--- ## title: City Council Work Session - July 14, 2026 ## author: Justin LaRue date: D:20210914194400Z --- ## Richfield City Council Minutes July 14, 2026 ## Richfield Municipal Center ## Bartholomew Conference Room ## 6700 Portland Avenue South 1. ## Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Mary Supple at 5:16 p.m. in the Bartholomew Conference Room. Council Members Present: Mary Supple; Sean Hayford Oleary; Sharon Christensen; Rori Coleman-Woods ## Council Members Excused: Walter Burk Staff Present: Kristin Asher, Public Works Director; Mattias Oddsson, Water Resources ## Engineer; Joe Powers, City Engineer; Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Sack ## Thongvanh, Assistant City Manager; Kate Aitchison, Communications Manager; ## Brianna Darling, Communications Specialist; Karl Huemiller, Recreation ## Services Director; Paul Smithson, Wood Lake Nature Center Manager; Michelle ## Friedrich, City Clerk Guest Presenters: Evie Morgan, Great River Greening; Becca Tucker, Great River Greening 2. ## Item Discussion a. ## Multi-Community Wellhead Protection Plan and Source Water Sustainability Updates Water Resources Engineer Oddsson presented updates on the Multi-Community Wellhead Protection Plan and Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA), noting the airport’s exclusion from the updated map reduces regulatory complexity, and outlined separate timelines for Part 1 and Part 2 of the plan; Part 2 will require a public hearing and Council adoption before submission. Council members asked how vulnerability ratings for highly vulnerable areas are determined and how they could shift with long- term water use; Water Resources Engineer Oddsson explained the evaluation process and the City’s approach to prioritizing work in those areas. Council Member Hayford Oleary confirmed with Water Resources Engineer Oddsson that revised vulnerable zones could allow boulevard rain gardens in some areas. Water Resources Engineer Oddsson also presented the Groundwater Supply Plan update, highlighting usage trends and Richfield’s position at the bottom of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, which means later exposure to depletion than other communities drawing from the same source. City Council discussed long-term sustainability, including whether undeveloped areas remain that could affect aquifer usage and how new development’s impact is measured and factored into planning. City Manager Rodriguez summarized the discussion. b. ## Social Media Comments Discussion Communications Manager Aitchison presented an analysis of the City’s social media presence, policy, and strategy, recommending that comments continue to be allowed on posts across all platforms. Mayor Supple reiterated that the City has no authority over the Richfield Community Facebook page, as it is not City-run. Council Member Coleman-Woods noted that most of her feedback comes from the community page and asked how staff plan to use social media to gather input on upcoming city plans. City Counci…

## Richfield City Council Agenda July 14, 2026 -- 5:15 PM ## Richfield Municipal Center ## Bartholomew Conference Room ## 6700 Portland Avenue South 1. Call to Order ## 2. Item Discussion ## a. Multi-Community Wellhead Protection Plan and Source Water Sustainability Updates ## b. Social Media Comments Discussion ## c. Natural Resources Management Plan 3. Adjournment Auxiliary aids for individuals with disabilities are available upon request. Requests must be made at least 96 hours in advance to the City Clerk at 612-861-9739. Includes Materials - Materials relating to these agenda items can be found in the Council Chambers Agenda Packet book located by the entrance. The complete Council Agenda Packet is available electronically on the City of Richfield website. Page 1 of 198 ## City Council Meeting 7/14/2026 ## Agenda Section: Item Discussion Agenda Item: 2.a. ## Report Prepared By: ## Mattias Oddsson, Water Resources Engineer ## Department Director: ## Kristin Asher, Public Works Director ## Item for Consideration: ## Multi-Community Wellhead Protection Plan and Source Water Sustainability ## Updates ## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Staff will present an update on the status of the West Metro Multi-Community Wellhead Protection Plan (WHPP) and on groundwater quantity trends in the Metro Area. Part 1 of the WHPP has been officially adopted, and is available for review upon request (approximately 1,000 pages). Part 2 of the WHPP is currently in development. A consideration of both the WHPP and the City's Water Supply Plan is the sustainability of groundwater withdrawals and the City's drinking water supply. Staff will present a summary of aquifer and water usage trends in the Twin Cities. ## RECOMMENDED ACTION No action is required of the council at this time. ## HISTORICAL CONTEXT ## Since 2024, Richfield has partnered with Bloomington, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Saint Louis Park, the Metropolitan Council, and the Minnesota Department of Health on a pilot Multi-Community WHPP. This plan will delineate a joint drinking water supply management area (DWSMA) for participating cities and describe actions to be taken to protect water supply groundwater sources from contamination. This plan, once complete, will replace the City's individual WHPP adopted in 2017 (part 1) and 2019 (part 2). ## EQUITABLE OR STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS OR IMPACTS Development of the Multi-Community WHPP supports the City's strategic goals of operational excellence and sustainable infrastructure. ## POLICIES (RESOLUTIONS, ORDINANCES, REGULATIONS, STATUTES, ETC.) The development and contents of wellhead protection plans are guided by the state Wellhead Protection Rule (MNR 4720). Public water suppliers are required under this rule to delineate a wellhead protection area and DWSMA, as well as prepare a WHPP. State rules also describe the required contents of the plan and standards for data elements to be included. The Minnesota Department of Health admini…