2022-03 CSC PC CC JOINT MEETINGCITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Joint Planning Commission, City
Council, and Community Services
Commission Work Session
Virtual via WebEx
March 28, 2022
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Planning Commissioner Kennealy at 6:00 p.m. virtually via
WebEx.
Planning
Commission
Members Present:
Brendan Kennealy; Ben Surma; Brett Stursa; Eddie Holmvig-Johnson
Planning
Commission
Members Absent:
James Rudolph, Chair; Kathryn Quam
Council Members
Present:
Mary Supple; Simon Trautmann; Sean Hayford Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Council Members
Absent:
Maria Regan Gonzalez, Mayor
Community
Services
Commission
Members Present:
Tessa Johanson
Community
Services
Commission
Members Absent:
Kevin Wendt, Chair; David Benson; Michael Devane; Jenna Hanson;
Stephanie Nwaudo; Ben Marx; Heather MacDonald; Meredith Bruzek;
Jessica Johnson-Kreps; and Brooke Nelson
Staff Present: Melissa Poehlman, Community Development Director; Nellie Jerome,
Assistant Planner; and Ben Manibog, Transportation Engineer.
Others Present: Lisa Austin, Amber Blanchard, and Andrew Lutaya from MnDOT
Planning Commission, City Council, and Community
Services Commission Work Session Minutes -2-March 28, 2022
ITEM #1
MEMBERS OF THE I-494 PROJECT TEAM WILL PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE
PROGRESS MADE TO DATE BY THE I-494: AIRPORT TO HIGHWAY 169
PROJECT 1 VISUAL QUALITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (VQAC) IN THEIR
EFFORTS TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT'S VISUAL QUALITY MANUAL (VQM)
AND CONTEXT SENSITIVE SOLUTIONS (CSS) GUIDE WHICH WILL GUIDE
AESTHETIC QUALITIES OF THE PROJECT AND THE CORRIDOR’S VISUAL
ELEMENTS.
Lisa Austin, MnDOT’s Visual Quality Project Manager for the 494 Corridor project, presented
the Visual Quality Manual and Context Sensitive Solutions Framework for the I-494: Airport to 169
project. Austin described the scope of the project and visual quality advisory committee. The context
sensitive solutions framework identifies what aspects of the corridor can be added by the community
at a later date, like art or pedestrian infrastructure. Austin reviewed the visual aspects that were
reviewed and ultimately selected for I-494 through public engagement with the committee.
Council member Hayford Oleary asked about the city-funded aspects about fencing and
bridges, and the MnDOT team calrified that all costs are covered for basic fences and designs.
MnDOT also added that landscaping will take up to three years to implement after the infrastructure is
done. Council member Hayford Oleary also added that intersection design should be improved for
pedestrian safety, especially at 66th Street and 35W. MnDOT staff added that they are working to
keep all aesthetics within the state budget to avoid asking for any community contributions on top of
the basic designs.
City Transportation Engineer Ben Manibog added that the City is working with Bloomington to
finalize the lighting plan.
ADJOURNMENT
The work session was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:37 p.m.
Date Approved: April 12, 2022
Maria Regan Gonzalez
Mayor
Nellie Jerome Katie Rodriguez
Assistant City Planner City Manager