11-24-2020 Work Session Agenda W O R K S E S S IO N
V IR T U AL ME E TIN G H E L D V IA W E B E X
N O VEMB E R 24, 2020
5:45 P M
C all to order
1.D iscuss a planning study that would examine land use regulations applicable to properties along P ortland
Avenue and 66th S treet in the area surrounding Veteran's P ark.
2.Richfield C ovid-19 update from Jennifer A nderson, C ommunity Health S ervices A dministrator, Nick K elley,
P hD ., C ity of B loomington A cting P ublic Health A dministrator and P ublic S afety D irector/E mergency Manager
J ay Henthorne.
A djournment
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 612-861-9738.
AGENDA SECTION:Work Session Items
AGENDA ITEM #1.
STAFF RE P ORT NO. 29
WORK SESSION
11/24/2020
RE P O RT P RE PA RE D B Y: Melissa P oehlman, A sst. C ommunity D evelopment D irector
D E PA RTME NT D IRE C TO R RE V IE W: John S tark, C ommunity D evelopment D irector
11/17/2020
O THE R D E PA RTM E NT RE V IE W:
C ITY MA NA G E R RE V IE W: K atie Rodriguez, C ity Manager
11/17/2020
I T E M F O R WO RK S E S S IO N:
Discuss a planning study that would examine land use regulations applicable to properties along
Portland Avenue and 66th Street in the area surrounding Veteran's Park.
E X E C UT IV E S UM M ARY:
Veteran's Park is an important community asset, providing year-round recreational opportunities for Richfield
residents and visitors. The 108-acre park includes important facilities (ice arena, pool, mini-golf, band shell),
as well as as natural space, and the Veteran's Memorial.
The City's Comprehensive Plan guides land uses along the edge of the Park, along Portland Avenue and 66th
Street, as a mix of low to high density residential and community commercial, but provides no specific
guidance for how these parcels relate to the Park itself. The American Legion (Legion) owns a large piece of
property that essentially extends into the Park. As the Legion prepares to sell this property, staff has begun
considering how the redevelopment of this parcel, and others nearby, could be done in a way that would be
complimentary to the Park - adding value to any potential redevelopment and also to one of the City's most
popular destinations.
Staff is recommending that the City Council conduct a planning study of the area along Portland Avenue
between Highway 62 and 67th Street and 66th Street between 5th Avenue and 11th Avenue. The study would
provide an opportunity for additional policymaker and community engagement to better inform redevelopment
goals. I n order to conduct this study, we would recommend a short-term (6-month) moratorium on properties
with a Planned Land Use designation of Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential, or
Community Commercial in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Staff spoke with several planning firms about the
potential study and ultimately requested proposals from two firms. Based on the proposals and interviews,
staff recommends that the City hire Hoisignton Koegler Group (HK Gi). HK Gi has a successful history of
working with the City on similar projects and led our work to prepare the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and Parks
Master Plan. The HK Gi project team has experience in preparing similar plans for cities of a similar size and
character that make them a great fit for this project. The likely outcome of a study would be a
recommendation for either zoning modification though adoption of an Overlay District, similar to what has
been done for the Penn Avenue Corridor, or design guidelines. I n either case, the purpose would be to
ensure that private and public investments in the area works together for mutual benefit.
Staff also plans on engaging the City's finance consultants (Ehlers Associates, I nc.) for guidance on financial
issues relating to the possibility of incorporating public amenities into a potential development at this location.
D IRE C T I O N NE E D E D:
Is there support for a 6-month moratorium to conduct a planning study in the area surrounding
Veteran's Park?
Is there support for the proposed boundaries of the study area?
Is there support for the preparation of a contract with Hoisignton Koegler Group to do this
work?
Is there support for seeking financial guidance from Elhers on the feasibility of adding public
amenities to the area?
B AC K G RO UND INF O RM AT I O N:
A.H IS TOR IC AL C ON T E X T
Planned land use designations in Veteran's Park area have changed slightly over the past 25
years, slightly expanding and contracting the commercial areas at the 66th & Portland interchange
and varying residential densities along both streets.
The home at 6505 Portland Avenue was built in 1935. The Legion and the Morris Nilson Funeral
Chapel were construction in 1956 and 1958, respectively.
The City most recently studied the 66th Street portion of the proposed study area in partnership
with Hennepin County, prior to the road reconstruction (2011). I dentified next steps included
continued collaboration with property owners in the area of Veteran's Park to strengthen the
relationship between public and private spaces.
B.P OL IC IE S (resolutions, ordinances, regulations, statutes, etc):
State Law allows cities to adopt interim ordinances for the purposes of protecting the planning process
and the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens.
C.C R IT IC AL T IMIN G IS S U E S:
I t is likely that the Legion site will be sold for redevelopment in the near future.
The City does not wish to unduly delay a sale or the redevelopment of this parcel or any other
within the planning study area; however, it is important to take a closer look at our current
regulations and whether or not they provide sufficient guidance to achieve community goals for the
area.
D.F IN AN C IAL IMPAC T:
Cost of a planning study will be approximately $35,000.
This study would be paid for out of the Community Development budget.
E.L E GAL C ON S ID E R AT ION:
N/A
ALTE R N AT IV E(S):
See Direction Needed Section
P R IN C IPAL PAR TIE S E X P E C TE D AT ME E TIN G:
Representatives of HK Gi and the American Legion.
AT TAC H ME N T S:
D escription Type
P roposed S tudy A rea E xhibit
Veteran's Park Area Study Area
2040 Planned Land Use
Proposed Study / Moratorium Area
Mixed Use
Regional Commercial
Community Commercial
Neighborhood Commercial
High Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
Low Density Residential
Park
Quasi-Public
Right-of-Way (ROW)
±
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40.05 Miles
I:\GIS\Community Development\Staff\City Planner\Projects\66th & Portland\2020 Moratorium Area - Proposed 001720.mxd
Veteran's Park
66th StreetPortland Avenue
AGENDA SECTION:Work Session Items
AGENDA ITEM #2.
STAFF RE P ORT NO. 30
WORK SESSION
11/24/2020
RE P O RT P RE PA RE D B Y: Jennifer A nderson, S upport S ervices Manager
D E PA RTME NT D IRE C TO R RE V IE W: Jay Henthorne, P ublic S afety D irector/C hief of P olice
11/19/2020
O THE R D E PA RTM E NT RE V IE W:
C ITY MA NA G E R RE V IE W: K atie Rodriguez, C ity Manager
11/19/2020
I T E M F O R WO RK S E S S IO N:
Richfield Covid-19 update from Jennifer Anderson, Community Health Services Administrator, Nick
Kelley, PhD., City of Bloomington Acting Public Health Administrator and Public Safety
Director/Emergency Manager Jay Henthorne.
E X E C UT IV E S UM M ARY:
Covid-19 has been an enormous and unprecedented challenge over the past nine months. Staff will provide a
situation update on the impacts in Richfield including city specific data and how the city has communicated
and partnered with others since the beginning of the pandemic.
D IRE C T I O N NE E D E D:
N/A
B AC K G RO UND INF O RM AT I O N:
A.H IS TOR IC AL C ON T E X T
The City of Richfield has received public health funding and supported a collaborative partnership with
Bloomington Public Health for over four decades. Covid-19 is not the first pandemic the city has
navigated and thanks to our public health funding, the city has been well positioned to combat Covid-
19. W ith Bloomington, Edina and Richfield collaborating together, we're stronger for it and our residents
thrive because of it.
B.P OL IC IE S (resolutions, ordinances, regulations, statutes, etc):
MN Statue 145A, Minnesota's Local Public Health Act establishes health mandates, powers and duties of
Community Health Boards (C HB).
C HB's have statutory responsibility under the Local Public Health Act and must address and implement
the essential local public health activities below:
1. Assure an adequate local public health infrastructure
2.Promote healthy communities and healthy behaviors
3. Prevent the spread of communicable disease
4. Protect against environmental health hazards
5. Prepare for and respond to emergencies
6. Assure health services
Richfield is one of five city-level public health departments (Minneapolis, St. Paul/Ramsey County,
Bloomington, Edina and Richfield) across the state and is required to have a Community Health
Administrator in order to receive state and federal funding to address emergency situations such as
Covid-19.
C.C R IT IC AL T IMIN G IS S U E S:
N/A
D.F IN AN C IAL IMPAC T:
N/A
E.L E GAL C ON S ID E R AT ION:
N/A
ALTE R N AT IV E(S):
P R IN C IPAL PAR TIE S E X P E C TE D AT ME E TIN G:
Public Safety Director/Chief of Police J ay Henthorne Nick Kelley, PhD., Acting Public Health Administrator,
Bloomington Public Health J ennifer Anderson, Community Health Administrator
AT TAC H ME N T S:
D escription Type
C ovid data ppt C over Memo
7-day average cases per 100,000
population
Likely Exposure to COVID-19
Cases by age group per 10,000 population
Cases by race per 1,000 residents
0
}
0
C)
m
CL
0
E
Z
mi
.m
0
Richfield Infield I D-1 hospitalizations
'TWA
m
Richfield case hospitalizations, by age group
5011/0
RD
m
40
L
r8
m
0
U
0%
1 0 %
0
Richfield COVID-19 deaths
0
10
5
9