Burnsville City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
B2 District Zoning Code Amendment for Veterinary Clinic
City Council Legislative and Quasi-Judicial Roles
Drinking Water Master Plan and Treatment Alternatives
Homage Installation Project
Establishment of an Arts Commission
Votes (7)
B2 District Zoning Code Amendment and Pet Vet 365 Sketch Plan Review of 509 County Road 42 East
The item involved a request from Pet Vet 365 to operate a veterinary clinic at 509 County Road 42 East. The challenge is that veterinary clinics are not currently permitted in the B2 Neighborhood Business District. The applicant, Ashley Kawuchi, explained their 'fear-free' model, which aims for a calmer environment, and confirmed no outdoor runs or overnight boarding. Planning Manager Mike Morosula stated that staff believes the proposed use, without outdoor facilities, meets the intent of the B2 district, which serves surrounding residential areas with convenience goods and services. A neighborhood meeting had no attendees or communications. Council members expressed strong support, noting the value of the service to the community and its compatibility with the area.
Legal Update: City Council Actions, Legislative and Quasi-Judicial Decisions
The City Attorney provided an educational overview of the distinct legislative and quasi-judicial roles of the City Council. The legislative role involves policy-making (ordinances, resolutions) with broad discretion. The quasi-judicial role involves resolving specific disputes (variances, CUPs, license appeals) with less discretion, bound by city code or state law standards. The presentation detailed the process for administrative appeals, clarifying that the Council acts as an appeals court, reviewing the hearing officer's decision based on the record, rather than relitigating facts. This update aimed to ensure council members understood their boundaries and responsibilities.
Drinking Water Master Plan and Treatment Alternatives
Mark and Bo presented the fourth phase of the water treatment master plan. They highlighted that current water is safe, but the city is proactively addressing long-term challenges like radium removal, taste/odor issues, and solids loading, while exploring water softening and PFAS contingency planning. Three alternatives were detailed: Alternative 1 (near-term upgrades for $8.8M) addresses radium (using HMO), taste/odor (ozone), and filter efficiency (plate settler). Alternative 2 (softening for $62-80M) offers lime softening or reverse osmosis (RO), with RO also providing PFAS removal. Alternative 3 ($20.4-49M) is a PFAS-specific add-on. Council discussion covered the benefits of softening (appliance life, less home softeners/salt), environmental impact, costs, and the need for public and partner (Savage, Met Council) engagement. Staff recommended advancing Alternative 1 into the 5-year CIP and continuing evaluation of Alternatives 2 and 3, including staffing and legislative advocacy.
Homage Installation
The 'Homage' project, a sculpture honoring first responders initiated by the Burnsville Community Foundation in 2019, received an update. Due to previous city hall planning, the original location was reconsidered, and Nicollet Commons Park was identified as the new site. The city proposed to take responsibility for the site and electrical construction for $85,000, funded from the facilities fund balance, coordinating with planned park improvements in 2027. Council members lauded the project's long-term value, the foundation's efforts, the local artist, and the new location's increased public visibility and proximity to the Veterans Memorial.
Arts Commission Update
Garrett provided an update on the proposed Arts Commission, fulfilling a council directive from September 2025. Through stakeholder engagement, the process identified a desire for centralized marketing, a unified calendar, and network opportunities, with gaps in visual art exhibits and youth activities. The recommendation is for a seven-member advisory commission with monthly meetings and staggered three-year terms, supported by dedicated staff. A first-year work plan includes a web landing page, informal meetups, city event presence, and policy review. The Council expressed support for the plan and the proposed implementation timeline, including recruitment and ordinance adoption by early 2027.
Community Builders Award Nomination
Michelle presented an update on the Community Builders Award nominations. There were 15 nominations received, but one police officer nominee was deemed ineligible as a city employee, leaving 14 nominations for the Council's consideration. The nominations were included in the agenda packet for review.
Round Table: Commission Interviews and Reports
Michelle initiated a discussion to schedule interviews for the Black Dog WO board and the newly approved Arts Commission. The Council agreed to schedule these interviews for Tuesday, December 1st, starting at 5:00 PM, to combine efforts. Council members then shared reports: Experience Burnsville is interviewing for an Executive Director; a Council Member attended a Dakota 911 meeting; Council Member Dan reported on Suburban Transit Association updates, including strong State Fair ridership growth for MVTA, and provided a comprehensive recap of the successful Festival & Fire Muster, highlighting high attendance (especially for the Friday drone show) and thanking city staff and volunteers.
Notable Quotes (13)
The purpose of the B2 neighborhood business district is to provide for the establishment of limited scale neighborhood commercial centers that offer basic convenience type goods and services to the immediate surrounding residential neighborhoods. Um, in staff's opinion, this proposed use meets the intent.
100% agree. I'm I'm a little surprised that this wasn't allowed in this particular zone. it's a good fit and I think the ordinance or the uh update to our our zoning would just reflect that it's veterary in clinic right and not um outside kennels and and that kind of stuff and it's a perfect fit appreciate you bringing the business of burnsville
The courts have found that this is when a decision m making process involves investigating into a disputed claim and weighing evidentiary facts applying those facts to a prescribed standard and and making a binding decision regarding the disputed claim.
We're reviewing the decision of the independent hearing officer and not conducting a new hearing. So, the facts uh will be in front of you from the record of the hearing officer and from the information that the hearing officer saw. And you're kind of acting like an appeals court in that context.
Our water continues to be safe. It meets all all clean drinking water standards. And so as we talk about this, um there isn't a hard pressed deadline here. Like we're being thoughtful and intentional and ahead of the curve.
When when you look at what a core function of a city is, like water is as core as you can get. I mean, other than roads and public safety, I mean, that's that's really the absolute core of it. Um, we have long had residents saying they don't like the water and it doesn't matter that we say that it's safe. They don't like the water. They're our customers.
If the council were to give us this direction tonight, we would start all of that work knowing that in the next 1 to three years, alternative one would be funded and implemented. Uh and then we would be simultaneously in parallel talking about alternatives two and alternatives three with the council and the community.
This project's been the victim of some timing that we've had here at city hall with building. We first we thought it was going to be in front of the police department years ago and then of course we came up with the city hall building plan and that then we had someone sell their company that was going to help us and I think somebody else maybe died that had another company so those two kind of went away on us and I think the foundation did everything possible to make this thing happen.
I also like it that it's it's right next to the veterans memorial. So, you have police and fire and the veterans. So, it's right there next to each other.
What we heard was there was a strong range of events and classes, but some gaps in visual art exhibits, markets, and youth activities. Uh there was a strong desire for centralized marketing, a unified calendar hub and potential network opportunities.
The group came up with is we would focus on establishing that web landing page that aggregates, calendar, links, uh has information about grant opportunities that exist and provide other types of art resources.
We currently are in the process of recruiting for the Black Dog WO board and uh that uh we will need to schedule interviews for but since the council has elected to also move forward with the arts commission we'd like to combine those efforts and schedule them both for the same time and I had asked for council to check December 1st as a potential date
Friday we blew away. We had a 55% increase in traffic over last year um over sorry not over last year over our record attendance year which is 2024. Uh the drone show got a lot of extra media attention.
Ordinances & Resolutions (10)
Zoning code under discussion for amendment to allow veterinary clinics.
Contains more information for the public on meetings and nominations.
Proposed action to allow veterinary clinics in the B2 district.
Types of legislative actions by the City Council.
Example of a quasi-judicial zoning decision.
Example of a quasi-judicial zoning decision.
Governs administrative appeals of staff-level decisions on code compliance.
Governs statutory city powers.
Financial planning document for city projects, including water treatment upgrades.
Regulatory review for the drinking water master plan.