07-23-2024 Council Regular Minutes
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; Simon Trautmann;
Sean Hayford Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Staff Present:
Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney;
Melissa Poehlman, Community Development Director; and
Michelle Friedrich, 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
Jerry Doyle, 6734 Oakland, Richfield, discussed his concern about the dangers of increasing
street parking when many people chose to walk on the streets since there are no sidewalks.
Larry Ernster, 6727 Elliot Avenue South, Richfield, noted his frustration for the way that Richfield
government is operating and how he feels Richfield is trying to isolate itself from the residents. He
discussed why he opposes the parking ordinance.
Mary Vest, 6727 Elliot Avenue South, Richfield, requested that the Council reject the proposed
parking ordinance. She feels that reducing parking requirements would not benefit the City.
Manager Rodriguez read an email to the Council from Alex Asmus, 6401 Harriet Ave. The email
urged the Council not to continue discussion of the parking ordinance and vote down the decision
because the parking issues have become dangerous to the community and created many problems.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
July 23, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
City Council Meeting Minutes -2- July 23, 2024
Council Member Hayford Oleary requested a correction to the City Council meeting minutes.
On page 5, paragraph 4, to change ‘regulate parking requirements’ to ‘regulate speeding.’
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve the minutes of the: (1) Joint City Council and Planning
Commission Work Session of July 9th, 2024; (2) Regular City Council meeting of July 9th, 2024, as
corrected.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #1
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
M/Whalen, S/Christensen to approve the Agenda.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #2
CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar.
A. Consider the approval of a Temporary On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor license for St. Peter
Catholic Church, located at 6730 Nicollet Avenue South, for their Tri Fest Harvest 2024
event taking place September 21-22, 2024. (Staff Report No. 96)
B. Consider the approval of a resolution authorizing the City of Richfield to enter into a grant
agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for funds in the amount of
$91,500.00 to be used for stormwater model updates and capital planning. (Staff Report No.
97)
RESOLUTION NO. 12223
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF RICHFIELD TO ACCEPT A SEWER
OVERFLOW AND STORMWATER REUSE GRANT FROM THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION
CONTROL AGENCY
C. Ratify the correction of a typographical error in Resolution No. 12222, which authorized an
application for Livable Communities grant funding, changing the name of the project from
"Richfield Flats" to "Penn Station, 6501-25 Penn Avenue South." (Staff Report No. 98)
RESOLUTION NO. 12222
RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
PREDEVELOPMENT FUNDING AND AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS
D. Consider the adoption of a resolution appointing election judges for the Primary Election on
August 13,2024. (Staff Report No. 99)
RESOLUTION NO. 12224
RESOLUTION APPOINTING ELECTION JUDGES FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION BEING
HELD ON AUGUST 13, 2024
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Trautmann to approve the consent calendar.
Motion Carried: 5-0
City Council Meeting Minutes -3- July 23, 2024
ITEM #3
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
None.
ITEM #4
CONSIDER A SECOND READING AND SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF AN
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ADJUSTING PARKING REQUIREMENTS (STAFF
REPORT NO. 100)
Council Member Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 100.
Council Member Christensen asked if one sided street parking would be all year round, and if
it would be the whole City or just certain parts.
Director Poehlman noted that this is an example of one solution that public works and public
safety thought of to solve problems on narrow roads and would not be instituted in the entire City.
Council Member Trautmann discussed that several residents can’t obtain enough signatures
to request limiting parking and the Council should take that into consideration.
Council Member Whalen noted that residents should be using access to the Traffic Control
Committee for issues they see. He also noted that maintaining the status quo is not actually cost
neutral. He discussed the major expenses for adding new parking, noting he would rather have the
City spend $1 million on making housing more affordable rather than having 10 fewer cars on the
streets.
Council Member Hayford Oleary noted that he feels the ratio of parking spaces is already too
large and they should not increase the ratio.
Council Member Trautmann doesn’t feel that this is an existential problem, but he likes the fact
that staff and residents are very involved in the discussion.
Mayor Supple noted she would like to allow for some discretion to leave room for negotiation
and that is why she will be voting no for the decision.
Council Member Whalen also noted that discretion is not cost neutral, and it takes up time and
resources.
Council Member Hayford Oleary discussed that he would like to ensure the parking
requirement rules are always clear and available for developers to know what challenges they will run
into when deciding to develop in Richfield.
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Trautmann to approve a second reading and summary publication of an
ordinance amendment adjusting parking requirements.
BILL NO. 2024-08
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE RICHFIELD ZONING CODE REGULATIONS RELATED TO
PARKING
Motion carried: 3-2 (Mayor Supple and Council Member Christensen)
City Council Meeting Minutes -4- July 23, 2024
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Trautmann to approve a resolution authorizing summary publication of said
ordinance.
RESOLUTION NO. 12225
RESOLUTION APPROVING SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF AN ORDINANCE ADJUSTING
PARKING REQUIREMENTS
Motion Carried: 5-0
ITEM #5
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Rodriguez shared information regarding the speakers from previous meetings
and the comments that staff has followed up on.
ITEM #6
CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Trautmann, S/Whalen that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. BANK 07/19/2024
A/P Checks: 329475 – 330042 $3,847,374.60
Payroll: 189200 – 189591 43954 – 43959 $1,375,665.19
TOTAL $5,223,039.79
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #7
HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
Council Member Trautmann thanked everyone involved in the discussion for the Nature Center
plans. He also thanked the public works members who worked into the night to help clean up the storm
damages.
Council Member Hayford Oleary recapped the bike tour they did for the County transportation
groups and the discussion they had.
Council Member Christensen noted that the City should be doing its best to support small and
local businesses. She also shared that the Historical Society is holding their annual ice cream social on
August 3, 2024.
Council Member Whalen gave a hats off to the election judges and reminded residents that the
primary election is open.
City Clerk Friedrich reported the voting hours.
Mayor Supple gave a hats off to the Richfield farmers market and all involved. She also thanked
everyone who helped clean up the storm damage and all the people who worked on the electrical lines.
ITEM #8
City Council Meeting Minutes -5-July 23, 2024
ADJOURNMENT
M/Trautmann, S/Whalen to adjourn the meeting at 7:51 p.m.
Motion carried: 5-0
Date Approved: August 14, 2024
Mary B. Supple
Mayor
Michelle Friedrich Katie Rodriguez
City Clerk City Manager