10-28-2024 City Council Work Session Minutes1
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
October 28, 2024
Mayor Ryan called the work session to order at 5:30 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ryan, Councilmember von Oven, Councilmember
Kimber, Councilmember McDonald, and Councilmember Schubert
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Laurie Hokkanen, City Manager, Charlie Howley, Public Works
Director/City Engineer; Matt Unmacht, Assistant City Manager, Jerry Ruegemer, Parks Director;
Eric Maass, Planning Director; Patrick Gavin, Communications Manager; Jenny Potter, City Clerk ,
Rachel Jeske, Planner
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Cannabis Ordinance Discussion
Eric Maass, Community Development Director, and Rachel Jeske, Planner discussed a draft
zoning ordinance regulating cannabis businesses in the city. Staff presented a draft ordinance
which identified specific zoning districts that would allow for retail cannabis businesses as well
as zoning districts specific to light industrial cannabis businesses such as cultivators and
manufacturers. The Council unanimously expressed its desire to limit the number of cannabis
retail licenses to a maximum of three which is the minimum allowed by state law. State law
requires a city to allow at least one retail cannabis business per 12,500 residents. It also
expressed its preference to maintain control over that number, as compared to relinquishing that
authority to Carver County if Carver County was delegated as the governmental unit responsible
for licensing retail cannabis businesses.
One element of the draft ordinance included a 500-foot buffer for any retail cannabis business
from schools and residential treatment facilities. The Council was divided on its feelings on
requiring a 500-foot buffer around any cannabis retail store, in part because liquor and nicotine
stores are not required to have a similar buffer and felt it important to treat similar businesses
equally, and recommended continuing the discussion within the Planning Commission and
Economic Development Commission as well as soliciting resident feedback through a future
public hearing at the Planning Commission.
Pickleball Court Location Discussion
Jerry Ruegemer, Parks & Recreation Director presented a summary about the current (and
future) state of pickleball v. tennis courts throughout Chanhassen. Residents often ask the city to
convert tennis courts to pickleball courts, which costs ~$1,500 to convert. The city currently has
ten dedicated pickleball courts (and two additional courts with painted pickleball lines). Four
City Council Work Session Minutes – October 28, 2024
2
more will arrive when the Civic Campus is completed. The city owns 16 tennis courts. Concerns
around pickleball courts include parking and noise.
Mr. Ruegemer asked for guidance from the Council on whether the city should convert
neighborhood tennis courts to pickleball courts or should they only be constructed in community
parks. In September 2024, the Parks and Rec Commission recommended not converting
neighborhood tennis courts to pickleball courts and to adopt the practice of locating pickleball
courts within community parks in order to create further distance from resident housing.
Council discussed whether to keep pickleball courts within community parks and asked for
additional information on expansion costs for new courts, maintenance costs for existing courts,
usage and noise mitigation before making a final decision.
Highway 7 Corridor Communities Update
The Council unanimously agreed to support the city’s participation in advancing safety
improvements on Hwy. 7 via the City of Shorewood’s receipt of a $200,000 grant and the
development of a transportation management organization (TMO) for the Hwy 7 Corridor. A
resolution to this affect is on the consent agenda at tonight's Council meeting.
Select Wood Cladding color for City Hall/Senior Center Building
The Council was asked to pick between two colors – dark brown and light brown -- that would
be utilized on some outside design elements for the new Civic Campus. The Council
unanimously picked dark brown.
Set Canvassing Meeting
The City Council selected a time to participate in Carver County’s post-election canvassing
meeting on November 13th. The primary goal of a canvassing meeting is to ensure that all votes
have been accurately counted and that the election results are valid.
Mayor Ryan adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
Submitted by Laurie Hokkanen
City Manager
Prepared by Jenny Potter
City Clerk