Prior Lake City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Public Forum: Internet Service Competition and Street Conditions
Financial Management: General Obligation Bonds Sale
Environmental Review for Commercial Marina Expansion
Marlo Ridge Residential Development
Routine City Operations and Liaison Updates
Votes (5)
Public Forum: Citizen Concerns on Internet Service and Street Conditions
A resident expressed frustration over Mediacom's high prices and monopoly, noting Comcast's upcoming competition. The City Manager acknowledged resident feedback, highlighted new provider New Vera and forthcoming Comcast service as market drivers reducing Mediacom rates, stating the city encourages competition. The resident also raised concerns about severely damaged streets (Tower Street, Village Park) and questioned their repair timeline. The City Manager explained the capital improvement planning process, annual street ratings, and current focus on Northwood Road, promising to re-evaluate the identified streets.
Approval of Consent Agenda Items
Moved by Council Member Braid [00:13:06] · Seconded by Council Member Churchill [00:13:08]
The Consent Agenda, comprising routine or non-controversial items, was introduced. These items included the approval of claims, the May building permit summary report, the May animal control services report, a resolution for fire department turnout gear purchase, approval of 2026 refuse hauler license renewals, and a resolution for network switch purchase and installation to complete the city's fiber optic ring. No items were requested for separate consideration.
Resolution Authorizing the Competitive Negotiated Sale of General Obligation Bonds Series 2026A
Moved by Council Member Braid [01:11:15] · Seconded by Council Member Lake [01:12:12]
Finance Director Kleener presented the resolution to authorize the sale of $5,45,000 in general obligation bonds. These bonds will fund construction for Northwood Road (Phase 1 & 2), project design for Green Heights, and other capital improvement projects. The process involves soliciting bids from underwriters, with the low bid to be determined on July 28th and closing in mid-August. Council Member Braid highlighted the city's AAA bond rating as a significant benefit for this financing.
Resolution Determining Commercial Marina Expansion Does Not Meet EAW Threshold (Charlie's on Prior)
Moved by Council Member Braid [01:23:45] · Seconded by Council Member Churchill [01:23:50]
Community Development Director McCabe presented on the request for an environmental review determination for Charlie's on Prior marina. He outlined discrepancies in past DNR permits regarding slip counts, the acquisition of an adjacent parcel, and subsequent marina expansion. Staff and their EAW consultant determined the expansion did not meet the 20,000 square foot threshold or fall within the three-year look-back rule for a mandatory EAW. Discussion clarified the city's role as RGU is solely for environmental determination, not permit approval or configuration, and that an EAW would be lengthy and costly without clear purpose in this case.
Resolutions and Ordinances for Marlo Ridge Development (Land Use, Zoning, EAW, PUD, Plat)
Moved by Council Member Braid [01:53:14] · Seconded by Council Member Lake [01:53:40]
Community Development Director McCabe detailed PY Homes' proposal for Marlo Ridge, a 262-lot low and medium-density residential development. The presentation covered a negative EAW declaration, a future land use map amendment (re-guiding challenging business office park land to residential), zoning changes, an easement vacation, and a preliminary PUD plan/plat. The development features four housing types, wetland preservation and enhancement, and adherence to city standards for density, setbacks, stormwater, and infrastructure. Public hearing comments regarding density, parks (city has sufficient parks), traffic (impact study confirms capacity, future improvements anticipated), and school impact (district projects enrollment stability) were addressed. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval.
Notable Quotes (11)
I told you about a year ago about the mediacom monopoly that you granted and I found out that Comcast is going to have their infrastructure in place in about 15 months to they can provide service here. And I called them up and I asked them, you know, I gave them what kind of a package I wanted. They said that would be $165 a month. Okay. So my first question is why am I paying 74% more than that to Mediacom?
As a city, we don't necessarily dictate what they charge residents for their services, but having three providers now, you can already see the competition happening. I I live in town and I've get notices in my mailbox probably once a week from Mediacom about their new lower rates for television and internet. And I think it's largely due to the fact that they now have to compete with New Vera and and Comcast.
The roads you identified I don't recognize as being in our five-year plan, but I will talk to our public works director and we can when we evaluate them again this year and we rank doing that scale of 0 to 100, we can certainly take a look at that one again and see where it fits into the the timing and how it compares to the needs we have elsewhere in the city and see if it rises as a priority.
Proceeds from the bonds will be used to finance construction for Northwood Road phase one, project design and construction for Northwood Road phase two, project design for the Green Heights area, and facilities replacement and capital improvement projects. The estimated PAR amount of the bonds needed to finance these project costs is $5,45,000.
I mean, this has been one we've been working on for years, right? getting this project put together and um with the hard work and diligence of city staff, you know, having the AAA bond rating will help us immensely and all those years of work to get there, now we're starting to get the, you know, the benefits of that.
So, the Minnesota administrative rules has a few mandatory EAW categories... that language relates to construction or expansion of a marina that results in a 20,000 or more square foot new marina or addition used for docking or maneuvering of watercraft.
The council action tonight is not weighing in on the permit that the DNR is considering for Charlie's. The council is not approving configuration or number of slips. The council's only being asked to make this environmental determination for the EA.
staff re supports this request for amendment primarily because the business office park acreage south of Fountain Hills is largely covered by wetland and buffer area. So there's about 10 acres of buildable property that we have guided for business office park, um that 10 acres I kind of have highlighted on the screen here and you can see that there are significant topographic challenges...
The overall density is 3.75 units per acre. The low density area is 2.64 units per acre... and the medium density is proposed at 4.7 units per acre... So both the low and the medium would comply with our standards.
I like the mixture of the housing product where we're able to touch multiple demographics. If it's growing families or 55 plus, I think it it's a really well done and I think that Trillium Co was a very well done uh development as well... this whole area has been designed for this development or a development like this for for years.
one of the things that this project's going to unlock quite honestly is going to be the ability for our residents to traverse as pedestrians or bicyclists all the way around this community. that's what this neighborhood is going to enable as part of the longer vision of this.
Ordinances & Resolutions (20)
City's five-year plan for identifying and funding street improvements.
Routine approval for essential fire department equipment.
Routine approval of annual licenses for waste haulers.
Routine approval for city's IT infrastructure upgrade.
Specific series of bonds authorized for sale to fund capital projects.
Official authorization for the city to sell its bonds.
Original permit issued by the DNR for the marina, later assumed by Charlie's on Prior.
State rule defining thresholds for mandatory environmental review for marina expansions.
Official determination by the city that an EAW is not required for Charlie's on Prior marina expansion.
An environmental review document used to assess potential environmental impacts of a project.
A more comprehensive environmental review triggered if an EAW indicates potential for significant impacts.
Part of the city's comprehensive plan guiding future development, proposed for amendment for Marlo Ridge.
Amendment to the city's zoning map to align with the proposed land use for Marlo Ridge.
Approval to vacate existing easements no longer necessary due to the Marlo Ridge development.
Official declaration that the Marlo Ridge project does not require a full Environmental Impact Statement.
Main approval for the overall design and specific conditions of the Marlo Ridge planned unit development.
Approval of the initial subdivision layout for the Marlo Ridge development.
State regulations governing impacts to wetlands, applicable to Marlo Ridge.
City plan outlining recreational standards and existing park amenities.
State board responsible for overseeing environmental review processes like EAWs.