIFIC NATURAL-- THAT AREA RIGHT IN THERE WITH WOODROW.
ADAM EDWARDS: WELL, IT'S ALSO A THROUGH ROAD.
IT'S ONE OF THE ROADS THAT YOU CAN USE TO GET FROM WAYZATA BOULEVARD BACK TO WAYZATA BOULEVARD THAT FOLKS USE.
THE SOUTHERN END IS HEAVILY USED, ACTUALLY SITS IN THE CITY OF WAYZATA.
AND SO WE'VE ALSO TALKED TO WAYZATA ABOUT WHEN WE DO THAT PROJECT, KIND OF LIKE MEDINA DID FOR US WHEN THEY DID WILLOW, JUST [INAUDIBLE] INCLUDE THEIR PORTION BECAUSE SOME OF THE WORST STUFF IS SITTING RIGHT THERE BY THE GOLF COURSE AS YOU COME NORTH OFF OF WAYZATA BOULEVARD THERE.
ALISA BENSON: IS IT AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEXT YEAR TO PATCH ANY OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNING ON THAT OLD LONG LAKE ROAD? I UNDERSTAND THAT WE GO OUT AND DO THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I'M READING IN THIS EMAIL, IT'S NOT JUST ONE.
I KNOW THAT ROAD IS HEAVILY USED BY PEOPLE WHO WALK THEIR DOGS AND BIKE AND ALL THE REST OF IT.
SO THAT IS THE ONE THING I WOULD REQUEST IN THE FUTURE IS THAT THAT ROAD, IF IT'S GOING TO BE PUT OUT FURTHER, THOSE REAL AREAS OF CONCERN THAT I BELIEVE THEY ARE BECOMING A SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE PEOPLE UTILIZE THAT FREQUENTLY.
STEVE PERSIAN: I RECOMMEND COUNCIL APPROVE THE UPDATED DESIGN PROPOSAL FOR THE 2027 STREET PROJECT.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? JACQUELIN RICKS: I'LL SECOND IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
MEETING CALENDAR 2027 IS NEXT.
ADAM EDWARDS: MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, EVERY YEAR IN THE FALL, WE START THINKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT YEAR.
AND SO IT'S THAT TIME IN THE CYCLE AGAIN TO LOOK AT 2027.
SO IN YOUR PACKET AND ON THE SCREEN, YOU HAVE THE DRAFT OFFICIAL MEETING CALENDAR FOR 2027.
SOME THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME AS THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN-- WE STILL HAVE COUNCIL MEETINGS EVERY SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY, EXCEPT FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER WHEN WE ONLY DO THE ONE MEETING.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE THIRD MONDAY.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED-- THE PARKS COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE GOING TO MOVE BACK TO MONDAYS.
THERE'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CADENCE OR PACE TO THOSE, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE GREEN SQUARES ON THE CALENDAR.
AND THEN WE DID-- WE HAVEN'T PUT IT ON THERE IN THE PAST, BUT WE FIGURED WE MIGHT AS WELL.
WE ADDED POLICE COMMISSION MEETINGS WHERE THOSE OCCUR ON THE CALENDAR AS WELL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT THIS CALENDAR DOES IS IT SHOWS YOU THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND JUST OF NOTE, THE WAY THAT OUR PERSONNEL POLICY WRITES, WE HAVE-- THERE'S 12 FEDERAL HOLIDAYS THAT WE RECOGNIZE, AND WE HAVE ONE FLOAT, WHICH THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR GETS TO PICK.
SO I FOR '27 PUT IT ON THE 31ST OF DECEMBER SO THAT COULD BE A LONG WEEKEND FOR STAFF.
NORMALLY, I TRY TO PUT IT WITH 4TH OF JULY.
IF 4TH OF JULY IS ON A THURSDAY OR SOMETHING, I PUT IT ON THE FRIDAY OR WHATEVER.
BUT THIS YEAR, WE PUT IT ON THE 31ST.
[02:55:03]
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT IT WAS LOOKING AT DOING AND I KNOW MAYBE THE MAYOR WANTED TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON IS GOING BACK TO SOMETHING WE USED TO DO QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WE WOULD DO ONE WORK SESSION PER MONTH.SO THE WAY THAT THIS IS PROPOSED RIGHT NOW, IT HAS ONE WORK SESSION, ONE TWO-HOUR WORK SESSION PER MONTH ON THE SECOND MEETING OF THE MONTH SO THAT WE COULD DO THOSE.
TO ME ANYWAY, IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THESE ONE-HOUR WORK SESSIONS, WHICH ARE REALLY A 45-MINUTE WORK SESSION BECAUSE WE NEED TIME TO TURN THE ROOM OVER.
SO ONE OF THE THOUGHTS, AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL HAD ASKED FOR LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS WE CAN DO WORK SESSIONS, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS WHAT IF WE FOCUSED AND MADE THEM LONGER BUT FEWER OF THEM.
BOB TUNHEIM: AND OBVIOUSLY WE CAN ADD IF WE NEED TO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR OTHER MEETINGS, WORK SESSIONS BEFORE OUR OTHER MEETINGS.
BUT I THOUGHT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO DO TWO-HOUR SESSIONS ONCE A MONTH SO WE CAN DIVE DEEP INTO VARIOUS SUBJECTS AND ADD MEETINGS AS NEEDED, BUT WANT TO GET THE THOUGHTS OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THAT.
ADAM EDWARDS: ALSO, ONE OTHER THING THAT'S ON THERE, WE DID JUST PUT WHEN THE STATE-SANCTIONED ELECTION DAYS ARE, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL ELECTION YEAR, THERE ARE BECAUSE OF THE RECENT ELECTION, SOME PENDING SPECIAL ELECTIONS THAT MAY COME OUR WAY, WHICH SHOULDN'T IMPACT OUR BUDGET TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE THINK WE'LL GET FUNDING FOR THOSE.
BUT THOSE ARE SHOWN ON THERE WHERE THOSE MIGHT OCCUR.
BOB TUNHEIM: I THINK THE SENATE SEAT WILL NEED TO HAVE AN ELECTION.
BOB TUNHEIM: WHOEVER IS NAMED TO THAT POSITION WILL ONLY LAST UNTIL NEXT NOVEMBER 2.
WELL, PROBABLY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, BUT NOVEMBER 2 WILL BE THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THAT.
ANYWAY, I'D LOVE TO GET PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS ON PARTICULARLY THE CHANGE IN WORK SESSIONS.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, DO WE STILL GET AS MANY SUBJECTS AS WE DID? ADAM EDWARDS: YES.
ADAM EDWARDS: IT'S THE SAME TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS.
IT'S JUST IF IT'S SOME OF THE LONGER ONES, WE WOULD JUST LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR WHERE WE JUST MADE A LONG WORK SESSION.
IF IT'S A SERIES OF SHORT SUBJECTS, WE WOULD DO TWO OF THEM OR THREE OF THEM OR WHATEVER IT WORKED OUT TO BE, WHICH HONESTLY, USED TO BE, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE CITY, THAT'S HOW WE DID IT.
WE DID A TWO-HOUR WORK SESSION ONCE A MONTH.
AND SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE ONE SUBJECT.
SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE FOUR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.
IT DEPENDED ON THE SCOPE AND BREADTH OF WHATEVER IT IS-- WHATEVER IT WAS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
STEVE PERSIAN: NEITHER DO I. IT'LL BE FINE.
DO WE NEED TO APPROVE THE MEETING CALENDAR?
[22) Meeting Calendar 2027]
I THINK WE DO.BOB TUNHEIM: SO ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? STEVE PERSIAN: I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE 2027 MEETING CALENDAR.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALISA BENSON: NO, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT.
BOB TUNHEIM: YOU CAN MAKE A COMMENT.
DOESN'T AFFECT-- DOESN'T IMPACT YOU DIRECTLY.
BUT EVERYTHING IN THE CITY ULTIMATELY DOES.
ONLY THING TO CONSIDER-- AND I'M NOT ONE WAY OR AGAINST-- IS JUST THE IDEA OF A QUORUM.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE OUTSIDE THESE MEETINGS, SO WITH THAT ONE LOSS, THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE GOES ALONG WITH IT.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT? IT'S BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE 2027-- MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE 2027 MEETING CALENDAR AS PRESENTED.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
[Mayor and Council Report]
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE REMAINING WORK SCHEDULE FOR 2026 HAS BEEN RAISED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON.SO I'LL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU.
WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A WORKING SESSION SCHEDULED FOR OUR MEETING IN DECEMBER, DECEMBER 7.
WE NORMALLY TRY TO KEEP DECEMBER FREE IF WE CAN, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, SURE.
ALISA BENSON: THIS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE ACTION.
AND CERTAINLY BEING OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, NO VOTE WOULD BE TAKEN ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT MAYBE STAFF COULD BE DIRECTED OR HAVE SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE COUNCIL IN NEW YEAR.
AND THE PURPOSE THAT I PROPOSE IS REGARDING THE PARKS COMMISSION TO HAVE A DISCUSSION BETWEEN STAFF AND THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE NEW YEAR ABOUT THE ROLE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PARK COMMISSION, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE THE COMMISSION IN ACTION.
I KNOW I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK, AND IT'S SIMPLY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF.
NO ACTION NECESSARY, BUT TO GIVE FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY
[03:00:02]
TO HEAR FROM ONE ANOTHER, INCLUDING STAFF AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.BOB TUNHEIM: SO WHEN YOU SAY COUNCIL AND STAFF, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MR. RUTHENBERG AND MR. EDWARDS.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? STEVE PERSIAN: I WON'T BE AT IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: I'D BE FINE ADDING THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED AN OFFICIAL-- ANY OFFICIAL-- ADAM EDWARDS: JUST NEED DIRECTION AND THEN WE'LL-- BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, LET'S PLAN TO DO THAT FOR AN HOUR AHEAD OF THE DECEMBER 7 MEETING.
ALISA BENSON: I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL IN CITY ADMIN OR ENGINEER REPORT OR IF WE'VE MOVED ON FROM THAT, BUT I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR STAFF REGARDING AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP.
I THINK IT WAS TWO WORK SESSIONS AGO, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS RESOLVED.
WE HAD DISCUSSED AS A COUNCIL IN A WORK SESSION THE MARKING OF A PARTICULAR LAKE ACCESS POINT OVER ON FAGERNESS.
THAT HAD COME UP IN THE WORK SESSION.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS CONSENSUS TO GET THAT MARKED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENED, BUT I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON IT NOW AND JUST SEE THAT THE DIRECTION THAT WAS PROVIDED WAS SUFFICIENT TO MARK THAT ACCESS FOR PUBLIC USE.
ADAM EDWARDS: IT APPEARS THAT JOE IS GONE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT WE CAN HAVE A FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL OF WHERE WE ARE.
ALISA BENSON: I BELIEVE THE DIRECTION-- NOT THAT WE CAN SAY, BUT IF WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON SOMETHING, I THINK THE DIRECTION WAS CLEAR.
IT'S JUST THE IDEA OF HAS IT BEEN DONE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL IN TERMS OF A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO MARK THAT.
ADAM EDWARDS: NO, BUT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, I JUST-- I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHERE WE ARE ON IT.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, IF YOU COULD FOLLOW UP WITH EMAIL, THAT'D BE GREAT.
OR WE COULD HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME.
ALISA BENSON: YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMPLETED WHEN THE WEATHER IS STILL AMENABLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT THOSE IN IN THE WINTER.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANYTHING ELSE FROM YOUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT? ADAM EDWARDS: NO, I JUST DID WANT TO REITERATE THAT-- AND KUDOS TO OUR ADMIN STAFF AND ALL OF OUR ELECTION JUDGES.
WE HAD SOME RECORD MIDTERM TURNOUTS, BOTH EARLY VOTING AND ON VOTING DAY.
AND EVERYTHING WENT SWIMMINGLY.
BOB TUNHEIM: I SECOND THAT, VERY WELL DONE.
AND YEAH, A LOT OF-- WHAT WAS IT, 77%? ADAM EDWARDS: YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BOB TUNHEIM: WHICH IS GREAT FOR A MIDTERM ELECTION, SO EXCELLENT.
ANYTHING FROM LEGAL COUNSEL THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED? OK, GREAT.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORT-- ANYTHING TO REPORT ON? I'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN.
STEVE PERSIAN: NO, THE ONLY THING THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS ONE-- ADAM MENTIONED THIS, BUT WE DID APPOINT A NEW FIRE CHIEF STARTING JANUARY 1, 2027, THE CURRENT DEPUTY CHIEF, JOHN PASZKIEWICZ, SO I'M THRILLED TO HAVE THAT DONE.
ON THE HEELS OF THAT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE ABOUT-- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR A SEND OFF OF THE CURRENT CHIEF AS A COUNCIL, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO FORMALIZE THAT WITH THEM.
BUT I THINK-- I'LL SAVE SOME COMMENTS FOR THAT TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE CURRENT CHIEF.
BOB TUNHEIM: THAT'S GREAT FOR THAT.
ADAM EDWARDS: IF I COULD-- ONE, WE COULD DO A RESOLUTION AS A COUNCIL, WHICH IS OUR NORMAL THING.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THE BOARD MEETING, BUT I KNOW UNDER THE CITY OF LONG LAKE'S LEADERSHIP, THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER A RETIREMENT PARTY, WHICH THEY DID ASK FOR ORONO INVOLVEMENT.
SO I ASKED THEM JUST NOT TO HAVE IT ON ONE OF OUR COUNCIL NIGHTS.
BOB TUNHEIM: GREAT, THANK YOU.
ALISA BENSON: I WOULD JUST ADD A RESOLUTION IS GOOD.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF PRESENTING A PLAQUE OR SOMETHING? I THINK THAT WOULD BE NICE FOR THIS OCCASION.
WE COULD JUST FOLLOW UP WITH LONG LAKE.
ALISA BENSON: WE'RE OK WITH THAT AS A COUNCIL? STEVE PERSIAN: OH, YEAH.
ALISA BENSON: SOMETHING BESIDES-- ALISA BENSON: --A PIECE OF PAPER.
I THINK THIS IS ALSO-- STEVE PERSIAN: I COMPLETELY AGREE.
ALISA BENSON: I THINK IT'S QUITE A SPECIAL OCCASION, AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO COMMEMORATE THIS.
I DON'T HAVE-- NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
BOB TUNHEIM: COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS? JACQUELIN RICKS: NO, I JUST ATTENDED FIRE BOARD WITH YOU GUYS AND THE PARKS COMMISSION.
SO NOTHING TO REPORT THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
AND I HOPE-- YOU HAVE SOMETHING? JACQUELIN RICKS: I DO HAVE SOMETHING.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY
[03:05:04]
STAFF ON THE HOLIDAY PARTIES, AND WE'RE INVITING EVERYBODY TO ATTEND THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3-- THANK YOU-- AT 5:00.WE'LL HAVE HOT CHOCOLATE, COOKIES, S'MORES, FIRES.
BOB TUNHEIM: IT'LL BE A LOT OF FUN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO PLANNING THAT, YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER SCHWINGLER HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
I JUST WANT TO REPORT ON REGIONAL COUNCIL MAYORS MEETING.
I WENT TO TODAY WHERE WE HEARD TODD RAPP FROM RAPP STRATEGIES INC. GIVE SOME INSIGHTS ON THE 2026 ELECTIONS AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2027.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM A GENTLEMAN AT GOVERNMENT ANALYTICA ABOUT AI AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CITY GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS INTERESTING.
BUT THE THING I REALLY WANTED TO MENTION WAS WE HEARD FROM AN ATTORNEY WHO'S BEEN WORKING WITH WOODBURY, AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO FRANCHISE THEIR BROADBAND PROVIDERS AND TREATING THEM SIMILARLY TO CABLE PROVIDERS.
AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
THE ONLY CITY IN MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW THAT'S DOING THAT IS WOODBURY.
SO ANYWAY, THERE'S MAYBE SOME LEARNINGS THERE FROM WOODBURY THAT WE CAN-- HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? ADAM EDWARDS: NO I WILL HAVE TO CHECK WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO SEE WHAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT LIMITS ARE ON WHETHER YOU-- I DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD FRANCHISE THEM, BUT MAYBE.
BOB TUNHEIM: YEAH, AND MAYBE IT'S A NOVEL THEORY.
ADAM EDWARDS: NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
MELANIE CURTIS: NO, NO, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY OTHER CITIES LOOKING INTO THAT RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT CERTAINLY-- BOB TUNHEIM: IT WAS JUST-- IT WAS FASCINATING TO HAVE THEM SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO I THOUGHT I'D MENTION IT, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO IF THERE'S A LEGAL BASIS FOR IT, WHICH THEY CLEARLY BELIEVE THEY HAVE.
SO ANYWAY, WELL WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
JACQUELIN RICKS: I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
BOB TUNHEIM: IS THERE A SECOND.
BOB TUNHEIM: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
BOB TUNHEIM: ANY OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
AND THERE'S STILL--
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.