[0:00] e [0:30] okay we got everybody ready here we go well good evening everybody and welcome to the ad city council meeting [0:36] it is Tuesday March 4th 2025 and 7 p.m. and we welcome all of you uh that are [0:42] here with us this evening and uh and tuning in virtually as well as director [0:47] benot said some of you may be watching on cable TV or on youtube.com [0:54] idatv uh we have been doing this uh through the pandemic and after the pandemic we've continued [1:00] process of having these hybrid type meetings so that people have an opportunity to participate in the in the [1:07] city council process in the public process tonight there's one opportunity to uh call in and that's with respect to [1:13] community comment we don't have any public hearings tonight uh so no public hearing opportunity but Community [1:19] comment if you wish to talk to the council about something that's not on the agenda tonight or schedule for a future public hearing uh we welcome your [1:26] U we welcome your comments and concerns uh having having provided the information I'm going to call the meeting to order and ask our clerk [1:32] Sharon Ellison to call the role council member agu here council member Jackson [1:37] here council member Pierce here council member Risser here mayor huin here uh next is the pledge of [1:46] allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the repblic for [1:52] which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for [1:58] all thank you everybody for [2:05] that as member Jackson points out that is the third time today that we've had [2:10] the Pledge of Allegiance we've been involved in meetings and uh a day [2:16] brimming with patriotism as you said earlier that's right yeah so um we've [2:21] got a form of meeting agenda in front of us that's been distributed to the public in advance of the meeting as we usually do and are required to do um is there [2:29] anybody that want on the council or staff that wishes to change the meeting agenda in any form or fashion or amend it is there a motion to approve the [2:36] meeting agenda is published so moved a second M Jackson moves member U [2:42] seconds and the adoption of the meeting agenda uh any further discussion all those in favor of adopting the meeting [2:48] agenda is published say I I I opposed carried the meeting agenda is adopted uh [2:54] in the form that it was published in which it was published and now we are at Community comment it comes up for fairly [3:00] quickly uh we've got some folks in the audience I think that want to visit with the Council on matters of concern to [3:06] them we'll go to them first and then we'll go to see if anybody is online that wishes to address the Council on a [3:13] matter of the concern to them as well [3:36] mayor council members my name is Ralph ziker I live at 4311 Cornelia Circle [3:44] fact over the last 10 years the city has allowed millions of tax dollars to flow [3:50] to the H to fund projects that should have been vetted and funded via a [3:55] bonding bill or directly via the general Levy this practice has encouraged the [4:00] funding of poorly vetted and ill-advised projects look no further than the recently failed Innovation [4:08] lab and this year's Capital spending [4:14] plan the capital spending plan presented to the council in December includes $16.5 [4:20] million previously diverted to the HRA over a decade ago 16.5 million now to be [4:27] spent for a pedestrian tunnel under under France and if we are to believe the [4:32] presentation made to the council last October it is a project which will absorb yet another $14 [4:39] million so a total of 30 million for a pedestrian tunnel under France an amount [4:47] equal to more than ,000 for every voting household in a [4:53] Dina diverting tax revenue to the HRA through the failure to close a district [4:58] on a timely basis or the inclusion of unvetted projects diverts revenue from [5:04] the general Levy millions of dollars which may have gone to reduce the tax [5:09] burden on residents and because it's money spent outside the general Levy the public [5:15] awareness and scrutiny of that spending is so sorely lacking [5:22] Council when will the ongoing H's diversion of ad's tax dollars be [5:28] discussed in a forthright manner or will millions of dollars remain in the [5:40] shadows as was the $30 million for The Pedestrian tunnel under [5:45] France or does the council consider this final [5:51] representation by staff to be transparent enough for residents more importantly if it's such [5:59] such a great idea why didn't the council have the courage to fund The Pedestrian [6:04] tunnel via a bonding [6:12] bill will that courage show itself 11 days from now when the council convenes for its [6:20] annual offsite meeting and if not why not thank you thank you Mr ziker [6:44] good evening mayor hin council members and [6:50] staff my name is John Carlson I live at 4433 Ellsworth Drive I live there with [6:57] my wife my grandchildren are in Bloomington and so they're they're partly [7:02] there I question if the allocation of 's resources is providing the best results [7:09] specifically I'm concerned about crime and safety in the South Cornelia [7:15] neighborhood during the past week I believe a car was stolen on a nearby [7:20] Street a resident in the area had his wallet stolen couldn't the spark funds recently [7:28] allocated to an already well-funded apartment building be better used by [7:33] returning them to the cities for use in higher priority projects isn't it better to allocate [7:40] resources to crime prevention and safety I look forward to your [7:46] reply thank you Mr Carlson [8:12] good evening thank thank you for this opportunity to be here tonight uh thank you mayor hubin and city council members [8:19] and City staff also my name is Sandy Carlson I live at 4433 Ellsworth Drive [8:26] and I'm here tonight to talk about a tree removal that occurred at the 7200 France Avenue site and I want to [8:34] first start out by thanking Carrie Teague he um was very good in providing information and answering some questions [8:40] for me so thank you Carrie really appreciate that this is just a picture of uh what has happened at that site a [8:48] lot of trees were removed that uh uh were not supposed to be removed and I'm [8:54] here tonight talking on behalf of two property owners that live at Bristol Sur Circle Assad deir and Lena Roth who [9:02] weren't able to make it tonight but they are directly impacted by the trees that were removed at that site um I'm also [9:10] here to express my concern about the tree removal it's a very disappointing to for [9:17] this to have happened because we asked many many times as the community to make [9:22] sure that there was good screening from the development at that site and so this is just a a very very big dis [9:29] appointment to a lot of people and especially those who are directly impacted at the site and what's even [9:36] more concerning is that some trees on private property were taken down and that should just never never occur and [9:44] um I just think that uh that this is really a travesty for our neighborhood and for people who are affected at that [9:50] site this is the second time our cornelian neighborhoods have been affected by Surprises with Redevelopment [9:57] projects the first was uh the 4040 West 70th Street Building when additional [10:03] when an additional story all of a sudden appeared on that building it was not [10:09] expected and not planned and residents were very surprised by that so [10:14] Redevelopment is really important to us and especially when these surprises occur it's just very very uh devastating [10:22] to the community what's really deeply concerning is uh that really the [10:27] developer went beyond their property to remove sites on private property and I [10:33] just think that that that is just uh really something that needs to be addressed um we addressed we had concern [10:41] expressed Our concern many times about that about the trees on that property [10:47] and this resolution that was passed by the council clearly states that those [10:52] trees were to remain and there were no qualifications made in that resolution to say that some of the trees would [10:59] remain there just absolutely no qualifications there and then at the November 6 council meeting we were [11:06] reassured by both the developer and City staff that the trees on the west lot line would remain again there were no [11:12] qualifications that some of the trees would remain nothing to qualify their [11:17] statements I believe that three actions are needed with regard to what has [11:23] happened at this site and to address the situation first the REM removal of trees [11:28] needs to be imediately remedied and I know the city of staff is working hard on that um any replacement trees would [11:35] need to be of sufficient size to immediately screen those private properties any trees placed on private [11:42] property should have a warranty with them to make sure that they survive and affected homeowners such as Assad and [11:48] Lena must have approval authority of proposed remedies so my question is how [11:54] will the homeowners and the and the greater neighborhood be engaged to [11:59] remedy this situation my second action is I believe there should be a penalty [12:04] to the developer that goes beyond tree replacement developers must be held accountable for improper actions and so [12:12] my second question is what penalties if any will the city impose this developer [12:18] has received everything they've been given PUD zoning increased height Tiff [12:24] spark everything and they should have mind their peas and use and really [12:30] comply with the plan and so I do think because of everything that they've been granted by the city that a penalty needs [12:37] to be assessed on this Mrs Carlson I'm sorry I've let you drift over your three minutes quite a bit but would you mind [12:43] wrapping up your comments and then I would like to have you provide that recommended action sheet to our clerk [12:49] thank you mayor for letting me continue I'm almost done here the third is to implement stricter oversight measures to [12:54] assure ensure that the developer adheres to all project requirements this unexpected action to remove trees [13:01] contradicts prior commitments to the neighborhood and erods trust it's important that Redevelopment projects [13:07] align with the community's expectation and the promises made during public meetings thank you thank you m [13:18] Carlson I think we're all kind of curious about what happened over there and director Teague it sounds like he has some knowledge of what happened I [13:25] know that uh I had a communication from the developer who was AIT town when I sent him a text and he was pretty [13:32] surprised and he said I'm right on it I'm all over it but I don't I don't know what exactly what happened so I don't know if you want to let's first see if [13:39] there's anybody else in the audience that wishes to talk to the [13:46] council uh Andrew Carter 6012 Pine grve Road uh not about any issue I just um [13:52] what since I'm here I guess wanted to um get in front of everybody and and really [13:57] thank everybody for uh I guess what's gone on over the past year I've been I've had the opportunity to attend I [14:03] don't know probably I think three City Council meetings and a Planning Commission meeting and I was uh I don't [14:08] know pleasantly surprised with kind I what I felt like what all the material had been pre-read uh genuine and [14:15] practical thoughts were brought and talked about and um I don't know I was impressed so thank you everybody for [14:21] just doing what you do and uh making I don't know Edina a a good place to live [14:26] and it feels like there's care here in the room so um that's all I just wanted to say thanks yeah thank you for being here uh [14:34] let's go online first then we'll go back to director teue on this tree [14:40] issue pardon me there's someone there's someone else who wishes to speak yes [14:47] yeah please come up um thank you city council and staff [14:53] for letting us speak my name is Katie OD day almost a 30-year resident of Edina [14:58] Minnesota very proud of that I live at 4610 Bruce Avenue and uh have uh had [15:04] just um worked with the city council on a number of different things have been on commissions and uh you know it's just [15:11] this dialogue is really important to me and so what I wanted to come and talk about was uh leaving public comment [15:18] public uh what Jennifer said at the beginning of this meeting thanks for being part of the public process public [15:26] process and tonight I've learned some things that were shared by my neighbors [15:32] and things I'm interested in and want to look into and so that would be lost if [15:38] public comment went before the meeting and was no longer televised so I [15:43] strongly encourage you to allow a public process and keep Community comment the [15:49] way it is thank you good yeah it's nice to see you we haven't seen you for several years so been a while yeah good [15:55] and Miss did your neighbor Miss douas wish to come [16:08] too good evening mayor hlin and council members my name is Cheryl doulas I live [16:14] at 4609 Bruce Avenue and I am also here to express my support for keeping [16:20] Community comment in its current format public held during Council meetings and [16:26] recorded when I learned about the proposed was Chang I was curious about what residents had to say during [16:32] Community comment I went online and reviewed the past year of commun of [16:37] Council meetings that is 23 meetings from March 7th of last year to the most [16:42] recent on February 18th I learned quite a lot from listening firsthand to other [16:48] residents concerns what I found was that during the year 55 speakers made a total of 75 [16:55] comments with some speakers making comments on more than one issue the [17:00] average number of speakers per council meeting was about two and a half with as few as zero to as many as five speakers [17:09] I placed each comment into one of six categories there were two comments of [17:14] advice to the council four comments made for public interest five commendations [17:21] to the council and or staff 11 complaints or grievances 24 requests for [17:28] clarification or questions about policy and 29 suggestions to the council note [17:36] that if a resident registered grievance or complaint the speaker almost always [17:42] ended with a constructive suggestion for a solution in considering the proposed [17:48] protocol change I foresee a couple of potential pitfalls first if the council [17:55] work session runs over time then it may necessitate shortening or eliminating [18:01] Community comment so that the council meeting would be able to start on time at [18:06] 7:00 in addition The Proposal relies on the city manager to present secondhand [18:13] the issues brought forth by residents and may put the council at risk of further criticism for non-transparency [18:20] which was one of the top complaints I would like to end by sharing an example that highlights the [18:27] importance of public Community comment process at a council meeting this past [18:33] January two Edina High School students from Project Earth came to speak about the club's upcoming clothing Swap and [18:41] Earth a programs not having a public process would have taken away the opportunity for these Future Leaders to [18:49] observe how local governance works with citizen input and more importantly to [18:54] participate themselves for me Community comments serves the purpose of hearing [19:00] my fellow residents share pertinent information Express concerns related to their lived [19:05] experiences and ask questions and make suggestions to improve city policies the [19:11] current format provides valuable educational worthwhile and pertinent information and [19:19] feedback to the council and therefore I strongly urge the council to leave Community comment the way it is thank [19:26] you for your time and attention thank you [19:35] Mr good evening good evening my name is Ursa pela I live on 6205 Idlewood Lane [19:41] in Adina and I just want to thank the city council for bringing up the [19:47] ordinance the pet ordinance tonight to ban inhumanely pred animals I appreciate [19:55] that and I hope it will pass well thank you for coming thank you [20:06] y anyone else in the audience wish to address the Council on a matter of concern to [20:14] them all right anyone online I have no one online Okay um let's [20:23] um wonder if why don't we talk to director Teague a little about this tree [20:28] issue because I think all of us are curious and last I heard the the facts hadn't sorted themselves out yet and I [20:35] was really curious as everybody else was I think whether you lived in the neighborhood or you were on the council [20:41] and Miss Carlson pointed out that uh element of the the condition and the [20:46] resolution that was passed and uh I know the developer was in favor of that as well and um we all wanted to screen [20:53] those neighbors so to the extent you can provide any Enlightenment on what happened we'd appreciate it yeah yes [20:58] certainly mayor um members of the council so we're still working through the issues but I'll tell you what I know [21:05] today so we verified staff verified with their landscaper that they did in fact [21:10] take out trees along the lot line on the 7200 uh France property in addition to [21:17] trees on the adjacent private properties so that puts them in violation of the [21:24] approved site plan for phase one you recall phase one [21:29] which was the 7250 site is the construction of the office building but [21:34] as part of phase one they were to put in the sidewalks Landscaping that [21:40] included work on the 7200 site so they're in violation they've remove [21:45] those trees that they were supposed to to save the the um the developer and the [21:53] landscape architect have promised us submitt of a revised landscap plan by [21:59] the end of the day tomorrow so I'm hopeful we'll get that starting with plantings on the private property in [22:05] addition to 7200 the intent and we haven't worked out the exact strategy how it's going to work but we intend to [22:13] meet with some of those neighbors um share the plan um work with the Forester [22:18] um maybe make some revisions to that plan ideally what we'd like to do is put [22:25] this on the council agenda for March 8 18th the 7200 site you recall they still [22:32] need final site plan approval so if we can finish up with the sipa agreements [22:39] which we think we can uh they've submitted their final plans there's no changes from preliminary and then work [22:46] out this additional landscape plan we'd like to put this on the agenda for your discussion to review and consider that [22:54] amended landscape plan and those final documents on March 18th so that's our [22:59] goal today assuming we're going to get that landscape plan end of the day tomorrow and start working with the [23:05] residents one point I heard and I don't remember who it was from the the the N Mile Creek Watershed District Forester [23:11] had a role in this thing or our Forester and and it just it all seemed quite [23:16] confusing as to what had happened and do you know anything about that yeah I don't I don't believe the Watershed [23:23] district has taken final action I believe they've been meeting with them you know some sometimes Watershed [23:30] districts require ponding to be larger maybe there's some trees removed but I [23:36] haven't heard that from the Watershed District specifically that that's the case so you're thinking we'll have the [23:41] facts sorted out by the 18th of March and then we'll we'll we'll know uh independently [23:48] what the facts are as well as hearing from the developer as well that's the goal this evening yes yeah well thanks [23:54] for that good work on that issue I think it was important to all of us [24:03] um okay I'm going to go to manager Neil now I don't know if there's some other things we want to address in time here [24:09] but possibly all right thank you your honor we had five questions uh at our previous [24:17] uh city council meeting in in uh February and I'll just go through them [24:22] uh first question was how many affordable housing units created in since 2015 shown in staff presentations [24:29] at the February 6th h meeting are permanently affordable and how many are subject to the sunset Clause um [24:36] developments that are governed by policy uh by the policy version developments that um went in in any particular year [24:44] are Guided by the policy that was in place in those particular years I think it's worth noting that at the early at [24:51] the early years of our involvement direct involvement in affordable housing uh we didn't have as many tools we [24:57] didn't really know how to use those tools um that we did have quite as effectively as we do now um our initial [25:04] period uh in the affordable housing policy time frame from 215 from 2015 was [25:10] an affordability period of 15 years in 2018 the term was increased to 20 years [25:16] in 2022 the policy was amended to reflect that new developments must have an affordability period of 30 years if [25:24] financing comes from the city or from the HRA so that's that's where we are that's where we are today we're looking [25:30] at 30-year time frames the only multi uh multif family development required to have affordable units in perpetuity is [25:38] 7200 France and that's 15 units and that was an agreement that we made with them bilaterally in during the negotiation [25:45] for their Pro their their the approval of their project uh 4040 the 4040 Flats [25:52] uh has 118 units and an affordable affordability period of 99 years and [25:58] that's as a result of our of our collaboration with the uh Adina housing Foundation they own the land and entered [26:04] into a 99-year ground lease um and there're that is 100% affordable uh [26:10] development so all of the units in that building must be affordable under the terms of their [26:16] agreement single family homes that are placed in the community land trust also have 99-year ground leases and there are [26:23] 18 of those homes in in a Dina uh the next question was the city required [26:28] affordable housing units in several recent developments what is the number of vacant affordable housing units in [26:34] those developments uh Stephanie Hawkinson who man who manages and monitors that for the city uh confirmed [26:41] that their affordable units are either occupied or applications are pending for vacancies so when somebody moves out of [26:48] a unit they the uh owners have to pre-qualify the next uh folks that are [26:53] going to be moving into that so there's a time period uh where they're doing repair and maintenance on the building [26:59] after the former tenant moved out they're doing uh checks and vetting the new uh the new folks that are going to [27:05] be moving in so there is a period of vacancy but it's but it's uh as short as they can possibly make it there aren't [27:13] uh a bunch of affordable housing units that are just vacant in in the city I think that's the conclusion she wanted [27:19] to make um finally the finch uh will begin accepting uh tenant applications [27:24] in March and 7200 of course is just start in 7200 France is just starting [27:30] it's not quite under construction yet but their process is starting uh next question was why has the city not been [27:36] more aggressive in requiring developers to honor their commitments to providing affordable housing units I think I'll go [27:41] back and and say again that in the early years of our process we didn't have as [27:46] many tools uh especially tools to compel people to uh provide units um like we do [27:53] today when we are when we are negotiating incentive uh incentive [27:58] packages uh we have the ability to gain better access and we have better tools [28:04] to make sure that people are complying with the commitments they made to us including withholding uh payment of tax [28:11] increment from projects if people are not complying uh next question was in dollars uh this switches topics now how [28:19] much of the city's budget comes from the federal government of the city's uh 2025 [28:24] budget uh 200 we've spent approximately 211 million ion do for our Consolidated [28:29] budget this year and 595,000 of that um [28:35] less than less than one half of 1% is from the federal government uh of that [28:40] uh $428,000 is budgeted in the general fund with the rest being Community Development block grant money so that's [28:48] it's it 500,000 $595,000 is a lot of money but in terms of uh of scale from [28:55] the rest of our budget it's a small piece of our budget uh what will the city do if all of its federal government [29:02] grants go away uh we will adapt right it's it's a lot of money but it's not so [29:08] much money that we can't adapt uh we'll proably that adaptation will probably come in the areas where that money was [29:15] those federal grants were going to be applied and that's in a variety of different areas in our from our from how [29:21] we run our fleets um and how we uh fund affordable housing environmental improvements things like that so that's [29:28] where we would make those changes if we had to and that's our summary of questions from the uh previous meeting that prompt [29:36] any follow in from any of the council members member rer um just looking at the December 19th [29:43] um h meeting and the annual compliance report it appears only to um the Aurora [29:51] and nol and Mains were compliant and then avador Millennium laurant um had [29:57] open deficiencies ARA maon green were also non-compliant and I think one of [30:02] the things we learned um in a work session about affordable housing is well [30:08] the Tiff um can be used to incentivize compliance it doesn't necessarily work [30:14] also um when we talk about placing affordable housing or specifying that it [30:19] will be in perpetuity once the Tiff district has um been closed out there [30:25] isn't any mechanism for really ensuring that we will have those units um [30:31] function as affordable units so I just wanted to is that a statement or a question not a question but it was a [30:38] clarification no but I mean with respect to the enforceability uh you you made an assertion that it's not enforceable if [30:44] we have a permanent at the or did you mean that as a question as a comment [30:51] based on the information that we received at the work session for affordable housing it was noted [30:59] um I believe that the tools for insuring compliance are are kind of lacking and [31:05] so that was an issue if we could I would say that could be true depending on the [31:13] age at which or the year in which the city and the uh housing developer uh [31:19] reached their agreement in the uh in the early teens 2010 to [31:25] 2015 again uh not very good uh tools to work with but since that time uh we have [31:32] a more sophisticated approach us and when we use our incentives there are better ways that we can get um [31:40] compliance if we need to okay yes council member Pierce as a [31:48] follow on uh thanks Mr Mayor um so two comments one on the compliance so I [31:56] appreciate the the data uh in your answer uh manager [32:02] Neil I was thinking of this strictly from a compliance perspective so it [32:07] would be good to have a little bit more of a deep dive on where are we [32:14] incompliant and where are we not um it's great information to know that uh some [32:21] of the affordable housing investments that we've made are not permanent right [32:26] and so that's that you just went through that detail um but I am far more interested [32:34] in who's not in compliant and what's our recourse when [32:40] they're not in compliance um and then the the other comment I [32:47] wanted to go back to with the trees like I I wanted to say something but I wasn't [32:53] quite sure what to say um and I I just I [32:59] settled on saying this I'm not sure just replanting trees is [33:06] enough um and so I want to use those two comments that I made both about affordable housing and the [33:13] trees to Center our ground on this statement um we definitely as a council [33:21] like we're reasonable people right we understand information and we make [33:27] decisions the best decisions we can with the information we have but I think [33:33] sometimes we're so cordial that and I'm the I'm the main [33:40] one like I'm extremely cordial right uh but there's some things that I think we [33:46] should like we should be irritated about and I'm not saying we're not irritated [33:51] that those 14 trees were removed but I think sometimes we need to express that [33:58] we're disappointed that that happened and we're going to make sure that we're [34:05] going to make it right and I personally don't think just replanting the trees [34:11] are okay I don't know that that's enough um so I would like to offer those two [34:17] comments yeah I would suspected on the 18th of March we'll have a pretty vigorous discussion on that issue Man [34:23] Neil I I assure you we are irritated about this uh more than irritated um [34:30] because we do have we we've this is a developer that we expect to be working with on a number of different projects [34:37] over the upcoming uh decade probably so this is not a good way to get this [34:42] started at all and it is annoying the way that especially in particular going on to [34:49] adjoining private property and removing trees without permission that's we just can't do that now saying that we have we [34:57] have a fair amount of latitude to make uh people who harm other private property owners um uh get them whole [35:06] right we don't have as much latitude of being punitive to the to the guy that messed up um so we're talking that [35:13] through about what we can do uh but part of that process is a public process where where developer comes and stands [35:20] at that Podium and says here's what happened and here's what I'm going to do about it so that's really what is U part [35:27] of what we think is going to happen on March 18th but we're not we're not doing nothing till March 18th there's a lot [35:33] that's going on before that and uh so that that meeting will be a little should be pretty productive okay thank [35:41] you um Chief I think uh John Carlson raised [35:46] the issue of a couple of um Public Safety related issues a couple [35:51] of uh criminal incidents that occurred over in the um South Cornelia neighborhood and it was concerned about [35:58] the level of policing that's going on and I don't know if you can share any information at this point in time about [36:03] these two incidents that he referenced or it's under investigation yeah mayor council members [36:10] I don't have the details on exactly what happened there but we'll look into it and have a response back on and then some follow up on what occurred there [36:17] okay good thanks for that um and then uh Carrie Teague back to you uh one of the [36:22] things that Sandy Carlson was concerned about uh from a disappointment stand point I think she said was that a an [36:30] extra story occurred on 4040 France Avenue than what was and what I assumed she said she meant what was approved so [36:38] is is 4040 any different than what was approved as constructed there was not an [36:44] extra story added to what was approved there was some shifting of area within [36:50] that top level that fell within the city's administrative ability to approve [36:56] a but was classified as a minor change but they didn't add a an [37:02] additional story and then she was concerned that the developer was receiving all kinds of [37:08] benefits including Tiff but we don't my understanding is and our long practice is we don't give we don't provide [37:15] developers with Tiff assistance we provide assistance using Tiff when we have public elements of a project that [37:21] we want to see fulfilled is that correct as far as the ti Tiff dollars [37:28] going toward public improvements within the development I think that's what [37:35] here thank you um okay and I think we can look at [37:41] those other issues that uh we can address those by the end of the week on online and then we'll address them as [37:48] well uh Katy OD day and Cheryl doulas uh their comments on uh the [37:55] community comment format uh being kept in his present uh mode I [38:02] guess would be one way to put it we can we can discuss that we haven't set anything up on for a discussion on that [38:07] we have we have your ideas you know member Jackson raised this issue of [38:14] Are We what are the other options or what about public comment I I joined in that uh curiosity I guess uh without [38:22] ever making any kind of a commitment to change it we just wanted to know what were the different options that were out [38:28] there with respect to community comment and and you drilled down on some of that and came back with a recommendation but [38:34] we haven't made any decision on that and uh I wonder if we shouldn't maybe we can talk about that when we get to concerns [38:40] of councel and decide when we want to address that issue because there continues to be email dialogue uh about [38:47] that uh uh the method by which we take public comment so okay that's it um [38:54] let's move on then and uh we've got a consent agenda in [38:59] front of us and there's a few items that council members have wished have indicated they wish to remove from the [39:05] consent Agenda One is 6.8 uh 6.15 uh and then [39:12] 6.16 as well so with the exception of 6.8 6.15 and 6.16 is there a motion to [39:19] approve the balance of the items items on the consent agenda in a single motion so moved second member Jackson moves [39:26] member Pierce uh second the adoption of the items on the consent agenda with the exception of items 6.8 6.15 and 6.16 any [39:34] further discussion all those in favor of adoption of those items on the consent agenda uh with the exception of items [39:40] 6.8 6.15 and 6.16 say I I I opposed carried uh the items on the consent [39:47] agenda are adopted as indicated and we will now take up item 6.8 which was a [39:52] concern uh actually three of us Julie Risser council member rer council member [39:57] Ragu and and the mayor all were have been uh getting you know email dialogue [40:03] and having correspondence with the both residents in the neighborhood over there as well as uh people who have kids [40:10] parking uh o over there in that area so I think a better understanding of that would be important uh member rer do you [40:16] want to go first with your your uh concerns um my concern involves the [40:21] signage that is in the parking lot uh next to the soccer field and [40:28] um I don't know if we want to pull up the specific language of the traffic item I believe it's 1A but [40:36] uh it's the signage and I drove over there and looked at it and I believe it says that nobody can park there from [40:42] 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. during school days which made me wonder you know first [40:49] off why would we do that and um are there other examples of parking lots [40:55] within the city of Edina where we have that stti population there is a trail um you can actually access the 9M Creek [41:01] Trail and go hiking so that means anybody you know who wants to go and use that trail can't use that trail um the [41:08] other thing is there has been this incredible emphasis on trying to make [41:15] parking spaces more used in Edina and um [41:20] you know we we put in a pedestrian bridge so that it would go to the upper deck of the municipal parking ramp so [41:27] we' invested in that we um factored in a very Innovative parking plan for the [41:33] 7200 7250 France Avenue project um we discussed allowing Starling to use the [41:40] parking lot um at City Hall which I I think that is not happening but it was a [41:46] dis discussion that happened um and so there seems to be this emphasis on [41:53] trying to get more people being able to access the parking that we have so that [41:59] we can keep cars off the street and so I'm wondering why are we taking a very [42:04] different tact for this particular parking lot and that is really the essence of my concern let's hear member [42:11] agner's concerns as well I would Echo but just say yeah more [42:18] curiosity into whether the the park nearby if that is an option and wanting [42:25] to understand more about how that came into the decision- making process and um at what point we put up those signs um [42:34] so just looking for more information um and maybe just more dialogue in general [42:39] I know maybe this is even an opportunity to talk with the the school board as well um but making sure that around [42:48] schools we are um taking parking into account kind of in that that holistic [42:55] kind of way um so I was just hoping to have it be a broader conversation looking to learn a little bit more than [43:00] what was provided on the the transportation um report and conversation of the Transportation [43:07] Commission thanks for those comments member Pierce um so I this definitely is in my [43:16] opinion kind of a a broader kind of complex issue so in that [43:22] area um there's a couple of things that occur [43:27] um one there's not enough parking for students at the school and [43:34] so the public schools um high schools [43:39] then have two agreements that um people can pay for permit to park at two of the churches [43:47] right and then if they're not parking in one of those areas then what ends up happening [43:53] is the students will park on the streets and so so there's streets over there [43:58] where we have signage that says you can't park uh there's another area [44:04] there's a call toac where parents pull up and wait right and so that gets [44:10] dangerous there as well and so students are parking at the park um cuz you know there's no place [44:19] else to park unless they park on the street and so um and then we got uh [44:25] complaints rightfully sold from homeowners saying well it's dangerous because there's so many cars parked on [44:32] the streets um and so I am this was one where I'm I'm not sure how right to [44:40] solve it because there's a lot of complexities um that are [44:45] compounding this particular issue remember Jackson yes so I want to [44:55] put in a couple one other perspective and that is you know in the I looked at the parking ordinance and it said sort [45:01] of for city parks and parking lots there it's a case by case spaces so for me the [45:07] question is what's the public safety purpose of banning kids from parking in this parking lot during school hours or [45:14] part Banning anybody so it's the general public and and as member rer said there's a trail head there you can't [45:21] park during school hours and I just want to know what the public purpose of of banning that is okay all good comments [45:30] um I think our mind set is fairly uniform and our Curiosities are pretty [45:37] much the same um I know the neighbors have been very pleased with the temporary restrictions that have been [45:42] put up over there but some of the photographs I've seen even after the temporary restrictions were put in place [45:48] there's still a lot of cars parking on the street and and I think that I heard [45:53] at least one uh vehicle that was ticketed for parking in the parking lot [45:59] where it says no parking and so to the point you're making what's the purpose of that I mean it's a public parking a lot we've baned [46:06] parking in there the member rer points out it's connected to the trail head once you get uh if you use that access [46:13] point and there's another sort of homemade trail that the kids have used to get up to the school parking [46:20] lot it seems to me that we should take pressure off or think about taking pressure off the streets further by [46:25] letting them use that parking lot and uh and probably plowing it maybe that's the reason it was never [46:33] uh set up for parking was because we weren't plowing it I'm not sure but I don't know manager Neil you have any [46:38] insight on this issue there talk oh if I could just add one one thing before [46:46] um director Milner talks the um only other question I had which perhaps you [46:54] can answer this if we had have if we allow uh kids to park there my other [47:01] question was are are we impeding other residents who might want [47:08] to park there in order to use the trail and so I would feel differently about it [47:15] if we looked at kind of peak traffic patterns and find out that all the [47:21] parking spots are full and we've got people who are trying to go you utilize [47:27] the park and they have no place to do that um and so that was the only other [47:33] thought that I had but if if we're in a situation where everybody can use the [47:39] park and that was would probably be how I [47:44] would lean because it is a PO a public parking spot but that parking lot but [47:50] that was the only question I still had well what was Sharon's estimate for the meeting this evening says we can talk a [47:56] long time time on this one um let's go back to when the high school was expanding um 8 10 years ago they did a [48:02] traffic study and a parking study we heard from the neighbors that if the school expands there's not going to be parking so we know we met with the [48:08] parking people at that time there is concerns with how many people and how many permits they can get they start with seniors Juniors and then sophomores [48:15] are as there's permits left and then you got the two lots that they rent out and [48:20] Chapel the neighborhood to the South the residence there was a big public engagement with the neighbors on Creek Valley chapel and and chap or Creek View [48:28] on each side right and nobody wanted people parking the school City shouldn't provide street parking for the school [48:35] they should handle their parking themselves so we addressed the parking in the South neighborhood right away and [48:40] did two-sided no parking 8 to4 and we've had one complaint from somebody that would like to have tea and parties at [48:46] lunchtime and she can't do that now and we've said well the neighborhood spoke then and didn't want it and this area in [48:53] that study was identified as a future thing that we should consider as necessary well Co hit less kids are even [48:59] on the bus more people are driving their kids or letting them drive so we saw this issue get worse with the pandemic [49:05] and now they were squirting out into this neighborhood recently and neighbors called and said there's a problem there's safety concerns Traffic Safety [49:12] Committee reviewed it we reviewed the study from 2016 and said this was an area we identified so then we resigned [49:19] this and said you can't park in the streets because of various concerns of the neighbors and you guys got all those [49:25] emails and messages about the concern turns uh the parking lot itself that is a city park parking lot we don't [49:31] maintain it so in the winter time the snow is not plowed so we don't want people in there because we don't [49:37] maintain it um you guys could tell us otherwise but that is our practice right [49:42] now I'd be concerned about making a deao parking lot for the schools when they're supposed to handle their own parking but [49:49] that could be a thing that you guys address um and I'd almost be concerned [49:54] your last question of if we make it available I think it's going to fill up and there won't be any access for people [50:00] using the trail in that regard but we don't know that because we just made these changes so now these people are [50:06] looking for areas many times we hear from students too that they don't get permits because they can't get out of that lot fast enough to get to their [50:12] activities after school so they'd rather park somewhere like this and walk so they can get to their activities in [50:18] other areas so that's a very brief kind of background and we' happy to answer [50:23] any of the questions or any clarifying questions of the council what parking stalls are there in the parking lot the [50:30] park I would have to find that out I don't know right off hand U my question is did we evaluate [50:39] onesided parking restrictions well again then you'd have [50:44] potentially some of the same concerns from the residents um it would could or [50:50] could not be a safety concern right so we didn't we went right to the two-sided we said if we're going to do it we're going to match Chapel cuz that's what [50:56] the neighborhood said either you strict it on both sides or you don't do it at all so we match that so I can say no we [51:02] didn't consider it one-sided thank [51:07] you jaction so and Mr Mayor you can help me remember this I don't know if it was [51:14] in the school City committee convers we had that or as a city council but we [51:19] have talked about how we can manage what we can do about traffic flow at the high school because it is atrocious it's [51:26] really bad and um I don't know um you know if we had ever thought about think [51:32] about scheduling a conversation with them how we can fix that because it's [51:38] you know I've tried to go to events at the high school and I just you know can't get in and out and that's during [51:44] the day and I know that for the students leaving it just does take forever to get out of [51:49] there I my recollection is that um we've looked at the issue over time [51:56] the school district is you know putting traffic control people out there I think at least in the afternoon maybe in the [52:02] morning too they do both they manage traffic and I think they're doing as well as they can for the site [52:07] constraints and we thought about some improvements uh sort of physical improvements to the roadway but it it [52:13] wouldn't have mattered I don't think in terms of the volume just too many because the volume is so significant that [52:19] uh uh it's it's it's overwhelming to your point member Jackson um so [52:27] what do you you so we're going to we this is a recommendation to do the same thing on the West Side uh that we did on [52:34] the east side of the school basically on Creek Valley and uh chapel correct we're [52:40] recommending two-sided restrictions 8 to4 I think the parking lot is a different conversation or a separate [52:46] conversation tonight we we're just wanting you to approve the traffic safety with those parking restrictions [52:51] on the streets we could continue the parking on the parking lot at another date if that is the council's I would [52:57] tend to think the heaviest volume of traffic for people that want to use the trail would be when school's out [53:05] summertime but I'm sure there's some people that want to use it during the winter time too and and I I agree with [53:10] you I think that lot would fill up right away uh and then kids be jockeying over [53:16] there because they don't have to pay correct so it's it's quite an interesting problem I go ahead sorry I [53:23] do um appreciate member Jackson's point about looking at traffic patterns I [53:30] think I'm the only one up here who does this every day um and [53:36] um I mean it's dangerous and I'm part of the issue when I'm picking up my kid and [53:42] I'm hitting a uturn right in the traffic um but I mean [53:49] 10 cars will do that every day because it's if you go in that parking lot and [53:56] my daughter's got to get to dance by 5: school let out at 4: if I go in that [54:01] parking lot I'm she's going to miss dance cuz I can't get out um and so a [54:07] lot of people um either go to that cerac and just kind of hang out there um we've [54:14] got signage um beside the church where you can't do that um but it is it's a a [54:22] huge Challenge and I think it's probably smart to think about how we might be able to help [54:29] look at traffic patterns and I don't know what we can do but that seems like a strategic thing that has nothing to do [54:36] with this um ask tonight but it seems like it'd be a smart thing to consider [54:43] doing and Neil uh thank you your honor yes we've had we've had many [54:48] conversations with the school district with our school district peers over the years on uh on Valley View and how to [54:55] how to prop ly design and access it we've done some we've done some design work ourselves that we've shared with [55:01] them from time to time on some options um it it it just doesn't get to the top [55:08] of the districts School the district's list of of capital Investments uh but we [55:13] can certainly continue to do that and we because we've we've got some history the other thing that would be worthwhile [55:19] would member U go ahead I'll assume mayor that we are going to say the same [55:25] thing um so what if we opened up the parking lot for parking had like little [55:33] signs that was like for three to five spaces whatever number it is and we can be like flexible on that over time of [55:39] like reserved for Park use um and then we could sell [55:45] permits for the rest of them and make some money as a [55:54] city there we go we'll take it is much more aggressive than I was going to be about I was just going to say why [55:59] don't you to look at the parking lot and see if that has holds any possibilities here I in mind now member 's creative [56:05] ideas about us being in the parking lot business too well it just raises more questions for operation and maintenance [56:11] are we plowing it that's a whole another thing we haven't been doing who's going to plow it how are we going to manage it uh that goes to her point about paying [56:18] to park there those that would be a source of funds to pay for the maintenance of it [56:24] anyway so I think we can take that back and have an internal discussion I mean we do have a we do sell parking uh [56:31] options for 50th in France parking R ramp spots so we do a little we've got [56:37] some experience doing this the the more complex we make it the harder it is to [56:43] to enforce right so that's that's one thing we've got to consider I I would also like to and I I'm comfortable I [56:52] know that there are already signs up there today um restricting parking on [56:58] both sides of the street but I would like it I would like to come back and have another conversation about the [57:06] inherent differential between safety of one-sided no sided two-sided parking um [57:13] one for this use case in particular um but I think as we're making some of these as we're talking later broader [57:21] parking decisions and discussions around the community um when I hear we're going [57:26] to you know eliminate parking on both sides of the street due to safety concerns I want more data behind that [57:33] and I want to understand more about what that means because if it's really that unsafe then we shouldn't allow parking [57:40] on any street right like that's the the hyperbolic reaction that I might have [57:46] but it's where I want to understand more of the data I want to understand what safety issues have occurred um and could [57:53] we still combat some of the concerns of neighbor by restricting on one side of the street I I just think it warrants a [58:00] conversation Y and I can say the one thing here is there's no sidewalks so kids of all ages are walking in the [58:06] street with cars on both sides and cars trying to get through and not just uh adults these are high schoolers driving [58:12] through with many kids walking so that was one of the major concerns and I add [58:17] in that I agree with doing that analysis the other challenge though in this case [58:23] was the volume of cars parked on on the street and so if it was you know three [58:29] or four cars here or there that would be different but in this case I mean it's [58:34] lining the streets on both sides right you're talking about driver Behavior [58:40] amongst kids it made me think about last winter I remember seeing a sign in the neighborhood you know that sign we see [58:46] that says drive like your kids lived here yeah and the snow had covered up kids kids live here so it said drive [58:53] like your kids so you can see was drive like your kids oh [59:00] yeah uh well that's the most time we've ever spent on the traffic safety report I think it's a new record um but [59:06] interesting issue uh is there a motion to adopt the traffic safety report of January 28 [59:12] 2025 so moved second member Pierce moves member Jackson seconds the adoption of [59:17] the traffic safety report of January 28 2025 any further discussion all those in favor of adoption of the traffic safety [59:23] report of January 28 2025 say I I I opposed carried the traffic safety [59:29] report of January 28 2025 is adopted let's go then to 6.15 which was the [59:36] request for purchase and I think director Milner has this as well it's a Highway 100 interchange project uh that [59:43] we have coming up next year and uh the need to remove some [59:48] trees and yeah Julie had this Julie had this and she may have questions to start [59:53] off the conversation oh and I'll try to keep this brief but basically when I look at the purchase report and I see [59:59] that the scope of the project are trees located along Highway 100 near City Hall adjacent to the Northbound Highway 100 [1:00:06] on ramp around both the highway 100 and Vernon Avenue Bridges and near the cbkc [1:00:13] railroad tracks and I also see the funding sources grants MSA County [1:00:18] Utility packs and other and so I think I understand what this project is um but [1:00:25] then I go to the contract and the contract says that um this is [1:00:30] about not removing four trees near 4901 hawthor Court which is on the opposite [1:00:36] side of Highway 100 near the southbound exit ramp and that the idea is we're [1:00:43] going to the owners are donating the trees to the city the city is going to be [1:00:49] responsible for moving the trees and um partly because of the budget and [1:00:55] everything I was thinking what is this going to cost um I got a figure of it'll [1:01:01] be $4,000 to $5,000 to remove all four trees and then um my other concern was I [1:01:08] don't want the city to have to pay for this I was told that we would be reimbursed by the county or the state [1:01:14] but I'm wondering why would the county or the state reimburse us for something that is what appears to be purely a [1:01:21] municipal um project removing trees from a private home and putting them [1:01:28] elsewhere in the city so those are my questions and concerns thank you m rer so the the [1:01:35] contract documents are five pages of tree removals the contractor bid on tree [1:01:40] removals in the areas you mentioned but also those four trees behind the wall CU that whole wall is coming down in a [1:01:46] temporary condition after the heat they submitted their quotes that the owners [1:01:52] of that parcel said could we want to donate these four trees so we pull that from the contract so in that contract it [1:01:57] just says You must follow all bid documents the six pages but please just remove these four trees we just wanted [1:02:04] to document those four four trees so they are corresponding and relevant the [1:02:09] funding sources there is it's a estimated $27 million project with 12 [1:02:15] funding sources if you go back to the August 7th council meeting I provided the council and update Municipal state [1:02:22] aid County state aid um there's water fund San funds storm sewer utilities [1:02:27] packs General a lot of different inine mindat we got a new LLP Grant since that [1:02:32] time and we're still asking for State bonding we're going to hold all the contracts but all the other parties are going to pay us as construction happens [1:02:39] plus there's $ 11.2 million of federal grants as part of this project so City's going to hold all contracts County's [1:02:46] going to pay us their share of federal grants they're going to pay us their County state aid we're using our Municipal funds our local funds for our [1:02:52] own water and sewer systems a couple more grants and we'll be reviewing this in great detail most likely April 16th [1:03:00] after we open bids on the much larger and the entire project for this year so the city is not going to get stuck with [1:03:07] this bill no there's a three-party Cooperative agreement that is part of all of this yep thank [1:03:18] you so the the trees that you're going to move that member rer was concerned about uh are going to be moved to [1:03:25] somewhat location the city Forester is think they can safely transplant those trees these [1:03:32] four trees went in when that apartment building was built just a few years ago so their coniferous trees 8 to 15 ft [1:03:37] they're perfect for transplanting they just didn't want them cut down and taken away yeah and they said hey the city you want them and the city Forester said [1:03:44] yeah I could use those for at Todd Park so let's use them uh as we can salvage [1:03:50] them that Federal grant you talked about do we have an executed contract on that Federal grant yep [1:03:56] okay that's good I'll talk about that later what we uh what we talked about at the US [1:04:03] Conference of mayor's meeting um and then the other thing I was concerned about was making sure that [1:04:10] we don't take any more trees and are absolutely necessary because there's some on all the on all the ramps they [1:04:18] not all the ramps I guess if you think about so which ramps are we talking about I guess that's a better way to start the the dialogue sure um if you [1:04:25] you there's probably trees you don't even notice are out there on all four corners of both bridges that have grown [1:04:31] up and they're just volunteer trees over time new Bridges we got to clear those trees out to make space there's also a [1:04:37] few down by the railroad to make space for that new Vernon Bridge there's a few in the Redundant ramps right here just [1:04:44] west of Grange some of those are staying but there's some where that new ramp's going straight to 50th that needs to be [1:04:49] removed and then there's a few along the Northbound onramp for the new noise well [1:04:55] remember the neighbor wanted that noise wall for years and years that wall has to be up at the top of the hill on mot [1:05:00] property and a few of those trees at the top need to be to take in make room for the noise wall some of those larger [1:05:06] older trees at the top of the hill but it's not on private property it's all in M right away the oak trees that was a [1:05:13] question we had from member of Jackson these oak trees out here are not getting touched on the east side of Grange so as part of the project then would the sound [1:05:20] wall be extended down that burm Northbound on that exit that entrance [1:05:25] ramp on the Northbound 100 it's starting from the minw creek where it ends today right at the creek and going all the way [1:05:31] up to 50th yep okay correct yeah that's great [1:05:36] yep y okay it should have been done years ago but yeah that's great um other questions member [1:05:44] rer uh no that okay do you want to move that matter uh so move all right second [1:05:50] member rer moves member Pierce second the uh approval of the request for purchase for the Highway 100 100 [1:05:55] interchange project tree removals any further discussion all those in favor of adoption of the motion stated say I I I [1:06:02] oppos carried uh 6.15 is adopted uh 6.16 [1:06:09] uh resolution 20259 deals with uh what's called the uh West Metro multi-community Wellhead Pro [1:06:17] protection plan part one I just wanted to folks understand a little bit and myself included about this whole concept [1:06:24] around Wellhead protection and I thought you could address that a little bit for us yeah thanks mayor so [1:06:29] typically agencies approve each individual well Hood protection plan independent of other agencies well we [1:06:35] know the aquafers don't know Municipal boundaries so there's some conflicting information sometimes between agencies [1:06:41] so the Department of Health met Council said let's try a pilot program with some West Western eight communities in the [1:06:47] western suburbs so they've been working with us and seven other communities to do this phase one Wellhead protection [1:06:53] plan as a as an area so let's first delineate what area that would be and then do a vulnerability assessment of [1:06:59] where we all get our groundwater for our wells and our treatment plants so that's been completed phase two is now to [1:07:06] develop goals and strategies and objectives of how to manage potential sources of contamination because we want [1:07:12] to keep the well protect the Wellhead protect the aquifers so this resolution tonight is so the Minnesota Department [1:07:18] of Health can ensure all communities are on the same page they're asking for each Community to approve this so we can move into phase two and continue that work [1:07:25] work as a as a broader area than just individual cities so there'll be an [1:07:31] opportunity for more engagement in public hearing I understand back with this Council later this year so it's a [1:07:36] new strategy around uh uh protecting groundwater and um we're part of the [1:07:42] pilot project correct yeah okay it's a great project somebody care to move the adoption of that resolution so moved [1:07:48] there a second second okay member Jackson moves member Pierce second the adoption of [1:07:54] resolution 25-19 which is the West Metro multi Community Wellhead project protection [1:08:01] plan part one any further discussion all those in favor of adoption of resolution 20259 say I I I opposed carried uh [1:08:10] resolution 202- 19 is adopted and uh that takes care of the [1:08:15] consent agenda thanks folks um and now we're going to have a [1:08:21] presentation in the special recognitions and presentations portion of the agenda Nick baller our Traffic Safety [1:08:26] coordinator is here is going to give us his uh annual Traffic Safety summary [1:08:31] report and this is for 20124 Mr baller welcome good to see you [1:08:40] again thank you mayor members of council I'll get this pulled up here [1:09:10] compter all right again good evening mayor members of council again my name is Nick baller I'm the traffic safety coordinator here for the city of Edina [1:09:17] um I'll be going through my 2024 trans or Traffic Safety summary report and in [1:09:23] this report I'll be going over some statistics and Trends kind of throughout the city from last year but also um I'll [1:09:29] do a little overview of the last handful of years to to see kind of how we have been receiving these [1:09:35] requests um a quick summary of how a traffic safety request works is once a [1:09:40] request is submitted to myself by a resident commuter any type of stakeholder throughout the city um I'm [1:09:47] able to collect what their issue is what they're looking for in that request and [1:09:52] depending on what information we have available we do a a traffic study we analyze what um information we need and [1:09:59] then we discuss it with our Traffic Safety Committee as you all mentioned here earlier um that committee makes a [1:10:05] recommendation based on that information found based on policies from a city county or state level and um this [1:10:13] recommendation gets then brought to the Transportation Commission for comments as well um following Transportation [1:10:20] Commission it comes here for Council for final approval comments um as as you've [1:10:26] done here earlier this evening and throughout this whole process I'm remaining in communication with these uh [1:10:31] requesters so that they know that they can be involved in this public process um as it [1:10:37] proceeds when a request is received it's put into one of these five categories which is parking and signage [1:10:43] intersection control traffic aling pedestrian safety and then anything that [1:10:48] doesn't fall into those first four categories as other couple examples of those are a lot of sight line concerns [1:10:54] as you see in this here also maybe Lane striping concerns as [1:11:00] well so in 2024 there are 22 requests that were submitted any requests can be [1:11:06] submitted by contacting me by phone through the mail um I get PL by email [1:11:12] the city's website and the 311 app um there were 147 requests that were [1:11:19] reviewed by this Traffic Safety Committee and eventually adopted here by Council uh intersection control re 39 of [1:11:26] or they there were 147 reviewed intersection control had 39 total [1:11:33] reviewed items followed by traffic or I'm Sorry by pedestrian safety at 35 reviewed requests then we have [1:11:40] parking and Sandage at 28 traffic homing was 23 and all others were 22 of those [1:11:47] 147 44 requests were received in Prior years um those were reviewed because of [1:11:54] whether it was weather determined when a traffic study could be conducted you know if someone's looking for a [1:12:00] crosswalk in the middle of winter we want to analyze it when more people are [1:12:05] outside so of those 147 items that were reviewed we had 19a items and those are [1:12:11] items where staff recommends action out of them there are 11 items that were [1:12:16] parking in signage where we did recommend changes and an example of those is just outside here along Wilson [1:12:22] Road um following the in green and Starling restaurant opening where we [1:12:28] restricted parking on the east side of the street to allow um one-sided parking still have the traffic flow through [1:12:35] there there were four approved traffic safety items one example is an approved crosswalk going in along those bramar [1:12:42] trails along bramar Boulevard there where the trails kind of connect uh there were three approved other requests [1:12:48] along with two of intersection control so one example here is West 60th Street at Oakland Avenue at [1:12:55] the um entrance of one of those parking lots at Pamela Park we moved from a two-way stop control to an all-way stop [1:13:01] control and then there was also one traffic cing approval as well there were [1:13:06] 25 B items uh that's where staff recommends no action based on the information that they've received and [1:13:14] there were 88 D items which are items handled solely by myself the traffic safety coordinator um an example of [1:13:20] those are where um a request for maybe a traffic signal stop sign crosswalk um [1:13:25] and following a review of data or a traffic study um no or data was so low [1:13:33] where it didn't really consider full review from all of Staff um that was necessary in order for those warrants or [1:13:40] policies that we have in place um there are C items as well and those are items that staff does review and um they do [1:13:48] have information on but they still need more information in order for any recommendation to be made at that time [1:13:54] but as item eventually becomes a A or D item as it [1:14:00] proceeds when we look at requests kind of throughout the city we like to break [1:14:06] them down by quadrants and in the Northwest Quadrant here Ino we received 54 requests which was an increase of [1:14:13] eight from 2023 um the highest number of requests here were other because a lot of these requests were submitted um [1:14:20] through the Edina 311 app and those who were submitting them didn't know [1:14:25] how to submit what their request was because a lot of these concerns were within that Grand View area as you can [1:14:32] see because a lot of them had to deal with the 50th Street reconstruction project that just took place this last [1:14:37] year um along with a few other concerns along whether it's uh Benton Avenue along or and also Tracy Avenue as you [1:14:44] proceed South towards Highway 62 in Southwest Edina we we had 33 [1:14:52] requests that were received which ended up being two less than in 2023 pestan safety was the highest level of concern [1:14:58] here based on the number of requests at 8 and a lot of those are areas where we're crossing busier streets such as [1:15:05] Valley View Road Dewey Hill and a lot of those areas are when people are trying to get onto sidewalks or they're trying [1:15:11] to get into um local parks in southeast C Dino we received 38 [1:15:18] requests which was one more from 2023 uh pedestrian safety was the highest number of requests received here as well and a [1:15:26] lot of these requests were along um a lot of henen County roadways so whether that's York and Xerxes Avenue and also [1:15:33] France Avenue as well um West 66 Street is kind of a common location that we [1:15:38] receive traffic calming issues you know because of people coming down that highway or coming down the hill from Highway 100 traveling [1:15:46] eastbound in Northeast Edo we received 77 total requests so this is always the quadrant that we receive the most [1:15:52] requests by far um it's the most Den quadrant of the city as well in in the [1:15:57] sense of commuters and a lot of these requests um were based around the Metro [1:16:04] Transit Eline project that led to a lot of single lane closures on France which [1:16:10] led to people finding their own detours whether it's through the chowen park neighborhood or along the Pamela Park [1:16:16] neighborhood too as you can see Wooddale Avenue had a lot of um concerns you know [1:16:21] around uh 57th Street and kind of going s um and you can also see just right [1:16:27] outside a city hall here there are a lot of parking and also pedestrian concerns here um because of that U the Starling [1:16:34] and amazing green development um so when we look at [1:16:40] requests received throughout the year um we almost always see this type of bell curve where um requests increase in [1:16:47] these summer months and I'm sure your eyes first go to the highest two months of requests received both in June and [1:16:52] September and a lot of those are because of traffic patterns are shifting school [1:16:57] is being let out for the summer or it's starting back up again in the fall months and that's also when we're seeing [1:17:03] issues with Street projects are getting more underway closures are shifting as well so people kind of don't really know [1:17:10] um what to expect based on what they're used to um also in the colors orange for [1:17:17] traffic hming and blue for pedestrian safety those two numbers kind of tend to Peak together um in the sense of people [1:17:25] are going faster I feel less safe as a pedestrian so um sometimes correlating [1:17:30] those um can be a little a little different for how I receive [1:17:35] them now when we look at request by category throughout the Last 5 Years we're trying or we're starting to see a [1:17:42] trend um so both or all of traffic cming intersection control pedestrian safety [1:17:48] and other they are all you know increasing over the last handful of years with only parking and signage kind [1:17:54] of having that slight dip um prepared or compared to the last few [1:18:00] years and i' just like to say thank you for your time here and I'm open for questions if anyone has anything yeah [1:18:05] thanks Mr baller for that annual report uh questions for Mr baller comments on the work he's been doing with the [1:18:11] Traffic Safety Committee yes council member Jackson yes thank you Mr Mayor so if you could go [1:18:17] back to those uh bar charts um The Pedestrian safety that's really interesting um and in the last two years [1:18:24] years has really gone up no no no yeah that's where you want um can you um tell [1:18:31] us just fill that in a little bit more give a little color as to why you think it's gone up so [1:18:37] dramatically um yeah that's a great question so one reason why a lot of pestan safety [1:18:44] requests are going up is we are we're developing a lot more Cross or not crosswalks more sidewalks um we're [1:18:50] filling out our system there but also residents are learning how to submit requests and a lot of them are wanting [1:18:57] added facilities at crosswalks so if you see a standard crosswalk um people might think that's not enough for what their [1:19:03] level of safety needs so they might be looking for flashers or they may be looking for something else to add on top [1:19:09] of that so um it's we're making it easy for or easier for people to submit these requests which is great um and I think [1:19:17] people are just noticing when they're out and about hey I can take a quick picture submit this on my phone I'll be done in 2 minutes um and then that's [1:19:23] where it comes to me and we can see if at those added facilities meet what our policy stands for so if you were to [1:19:30] correlate these numbers with um the use of 311 Edan 311 that would be a pretty [1:19:37] close correlation I I would believe so yeah cuz a lot of people when they're out and about it's much easier to take [1:19:43] out your phone submit those while you're walking to where you're going as opposed to if you're driving through and someone [1:19:51] doesn't stop at a stop sign maybe you're not able to think of going on your phone while you're still commuting at that [1:19:57] time but yeah that would be a a great assumption okay thank you other questions [1:20:03] comments you know it seems like um you look I'm looking at the traffic [1:20:10] calming uh section and the requests around on traffic calming have almost [1:20:15] doubled in a year and and and I think we've had that reflected in com comments we've had and conversations we've had [1:20:22] with our fellow residents and things we observed ourselves about people seem to be driving faster uh than they were [1:20:29] before and more more aggressively and more in a hurry and uh that of course [1:20:36] equates with uh creating a lot of safety related issues so what what are you [1:20:41] hearing or seeing around that issue of traffic calming um I that's a great question mayor huband I think kind of [1:20:48] part of it is almost how you brought the question up is it might seem like people are going a lot faster um especially cuz [1:20:54] because a lot of our street reconstruction projects we're completing these projects and now we're narrowing roadways so when cars are driving by [1:21:01] with these more narrow roadways it might feel like people are driving faster when you are nearby or crossing another [1:21:10] vehicle um also we've we have a lot of projects that have been happening the last handful of years so a lot of people [1:21:16] have been finding their own detoured routes and because of that volumes increase speeds increase because people [1:21:22] are trying to make up for that L time detouring in their own way that they might be speeding a little bit faster [1:21:28] and that's why we're trying to um utilize you know different um um [1:21:34] different help from whether it's police or or other kind of ways to to help for that kind of temporary [1:21:42] issue you know the the other thing I don't director Milner may have some input on this but um when I look at the [1:21:49] fact that um requests in 2024 were down over 2023 around [1:21:55] intersection control it makes me think of uh I think he's told us that we're about halfway through our street [1:22:00] reconstruction process and as we've narrowed streets and um I think you know [1:22:07] tightened up intersections I wonder if that hasn't had uh the intended effect [1:22:12] of creating uh a safer environment for for everybody and thus we're seeing less [1:22:17] concerns about uh intersection control do you have any is that just supposition on my part or are you seeing any have a [1:22:24] hard evidence on that yeah that's a good question too I think it also can be kind of as I've um been you know practicing [1:22:32] this for now six or seven years um I might be doing a better job at asking [1:22:38] the why are someone or why someone is looking for a stop sign you know is it because you're trying to um use use the [1:22:46] intersection as a pedestrian more okay well maybe you're looking for in like increased pedest facilities of some sort [1:22:54] so how I'm taking those requests might be shifting just a little bit one way or [1:22:59] another um because I think I am improving on that how I'm taking that information in so that could also be [1:23:06] another reason as well that prompt anything further from Council Members all right well yeah [1:23:11] thanks for being here and uh keep up the good work it's it's an important position that you have a responsibility [1:23:18] is significant so thanks for keeping people safe thank thank you mayor members of council I appreciate [1:23:25] I know you work hard at it so we appreciate it um well we've got one other matter in this portion of the [1:23:31] agenda and we've got Addison Lewis with us our community development coordinator who's going to introduce the topic and [1:23:37] we've got uh David Aly here with us that uh many of us know well and welcome him [1:23:43] and I see Ryan da here as well from the Planning Commission to make a presentation on something that they've [1:23:49] been working on that uh is kind of complicated and uh interested in hearing [1:23:54] your observations on this on this matter Mr Lewis go ahead good evening [1:24:01] mayor council um so tonight commissioner Aly is here to present the planning commission's work plan item on the topic [1:24:08] of parking in 2024 the commission uh was asked to consider the future of parking [1:24:13] in Idina and identify parking initiatives to pursue in the next 10 to 15 years in what order and what [1:24:19] commissions resources should be assigned to each um Planning Commission was the lead for this item but the ETC and eec [1:24:26] were also asked to review and comment so their comments are included in the staff report uh the recommendation for you [1:24:31] tonight is simply to accept the advisory communication and refer the report to staff and what that means is in um when [1:24:38] we're developing work plans in the future we would look to incorporate this work uh where there's good opportunities [1:24:44] uh so with that I'm going to hand it over to David and he will present the recommendations thank you thank you [1:24:51] Addison mayor members of council staff commissioner welcome both of you oh [1:24:56] thank you it's a pleasure to be here parking is complicated but luckily it's so fascinating that'll keep us interested tonight on behalf of [1:25:03] commissioner day and commissioner haniman who worked on this uh on behalf of the Planning Commission I'm happy to share the results of our work in 2024 on [1:25:11] initiative number four uh in the 2024 work plan I'll read the text just to get us grounded [1:25:18] consideration the future of parking in ad Dina to identify parking initiatives to pursue in the next 10 to 15 years [1:25:25] I want to be real clear about scope it says Identify parking initiatives to pursue so what you will get in this [1:25:31] document in this work uh is not specific policy [1:25:37] recommendations not specific ordinance recommendations what you will get is [1:25:42] specific recommendations for areas of inquiry or evaluation so I think the best of best analogy to think about is [1:25:50] we're we're writing the menu we're not actually cooking the food so we're making a plan for the next 10 years of [1:25:56] what we as a city should be paying attention to uh 's vision for the future is [1:26:02] documented and adopted plans like the comprehensive plan and the climate action plan and the living streets plan [1:26:07] and that's where we looked for insight into parking opportunities in our city [1:26:12] we identified nine themes from the documents that we reviewed and they're listed on the left side of the page the [1:26:19] only one I think that might be a little non-intuitive is number five which deals with increasing tree planning I guess I [1:26:25] would just emphasize that um it's widely reported that we have more than a [1:26:31] billion parking spaces in the United States and that we have more square footage dedicated to the storage of cars [1:26:37] than to the housing of people so parking whether it's on off Street or on street [1:26:43] is a huge land use issue and it crowds out all kinds of things in addition or [1:26:48] including trees so from the themes we took the parking insights and group and combine [1:26:54] them into four project opportunities that are listed on the right side of the page here a parking inventory or audit [1:27:00] which we'll talk about an update to the off street parking ordinance to create a new on street parking plan and to create [1:27:06] a district parking plan and I'll talk about each one of these briefly this evening a parking audit or a parking [1:27:13] inventory is basically a qualitative or excuse me quantitative view of the status quo that identifies Surplus and [1:27:21] shortage by commercial node it's basically a good place to start when you're trying to figure out what the [1:27:26] situation is in any City so for example a few years ago we were talking about [1:27:32] the US Bank project on France Avenue I think it was 7025 France and part of that project included a parking ramp and [1:27:39] there was some discussion at Planning Commission and also at city council about whether South View or Southdale [1:27:45] excuse me was actually overp parked or underp parked doing a good quality [1:27:51] parking audit can help answer those questions ahead of time so that as we go into new projects in [1:27:56] the future we'll have a better sense of what the real needs in that commercial node [1:28:02] are uh because it involves off street parking and on street parking it would [1:28:07] be a joint project by the Planning Commission and by Transportation the second in initiative [1:28:14] is an update of the 2022 off street parking ordinance you'll recall that we [1:28:20] uh updated the parking off street parking ordinance in 2022 after after almost 50 years I think of uh having the [1:28:26] same parking ordinance tremendous amount of work went into that [1:28:32] um our view is that by the time this particular piece of the recommendations comes up in 2028 that'll be six years [1:28:39] after the 20122 ordinance was adopted and there'll be some opportunities for [1:28:44] further improvements to our off- street parking ordinance I'll just mention or highlight a couple of the um areas for [1:28:52] inquiry that are listed on the on the the page here first to uh look at reducing commercial minimums given the [1:28:58] environmental changes in commercial real estate second to update incentives near Transit we already have in our code an [1:29:06] incentive for uh 10% reduction in off street parking minimums if it's within a quarter mile of a Transit facility [1:29:13] that's great but maybe there should be a different parking incentive for within 500 ft of a Transit facility so there [1:29:20] may be some opportunities for us to improve that next one highight is to update the EV parking standards in our [1:29:26] city there'll be some guidance coming from the state in 2026 about that so when we go through this project in 2028 [1:29:33] that' be a good chance to make sure that we are meeting the the the state [1:29:38] guidance and also maybe U improving on that finally uh uh we' recommend to [1:29:45] update surface parking standards you know surface parking is not the most popular land use um but in a community [1:29:51] like ours it's necessary and there are better and worse ways of doing it uh and it would be a good opportunity for a [1:29:57] comprehensive look at how we design surface parking in our [1:30:03] city the third initiative would be on street parking and this would be to create a new on street parking plan as a [1:30:09] tool for planners it would be informed by the parking audit it would be a joint [1:30:14] effort by the Transportation Commission and the energy and environment commission and the key things to look at [1:30:19] in this department would be specific goals for the replacement of on parking with bike and ped facilities Street [1:30:26] trees green spaces Transit access and other productive uses especially where District parking is available like 50th [1:30:32] in France a second opportunity would be to uh evaluate specific goals for one [1:30:38] side no parking on select streets and residential zones to create bike facilities and a third opportunity to [1:30:45] highlight would be specific goals for strategic use of one-way traffic in our city uh to create space for bike [1:30:52] facilities while preserving parking the fourth and final uh would be [1:30:59] District parking a district parking plan District Parking Can Be an Effective tool in creating walkable [1:31:05] nodes in a in a car-based community it's really hard to do in a fully developed [1:31:11] City like ours we have three really good ones we have uh France in 50th we have [1:31:16] Grand View and we have a new uh District parking facility small but new uh at 44th in France [1:31:24] it's hard to do but we're going to improve our chances if we plan ahead for where we as a city would like to have District parking developed so for [1:31:31] example 70th and kahill is going to be redeveloped someday I don't know when but someday it will be and we'll have a [1:31:37] good Head Start If we have an intentional plan to create District district parking in that [1:31:42] area this would because it's um principally a land use job this would be something that would be assigned to the [1:31:49] Planning Commission our schedule goes like this this is our recommended schedule for [1:31:55] these four project activities you'll see that it's iterative it goes through one cycle and then waits for some [1:32:01] implementation time and then it goes through another cycle it's iterative because parking is an ecosystem off [1:32:07] street parking influence influences on street parking and vice versa and both of them are influenced by what's happening in the environment so you're [1:32:14] never really done with it it's something that has to be looked at over and over again in the life of a [1:32:20] city we know that this will be difficult to accomplish because particularly in the last part of this decade we'll be [1:32:27] competing for parking will be competing for resources with really with other important things that the city is involved with particularly the [1:32:33] comprehensive plan but it's something you just have to negotiate and work through together uh as we [1:32:40] proceed also wanted to mention specifically that the comprehensive plan [1:32:46] has an item in it excuse me the climate action plan has an item in it that specifically calls for new pricing [1:32:54] models uh in a Dina so perhaps paid parking different ways of managing on [1:33:00] street parking in the city our team did not include that in this plan and that's because we felt that although I mean a [1:33:07] lot of cities are actively involved in that sort of thing right now we just don't have very many places in our city [1:33:12] where that would be relevant um and so we didn't include that as a near priority in this plan so those are our [1:33:19] recommendations we'd ask you to accept the advisory communication uh and rep refer the report to staff and happy to [1:33:26] answer any questions yeah thanks commissioner for that report and Mr day thank you for [1:33:33] being here as well and you had one other colleague that worked on this matter with you as well you yes CLA hanman was [1:33:39] also on the team unfortunately she had a sick child tonight oh well thanks to the [1:33:44] three of you and everybody that worked with you uh for this uh remember Jackson I saw you taking notes I bet you had a [1:33:51] question that you wanted to ask as I see you rolling through the presentation here yes thank you Mr Mayor so I want to [1:33:58] go back to your um your calendar the previous um slide and tell me you know we've we're [1:34:07] as we go through the comprehensive plan um process the plan is supposed to be um [1:34:13] completed by 2028 does this what parts of these need to be incorporated into [1:34:19] the comprehensive plan so these two calendars mesh up um appropriate [1:34:24] rely I guess I'd ask uh Addison to comment on that further but our our [1:34:30] mindset has been that this is a distinct or a discrete activity from the comprehensive plan okay so it competes [1:34:36] with the sources but it's not integrated okay so we could have so so this doesn't need to be in the [1:34:42] comprehensive plan correct yeah I would I would agree with that assessment these would be independent things okay good [1:34:48] thank you yes member U [1:34:54] thank you and thank you so much for your amazing presentation and for all of the work that I know all three of you put [1:34:59] into this effort um just thank you for that to begin with uh I do want to [1:35:07] understand you you mentioned a little bit um commissioner Al about um the evaluation into paid and how paid [1:35:14] parking options and that that wasn't a part of this recommendation I'm curious if you could [1:35:20] speak a little bit more in depth you know even something about like the the concept of a a parking benefit District [1:35:28] um which I'm sure came up in some of your research and Analysis um what was the discussion within the group around [1:35:35] that um maybe even help educate us as a council um if you can off the top of [1:35:40] your head what that could mean and then why you decided to not make that as a part of your recommendation great [1:35:48] parking benefit districts are fantastic tools for cities uh basically I I don't [1:35:53] want to tell everybody things they already know but very briefly um it's a way of having paid parking but having [1:36:02] the proceeds benefit the immediate Community around so for example if you had paid parking at 44th in France all [1:36:09] the revenue from those meters or from whatever the system you implemented would be used to pay for lighting or [1:36:15] Street Furniture or bike Rags or you know benefits to that immediate [1:36:22] node um it's a it's a it's a wonderful concept our thought was there's really only two [1:36:29] areas where that applies in a Dy 44th in France 50th in France and the the scale [1:36:37] of the the the curb feet that you could [1:36:42] Implement a parking benefit district is small compared to the complexity and [1:36:49] cost of implementing a program like that um so I could be a fan of it but also feel [1:36:55] like it's not really practical in this particular case and the team had a probably a different [1:37:04] idea of what we should look at in those areas uh particularly at 50th in France where we have excellent District parking [1:37:12] why do we even allow on street parking on the west side of France at all um so [1:37:18] rather than implementing a parking benefit District maybe there we should be looking at other things for on street [1:37:25] parking in 50th in France say thank you I appreciate the thorough [1:37:30] answer and that um and so with this and I thank you for keeping the recommendations up [1:37:37] um I I understand that there's a lot of logic that went into here right we [1:37:43] initiate by doing doing the audit to understand where do we want to dig in [1:37:48] deeper where are the the best opportunities um but I'm curious and [1:37:53] maybe I'm going to ask this question pose the question to both of you um what [1:37:59] in your research are you most excited about and do you think will add the most [1:38:05] benefit to the community of Edina when we think about enhancements to our [1:38:11] current parking structure I'll say well I'll take a stab it that and [1:38:18] then maybe Ryan we we may have different we have different answers on that one uh [1:38:23] for for me when I look at what the city could be like in 10 or 15 years I think the greatest opportunities are have to [1:38:29] do with changes in on street parking um and it some of the items that were [1:38:34] mentioned in here about strategic use of one side no parking strategic use of [1:38:40] one-way streets is a good it's an excellent lowcost way to create space [1:38:45] for p and bike facilities and we just don't do it um so I I think those are [1:38:51] those kinds of things on the on Street side are probably the most impactful and most exciting to [1:39:01] me so I wasn't prepared to present tonight but I will answer that question um for me I you know I agree with most [1:39:08] of what David said um in terms of what this can provide for the community you [1:39:13] know I I I like the district model we have at 50th in France and I'd like to see it emulated in other parts of the [1:39:19] city I know it doesn't necessarily apply um well in other areas but really just [1:39:26] you know I know that you know we're attracted to that area my wife and I we [1:39:31] go there because it's so easy to park and it's so easy to get around um and if you have that in other areas that would [1:39:37] be great um you know I think the other part of this you know I'm excited about [1:39:44] as we dig into parking is how we manage you know over the next few years we're going to be growing [1:39:51] significantly and so we're going to be adding probably cars to our infrastructure rather than taking away [1:39:56] and so thinking about how we manage that in an effective way and balance pedestrian safety balance traffic flows [1:40:02] and stuff like that thinking about how parking plays a role in that um if we dig into this hopefully we can get some [1:40:08] answers there and help with our goals for the climate action plan and the comp plan and whatnot [1:40:15] so thank you thank you both member Pierce uh thank you Mr Mayor [1:40:21] um Echo thank you for the presentation um I always love when we start off out [1:40:30] with we're going to collect more data and that's to me what doing the audit [1:40:35] means because when we do a good job at that uh we tend to make better decisions [1:40:41] when we have good data the um only the only thing I would ask you to [1:40:48] consider doing is we don't really talk about [1:40:54] changing behavior in here um now some of the recommendations that you're making I [1:41:02] think do require a behavioral change but I kind of would like to see that specifically called out as an objective [1:41:11] um and so I'm going to give an example and we use that area a lot um if [1:41:19] I go to the dino Grill I park on the street why cuz it's convenient there's no reason I [1:41:26] can't use District parking but if you told me I couldn't park right in front [1:41:32] of me d a grill I would use District parking because I use it when I go to [1:41:37] the movies so and so if there's a way that we can think about all right we [1:41:45] want to shift your behaviors so think differently when you're in that area um [1:41:52] I think if we can start a little bit more of that momentum I actually think it may help us get more of the planning [1:42:00] in place and that's just one example um that I would offer um and so I would [1:42:07] really love to see some of the uh verbiage throughout here maybe it's an [1:42:13] objective or a goal to say we want to align um um consumer Behavior with uh in [1:42:23] a way that helps facilitate more bike and ped traffic on street right [1:42:29] something like that um so that when we get into comprehensive planning even [1:42:35] though the processes are different you'll still use some of those goals um [1:42:41] when we start that process people will refer back to these documents for sure they will and if you have an element in [1:42:49] there that says we would love to try to think about how we might change Behavior to uh achieve a certain outcome um I [1:42:56] think that'd be a good ad thank you thank you thank you remember rer thank you and I agree with what my [1:43:04] colleagues have said and really do appreciate your report I did request an image B um shown tonight and my concern [1:43:12] I've been focusing lately on you know what is The Pedestrian and what is the bike experience along our terials and [1:43:18] collectors and I really appreciate you raising the US Bank project and in the [1:43:24] way you do an audit I don't know if it would be possible to also think about [1:43:30] how vehicles are going to be entering into that parking ramp if it's built because the entry is off of France [1:43:38] Avenue and uh my pedestrian experience walking North in front of that US Bank [1:43:44] building it's really frustrating because you have to you're walking forward but you've got to be looking back to make [1:43:50] sure a car isn't coming up behind you and I did almost get wiped out one day [1:43:56] and so I imagine greater volumes of traffic flowing into that ramp and I don't know if it were to be created you [1:44:03] know how many vehicles per day are going to be going in and out and how is that going to impact The Pedestrian [1:44:10] experience um I think I had another image this one though this is the garage [1:44:15] door at the Laurent and I want you to see this is a short driveway that goes onto France Avenue and there's no [1:44:21] parking in the apron area um and that's just sort of logical um if we could go [1:44:27] to the other um image thank um and then there's one [1:44:36] along Valley View Road the [1:44:41] um I just have the access okay um I did have an image that [1:44:48] showed a vehicle parked in the driveway that is off of Valley View Road for one [1:44:55] of the row at Valley View um units and it blocks the sidewalk and that is a [1:45:01] common occurrence and so you've got a driveway that is functioning um as a parking space and you've got a sidewalk [1:45:08] that could be a sidewalk some of the time when it's not functioning as a driveway also in that neighborhood [1:45:14] you've got v44 that has the bike trail in front of it and the way that building [1:45:19] was designed specifically um the architect said people are going to do short-term parking on top of the bike [1:45:26] path they're going to run in they do the response that I've got and there's signage saying you cannot short-term [1:45:31] Park and the idea is well just call the police officers and have a police [1:45:37] officer beamed to the site instantaneously uh but you know the Amazon truck is going to be gone really [1:45:44] quickly so that that isn't a viable option but I would really ask you know your statement that parking is competing [1:45:51] for other things is so important and needs to be kept you know at the core of [1:45:57] what you're doing because it's not it's complicated and I think what we're [1:46:03] beginning to see especially with the push for density is you know it could be a sidewalk or a driveway it can be a [1:46:10] bike path or short-term parking and that's not a good way to go and so we need to be um coming up with ways to [1:46:18] really say okay if it's a really short driveway off of a collector or an arterial to a private residents you [1:46:24] can't use that space to park or something like that um but you know try to get some sort of mechanism in place [1:46:32] so that we you know are not only just accelerating development of bike and ped [1:46:38] fa facilities but not undermining them uh because that that really is a concern [1:46:44] of mine especially you know areas where you've got neighborhoods and kids going to Parks kids you know trying going to [1:46:50] school positive note so exting this morning walking the dog seeing kids [1:46:55] walking to school along conquered on that new sidewalk and that was just great so I wanted to end on a positive [1:47:03] note but thank you for everything that you are [1:47:09] doing on this District parking issue oh yeah yeah go ahead M Jackson so I I [1:47:14] forgot to say thank you I was so excited about implementing this already I'm like okay let's get out it um so thank you [1:47:20] this is really wonderful work I especially appre appreciate the way you looked at the workflow across different commissions um it's not 100% on the [1:47:28] Planning Commission to do this because it is a big job and I want to acknowledge the excellent and hard work [1:47:34] that you guys put into this and the one thing that just jumped out at me in particular was to update the surface [1:47:40] parking standards so that we can make this things we have as efficient and as [1:47:45] um safe as possible so that was really a wonderful point but I did want to say thank you thanks [1:47:53] on the district parking issue um you think about that potential opportunity or potential opportuni different places [1:47:59] you mentioned valy view or mentioned um 70th in Kill and you think about um what [1:48:06] the project we approved at 70th in France the US Bank project uh that's a great opportunity [1:48:13] for and it is something tanont to District parking there uh when you were looking at [1:48:20] District parking as an issue did you look at any uh potential financing mechanisms for it no we we don't have [1:48:29] that level of solution okay um that's that's fine I suspected you didn't uh [1:48:36] and then with respect to the motion to accept the advisory communication on parking and refer it to staff what does [1:48:43] that mean is that again you're just going to Pivot and hand it back to these guys who wrote the menu and tell them that they're good Cooks after all you're [1:48:50] they good enough Cooks so we hold on to it and when we're developing work plans in the future for either like our [1:48:56] departments as staff or future commission work plans um we would refer to this and look to incorporate it where [1:49:02] it makes sense unless we hear differently from you yeah all right no thanks doesn't sound like You' be turned [1:49:08] into cook soon uh well thank you so much and my colleagues have expressed this well we [1:49:14] really appreciate this fine work that was done uh is there a motion to accept the Planning Commission advisory [1:49:19] communication on parking refer it to staff so moved second member EG moves member Pierce seconds the motion as [1:49:26] stated to uh accept the Planning Commission advisory communication on parking and refer to staff any further [1:49:32] discussion all those in favor of adoption of the motion stated say I I I opposed carried motion's adopted uh we [1:49:39] will refer the uh good work of our colleagues and the Planning Commission to the staff thank you thank for being [1:49:46] here this evening okay let me see [1:49:54] here oops I went too far back I got to find that uh next matter [1:50:00] here which is a resolution accepting donations [1:50:26] as is our practice uh and in our community we've got folks uh wanting to [1:50:33] make gifts to the city in one form or another and uh these get embodied in resolutions this time it's embodied in [1:50:39] resolution 20252 is there motion to adopt resolution 20252 2 which would accept uh [1:50:47] donations on behalf of the city of viina so moved second M Jackson moves m repair [1:50:53] seconds the adoption of resolution 20252 2 uh any further discussion all those in [1:50:58] favor of adopting resolution 2025 d22 say I I I opposed carried uh there is [1:51:05] one uh donation in here for this particular reporting period and clerk Allison I see your name is misspelled on [1:51:12] the resolution you'll fix that uh um IGN [1:51:18] Art Center a donation from Kowalski companies uh groceries for good causes [1:51:23] it says $800 in value thank you kowalskis for that uh for that generous [1:51:29] gift and then we have one other matter on the uh agenda this evening for potential action and it [1:51:37] involves um something that member U uh brought uh to us a a couple of months [1:51:44] ago now probably and we've been talking about this concern about the the sale of [1:51:49] inhumanely bred animals and what we might do about about that in terms of uh [1:51:54] regulating it or Banning it in the city of Vina and member U has continued to take the lead on it and has gotten some [1:52:00] good input I think from uh various sources I'm going to turn now to her to talk about the latest [1:52:07] uh version of this particular proposed ordinance member U thank you so much mayor and thank you to our guests who [1:52:14] have stuck through a longer meeting tonight than I think we anticipated um so this was first [1:52:20] presented a couple of months ago um after um URS pela and our community [1:52:27] reached out and and this was something really near and dear to her heart and when I learned more about it dug into it [1:52:34] um really felt like it made sense to implement something within the community um so worked with the city came up with [1:52:40] a draft and that is what we reviewed um when we did our first reading I'm forgetting the date but it was a couple [1:52:47] months ago um and then the intention was for us to Circle back and do our second [1:52:52] reading um but after that first reading was done I did have some engagement uh [1:52:58] from the Humane Society and those discussions led to some further [1:53:04] improvements I think and iteration on the ordinances drafted um so what we [1:53:09] have before us tonight I think everyone received a printed copy um there's [1:53:15] specifically redlines or additions that were made to the ordinance um some of [1:53:21] these were really around definitions and that was partially because when we had the conversation um about this there was [1:53:28] some confusion about what is a kennel and what is a a pet store and so wanted to add some clarification into some of [1:53:36] those terms um and then the other part of this is [1:53:43] um specifically I'll I'll call attention to section 8-18 [1:53:50] um section B under there um no pet store under this chapter shall sell deliver [1:53:56] offer for sale barter auction giveaway or otherwise transfer dispose of of cats or dogs so that in comparison to the [1:54:04] ordinance that we previously had reviewed is I would say stronger [1:54:10] language um in the sense that we had previously um really been relying in the [1:54:16] ordinance that we looked at and approved for first reading we are relying on the usda's licenser [1:54:22] um I've now learned more about things to the Humane Society um some of the um [1:54:30] pitfalls I'll say with that that overall lure that's offered from the [1:54:36] USDA and it really doesn't um hold [1:54:41] breeders accountable or raise the level of expectations that I have of what does [1:54:47] it mean to have humanely bred animals um and so that's where you see [1:54:52] that reference to the USDA lure was removed from that section um and it was [1:54:59] it was a little bit more strongly worded I'll say um so my ask one I I wanted to [1:55:05] present this again for discussion and get some feedback um what we would be doing tonight is if there's I'll say [1:55:13] General consensus and and manager Neil can correct me on this but if there's General consensus what then will happen [1:55:20] is um we will finalize the update and do [1:55:25] the final and second reading on March 18th but wanted some discussion before [1:55:31] we go go down that path very good yeah member rer um Item B that you just [1:55:40] read I'm assuming because it is under Section 8-18 it refers to inhumanely bred [1:55:47] animals and doesn't mean that a pet store couldn't sell a dog that had been humanely [1:55:53] bred so the intention of this and the way that I it's supposed to be written [1:55:59] is that no pet store shall sell deliver offers for sale [1:56:05] dogs or cats so that would leave open that they could sell other kinds of pets [1:56:10] um but I'll also offer one we don't have any pet stores in Idina today um and two [1:56:17] it also if you go then onto the back of that page um under section three um it [1:56:23] it doesn't prevent them from still partnering with animal shelters or [1:56:29] animal rescue organizations to offer dogs and cats out of that pet store um [1:56:37] but it's just it's not done direct through the Breeders the way I would interpret that [1:56:44] section B that member rer mentioned is that it says no pet store under this [1:56:50] chapter I'm assuming that this chapter pertains only to the potential sale or [1:56:55] Showcase of inhumanely bred animals it's broader than that then we [1:57:00] need to if the chapter is broader than that then we need to have some clarification around [1:57:06] that um has uh our City attorney looked at the proposed changes do you know just [1:57:14] the same I mean today just like right now like you are [1:57:19] too and any concerns about structure [1:57:25] uh mayor I don't have any issues with adding the definitions of animal shelter and animal rescue organization I think [1:57:32] there's potential confusion with the addition of the pet store definition just because I use commercial kennel [1:57:39] when I drafted the original one because that definition currently exists in city ordinance so I was trying to kind of tie [1:57:45] this into the existing language um so I think we'd have to try to reconcile you know the meaning of [1:57:53] commercial kennel with the meaning of pet store to make sure there's no overlap or confusion there okay and that's something you could work on [1:57:59] between now and March 18th I take it sure yeah but to the point that member [1:58:05] EG is making are we are we comfortable going forward to the next step in having a a draft of an ordinance and [1:58:13] potentially in place for adoption on a first and second reading basis on March 18th that's the question you're [1:58:19] asking mayor I think I'd recommend doing doing that if you're willing and I'd also I guess I need some guidance on [1:58:25] whether the intent of this is to completely prohibit all sale of cats and dogs in pet stores or just to prohibit [1:58:33] the sale of inhumanely bred animals in pet stores so I I'll respond to that um [1:58:41] because this was where a lot of my discussion and conversation with the Humane Society really centered around um [1:58:49] it goes back to how do we Define or govern specifically [1:58:56] what does it mean to be humanely or inhumanely bred um we had initially as a city [1:59:04] relied on the usda's definition of that one because that's really one of the [1:59:11] only options that's available right it's it's a lure it's a um it's an organization that's out there but that [1:59:18] doesn't meet the needs or expectations that I have of the ordinance that I'd like to put forward um a couple of [1:59:26] reasons why um a USDA license facility May legally confine dogs in cages only 6 [1:59:33] in larger than their bodies keep hundreds of dogs stacked in ele in [1:59:39] stacked or elevated cages provide only wire flooring expose dogs to frigid or [1:59:45] sweltering temperatures for hours breed dogs repeatedly and excessively Without [1:59:51] Limits deny Hands-On Veterinary Care to sick or injured dogs and kill dogs they no [1:59:56] longer want and so it's that reason that I elected to remove the USDA reference [2:00:03] from this ordinance and because of that I am proposing that we say no pet store [2:00:11] may sell dogs or cats this doesn't prevent Humane breeders from selling [2:00:19] them directly themselves is the intention of what I have um but when you [2:00:24] research pet stores and kind of the ways that they operate you don't [2:00:30] see ethical Humane breeders partnering with pet stores to sell their animals [2:00:37] typically remind us again do we allow pet store operations any D I don't think we have any [2:00:44] but we do we do allow them um by city code but we just don't have any right [2:00:49] now right okay so they're allowed so that uh understand the importance of what [2:00:55] you're talking about so to be clear uh the question that Mr Kendall asked your [2:01:02] intention is to prevent the sale of dogs or cats that have been inhumanely [2:01:08] bred not not this if we had a pet store in town to member R point that wanted to [2:01:14] sell cats and dogs but they were humanely bred you have no objection to [2:01:19] that I think the the ch challenge becomes how do we then Define that and [2:01:26] we don't have I think a clean way to define that so my recommendation is to say that pet stores [2:01:33] cannot sell dogs or cats regardless of the how they were BR but it doesn't [2:01:39] prevent them from partnering with animal shelters or animal rescue organizations [2:01:45] to still offer dogs and cats am Jackson [2:01:52] so I I kind of want to see how this would work so I remember walking into a [2:01:57] pet store and they say here are the animals we have from the local Rescue League you know come meet them sort of [2:02:04] thing and they have the cages set up so I I assume that is what partnering could [2:02:10] look like and then that's when section D that says in a conspicuous Place say [2:02:15] where each animal came from um because obviously they're not selling them but they could be you know connecting [2:02:22] families with pets um and those each of those animals would then have their [2:02:27] sourcing right there so you could read it so I'm getting that right that that's what I yes okay I was head nodding but [2:02:34] I'm not on video okay great thank you member Pierce thanks Mr Mayor um so I [2:02:43] agree with the Humane treatment of All Pets um start with [2:02:50] that but I don't see how we can have an ordinance that says that a [2:02:59] business can't sell cats and dogs and so to me that's maybe this [2:03:07] parallel isn't accurate but it's but I'm going to say it this way just for a fact [2:03:14] to me that' be like us saying to Jer is you can't sell eggs unless they're organic [2:03:22] eggs because we know that um we know that so I worked for Cario [2:03:30] for 30 years and so we know that there are inhumane ways of [2:03:37] providing poultry providing eggs right and so the [2:03:43] way grocery stores try to do that is they actually give the definitions right [2:03:50] and so if you want a Humane egg then here you buy this brand you don't buy [2:03:57] that brand right that's what's implied by it and so I to me it's hard for us to [2:04:03] say that a pet store can't sell cats or dogs and if our objective is to ensure [2:04:10] that if pets are sold that they're humanely [2:04:17] treated then I like then I want to say well how do we answer the question of [2:04:23] what's human and what's not I don't know how you do that at a pet store but we didn't buy our dog from [2:04:31] a pet store because we couldn't answer that question so we did research for the [2:04:37] breeder and we have a certificate that says little teddy here's his [2:04:43] parents right here's how many brothers and sisters he has and here is what happened to his mom [2:04:51] and dad after the limit was reached on how many dogs they were going to bre breed um and [2:04:58] so we got comfortable that you know this breeder we purchased from was [2:05:05] humanely raising puppies and so I think that's the outcome we want right and so I don't [2:05:12] know how we do that without leaning into well how then do you define it so I just [2:05:20] that I struggle with um it just seems like us saying well you [2:05:26] can't sell cats and dogs I don't know that that solves the [2:05:32] problem of inhumanely treated animals does that make sense would folks [2:05:38] be comfortable with the notion of uh pushing this the way of attorney Kendall [2:05:44] to see if he can wrestle with that issue of defining inhumanely bred animals [2:05:52] member Jackson I want to just I heard two issues in that one is um you know [2:05:59] with food there I think the USDA regulations around food are much more [2:06:06] detailed than they are around the sale of pets and I think that's the problem remember agnu is wrestling with um and [2:06:12] so uh and then the second question is do we have the power to limit the sale of [2:06:19] cats and dogs and that would be an Atty qu kindall question um is that fair well [2:06:26] I think yes I gave those examples but the intent of the examples was to say I [2:06:32] think we have to lean into how do we Define it if that's the outcome that we [2:06:37] we truly want that that's all I was saying if you had a pet store operation under our [2:06:44] existing code how is that pet store operation defined [2:06:51] uh I might have to defer to Mr Teague on that one your honor I I looked at the definition of commercial kennel and that [2:06:58] seems to kind of include pet stores because it talks about a place where [2:07:03] three or more dogs are kept for multiple purposes including sale so I think if three or more dogs were kept for sale I [2:07:10] think that would the definition of commercial kennel in the existing city ordinance would Encompass a pet store [2:07:16] which is why I didn't separately Define pet store in my first attempt because I was trying to use existing City code and [2:07:22] work this in so I don't know if for zoning purposes there may be a separate [2:07:28] U discussion or definition of pet store I I defer to director Teague on that one yeah I just checked we don't have a [2:07:35] definition of pet store but they are listed as a permitted use so we would [2:07:40] probably then refer to the commercial kennel definition so pear member a so like why I legally I [2:07:51] don't understand I don't know all the legal ease around this but why could we [2:07:57] not say in the example I use if you're going to sell cats and dogs you have to [2:08:05] provide the um I can't think of the way I want to say I want to say blockchain but [2:08:11] nobody knows what that is with you the uh record of you know a dog or [2:08:19] cat and you get the two certificat right we could to me you could I would think that you could require a pet store [2:08:26] that's going to operate in Indina to provide that kind of documentation if [2:08:31] they're going to do a versus and I would rather that it's pedigree or whatever if [2:08:36] that's the right word or not either as opposed to um just saying well you can't sell that just doesn't feel right to me [2:08:44] but seems like you could say well if you're going to do it then you have to provide to the [2:08:50] owner the these this documentation that shows where these animals came from and [2:08:58] proof that they are being bred humanly so I I appreciate this [2:09:05] dialogue because this is exactly the some of the things that I've been wrestling with um myself [2:09:12] and as I was attempting to kind of distinguish that the feedback that I got [2:09:19] from the Humane Society and and having these conversations was you don't see [2:09:25] humanely bred animals from those breeders then going and being sold from [2:09:30] pet stores um and so in that sense like we I'm open to us trying to identify what [2:09:37] that language should be and if if it can be strict enough and require the blockchain of the the [2:09:47] animal in the same way of guaranteeing that it's humanely bred I'm comfortable [2:09:54] still allowing it I just don't think it's going to happen and so that's fine like I think that that's a good challenge for maybe Kendall and and [2:10:00] maybe myself and maybe even looping in the Humane Society to have some of those conversations um I don't necessarily [2:10:08] think though that it's it's quite representative to use the the egg analysis in the sense that we sell eggs [2:10:17] today in and it would be a change to what's happening today um whereas we [2:10:24] don't have pet stores so it's it's not like we're stopping something that is happening today so did did you say [2:10:33] that pet stores do not sell humanely bred [2:10:42] animals I want to be careful with the language I'm using here I think that that's a good clarification [2:10:48] um today my understanding of the situation is that the the governing body [2:10:57] or the lure that we have is the USDA um and [2:11:02] so that is where I provided kind of some analysis done by the Humane Society on [2:11:09] some of the the pitfalls of what that means um in conversations and I couldn't [2:11:15] say that this is backed up with fact but in conversations it felt like most Raiders who are breeding their animals [2:11:22] humanely usually are not selling in pet stores but I I should have used [2:11:29] less decisive language in that okay and then just to clarify I'm was trying to [2:11:36] use an analogy on the egg thing um and so maybe that's not the [2:11:43] best analogy to use so I won't use a different analogy but I think you guys [2:11:49] get my my point there remember Jackson then I've got a point I [2:11:55] want to make too if I'm looking at the language here I actually thought the egg analogy was really helpful and I'll tell [2:12:02] you why because USDA is currently the regulating body for what pet stores can [2:12:10] do it's insufficient in in member AG's eyes and I agree with her I don't want [2:12:17] us stepping into the shoes of the USDA coming up with stand standards for what is humanly bred and then we have to [2:12:24] regulate that which means we' have to hire staff to do that with expertise in the Humane breeding of animals or how to [2:12:31] interpret that language which we are drafting in the place of the federal government so to me uh member AG come up [2:12:38] with a really elegant solution to just say let's just ban cats and dog sale of cats and dogs and pet stores all [2:12:44] together and so that's I I agree with the way it's been drafted and I also [2:12:49] want to just add because I don't want to be misquoted or misconstrued or any of [2:12:55] that but in communication with the public policy specialist at the Human Society um their perspective was that [2:13:03] most responsible breeders would never sell through a third party such as a pet [2:13:08] store um as many breeder associations specifically prohibit it in their bylaws [2:13:14] because they take pride in meeting potential families and loading folks in to see where the puppies are raised so [2:13:20] that's a little bit more um evidence for what I was alluding to um but just [2:13:26] wanted to be more specific with that so I'm looking at the definition [2:13:33] section here and I'm looking at the commercial kennel definition [2:13:38] that Kendall came up with commercial kenel means a place where more than three dogs or other animals over six [2:13:44] months of age are kept well right off the bat I'm thinking [2:13:50] uh my daughter and her husband and kids out in soup Halls they just had six blackl [2:13:56] puppies and they go out the door of loving families when they're about 8 weeks old not 6 months so but it says [2:14:03] means a place where more than three dogs animals over over 6 months of age are kept where the business of selling [2:14:09] boarding breeding showing treating or grooming dogs or other animals is conducted and then it says the [2:14:15] definition of pet store means a commercial kennel where animals are sold exchanged barged or offered for sale to [2:14:21] the general public at retail such definition shall not include an animal care facility or animal rescue [2:14:27] organization is defined so what do you do about the situation where the dog is less than 6 [2:14:35] months old and it goes to a pet [2:14:40] store how do you is it am I misreading this is that a g is that a gap in there [2:14:45] I mean if somebody if somebody gathers up uh inhumanely bred dogs that are just [2:14:53] 8 weeks old and takes them to a pet store couldn't they sell them because [2:14:59] they're under the age of six months but mayor that definition about [2:15:04] six months that's in the existing definition in city ordinance I didn't [2:15:10] I'm not rewriting that I'm just utilizing I know you found it somewhere you said that yeah so it's in section [2:15:15] 8-5 of the existing city code so that's why I utilize that I was just trying to [2:15:21] fit this in with existing city code and if if necessary Council can consider [2:15:26] modifying that definition and all of the references to in city code to commercial kennels and everything else but um [2:15:34] that's where the six months came from just from existing language rer when you Google state of [2:15:40] Minnesota definition pet store uh you get a link to house file 1276 from the [2:15:48] um from 2023 and there's a definition of pet shop that's very clear it just says [2:15:54] Pet Shop means any pet dealer that operates a physical retail store from which animals are sold or offered for [2:16:00] sale to the general public whether through appointment or otherwise and it [2:16:06] looks like that bill did not pass but it looks very similar to the bill you're proposing including saying don't sell [2:16:14] cats and dogs so there's precedent [2:16:19] there you got you got a new one no no no I don't have no I'm following my uh my [2:16:27] process of getting more data so I think I can convince myself of um [2:16:34] probably some language that says no cats and dogs I just looked up does pet spart [2:16:41] sell cats and dogs and they don't and what they do is they use they partner [2:16:46] with Humane Society or my guess would be they also partner with a breeder if they [2:16:53] chose to and so um maybe I'm thinking about a problem [2:17:00] that may not exist you know so maybe it's not I think it's [2:17:06] a but it does look like what's what's another pet store I [2:17:12] can only think of PetSmart Petco Petco yeah I was going to say [2:17:18] chewy yeah don't see their supplies though aren't they I mean usually so so [2:17:24] like it made me wonder if instead of saying you can't sell cats and dogs that it has this kind [2:17:31] of language in there that says if you do you have to [Music] [2:17:38] use pet uh what does this say you have to use [2:17:43] um uh local shelters right you have to use uh [2:17:51] charity adoption centers that kind of verbiage if you're going to do it you [2:17:57] have to do it in a humane way and this is the [2:18:02] um how do you this is the commercially standard way to do it which is you're [2:18:09] going to use Humane Society or you could use a breeder that has all of the the [2:18:16] credentials or something like that so that way we're not saying well you can't do it you can do it but we're going to [2:18:24] prescribe this is how you do it in a humane way if you're any Dino and it it [2:18:30] is kind of confusing because it's on the back of the sheet as well um but section [2:18:36] c c does try to open the door for partner or collaborating with animal [2:18:41] shelters and animal rescue organizations here saying some kind of play on that [2:18:47] right all right so this says nothing in this section she'll prevent a pet store [2:18:53] from doing kind of what I just said and so I'm saying well maybe it we [2:18:59] say it's stronger you can't sell pets you can't sell cats and dogs in the ad unless you're doing it this [2:19:08] way I think I'd be okay with some furbit like that CU then we're not telling a [2:19:15] commercial business what they can and can't do that well we are saying we've got standard and how you do it but if [2:19:23] you want to sell cats and dogs you can you just have to follow these standards which are probably [2:19:31] commercially I assume these are standards in the industry that's what I'd like to be able [2:19:37] to say all right I'm done okay are we [2:19:43] shipping this to are we generally comfortable with the notion we'll revisit this on the 18th of March and [2:19:49] ship it to Mr Kendall in the meantime that work on it understanding what the concerns are that have been expressed to [2:19:55] see if he comes up with some ideas [2:20:02] okay all right very good next step is uh back back at it on the 18th of [2:20:10] March uh I misspoke we have one other matter to take care of the action portion of the agenda manager Neil has [2:20:17] it and it is uh potential approval of the 2025 board and commission uh [2:20:24] appointments and Neil thank you thank you your honor members of council um we [2:20:30] have just recently completed our interviews for board and commission positions vacant board and commission me [2:20:37] positions for the upcoming year uh we had three interview dates this year we had nine position nine uh I think nine [2:20:44] positions that we were appointing and the council had the opportunity to meet as a group and go through the the [2:20:50] candidates and their respective uh qualifications and and selected uh the [2:20:56] Slate that's in front of you tonight for appointment um we're presenting them to you tonight their term uh essentially [2:21:04] began um March 1st so we're hoping you take an approval action tonight uh they [2:21:10] if approved uh they will begin their service with a training [2:21:15] orientation uh session uh tomorrow night [2:21:20] all right questions from Council Members is there a motion to approve the 2025 board and commission appointments [2:21:27] as shown on schedule 8.3 move second moves member Pier [2:21:34] seconds the adoption of the uh proposed slate of 2025 board and commission [2:21:39] appointments as shown on um item [2:21:47] 8.3 agenda number 8.3 any further discussion all those in favor of uh making those [2:21:53] appointments say I I I opposed carried proposed appointments on uh for board [2:21:59] and commission members uh embodied in 8.3 are approved and now we are on to manager's [2:22:07] comments Mr Mayor um regarding 8 point um two because there was a motion to [2:22:14] actually approve that ordinance tonight can I get a motion to table it until March 18th please [2:22:21] please are you sure Canen thank you so moved to table to March 18th second all [2:22:29] right we got a motion second to approve to table the uh uh potential approval of [2:22:35] ordinance number 20251 uh to the meeting on March [2:22:40] 18 2025 of the atanta city council any further discussion all those in favor of [2:22:46] um tabling this matter that we just talked about on proposed ordinance 20251 [2:22:52] say I I I opposed carried that matter is tabled to the meeting on March [2:23:00] 18th and now we are on to manager comments thank you clerk [2:23:06] Allison uh thank you honor members of council uh earlier tonight we we had a [2:23:12] pretty brief discussion about uh where we stand with regards to federal funds and I think there was a question about [2:23:18] this at our previous meeting I did I asked Matthew gab who works in our sustainability division to put together [2:23:24] uh this graphic he's done a nice job with this and and a nice job of tracking uh what kind of Grant funds uh we have [2:23:32] what they're where they come from and kind of what their status is right so he's broken this down our grant funding [2:23:38] into three different uh groups uh funding that will likely remain con uh [2:23:44] secure is the first one funding with signed agreements um is the second section and funding at risk is the third [2:23:51] section and then with within each one of these you can see uh that we have a [2:23:56] number of grants that fit into each one of those categories uh what they're kind of what the amount is and what the [2:24:03] project is for the B100 project is a is a synthetic fuel project that we uh have [2:24:10] been working with not only the feds but also uh soy soybean Farmers I believe um [2:24:17] to put together a a new a new way of refu fueling our vehicles uh [2:24:23] particularly in the winter uh we've got some special consideration there but you can see the different transportation [2:24:29] funding that we have uh some Energy Efficiency uh block grants uh dollars [2:24:34] that we have um happy to take any questions anybody has about [2:24:40] this we will continue to keep this updated and if and if we have new information I'll bring I'll bring this [2:24:47] same sort of of uh graphic back and indicate what we're looking [2:24:52] at so is there any sense in um moving forward with the USDA higher Blends [2:25:00] infrastructure incentive program if we don't get the uh us doe [2:25:07] Federal Energy Efficiency uh conservation block grant for the b00 vehicles aren't they linked yeah they [2:25:14] are linked so we need to we need to have some additional discussion around that I'm not sure if we can scale it down [2:25:20] um but we need to take we need to keep keep our eye on that one or we could look at more cast funds to fill that Gap [2:25:28] that was one of the one of the plans we had to if one of these didn't come through right we' always have a option [2:25:34] if it doesn't we would use more cast funds to make sure we can do the project so it's such a benefit to the city to do that B100 project and and the cast funds [2:25:41] of course are are locally generated they're under our control and we can use them for that purpose if we need to yeah [2:25:47] that's a and it was a great uh piece of work I thought reducing greenhouse gases [2:25:52] with all these all our equipment by 90% if I remember memory serves me right so [2:25:57] it'll be good to figure out how to do that I don't see your Federal Grant in here for the bridge work on Highway 100 [2:26:04] yeah I think it's how you define Federal fund you know that goes through met Council for regional solicitation so is [2:26:10] it federal or is it already held at the state there's kind of questions there on the status but we could add those two [2:26:16] here it' be the Rosen park ped bridge I and I think what he was trying to point out because he used the word non-pass [2:26:21] through I think he was intending to not not count something that is coming to us [2:26:26] from another agency like a state or a county yeah well I mean they all our it is federal funds come in our Direction [2:26:33] destined to the region so y but we have agre be good to included on the list [2:26:41] um okay that's good yeah that's good uh [2:26:46] second item is one that's listed is the 2025 student commission onboarding plan [2:26:52] uh using our our past uh practices uh this applications would open on April [2:27:00] 18th uh Council appointments would happen on July 15th and new terms would start on September 1st and we usually [2:27:07] ask the council for two uh volunteers to to be part of the interview and [2:27:12] selection process and um what's the time frame for [2:27:19] that one again for serving applications open on April 18th Council appointments on July 15th [2:27:25] so somewhere between April 18th and and July mostly in May I believe is when [2:27:31] you're doing your your selection process and interviews and then they would serve next school and then they start the the [2:27:36] next school year September 1st yeah I'll volunteer to do that thank you I think [2:27:46] yeah objection it's it's fun I'll I'll do it too you've had so much fun the [2:27:51] last I've had so much fun with it yeah it's great I don't want to pretend like I haven't had fun uh I have also had fun [2:28:00] but I am happy to share the fun and relinquish my responsibility in your [2:28:07] honor uh member Pierce I heard council member Pierce and council member Jackson Jackson You're [2:28:14] hired all right and the final uh item I have for you tonight just to let you [2:28:19] know that uh there is snow uh we have an allout uh snow response that's scheduled [2:28:25] to begin around 3:00 a.m. tonight so there'll be a lot of activity tonight hopefully the snow will wrap up and just [2:28:32] in time for it to blow all over the roads again later tomorrow afternoon probably all right very good thanks for [2:28:39] that all right um member U you want to lead us off I would love to thank [2:28:46] you uh I have received and I know others on the council have received uh notes [2:28:54] about trains and the train noises uh and I I understand [2:29:01] um that director um we sent out a notification a communication um that we [2:29:08] had not received the grant that we were anticipating um so I'll pose this [2:29:14] question if you don't have an answer we can always revisit at another time um but I'm curious about what's next what [2:29:21] else can we do or how else can we work with members of our community who their lives are being drastically impacted by [2:29:29] the train noise and I I'm particularly meaning train noises overnight um we've I've I think others [2:29:36] have received videos of like this is how loud it is that you know in the middle of the night and how how sleep is [2:29:43] Disturbed um so we just love if you have anything right now or if we can bring it back with a a plan for how we're going [2:29:49] to potentially work work with um the train companies to combat this uh well [2:29:55] uh thanks for the comment so working with the the rail is they're a federal jurisdiction and we have zero control [2:30:02] unless we really go to our state and federal electeds I think that's one opportunity um to do with a study just a [2:30:09] study to identify mitigation factors of safety around rail would be$ 250 to $300,000 it's not budgeted it's not in [2:30:16] the CIP so we're going to have a lot of discussions on the budget coming up if the council so chooses that we should [2:30:21] spend that type of capital on a project then we could have that discussion in The Future Has This Been a topic of [2:30:28] conversation that we've brought up um in Washington when we go to speak with our [2:30:36] legislators well the operations just changed last summer so it was after you were there last spring so this would be [2:30:43] we've talked a lot about uh airplane noise uh every year when we're there but [2:30:48] rail noise not so much yeah well timely I I know that the probably the [2:30:55] agenda's already been refined but I I think folks are heading out next week talk um I I really think it would be [2:31:00] important for this to be brought forward I I know I've heard from tens to [2:31:06] probably not 100 but a lot of people in our community that this is impacting um next I would also like to [2:31:15] get the community comment discussion on the calendar um it's bubbled up a lot [2:31:20] we've heard a lot about it we've read a lot about it in the paper and in other places um I don't know manager Neil if [2:31:28] we can get that scheduled or if it's just if it was on us to say let's schedule it but I think personally I [2:31:34] think it would be good to just have the discussion as a council and then make a [2:31:40] decision and move forward and and not have it trickle agreed y we can get that scheduled for you okay I think we could [2:31:47] talk about it tonight but I think it'd be better to have a schedule in a future agenda so people know when we're going to talk about it yeah yeah I agree um [2:31:54] and then finally um I had brought this up when we were talking about the [2:32:01] parking from the consent agenda um but when can we expect to revisit the high [2:32:08] school Park parking lot um topic I don't know if that's something that we can [2:32:13] even in a um on the 18th or maybe April 1st revisit that as a a discussion with [2:32:19] some additional information but would like to see that sooner rather than [2:32:26] later yes I think maybe the first week in April I think might be the right time I love it um I think that's it for me [2:32:33] tonight thank you good your uh your precence as noted uh I'm holding my uh [2:32:39] Adina mayor's minute for tomorrow and it's all about the railroad crossing issue so I'll pass this down [2:32:46] you can read this I'll do it later [2:32:53] Ember Pierce so yeah I'll be brief the um train noise um I definitely [2:33:02] appreciate and we um have to be clear about what the effort is right so I we [2:33:10] have to talk about that the cost um and so that's definitely fair um [2:33:16] that we be clear about that U but I would still ask us to to do what we can [2:33:23] to be focused on resolving an issue for our residents I don't actually know how [2:33:28] to do that I did um exchange an email today and I just shared that you know I [2:33:35] had our family had a similar issue in uh Hopkins we were in a town home and uh we [2:33:42] were told the train only came through during business hours three or four [2:33:47] times and it turned out it came through business hours once the other three [2:33:53] times once was during dinner two times at night um but we were temporarily [2:34:01] there and so we made I made t-shirts that said chuga chuga choo choo and [2:34:06] every time the train came by that's what we did uh but we weren't living there [2:34:13] for longer than six or seven months um and so I definitely think we should lean [2:34:18] into trying to figure figure out if there's something that we can do um and so that that was was one um we need to [2:34:28] put to rest the community comment thing so I agree with that I won't say [2:34:34] anything else on that one um and then third I mentioned this earlier um and I [2:34:41] know we'll address this um the the the 14 trees that were cut down [2:34:49] like that really does bother me um and so I know we're going to lean into that [2:34:55] one as well um and then last thing is everybody be safe [2:35:02] tonight thank you member Pierce member Jackson thank you Mr Mayor so these are [2:35:08] two things I meant to say last meeting so I'm going to say it now first of all [2:35:13] I want to acknowledge that our very own city engineer Chad Milner was named the [2:35:19] engineer of the Year by the city engineering Engineers Association of Minnesota and I wanted to highlight that [2:35:26] and we think you do a great job and and it's lovely to see that your peers agree so congratulations on that thank you yes [2:35:33] and then the other thing was on Valentine's Day I was invited to um over to Creek Valley school and they have [2:35:40] make a difference day and that was really fun and I got to talk about what the city does and what the police do and [2:35:47] what the firemen do and next time I'm going to bring bring somebody in a shiny uniform with me because they're more [2:35:52] exciting than old lady talking about it but um but it was really fun and I wanted to say thank you to Creek Valley [2:35:58] for including the city in that discussion thank you member rer I didn't [2:36:05] have anything but I really appreciate the chart that manager Neil showed with the federal funding and I'm wondering if [2:36:11] we could get that up on the city website thank you yeah thanks okay uh we did [2:36:19] state of the community today uh with the school district and we um gave a I say a [2:36:26] a fond farewell or send off to uh Stacy Stanley our school superintendent we [2:36:33] gave her a key to the city I think she was really quite taken with with the um [2:36:39] affection that our town has shown her in the short time that she's been here that how much we appreciate her and care [2:36:46] about her and that was really terrific and uh director benot did an unbelievable job of setting up the whole [2:36:53] along with the school district Communications team uh but started out with a game of Jeopardy that was really [2:36:59] uh well done and I think people really en enjoyed that as well um some are folks are heading off to the [2:37:06] National League of cities wish you the best on that and I'm sure you'll learn a lot it's an important time to be going [2:37:12] to these functions I'll talk about uh my last trip here uh to the US Conference of Mayor leadership meeting in in [2:37:19] Phoenix uh week or so ago in just a couple minutes um we had a joint meeting with [2:37:25] the school board last night uh with Microsoft to talk about General overview on AI and its applications both from a [2:37:33] Civic standpoint City standpoint and a school district standpoint that was interesting it's good to get together with our colleagues on the school board [2:37:41] uh mlc and Southwest LRT meetings I have tomorrow um congratulations to the girls [2:37:48] hockey team they almost pulled it off two years in a row uh they're just a [2:37:53] great bunch of young women and uh losing in overtime to the team they beat last year Hill Murray uh was tough but uh [2:38:01] they are and we'll have to get them in here because they are true Champions and then our boys hockey team plays Thursday [2:38:08] night and so we got to be mindful of that too they're back in the state hockey tournament that's a wonderful [2:38:13] thing um and then uh several of us know that there is a uh down at 50th in [2:38:20] France we've had a holiday tree we've had a manora and then Ramadan is just [2:38:27] starting up uh and we're going to be celebrating that down there I think it's on the 12th of of March at 6:15 p.m. [2:38:34] with a with a sculpture that's going to be going up in approximately the same location that the manora was in so [2:38:39] anybody that wants to come down it's interested in that feel free to come down um and then that uh those slides I [2:38:47] guess we could show those slides real quick I went uh we could go Monday to the groundbreaking for uh the [2:38:56] what I learned now is the way you pronounce it as ad doson you got emphasis on the a ad doson and Peterson [2:39:03] uh new corporate headquarters uh that will be built at 7250 France and this is the group of [2:39:09] people that showed up to celebrate that they were so excited to be any D can maybe show the next one as well where [2:39:15] they had the little stage and the people getting ready to throw a little sand uh but they as I said they [2:39:23] are so excited to have their corporate headquarters in Edina at 7250 France and [2:39:29] uh they'll be a great addition to our community and if we um we'll see what happens with Opus as well but uh adson [2:39:36] and Peterson we welcome you in advance to the city of viina thank you uh for being interested in being here we [2:39:42] appreciate it greatly um manager Neil one thing I forgot to ask you about was there's been some chatter online about [2:39:49] The Innovation lab and its uh kind of suspension of operations and and what's [2:39:54] characterized as a a loan by the city to The Innovation lab to my knowledge we never made a loan to The Innovation lab [2:40:01] we made a loan to the Chamber of Commerce that they still are responsible for repaying that's correct we expect [2:40:07] there certain forgiveness elements to it right based on longevity and performance [2:40:13] previously approved by the council uh the chamber is taking on full responsibility for repay payment of that [2:40:19] that obligation they are all right um and then uh I know there are folks in [2:40:27] our community that are always interested well you know when those of us that go away for um these sessions that the like [2:40:35] National League of cities or us Conference of Mayors uh the leadership meeting in in um Phoenix uh starting on [2:40:42] the 21st went out there the night of the 20th and the 21st we started out uh it [2:40:49] was probably one of the more consequential meetings that we've had in quite a few years based on what's going on in Washington some of the things we [2:40:55] talked about Federal funding wise uh we we had um a conversation around the uh [2:41:03] fiscal year 2025 Appropriations and possible shutdown budget reconciliation uh reviewing pathways on [2:41:10] housing legislation which is a top priority for the US Conference of Mayors uh we had uh The Honorable Greg Stanton [2:41:17] there who is the US House of Representatives representative for the Phoenix area who used to be the mayor of [2:41:23] Phoenix and um got his perspective on what was happening uh we had a uh [2:41:31] results of a US Conference of Mayor survey on federal funding free andoss imp pment as a result of uh Doge [2:41:38] decisions uh and that was interesting and then report outs from all the standing chairs of the standing [2:41:44] committees uh and the potential the things that we're all being mindful of from a from a the standpoint of our [2:41:51] respective committees so it's criminal justice and it's immigration and it's uh [2:41:56] and that's uh Kansas City San Diego uh mayor of Columbia South Carolina on [2:42:02] energy uh and then U the mayor of isore Washington on the uh environmental [2:42:08] standing committee uh mayor BWI from Elizabeth New Jersey on Brownfield uh [2:42:13] and then I reported out on Transportation uh and some of the issues we're concerned about I think the thing we're most concerned about is Transit uh [2:42:21] continued Transit funding it seems like roads and bridges may be in pretty good shape we talked earlier about uh did uh [2:42:28] did the city have a contract with the federal government on that Grant uh it seems like things are falling into three [2:42:34] categories if you have a grant a discretionary Grant uh and there was a [2:42:39] contract in place you should be in pretty good shape if you got a discretionary Grant and you don't yet [2:42:45] have a contract it's not certain whether it's going to go forward or not or at [2:42:50] all if you have a discretionary Grant and no contract and it involves an area where they've um put some emphasis [2:42:58] around the environment around energy uh and so like our our Federal [2:43:04] grant here uh they're at Great risk anything involving um clean energy uh those are [2:43:11] really at risk so we have to stay tuned and see what happens there we're going to put a lot of concentration from a uh [2:43:18] us Conference of Mayor standpoint and the standing committee on Transportation R the next reauthorization which uh uh [2:43:25] the ija the infrastructure law expires September 30th 2026 the reauthorization will come then [2:43:32] and we'll have to make sure that we get the cities fully protected uh and make sure that those streams of revenues [2:43:38] still are coming down to from the federal government to the states and on down to the regions and cities of of our [2:43:45] country uh so other you know mayors that reported out involved in different types [2:43:50] of task forces technology and Innovation uh education uh Children's [2:43:55] Health and Human Services uh Parks entertainment um reports out by several [2:44:01] Mayors uh around the country on on uh already experiencing impact um we had a [2:44:08] working lunch and then we had a meeting online with the uh director of intergovernmental affairs from the white [2:44:14] house uh who was a former mayor of a smaller town in New Jersey uh and also [2:44:20] the deputy director for local government at the white house uh and then we had also the new head of Hud uh by video and [2:44:28] Scott Turner and had his presentation listen to that uh and then we had uh [2:44:35] Rick Larson who is a 24 year member of Congress from the State of Washington's ranking member on Transportation he was [2:44:41] there as well uh the house Transportation infrastructure committee controls about half of the iig [2:44:49] discretionary funds so that's about $650 billion dollar in authorization and [2:44:55] they've got a really effective working committee that they've got really good bipartisan working relationship uh [2:45:01] amongst that entire committee committee so that was encouraging to hear um [2:45:06] people uh concerned in speaking about uh the the the dismantling of barriers [2:45:15] that involve uh I'll call it inclusiveness in in a just future uh the [2:45:21] mayor of Tucson Regina Romero who chairs the Women's Health and Reproductive Rights task force talked about topics [2:45:29] around uh diversity Equity inclusion we all did as a matter of fact on Saturday at Great length talk about the city [2:45:35] commitments to continuing that work and the reasons why pay Equity jobs [2:45:41] education Child Care paid family leave uh eviction uh issues that are popping [2:45:47] up uh also we had the um the head of the Federation of Canadian municipalities all the Mayors in Canada the Big City [2:45:54] Mayors uh that is headed this year by Scott Gillingham who is the mayor of Winnipeg who is a sister that's a sister [2:46:00] City of Minneapolis so uh you know that was like that you know that's a city [2:46:05] that's two hours from where I grew up in gr Fork so that was our big city so we we had a lot in common and had some [2:46:10] really good conversation uh reports out on violent crime uh from Jerry dwire former police [2:46:17] chief from Fresno who's now the mayor of Fresno uh had some panelists that were [2:46:23] spoke on the issue of of making our city safer Kate gyo from Phoenix uh Tito Brown from Youngstown [2:46:31] Ohio Cavalier Johnson from our neighboring state of milwa Wisconsin who the mayor of Milwaukee and then Todd [2:46:37] Gloria who is the second vice president who the presid mayor of San Diego uh and [2:46:43] Jane Caster as well who's the former police chief of Tampa who is now the mayor of Tampa all of them provide some [2:46:49] real interesting information and then we had a meeting that same afternoon with uh representatives from Ice including [2:46:55] the acting deputy director who's been with them for 36 years [2:47:01] um their their general statement was and I wrote this down is that when they are [2:47:06] in the field they know exactly who they're looking for they don't arrest kids they say they don't every arrest [2:47:13] who goes through a formal protocol uh thereafter that they characterize as the bad guys after [2:47:19] criminals uh and um uh there's a lot of false narratives out there they claim [2:47:25] what's what they do uh so um they claim as I said that uh [2:47:31] and they State unequivocally that they they are after the bad guys and there's an administrative process once they're [2:47:37] picked up but we know from news in our own part of the world that um some people are being picked up that uh don't [2:47:44] have a criminal record uh so anyway there's a lot to talk about there in our own Chief has talked about uh the [2:47:50] relationship with h with ice these two guys were very impressive and and they got a lot of support from the Mayors uh [2:47:57] and um and we we told them that we were concerned about them and the work that they do and wanted to make sure that [2:48:02] they understood that we we're supportive of the of the things that they were doing based on what they said um so uh a [2:48:12] lot of conversation in the afternoon as I mentioned around uh this was on Saturday now uh morning we had people [2:48:19] from the Kellogg Foundation there talking about uh racial healing for all communities [2:48:26] um we had a a session with the um the new National Medal of Honor Museum uh [2:48:32] which is done in Arlington Texas and they were up to talk about um and make a [2:48:37] presentation about leaders of character and the in the new Museum and talk about the things that were down there and then [2:48:43] other housekeeping sort of things uh David Holt the mayor of Oklahoma City had some housekeeping he's the incoming [2:48:49] president in June uh some things that wanted to he wanted to see done relative to bylaws other things of that nature [2:48:57] and then we finally uh finally got to see a little sunshine midafternoon on Saturday and uh otherwise it was just a [2:49:05] a packed session really valuable I think in terms of um understanding what's going on in other cities so I hope [2:49:12] that's helpful for all of you and and and folks in our uh town as well uh the [2:49:17] legislative action committee committee for the US Conference of Mayors one of the one of the things that we're most worried about is [2:49:24] um the protection of the tax exempt status of municipal bonds oh yeah and [2:49:30] that is at risk at at the federal government level as a look for new [2:49:36] sources of revenue and that's going to be one of the main things that we put emphasis on is protecting that tax [2:49:41] exempt status on municipal bonds because it's so critical to all the things that cities do all across the country so so [2:49:49] um I think that's it uh it for me um that was quite a few things on my list [2:49:56] thanks for your patience and um anything else from anybody that that [2:50:02] prompt anything that anyone thought of all right is there a motion to adjourn so moved second and a motion to adjourn [2:50:08] by member Jackson second by member Pierce any further discussion all those in favor of adjournment say I I I oppos carried uh [2:50:17] or uh and the motion to adjourn is granted We [2:50:22] Stand adjourned oh my [2:50:47] goodness e