03-28-2023 Regular
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Supple at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Council Members Present:
Mary Supple, Mayor; Sharon Christensen; Sean Hayford
Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Council Members
Absent:
Simon Trautmann
Staff Present:
Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney;
Melissa Poehlman, Community Development Director; Jennifer
Anderson, Support Services Manager; Chris Swanson,
Management Analyst; and Dustin Leslie, City Clerk
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Supple led the Pledge of Allegiance.
OPEN FORUM
Mayor Supple reviewed the options to participate:
• Participate live by calling 1-415-655-0001 during the open forum portion
• Call prior to meeting 612-861-9711
• Email prior to meeting kwynn@richfieldmn.gov
Kathleen Balaban, 6526 Stevens Avenue South, asked Council to reconsider allowing citizens
to show PowerPoint presentations at the Open Forum. She urged the city in the Strategic Plan to add
that it would communicate and work with the city’s residents also.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve the minutes of the: (1) Joint City Council and HRA
Work Session of September 6, 2023; (2) Regular City Council Meeting of March 14, 2023.
Motion carried: 4-0
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
March 28, 2023
City Council Meeting Minutes -2- March 28, 2023
ITEM #1
PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING RUTHANN CLAY
Mayor Supple invited Ruthann Clay to accept the proclamation and read aloud the proclamation.
Ms. Ruthann Clay stated she cared deeply for the city and the historical society. She thanked
the city for the proclamation.
Council Member Whalen noted he has had the opportunity to work with Ms. Clay. He thanked
her for all of her years of service to the community.
ITEM #2
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/,Whalen S/Hayford Oleary to approve the agenda.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #3
CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar.
A. Consider approval of a release of claims agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.,
and accept reimbursement in the amount of $18,551.01 for construction costs incurred by
the City due to a mistake on the 65th St Reconstruction Project construction plans (Staff
Report No. 36)
B. Consider the approval of two utility occupancy license agreements with Soo Line Railroad
Company at the railroad crossing at 65th St. and Pleasant Ave as part of the 65th Street
Reconstruction Project (Staff Report No. 39)
M/Whalen, S/Christensen to approve the consent calendar.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #4
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT
CALENDAR
None.
ITEM #5
THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO ELIMINATE
THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR A PLANNED UNIT
DEVELOPMENT (STAFF REPORT NO. 37)
Council Member Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 37.
Council Member Whalen asked for examples of past projects where PUD’s were applied.
Community Development Director Poehlman noted it could vary from project to project including where
City Council Meeting Minutes -3- March 28, 2023
setbacks are needed, landscaping plans, etc. can be varied in order to get the type of project the
Comprehensive Plans called for. She noted in many cases they would be asked to do something above
and beyond code requirements in exchange.
Council Member Hayford Oleary stated he was in support of the size condition as he did not
believe that was a useful way to judge this, but he did worry about changing the rules for certain
properties rather than keeping things that work universally in the future.
Mayor Supple stated one of the things she understood was that this could apply only to items
that say planned in front of them and it was not the entire city. Community Development Director
Poehlman responded in order to have a PUD, it was necessary to rezone to a PUD district. However,
if it was already zoned with a “P” in front, then they could use this flexibility.
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve the Ordinance amending the Zone Code Regulations
to eliminate the minimum lot size requirement for a Planned Unit Development and the associated
Resolution approving summary publication of an Ordinance to eliminate the minimum lot size
requirement for a planned unit development.
BILL NO. 2023-3
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE RICHFIELD ZONING CODE REGULATIONS TO
ELIMINATE THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR A PLANNED UNITY DEVELOPMENT
RESOLUTION NO. 12079
RESOLUTION APPROVING SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO
ELIMINATING THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
SUMMARY PUBLICATION
BILL NO. 2023-3
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE RICHFIELD ZONING CODE REGULATIONS
ELIMINATING THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
Council Member Whalen stated his understanding is that this is not that they are moving
toward every development becoming Planned Unit Developments, but rather this would allow the
flexibility that if a developer was proposing something the city thought was worth flexibility, that the
option was there but it would still go through the full vetting process. He stated he was in support of
this.
Council Member Hayford Oleary asked how the PUD’s worked when changes were made to
the zoning code. Community Development Director Poehlman explained the process and noted it
was dealt with individually but it was based on the current code.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #6
CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ALLOWING STAFF TO
EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO OPT-IN TO THE NEW OPIOID
SETTLEMENTS INCLUDING TEVA, ALLERGAN, CVS, WALGREENS, AND
WALMART (STAFF REPORT NO. 38)
Council Member Whalen presented Staff Report 38.
City Council Meeting Minutes -4- March 28, 2023
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to authorize staff to execute documents to ensure participation in
the new opioid settlement funding.
RESOLUTION NO. 12080
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING STAFF TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS TO ENSURE
PARTICIPATION IN NEW OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING
Mayor Supple asked if the funds passed through the city and then the city sent it through to
the Health Department or was this separate. Jennifer Anderson explained how the funds would be
handled. She indicated this was saying Richfield was opting in so they could become part of the
settlement.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #7
CITY MANAGER REPORT
City Manager Rodriguez indicated on the previous Open Forum Mr. Ernster and Ms. Best had
requested information. She noted she would be sending additional details to them by email. She noted
the PowerPoint presentation given by Mr. Ernster and Ms. Best contained inaccuracies which was
understandable as TIF was complicated. She recommended if anyone wanted to learn more about the
issue to view the presentation from the Ehlers that they made at the March 6 Work Session. She noted
the elimination of the minimum assessment agreement would not reduce the payments to the city,
county, or school district.
City Manager Rodriguez stated Ms. Balaban noted at the previous Open Forum that Ms.
Balaban had requested that all city meetings be videotaped. She indicated currently there was not the
staff capacity or the technology in every meeting room to videotape all meetings. She indicated the
Council, the Planning Commission, and the HRA meetings would continue to be videotaped.
City Manager Rodriguez indicated Ms. Balaban had also requested the Commission members
be provided city email addresses. She stated staff was hoping to be able to do this and they are
currently researching the best way to facilitate this.
City Manager Rodriquez stated Ms. Balaban had also requested the Community Development
Department not staff multiple commissions. She indicated CDC only staffs the Planning Commission,
the HRA, and the EDA and not the Charter Commission. She noted the HRA and EDA had the same
governing board and had consecutive meetings also.
ITEM #8
CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. BANK 03/28/2023
A/P Checks: 313355 - 313585 $1,243,113.76
Payroll: 177237 – 177539, 43636 $761,732.20
TOTAL $2,004,845.96
Motion carried: 4-0
City Council Meeting Minutes -5-March 28, 2023
ITEM #9 HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
Council Member Whalen stated on April 15 the League of Woman Voters was hosting the
Ecofair.
Council Member Christiansen stated she had no report.
Council Member Hayford Oleary thanked the city’s public works and engineering staff for
winning an infrastructure grant. He thanked Will Wlizlo at the school district for looking for grants for
the city.
Mayor Supple noted the Richfield Chamber of Commerce had their Circle of Excellence Awards
earlier this month. She congratulated the award recipients. She did a shout out to the Richfield public
schools for their Job Olympics. She noted the Richfield Foundation was starting planning for their Taste
of Richfield to be held on May 11 and were looking for volunteers and sponsors. She shouted out to the
Minnesota Whitecaps who made it to the playoffs for the Isobel Cup. She thanked everyone who came
for the Commission interviews.
ITEM #10 ADJOURNMENT
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to adjourn the meeting at 7:39 p.m.
Motion carried: 4-0
Date Approved: April 11, 2023
Mary Supple
Mayor
Kelly Wynn Katie Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant City Manager