--- ## author: Amanda Lor date: D:20260813163816-05'00' --- ## City of Falcon Heights ## Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment ## Community Advisory Committee ## City Hall ## 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West ## AGENDA - AMENDED Wednesday, August 19, 2026 6:30 p.m. A.CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 p.m. ## B. ROLL CALL: ## Committee Members: •Chair (Planning Commission Representative) - Jake Anderson ___ ## •Vice Chair (Grove Neighborhood Representative) - Colleen Wilson ___ ## •Falcon Heights At-Large – Emma Bollig ___ ## •Environment Commission Representative - Adam Keester ___ ## •Parks & Recreation Commission Representative - Naomi Loud-Heinsch ___ ## •Community Engagement Commission Representative - Merrissa McLean ___ •Lauderdale Representative - Geoff Kramer ___ •Roseville Representative - Jewelie Grape ___ ## •St. Anthony Park Representative - Eliza Swedenborg ___ ## St aff Liaisons: ## •Jack Linehan, City Administrator ___ ## •Hannah Myhren, Community Development Coordinator/Planner ___ ## Consultant Team Representatives: •Bolton & Menk – Andrew Dresdner ___ – Karl Keel ___ •Barr Engineering ___ •Braun Intertec ___ ## Developer Representatives: •Rachel Development_____ ## C.APPROVAL OF AGENDA ## D.AP ## PROVAL OF MINUTES 1.July 15, 2026 – Regular Meeting 2. July 15, 2026 – Joint Workshop with City Council ## E.NEW BUSINESS 1.Reca p of Joint Meeting with City Council – Reactions to Preliminary RFP Plan ## Presentation ## 2.Continued Discussion - Community Engagement ## 3.Updated Proposed Joint Timeline and Next Steps ## 4. *Natural Resources Inventory – Brendan Dougherty, Barr Engineering ## 5. *AUAR Process Overview– Jennifer Haskamp, Swanson Haskamp Consulting ## 6. *Environmental Overview – Justin Michael, Braun Intertec ## F.INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ## 1.Staff Liaison Update ## 2.Consultant Team Update ## G.ADJOURN ## Nex t Meeting: Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30 PM – Falcon Heights City Hall *Items amende d on 8/21/26 following meeting to include presentation materials provided at meeting. ## City of Falcon Heights ## Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment ## Community Advisory Committee ## City Hall ## 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West ## AGENDA Wednesday, July 15, 2026 6:30 p.m. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 p.m. ## B. ROLL CALL: ## Committee Members: ## • Chair (Planning Commission Representative) - Jake Anderson _X_ ## • Vice Chair (Grove Neighborhood Representative) - Colleen Wilson _X_ ## • Falcon Heights At-Large – Emma Bollig _X_ ## • Environment Commission Representative - Adam Keester _X_ ## • Parks & Recreation Commission Representative - Naomi Loud-Heinsch _A_ ## • Community Engagement Commission Representative - Merrissa McLean _X_ ## • Lauderdale Representative - Geoff Kramer _X_ ## • Roseville Representative - Jewelie Grape _X_ ## • St. Anthony Park Representative - Eliza Swedenborg _A_ ## Staff Liaisons: ## • Jack Linehan, City Administrator _X_ ## • Hannah Myhren, Community Development Coordinator/Planner _X_ ## Consultant Team Representatives: • Bolton & Menk – Andrew Dresdner _X_ – Karl Keel _A_ • Barr Engineering _A_ • Braun Intertec _A_ C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA – A motion was made by Committee Member Kramer to approve the agenda, seconded by Committee Member Bollig. Agenda was approved by consent. ## D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. June 17, 2026 – A motion by Committee Member McLean to approve the minutes from the June 17, 2026 CAC meeting, seconded by Committee Member Keester. Minutes were approved by consent. ## E. NEW BUSINESS ## 1. Recap of Highland Bridge Tour and Meeting Staff Liaison Myhren gave a quick recap of the June 17, 2026 meeting. It began with a tour of the Highland Bridge development, mostly focused on stormwater elements, before moving into a standard meeting. Merritt Clapp-Smith from the MetCouncil was in attendance to discuss 2050 Comprehensive Plan requirement for Falcon Heights, focusing on a requirement of 14 units per acre net for all new development throughout the City and affordable housing requirements. City Administrator Linehan then gave an update on developer selection for the Les Bolstad Golf Course. The University of Minnesota moved up their timeline for selection and would be finalizing the selection of Rachel Development as the master developer for the site. ## 2. Discussion – Community Engagement Consultant Dresdner gave an introduction of his experience and how he will be assisting the city, including through technical, process, and planning support. He acknowledged the feeling of loss the city may be experiencing by losing the golf course but believes it also is an opportunity for a better tomorrow. He’s looking to assist the CAC with setting up a process to shape that with the developer through a collaborative process. Committee Member Wilson asked how any plans developed will look to surrounding large developments that are occurring. Consultant Dresdner stated that context around the site matters, and it is also changing. These early meetings will help bring those issues to the surface. Consultant Dresdner introduced the topic of community engagement by sharing the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation, the standard for public participation. The CAC would be considered to be in the involve/collaborate side o the project. If the city were doing a public master plan prior to a developer being chosen, the CAC would be in the empower category. This spectrum is helpful for setting expectations correctly and level setting for the process. He described the far left of the spectrum, Inform, to include website updates and open houses to share information, but not necessarily to gather feedback. Consulting, on the other hand, is including public comment, forming focus groups, creating public surveys, etc. He then asked the group to discuss engagement processes they may have been involved in the past and what worked or did not work. Committee Member Keester described the engagement process used for creating the city’s Energy Action Plan and Climate Action Plan. It was a series of surveys and open houses. The open houses did well at engaging the people that attended. Staff Liaison Myhren confirmed the survey response rate for both of these plans was very high, due to QR codes given out at city events and paper copies. Committee Member Grape stated she has not been involved in commissions, however the City of Roseville holds open houses and surveys that she has participated in. She confirmed she will be providing regular reports to Roseville’s city council as a part of the CAC process. She will look to the City of Roseville to assist with gathering community feedback via targeted mailers, surveys, etc. Committee Member Kramer of Lauderdale stated his response is similar to Committee Member Grape’s. Lauderdale has a few events throughout the year for public interaction. He will likely also be reporting to Lauderdale’s city council regularly and could also look to the city to assist with gathering community feedback. ## Committee Member Wilson, representative for the University Grove neighborhood, writes updates for the HOA newsletter and recently attending one of their breakfast in the park events with a sign asking residents for comments/questions/etc. Committee Members Kramer and Grape confirmed they would also be willing to do something similar. Committee Member McLean stated her daughters play lacrosse for Roseville and she has had parents of other players ask her about the development as well. Consultant Dresdner asked the Committee what they believe people will be concerned about most. Committee Member McLean stated she believes people are most concerned about land use, as the site was formerly used for a lot of cross-country activities, and curiosity about where those events will be held in the future. She also believes residents will be concerned about the impact on the school district. Consultant Dresdner confirmed the school district will be invited to be part of the Technical Advisory Committee. Committee Member Grape stated there’s concern over traffic and the impact on home values. If a home currently overlooks the golf course and in the future it’s looking at high- density homes, will that lower the value of the home? Committee Member Bollig confirmed resident concern around home values. Committee Member Kramer stated he believes a lot of resident concern is over a fear of the unknown, or of the worst. Chair Anderson stated a concern is over the aesthetics of the neighborhood and how dramatic of a change it will be when driving down Larpenteur. Committee Member Keester mentioned concerns over green space, park space, and environmental impacts. Committee Member Wilson stated she’s heard concerns about the old trees on the site and how much they are valued. Also there is currently a wildlife corridor throughout the golf course, trolley path, and Breckwoods, and she wonders if there is a creative way to preserve that. She also stated that a concern is around the years leading up to the completion of the project and being sensible at each phase around construction impacts. Consultant Dresdner asked the group what they are hearing from residents or feelings from residents around the opportunity of the site. Committee Member Wilson stated it seems that people are excited about the potential increase in diversity of residents and creating a welcoming environment of people from all different walks of life. Committee Members Bollig and Kramer mentioned the opportunity for restaurants and Committee Member McLean mentioned the opportunity for larger community spaces for people to gather and hold events. Chair Anderson stated the opportunity for commercial spaces and parks. Committee Member Keester expressed the opportunity for higher quality and useable green space, including the remediation of various pollution issues. Committee Member Wilson stated people are seeing this as an opportunity to demonstrate really smart planning and to serve as a model to other communities. There’s a level of ambition in terms of environment, energy efficiency, effective cost of building, and aesthetics. She stated the University Grove neighborhood was built with the idea that all homes had to be under a specific price point while also using the most modern materials with well-known architects. She’s curious how that thinking could be brought to every aspect of this project. Chair Anderson echoed Committee Member Keester’s thoughts on sustainability and the potential to offset negative environmental impacts o the site with solar, wind, geothermal, and god building design. Consultant Dresdner explained part of the process will be explaining the mitigation process for contamination on the site. There will be a large educational component as part of the engagement process. He asked the committee what they believe would see as a successful engagement process. Committee Member Keester stated success to him would include back and forth conversations to understand issues and context. Committee Member Wilson echoed this and stated it will be very crucial to education on the environmental issues. She believes a failure of this process would be having residents angry and not understanding why the development has turned out a certain way. She stated it will need lots of engagement, focusing on less of, “What do you want” but instead on, “Given what you’ve learned and the requirements, how can we capitalize on the best opportunities we have?” For format of engagement, she stated a spectrum of opportunities for engagement would be good, including in person and also just survey-style to ensure those that are too busy to attend in person are also being heard. Chair Anderson stated success would include timely education and explaining the information quickly rather than just putting it out there for people to find on their own. Committee Member McLean stated success would be a focus on equity of communication to ensure those too busy or generally less willing to be engaged are heard. Committee Member Keester echoed this. Committee Member Bollig stated a good measure of success is response rate of surveys. Committee Member Wilson stated it would be important to respond to the comments we receive quickly by stating thank you and recapping what has been heard and learned with every engagement opportunity. Chair Anderston stated perhaps an action item for the next meeting would be to come back with a list of community groups that CAC members may be involved in or comfortable speaking to. Consultant Dresdner stated he will work on a plan for how to do engagement and bring that back to the August meeting. He acknowledged the process is moving fast, but from a resident standpoint, it may feel very slow. City Administrator Linehan asked if there’s a desire to do any engagement between now and the August meeting. Committee Member McLean stated National Night Out is in the beginning of August and would be a good opportunity for this. There was discussion around providing an informational handout with the plan, requirements from MetCouncil, and a list of what the city can and cannot control. City Administrator Linehan confirmed staff will help coordinate resources to help with getting information out and gathering input at the National Night Out block parties. ## F. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Staff Liaison Update – None. 2. Consultant Team Update – None. G. ADJOURN – A motion was made by Committee Member Kramer to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was adjourned by consent at 7:23 PM. Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 PM – Falcon Heights City Hall ## City of Falcon Heights ## Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment ## Community Advisory Committee ## Joint Workshop Meeting with City Council This meeting will be televised by NineNorth Falcon Heights, Minnesota - CTV North Suburbs ## Produced Video Content ## City Hall ## 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West ## AGENDA Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:30 p.m. A. CALL TO ORDER: 7:30 p.m. ## B. ROLL CALL: ## Committee Members: ## • Chair (Planning Commission Representative) - Jake Anderson _X_ ## • Vice Chair (Grove Neighborhood Representative) - Colleen Wilson _X_ ## • Falcon Heights At-Large – Emma Bollig _X_ ## • Environment Commission Representative - Adam Keester _X_ ## • Parks & Recreation Commission Representative - Naomi Loud-Heinsch _A_ ## • Community Engagement Commission Representative - Merrissa McLean _X_ ## • Lauderdale Representative - Geoff Kramer _X_ ## • Roseville Representative - Jewelie Grape _X_ ## • St. Anthony Park Representative - Eliza Swedenborg _A_ ## City Council: ## • Mayor Randy Gustafson _X_ • Georgiana May _X_ • Jim Mogen _X_ • Paula Mielke _X_ • Jim Wassenberg _X_ ## Staff Liaisons: ## • Jack Linehan, City Administrator _X_ ## • Hannah Myhren, Community Development Coordinator/Planner _X_ ## Consultant Team Representatives: • Bolton & Menk – Andrew Dresdner _X_ – Karl Keel _A_ • Barr Engineering _A_ ## • Braun Intertec _ A_ ## C. NEW BUSINESS ## 1. Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment – Introduction from Rachel ## Development & Preliminary Overview of RFP Submission Concept Plans City Administrator Jack Linehan provided introductory remarks, including a project background and timeline, and outlined the format and expectations for the evening's meeting. Administrator Linehan summarized the key milestones leading to the meeting: the City's adoption of the Snelling and Larpenteur Corridor Study in November 2024; the University of Minnesota's announcement in June 2025 of its intent to dispose of the Les Bolstad Golf Course; city-hosted open house in September 2025 to gather community feedback; the University's release of its RFP in October 2025, with purchase price as the primary weighted criterion; RFP responses due in December 2025; the City Council's assembly of the CAC in April 2026; and the University's announcement in June 2026 that Rachel Development had won the RFP. Administrator Linehan explained that no questions or comments would be taken from council members, CAC members, or the public during the presentation, as this was the first opportunity for most attendees to view the RFP submission plans. He noted that the presentation, a video recording of the meeting, and additional information would be published to the city's website on Thursday morning, along with an email notification to newsletter subscribers. Administrator Linehan also clarified that this presentation did not constitute an official submission to the city and that the plans would be subject to modification through the ongoing collaborative process. ## Paul Robinson, Development Director for Rachel Development, introduced himself and his colleagues. He described his background, which included nine years working for municipalities—including six years as City Administrator of Edina—before transitioning to the private development sector over the past 24 years. He highlighted the Woodland Cove development in Minnetrista as a comparable project involving mixed product types, commercial uses, and complex multi-agency coordination. ## David Stradtman, Vice President of Development for Rachel Development, provided background on Rachel Development and its related company, Rachel Contracting, a St. Michael-based specialty contractor with expertise in earthwork, utilities, demolition, and environmental remediation of golf course properties. Mr. Stradtman noted his 30 years of experience in development, including work in retail and land acquisition. Paul Heuer, representing Pulte Homes, described his background as a former consulting city engineer and his 24 years of experience creating residential neighborhoods across the Twin Cities, including several redevelopment projects and a prior golf course redevelopment. Stephanie Griffin, Vice President of Land Acquisition for MI Homes, described her background as a third-generation female developer in the Twin Cities market. She noted that MI Homes, a national homebuilder based in Columbus, Ohio, had deep local roots through its predecessor company, Hans Hagen Homes. She highlighted that Pulte, MI Homes, and Rachel Development had previously collaborated on projects, including Woodland Cove and a development in Waconia. Mr. Robinson presented an overview of the approximately 140-acre site, covering topography, drainage, stormwater management, wetlands, and utility infrastructure. He described an elevation change of approximately 70 feet across the site, with drainage split between the Rice Creek Watershed District to the north and the Capitol Region Watershed District to the south. He noted that modern development standards would require dedicating approximately 7–10 percent of the gross land area to stormwater treatment, and that existing open water wetlands would likely be incorporated into the stormwater management system. Regarding wetlands, Mr. Robinson indicated that preliminary analysis identified approximately 3 acres of wetlands across 10–11 locations, with an estimated three- quarters of an acre potentially subject to impact and requiring wetland credit replacement through established mitigation programs. He noted that formal wetland delineation had not yet been completed. On utilities, Mr. Robinson identified potential sanitary sewer connection points on Roselawn to the northeast and along Larpenteur to the south, and noted possible connections in the neighboring cities of Lauderdale and Roseville pending capacity analysis. He stated that the primary water source was anticipated to be the trunk water main along Larpenteur, per correspondence from St. Paul Regional Water Services, with pressure and capacity studies to follow. Mr. Robinson also reviewed the surrounding neighborhood context, noting a general pattern of more suburban character to the north transitioning to greater density approaching Larpenteur to the south, which informed the overall organization of the proposed site plan. Mr. Robinson explained that the site plan was prepared in response to the University of Minnesota's RFP and was intended to establish value and demonstrate an implementable concept rather than represent a finalized plan. He emphasized that the plan closely followed the City's visioning committee goals and guiding principles, as well as the extrapolated land use plan that had grown out of the 2024 corridor study. He presented the plan in the context of the six visioning committee goals: Connectivity: The plan proposes connecting to four or five streets in both Lauderdale and Roseville, all relevant connections within Falcon Heights, and a trails and sidewalk network linking sub-neighborhoods to adjacent parks, Gibbs Farm, the Bell Museum, and other amenities. Only one cul-de-sac is included in the entire development. Mr. Robinson described a more grid-like street pattern along site edges adjacent to existing neighborhoods, transitioning to a more curvilinear interior pattern where natural features such as wetlands and greenways require it. Green Space: The plan dedicates approximately 17.2 upland acres (about 12 percent of the site) and roughly 30 total acres (approximately 20 percent) to open space, which Mr. Robinson indicated would exceed the open space proportion of the Hillcrest development. A public trail system would run through all open space areas. A notable feature is a southern greenway corridor approximately 100 feet wide running east-west along the south property line, providing a trail connection between parks and preserving mature trees. Mr. Robinson also described a "greenway parkway" experience along Coffman, with a series of open space views and buffers encountered when traveling through the site. He acknowledged that while tree preservation would be limited given the distribution of trees across the golf course, hundreds of new trees would be planted throughout the development. Self-Sustaining: Mr. Robinson expressed confidence that the development's assessed values—anticipated to meet or exceed the current Falcon Heights average home value range of approximately $385,000–$420,000—would generate sufficient property tax revenue to sustain city services without placing additional burden on existing infrastructure. All public infrastructure within the development would be constructed at the developer's expense using modern, durable materials. Housing Mix: The plan incorporates ten distinct product types, including rear-load alley single-family homes, 50-foot-wide villa-style single-family homes for empty nesters with HOA maintenance, two-story carriage townhomes, three-story urban townhomes, market-rate apartments, a combined independent and assisted living/memory care senior facility, and a commercial component. All single-family lots are proposed to be smaller than 10,000 square feet. Higher density uses are concentrated along Larpenteur, consistent with the visioning goals. The plan contemplates a range of approximately 1,400 to 1,800 total units depending on density scenario, equating to approximately 13– 16 units per acre across the site. Ms. Griffin presented MI Homes' product offerings, and Mr. Heuer presented Pulte Homes' offerings, each emphasizing the complementary nature of their respective home types and the diversity of buyers each product would attract. Mr. Stradtman described Rachel Development's multifamily component, noting planned market-rate apartments along Larpenteur and a senior living complex combining memory care, assisted living, and independent living in a campus format. He also described a commercial area of approximately 4.75 acres along Larpenteur that could support service retail, standalone commercial, or mixed-use development with residential above, depending on market conditions and further discussions with the city and Met Council regarding density requirements. Sustainability: Mr. Robinson referenced the significant improvement in home energy efficiency standards since 2006, noting that average HERS ratings had improved from approximately 100 to the mid-40s. He noted that Pulte and MI Homes offer solar-ready options and electric vehicle charger options for single-family products. For multifamily buildings, the development would meet the Enterprise Green Communities and ASHRAE 700 standards. Heat island mitigation through landscaped parking lot islands was also identified as part of the sustainability approach. Commercial: The commercial area is proposed along Larpenteur, connected to the neighborhood by sidewalk and trail. Mr. Stradtman and Mr. Robinson both acknowledged that commercial viability would need to be assessed through market analysis and that the city and developer shared an interest in ensuring any commercial uses would be successfully occupied. Mr. Robinson noted that the development team and city staff had not yet fully synchronized their respective timelines and process frameworks, but expressed commitment to working collaboratively to align the CAC's community engagement process with the developer's project advancement schedule. Regarding next steps, Mr. Robinson outlined the team's immediate priorities, including outreach to stakeholder agencies such as the two watershed districts, Ramsey County, Met Council, St. Paul Regional Water Services, and neighboring cities; sanitary sewer and water capacity analyses; traffic analysis; geotechnical investigations; wetland delineation; and initial environmental contaminant testing appropriate for an older golf course property. ## 2. Community Engagement Recap / Next Steps Administrator Linehan recapped the 6:30 PM CAC meeting that had taken place prior to the joint session, describing it as a productive 45-minute discussion focused on public participation strategies and how the community could provide meaningful input into the redevelopment process. He noted that while specific engagement opportunities had not been fully formalized, the CAC had identified initial approaches for broader public involvement. He confirmed that the presentation materials and a video recording of the evening's meeting would be posted to the city's project webpage at falconheightsmn.gov by Thursday morning, and that newsletter subscribers would receive an email notification with relevant links. Administrator Linehan reiterated that the CAC's next regular meeting was scheduled for August 19, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Falcon Heights City Hall. At that meeting, CAC members would be asked to bring forward ideas for community engagement, including methods they had seen work effectively in their respective communities. He also affirmed that Rachel Development would continue to be part of the process, with future opportunities for the City Council, CAC, and public to ask questions and provide feedback on the evolving plans. D. ADJOURN – Chair Anderson expressed appreciation to Rachel Development for the presentation and noted that the CAC looked forward to further engagement. Mayor Gustafson echoed those remarks on behalf of the City Council, stating that the proposal appeared to explain why the University of Minnesota had selected Rachel Development, and that the City looked forward to working with the team in the coming months and years. Mayor Gustafson made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was adjourned by consent at 8:32 PM. Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 PM – Falcon Heights City Hall ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item Discussion and Recap of Joint City Council / Community Advisory Committee Special Workshop Meeting on the Les Bolstad Golf Course Preliminary Plans ## from Rachel Development ## Description ## On Wednesday, July 15 th ## , the City Council and Community Advisory Committee held a joint workshop to hear an introduction to Rachel Development and view their preliminary plans that were submitted as part of their RFP to the U of M. This discussion will be an opportunity for the Community Advisory Committee to discuss the presentation, their reaction, and what they are hearing from the community. ## Budget Impact ## N/A ## Attachment(s) ## N/A ## Action(s) ## Requested The CAC is asked to discuss the meeting from the previous months, and discuss reactions to the preliminary RFP plans. ## Meeting Date August 19, 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-1 ## Attachment Presentation from July 15 th , Draft ## Minutes ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item ## Continued Discussion – Community Engagement ## Description At the July regular CAC meeting, the committee was asked to reflect on successful engagement activities in the past and identify methods for gathering neighbor input. Additionally, Andrew Dresdner of Bolton & Menk and I met with Chair Anderson and Co-Chair Wilson to plan this more in depth. We have discussed proposed additional mechanisms to gather community input. These include: 1.Community Education on the Project (one-way communication): a.Project Website i.Main Website on Project: https://www.falconheightsmn.gov/183/Les-Bolstad- ## Golf-Course-Sale ## 1.FAQ a.Updates coming 2.Upcoming Dates 3.Link recent Council discussion 4.Presentation of Rachel project ## ii.CAC Website Page: https://www.falconheightsmn.gov/302/Les-Bolstad- ## Golf-Course-Redevelopment-Co 1.Meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations 2.Updated schedule – hybrid b.City Newsletters i.Weekly E-Newsletter 1.Regular updates on progress ## ii. Bi-Annual Print Newsletter 1.Next edition for Fall/Winter goes out September 2.In Person; In community (two-way communication): a.Open House in Fall (Late October) - Findings, Constraints and ## Opportunities ## Meeting Date August 19 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-2 ## Attachment ## N/A ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## Andrew Dresdner, Consultant b. Open house in Winter (Early February) - Alternatives, Exploring ## Big Ideas and Solutions c. Open House in the Late Spring (May) – Plan Development and A ## Concept Plan In addition to these planned activities, we can discuss additional opportunities to gather feedback and hear from the community. ## Budget Impact ## N/A ## Attachment(s) ## N/A ## Action(s) ## Requested Staff request committee members discuss various ideas around engaging the community and gathering feedback around the Les Bolstad Redevelopment Project. ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item ## Updated Proposed Joint Timeline and Next Steps ## Description Staff and the Rachel Development team have been meeting to discuss a potential updated joint timeline that meets the city’s need for a collaborative process and the developer’s need to have a timeline that meets their closing requirements. The attached proposed timeline is an update to the previous version the city released in April, which reflects an updated timeline. Planning for the Les Bolstad site began in summer 2026 with the launch of the Master Plan and Concept Plan process. This initial phase is expected to take roughly 10 to 12 months, carrying through to summer 2027. During this period, the project team conducts opportunities-and-constraints analysis in late fall, explores alternatives in early winter, and then develops a draft concept plan by spring of 2027. Public engagement points (“OH for open houses”) are planned during the analysis, alternatives exploration, and concept development stages, though the exact dates will be determined later. ## Running concurrently, the AUAR (Alternative Urban Areawide Review) process is scheduled to begin between November 2026 and January 2027. This environmental review will require about a year, extending potentially into early 2028. The AUAR is intended to move forward while the comprehensive planning work is underway. The Comprehensive Plan amendment process effort spans approximately six to seven months and is slated for late 2027 through the spring of 2028. Planning Commission review and City Council hearings are expected within this window. Final Council approval of the Comprehensive Plan is anticipated to align with the conclusion of the AUAR. Following approval of the amended Comprehensive Plan, work transitions into the Pre-Plat and Preliminary Plans, a process lasting six to seven months, beginning in early 2028 and continuing into mid-2028. Planning Commission and City Council consideration of the preliminary plat are projected for June– July 2028. ## Meeting Date August 19, 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-3 ## Attachment ## Proposed Timeline ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## Andrew Dresdner, Consultant Once the preliminary plat is completed, the project moves into preparation of the Final Plat and Development Agreement (DA). This phase is expected to occur from mid to late 2028. During this period, land purchase activities appear scheduled around late 2028, marked by two red “X” indicators. After land acquisition and assuming the entitlement process is successful with the Planning Commission and City Council, the project would enter the grading and remediation phase, which begins in early 2029 and continues through completion, which has not been forecasted at this time. It is important to note that this schedule is subject to change, based on the unknowns of certain points in the process and the potential for certain tasks to take longer or shorter than anticipated. It is also important to note that some items from the previous timeline released in April will remain, such as touch points for the City Council / Planning Commission, the schedule of the TAC (Technical Advisory Committee), and the identification of key stakeholders. ## Budget Impact None. ## Attachment(s) ## Proposed Simplified Les Bolstad Planning Timeline ## Action(s) ## Requested Staff request committee members discuss the proposed timeline. ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item ## Natural Resources Inventory – Brendan Dougherty, Barr Engineering ## Description As part of the City’s engagement with Bolton & Menk and sub-contractor Barr Engineering, we are conducted a natural resources inventory (NRI) at the Les Bolstad Golf Course site to learn more about the assets at the site, including trees, existing water tables / drainage, and more on the site. ## Ecologist Br endan Dougherty will be present to highlight the work of Barr on the site. ## Budget Impact ## N/A ## Attachment(s) ## Presentation ## Action(s) ## Requested Staff request committee members listen to the presentation. ## Meeting Date August 19, 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-4 ## Attachment ## N/A ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## Les Bolstad Golf Course ## Natural Resource Field Review ## Brendan Dougherty Landscape Architect – Barr Engineering Co. 8/19/2026 ## Site Context ## Historical Vegetation ## Legend ## Mature Oak Grove ## Coniferous Grove ## Oak Woodland ## Altered Woodland (ruderal) Silvergrass (tallgrass massing) ## Pond ## Wetland Buffer ## Emergent Wetland ## Forested Wetland ## Chestnut – Horse & American ## Mature American Elm ## Legend ## Mature Oak Grove ## Coniferous Grove ## Oak Woodland ## Altered Woodland (ruderal) Silvergrass (tallgrass massing) ## Pond ## Wetland Buffer ## Emergent Wetland ## Forested Wetland ## Chestnut – Horse & American ## Mature American Elm ## Oak Grove ## Oak Grove ## Oak Grove 44” 28” 32” ## Mature Oaks1937 (89 years ago) ## Mixed Conifer Groves ## Mixed Conifer Groves ## Mixed Deciduous Groves ## American ## Chestnut 1937 7 th green ## American Elm ## Pond Buffer 10-15’ typical ## Pond Buffer ## Oak Woodland ## Ruderal Woodland Adjacent Natural Area – Breck Woods and Seminary Pond ## Legend ## Mature Oak Grove ## Coniferous Grove ## Oak Woodland ## Altered Woodland (ruderal) Silvergrass (tallgrass massing) ## Pond ## Wetland Buffer ## Emergent Wetland ## Forested Wetland ## Chestnut – Horse & American ## Mature American Elm ## Proposed Open Space per Concept C - v2 12-15-2025 ## Legend ## Mature Oak Grove ## Coniferous Grove ## Oak Woodland ## Altered Woodland (ruderal) Silvergrass (tallgrass massing) ## Pond ## Wetland Buffer ## Emergent Wetland ## Forested Wetland ## Chestnut – Horse & American ## Mature American Elm ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item ## AUAR Process Overview– Jennifer Haskamp, Swanson Haskamp Consulting ## Description The City is the Responsible Government Unit (RGU) to review the environmental worksheets that are completed by the developer. Rachel Development is bringing in Jennifer Haskamp to assist them with preparing the AUAR (Alternative Urban Area Review), which will be reviewed by the City and our consulting team. Jennifer will present a high level overview of the process that is conducted. ## Budget Impact ## N/A ## Attachment(s) Included as attachment to E-6 ## Action(s) ## Requested Staff request committee members listen to the presentation. ## Meeting Date August 19, 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-5 ## Attachment ## N/A ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## REQUEST FOR ACTION ## City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ ## Item ## Environmental Overview – Justin Michael, Braun Intertec ## Description The City is the Responsible Government Unit (RGU) to review the environmental worksheets that are completed by the developer. Justin Michael of Braun Intertech will provide an overview of the environmental sampling and findings on the site to date to provide background understanding of the site samplings and potential mitigation requirements. ## Budget Impact ## N/A ## Attachment(s) ## AUAR & Environmental Overview Presentation ## Action(s) ## Requested Staff request committee members listen to the presentation. ## Meeting Date August 19, 2026 ## Agenda Item ## E-6 ## Attachment ## N/A ## Submitted By ## Jack Linehan, City Administrator ## Community Advisory Committee Mtg ## Les Bolstad Neighborhood August 19, 2026 ## 1. AUAR ## LES BOLSTAD GOLF COURSE ## REDEVELOPMENT ## ALTERNATIVE URBAN AREAWIDE REVIEW (AUAR) 08.19.2026 ## AUAR INTRODUCTION AUAR stands for Alternative Urban Areawide Review. Minn. Rule 4410.4400 Subp. 14 Residential; 1,000 Unattached or 1,500 Attached Units (if mix, ratio of attached/detached >1 threshold is also triggered) Redevelopment unit count & land use exceed Mandatory Threshold for EIS & City may choose AUAR process in lieu AUARs are appropriate when a specific project or development plan is not complete or fully known. Information from AUARs used to guide local planning and zoning decisions. Individual Projects must still go through the City’s development process and obtain all required permits. 4 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## AUAR INTRODUCTION AUAR Process is required to: Scenario that is consistent with City’s adopted Comprehensive Plan. Scenario consistent with known development plan Any others? AUAR study typically initiated by Project Proposer. Level of study similar to EIS but allows for review of different development scenarios. Guidance for specific items for review - analysis uses the EAW form. AUARs do not approve or deny a project and do not ‘rank’ or establish ‘preference’ for a scenario. 5 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## AUAR PROCESS ## LES BOLSTAD GOLF COURSE ## REDEVELOPMENT ## CAC MEETING 08.19.2026 6 ## PUBLIC COMMENT ## PUBLIC COMMENT ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## SCOPING EAW ## + ORDER TO PREPARE DRAFT AUAR Scoping accomplishes the following: •Describes scenarios to be studied in AUAR for comment & refinement •Uses MN Environmental Quality Board (EQB) guidance - based on the standard EAW form •Collects background information & preliminary data - incorporated into Draft AUAR study ## Draft Order + Scoping Review •30-day comment period •Guidance provided by EQB; commenters directed to review scenarios & scope of review •Substantive comments addressed & incorporated into Final Order Final Order •Directs preparation of Draft AUAR evaluating established scenarios •Adopted by City Council resolution 7 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## AUAR STUDY ITEMS (EAW FORM) ## LES BOLSTAD GOLF COURSE ## REDEVELOPMENT ## CAC MEETING 08.19.2026 8 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## AUAR PROJECT APPROACH The AUAR uses the scoping Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) as the basis for further analysis of each development scenario identified in the Final Order Analysis focuses on anticipated impacts, and potential avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures for each scenario Evaluation of City’s adopted Comprehensive Plan and ## Ordinances Scenarios can be evaluated based on generalized land uses – or more refined concept plan Research and collect information from agencies Supplement publicly available data, as needed, or available (e.g., traffic study) 9 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## FINAL AUAR + MITIGATION PLAN Draft AUAR is distributed to EQB distribution list (i.e., agencies), other affected agencies/organization, and anyone who submitted comments on the Order 30-day public comment period The Final AUAR and Mitigation Plan consider substantive comments submitted during the comment period Revisions are made to the AUAR based on substantive comments; publication in ## EQB Monitor 10-day period for State Agencies and Met Council to file objection City Council makes final determination of adequacy ## LES BOLSTAD GOLF COURSE ## REDEVELOPMENT ## CAC MEETING 08.19.2026 10 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## FOLLOWING THE AUAR PROCESS... Proposer is required to follow AUAR Mitigation Plan Permit Applications, established/identified through AUAR •Regulatory agency permit reviews (e.g. completion of wetland delineation/mitigation, stormwater permits) ## Land Use & Development Process •Preliminary Plat ## •Comprehensive Plan Amendment •Rezoning •Final Plat ## •Planned Unit Development •Other ## LES BOLSTAD GOLF COURSE ## REDEVELOPMENT ## CAC MEETING 08.19.2026 11 ## CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS ## AUAR ## 2. Environmental Remediation ## Environmental Remediation ## Justin Michael ## Braun Intertec ## Senior Scientist •Glossary of terms ## •MPCA – Minnesota Pollution Control Agency •MDA – Minnesota Department of Agriculture ## •Phase I - Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) •Land use book report; no testing ## •Phase II - Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) •Investigate presence of potential contamination •AST – Above ground storage tank ## •TCLP - Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure ## •MERLA - Minnesota Environmental Response & Liability Act •Law that laid the groundwork for MPCA and MDA ## Background •Glossary of terms – Potential/Likely Contaminants at Golf Course Facilities ## Background •Arsenic •Asbestos (associated with select manufactured building materials) •Mercury •Nitrates •Pesticides •Chlorothalonil •PCNB – pentachloronitrobenzene •Petroleum (related to historic fuel storage) ## Background •Common Sampling ## Methods: •Soil Samples: •Soil Borings •Hand Augers •Asbestos: •Pre-Demolition ## Building Survey •Phase I & II ESA Findings – to date •Asbestos-containing pipe & wrap, associated with buried irrigation lines •Mercury & arsenic contamination in soil above regulatory criteria •Primarily past & present greens •Possible tee boxes, fairways, & range •Potential for additional areas of impacts •Evaluated as part of planned work •MPCA and MDA require evaluation of vertical & horizontal extents of impacts ## Background •Phase I and II Finding – to date ## •Golf Course - Limited ESA •Contamination found generally in the deeper samples •Historic use and soil replacement over time •Future Expectations •Current and former greens with contamination •Some fairway and rough areas still possible •Tee Boxes possible •Need to test the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamination ## Background Future contamination areas are illustrative and have not yet identified ## •Future Phase II ESA – Next Steps •Develop workplan for grants •Significant additional testing needed •Plan to partner with City on grant applications •Regulatory coordination & remedial strategy planning •Rachel Development & Braun Intertec have successfull y le d several golf course remedial efforts •Braun Intertec has significant experience in local grants ## Background