06-15-15 Worksession CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
gee/41414d Special City Council Worksession
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June 15, 2015
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 7:47 p.m. in the Bartholomew Room.
Council Members Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Edwina Garcia; and Pat Elliott
Council Members
Absent: Michael Howard and Tom Fitzhenry
Staff Present: Steven L. Devich, City Manager; John Stark, Community Development
Director; and Pam Dmytrenko, Assistant City Manager/HR Manager.
Item # 1 DISCUSSION REGARDING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHANGE REQUEST—
66TH STREET AND STEVENS AVENUE (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 52)
Community Development Director Stark reviewed Council Memo No. 52.
Allison Kern, Capital Real Estate, Inc., addressed the City Council and distributed some
drawings regarding the general project concept design for the property.
Mayor Goettel asked about project orientation and abutting the single family neighborhood.
She also commented on the driveways opening onto residential streets, First and Stevens Avenue.
She was also concerned about car lights shining into the neighborhood.
Mayor Goettel asked about vacancy rates for commercial properties in Richfield.
Mr. Stark responded that the HUB had some vacancies but the strip center to the east of it
has very few vacancies.
Council Member Garcia asked about potential tenants and if other parcels were considered.
Ms. Kern responded that there were none identified at this time.
Council Member Elliott stated that he was not opposed to a service-office, commercial type of
development in this location. He asked how long this property had been on the market.
Mr. Stark responded that it has been on the market for a long time and that the price point
may be the reason.
Mr. Stark defined service-office, C-I and C-II.
Erin Vrieze Daniels, 1812 West 66th Street, (Planning Commission Member), stated that she
felt the service-office might be more acceptable and the neighbors were originally opposed to the
church because of traffic.
Sean Hayford Oleary, 7229 Second Avenue, (Planning Commission Member), asked why staff
was not in favor of this project as there are other similar project areas in the City.
Special Worksession Minutes -2- June 15, 2015
Mr. Stark responded that it was due to staff concern about continued commercial
encroachment into an existing residential area and that staff would prefer a better transition from
existing retail to the adjacent homes.
Ms. Kern asked about why the curb cut access to 66th Street might be changed.
Mr. Stark said he wasn't sure but the one curb cut on 66th Street might be allowed to remain.
Council Member Garcia stated that she thought there were a lot of ifs and questions about the
project. She stated that she wanted to walk the area, see the location and talk to the neighborhood.
There was general consensus of what might work on those parcels.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:29 p.m.
Date Approved: July 14, 2015
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