07-23-2024 WS City Council Agenda W ORK SESSION
RICHFIELD MUNICIPAL CENTER, BARTHOLOMEW ROOM
JULY 23, 2024
5:45 PM
Call to order
1.Wood Lake Building Project Update with presentation by HGA and Local Option Sales Tax Ballot Language
Discussion.
Adjournment
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 612-861-9739.
AGENDA SECTION:Work Session Items
AGENDA ITEM #1.
STAFF REPORT NO. 20
WORK SESSION
7/23/2024
REPORT PREPARED BY: Karl Huemilller, Recreation Services Director
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REVIEW: Karl Huemiller, Recreation Services Director
7/17/2024
OTHER DEPARTMENT REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER REVIEW: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager
7/17/2024
ITEM FOR WORK SESSION:
Wood Lake Building Project Update with presentation by HGA and Local Option Sales Tax Ballot
Language Discussion.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Wood Lake Nature Center Building Project
Since the selection of HGA as the architectural firm, the building project team and HGA have been working
together to engage the community in the design process, tour similar facilities and develop a schematic
design. As part of the engagement process a three-hour open house was held at Wood Lake Nature Center,
a survey was conducted receiving 949 responses, and three targeted engagement sessions were held. Staff
toured five facilities with HGA to discuss floor plans, operations, displays, and mechanical systems. These
facilities were Eastman Nature Center in Maple Grove, Spring Brook Nature Center in Fridley, Westwood
Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park, MWMO building in Minneapolis, and the Fraser facility in Woodbury.
The feedback from the engagement sessions and information from the facility tours was used to develop an
initial schematic design.
During this time staff began assembling the team of contractors needed to complete the Wood Lake Nature
Center building project.
Survey - Sunde Land Surveying was contracted to perform a survey and wetland delineation. The survey
included identifying any trees greater than four inches in diameter. The wetland delineation was completed in
May and reviewed by a technical evaluation panel consisting of watershed district, city, county, and state
representatives.
Construction Manager at Risk – A rigorous open RFQ process was completed followed by an invitation
only RFP process. Mortenson Construction was the highest-scoring firm showing a site-appropriate approach
to the project, a strong team, and the ability to bring significant resources to support the project. They have
also successfully completed similar projects and have experience working with HGA Architects. The City is
currently in contract negotiations.
Interpretive Display Designer - An RFP process was completed with two proposals submitted. The Science
Museum of Minnesota in partnership with Blue Rhino Studios submitted a joint proposal which was selected.
These two Minnesota-based firms bring a unique, creative approach and years of experience creating
engaging interactive interpretive displays across the country. The City is currently in contract negotiations.
Geotechnical and soil testing – AET was selected to provide geotechnical services to be used in the
development of the design documents. These services should start in September.
Local Option Sales Tax Ballot Language
Staff had been working with Rapp Strategies on a communication plan for the Local Option Sales
Tax question on the November ballot. City Council must review and approve the ballot
language. Ballot Language for the Local Option Sales Tax questions must be submitted to
Hennepin County 74 days prior to the election, Friday, August 23rd, 2024. The language must be
reviewed and approved by City Council prior to this date. The current schedule is to review the
language at the July 23, 2024 work session and approve final language at the August 14, 2024 City
Council Meeting.
Sample ballot language:
Richfield residents are being asked to authorize the City of Richfield to impose a one-half of one
percent (0.5%) sales and use tax to fund three separate parks and recreation projects that would
restore natural habitat and enhance recreational facilities in the city. Residents must consider each
project individually.
City Question 1
SALES AND USE TAX FOR NEW COMMUNITY CENTER
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent (0.5%)
for up to 20 years, for $45 million plus the cost of interest and of issuing bonds, to build a new community
center?
Yes
No
By voting "yes" on this question you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for a new building
that provides wellness and recreational activities, replacing the current Community Center. If any of the
other questions are approved along with this question, the maximum total sales tax by the city would be
0.5%. The length of time may vary based on which other questions are approved, with a maximum of 20
years.
City Question 2
SALES AND USE TAX FOR VETERANS PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent (0.5%)
for up to 20 years, for $9 million plus the cost of interest and of issuing bonds, to enhance and restore
facilities at Veterans Park including the outdoor pool, park trails and ice arena?
Yes
No
By voting "yes" on this question, you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for the repairs
and improvements of the pool, trails and pavilion, ice arena, bandshell and minigolf building at Veterans
Park. If any of the other questions are approved along with this question, the maximum total sales tax by
the city would be 0.5%. The length of time may vary based on which other questions are approved, with a
maximum of 20 years.
City Question 3
SALES AND USE TAX FOR NEW WOODLAKE NATURE CENTER BUILDING
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent (0.5%) for
up to 20 years, for $11 million plus the cost of interest and of issuing bonds, to build a new Wood Lake Nature
Center building?
Yes
No
By voting "yes" on this question you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for a new
educational facility and site updates, replacing the current Wood Lake Nature Center building. If any of the
other questions are approved along with this question, the maximum total sales tax by the city would be 0.5%.
The length of time may vary based on which other questions are approved, with a maximum of 20 years.
DIRECTION NEEDED:
Staff is asking council to provide feedback and ask questions on the building design and site layout.
Staff is also looking for feedback and questions on the draft language for the Local Option Sales Tax
ballot question.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A.HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Wood Lake Nature Center Background Wood Lake Nature Center (WLNC) is a public facility that opened in
1971 and has always been free of charge. The center serves anyone who enters and helps connect them to the
natural world through both passive and programmed learning opportunities. Currently, 60-70% of all site visitors
are from the region and 30-40% visit from Richfield. We also are a short 10-minute drive to the Minneapolis
International Airport and frequently host visitors from around the country and the world. Wood Lake Nature
Center serves as the gateway for guests to explore the 150-acre park that surrounds it. There are over 3 miles
of gentle hiking and cross-country ski trails for all to experience the many benefits of nature in three native
Minnesota biomes: the forest, wetland, and prairie.
People of all ages and abilities are served at WLNC and a large focus has always been on student education.
WLNC has had an invaluable 50-year partnership with the local Richfield Public School District; each student
from preschool through 5 th grade participates in 2-3 free environmental education field trips a year.
Approximately 70% of the district’s students are of color and have a 60-80% free and reduced lunch rate.
Currently, 7% of Richfield residents live at or below the federal poverty line. We also annually host dozens of
other school groups from across the region, including schools such as Lucy Laney in North Minneapolis where
the students have accessed the center via the Metro Transit Bus System. We regularly host SciTechAcademy,
a Somali school. In previous years, we have been fortunate to secure grant funding for Little Earth schools to
come to multiple environmental education programs throughout the academic year. Being an accessible and
affordable site has always helped the center to attract a large diversity of schools from across the 7-county
metropolitan area. We anticipate more space with a new building will allow for several groups at a time to
schedule programs; with our current building, we are very limited by space. The additional space will also serve
as valuable space for community groups and residents to utilize for meetings and special events. Also,
educational exhibits and learning spaces are not fully accessible and are dated. A new building would afford the
needed opportunity to design a fully accessible building that includes an inclusive multimodal approach to
exhibits.
Project Pre-Design
A project team was formed in February of 2021 that included City of Richfield staff (Amy Markle, Dave
Conrads, Paul Smithson, and Rachel Lindholm), and a group from the local architectural firm, HGA. The
project team took a field trip to the new Westwood Hills Nature Center and learned about their process as well
as worked for months on the pre-design of a new building. The pre-design process identified community needs
for the new building, a general preliminary design, and a cost model. Following the pre-design process, the city
was able to use the materials developed to raise funds for the project. In 2023 the City secured $15 million in
funding, $12 million in state bonding money, and $3 million in federal funding. In the 2023 legislative session,
the City also received authorization for a local sales tax referendum that could provide the final $11 million
needed for the project.
Architect Interview Process
On October 13, 2023, the Wood Lake Nature Center Building Project Team put out an invitation-only RFP for
architectural and engineering services for the design and construction administration of the new nature center
building at Wood Lake. Six firms who have done similar work in the region were invited to submit proposals
outlining their experience with similar projects, members of their project team, and approach to the project
including community engagement and design schedules. Of the six firms invited, five submitted proposals, and
three were invited to interviews based on the content of their proposals. Staff took into account the firms'
understanding of the project, technical competence, experience with similar buildings, and the cost of their
services. An interview panel was formed, consisting of members of the Wood Lake Nature Center Building
Project Team as well as technical experts including the city engineer and a community development planner. In
the interviews, the three firms introduced their teams, presented their project schedules, design development
process, and technical expertise, and answered questions from staff. Following the interviews staff contacted
references for each of the design firms.
Architect Selection
Out of this process, HGA was selected as the best firm for the Wood Lake Nature Center Building Project.
HGA has the expertise to design and administer the construction of a building on a site with the complexities of
Wood Lake Nature Center. They have experience working on municipal nature centers and community
buildings having recently provided similar services for the construction of Westwood Hills Nature Center in St.
Louis Park, MN, and the Plymouth Community Center in Plymouth, MN. HGA is a large firm with in-house staff
for all aspects of design and construction administration, creating a strong and cohesive project team. They
were the only firm to have an equity coordinator as part of the project team. The City also has experience
working with HGA from the predesign process and HGA was the most cost-effective option among the firms
interviewed with a cost of 9.4% of the building construction cost.
Local Option Sales Tax
The City of Richfield was granted the authority by the Minnesota Legislature this past session to bring Local
Option Sales Tax to Richfield voters in the next two years at a general election. There are three regional park
projects that will be placed individually on the ballot including: the Wood Lake Nature Center Building Project,
Veterans Park Complex (including major aquatics improvements), and a new Community Center. The City
Attorney has advised that the local option sales tax questions should go on the 2024 ballot as it is a general
election. City staff has worked with Rapp Strategies, Inc., to develop an educational campaign for a 2024
referendum.
B.EQUITABLE OR STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS OR IMPACTS
Equity: The public engagement process during the design phase of the project has focused on connecting
with disadvantaged communities that are currently underrepresented in the users of Wood Lake Nature Center.
Design also includes the goals of including feedback from a variety of community stakeholders, including the
disability community, the Latine community, low-income residents, residents who live close to Wood Lake,
visitors to Richfield, students who visit, and many more groups. Overall, the new building will provide increased
accessibility to more groups and current ADA guidelines will be met which currently are not. Community
engagement and a focus on designing a space welcoming to all are key pillars of the design process.
Strategic Plan: This project best aligns with the strategic plan priority of Sustainable Infrastructure addressing
all sub-initiatives of asset management, comprehensive funding, and sustainability efforts.
C.POLICIES (resolutions, ordinances, regulations, statutes, exc):
The building design must comply with SB2030 and B3 standards, which are requirements as a part of
receiving state bonding funds.
The construction manager at risk selection must follow the process outlined in Minnesota Statues, section
471.463
D.CRITICAL TIMING ISSUES:
Ballot Language for the Local Option Sales Tax questions must be submitted to Hennepin County 74 days
prior to the election, Friday, August 23rd, 2024. The language must be reviewed and approved by City Council
prior to this date. The last City Council meeting prior to the submission deadline is August 14, 2024.
E.FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Total Project Cost: $26 million
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AGENDA | SECTION
LAYOUTS
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•HGA Project Team
•Paul Smithson (WLNC Manager)
•Karl Huemiller (Recreation Services)
•Rachel Lindholm (Sustainability)
•Dave Conrads (Building Operations)
Ongoing meetings with project leadership:
Interactive workshops with key groups
•WLNC Staff
•MIRA + Outdoor Latino
•Richfield Public Schools
•Fraser/People with disabilities
Survey and open house
•Richfield community
•WLNC Visitors
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AGENDA | SECTION
LAYOUTS
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Sample Ballot Language
Richfield residents are being asked to authorize the City of Richfield to impose a one-half of
one percent (0.5%) sales and use tax to fund three separate parks and recreation projects
that would restore natural habitat and enhance recreational facilities in the city. Residents
must consider each project individually.
City Question 1
SALES AND USE TAX FOR NEW COMMUNITY CENTER
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one
percent (0.5%) for up to 20 years, to finance up to $45 million plus the cost of interest and
of issuing bonds, to build a new community center?
•Yes
•No
By voting "yes" on this question you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for
a new building that provides wellness and recreational activities, replacing the current
Community Center. If any of the other questions are approved along with this question, the
maximum total sales tax by the city would be 0.5%. The length of time may vary based on
which other questions are approved, with a maximum of 20 years.
City Question 2
SALES AND USE TAX FOR VETERANS PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one
percent (0.5%) for up to 20 years, to finance up to $9 million plus the cost of interest and of
issuing bonds, to enhance and restore facilities at Veterans Park including the outdoor pool,
park trails and ice arena?
•Yes
•No
By voting "yes" on this question, you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for
the repairs and improvements of the pool, trails and pavilion, ice arena, bandshell and
minigolf building at Veterans Park. If any of the other questions are approved along with
this question, the maximum total sales tax by the city would be 0.5%. The length of time
may vary based on which other questions are approved, with a maximum of 20 years.
City Question 3
SALES AND USE TAX FOR NEW WOODLAKE NATURE CENTER BUILDING
Shall the City of Richfield be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one
percent (0.5%) for up to 20 years, to finance up to $11 million plus the cost of interest and
of issuing bonds, to build a new Wood Lake Nature Center building?
•Yes
•No
By voting "yes" on this question you are voting to use a local sales tax in Richfield to pay for
a new educational facility and site updates, replacing the current Wood Lake Nature Center
building. If any of the other questions are approved along with this question, the
maximum total sales tax by the city would be 0.5%. The length of time may vary based on
which other questions are approved, with a maximum of 20 years.
Construction Costs: $18 million
Includes escalation, design contingency, construction contingency, general conditions, construction
management fees, bonds/insurance, and permitting.
Project Soft Costs: $8 Million
Includes professional services fees, fixtures/furniture/equipment (FFE), exhibits, testing/inspections, survey,
AV/Technology, owner contingency, etc.
Funding:
State Bonding - $12
million Federal Grants - $3 million
Unsecured Funding - $11 million (Bonds paid by Sales Tax Option or Property Taxes depending on outcome
of referendum)
F.LEGAL CONSIDERATION:
None
ALTERNATIVE(S):
PRINCIPAL PARTIES EXPECTED AT MEETING: