08-21 Special
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special City Council Meeting
August 21, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Elliott at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Council Members Pat Elliott, Mayor; Maria Regan Gonzalez; Edwina Garcia; Simon Trautmann
Present: and Michael Howard (arrived at 7:08 p.m.).
Staff Present: Steven L. Devich, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney; Pam Dmytrenko,
Assistant City Manager/HR Manager; John Stark, Community Development
Director; Julie Urban, Housing Manager; Russ Lupkes, Utilities Superintendent;
Neil Ruhland, Media Coordinator; and Jared Voto, Executive Aide/Analyst.
OPEN FORUM
Chris Faint, 4815 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Richfield firefighter and Secretary of
Firefighters Local 1215, spoke regarding Local 1215’s upcoming Fire Ops 101 event on Sunday,
September 23, and invited city leaders to experience firsthand what fire fighters do on a daily basis.
David Huss, 7028 Oak Grove Boulevard, spoke regarding concerns of the layout of the
Lyndale Avenue reconstruction project and specifically a roundabout at 70th Street. He submitted
letters to the City Council.
Laurel Vasileiadis, 7020 Lyndale Avenue, spoke regarding opposition to the design of the
Lyndale Avenue reconstruction project and negative impacts of the project.
Pete Odegard, 7040 Oak Grove Boulevard, spoke regarding opposition to the design of
Lyndale Avenue reconstruction project and roundabout at 70th and Lyndale.
Bruce Anderson, 7052 Oak Grove Boulevard, thanked City Manager Devich for his service to
the City of Richfield and spoke regarding opposition to a roundabout at 70th Street and Lyndale
Avenue.
Larry Koch, 471 Bighorn Drive, Chanhassen, and lawyer for Nola Wagner, spoke regarding
opposition to the Lyndale Avenue reconstruction project and concern about his client’s access onto
Lyndale Avenue near a roundabout at 70th Street.
Mayor Elliott responded that staff will continue working on this with the residents.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council Meeting Minutes -2- August 21, 2018
Mayor Elliott led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Howard, S/Regan Gonzalez to approve the minutes of the: (1) Special City Council work
session of July 16, 2018; (2) Special concurrent City Council and Housing and Redevelopment
Authority work session of July 16, 2018; (3) Special City Council work session of July 16, 2018; (4)
Special City Council work session of July 24, 2018; (5) Special City Council work session of July 24,
2018; (6) Regular City Council meeting of July 24, 2018; and (7) Special City Council meeting of
August 2, 2018.
Motion carried 5-0.
Item #1 COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Hats Off to Hometown Hits
Council Member Regan Gonzalez spoke regarding youth advisory commissioners are being
sought currently and invited youth to apply; and the 11th graders of Richfield High School were
selected to attend a showing of the musical Hamilton and there is a GoFundMe page to help support
the students and lower the cost of the tickets, search RHS Hamilton Field Trip to donate.
Council Member Howard spoke regarding the great evening of Night to Unite; and the
Governor’s Housing Task Force released their final report and the work Richfield has done on
affordable housing.
Mayor Elliott spoke regarding longtime Richfield resident Marc Jenkins’ being recently named
a regents professor at the University of Minnesota and discussed his work in Richfield.
Council Member Garcia spoke regarding September 4 is the first day of school and reminded
people to be aware when driving; on August 22 Richfield Historical Society continues its series on the
history of Richfield; the great night of Night to Unite; and recognized former council member Sue and
Mike Sandahl in the audience.
Council Member Trautmann spoke regarding Penn Fest on Sunday September 16 from 12-5
p.m. with entertainment and food trucks; and Wood Lake Nature Center’s Friends of Wood Lake
membership drive is on-going and encouraged people to get a membership.
Item #2 APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/Trautmann, S/Regan Gonzalez to approve the agenda.
Motion carried 5-0.
City Manager Devich stated that it was his understanding the Council had requested to
remove Item D from the consent calendar and advised the Council to reapprove the agenda with this
change.
Council Meeting Minutes -3- August 21, 2018
M/Elliott, S/Trautmann to approve the agenda with Item 3.D. removed from the consent
calendar.
Motion carried 5-0.
Item #3 CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Devich presented the consent calendar.
A. Consideration of the approval of Minnesota Department of Transportation lease agreement
No. 27710 with Amendment #5 for continued use of excess land along I-494 next to the Best
Buy Campus for a Metro Transit Park and Ride parking lot and transit station. (S.R. No. 131)
B. Consideration of approval of the bid tabulation and award a contract to Visu-Sewer, Inc., for
the 2018 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Program in the amount of $368,904.20 and authorize
the City Manager to approve contract changes under $100,000 without further City Council
consideration. (S.R. No. 132)
C. Consideration of the approval of the transfer of funds to close out the 76th Street West capital
project fund. (S.R. No. 133)
E. Consideration of the approval of a parking agreement with Kraus-Anderson Construction
Company for non-exclusive use of the parking lot at Taft Park to park the personal vehicles of
construction workers associated with the Chamberlain Housing Development. (S.R. No. 135)
F. Consideration of the adoption of a resolution authorizing a three year interim use permit to
allow temporary inventory storage of vehicles on a designated parking lot of the Church of St.
Richard located at 7540 Penn Avenue. (S.R. No. 136)
RESOLUTION NO. 11527
RESOLUTION APPROVING AN INTERIM USE PERMIT TO ALLOW
TEMPORARY VEHICLE INVENTORY STORAGE AT 7540 PENN
AVENUE SOUTH
This resolution appears as Resolution No. 11527.
G. Consideration of the approval of Subordination Agreements consenting to Environmental
Covenants on Outlot B, Lyndale Garden Center redevelopment site (shoreline property). (S.R.
No. 137)
M/Elliott, S/Garcia to approve the consent calendar.
Motion carried 5-0.
Item #4 CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR
D. Consideration of the approval of an Amendment to the Agreement for Management Services
with Wheel Fun Rentals, LLC to continue management services for Malt-T-Melt Mini-Golf.
(S.R. No. 134)
Council Member Trautmann asked to table this item in order to have the ability to review the
agreement. He stated questions about the term of the agreement.
Council Meeting Minutes -4- August 21, 2018
City Manager Devich stated that staff would meet with Council Member Trautmann to answer
his questions and gave additional information on the item. This item will be brought back the first
meeting in September if there are no further questions.
Item #5 PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL OF
RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE MODIFICATION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT
PLAN FOR THE RICHFIELD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA, THE
MODIFICATION TO THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN FOR THE
CEDAR AVENUE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT, AND THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT NO. 2018-1.
(S.R. NO. 138)
Council Member Regan Gonzalez presented Staff Report No. 138. Council Member Regan
Gonzalez commented there was a good discussion on this topic at the Housing and Redevelopment
Authority meeting and asked staff to provide a summary of that discussion.
Community Development Director Stark discussed the additional costs associated with noise
attenuation and why a TIF district is needed to make the project work financially. He also discussed
there are different types of TIF districts and a housing TIF district is more advantageous for this type
of townhome project. Lastly, he discussed that some of the property isn’t paying property taxes
currently and this development will bring immediate tax revenue to the City, County, and School
District.
Council Member Regan Gonzalez opened the public hearing.
Alainna Samuelson, 7005 18th Avenue S, stated she is located in the TIF District and asked
how her property taxes would be impacted.
Community Development Director Stark responded that it won’t impact her property taxes; it
only changes how her tax dollars are distributed after she pays her property taxes.
M/Regan Gonzalez, S/Garcia to close the public hearing.
Motion carried 5-0.
Council Member Howard commented that this is a decade in the making and is excited that
this is moving forward and adding value to our city. He stated there is a need for rental housing and
this fills that need; however, he stated he wished a portion of the rental housing would be affordable.
Mayor Elliott discussed the balancing of affordable and market rate townhomes and
apartments.
Council Member Regan Gonzalez reiterated the excitement that Richfield is becoming an area
of opportunity for development and affordable housing opportunities.
Council Member Trautmann agreed with the other Council Members and stated he
appreciates affordable rental units but highlighted the opportunities when you own your home.
M/Regan Gonzalez, S/Elliott to adopt a resolution adopting a modification to the Tax
Increment Financing Plan for the Cedar Avenue Tax Increment Financing District within the Richfield
Redevelopment Project Area.
Council Meeting Minutes -5- August 21, 2018
RESOLUTION NO. 11528
RESOLUTION ADOPTING A MODIFICATION TO THE TAX
INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN FOR THE CEDAR AVENUE TAX
INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT WITHIN THE RICHFIELD
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA.
Motion carried 5-0. This resolution appears as Resolution No. 11528.
M/Regan Gonzalez, S/Elliott to adopt a resolution adopting a modification to the
Redevelopment Plan for the Richfield Redevelopment Project Area and establishing Tax Increment
Finance District No. 2018-1 therein and the adoption of the Tax Increment Financing Plan therefor.
RESOLUTION NO. 11529
RESOLUTION ADOPTING A MODIFICATION TO THE
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE RICHFIELD REDEVELOPMENT
PROJECT AREA AND ESTABLISHING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING
DISTRICT NO. 2018-1 THEREIN AND ADOPTING A TAX INCREMENT
FINANCING PLAN THEREFOR.
Motion carried 5-0. This resolution appears as Resolution No. 11529.
Item #6 CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL OF THE SECOND READING OF AN
ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 300 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES
FORMALLY ESTABLISHING A FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE POSITION WITHIN THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND AMENDING
SUBSECTION 315.11 TO CLARIFY THE TITLE OF DIRECTOR. (S.R. NO. 139)
Council Member Trautmann presented Staff Report No. 139.
M/Trautmann, S/Howard to approve the second reading of an ordinance amending Section
300 of the Code of Ordinances formally establishing a Finance Department and Director of Finance
position within the City organization and amending Subsection 315.11 to clarify the title of Director.
Motion carried 5-0.
Item #7 DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY COUNCIL ATTENDANCE AT THE 2018
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CITY SUMMIT CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 7-
10 IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. (S.R. NO. 140)
Mayor Garcia presented Staff Report No. 140.
Council Members discussed their interest in attending the conference.
Council Member Trautmann stated he would be interested in attending another conference
held by the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C.
Council Member Garcia stated she might be available and would know in a couple weeks. It
will be brought to another meeting.
Council Meeting Minutes -6- August 21,2018
M/Elliott, S/Regan Gonzalez to designate Council Member Trautmann to attend the 2018
HELO Annual Leadership Retreat on September 10-12, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
Item #8 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
City Manager Devich stated he had nothing to report.
Item #9 CLAIMS AND PAYROLLS
M/Garcia, S/Elliott that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. Bank 08/14/18
A/P Checks: 270021 - 270518 $ 2,414,199.76
Payroll: 138179 - 138935; 42805 -42806 1,361,481.19
TOTAL $ 3,775,680.95
Motion carried 5-0.
OPEN FORUM
None.
Item #10 ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:14 p.m.
Date Approved: September 11, 2018
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Jared Voto - -n L. Devich
Executive Aide/Analyst City anager