[0:04] 6 min late I'm going to call this listening session to work and welcome everybody for being here today. Why don't we start we'll start since span's on here, we're gonna start with Tara. You are up 1st, Mana. What I'll have you do, you can use the microphone so everybody can hear you and then as you finish up, if you could sign in just so we have you officially on the record. [0:24] Off we go, right? Please a little more informal. [0:33] Good evening and welcome. Good evening. Good evening. Well, thank you mr. Mayor. Thank you council members, city staff, fellow residents for the opportunity to speak. I have not done this before. I'm not here with a beef or an issue. I'm here tonight just. [0:52] To simply express my excitement for the new community health and wellness center. I have been a resident of Bloomington since 2009, a homeowner since 2018 and a community leader since 2020, and my excitement kind of stemms from all those roles that I've had in the Bloomington. [1:13] Community. But especially from my role as a leader in the community, Specifically that leadership is with young families and specifically families with kids age five and younger. So tonight I'm speaking for myself, but I'm also speaking to the excitement that I hear from those families on a weekly basis. [1:32] Our group meets weekly at parks all over Bloomington, and we have a small group that's been engaged by the city, in the design process for the community center. And, yeah, just a ton of excitement. We are so excited not to have to go to Edina, to Eden Ferry, to Shockey. [1:52] To Eagan, to play inside all year, all year long. We love the parks here. We use all 97 of them, but it's really hard to play six months out of the year in our climate. We're excited to mix with all age groups. That is something we don't really have an opportunity to do outside of what happens here. [2:12] I'm at the farmer's market and other arts things that the city does. So we're just really excited. I also know that creek side closed last Friday and that brings tremendous sadness. I have Creekside seniors in my own neighborhood. We probably all do. [2:37] I think it might be helpful also explain who you are. I obviously know what? My name is. [2:49] Todd pod. So Todd pod is short for Toddler and pod is just a group. And so again it's that age range of kids five and younger and their parents. So everything we do, parents and caregivers come along with their kids. It's not daycare, it's not preschool. It's community building. It's the kind of stuff that. [3:09] Happens already in our city, but maybe just not in an organized way at a facility that's open to all ages. [3:17] Does that kind of help? Yeah, thank you mayor or busy. But I wanted to share, I stopped into Creekside last Friday just to sort of honor what happened there. I personally wasn't part of that, but I know how much it means to many. And they have several messages all over the bricks cause the building is slate. [3:37] Said to be demoed. And one of these kind of summed it up for me. [3:42] Kinda taking in all that was there and I just wanna read it, it's three stances. It's kind of a poem. Creekside wasn't just a place. It was where we belonged, where stories unfolded. We grew old with grace, and every soul left a mark. [3:58] It held more than programs. It held laughter, loss, friendship, and a shared heartbeat. As we leave this building behind, we carry it with us. In every memory, every connection, and every step we take from here. [4:16] And that's really sad, it is, but I had the thought, what if we replaced Creek side with this new building, and wouldn't that be an epitataff 50 years from now when that building is old? [4:31] And needs to be rehabbed or replaced if that sentiment was something we built with all ages together. And so I think that's why I wanted to share it here today is that I think we can both be sad that creek side is ending as we've known it, but something greater is about to be born. [4:50] So thank you for the time. I just wanted to express that young children. Thank you and thank you for sharing that, but we working up with that and the walls pretty good and well done. So thank you for for sharing that with a 25 min. [5:14] Alright, thanks much. Appreciate it. [5:39] Good evening. Welcome. Thank you can sign in after you get done. [5:45] Hi, my name's Scott Carlton, born and raised Bloomington in 1960. Watched for a lot of changes. Thanks for having us mayor. Council. We, are in the middle of trying to bring something new to Bloomington that we've had. [6:04] In multiple cities and that is a need for specific housing types. And what we're really trying to do is to form a product called a Villa product. And it's a Villa product is a senior one level living that's. [6:25] Very, very important all through the cities. If you look at this page here, this is kind of what we are looking to do. It's just properties just south of dread Scott, and we would have probably 15 of those units in here. And it's a way to keep to keep the. [6:44] That middle inventory opened up and to move some people into the new housing area under one level living. And then we also, if you go to the section page there, this is more of a. [6:56] Two story product, again, that's for the aging persons who maybe bought a townhome in the nineties, and this is a new one for them to stay in the community. And both the product types we put in there is elevators included. So it's a way for keep a little bit longer and stay in the product, you know, in the. [7:16] The properties and that's kind of the idea. And we want to really energize that area going self the dread Scott down to the river. [7:23] That being said, I did put in here a visual of the Wooddale product. And if you look to this site, this is exactly what's gone in there. [7:41] But they didn't call it a villap product back then because it was just single family. And this is what they look like. You know, people my age are looking for not a lot of land but they want it separate because they don't want to deal with insurance companies today or associations today. [7:58] And it gives our group a chance to move up. So if you look at the following page, this is the issue and we've been I've been meeting with the city a couple of different times and very helpful, very kind. But the reality is, is they said, but we would like what you have, but we just don't have anything to fit it right now. [8:18] And I'm here to find out is, is that gonna be something that. [8:23] They said they wanted but it's not there. So I guess the question I have is do I still stay here, keep pushing this or do I move on with something different? And that's really the kind of feedback I was looking for. They made it sound as though they were looking to do it. I didn't know what that meant because I know they've got a lot of interim changes and things going on so we. [8:43] With that being said, again, it gets back to the Villa product, which Bloomington doesn't have. It is in all the surrounding areas, you know, between Menotaq and just not that you need to be that, but the product is available. Smaller lots. [8:57] And really the only difference if you go back to, this page, you can see that whole neighborhood down a hundred and 7th down there by the bridge. You can see the red line I drew on there. That's what a Villa product would look like. So basically the only thing different from this is that. [9:17] They would lose some backyard. And here it's just going into the river Valley and I don't I don't know that it's a problem to give that back to the. [9:27] Let me ask you Scott. Is the issue with the city is it is it the minimum lots of? Is it the fact that it's a flat as opposed to a basement or? Okay. [9:55] Yeah, thank you. My understanding is it's the lot size, it's also the height of the two store units as well as the potential utilization of a private road and. [10:07] Okay I could address those very quickly. If you look at the picture of it right there, this is my two story product. [10:13] I brought that for that question because some neighbors who all live in one level living there say you shouldn't have a two story house in this neighborhood. So, it's actually, my point is we have an ordinance which is our drives. It meets the ordinance though. Okay, good. So there it is. [10:31] Yeah that is the units that they were disappointed about and I thought it looked very attractive and that's kind of what we are geared for. There is access there. They don't wanna private road connected. That's really what their concerns are. And we're only, our whole project only goes two to 300 ft. [10:51] Off of Bloomington Ferry bridge. So really. [10:54] A fire truck could stop there in bloomed and Ferry and fight a fire 200 ft away if they had to, but they don't, we're surrounded by roads. They're private roads, but we're surrounded by them. So for those two things, I thought it would be a nice project. We have probably 15 units coming in and they'll be beautiful. People can stay here. [11:19] I'd like to connect with you offline. You may find that I'm one of the more pro housing people here. I've also talked to the neighborhood there and so I'd like to just connect with you on some of the issues that have been raised and, and see you. [11:34] Neighbors. In fact my wife and I sold them to the neighbors back in the nineties. [11:51] I'm gonna catch you up because we're at time here, but I do want to say, I mean, I take the opportunity of council member nelsons I absolutely would do that. And you are looking at. [11:58] The group of people here who are looking for solutions to housing in the city of Woodington. We did have our ordinance changes just last week or a week before regarding duplexes and triplexes and so on. And I know we've got part two on our agenda of things we can do to basically meet this what we're calling the missing the something between the single family and the 400 unit apartment building. [12:18] Something in between there. Perfect. Let's continue this conversation. I don't know if your timeline is you need to answer by next week if anything happen, but I mean we could at least continue this conversation, I think it's worth it. I appreciate it and I look forward to it. Thank you. Thank you. [12:35] Johnson? Brian Johnson? So we've had this lot for 17 years so I think we can wait another couple weeks. [12:54] And, so, my name's Ryan Johnson, Bloomington resident, also at my business in Bloomington on 8030 Philsbury. Four four is the name of my company. I graduated from Kennedy in 19 nine, he was born in Bloomington. My parents were school administrators, my wife teaches that. [13:15] What was at Washburn, not ridge view? So all three of my kids graduated from Jefferson. We bought this lot. But my brother in lot of Pete, one of my kids were just being born basically, so we had it 17 years and kind of just been waiting to do the. [13:30] The right thing and I think with now with the, with what Scott and Lisa want to do, I think it does make sense, so we're kind of, you know, piggybacking and working in conjunction with them really what we want to discuss continue that conversation, really would like the bill idea. [13:47] And then we've been working with planning on different fire options and what, what have you too. So what we passed out is, you know, something that if we just developed on our own, but I think maybe even makes more sense to potentially combine if, if this product is. [14:03] Which which makes all the sense in the world we think. Yeah we're here to advocate for it, answer any questions, you know, that Sean and any of the rest of you guys have and outside of any questions or need additional clarification on what we're talking about thank you Hi for being here. So you have, you have this, this. [14:23] Piece of the puzzle hearing is the one you're talking about. Yes. Yep. Okay, and the previous speaker had the other sections and so you're looking to maybe go together and combine them into one. [14:43] For the city and for this to take a couple parcels of land and do the right thing, so. Okay, yeah, that's helpful. Thank you. Any questions, comments, thoughts? Sure timeframe that you guys were thinking about? Because we got busy with other things a long time ago. [15:02] It's part of what the problem was is, and part of why I think it should move is, you know, that lot that's between the one that they own and that is, you know, that they have a contingent, so it's it's available, but if they do something different on the top and we do something different on the bottom, it's gonna look like an odd. [15:20] I mean, I think there's an opportunity here Since we have a good working relationship I think to do something, so yeah so sooner than later but not yeah we don't want to wait a year to find out if it's a possibility, so yeah, I mean if, if, if you're trending this direction, we would like to push the end of I guess. And it's I actually want a little so not. [15:40] We currently live on eleven 700 Normally but built that house. Built it. [15:46] Lived in right by Dred Scott and those little kind of townhomes detached town also, that's kind of what this ID is at next level, this would be retirement levels. Yep. Well, you're correct in saying yeah we are trying to in this direction we're trying to get the directions I said earlier, I'm just trying to find different options. And so. [16:06] Actually the city attorney and I were sitting here whispering to each other. What is villa? What are we talking about here? And so I mean, to understand this a little bit better helped. And on this side our city administrators, I know that with the conversation we've had, they'll be bringing this with the planning staff. [16:22] Understand a little bit better the conversations that have already taken place to figure out if and where we're going next. Very quickly, yeah, I was just gonna say really all they need is some variances to move forward with the product, got it. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Great. [16:44] Yes, sir. [16:59] This is a perfectly good brown up. Good evening. Welcome. Hello there. Hello. Hello mayor. This hello council members. Thank you for having me. [17:16] AC since Friday. So I am Christopher Campbell. I'm born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey I've lived in quite a few other places around the country since then and most in 2020I was living in Vegas and I had met a Bloomington native when she was out there. [17:36] Earlier before COVID took over and. [17:41] Once the lockdown happened in Vegas, you know, we were in touch every day and she invited me here and it's five years later now, and we're engaged now, so. So, I 1st of all, I just wanted to acknowledge the police department's recent operation against the sexual criminals. [18:01] I was reading about that, really support that and that's partially why I gave me the confidence to bring this to your attention today. I'm not really specifically minded so much, but this seems like such a obvious thing that. [18:19] And basically people are putting dangerous things out into the, the market and I'm sure the citizens citizensary of Bloomington is being affected by it. [18:34] This is not a comprehensive overview of all the illegal places to get Cannabis products right now, but it's just an example of how it's going down currently, with all these unregulated untaxed products and on the last page, you can see the AP article. [18:54] Well from 2019 where all these fake vaporizers were going all around the country and people got sick and died. And I don't want to see a, a repeat of that here. And the dealers seem to be quite embolden these days because they think it's, it's easy street. [19:15] U. [19:15] And that, you know, and there's a lot of factors along with that. It's n the products are not tested, they're not taxed. I assume they would sell them to miners and you know, it just, and unfortunately I know it's really not your problem. The federal government kind of created with. [19:35] The him bill and then the state government kind of dropped the ball with getting their. [19:42] Authority over the whole thing and this is where we're at now. And, and so your concerns are primarily with items sold online, is that correct? Yeah. No, but there's all sorts of pop up events all over the place, so and you know you could just. [20:02] Bring a hundred big things to that and sell them all and nobody knows who you are and you'll, they'll never see you again. So, you know, that that's kind of what's happening. And I know especially in Minnesota, the consumers around here are not necessarily. [20:20] Educated as to what to look for, what not to look for, et cetera, et cetera. And what's also happening is these bad actors are coming to people like their direct messaging people and solicit like, hey, do you want to buy some weed? [20:39] And a lot of people are gonna say sure it seems like a nice guy. That's my example on the last page there. Sorry, I didn't really have a good outline in my head but I appreciate you bringing this forward. We treated emails with the, the chief of police and and he appreciates this and and thanks. You're right. There there's not a lot we can do here, so I. [20:59] Yeah, I think this public information kind of stuff is good. I appreciate you bringing it forward. I encourage you to, I mean if the police, if you see something blatantly illegal, don't be shy about making the call. And there's also. [21:11] As, you know, as effective as they might be the office of candice, Cannabis management at the state level, I mean if there's something that's obviously in violation to them itself yes yes. Just trying to get people educated and everything. I just, you know, and if. [21:31] If anyone ever has any questions about. [21:34] You need a follow up on this, you know, I'm always available, so that's about it. Sounds like any questions? Very quick one. Thanks for being here, appreciate it. Is the, is the goal, the long term goal that you have that there would be some kind of federal certification process so that you would know that the product is safe and and regulated in that way? Is that being. [21:55] Absolutely. Because one of the main things with cannabis that people don't realize is the THC level is kind of secondary. The turpines are what really affects people and that can, those are not usually, there's not that many states that actually require those to be listed on the labels. I Illinois does. [22:14] And I think it's in the bill here to the law here too, but yeah. Thank you. Thank you. We are in time. Thank you much. Please remember to sign in. Appreciate it. Thank you much. [22:25] Look by that. Oh, ok. Hi, my name is Linda Lang. I was here a couple weeks ago and gave some comments about Creek side. [22:45] And I'll help you look back at those and take them seriously about the bathrooms and the parking and those sorts of things. I did get a chance to look at the floor plan in the interim, and I did attend the party that you held at Creek site on Friday which I very much appreciated. It was sad for me, you know, I'm a long term Bloomington. I was. [23:06] Not born here, but I was raised here at class of 74. My parents left their house to me and my husband and I'm moving back to Bloomington 9125 kil. And, so I looked at the floor plan and I I have heard comments from my neighbors that the creek side is not being well received and. [23:25] They're, they're elderly. [23:28] I'm worried that it really presents itself as a subsidized public health club, and that it's trying to be all things to all people that you've crammed a lot in here. I should have timed myself. I said I would do that last time I was here, so I'm not gonna talk too much. [23:50] If you're in a minute seven right now. Okay, good. Okay, good. So I'm. [23:57] Very well not well received and I wanted to make some comments. The catering storage area to the extent that it has cooking facilities updated to be available at Creekside and have a big room next to it where you could have a hundred and a hundred and 50 people. I think that's great. I think that's super and people don't know about that, so I found out that. [24:18] The multi purpose rooms, I think it would be to your advantage to publish the proposed agenda for those rooms. The the comments that I'm getting are that there aren't enough rooms and seniors are not gonna be a big part of those rooms. And when you look at the floor space, just the square foot. [24:37] Outage in the the floor plans that you've published, you know that red area is not very big. [24:43] Okay, the gym and the pool and the public health and the cafe and lottie daddy da. Okay, so that would be my suggestion that you prove by publishing a proposed, you know, exploratory programming for those rooms. So seniors get the message that they're not abandoned. [25:03] How am I doing on time? [25:05] Halfway done. Okay so the pool room, I think this is going to be the most expensive piece of property that the city will be responsible for the cost of the building, heating, cooling maintenance staffing ensuring the pool is, in my view, way too small. 25 m is time. [25:25] It's really not a swimming lap pool. There's only five lanes. That room is cluttered with, things that are fun for children, which is fine, but it's very expensive to run all of this. I think the room if it's popular popular will be seriously overcrowded, and who wants to swim in that kind of an atmosphere. [25:45] Here where the children are playing and that sort of thing and you have to worry about how they're doing. Lifeguards can only do so much if it's popular. I think the locker rooms are too small for the pool and as forth, as for the gym, every school in the city I think has a gym, so I'm not sure why we're building 12I. [26:05] Don't quite get it. [26:07] So anyway, this abandonment, I think is really an important issue and you know putting a pool table in a public at in the public atrium is really not up to snuff, and I'm not impressed. Anyway. So, the last 2 min, a minute and a half. Minute and a half I wanted to talk about this issue. [26:27] Two of sidewalks. I looked at the map 91 mi of of sidewalks that would be turned over to the owners to plow the sidewalks when it's snowing. I I think that speaks to the fact that Bloomington is really not a walkable city. [26:42] Okay, that's a small number of the roads that we have. I understand that it's a huge burden for the city to plow those sidewalks and I don't have any sidewalks. So this is just my kind of reading what's going on here. We're putting a lot of effort into a very expensive community center that's going to be all things. [27:02] Thanks to all people, but the people who are gonna most be hurt by not having the city plow their sidewalks or the people are old who's lived here a long time, they're already paying perhaps the neighbor childhoop service to do their, their driveway and it's just another expense. It's another cost shift by the city onto the property owner. [27:22] And we already know that people don't like tax increases. [27:27] But this is a reverse tax increase. We're gonna give you the work that you paid your taxes for and we're gonna give it to you. So I I really hope that you will mix this idea of sidewalks. I understand the budgetary appeal of it, but I don't think it's a good idea, particularly for the seniors coming on the creek side. So thank you for listening, I appreciate it. [27:47] Maybe you look at my other notes on the. [27:52] Thank you. Thank you much. Thank you. So we are down to just a minute here and I don't want to shortchange either of you guys in terms of what you get the chance to speak. I would love to invite you back next back and we'll put you one and two on the list. [28:10] And make sure that you're the 1st ones here. [28:13] If that's cool because like I said, we're already at 06:14 and I don't wanna totally understand, don't want to be late for our meeting, don't want to make you late as well, so alright so our we've got our our our secretary here, our assistant here is gonna take your names and get your topics and we're gonna get you on the list right now and next time you'll be. [28:32] 1st and second. Thank you. [28:48] We are ahead of time here with your speakers, so we've got. [29:05] Thank you all for being here. I'm sorry about that. So. [29:30] I'm doing the office for a day and a half. [29:42] Okay.