1987 09 14295
CHANHASS~ CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
SEPTEMBER 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton called the meeting to order. The meeting was opened with the
Pledge to the Flag.
~IL MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilman Bolt, Councilman Horn and Councilman
Johnson
COUD~IL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilman Geving ..
-.
STAFF PRESENT: Don Ashworth, Roger Knutson, Gary Warren, Barbara Dacy, Jo Ann
Olsen, Larry Brown and Todd Gerhardt
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Councilman Horn moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to
approve tl~ agenda as amended with the following additions: Councilman Horn
wanted to make a comment about Curry Farms under Council Presentations,
Councilman Boyt wanted to discuss the Kerber Barn and the goals for the
upcoming Budget Meeting, Councilman Johnson wanted to discuss wording on the
published agendas ar~ present deleting published agenda items under Visitor's
Presentation, Mayor Hamilton wanted to discuss Frontier Trail, West 78th
Street update and Paisley Place. All voted in favor of the agenda as amended
and motion carried.
CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to approve
the following Consent Agenda items pursuant to tt~ City Manager's
recommendations:
a. Approval of Final Plans, N~P ~ Lines.
b. Reconsideration of Variance for Lot 1, Piper Ridge, Delray Olberg.
d. Preliminary Plat Approval, King Addition, Karen King.
e. Accounts Payable dated Sep~ 14, 1987
ie
Resolution #87-100: Accept Streets in Chestnut Ridge at Near
Mountain 7th and Bth Additions ar~ Trapper's Pass 2nd Addition
j. Approval of Soo Line Railroad Pipeline Crossing Permit.
m. 1. Budget Worksession, September 21, 1987
ne
Approval of City Council Minutes dated August 3, 1987
Approval of City Council Minutes dated August 17, 1987
Approval of City Council Minutes dated August 24, 1987
Planning Commission Minutes dated August 26, 1987
Park and Recreation Commission Minutes dated 'August 25, 1987
Public Safety Cxa~mission Minutes dated August 20, 1987
pe
Resolution #87-101: Award of Bids, Tennis Courts at Meadow Green
Park and North Lotus Lake Park
All voted in favor and motion carried.
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Boyt seconded to amend the agenda to discuss
Consent Agenda items l(f), l(h) and 1(1) at this point in the meeting. All
voted in favor ar~ motion carried.
i(F) SHADOWMERE DEVELOPMENT:
1. APPROVAL OF DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT.
2. APPROVAL OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS.
Mayor Hamilton: Bill, did you want to discuss their plans and specifications
also or w~re your questions primarily with the develol~nent contract?
Councilman Boyt: My comments are with the develol~nent contract.
Mayor Hamilton: hbuld you like to begin?
Councilman Boyt: Alright. What I would like to see added to development
contracts, Shadowmere is probably the outstanding example of this, as far as
what's going on right now, is I would like to see us include in the
permissible working hours that they be limited to Monday through Friday,
7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. I think those are hours in which a good many people
are away from their home and are acceptable hours to run heavy equipment and
outside construction. Weekends, every mornings and late evenings are to be
only resorted to in the case of an emergency so I would like to this and the
other develol~nent contracts modified to include that.
Councilman Johnson: Bill, are you proposing any hours on Saturday at all?
9: 00 to 4: 00 or anything?
Councilman Boyt: Jay, I'm not. I know we currently have that option
available but I would say unless it's an emergency that they should stay away
from weekends. Chan Vista has demonstrated that they can put up a development
without working on weekends. We have Shadowmere right now going within 200
feet of established homes. Labor Day they ran chainsaws most of the day.
This past Saturday they ran a commercial wood chipper all morning and I don't
think people should be subjected to that sort of thing.
Mayor Hamilton: Would you be willing to allow inside work or types of work in
construction that would not be offensive noise wise. For instance, plumbing,
heating, probably the pouring of concrete and things like that.
Councilman Boyt: Definitely. Sure.
Councilman Horn: What about outside work? Siding, shingling?
Councilman Boyt: I'm against ~ w~rk.
Mayor Hamilton: Generally shingling is done with power guns today. They are
rather noisy.
Councilman Horn: I've had pounding next to me all weekend too but it seems to
me like these people have to get their work done when they can.
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City Oouncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Boyt: Well, I would agree with that Clark if it comes to a private
individual who wants to shingle their roof and the only time they can get
there is tt~ weekend, I think that's reasonable. That's going to be a once in
a long time occurrence. What we're talking about is a developer who could
very conceivably work every Saturday.
Councilman Horn: That's what I'm talking about too. South Lotus Lake
Estates o
Councilman Boyt: Well, that would be another one where I would like to see it
Mayor Hamilton: Anything else Bill?
Mayor Hamilton: Would your comments apply to all three develol~uent contracts?
Councilman Boyt: Yes, I would like to make those universal.
Mayor Hamilton: Clark, you have any questions?
Councilman Horn: No, I would just be opposed to a,y type of constructioru I
think it's one thing when you're talking heavy equipment but I think it's a
little different when you're talking about housing construction.
Councilman Johnson: I agree on the heavy equipment. When they first were
doing Chan Vista on my side, they did work Saturdays. Roofing and the whole
works. Tney were getting those houses up as quickly as they could this last
spring. Fortunately it wasn't summer like it is now with people with their
windows open. It was still chilly enough where we had all the windows closed
so it really didn't bother us that much. I believe the builders generally do
work Saturdays and I can't really see stopping them. I think we may be able
to make it start a little later in the morning rather than 7:00 a.m. because
Saturdays is a sleep in day for a lot of people. I think I would be opposed
to a complete moratorium on Saturdays but I agree 7:00 is too early on the
Mayor Hamilton: What would your opinion Roger be of that? Is that something
that we're not going to get ourselves in trouble on if we try to limit the
hours a builder can build on weekends ar~] holidays?
Roger Knutson: Sume communities do it and I suppose if you took a poll, there
would be a distinct minority that actually puts hours on people. As a
condition as far as ~ development contract, you probably could impose it to
your discretion.
Councilman Boyt: I think it's reasonable to say that they can do inside
constructioru With the development going ~n to the west of me and my
neighbors, one about to go on to the north of me and my neighbors, with 8~
homes goirg in across Kerber Blvd. ar~ all of those are within easy hearing
distance of a big chunk of our population so I would-like to see us.
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City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Boyt moved to limit outside construction and develolament work to
the hours of 7:00 to 6:00, Monday through Friday barring emergency situations.
There was no second and motion failed for lack of second.
Mayor Hamilton: I had a couple of comments on the development contract that I
wanted to bring out. If you look on page 3, item 10, Clean up. Developer
shall promptly clean streets on and off site of all dirt and debris that has
resulted from construction work by the developer, it's agents or assigns. I'm
wondering if we shouldn't tighten that up a little bit. Generally speaking
when a developer is working we find a lot of mud and junk, debris in the
street and I think I would like to see us somehow say if we're going to have
this in there at all, to say how it's going to be cleaned up. Whether they're
going to do it or if the City is going to do it and then charge them for it.
I think in the many cases I've seen, it seems to me there's a safety hazard
when you get a lot of mud on the streets, it's raining out and it's just like
driving on ice. The developer couldn't give a rip if you went in the ditch or
not and they don't ever clean the streets up so I would like to see someway to
attempt to control that.
Councilman Johnson: I think that you could also add that not only resulting,
this talks resulting from construction work. Because there's no grass,
erosion control at this point, you get a storm, you get a lot of stuff out
there so also resulting from storms. Case in point would be Pheasant Hills
and several other developments that I talked to the City Engineers about
earlier this year after some of our storms. Triple Crown, Chan vista, they
all after the storm were a lot worse off than just the normal construction
work.
Mayor Hamilton: I think in most cases some of the better developers do clean
up but like Fox Chase has always been a problem. There's bccn mud up there
ever since the first day they started and we've never had the teeth to get
then to clean it up. They have on a few occasions but not often enough.
Councilman Johnson: And that washes into the storm sewers and into our storm
sewer systen and into our lakes eventually.
Councilman Horn: I think this really covers it. As a result of construction
work. If a storm comes along, if there hadn't been construction work, it
wouldn' t have washed into the street.
Councilman Johnson: That's true too.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't see how we can get them to do it. I think the
wording is here I don't think we're not telling them how it's going to get
done.
Roger Knutson: This says the developer has got to do it and he's got to do it
promptly.
Councilman Horn: After he gets it dirty or after he's finished?
Roger Knutson: After be gets it dirty.
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City Council Meeting - Se~ 14, 1987
Gary Warren: I would suggest, with the amount of development that is going
on, it would be very difficult for the City Staff to have to do it ourselves
but I prefer to keep the responsibility of the developer but I would suggest
that. we put a timing, say daily he has to be responsible for cleaning the
site. We have had a lot of cooperation from most developers. We say that we
have a problem out there in the street but it does come down to the individual
developer.
Mayor Hamilton: I think that's a good idea. Put daily instead of pTomptly.
Good idea.
Councilman Horn: I question whether we shouldn't have something more general
than that because it isn't only just the developers that do that. If you look
out at the nurseries, Dale Green out here tracks mud all over the highway. It
seems like this is more of a general type of thing than even just
construction.
Mayor Hamilton: Except we're talking about a development contract and that's
where w~ have to put it.
Councilman Horn: Is that where we put it? Is that all we need to control
this?
Mayor Hamilton: Unless they build in other areas, I think that would he
another time.
Roger Knutson: It wouldn't be here. We could look at it as a problem. I
wasn't aware of other problems.
Councilman Horn: My point is, is that part of the development contract and
another ordinance or are we havirg another mechanism to accomplish the same
thing?
Roger Knutson: We have no other mechani'~ right now that I 'm aware of.
Councilman Johnson: Unless you call it litter.
Mayor Hamilton: I think that's a good point Clark. Perhaps you could bring
that back as another item. So on 10, chan~e "promptll~' to 'k]aily". Page 4,
item 12, Cost of Improvements. I realize that in a private developer
installed construction facility such as these where the city is not putting
in, we do ~ to have some type of an estimate so we can come up with the
security so they can give us 110% of the cost of the construction but this is
a new category, I think just recently and I'm not so sure that we should try
to pin the developer down to give us the exact or ever reasonably close cost
estimates as outlined here in the development contract. I'm not aware that
we've had a problem in the past where a developer has given figures to us that
were not accurate or not within a range where the 100% would cover any
problems that they may have had. I just feel that this is a private
development and I would suspect that in some cases the developer may not want
to share that information and I don't think it's for historical reference.
It's for factual reference so we know how much the bond is going to have to
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City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
be. Roger, maybe you can clarify that. I~ not sure why this is in here in
the format that it's in and what would happen to cause this to be in there in
the first place. We haven't had any problems.
Roger Knutson: Tnis is not, to my way of thinking, a big item. You do have
this information from the developer. The developer has got to give it to you
otherwise you could never cover 14. ~nat's to give you that breakdown so you
have it. Basically what it is, is for historical information so you know
number 13 is accurate and where that number came from. ~nat's all it is. Not
a big deal of it. If you look back some day, I've done this in the past,
where someone said where did that number come from and you say, well here's
where it came from.
Mayor Hamilton: I know that they've supplied the information to us otherwise
we wouldn't have a way of obtaining number 13 but to have th~m break it down.
Roger Knutson: Tney always do break it down.
Gary Warren: It also comes in play when we are requested to reduce the letter
of credit for work that hasn't been completed. It provides a reference to us
to say well, sanitary sewer and watermain are worth so much to the letter of
credit so there's no question about how much we can reduce the letter of
credit.
Roger Knutson: I guess basically it's very easy to do. ~ney already give us
the information so we just plug it in.
Mayor Hamilton: I guess I still don't know why it's in the development
contract. It just didn't seem to fit to me. Maybe it needs to be there. I
don' t know.
Councilman Johnson: I don't have any problem with it being there. It seems
to be a good idea.
Mayor Hamilton: In item 13, I would like to see deleted the first sentence,
"The cost breakdown is for historical reference". I don't know of any reason
why that needs to be in there. Whether it is or isn't doesn't seem to make a
heck of a lot of difference.
Roger Knutson: The reason that was put in there was' so I wouldn't get into an
argument later with the developer because we know that these are not fixed
final costs. They can vary a little bit. For example, a developer goes away
or we have a problem with them and we have to go and let's say he hasn't
installed any watermain and the watermain number is $100,000.00. Then I have
to go in, or the City has to go in and get bids and install all the watermain.
Let's say the cost to actually to put in the watermain is $110,000.00. I want
to be sure that the developer can't make the argument that all we can pull
down is $100,000.00 because that's what we have the figure there for. We want
to be able to pull down that entire security if necessary to pay for the
water. That's why it was put in there. We can't say we can only use
$100,000.00 for water, $100,000.00 for sewer and what not. We can use all
three if w~ need under the development contract.
City Council Meeting - ~epts~0er 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: But since these are estimated costs in tl~ first place,
they're going to flucuate.
Roger Knutson: Actually the reason I added that is, I got into an argument
with a developer once. He said no, you can't pull down $110,000.00 because
right here it says it's only $100,000.00 for sewer. I thought it was a silly
argument so no one could ever make that argument against me again, I said
alright, I'll write it in there and now you can't argue that anymore.
Mayor Hamilton: How do you har~le the fact that it's an estimate and not
actual?
Roger Knutson: That's all it is. We don't know in many cases until after the
project is done what the final costs are.
Councilman Johnson: That argument supports Tom's first argument. If you
didn't have the nunbers in up above, you couldn' t argue with it.
Roger Knutson: That's correct. That's right but then going back to our
reasons, when I add that one sentence, I don't think you can argue with me
successfully anymore so that's goes back to why I wanted it in in the first
place. No big deal.
Mayor Hamilton: Further down after the historical reference, there was a
sentence that says the security shall be subject to the approval of the City
Manager. I talked to Don about this this afternoon and I felt that that might
have him sticking his neck out and perhaps there should be more than one
person that makes that final determinatio~ If in some case Roger may not
agree with the type of security that's being proposed and Don does, you're
kind of at odds and the Manager can approve that, I thought perhaps there
should be, in the case where there is a disagreement as to who is providing
the security and perhaps how much, that there should be a committee
established. Whether it's Roger and Don and Gary or however that would be
configured so that it's not one person making the decision because it could
be, if it came down to Don, one person, and I~n not saying Don, if it came
down to the City Manager, whoever that person happens to be, they may have
their preference of how that security is supposed to be obtained also and it
may not be to the benefit of the developer to go that directior~ In cases
where there is a disagreement as to where the financing is coming fr~n, I felt
it might be best to have more tlman one person making that decision.
Councilman Horn: Have the City Attorney in there?
Mayor Hamilton: I think three would, because I know if they were at odds on
one, that's why this came up so if you had three people.
Roger Knutson: Let me just tell you where I come from on those things. It's
no secret. I don't take risks The City takes risks so unless something is
iron clad and in the bag and guaranteed, I'm going to send it to you and say
there's a risk here and you can judge it.
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Johnson: Another thing would be to leave the City Manager's
approval with appeal to the Council as the Council to make that decision
because I think that's the logical next step. If a developer can not agree
with the City Manager, that he bring that to the Council.
Mayor Hamilton: I think that is the next step. They have the right to do
that at any rate. To expedite things, if you have that decision made without
having to go back on a Council agenda would be beneficial to the developer
and to the City Council.
Councilman Johnson: But if you only have two people disagreeing, you'll never
get it.
Mayor Hamilton: That's why I'm saying three you should, of course maybe all
three of th~m will have different answers.
councilman Horn: Maybe what we should have is consensus of the City Manager
and the City Attorney and barring that, then the Council if they can't agree.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay, that's fine. I have no problsm with that.
Gary Warren: Excuse me, the wording then?
councilman Horn: It would be City Manager and City Attorney and if a
discrepancy evolves, it will go on to the Council.
Mayor Hamilton: So City Manager/City Attorney and if a mutual agreement can
not be found, it goes to the council.
Gary Warren: I'm confused a little bit on that. This document is what we are
telling the developer as far as the requirements for his letter of credit.
The fact that we may have an internal disagreement as the quality or letter of
credit, shouldn't that be something that we have in terms of our own systems
of the City. The development contract state that he has to provide it
acceptable to the City.
Mayor Hamilton: Isn ' t that what we' re saying?
Gary Warren: Well we're saying, we're almost laying out here our internal
procedures.
Councilman Johnson: That's true. If you just got rid of Manager and said the
City period and then we, on the outside said, made up a rule.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay, that's fine. Towards the bottom of the last paragraph
in that section on page 4. If the required public improvements are not
completed at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the security, the City
may also draw it down without notice. Not that just didn't seem to make a
lot of sense to me. The guy has a time limit on completing his project and
you're saying if he's not done 30 days ahead of time you're going to draw down
or have the opportunity to draw down his letter of security. I guess that
wouldn't make me too happy if I was a developer. I've 30 days to do it.
City Council Meeting - Se~r 14, 1987
Roger I(nutson: What this says, if you're supposed to put in sewer ar~ water
and all that good stuff ar~ you're security is about to expire, the
required public improvements are not completed at least 30 days so if you're
not done and your security is about to expire, we don't want to take any
chances. We can go and pull down that security. For example, someone could
come in here today and say, I'm going to have the work done by October 1st.
My security expires on October 1st. Don't pull down my security because I'll
have the workd one by October 1st so leave me alon~ We want some leeway. We
want to say, okay it is now September 14th ar~ you're supposed to have the
work done and your security is expiring in two weeks. Since the work isn't
done and there's just a little bit of time before your security expires, we're
going to go and pull down that security right now. And the reason that is, is
because when you go to pull down that security it takes a while. You can't
cut it to the eleventh hour. It takes several days and sometimes up to two
weeks to pull down that letter of credit so you can't leave it until the last
minute otherwise the city can get nicked.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay, well 30 days just sccmed excessive to me. You have 30
days to complete a project and we're already going to start to get into his
letter of credit but if you say that it takes that time.
Roger Knutson: It takes quite a while because sometimes when you go to the
bank ar~ you want to pull down a letter of credit, then they say well, you
didn't cross this "t" and didn't dot that "i" and you've got to start the
process over again or something. You want to leave yourself some fr~em to
do that.
Mayor Hamilton: The next item is number 14, the Claims. In the event that
the City receives claims from labor or materialmen that work required by this
Contract has ~ performed and sums are due, it seemed to me the rest of this
paragraph gets us in the middle of a lien situation where we're goirg to have
to satisfy the lien for work done ar~ I couldn't for the life of me figure out
why we would want to get in the middle of that whe~ if a worker has some money
due him and the contracter hasn't paid him, that's a lien between the worker
and tt~ developer and why should we get in the middle of this?
·
Roger Knutson: It's the last place in the world the City wants to be. We
don't want to be there. However, there is a statute that says whenever the
City enters into a contract with anyone doing a public work, you have to get a
contractor's bond which this is ar~ if you don'.t, the city can get stuck.
I've argued this at length with one developer who has a real problem with
this. No other developer I've ever dealt with has ~ a problem. What
happens frequently is I will get a letter. The City will get a letter from a
materialmen saying I've not ~ paid or a subcontracter says I've not ~
paid. We respond that's your problem between you and the developer. We do
not get involved until the security is about to expire the~ we get involved
because the City could be in jeopardy if we let it expire. What typically
happens is a developer will say I still have not worked out that problem with
that contracter, could I just extend the security and don't pull it down?
Fine, no problem. As lorg as the city is not in Jeopardy, we stay out of it
and we never but never resolve that problem between the subcontracter and the
developer. The most that we do is take that money and pay it into court and
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
say court, you figure it out.
Mayor Hamilton: So that's what this is saying here also? We're not going to
get in the middle of that lien process. We're going to just transfer the
money to the court and let them do with it as they wish?
Roger Knutson: Yes and only because we have to do it to protect the City. We
have no interest in resolving, I'm not going to tell a contracter the job was
done right or wrong.
Mayor Hamilton: Tnat's what I was concerned about. R~ading this I felt like
we were getting in the middle of a lien process and I didn't want to be there.
Roger Knutson: No, neither do I.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay. As long as you're assuring me that we're not there,
I'll believe you. Item 15(B), any size hardwood trees must be excluded from
any typical grubbing activity unless approved by the City Engineer prior to
removal. Should the Forester be in here someplace or is that something that
you want to handle? Just a question I guess.
Gary Warren: In item A we referenced the Private Forest Management Plan as an
attachment to the development contract as input to the process here. I, of
course, would draw on his expertise.
Mayor Hamilton: In page 6, item 19, Lot Plans. The last sentence, the
grading and drainage plans shall assure that drainage is maintained away from
the Sunrise Ridge Subdivision. Now I thought it should say, and that drainage
is maintained consistent with the natural drainage of the property. If that's
away from Sunrise Ridge Subdivision I guess that's fine but the way this is
worded, you could be creating a hill just to create it going a different
direction from a subdivision. I didn't understand that. Why we're not just
doing a normal drainage control planning. It sounds like we're doing
something different here.
Gary Warren: I think we're just trying to address some of the discussion from
the platting process where we recognize that the Sunrise Ridge Subdivision,
there are some lots that abut to this development and if the lots are properly
graded, there could be drainage that would go across to Sunrise Ridge. We
just wanted to point out that that's a particular area we're concerned about.
The north side of this property with Carver Beach. creek is not a problem.
Mayor Hamilton: We have a trail easement in here and there's nothing said
about park dedication fees.
Councilman Boyt: Yes there is. It's on 18, parkland and trail fees.
Gary Warren: There wasn't anything in this on issuing any credits.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay then that's another question. I would think the
developer would have that question. If he's not going to construct the, no,
he's giving an easement. Okay, item 23, Existing Assessments and Connection
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City Osuncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
Charges. I felt that after where it says existirg assessments throughout the
subdivision, it's about in the middle, that we could strike everything after
that except up to, throughout the subdivision charges will be made as a part
of each individual building permit. Just a matter of w~rdage I guess.
Councilman Johnson: I don't understate] what you just said T~n.
Mayor Hamilton: Existing assessments exist for the plat ar~ the develop
agreed that the City shall respread these existing assessments throughout the
subdivision and charges will be made as part of each individual building
permit.
Councilman Johnson: The way that I read this, it's two different things. The
assessments are goirg to be respread but are the assessments going to be
charged as part of the building permit or is the connection charges going to
be part of the building pemits? I read it as two different things. The
assessments are going to be spread. That's one thing and when they pull the
building pemit, the charge he's talking about is the cites connection
charges.
Mayor Hamilton: (kay, that's fine. Page 9, item fL I don't quite ur~erstar~
why we're getting into the Postal Services business. Roger, maybe you can
respond to that. I see no reason why we have in a development contract
something to do with the postal service.
Roger Knutson: I don' t know.
Gary Warren: I actually saw it in the language from some of our earlier
versions where we actually set up postal stations ar~ all that we're
addressing here is if there is a particular request, the Post Master has, I
guess I can envision a ca~- Maybe Chan Vista is closer where th2 homes that
are built within a subdivision with construction still going on and the Post
Master has difficulty getting to those h(~es, ~ it should be the
developer's responsibility to provide some interim postal statioru We're just
saying he should cc~ply with whatever the Post Master wants out there.
Councilman Johnson: This was not complied with at other subdivisions.
Previously they didn't have this Post Mastez part on it. They said just
provide community postal services. (/man Vista is one which they have not.
The Post Master's request, when the residents talk to him, was that you won't
put any mailboxes on a cul-de-sac so that's the one place where he would
require is that a community mail facility. He didn't care if the people on a
straight street but he doesn't want to have to be trying to get to a mailbox
on a turn in the winter.
Mayor Hamilton: Is this a normal thing to have in a development contract?
Isn't it up to the person who owns the house to put their mailbox in?
Gary Warren:. This would be just to protect us during the construction period
when this contract is in force. It's not to preclude or take any
responsibility as far as what individual's having his proper box out there but
it's just in the event that because of the development construction that Post
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City Council Meeting - Sept~m~ber 14, 1987
Master can't get to the residences that may already exist, the responsibility
lies with the developer to get it to th~n.
Mayor Hamilton: I guess I sure didn't read that in there.
Councilman Horn: Tae last part makes sense but the one that Jay brought up
was totally unreasonable. The Post Master's said he can't drive around a cul-
de-sac and you can't put a mailbox in front of your house.
Mayor Hamilton: What Gary's saying, I understand that. That seems to make a
lot of sense.
Councilman Johnson: I think the community postal makes a lot of sense for our
rural post office as is. They can deliver mail much more efficiently to a
group of mail boxes.
Mayor Hamilton: But that doesn't mean they can't be on a cul-de-sac.
Gary Warren: Maybe the word community should be striken there and just say
postal service in accordance with the local Post Master.
Mayor Hamilton: That's fine. Seeing this is Mr. Fenning's development
contract, perhaps you have a cc~ment.
Jim Fenning: I live at 2440 Byrnes Road. I first received a copy of the
development contract at the end of May, first part of June and in my
discussions with the city staff, they asked me what my thoughts were regarding
the development contract and I said I have no problems with one or two minor
items and then I was told that the items from the plat would be inserted in
the development contract. Well, I was very shocked when I received this
development contract because it was totally different than the one I was given
by the City and I received this on Saturday so I really don't feel it was
negotiated at this point and I was proceeding on the assumption that I would
be able to start moving dirt and things within a week or 10 days. So my
specific questions are, in this contract, as opposed to the previous one,
there's a 3% charge for administrative, engineering, inspections. I guess I
have no problem with that except that there are other things in here that say
that the City can inspect and can have an engineer on site at all times and
can bill me for that. I guess I would like that to say that those monies are
goirg to come out of that 3% because that's what I'm payirg it for. If the 3%
is something new, which it appears to be, I guess I would like it clear within
this agreement that the inspection and the administrative costs will be
deducted from the 3%.
Mayor Hamilton: I think in the past we've always said, as you had stated,
that you would need to pay for whatever inspections and administrative costs
were incurred and this 3% is new and I'm curious why it's there.
Don Ashworth: 3% simply became easier to administer. There really have been
no charges that have been sent off to developers. Gary and I had discussed
this. It's been in the last 3 or 4 contracts that I'm aware of. You feel
reasonably assured that there will not be any other type of charges. However,
12
City Council Mseting - Septs~9~_r 14, 1987
if you do s~mething on your plat that requires a significant amount of
additional ~ngineering, we do have that right under that other section to
charge you. We have never done it to date and I don't know why we would start
with yours.
Mayor Hamilton: So what you're saying then is those charges will be taken out
of the 3%.
Don Ashworth: That's correct.
Gary Warren: This is similar to public improvement projects where a
percentage is taken out of tt~ bond proceeds to cover it. We're just catching
up with private installations now to have ~ get...
Councilman Horn: Is this somethirg that staff generated and we just started
putting into development contracts? I don't recall we had council discussion
on this.
Jim Fenning: Anew source of revenue for the City.
Don Ashworth: You've always had the section in there that allowed for the
reimbursement of those costs. The only question has been one of how to
reasonably tabulate those recognizing that you have e~gineering personnel,
finance people, different inspectors out, we've gone through different systems
of monitoring time and calculating each of the costs and generally have not
come out with an acceptable method of doing that. By contrast we have exactly
the same type of a fee schedule which is tied into every public improvement
project and for every year for the past 10 years, that has ~ loaded in as a
cost against that project. So for example, this past year Lake Drive East we
put an administrative charge against that. It represented time out in the
field in looking at that project. By contrast there was nothing in on Chan
Vista 1st Addition and I can assure you that we spent far more time out on
Chan Vista 1st Addition than we did out on Lake Drive East. It was after
those experiences that we said hey, we should have a method to make sure that
both types of projects are being handled the ~ way.
Mayor Hauilton: Did you have more to your question?
Councilman Horn: Well yes. I don't disagree with the logic. My only
question was, is it something that staff unilaterally put in or is it
something that the Council agreed to as a reasonable method?
Don Ashworth: Staff.
C~ry Warren: Yes, I think we looked at our charge history so to speak and
estimating the amount of time on anaverage thatwe spent on projects ar~ came
up with some dollar estimates based on the construction dollars. That's how
I arrived at percentages.
councilman Horn: I think it's a reasonable allocation, I Just think it's
something that should have ~ past us.
13
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Jim Fenning: I have a problem regarding the access because the contract says
the-only access I will have is by Big Horn Drive and I have to get permission
from the property owner to get my access and I guess I would like to have the
right, if I think he's being unreasonable and if I'm abiding with the load
restrictions on Carver Beach Road that I can use Carver Beach Road. I have no
problem and it will be within my contract with my contracters that we will
repair any roads that we damage. I5~ going to video ~ before and after.
We use them just to make sure we're not nailed for something we didn't do.
Councilman Johnson: Don't you own right up to Big Horn?
Jim Fenning: To me it's a public road and I thought okay, I have no problem
using Big Horn because it's a public road but he says they haven't accepted
it. You haven' t accepted it.
Gary Warren: Jim ar~ I have talked earlier today about several of these
issues. This particular item, the City has not accepted a roadway surface for
Big Horn Drive. Until we do accept it, which will be sometime next year when
the wear course goes down, it really is the responsibility of Enterprise
Properties to put that road into an acceptable fashion for us so if there is
damage during construction at Shadowmere, there needs to be a tie I guess that
Mr. Fenning will be responsibility for any damage that he causes. It is a
public roadway in that we do own the right-of-way there but we have not
accepted it so like envision a case where Enterprise would come and if I would
say I'm not going to accept the road because of the damage out there and they
said we didn't do it. So, Jim and I had talked earlier and the phrasing could
be modified just to make him accountable for any damage to that roadway.
think based on earlier discussions as far as access to the site, we definitely
want the construction activity to Big Horn and not have it winding through the
roads of Carver Beach because of the difficult access and the residential in
the area. When Jim and I talked earlier he seemed to be in agreement as long
as we modified it to say he ~ould be accountable for any damage he causes.
Jim Fenning: As long as I don't have to go through the process of getting his
approval and being held up by it. I definitely have a problem regarding
recording of this document against the title of the property. I think that is
just more information that goes on the title. If I were building on the
property myself and selling them after all this develo~x~ent were done I
wouldn't have a problem with that but I can see a buyer's attorney having
problems with some of the things in here. The main one being that you can
come in and stop the development and if they're building a house, they can be
stopped and so, I definitely object to that.
Mayor Hamilton: RDger, would you cc~ent on that.
Roger ~utson: Interesting lesson. The City of Eagan didn't record
development contracts for a number of years and they put some conditions in
there that didn't get recorded. Two weeks ago Eagan got slapped down by the
Minnesota Supreme Court because they didn't record them and someone went in
and tried to enforce a provision like you have in this contract. For example
you could pick out any of them. You have to have erosion control for example.
This gives us permission to go on the lot even if it's sold, to go in there
14
City Council Mseting - Se~ 14, 1987
ard control erosioru Without that, if that lot sold ard this isn't recorded
and there's erosion control problem on that ir~ividual lot or a group of lots,
we can't go on those lots. They are privately owned. This gives us license
to go on those lots. Without this recording forget it.
Mayor Hamilton: When did we begin doir~ this?
Roger Knutson: Recording? It's been in the development contracts as long as
I know. Whetlner you've actually recorded them in fact I don't know. We
recently had a problem with one that a number of years ago was not recorded
and a developer came in ard said this is well ar~ good but I never signed this
darn thing and it wasn't recorded so it's worthless.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't recall seeing these as a part of our normal process
up until just recently.
Gary Warren: Carver Beach Estates I think is what you're talking about on
that.
Roger KNutson: Yes, that one was never recorded. Some cities don't but if
you want protection to know that you can go in-and do everything that it says
you can do here on the land, it's got to be recorded. Otherwise, for example
the developer can go out and sell all th~ property tomorrow. Let's say he
went out ar~ sold it all tomorrow. Every last square foot of it. We'd have
no right to go on that property to do a thing. '-
Councilman Horn: What's the down side to the developer by doing that?
Roger Knutson: The down side to the developer is that he's concerned that
wt~n he sells lots a buyer might say, hey you can come on my property and do
these things and I don't want you to be able to come on my property. That
does happen from time to time and how it's ~ handled other places is, if
there's no r~_~ to have it recorded against that lot anymore you simply
release it. Just no big deal, you cut a release.
Councilman Horn: This is really similar to a temporary eas~nent?
Roger Knutson: Yes.
Jim Feruning: Tnis mentions a charge of $2,500.00 for a feasibility study. As
a part of the preliminary and final plat approval it was mentioned in the
conditions that that was going to be a city expense and so I don't think I
should pay for that feasibility study.
Gary Warren: I guess, and Jim and I talked about my review of the documents
and I guess typical with our Teton Lane experience, Centex ard that, when tbs
City doesn't have a specific budget for doing feasibilities and when
feasibilities are generated as a result of a developer's plat, typically we
need to get reimbursed from some source. Jim is correct. I went back and
checked the final out and we did say that we would do it within budget ~
there was no comment that we would pass it onto him so...
15
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: So that should be deleted.
Jim Fenning: I do have a question regarding the hours of operation. If you
have an ordinance that says Monday through Friday and Saturday, doesn't that
ordinance apply to everyone?
Mayor Hamilton: It sure does.
Jim Fenning: Tnen why would you be cutting me back then?
Mayor Hamilton: We're not. If you listened you heard that we did not pass
that.
Jim Fenning: Okay. I will be holding back work on weekends if at all
possible or limiting the hours or whatever we can do because I don't want to
make enemies of the neighborhood and I don't want you people to get grief
either o
Councilman Johnson: I believe there is a restriction on Saturday. I'm not
sure but there are different hours on Saturday than there was on weekends if I
r~smber the ordinance right but I don't have that in front of me.
Jim Fenning: I would like the insurance to terminate at the time this
development contract terminates at the time you accept the road and I don't
see why it would run six months after you accept the road.
Mayor Hamilton: Good question. I had that too to ask. Roger or Gary? It
seemed unreasonable.
R~ger Knutson: It depends upon the type of insurance a person has. If he
presents us with a claims made policy for example, you have to make a claim.
during the policy period so you want to make sure that you give yourself some
time and keep that insurance in effect after acceptance because someone might
not file a claim for s~me time.
Mayor Hamilton: But the City wouldn't have any liability in that instance
anyway I wouldn't suspect or would we?
Roger Knutson: It depends upon. When there's a lawsuit filed often times
everyone on the site gets named and if your building on a dedicated roadway
and there's some city supervision involved and there's some city approved
.
plans and specifications or whatever, if somebody is going to get sued over
it, it's not unlikely that the City will also get named and this just gives us
the protection for that insurance. ~
Councilman Horn: Could we state that in there then that it lasts for six
months unless the developerprovides insurance that it will provide a claim
for a six month period after construction?
Roger Knutson: Sure, tail insurance.
16
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: Or a hold harmless clause. Wouldn't that accomplish the same
thing?
Roger Knutson: Not necessarily because, and not talking t~ this developer in
particular but often times developers operate under shells so ABC Development
Inc. in all liklihood or oftentimes has zero assets. So having someone with
zero assets agree to hold you harmless is worthless.
Jim Fe~ning: What Councilman Horn mentioned is that, if I plan to wait you're
protected on claims up to the point of acceptance.
Roger Knutson: I would interpret this to mean if you go up ar~ get a claims
made policy and he brings in what's called tail insurance to cover him after
his expiration, that would satisfy this requirement.
Mayor Hamilton: Is that something you've done in the past?
Jim Fenning: No. Normally when I develop I get my preliminary approval a~ I
go and I get it done. I don't put up money. I don't get into these things.
I do it and everybodlfs happy so I've never gotten into this development
contract and letters of credit stuff before. I would like to have the right
to assign this to either me or my wife and I which is a partnership. It's
just a technical thing. We bought this property personally. We're at my
accountant now wondering whether my corporation should do it and my
corporatio~ has a net worth in excess of a million dollars. It would not be
going into a shell corporation. Right not it is with Hilloway so I would just
like to have the right to assign it either to me as an ir~ividual or
partnership including me and my wife.
Roger Knutson: The only reason that's in there is again problems they've had
in other places where someone has come in ar~ taken all the property from the
person who platted it. A new developer comes in ar~ says, hey I'm not the
developer. I didn't sign this darn contract. ISm not bound by it's terms. I
think that's not because we record them again but all this says is wP~n you
come in with your whoever ar~ want to assign it and we'll say fine, whoever
it's going to be assigned to is going to have to sign off and say thel~re
hound by the tezms of this contract. T~at's the only reason it's in here.
·
Councilman Johnson: We just did that a few months when a new developer redid
a develo~x~ent contract as a new developer on the subdivision.
Roger Knutson: We just want to meet the new developer and have them make sure
that be knows about these terms ar~ he's bound by them ar~ he can't say, I
didn ' t know about that.
Jim Fenning: It would be owned 100% by me either way. Either individually or
it's a corporation which I own 100% of. Regarding the recording, you
indicated that lots could be released. If I put up the erosion control and we
take C~ry out and Gary says okay, this satisfies everything and we can pull
this from the lot.
17
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Johnson: If that erosion control breaks down while construction is
still going on, we're not going to release it until after the erosion control
is no longer needed~
Mayor Hamilton: I think that's understood. We're not going to release it
unless...
Councilman Johnson: Just because it' s there we' re not going to release.
Jim Fenning: Right. And there is a specific termination date which is the
date of the acceptance of the road, correct? I mean you're talking if this
thing gets wiped out and this thing is only for me and it's not really
regarding the property owners.
Gary Warren: I believe it reads that t_he contract terminates when the terms
and conditions of the agre~nent have been met.
Jim Fenning: And then the other thing we're going to put in is we're going to
rearrange this just a little bit because there are items that relate to
building permits and having houses coming to the city to have their drainage
reviewed and things like that, we're going to take that paragraph and
encompass several of these items which will relate to that going into our
Covenants and until the Covenants are in place, we'll have this or we'll have
the Covenants in at the same time because I'm not doing any planting along the
creek and things like that because we're just going to destroy things if we go
into the creek area. That will be done with the homeowners which I think we
talked about at the various meetings.
Councilman Johnson: Jim are you saying that you have some things within this
contract that you want to change? Combining some paragraphs that we haven't
seen as of yet?
Jim Fenning: I mean there are things Gary and I talked about regarding the
creek plantings. I guess what I'm saying is, if this terminates at the time
you accept the road, erosion control for houses and lot review for houses
really get wiped out so what we're saying is...
Mayor Hamilton: Tney don't get wiped out because we're recording this with
the title.
Jim Fenning: Right but that will be wiped out after you accept the street?
Gary Warren: No. What I said is when the terms of this contract are met.
All the terms of this contract are met¥ then the development contract is
complete and the roadway is one element. The lot plantings, the lot drainage
and erosion control, those measures still have to be met.
Mayor Hamilton: This will run with the land until such time as each lot is
acceptable.
Jim Fenning: Then I would like to change that then. Tnose items that we're
not being able to cover, that will be done with the individual houses, that
18
City Council Meeting - Septe~k~r 14, 1987
they be made a part of the Cmvenants so this thirg does expire when you accept
the road.
Mayor Hamilton: It sounds like we've got a lot of rework to do on here and
perhaps you need to get together with c~ry. It's hard for us to respor~ to
all that right here.
Councilman Johnson: You only saw this this Saturday?
Jim Fenning: Yes. That's what I meaD. I have the one contract, this one and
I really don't have any problems with it and in the conditions of the plat and
your financial security and I~ flying. Then we got several of these other
things. So what happens when I want to grade in a w~ek?
Mayor Hamilton: You won't be grading in a week if you want to go back and
redo all these things.
Jim Fenning: Weren't things misrepresented to me? I don't think things were
fairly represented to me then when I was going through this process.
~ry Warren: We gave Jim a copy, I guess in the interest of trying to move
things for him while we were dealing with the other projects here, gave him a
copy of our generic version at the time that he asked for it and we've been
working, Roger and I, in trying to get the develoIanent contract up to s~.
Several of the issues that we talked about already tonight are a part of
trying to update this development contract and the context of this new
version, really things that I think Jim is referring to which he has concerns
about in no way reflect the items that are in the generic contract. It's not
those items that he's having some problems witl~ It's the lot plans and some
of these individual things that he's addressing and that's a problem that the
generic wouldn't have tipped him off no matter if it was generic .or the old
ones o
Councilman Johnson: Were those items brought up during the preliminary plat
that are being included which is what w~ said we were going to do?
Gary Warren: The discussions for example, I sat down and typically I'll take
the Minutes from the planning process and from the Council approval of the
plats and I will sit down and wallow through them and pull out the items that
need to be inserted in here as specific provisions as I call them. Ar~
planting of extensive root system was Councilman Boyt's comment during one Of-
the approval during the Council and those are all specific conditions the way
I interpretted them.
Jim Fenning: ~at was not a specific condition. I already have specific
conditions enumerated in the Council approval and that was not a specific
condition.
Gary Warren: As I explained to you on the phone, the discussion part of the
Minutes which leads to the conditions, the e~umeration conditions, is also, to
my understanding and Roger can correct me if I'm wrong, is a part of
understanding and interpretting the conditions. If that was an exception,
19
City Oouncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
then I guess it will have to come back to this quorum for sayirz3 no, that
shouldn't be in there.
Councilman Boyt: I would like to comment. Mr. Fenning when we talked about
it and we had the neighbors in here discussing the fragile nature of that
creek, you agreed to have plantings in your curl along that creek that woUld
stabilize the bank. We can go back and verify that in the Minutes.
Jim Fenning: I think ~ should.
Councilman Boyt: That's certainly my understarz~ing.
Jim Fenning: I believe that was limited to houses. To the property owners
when they built their houses.
Councilman Boyt: You think this is unrealistic now?
Jim Fenning: I don't plan on doing that, no, because that was part of the
approval process for houses.
Councilman Boyt: I think what I've interpretted out of what's been said this
evening is that this agreement continues through that period. What I see you
trying to do is you want to be cut free and clear of this at the earliest
opportunity. I think that's a basic conflict in how long this develo~nent
agreement extends. Whether we're talking about extensive root systems or any
other part of it. My belief and support would be that the agreement extends
as long as the City ~s that protection.
Councilman Johnson: I think we've really reached an inpass here without staff
getting back together with you and reviewing the notes and everything. We
have a special meeting coming up next week.
Mayor Hamilton: Let's not be promising anything for that. That's a budget
~n~cting and I want to keep it to that.
Jim Fenning: Here's what I would like to do then if we're going to
renegotiate is I would like to put up 125% of the money that Ihn going to have
for grading and let me proceed to grade. I see that I'll be able to shut down
anytime after grading. I can shut down and walk away and wait a number of
years but if we can't start grading then I think we've got problems because I
don't think it can be blacktopped this year.
Councilman Horn: I see really two issues in the whole thing. The one issue
we're talking about has to do with giving the city assurances of certain
things being done. ~bat's one issue and I totally agree that we need to have
those assurances in place. The other issue though is, are the conditions that
we're talking about here, were they made as conditions in the motion of
approval or were they merely discussion items in the discussion of the overall
project. I guess I firmly believe they have to be part of the conditions of
approval. They can't be just items that were discussed during it. Each one
has to be clearly spelled out in the motion.
20
15
City Council Meeting - Sept~v~er 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: Do you have any comment, either Gary or Roger, on Jim's
proposal to put up 125% and allow him to start grading and work out the
development contract? Is that a proble~ legally Roger first of all?
Roger Knutson: To put together a grading permit we ~ to cover erosion and
a lot of other things. It would be a new procedure. I don't know whether the
city staff is comfortable with that or not. The other alternative is to t~hle
this matter for two weeks until the next meeting. Obviously the developer is
not comfortable with the develoIznent contract.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't think it's fair to the developer this late in the
season to do that so I would like to see if there isn't some way we can work
out allowing him to get in there ar~ start grading ar~ then continue to work
on the development contract and have that come back to us. I can't see that
he can't grade and we can resolve all of the other issues in here in the
meantime.
Roger Knutson: That' s done other places.
Councilman Boyt: I would like to comment. I think when we go into grading,
we've already given Mr. Fenning, appropriately, permission to go in and do
a major tree cut so you can stay on schedule. We're now com~ in and we're
saying and if you recall the grading plan, there are some significant cuts
going to happen on this property. Well when he makes those cuts, he is
basically going to have to do everything we're talking here to give us the
kind of protection we ~ so what are we talking about here? The City can't
allow heavy equipment to go in there and make some 10 foot and deeper cuts
without the kind of protection this agreement is all about. How can we do
that?
Mayor Hamilton: We can deal with just the grading issues and I don't think
everything in here relates just to grading or am I wrong? You're the expert,
tell me.
Gary Warren: The development contract obviously deals with a lot more than
just grading. I guess the City has Chan Vista as an example, West Village
townhouses, Bill Jacobson's, has had authorization to do grading as long as
the City had financial security in hand ar~ had an understanding that the
developer was going to be entering into the development contract. I think
that would be my only comment is that Mr. Fenning could give us 125% of the
cost of the grading or whatever but then we still don't have the final piece
of paper that assures the City that the improvements are going to be done.
Now if that's an acceptable risk, then fine.
Mayor Hamilton: It seems like Mr. Fenning has an awful lot to lose
financially if he doesn't move ahead and get the development contract
complete.
Gary Warren: I want to react to what Jim said, if he's got to sit 2, 3, 4
years, then that's the way it is.
21
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Boyt: Well that was just it. Mr. Fenning b~s just said to us that
he is determined that after grading he can make a go/no go decision which is
basically he can decide not to sign this and what we've got is a woods that's
cut up with some serious grading.
Jim Fenning: I mean if we have to go to court I would stop. That's what I
meant. I'm not going to stop.
Mayor Hamilton: He's not saying he going to have to wait for the project.
He's saying if he has to stop and fight this out in court, he can stop at the
end of the grading.
Jim Fenning: Now it is not my intention, my intention is to get away from
this agreement as fast as possible. I agree but it is my intention to make
sure that all these lots conform to the standards that you want them to
conform to and that we agree to because this is going to be a very nice
subdivision in the city of Chanhassen.
Mayor Hamilton: I think basically what Jim's saying is he wants to go further
than what we're saying in the develo~ent contract so these don't have to run
with the land. He'll do all the grading and all of the pads on each lot so
this will not have to be go with the title of each lot that you sell, right?
Jim Fenning: Right.
Mayor Hamilton: Everything will be done with each lot.
Councilman Johnson: No, that's not what he's saying.
Gary~arren: You're not doing lots are you?
Jim Fenning: No, I will not be. My wires are out there. I'm within 10 feet
of 90% of the right-of-way. I'm not going on the lots.
Mayor Hamilton: I misunderstood.
Jim Fenning: ~nce I've done the grading, my impact on the lots is 90% done
and that will all be done within 10 feet of the right-of-way.
Councilman Horn: Could Roger and Gary tell us what our risk is with going
ahead with the grading plan?
Roger Knutson: I suppose the risk would be when he's finished grading and he '
walks away ar~ he never comes back. I've had that happen. Whether that's a
risk or not I don't know. I don't know what it's going to look like. If the
grades are going to be acceptable and it's not going to look weird to you and
it's going to be fine, then there isn't much of a risk assuming'you have
enough security to make sure you can have erosion control so you can throw
down seed and stabilize the soils and that sort of thing.
Councilman Horn: If he doesn't do it, scmebody's got to do it.
22
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Roger Knutson: As long as you got the money to do it.
Mayor Hamilton: 125% of the cost. I can't imagine we're not going to be able
to a~lish scmethin~ out of that.
Councilman Johnson: Yes, but once he's through grading and we don't have that
125% anymore, should there be a bor~ beyor~ the grading that would cover
additional erosion control until the develo~m~nt-contract is signed?
Jim Fenning: You can have that 25%.
Councilman Johnson: That should cover it.
Councilman Boyt: Let me propose that we consider, I think we've done this in
the past, that if we're determined that we want to _.~c Mr. Fenning make due
progress, that we turn this over to Mr. Fenning and Mr. Warren and that it
come back on our consent agenda but that we turn it over with the feeling that
they are going to go ahead. But that you can not go ahead and grade until you
and Mr. Warren have reached agreement. In other words, we make Mr. Warren
basically our agent. I think that's a safer position for the City to be in
because we'll have the whole thing signed before he begins than trying to do
this a little bit at a time.
Mayor Hamilton: I think that's a good idea. If (~ary and Roger are satisfied
that he can go ahead and grade ar~ that they will reach agreement on the
development contract and it should be satisfaction that it's going to come
back to us in final form so we don't have to sit here and argue with
everything.
·
Jim Fenning: Ckay, I have a problem with that. It's a very legitimate
problem. My er~i~ called and left a message for him ar~ be didn't get it.
He called several times and ha didn't call back for a week. What if I run
into that problem. I knew I could cut down trees without your approval. I
know I can't grade without a grading permit. I will guarantee that I will do
all the erosioru I recognize what I~ saying and I recognize I~ saying it on
tape. I will guarantee to do all the erosion control. I will guarantee to
stay strictly within what you've approved regarding the grading plan and I
will respond immediately to any of yours or any of your engineer's
requirements or suggestions regarding or erosion control.
Mayor Hamilton: I would suggest that you and Gary and perhaps Roger get
together right now then and make a time that you can meet. Whether it's
tomorrow morning or whenever at your first convenience so these things can be
resolved and you won't have to worry about reaching him on the telephone ar~
you'll have something all set up.
Helen Loebel: ...there's nothing in there saying they're not to use Frontier
Trail.
Mayor Hamilton: Frontier Trail is currently blocked off. It would be a
little difficult for them to use that.
23
City Oouncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
Helen Loebel: But it won't be blocked off permanently.
Mayor Hamilton: No and we would not allow th~m to use Frontier Trail.
Helen Loebel: Can you get that into the development contract?
Mayor Hamilton: It says specifically that they're to use Big Horn Drive.
Helen Loebel: Well Frontier Trail runs into Big Horn Drive.
Mayor Hamilton: Frontier Trail is not Big Horn Drive however. Taey are to
use Big Horn Drive and it's not the same street. If they were to be caught
using it, they would be told not to and they would be tagged.
Helen Loebel: Now on the restriction on hours, I understand that...can
something be done about holidays?
Mayor Hamilton: Thay can not work on holidays. I think that's in the
ordinance isn't it Gary?
Helen Loebel: It did happen on Labor Day.
Jim Fenning: I apologize for that. I didn't realize they were out there.
Helen Loebel: I appreciate that. Apology accepted. But there will be none
on holidays?
Mayor Hamilton: That's correct. They're not to work on holidays or Sundays.
Councilman Boyt: I have two other concerns in regard to this ar~ one of them
is, I got a call this evening that said, Saturday with the tree cutting work
that there were I gather it was in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 trees, s~e of
them 15 inches in diameter that were cut part way through and left. Do you
realize the risk? Do you realize that you downed power lines, put part of our
city out of power for 3 hours on Saturday?
Mayor Hamilton: Didn't you have professionals doing the cutting?
Jim Fenning: ~h yes. They're bonded and insured and all of that and that is
not an excuse. They had climbed up into that tree they were cutting down,
they roped it, it twisted on them. I apologize for that too but these wires
run across my property and NSP doesn't even have an easement so maybe I should
just call NSP and tell 'th~ to move the wires.
Councilman Boyt: Well, I do have and I think you would as well, have a
concern about the quality of the work being done by your contracter to date
and I hope that you are more careful in the future.
Jim Fenning: Taere is a lot more risk on those wires.
Councilman Boyt: I'm concerned about the standing trees that are partially
cut. Tnere are plenty of kids in that neighborhood and plenty of adults and
24
19
~ityCouncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
none of them want a tree down on them and there's no way we can keep the~ out
of your property.
Mayor Hamilton: ~hat else on the wires?
Jim Fennirg: No, that's enough. The rest are details ar~ I'll get with Gary.
Helen Loebel: Mr. Mayor, are those trees still half standing?
Jim Fenning: They' re all stand ing.
Helen Loebel: Ar~ how long is that going to take?
Jim Fenning: They stopped when the power lines when down.
Mayor Hamilton: When is that going to be completed Jim so the neighbors won't
be concerned about it?
Jim Fenning: That will be completed this Friday, they will have those trees
down t~norrow.
Councilman Johnson: So it will be starting up again tomorrow?
Helen Loebel: They were cuttirg today.
Councilman Johnson: They may be down now.
Jim Fenning: Those trees that we mentioned will be cc~in~ down t(xnorrow.
Mayor Hamilton: Do you want to include that it's up to the City Engineer to
give him the permit when be feels all conditions have ~ satisfactorly met
and he's paid 125%?
Councilman Horn: I think that will be revi~ with the city staff.
Gary Warren: Are we talking just the grading permit ar~ the development
contract after...
Mayor Hamilton: We have a separate grading permit and then continue with the
develoIxnent contract.
Roger Knutson: 7be grading permit not to be issued until after he's signed
the development contract.
Cour~ilman Boyt: I've got one point of discussion if I get a chance. This
feasibility study money, I remember that conversation fairly well about the
feasibility of connecting Carver Beach Boad with Big Horn Drive and I think we
wouldn't be considering that and I think the council is on record of saying
that they had no intention of considering that connection and this development
created that need. Created that opportunity and I think we should be
consistent and since we ask developers to pay for feasibility studies when it
25
City Council Meeting - Sept~mg~r 14, 1987
involves their development, that Mr. Fennirg should be paying that $2,500.00.
I would like to move an amendment to Clark's motion to that effect.
Councilman Johnson: I'll second it so we can discuss it. Did you say that
in our plat approval that the council had said that we would do this with
staff and within city budget and we did not specifically say that we would be
charging that to the developer? You said you reviewed it earlier tonight.
Gary Warren: The discussion was that staff didn't have time to be able to do
it and that we would do it within the budget, I don't know if that's the
phrasing.
Councilman Horn: I think there's a difference between the two words that Bill
used. One was necessity and the other was opportunity. Necessity I would
totally agree with should be billed to the developer but when it's an
opportunity, which I feel this is, I don't think it should go to the
developer.
Councilman Johnson: I don't really think it should be either because it's
going to very much benefit the Carver Beach people more than this developer.
The developer does not r._~ it to build this property. He's got Big Horn.
Councilman Boyt: Okay, I' 11 withdraw my motion.
COuncilman Johnson: I ' 11 withdraw my second.
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to accept the development
contract with the noted changes on the condition that the developer and the
City negotiate the remaining items with regard to the specifics that were
discussed in the approval process which will allow the developer to begin
grading after it's signed. All voted in favor and motion carried.
S~RE DEVELOPMENT: APPROVAL OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS.
Councilman Johnson: Since it was pulled, I talked to the City Attorney on
item 8. It's an incomplete sentence on the condition number 8 where they talk
about the polyvinyl flouride pipe. I would like to add to the end of that
sentence, shall be used in sanitary sewer construction. Because that's what
they had discussed earlier in the memo that we have to use PVC pipe in
sanitary sewer construction and this I found out was a typographical error
made in bringing this document forward.
Councilman Johnson moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve Shadowmere
Development plans and specifications contingent on the 18 conditions and
modifying condition 8 by adding to the e~d, "shall be used in sanitary sewer
construction." All voted in favor and motion carried.
Mayor Hamilton: I have a question on item 16. Isn't 16 a new condition?
Gary I don't ever recall having required that previously.
26
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Gary Warren: ... I~ recommendirg that we adopt this as good practice o~ all
of ours to insure good quality plus it helps to give us an accurate
documentation of the location of the service laterals stubs for future
reference.
POINT ADDITION: APPRUVAL ~F DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT.
Mayor Hamilton: Many of the questions I have here have already ~ discussed
as a part of Shadowmere's. F~wever, the developers may have additional
questions and I have some additional ones also. Page 5, item 15. We have a
timber management plan. I guess with this particular develolanent I had a
little problem with that because there aren't enough trees on there to manage
plus it ~s to be difficult to get it through to everybody that developers
don't like to cut down trees on their lots because it adds value to the lots
when they go to sell it so to require the developer to have a plan done by a
professional I presume, for the few number of trees that they have on that
develol~ent, doesn' t se~m to me to make a whole lot of sense.
Councilman Johnson: Doesn't cost any money for the developer.
Gary Warren: I pulled that out of the discussion as it related to Mr. Olsen
from the DNR forester doing...for riparian lots within 75 feet of shoreline.
There was discussion of having that done.
Barbara Dacy: It was also a specific condition of plat approval.
Mayor Hamilton: Everybody is quick to say it doesn't cost the developer
anything, the City pays for it right?
Barbara Dsc-y: No, it's provided by the DNR.
Mayor Hamilton: It still doesn't make any sense. I don't care who pays for
it. Item 16, trails. ~he developer shall grade and install a 5 foot sidewalk
along Kurvers Point Road right-of-way to it's connection to TH i~L Don wants
to substantiate that with me because I don't recall that that was something
that we said was goirg to be done. Did you have a chance to check that?
Don Ashworth: No I did not. My point was, I was sure that that was straight
right out of the Minutes.
Barbara Dsc-y: Condition 15 was complying to the action taken by the Park and
Recreation Commission. In my memorandum regarding final plat approval, there
was discussion about the trail along TH 1~1 ar~ clarification of that. In the
Council Minutes there was discussion about a trail alorg TH 1~1. However,
what I'm trying to say though is there was no final, or the Council didn't
have as much discussion about the internal trail as they did about the trail
on TH 101 and it ended up being that condition 15 said compliance with the
action taken by the Park and Recreation C~mmission which was recommending an
internal trail.
27
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: An internal trail perhaps but that doesn't say the same thing
to me as a 5 foot sidewalk. A sidewalk, to me, says a concrete walkway.
Gary Warren: If I could interject. It is shown on the construction plans as
a 5 foot bituminous trail I guess is what's noted in there. Tne Commission
reacted to, actually I think in their report it requested a 6 foot trail.
Barbara Dacy: Right. I think the Park and Bec Commission may have started
out at 8.
Mayor Hamilton: If it was down to zero would be even better. My comment way
back then was that it's a trailway that starts nowhere and goes nowhere. It
doesn't connect with anything on either end so it isn't going to benefit
anyone. I think that's something that perhaps an easement could be given by
the developer so that if the people who purchase homes there wanted to have a
trail put in or a sidewalk put in there, they could do that.
Barbara Dacy: Maybe in the future then we should maybe call out the specific
conditions of the Park and Rec Commission's action just as the Planning
Ccmxnission action so we're all clear on it.
Councilman Johnson: I personally think that we did discuss that and I was
under the impression that you lost on that point Tom previously and that we
went with the trail. I think we're the ones that took it down from 8 foot to
5 foot if I remember right. It's hard to r~m~mber all of these things.
Mayor Hamilton: I remember the discussion but I didn't remember that we had
agreed that there would be one there.
Councilman Boyt: I think we spent a great deal of time discussing that issue
and ended up turning it over to the Park and Rec Commission to resolve. I
don't think we resolved it that night.
Mayor Hamilton: I didn't think so either.
Councilman Boyt: Tae best we could do was to say we'll go with their
reccaxnendation. I ass~ne that's what we have here.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't agree with it tonight. Just calling it to everyone's
attention. The next item there, 18, they went from 16 to 18. Parkland and
trail fees. Prior to the issuance of building permits for residential
construction within the plat, the developer is...pay the parkland trail fee
then in force would seem to me there is no mention here of any credit and if
the developer is going to in fact have to install a 5 foot sidewalk, whatever
that is, and give an additional 20 foot trail easement, then there should be
some credit to the park fee. That apparently wasn't discussed and I don't
know what happened and you were going to check on that too Don. Did you have
a chance to do that?
Don Ashworth: Only to the extent that where the City has required the
installation of trails, we have given credit back to the developer for the
cost of those trails. We discussed that as a part of Lake Susan South. We
28
City Council Meeting - Sep~ 14, 1987
just finished it with the Curry proposal ar~ spent significant time talking
about that same issue. It does seem reasonable that he would receive a credit
for the cost of the trails that he incurs for the internal streets.
Councilman Horn: I agree.
Mayor Hamilton: I think that's consistent with what we've done in the past.
It just doesn't say that here that there ~Duld be any credit at all.
Don Ashworth: I don't know what that would be as a percent but we would take
his actual costs minus what he would generate and that's the amount it would
be. He could not go over 100% credit.
Councilman Boyt: On trail fees alone, not park?
Don Ashworth: ~hat' s correct.
Mayor Hamilton: The next item is 19, the landscaping. ~his is another new
item to me. We have by ordinance stated that there will be one tree planted
on every lot but never before have we spelled out what trees anyone is
required to put iD. It just seems to me we're getting into an area that we
don't belong and that's telling people what they have to plant on their land.
We can suggest these things. After all someone may want to plant a fir tree
too. I don't see any of those in there. ~he trees shall be selected from
among the following species I think is a little strong ar~ it should say, you
can select from these if you would like. They are ones that the city would
prefer however, if you want to put in, if somebody happer~ to like having
those little bugs, box elder trees.
Councilman Johnson: I agree with you on we not totally not specifying as a
suggestion but one thing Barb ar~ I have talked about this, I may have ~
partially the cause of this, is that one subdivision lately has planted
exactly the same type of tree in every lot so if we have a disease to that
species of tree, they are all wiped out. I think there ~s to be a variety
of species of trees planted so you don't plant Marshall Seedless Ashes. So
every lot has one Marshall Seedless Ash, dress right straight down in a row,
10.5 feet away from the driveway.
~mllton. ~ben I suppose we ~ to go back to the ordinance because it
Mayor ' ·
is an ordinance requirement that one tree be planted and if you want to be
more specific about it, spell it up there I would guess. Just to say that one
tree and there needs to be a variety within the subdivision probably would
solve the problem that you might have. Say a variety of trees within the
subdivision, not all the same type species. I guess my problem was we're
telling them they have to select from this list ar~ I don't think we're in the
tree business.
Councilman Horn: Treat's a fairly common requirement because as you say, there
are a lot of different trees that aren't really considered permanent,
substantial trees. I know in White Bear Lake we had a similar type of thing
ar~ it was just to prevent somebody from putting up a Box Elder or Basswood or
Poplar or some soft type of tree that wouldn't be substantial in a few years.
29
k
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
I think what Jay's talking about is a totally different issue.
Mayor Hamilton: Yes, he was trying to avoid having all of the same kind of
trees put in one subdivision.
Councilman Horn: ~nat' s not what this says.
Mayor Hamilton: If you want to say that, then we can say that. You can make
that adjustment. Item 21 on page 3, TH 101 Phase 2 connection. I believe
this is a development contract for Phase 1 and I'm not convinced that we need
to discuss TH 101 corrections as it would be a part of Phase 2. It doesn't
have anything to do with Phase L When they get into Phase 2, that is when TH
101 alterations will ~ to be completed. Don didn't agree with that. Felt
that it needed to be spelled out here but I still don't agree with him.
Councilman Horn: What's the down side of doing that?
Don Ashworth: That it may not be passed.
Gary Warren: One of the discussions, councilmembers may recall on the plat
was the southern connection to TH 101 as it related to the southerly property
owner and also the fact of the big hill on TH 101 and the sight distance
problems which dictated moving the connection further south and the developer
to his credit and to everyone's relief I think, said he was going to remove
the hill. I think it was with that that things really moved forward out of
the preliminary platting process. I look at it, in reviewing the conditions
as a key point that while this is just Phase 1 that I think the approval of
Phase 1 was with the understanding that Phase 2 was going to be done in a
certain manner and that's the only reason I included it here.
Councilman Horn: They agreed to that as I recall.
Mayor Hamilton: Yes, that was one of the conditions.
Councilman Johnson: But this puts it in writing. If they argue about it
we'll just say we won't do Phase 2. You've got Phase 1 without doing what was
a condition of the overall approval. Tnis locks thsm into doing both.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't know. They have to do a Phase 2 before they're going
to do that anyway so it refers to Phase 1 in here and perhaps that's adequate
enough for the developers. I don't know. We'll let them comment on that.
Then on item 23, just a matter of wording there. Item A, cross off the first
existing and then say easements exist along the western portion of the plat.
I had the same problem with Item H again. I guess that will be corrected the
same as we did in Mr. Fenning's. And the insurance question again of going
for six months, I think that issue can be resolved with these developers.
Councilman Boyt: Clark, did your motion take item H out of Mr. Fenning's
development contract? I didn't understand it to do that.
Councilman Horn: No. What it is to clarify it and we need to clarify this
one the same way.
30
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: All I said was the same as Mr. Fenning's, it nccds to be
clarified in this one. Then just quickly back to page 3, item 9. Erosion
control. About the middle we say, except for otherwise provided in the
erosion control plan, seeds shall be certified oat seed. I think what we're
attemptirg to do is to have something grow quickly and I know that rye grows
faster than anything else and unless someone is in the certified oat business,
I see no reaso~ why we r~ to specify anything here. It should be up to the
developer to plant whatever they would like so long as it's something that's
fast growing. I think rye grass is planted most oftmm because it grows most
quickly.
Gary Warren: It does. We usually like to have a mix out there because
deper~ing cn weather conditions, you've got one that might survive ar~ one
that won't.
Mayor Hamilton: I just had never seen us specify a particular type of =-~
and Igu not sure that we should have to do that. I would like to ask the
developers if they have any further comments or questions that they would like
to make on the develoIm~-nt contract.
Bob Sellers: Bob Sellers with VanDoren, Hazard and Stallings. The only
additional it~u in here would be the item 16, the additional 20 foot trail
easement along TH 101. I believe in the Council's previous discussion that it
was decided that the trail along TH 101 would be within the additional 17 feet
of right-of-way that's being provided.
Mayor Hamilton: That's correct. That's my recollection also. I'm not sure,
I missed that. I meant to bring that up. I~ not sure where that 22 came
from.
Gary Warren: It came out of conditions as filtered through the process I
guess but I had a discussion with Mel earlier today and that shouldn't be
there.
Mayor Hamilton: I know we talked about 17 feet, is that your recollection?
Councilman Boyt: I know we spent a lot of time talking about TH 101 and that
particular issue of how much property should they give and I think it came
down to tt~ idea that this is an easement. That what we wanted Was the
flexibility to put the trail where it ~ed to go but we were not trying to
acquire more lar~ here and that we would certainly make every effort to put it
in the main roadway.
Barbara Dacy: In conversation with Mr. Koegler, as you noted on the plat,
they are dedicating 17 feet for the additioD~_l TH 101 right-of-way and
conferring with Mr. Koegler, it is possible for a four lane improved section
to include a trail within that right-of-way and in reviewing the Minutes
together with the applicants, that was the basis for the recommendation of the
final plat.
Councilman Johnson: Park and Rec agreed to that I believe.
31
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mel Kurvers: I would like to ask for the same thing that Mr. Fenning did, to
be allowed to get a grading plan and work on the contract with Gary..~ut I
w~uld like to have that choice.
Councilman Johnson: I think we're going to pass this one. You can sign it in
a day or two.
Frank Kurvers: We didn't mention anything about park fees, is that part of
the discussion when earlier we were talking about trails because what I'm
really wondering is if this were a PUD plan and actually we're setting aside
about 2 or 3 more acres of land, whether it's open space, whether it's half
private as far as the beachlot, semi-private, semi-public, whatever you want
to say. We also have two additional ponds which I'm saying is open space so
in reference we're tying up that land which is part of the development and the
city is going to benefit, there should be some kind of credit for park.
Councilman Horn: On a beachlot?
Frank Kurvers: Not just a beachlot. I said that could be just semi-private.
The other two ponds are actually open space. If we had this plan under a PUD
we would get credit for open space.
Gary Warren: The ponds that are there are from our retention and
sedimentation which is a necessity for the plat itself. It's not like you've
got open space here that we'll be able to use for park or anything else. It's
a requirement in order for them to meet the erosion control and storm water
runoff requirements of the city they have to have those ponds.
Mayor Hamilton: Okay, how about the outlot? I know we discussed that at our
previous meeting. I think the same question came up and I don't believe we've
ever given park dedication fees or credit for that for a private housing
development. That' s my n~a~ory. Is that correct Don?
Don Ashworth: That' s correct.
Councilman Johnson: I don't think water is considered open space either. We
haven't given any credit for water in other subdivisions.
Mayor Hamilton: But as I pointed out, and Gary will go back and determine
what the cost of installing the trail is and the credit will be given for the
trail fees.
Frank Kurvers: Trails are what we're talking about, that's actually park too.
If it's a trail or whatever you call it, it's still park so I just wanted to
make sure all these things~..
Councilman Boyt: On the erosion controls, on the City Council Minutes of the
night we discussed this, on our points, item 10 said that we endorse the use
of Type II erosion controls which was included in our development contract
tonight but also floating sediment traps wherever appropriate. Now I'm not
automatically jumping to the conclusion that they are appropriate but I would
32
City fbuncil Meeting - Se~ 14, 1987
like the floating sediment traps included in the erosion control conditions as
we initially passed it.
Mayor Hamilton: If appropriate.
Councilman Boyt: If appropriate.
Mayor Hamilton: And that would be determined by the Engineer and perhaps Dr.
Rockwell.
Gary Warren: Bill and I talked about it and I agree. I think it played a
very good role on our South Lotus Lake project ar~ subsequent South Lotus 2nd
Addition.
Mayor Hamilton: There may be one lot that you ~ to consider that.
Councilman Johnson: Actually we've got a sentence in hare saying the city may
impose additional reasonable erosion control requirements during the course of
the construction if they would be-beneficial which would cover you there.
Gary Warren: That would. It's always good to point out specifics.
Mayor Hamilton: Put an i.e. floating sedimentation or whatever you call it.
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to approve the development
contract for Kurver Point Addition Phase 1 with the corrections noted this
evening that would be consistent with the Shadowmere subdivision and .those
specific to this subdivision. All voted in favor ar~ motion carried.
Councilman Boyt: I would like to just be sure on the trails that we have
agreed that the only change we're making to 18 is the trail fee ar~ we're not
changing 16.
Councilman Horn: It's my understanding that 19 stay as is.
Mayor Hamilton: We are changing 16 to 17 feet. Not 20 feet.
Councilman Johnson: And that's not additional. That's included.
Mayor Hamilton: 17 feet was what's existing. It's not additional.
Mel ~urvers: I've got one comment on 19, they're asking for 5~0 yards of sod.
That that should be up to us.
Councilman Horn: Okay, that will be part of my motion.
KURVERS POINT ADDITION: APPROVAL OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the plans and
specifications for Phase 1, Pro. ject ~87-14. All voted in favor and motion
carried.
33
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
KURVERS POINT ADDITION: FINAL PLAT APPROVAL.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the Kurvers Point
Subdivision Final Plat approval. All voted in favor and motion carried.
APPROVAL OF DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT, CHANHASSEN VISTA 4TH ADDITION.
Mayor Hamilton: I think Bill you had the same comments there. It's a little
different develolanent contract but you wanted to address this one.
Councilman Boyt: Om this one, there are two items that we haven't discussed
tonight. One of them Don was going to check on for me on park trails. A park
trail around Chan Pond.
Don Ashworth: Yes, I did talk with Mr. Koegler and he is in the process of
revisir~ that plat in accordance with the statement that were made by Mr.
Segal here approximately 2 weeks ago.
Councilman Boyt: Which means that when we approve this, we are approving it
given that condition. That the developer has agreed to give us property where
we need it for the trail.
Don Ashworth: That seems reasonable.
Councilman Boyt: Okay. I would like that included in this contract. Just to
be absolutely clear. And the other thing is, Gary I have a question for you
on. ~%~ere was, I would guess, about a 12 to 14 inch diameter tree cut last
week. Did you give approval for that tree to be cut?
C~ry Warren: There were not requests given to me for tree cutting, no.
Councilman Boyt: Well, would you follow up on it?
Mayor Hamilton: Was it within a pad or just sitting out in the open?
Councilman Boyt: Really I couldn't tell you where it came from until I saw it
uprooted and it was sitting right off the end of Frontier Trail.
Councilman Horn: Hardwood?
Councilman Boyt: 0ak.
Gary Warren: Do you know approximately where it came out?
Councilman Boyt: I don't know where it came out of. I know they pulled it up
by the house that, I could point it out to you. It's probably 50 yards from
where Frontier currently ends to the west and that's in direct violation of
their existing develol~nent contract.
Councilman Johnson: Yes, I was going to pull this one myself in that I have a
real problem approving this development contract when the developer hasn't
34
City Council Meeting - Se~ 14, 1987
complied with Phase 1, Phase 2, or Phase 3 and here we are giving him Phase 4.
We ~ to put our foot down someplace. We have erosion control fences that
have ~ removed and have never ~_n replaced. We've got after our
superstorm, his erosion control was wiped out. He's never seeded in certain
areas he was supposed to seed immediately in or he was supposed to seed in at
some time and it's been 6 months he hash' t seeded.
Mayor Hamilton: Have you discussed these things with Gary?
Councilman Johnson: Yes.
Mayor Hamilton: ~hat you think are violations and they can be checked?
Councilman Johnson: Yes. In the final plat approval I was going to pull that
one too and Gary talked me out of it. I was out there yesterday. He says
he's got enough to where we can still hold the developer and get these things
done and we're not getting them done so now I'm going after it. I went out
yesterday and walked there. There's one place where a hill fill, we had a
landslide that went under the erosion control and now we've got a 3 foot hole
and a ditch running underneath t_be erosion control fence.
Mayor Hamilton: I'm going to stop you for just a minute because we're dealing
with the 4th Addition and if you have problems with other portions of his
other phases, then those should be brought up to Gary so that they can, ISn
not saying we shouldn't be aware of them. They should come back to us in a
different forum and I think we should deal with the 4th Addition right now.
Ar~ seeing how it's getting late already.
Councilman Johnson: What I was saying is, why should we give more
develoIx~ant contracts if we' re not c(x~plying with the rest of them?
Mayor Hamilton: If you would like to make a motion to deny the development
contract based on the assumption on your part that they have not performed in
the past, you can attempt a motion to that effect. Otherwise, I think you
~ to work with Gary to see if all of these things can be resolved. Ar~ if
in his mind he feels they haven't performed, on their other development
contracts, then they should be stopped.
Councilman J(lhnson: We've got a drainage swale that's outside of the drainge
easement. Things like this.
Councilman Horn: As determined by who?
Councilman Johnson: As determined by me.
Councilman Boyt: You're saying until you're satisfied that he's lived up to
the agreements of ~he other three?
Councilman Johnson: Yes.
Mayor Hamilton: Based on his determination that they have not.
35
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Boyt: I would suggest that if you change that to our Engin~ you
would probably get some agreement.
Councilman Johnson: Yes, I would say that. I would do that. At the time
that our engineer agrees that he is in compliance with his previous. Well,
let me just ask him. Is he in compliance with all his previous development
contracts?
Mayor Hamilton: You're making a motion saying he's not and now you're asking
the engineer if he is. Is there a second to the motion first of all so we can
discuss it?
Councilman Boyt: How have you made it? To the engineer?
Councilman Johnson: To where the engineer will determine if compliance is
happening. We deny this one until the engineer certifies to us that be is in
compliance with 1 through 3.
Mayor Hamilton: I would suggest that probably the best way to handle this is
that we approve the 4th Addition development contract contingent upon you
meeting with the City Engineer and if in fact there are items that they have
not completed and are in violation of, which means they are in violation of
their previous development contracts, then this one would not be allowed to
move forward until such time as they have complied with all of those things
that the engineer feels they have not cc~plied with.
Councilman Johnson: I think that's a very good ccampromise T~m.
Councilman Horn: I don't think that's a compromise. In fact I got that out
of your motion.
Councilman Johnson: Let's say better put. I was saying denied and he says
approved contingent upon. I'm saying denied contingent upon.
Councilman Horn: Then I like yours better.
Councilman Johnson: I can live with that. I would amend my motion to where
we're approving contingent upon we won't sign this agreement until the City
Engineer is satisfied that he is in compliance with his contracts for Phase 1,
2and 3.
Councilman Johnson moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the development
contract for Chanhassen Vista 4th Addition contingent upon this contract not
being signed until the City Engineer is satisifed that the developer is in
compliance with the development contracts for Phase 1, 2 and 3. Also, that
the city get the parkland needed for the trail arour~ Chan Pond straighten out
with the developer. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Councilman Horn moved, Councilman Boyt seconded to amend the agenda to discuss
Consent Agenda item l(g) at this point in the meeting. All voted in favor and
motion carried.
36
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
APPROVAL OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS, CURRY FARMS, PHASE I.
Councilman Boyt: My concern here was basically, I've got the grading
situation here. I know that several of us have talked to one of the neighbors
ar~ that there appears to be a potential grading problem. I know I talked to
Gary a little bit earlier but maybe Gary can share some of that with the rest
of the Council.
Gary Warren: Sure. Staff has ~ involved here on two or three phases now
to review the r~ry Kerber property which abuts on the east side of Curry
Farms amd there was some concern from Mr. Kerber about the elevation of the
berms that are up there right now. My observation, I was up there last
Thursday and reviewed them with Larry and also with Kevin Clark of Centex and
basically the berm that is out there at this point is a stockpile of black
dirt which is common to the excavation that they are doing at this time so
it's difficult to say because it's not a final grade whether Larry, having tbe
low part of his property back there and yet someday, the way he explains it to
me, intending to develop and build a house down in this low area and having to
look up at this berm and at the house that will be higher up on a hill there
that is not acceptable. I tried to explain to him and I asked Centex to work
with their engineer to give us the stake reference point out there so we can
see what the actual elevation should be of the berm ar~ that we could address
that when he's got that established and take a better look at it. It is
difficult to conceive looking at his property exactly what the impact will be.
Centex is confined in regards to our maximum street grades that we allow, 7%,
amd in order to have a street grade that matches in with the county road ar~
he at the maximum percentage, that requires him to bring the elevation of his
property up to be able to get building pads ar~ fit everything in properly.
Likewise, Mr. Kerber when he comes to develop his property would probably have
the same challenges in that he has a low area and be probably will do some
filling maybe diminish some of this sight concern that he has. I~ not to say
that there isn't a sight impact. Obviously whenever you start construction of
this nature there's going to be something but that coupled with the drainage
issue out here, concern that the corner of this property, the southwest corner
is not restricting runoff. We have looked at that and we will be working
with the construction company to see that it does continue to swale to the
north to the natural outlet. Those were the key parts of discussion so I put
it back to Centex. The berm won't go away. The berm is there. Especially on
the west side of the property for the pond that is required to retain the
year storms so there's about a 4 foot berm that's pretty much at grade on the
west end of the property and that won't go. But this actual slope that he's
looking at, this mour~ of dirt so to speak, is not at finished grade arz] we
want to get that established so they can take a look at it. I've asked them
to modify their site grades to diminish that grade as much as possible ams to
get back to me on that but the more they cut down that berm, the steeper the
backlots are on the property on the road so it's give ar~ take on both sides.
Councilman Boyt: I wanted to get that issue aired.
Councilman Horn: My concern is that let's say Mr. Kerber does c~ne in to
develop his property and he has to build his up too. What he's going to be
facing is an adjacent lot that has a 3:1 slope up to the ber~ Is he going to
37
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
develop a 3:1 slope up to t3~ same level? Are we going to have a crevice in
the middle or how is that going to be filled in? Or does he have to take the
responsibility to cover the slope to even it all up to bler~ in with the Curry
Farm develo~ent?
Gary Warren: As commonly happens, the common property line is often times the
meeting point for the grades and Centex is, their berm is solely on their
property and is tapering off to match existing contours at the property line
and likewise Mr. Kerber will have to address that same issue. Now if he
wanted to raise that and get rid of some of the crevice, that would be his
choice but I think our controls on the development are to require the Centex,
in this case, to match the existing topo along the common property line.
Councilman Horn: So theoretically Mr. Kerber can come in and do the same
thing and we've got this 6 foot deep crevice down there between the two
developments?
Gary Warren: ~neoretically.
Councilman Johnson: Is there a way to prevent that? At thispoint is there
some way we could say, this is in the extreme far back of somebody's property.
They got a pond between them and this 3:1 slope before it gets to their
backyards actually. Is there something we can put in here with, I don't know
what Centex could do, to say that if the property behind you is developed that
they can fill across his property line to eliminate this ditch and make it
more reasonable of a facility or to expand the pond because he's going to need
some drainage and he's going to need some sediment control from his
development that he develops so it maybe a matter of actually moving theberm
onto his property and expand the size of the pond. Is there someway we can
work with the developer to achieve a future solution that we perceive a future
problem. Can we help to try to prevent that because when the landowners are
in there in 10 years?
Councilman Horn: I would like to suggest, if it would mitigate the problem to
the Kerber property that we would relax our 7% requirement because that seems
to be the biggest hassle.
Councilman Johnson: It's only at 5% right now if we grade it on the road
according to the plans.
Councilman Horn: Typically what we've done is we've put a little landing
area. We did this up in Fox Chase where we allowed a steeper grade and then
put a landing area.
Gary Warren: ~nis one does call for a 1/2% grade in the landing area because
that's county road also. We can look at, when I addressed Centex in the field
I asked them to talk to their engineer and take a look at what we can do to
bring that down. The approval of plans and the status of grading I'm sure is
an impact.
Councilman Horn: I think they're going to run out of dirt anyway.
38
City Council Meeting - Sept~ 14, 19B7
Kevin Clark: I'm not sure what you want me to comuent on.
Mayor Hamilton: Whatever direction you think is right. We seem to have a
problen ar~ w~'re not sure how to resolve it with the Kerber property.
Kevin Clark: I guess we bring up a couple that we're looking ar~ maybe I'll
answer Jay and o~ questions that were brought u~ My _Dame is Kevin Clark
and I work for Centex Homes. What we are working with is a couple issues.
The embankment or berm or dike or ditch, whatever in the back, was a
requirement and actually was a motivation from the Fishery and Wildlife in the
first place when we first started to get together to build some kir~ of a
wildlife habitat.
Mayor Hamilton: I think we should get back to the issue that we're talking
about where the properties moct and we're going to have a probl~ there.
Kevin clark: I'm working towards that. What we've done through the Watershed
District ar~ through the engineering G~meyer ar~ trying to meet those
criteria and design the property to be self draining and also to retain all
the water from the wetland on the east side of CR 17, the area up near Lost
Lake and also the wetland to the south so we desi~ that whole area to
accomodate the surrounding properties but with our grade coming off of CR 17,
we do have a level platform of a 1/2% of probably about 100 to 200 feet and
then tapering off not to exceed the maximom grade to allow people to get off
the county road in weather but really what that elevation between Ke~ber's
proprty ar~ our development is really dictated by that crown or the elevation
of the road. I've gone back to Westwood E~gineering and asked them if we can
mitigate that. Right now what we have is, as ~ry mentioned, is quite a bit
of dirt and it reflects the fact that we're putting off any of the utility
improvements and what is involved there also is the realignment of the
sanitary so right now there is a volume of dirt there and we've ~ out three
times to talk this over with Kerbers and I don't think, he's not c~nvi~ ar~
I can appreciate that but it's also difficult for him to look from his house
over to our property now where we're filling quite a bit ar~ of course there's
an emotional impact because he no longer has that view and he's looking at a
hill that potentially is going to have a house on it ar~ that's probably
upsetting but the fact is, we're trying to mitigate that impact but also
trying to get it so we have a proper and safe access to the road. In talking
to Gary, and I hope I'm not double talking here, but I said we'll look at that
and we are putting in walkout or daylight flat stairs so we are going to try
to keep that mound away from his property line as far as possibly by doing any
of our oversizing at a 50/50. Tie it out and then drop it off so we don't
have later on as much dirt to move so we're trying to move that hack and I
told the Kerbers, after Larry when we met last week, Thursday I think it was,.
there was a stake there and I invited him to come out and look at it and I
could show him where the elevation was so I think even with tb~ moun~ there we
could show him how it's going to come over and we can work with that. I think
we also want to provide for the neighbors who we are developing for a lot
that's going to be mobile so they can go out of their driveway they're not
going out on a 10% grade or exceeding that ar~ slipping right dowr~ I guess
we definitely want to resolve it. I think his impact is a little bit more
amplified than it is because we've gone through now ar~ put tt~ swale, ar~ we
39
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
don't want to build a 5 acre, some kir~ of an erosion attracting problems
with. We want this person's yard here that we're building to be attractive
and if it isn't on a fence line, it can be a rounded swale. Currently now all
his property has been draining off of his property which we aren't allowed to
do and what we're trying to do, what he's going to experience now, is what
we're doing is directly any drainage off the property down towards that county
utility to Christmas Lake and that's really why we have that embankment there
is to purify or take out any of the silt or impurities in the water going into
Christmas Lake.
Councilman Horn: Do we have any type of elevation data to say that that will
drain? I know when I walked that property I looked at it from one side and it
looked like it was going to drain down into the ravine. I got down to the
ravine and it looked like the low spot was back at the other corner. Without
elevations it's difficult to tell.
Kevin Clark: Whether Kerber's will drain or ours?
Councilman Horn: Kerbers.
Kevin Clark: As I said before, again is that we work for I would say
approximately between 2 and 3 months with Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
to get this plan approved and as I mentioned earlier, their study not only
took into account our parcel but also, I don't know it could been anywhere
near 100 acres surrounding us. Lost Lake there to the south and west and I'm
very sure they also took into concern the area impact on our adjoining
neighbor Mr. Kerber.
Gary Warren: I think Clark's question specifically is, we do have an
existing topo that comes from Centex's plat that shows when the final grading
is done that it will be swaled to drain to the northwest corner there of the
Kerber's property which is the natural outlet of the property. That it won't
stay and pond in that pocket down there.
Councilman Horn: What about his?
Gary Warren: That's what I'm saying. It's the Kerber property that will run
down.
Kevin Clark: We're going to share an adjoining, we're going to utilize an
easement on our side but any of his water that comes across the fence line
would follow the same shoot.
Councilman Horn: Okay I see. So his property can drain just as it did before
and your side will take care of carrying it out.
Kevin Clark: And I think any future improvement, he's going to have to move
some dirt as we are because he's low and even if we weren't there he'd have to
move some dirt. I would think at that time, providing things don't change,
the Watershed District would look at his project and say, is his capacity
built to withstand any of your improvement or do we ~ to make an
enlargement to the pond? And in all honesty, I don't think the neighbors to
40
City Council Meeting - September 14~ 19B7
the back are going to give a hoot because the area behind _there in the fence
would be something that I imagine could be just. worked out. If they
overfilled and made the swale a little smaller or raised the grade 3 feet~ i
don't think that would be an impact on those neighbors on a 300 foot depth
lot.
Larry Kerber: Like he said, I am low now. My property was not the lowest in
the area. It will be after thelWre done grading by some 12 feet in the back
so I see a real potential problem there. Especially with what Clark brought
ul~ How am I ever supposed to do anything with that now? ~ne only solution
is to raise mine. All we're going to do is create a ravine around the west
and south of my property 3B to 4B feet wide at the top and 12 feet deel~ I'm
going to raise my property up now so that's going to drairu I just don't
think that this is'the answer. There has to be a way they can taper their
last lot gradually to mine so it isn't necessary for me to bring mine all the
way up. I guess can't something be worked out with that last lot. If t~
get a transition from the last lot. The back with the dike they put up, I
don't know what the solution is there.
Mayor Hamilton: Well, you've met three times.
Larry Kerber: No we didn't, If he met three times, one time wasn't with me
because we met twice.
Mayor Hamilton: He said you met three times and Gary...
Larry Kerber: I've had a meeting with C~ry twice in the past two weeks.
Gary Warren: Tom, the solution I guess that I saw from my last meeting out
there was to have Kevin, and I think he did mention that he b__m~ talked to
their engineer, Westwood, to have them take a look at the situation and I
guess I think it would be best is Larry could also voice concerns to their
engineer and let them try to work out some solution here and come back ar~ I
can serve as the intermediary whenever is necessary.
Mayor Hamilton: Yes, I would think it's hard to resolve an issue when you
don't talk to everybody involved.
Larry Kerber: Just so it gets done is my concern. I want somebody to do it
because there are other things that were supposed to be, Centex, the City and
me. The first phase was passed and that was never even addressed. Point 14
on the preliminary plat we never addressed. The final was passed. Will it be
or when will it be?
Mayor Hamilton: I don't know what you're referring to.
Larry Kerber: Work out some landscape screening bet~ ~ ar~ me.
Gary Warren: That still can be done. The developer intends to do it. We've
got a letter of credit to see that he does meet the requirements of those
conditions and Kevin may want to address it but my understanding is that after
the berming and grading is established, then they can negotiate.
41
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: If it was a condition, it's got to be done and that's all
there is to it.
Larry Kerber: I just thought it should have been addressed before the first
phase was finalized. I thought that was going to be addressed.
Mayor Hamilton: Well, if it's a condition it will be done and it has to be
done.
Larry Kerber: It would have been nice is somebody would have come out and
discussed something with me before.
Councilman Johnson: One of the conditions of approval of the final plat was
'that he comply with the conditions of approval of the preliminary plat which
doesn't mean that in order to approve the final plat you have to have
completed all the conditions of the preliminary plat but condition 14 is
brought forward to the final plat.
Larry Kerber: So it means it will be addressed, it just doesn't have to be
before it's finalized?
Councilman Johnson: Right. Before the plat's finalized which is where the
lot lines are.
Gary Warren: I think also Larry, you recognize this, until you see what the
final grading accomplishes there, I think you would want to reserve your right
to settle on in looking at a planting. I think it's appropriate to get first
things first. Get the grading done and settled and then work out whatever is
appropriate for screening and plantings.
Larry Kerber: Another comment I have is on the level of their pond. As the
water is rising in your pond, the water table, the water level in that area is
going to come up and now, being my open land is the lowest of that whole,
whatever that was, 20 acre low spot, anytime that water level and their
permanent level is going to be, from what I understand, 3 feet above my low
spot and that pond is 20 feet from my parking land. What's going to happen
once they reach that level of 3 feet above my land 20 feet away? Is my land '
going to stay dry? Not soggy? That water is going to stabilize. If the
water is 3 feet high 20 feet away, it's going to start gooshing out of my
ground.
Mayor Hamilton: Depends on how they build it. If it's built with clay and
they've got a good bottom, it's not going to I wouldn't think.
Larry Kerber: Well, I don't know how they're going to keep it there because
it's the same organic soil that was there. There's no special ground brought
in. If it's 3 feet high on that side, it's not automatically going to come 3
feet high on mine but it's going to push water up on my ground. My ground, I
am afraid is going to get too wet and turn into a bog in that low spot. Just
so sc~ebody is aware of this and if it's a problem that it will be resolved.
42
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: If you build a pond, I would think if you have clay in there
it wouldn' t be a problem.
Larry Kerber: There's no clay in that pond wall.
Gary Warren: I think part of the issue and without having a develol~nent from
Larry's property at this time it's hard to say 10~% but that low area there,
when it goes through the develola~ent phase is goirg to need s~ne fill to be
able to be buildable so you're not going to be able to Just build on exactly
what you've got there from a property standpoint. The mud itself, the outlet
of that pond Kevin, and I don't remember all the details, is that a 3 foot
elevation there or is that a dry pond?
Kevin Clark: No, I don't think it's going to hold 3 feet. I think the desigg
was such and the height was that it wouldn't take such a volume of water to
Christmas Lake and the reason it's going to hold water at certain times is
because it is at the tail of the store water management so it is going to get
all the water from the rest of the pond will be the last one to empty out but
I don't think it will hold water. I would hope that it will keep water only
to keep it from becoming a mosquito bog.
Larry Kerber: You brought up an interesting point. My ground down there
always was dry. It will ~ fill now I guarantee it with their pond that
close to mine.
Gary Warren: My point is that just to be able to meet city requirements as
far as getting a road and access into the property down there, you can't just
put in a road straight down so you're going to have to bring things up in
general.
Larry Kerber: I think we both know that can't be done now with the elevations
they' ve left me with.
Kevin Clark: I'd be glad to show you our borings right behind your fence.
You're going to want to know before you decide to a house on that property.
Councilman Horn: Is that your concern or is your concern that the property as
it exists now the way you're going to use is still going to be useable in that
state?
Larry Kerber: That's my major concern. The wetness in the hack that I'm
going to receive. A secondary concern is the situation they're leaving me
with and I'm just wondering if that's good planning. If that's the best we
can do. I just can't believe my property should be left in a worst state than
it was before they came in.
Mayor Hamilton: It seems like there hasn't ~ a good communication process
here betwc~n-- Larry and tb~ developer and how long have we harped ~n that for
years that if a developer's going to come in, the first thing they ought to do
is get together with the neighbors and make sore that things are worked out
and I don't think the developer has done that in this case and I think it
ought to happen prior to this thing going on any further because I agree with
43
City Council Meeting - Septsmber 14, 1987
Larry that his property should not be left in a worse cor~ition than it was
prior to the develo~m~ent beginning.
Councilman Johnson: I just happen to have both the topo's of your property
and the things we're discussing here is the plans and specs. Your back
property is at about 955. The 956 is slightly above the back property line so
you're somewhere between 956 and 954. Their outlet is designed at 955 so the
pond level when it will stop draining out the outlet will be at the level of
your back property line. Now, between your back property line there's going
to be an additional ditch that's going to take out water so if we've got a
hydraulic gradient going through that dike, before it would get to your
property line it has to cross that ditch so the ditch will act as a natural
outlet at that point. The long and short of it is, the water problem may not
be there. But it may be.
Larry Kerber: I just want somebody to say, if it is there, somebody's going
to take care of it and my property should not be left worse afterwards.
Mayor Hamilton: I think we agree with that and Gary's suggestion was a good
one. That he can act as moderator if necessary.
Larry Kerber: If we could work out something on that grading on that lot
abutting mind. If it could just be brought down to some reasonable level
somehow.
Gary Warren: We'll get you together with Centex and with their engineers and
sit down and look. We want to find out what's reasonable.
Larry Kerber: Alright.
Kevin Clark: I guess I'm just wondering, what we're here for on this item
tonight is for the utility plans. The grading and such had already been
approved and we are more than willing to work that out but I think if... I
don't know, which issue are we talking about now?
Mayor Hamilton: We're dealing with the issue before us. You still ~ to
get together with Larry and Gary to work this out.
Councilman Johnson: Cn sheet 9, at manhole 62, there's a disagreement.
There's also a disagreement at manhole 63. It's a very minor thing. At one
point you say the inverts at 956.8 on the drawing as you can see up above a
ways and then on the other drawing, which is the same manhole, it says that
the west invert is 957.0 so what's the guy going to build it at, 956.8 or
957.0? It's not much difference but when the guy's trying to put the two
pieces together it should match. I've got these circled with arrows drawn on
them, I'll just give it to you. Then right up at manhole 63, in the drawing
it shows that the water has got to come down the storm sewer, jump up a little
ways and then head back down. It's just drawn backwards. What's stated
below, they made a slight mistake there in the drawing. Beyond that, those
are just minor problems.
44
..City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve Cu.rry Farms, Phase
I, plans and specifications for Project ~87-19, O~ntex Homes with the
conditions stated in the staff report and with the conditions as noted by
Councilman Johnson dealing with manholes. Also, that Centex Homes, Gary
Warren and Larry Kerber meet to satisfy Larry Kerber's concerns about how his
property will be left after the Centex development is completed. All voted in
favor and motion carried.
VISITOR PRESENTATION:
Councilman Johnson: I wanted to say a word for senior citizens here in town.
I've been asked to kind of shepard this through a little bit. S~me of the
folks that wanted to see it weren't feeling well tonight and left about an
hour ago. In the next to last item in the Administrative packet is a letter I
received discussing a senior center here in Chanhasseru There's ~ some~
it's not like they're trying to propose to replace the South Shore Senior
Center or anything like this. Some people believe that there is a r~ for a
place for seniors to be able to gather. What they call basically a walk in
center. It would fit real well as a part of the community center. Something
that they've given some specs and stuff in there. I believe this has been
passed on to the Community (]enter Task Force and Park and Rec and various
other commissions for review on this and th~ wanted it brought to the
Council's attention that something is going on. Mostly the South Shore Senior
Center people, that we can assure them that we are not trying to take away all
their members, which a lot of them are Chanhassen residents but there is a
need for folks that don't drive so well and have a lot of cabin fever and
can't make the South Shore. There's a lot of need here in this town and
hopefully we can, during this winter move forward and look at something like
this. I'll be glad to w~rk along with this group that are proposing this.
Mayor Hamilton: There is a senior center in Chanhassen that meets at the
Elementary School in the gymnasium every Thursday at about 11:00 and they have
lurch together. They play cards together. They have bus service available to
them if they can't drive or get out their house, they will be assisted on and
off the bus and to the center. They also have South Shore which the City of
Chanhassen does support and a senior center would be a part of any community
center project so a facility could be made available to seniors in that
facility. There is something available to them in town ar~ has ~ for a
long time.
Councilman Johnson: Yes, this is an extenion of that which would be open 7
days a week to when you're feeling lonely and alone, your spouse has died,
etc., you can't wait for ~rsday afternoon to go talk to somebody of your own
age and listen to some music of your own age, etc.. I think it's a r_--~ed
necessity.
PUBLIC HEARING: PARTIAL STREET VACATION, WEST 78TH STI~RRT.
Mayor Hamilton: Is there anyone here who would wish to speak on this item?
The partial street vacation on West 78th Street.
45
k
4O
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to close public hearing. All
voted in favor and motion carried.
Councilman Johnson: The only thing was the change adding the 30 extra feet,
was that in the posted notice? Are we still legal because I did not go read
the posted notice?
Jo Ann O1 sen: Yes.
Resolution ~87-102: Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to approve
the partial vacation as shown on the site plan dated September 11, 1987 with
the following conditions:
.
Utility easement shall be reserved within the West 78th Street right-
of-way.
2.
The remaining right-of-way of West 78th Street shall not be vacated
until the realigr~ent of West 78th Street to the north is completed.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
PUBLIC HEARING: UTILITY EAS~dENT VACATION, CURRY FARMS.
Mayor Hamilton: Is there anybody here who has a comment to make on the
utility easement vacation on Curry Farms?
Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to close public hearing.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
Resolution #87-103: Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Horn seconded to
approve the vacation of the sanitary sewer easement as described and
illustrated in the Attachuent #1 subject to the following condition:
.
No structures shall be permitted over the existing sanitary sewer
easement until the new sanitary sewer is installed and functioning.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
REQUEST FOR SHOOTING PERMIT NORTH OF TH 5, MICHAEL GORRA, 1680 ARBORETUM
BOULEVARD.
Mayor Hamilton: We have had this item before us previously also and I think
Jim Chaffee may want to give us a brief update although your report is quite
complete. Let me ask councilmembers if they have any questions dealing with
this?
Councilman Johnson: The only one was when you discussed the animosity, feud,
whatever you want to call it, between some folks in here. Are we still
talking north of TH 5 or was this discussion of the problem, I think you
called it a feud.
46
41
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Jim Chaffee: That's south.
Councilman Johnson: That's south of TH 5, okay. That's the o~ly thing I
wanted to know.
Mayor Hamilton: Mr. Gorra is here, Mike maybe you have a covalent.
Michael Gorra: Before I make my comments, in lookir~3 at ~ packet here that
the Public Safety Commission unanimously recommended to deny my request and I
guess I would like to here his reasons why before I make my comnents.
Jim Chaffee: The Council may recall this request from Mr. (~orra was asked to
be brought before the Public Safety Oommission to get their feelings o~ the
matter of shooting north of TH 5. They did address Mr. corra's request for in
a more all encompassing discussioru They decided that there should be no
shooting at all north of TH 5 just for public safety concerns. That the
density, the population density, the parks, that sort of thing ar~ I guess
some of the controversy surrounding shooting north of TH 5 had something to do
with their decisions too. Believe me there has ~ a tremendous amount of -
controversy not only with Mr. Gorra's request which is just a minor part of it
but with Mr. Dimler's request to shoot north of TH 5. They're co~ was
just public safety oriented and they thought it's best to stick within the
limits that the special group of people, committee back in 1980 and 1981
decided on the parameters of shooting in the city of Chanhassen.
Michael Gorra: To answer my question, I wanted to ask the City what it means
by safety. Who might be in danger or past incidents that might have happened
or future incidents that might happen. I would like to be specific on why my
request is recommended to be denied.
Mayor Hamilton: I think I can probably answer that. For many years the city
has had a no shooting ordinance for all property north of TH 5 simply because
that's the growth area of the community and being such there is more traffic
there. You've got a highway going along adjacent to and north on several of
the properties and this is something that after a lot of discussion, oh gosh I
don't know, I supposed 5 or 6 years ago, an ordinance was passed limiting to
hunting only to specific areas south of TH 5 which were not populated which
are very specifically farm areas and there were no houses or people within a
reasonable distance. That has been the position that we have continued to
maintain and that was also the position of the Public Safety Commission felt
should be continued to be maintained.
Michael Gorra: I guess I'd like to take issue with that because I had lived
for 10 years and I have no neighbors. I jog around that lake 3 or 4 times a
week. I see very few people. A couple other facts I would like to make is
that I've always been reasonable for letting other people that want to use my
proprty even though it is private property. Last fall surveyors for the City
of Chanhassen asked permission to survey the property for the sewer line which
nobody wants me to hook up to. I didn't ask for a special permit from them or
restrict their hours, I just let them go on my property and take their survey.
Three weeks later, soil testers came and requested the same thing. Could they
go on ar~ bore some holes and check out the soil. There again, I didn't jack
47
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
them around. I didn't stall them. I didn't ask for a special permit or
restrict their hours. I let them go on there and dig their holes. I did ask
them to c~me back and fill in their holes ar~ they were real nice about it and
they did that. On the north end of my property is a snowmobile trail. Every
year there's hundreds of snowmobiles on that trail. I detest snowmobiles. I
don't like them. I don't like anything about them but I'm not going to deny
somebody their fun of having their trail there so it's still on the north end
of my property and I'm probably sticking my neck out by having a bunch of
snowmobilers cross my property because if somebody hit the fence or hit a tree
or does anything, you know as well as I do that that I could be held liable
for that.
Mayor Hamilton: So your point being?
Michael Gorra: My point being is that I've been reasonable with other people
and even people that walk their dogs or ask permission to fish or do other
things, I never turn down anybody even though if something does happen to
these people I could be in the position of being responsible and now here I
come up to the City Council and I don't think I'm asking a favor to be able to
hunt on this property. I'm just asking for my constitutional rights as a
property owner and all I hear is negative. In fact, when I ask for specifics
I'm not even getting that. I planted some trees there a little over a year
ago and there's a lot of deer around because there's no hunting on the north
side of TH 5 anymore. There's too many deer. I think the DNR can tell you
that.
Mayor Hamilton: There must be over 100 deer that graze in that area now isn't
there?
Michael Gorra: About that and I imagine they've killed $2,000.00 to $3,000.00
worth of trees. They're eating trees and the young bucks, everybody knows
about how young bucks are, they'll rub the velvet off on the young trees and
even though I don't hunt there anymore, I would like to give my friends
permission that do hunt with a bow to go out there and enjoy hunting the deer.
I've talked to a Conservation Officer last year and he agrees that there are
just too many deer out there. But the good part of it is, after the Council's
action last year on the sewer line, we've gone through this before and I won't
repeat myself but it's pretty tough to develop land when you can only plot one
house for every 10 acres so the land is virtually undevelopable for me but it
costs me $60,000.00 a year to sit on that land. Now I'm not trying to say
that I'm losing $60,000.00 a year by not developing it. That has nothing to
do with it. It costs me $60,000.00 just to sit and hold that land.
Mayor Hamilton: I hope you don't feel that the City is to blame for that. If
there was any way that we could have your land within the MUSA, I would do it
tomorrow. To move the MUSA so we could have more land to develop ar~ that's
all dictated by Metropolitan Council. If you know of some way to convince
them that they ought to change the line to include your property and some
other properties along TH 5, I would be more than happy to have it done.
Michael Gorra: Well, that's not my job of negotiating with Met Council for
stuff for the City of Chanhassen. From what I understand you're in
48
City Oouncil Meeting - September 14,. 1987
partnership with them on this deal. I~ just making a statement of fact that
it's costing me a lot of money to sit there and do nothing with that property
ar~ all I~n asking is a right that I think I should have to hunt on it. Now I
know it's come up in the past because we're near the park but I feel like,
I'm king of being punished or penalized for being next to that park. Kind of
like my property next to the park has been taken from me without due process
of the law and actually I'm not that close to the park. I've offered to hunt
west of my driveway which is quite a ways from the park and even though the
park comes to the east line of my property, the park isn't developed out
there. It's all real heavy woods. The baseball diamonds and the grass area
is a long ways to the east of that woods so we're not getting anywhere .near
the park.
Councilman Horn: I think I can tell you in my mind what was different about
your request from the other request and I don't know if it was your intention
for it to be or not but I think what you're asking for is to extend the
hunting area to include your property. What I heard from the other request
was permission for a special hunt that came about because of some ill
conceived thing by the DNR that they didn't give anybody enough notice to give
proper application for. What we got that evening were two different
applications as I interpretted them. Yours being moving the hunting line
itself which to me was one issue and the other one being the request for a
special hunt that was put on by the DNR just for a specific period of time. I
think your issue is valid. It should be addressed when we look at where we
allow hunting in Chanhassen. This other thing, it seems to me we need a whole
lot more information that we didn't get from the I]NR when it came up. The
other thing I heard was that some of the issues that the Public Safety
Committee had when they treated your request were not even .issues that weren't
covered under the DNR special hunt so they didn't have the information from
the DNR when they looked at your request and I don't know how all the other
agencies looked at it but I saw yours as a slightly different request because
you were looking for a general extension of the hunting area north of TH 5 to
include your land as I interpretted your request.
Michael Gorra: Right. I guess I just asked permission for myself and my
family to hunt there. I know this other group had maybe 10 to 12 guys but I
hear they had a lot of fun. Shot a lot of geese and I didn't hear of any
incidents at all. Isn't that what life is all about? I live back there and
I've lived there for a long time and I have a little activity in the fields
there. Like I said, I jog. There's no one back there but myself. There's no
one going to be bothered by the little bit of hunting we're going to do back
there. I think this goes beyond asking for a hunting permit. I guess I just
kind of resent being able not to come up with a simple request to use my
property for something and getting nothing but a negative response from
everybody.
Councilman Horn: I just think one of the things we should look at is why we
did limit to south of TH ~ I think we need to look at the whole general
potential for huntable land and take a close look at that the next time we
come up with this ordinance but I do think that his request got totally masked
in this special bunt that the DNR came up with which I~n not sure I still
understand all the ramifications behind that but I think somebody should find
49
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
those out for us because I suspect this issue is going to come up again and it
should be one of the issues that we have addressed.
Councilman Boyt: Mr. Gorra I see you on the one hand saying you've been very
reasonable with people and given your examples I would have to agree with you.
I think Clark is right. I agree with him and I think Jim mentioned it in his
memo that this issue of hunting in Chanhassen is worthy of re-examination.
I've spent most of my life hunting and around firearms and am real comfortable
with that and I think that to give you a little guidance, at least from my
perspective. If you could come in and address a specific problem such as too
many deer on my property. I r_~cd some way of controlling them and here is how
I would conduct a safe hunt, I'd be sympathetic to that. My biggest problem
was just generally, as Clark said, extending the hunting zone in Chanhassen
and I think that's a bigger issue. I wasn't ready to make a decision about
that that evening. I would encourage you to develop what you think is a
reasonable hunt for a specific reason and I think that our ordinance allows
that. It sa~ if we have an animal situation that's creating a problem, we
can allow a hunt so that would balance that out. Maybe you should begin
looking in that direction.
Michael Gorra: That was only part of it. The deer over population. I guess
I like to see pheasants around. Maybe the last few years I've been thinking
of restocking that area with pheasants and look at possibly a hunt. I like to
hunt pheasants and I don't see any reason I shouldn't be able to do that.
Right now you couldn't do that because thelfre a million foxes around and a
million racoons. You couldn't do that. Nobody hunts them anymore and there's
just a lot of them around so it's not just the deer problem. I want to do a
lot of things out there within the boundaries of the law. That's why I'm
here. I didn't just apply for that goose permit because I don't care if I
shoot a goose. It's everything else. It's something that I might not want to
do but again, my son might want to hunt ducks or geese and I want him to have
the right to do that. That's all I'm asking for.
Councilman Johnson: I agree with Clark. Unfortunately at this time of year
in a zone designated as no hunting unless you have a special DNR hunt, and you
can get a special DNR hunt, maybe. I'm not totally sure if you can, for your
deer problem. I know that they do at Carver Park and various other wildlife
refuges every few years they allow bow hunters to come out on a special
designated hunt and shoot in designated places. If you have an established
problem you can do that but a carte blanche hunt within the no hunting area
with the present law, I attended the Public Safety meeting and they could not
see a carte blanche change. To change that ordinance and c/mange those lines
we're going to have to have public hearings and the whole bit. I do believe
that we need to look at it because there are several areas south of TH 5 now
which should be no hunting that are not so designated other than through that
you can't hunt within 300 feet or whatever it is of a residence. But as areas
south of TH 5 are developing, I think we do need to move forward and relook at
what areas are designated as no hunting in this area and if at that time it
becomes prudent to move the line northward, we should move the line north. If
it becomes prudent we should move the line south, we should move the line
soutb~ As we said, it's ~---n quite a few years since this issue's ~---n looked
at and when we look at it, we'll look at it both ways. I know there will be
50
City Council Meeting - Se~ 14, 1987
areas on the south side of TH 5 that we will want to designate as no hunting
now. I would like to see this put on a future agenda and hold some public
hearirgs on this this winter.
Michael Gorra: All I'm asking for, I'm not asking for you to change the law
or change the lines, all I~ asking for is to make some provisi~ that exists
in the ordinance that on a special permit application basis, if the landowner
c~nes in and can prove that he's not endangering his neighbors, traffic or
anybody else, that he can get a permit.
councilman Johnson: That's going to take public hearings to do that. We're
going to have to go in and revise our ordinance to do that. That's going to
be a process ar~ it's not going to be done overnight.
Michael Gorra: That's part of the problem. I can see a lot of change coming
to Chanhassen. I've ~ it for the last lq years. There hasn't ~ much in
the last few years but I can see it coming now and about 3 or 4 years from now
I might not be able to come in here ar~ ask for that request. That's why I'm
here now. I want to be able to use this property. I've like to hunt all my
life. I want to be able to use it in the next few years because I know when
they start building arour~ me I won't be able to do that so it's important
that I get a yes or a no this fall. I don't want to wait another year ar~
come back next year. If you're going to d~y it, I would appreciate a
specific reason. If you're going to approve it, I would appreciate that but I
would like scme action before the hunting season starts October 1st.
Councilman Johnson: We have denied this have we not or is it still pending
and w~ have to decide upon it now?
Mayor Hamilton: We sent it back to the Public Safety Gommission last time we
reviewed it. The Public Safety Commission recommended denial so it's up to us
to decide.
Councilman Horn: I was going to get clarification from Roger on Jay's point
that we really do need to go through a public hearing on an ordinance
amendment or does a special permit allow an extension of your normal hunting
area or is this only for a special hunt?
Roger Knutson: You wouldn't have to have a public hearing to change the
ordinance. That's one item. T~e second item is do you need to change the
ordinance at all to give him a permit, is that the second question?
Councilman Horn: That's the second question.
Mayor Hamilton:
hunt.
I think we have the provision that we could have a special
Don Ashw~rth: But it had to be endorsed by s~meone.
Roger Knutson: Section 8. DNR monitored hunts.
51
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Michael Gorra: There's also Section 207, special permits that would apply.
A two month permit may be issued by the City Manager for the hunting of
specified wild animals per City Council, etc., etc.
Councilman Johnson: I don't believe that applies to the no hunting area
though.
Councilman Boyt: Determined to be a definite problem in a specific area.
Definite problem in specific area. That might apply to your deer. I would
suspect that would be, and it might apply to the geese but it isn't open to
general hunting and that's section 207.1.
Michael Gorra: It says later on in your ordinance that would apply to no
hunting area.
Councilman Boyt: In Section 207 which applies to no hunting areas, it says a
two month permit may be issued ar~ it says determined by the City Council by
resolution to be a definite problem in a specific area. And general hunting
doesn't currently fall into that so we're back to needing to amend the
ordinance to not blanket everything north of TH 5. I think you have some
reasonable arguments that you've made. I don't know that our current
ordinance allows us to open that up to general hunting and my interpretation
would be that our current ordinance doesn't. I think Roger's better qualified
to answer that one way or the other. I've heard you make arguments that you
can safely conduct a hunt. To me that's the overriding concern. If you can
safely conduct a hunt then I tend to agree with you that we should make some
arrangements so I would like to see us work in that direction. Right now, you
show us a Problem, the City Oouncil agrees that yes, that's a specific
probl~n.
Roger Knutson: lhat's what it said. Otherwise change the ordinance.
Councilman Johnson moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to deny the request for a
shooting permit north of TH 5 for Michael Gorra. All voted in favor of motion
and motion carried.
FRONT YARD SETBACK AND SHORELAND SETBACK VARIANCE REQUESTS, 8408 GREAT PLAINS
BLVD., AL KLINGELHUTZ.
The Board of Adjustments and Review passed this item unanimously at a meeting
held just prior to the City Council meeting. The DNR people said it was
alright as long as they didn't clearcut in front of the lake and they agreed
that that would be done.
REQUEST TO SUBDIVIDE .97 ACRES INTO 2 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS OF 22,100 AND 20,000
SQ. FT., IX)TS 1-3, SHORE ACRES, ROBERT ROGERS.
Jo Ann Olsen: The property is located on Lake Riley and previously they came
in for a three lot split which was denied by the Planning Commission and
Council. The applicant is now proposing to subdivide the property into two
52
47'
City Council Meeting - Sep~ 14, 1987
single family lots each with 19,4BB square feet_ The shoreland ordinance
requires riparian lots to have 20,000 square feet and therefore these would be
two non-conforming lots. The existing lot has enough square footage to meet
all the requirements and the proposed subdivision would be creating two non-
conforming lots. It would also be a self created hardship. Therefore, the
staff recommended denial. The Planning Ommnission recommended approval. ~hey
thought this was an improvement over the three lot subdivision and they felt
that these lots were comparable to the adjoining properties. Some of the
other properties along Lake Riley Blvd. are and t~ all. range arour~ 13,000
to 15,000 so the two lots of 19,400 actually would be larger than most of the
existing lots along Lake Riley. The property does have two sewer assessments
but again it's a self created hardship creating two non-conforming lots so
staff has to recon~ denial.
Councilman Johnson: I'm going to stick with what I've done everyplace else
even though this is one case where I really don't want to but for me to
continue being consistent on my hardship that I've argued against a lot of
variances on, I~ going to really stick with this. I wish we could fir~ a
way. On this one, the one thing that really bugs me is not knowing the high
water mark and they are so darn close. 600 lousy square feet out of 20,000.
4% or something like that. It's a tough call. Is there anyway they can get
1,200 square feet from their next door neighbor? How big is he?
Councilman Boyt: 13,000.
Mayor Hamilton: I think you have to remember one thing that this area has
been difficult to develop over the years and there were many small lots in
there years ago and we've worked hard over the years to try to clean up this
whole area to take lots that were rather unsightly and homes that were in very
difficult and deteriorating condition and to improve the property.
Fortunately we have had some property owners in there now who have done that.
They've taken lots and improved it tremendously. Even though the lots were
smaller in many cases than what we would like to have seen, it certainly was
an improvement to the neighborhood and there seemed no other way and Ign sure
there was no other way that those properties were going to develop without
going ahead with the smaller lot and putting a home on them that would improve
the neighborhood. I think this is certainly one of those cases ar~ you can't
always read the book, you have to use a little common sense and you have to
say this is an improvement to the City. It's an improvement to the
neighborhood and even though it may not meet the standards that we have
recently established for develo~ent, it certainly does improve our community
and it cleans up the neighborhood.
Councilman Johnson: Tom, is this acombination of a series of lots? Are any
of these lots currently buildable? Are they replatted? It seems like on your
drawing there's three lots and then a fourth single lot that's being combined
to fom tw~ lots.
Jo Ann Olsen: ~ney're all urger single ownership.
Councilman Johnson: So previous plattirg of this as four separate lots,
somebody could have come in and built four houses on there at this time, is
53
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
that correct?
Councilman Horn: Unti 1 the ordinance change.
Councilman Johnson: Our ordinance has changed. They were legal previously to
build four houses on there at s~me point?
Barbara Dacy: No, that's not correct.
Councilman Johnson: They've never been able to build four houses on those
four lots? I wish somebody can talk me into. I'm so darn close o~ this. To
say that the hardship is created by the lake and the lots amd the moving.
Mayor Hamilton: My comment was it's a benefit to the City and not always look
at what the book says.
Councilman Horn: I objected to three lots on this parcel but I have no
problem with two.
Councilman Boyt: I would have liked to have seen them come back in with the
lots at what was the high water line. I think they knew that. I'm disturbed
that item 7 says .97 acres when they're talking about the same piece of ground
that the last time it was considered and I thought that was 1984, was .9 acres
of ground. I think if it passes it passes because it's .9 acres in 1984. I
saw just a matter of a month ago accept a lot on Lake Riley that was something
in the neighborhood of 12,000 square feet. I don't know how in the world we
can turn around in good faith and now say to somebody who's combining lots,
you can't have it because it's 19,400 and it's not 20,000. I agree with you
on this kind of thing Jay generally but this is one where I guess I've swung
to the other side. In principal I support what you're saying. In
practicality, it's 3%. We've got the Planning Commission unanimously
supporting the passage of this. We've got Roger against it for the same
reason that Jay is against it. I think it makes sense and I'll vote for it.
Councilman Johnson: Bill, before Tom gets to try to talk me into this again,
I really do in my heart feel that there is a hardship here created by the land
and the lake. I am actually prepared to say that I believe this is unique in
comparison to other places in the town. I feel there is a hardship created by
the land and it's not the landowner trying to stuff too many houses into too
small of an area like we see has happened in others that we've denied where
they wanted to be 5 feet from the property line and everything like this. I
think when we do make this ordinance, we better show that we believe that
there is a hardship here and be able to say this is the hardship. Tne
hardship is caused because of the lake and the unknown lake levels. The
property owner has always thought he had 40,000 until the resurvey and
everything else.
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to approve the subdivision of
38,800 square feet into two single family lots of Case No. 84-17 with the
following conditions:
54
49
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
lo
Wood fiber blanket shall be utilized on all slopes greater than 3:1
ar~ erosion control shall be installed prior to construction of the
site o
e
A clearcutting plan shall be provided prior to any removal of trees
or shurbs.
e
All utilities shall be constructed consistent with the Citl~s urban
standards.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THE SEPTIC AND SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEM
SETBACK FRGM A WETLAND FROM 200 FEET TO 150 FEET, FIRST READING.
Mayor Hamilton: Does the Council ~ to have any further infomation from
staff? It seemed as though the report was quite clear and the reasons for it
were quite clear arxt the application was clear.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the first reading of
Zoning Ordinance Amer~ment ~87-5 to amend Article V, Section 24(13)(3) of the
Zoning Ordinance to read as follows:
o
Septic and soil absorption systems setbacks 150 feet from the
ordinary high water mark.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
RiD GRAMS PROPERTY, LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER (IF AUDtlBON ROAD AND LYMAND
BLVD.:
1. SUBDIVISION OF 73 ACRES INTO 6 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS AND ONE OUTL(~.
2. WETIAND ALTERATION PERMIT FOR DEVELOPMENT WITHIN 200 FEET OF A CLASS
A WETLAND.
Mayor Hamilton: Do w~ ~ Barbara's report on this?
Councilman Boyt: I don't think so.
Councilman Johnson: That 200 feet doesn't change in here? That's the w~tl~
ordinance, 200 feet?
Barbara Dacy: Given the Council's action on the previous ite~, condition 16.
Councilman Johnson: Of the subdivision request? That changes. But what I'm
saying is item 2, the w~tlands, that's still 200.
Barbara Dacy: That's correct.
55
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Horn: I only had one question on this one and that is, I didn't
see a report from the Public Safety Commission requesting the spccd limit
change. Until I see that, I can't endorse that.
Councilman Johnson: I think that's a separate issue too. That's my one
comnent on there.
Mayor Hamilton: Tnat is a separate issue. It was suggested as a separate
issue. What's the s~ limit there now, 50?
Barbara Dacy: It's 55 just north of Lyman Blvd. and as you get to TH 5 it's
50. That's a good point. If you want to refer that second issue to the
Public Safety Commission, that's more than appropriate. We just wanted to
suggest that as a condition because we're anticipating further develo~nent
along Audubon.
Mayor Hamilton: I just have one comment on the wetland alteration permit.
Several times it was noted in here that they are requesting a wetland
alteration permit and at the same time there is always a sentence in amongst
all the information we have there that says, no alteration is proposed as part
of this plat request. Why do you need a wetland alteration permit if no
change is proposed in the wetland? Tell me why. I don't understand that.
Barbara Dacy: The way the ordinance is phrased, it says any development
within 200 feet of a Class A wetland requires a permit and it's a general
phrase to include just about anything so the Council can take a good look at
what's being proposed. In this situation, these are 5 acre lots which is
really completely different than an urban sized development which has smaller
lots and more grading probably so it's just an extra thing for the city to
make sure that there are no impacts on the wetlands.
Mayor Hamilton: Along that line I was also interested to note Dr. Rockwell's
comments or recommendation that the wetlands were actually suitable for
alteration as it would improve the wildlife habitat. It would seem to me, if
that's the case, we perhaps should encourage the developer to make some
improvements. I don't know what kind of improvements they are or what the
developer might be willing to do but if in fact that would improve, we have an
opportunity here to improve a wetland as part of a development, why don't we
take advantage of it?
Barbara Dacy: Her suggestion was to create a small ponding area for wildlife
habitat.
Mayor Hamilton: I guess I throw t.hat out as a brief discussion item. We're
usually going the other way trying to keep everybody away from it. Here, as
Jay tried to point out one night, we're ruining them and now we have a chance
to improve one.
Councilman Johnson: There's two things. I do believe we do need a wetlands
alteration. There is a change. There's no alteration of the land going to be
made but the change is the use of the land. It's currently not used for
anything. Now it's going to be part of somebody's residence. It will be par~t
56
City Council Meeting - Segtember 14, 1987
of their backyard so there is a change in use of the wetland because it will
be within their lot. They're not going to be farming it anymore.
Mayor Hamilton: It doesn't matter but you're not touching the wetland. It's
a matter of s~nantics and I understand ~4~at you're saying.
Councilman Johnson: I do believe that when you have a chance to change a
wetland to improve the function of that wetland, it can be done. ~hat would
be a separate wetland alterati(~ permit than this one. This one permits the
development. If the developer at some point in the future decides he wants to
make that pond in there, he should bring in another wetland alteratio~ permit
or the person who owns it in the future.
Barbara Dacy: We could have this o~ file ar~ if that application came up
again, we would look at it then.
Councilman Boyt: I have a questior~ Trail dedication fees. It's referenced
in here that I think we're currently giving them back. I feel strongly about
trail dedication fees and I'd be happy to give them back if theI~ll build a
trail but if all they are giving us is an easement, I don't think we should be
giving them trail dedication fees back. And we're talking, to give you some
idea of the size of this issue, we're talking about $14~.00 and he's about
$160,000.00 house. I think the City can put that trail dedication fee to some
good use. He's not building the trails ar~ we should not grant him trail fee
reduction.
Mayor Hamilton: He's giving up the land. I certainly think that's worth
something.
Councilman Boyt: It's only an easement that he's giving up.
Mayor H~nilton: It's there so we can use it.'
Councilman Boyt: But we're not charging enough for the trail dedication fee
to buy land and build a trail. We're charging enough to build a trail.
Mayor Hamilton: But this being in a rural area where it's probably going to
be 100 years before we ever get a trail through that place and probably before
it's ever within the ~_3SA, I don't see how we're going to benefit.
Councilman Boyt: Tom, it would be very easy for us to establish a standard,
whether it's trail fees or p~rk fees, that we'll grant you some reduction when
you give us something that's worth dollars and cents. Ar~ we should be able
to go in there and build a trail. Now we can't build a trail across a 2 1/2
acre lot for $148.00 but I think the intention of it is to say to anybody, you
build the trails, you get reduced like we did tonight. You don't build the
trails than you don't get the reduction. I think it's a logical connection.
Mayor Hamilton: Except I think in the rural. ~here's always been a
differeniation betwe~ the rural and urban areas has there not?
57
City Council Meeting - Sep~r 14, 1987
Barbara Dacy: Mr. Mayor, all I can say is that was the Park and Recreation
action and they had been looking at the issue on other rural subdivisions
also. At this point, without Lori being here to explain it, if this is the
Council's desire to look at this issue in more detail, it can be a condition
of approval that we work with the applicant and the Park and Rec look at it
and bring it back.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't disagree with what you're saying but I guess I'd like
some clarification on the rural and urban.
Don Ashworth: It was items like this that the Park Commission had asked for
the joint meeting so I'm sure this will be addressed at that meeting. How to
resolve it this evening, I feel confident that the reason they put that in
there was in recognition of the 20 foot distance for the entire length.
Councilman Boyt's point is well taken in that it is an easement. It is not a
dedication. If this were a dedication you would look to a different situation
than solely an easement where you still have more usage. We did something
very similar to this, what's the plat right off of Chaska Road. It just came
through a month ago and there was a similar recommendation. Could had
approved in that fashion.
Gary Warren: Eight Acre W~ods.
Councilman Johnson: Tom, there is a movement to put a trail through this
property as they talk about along Bluff Creek. One of our planning
commissioners has walked Bluff Creek and Park and Rec is looking very
seriously at putting a nice walking trail the length of Bluff Creek as an
overall long term plan and this w~uld be part of getting that started.
Mayor Hamilton: This is a long ways away from Bluff Creek.
Councilman Johnson: No, Bluff Creek runs through this property.
Mayor Hamilton: The creek itself. You're talking Bluff Creek Road.
Councilman Johnson: No, I'm talking along the creek called Bluff Creek. He's
walked the entire area and it's suitable for paths.
Councilman Boyt: I'll certainly accept your idea of turning this back to Park
and Rec and I think if it followed our meeting and there was some sort of
consensus about how we wanted to handle these in the future.
Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the Subdivision
Request #87-25 subject to the preliminary plat stamped "Received July 23,
1987", directing the trail fee question back to the Park and Recreation
Cc~mnission and subject to the following conditions:
le
The cul-de-sac on the west end of the road shall be constructed and
maintained as a permanent facility.
.
The right-of-way width at the cul-de-sac shall be a 60 ft. radius
extending outward from the centerline of the cul-de-sac.
58
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
.
The proposed profile shall include a lar~irg area at the proposed
intersection with a grade of g.5% or less.
.
A sign indicatin~ the proposed intersection is to be posted north of
the intersection.
5. ~he access for Lot 6 is to be located 30~ feet north of L~a~an Blvd..
6. The access of Lot 5 should be located 7~ feet north of L~an Bl%x]..
7. No access will be allo~sd directly on to L~uan Boulevard.
.
Tbs applicant shall submit an Erosion Control Plan subject to the
approval of the City Engineer and individual erosion control and
grading plans shall be sulxnit~ on Lots 3, 4 ar~ 5 at the time of
building permit application.
.
All utilities amd roadways shall be cons~ consistent with the
City's rural standards.
A culvert shall be placed east of the '~u]~ble" of the cul-de-sac with
a sufficient volume of rip-rap to prevent erosion on the down stream
end of the culvert.
11.
Berms are to be constructed north of the proposed house pad and
septic systems on Lot 5 in such a manner to direct drainage away from
the sites.
12. Wood fiber blanket shall be utilized on all slopes greater than 3:1.
13.
The applicant shall apply for ard obtain permits from the Watershed
District, DNR and other appropriate regulatory agencies and colmnly
with their conditions of approval.
14.
Tn, applicant shall enter into a development contract ar~ provide the
City with the financial sureties required by this contract for proper
installation of these improvenents.
15.
Approval of setback variances for Lots 4 and 5 by the Board of
Adjustments and Appeals. If the variances are denied, the plat shall
be resut~itted to the Planning (km~ission.
16. C~liance with Park and Recreation Cc~mission action.
17.
Design of septic systems shall be reviewed at time of building permit
application in light of the report by resource engineers.
18. Not allow disposal of any waste materials in the wetland.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
59
54
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve Wetland Alteration
Permit $87-11 subject to the preliminary plat stamped "Received July 23, 1987"
and subject to the following conditions:
1. That the wetland area remain undisturbed.
e
The applicant must meet all conditions imposed by the City for
Subdivision Request $87-25.
Ail voted in favor and motion carried.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to direct the Public Safety
Commission to look at reducing the s~ limit to 45 mph along Audubon Road
from 400 feet north of the proposed intersection to Lyman Boulevard. All
voted in favor and motion carried.
Councilman Johnson: I think there are a lot of areas within town that the
Public Safety Commission should look at speed limits. In front of the grade
schools.
Mayor Hamilton: They're at 30 mph and that's as low as they can go.
Councilman Johnson: School zones you can go lower.
Mayor Hamilton: No you can not. You can post signs but it doesn't make any
difference.
WETLAND ALTERATION PERMIT REQUEST TO INSTALL A DOCK OVER A CLASS A WETLAND,
109 SANDY HOOK ROAD, THC~AS DOCZY.
Councilman Boyt: We can get along without a staff report on this one can't we?
Mayor Hamilton: I think so. It seems as though a walk is certainly the way
to go and that's not going to harm the wetland and chips should be just left
to rot away I suppose.
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to approve the Wetland
Alteration Permit $87-10 for the installation of the boardwalk through a Class
A Wetland with the following conditions:
l.
The boardwalk must be installed to the edge of the wetland vegetation
ar~ shall replace the existing woodchip trail.
1
There shall be no use of chemicals or dredging, filling or additional
alteration to ~ wetland without City, DNR and Corps of Engineers
approval.
e
The applicant shall submit a plan that shows the existing boundary of
the wetlands with the proposed ar~ existing boardwalk.
All voted in favor and motion carried.
60
City Council Meeting - Sept~n~r 14, 1987
ADOPTION OF APPENDIX E TO THE UNIFORM BUILDING CODE, R~QUIRING SPRINFr.RRS IN
Ar.r. NEW COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, FIRST READING.
Mayor Hamilton: I guess I'd like to say we reviewed this at tl~ Public Safety
Commission and everybody felt that it was probably a good idea except me and
there is a section in there that deals with residential, I believe,
sprinkling. I understood that you can not adopt Appendix E unless you adopt
the whole thing as it is writter~ You can't make changes ar~ there is a
section there dealing with sprinkling in residential.
Jim Chaffee: That's only for residences over 3,000 square feet.
Councilman Horn: We're going to have scxne of those.
Mayor Hamilton: See, I don't think we should sprinkle any residences.
Councilman Johnson: A 3,000 square foot residence is much more difficult to
fight a fire.
Mayor Hamilton: I still wouldn't want a sprinkler in my house. I thought Jim
that the whole Commission said they did not want to adopt the residential
portion.
Jim Chaffee: They were referring to the residential sprinkler ordinance that
I passed out last montl~ They were whole heartedly in favor of Apper~ix E
but they didn't want to touch the requiring all new consturction of
residential fam/ly homes.
·
Mayor Hamilton: I see it says 8,500 residential. That's apartments.
Councilman Boyt: That's offices ar~ secondary school.
Jim Chaffee: On the handout it's on page 4, under item 10. Group H-4,
occupancy of 3,000 or more require it.
Mayor Hamilton: I c~_n't agree with that.
Councilman Horn: I can't either.
Councilman Johnson: Group H-4 is repair garages.
Jim Chaffee: On page 19 Jay, it's the fourth page of your handout. The
fourth actual page, not the backside. It's the Department of ~%4minsitration
Building, Standards Division. That is the actual Appendix.
Councilman Boyt: H-4 occupancy. ~hat's an H-4 occupancy?
Councilman Johnson: I believe that's a repair garage.
Councilman Horn: That's a repair garage with a maximum square footage of
3,000 square feet. Welding and cutting operations as well as...
61
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Councilman Johnson: It would be an R-4.
Jim Chaffee: This doesn't include any residences at all.
Mayor Hamilton: That's what I was saying. If you look further back where it
says the standards, it says residential, apartments, hotels and dwellings.
Dwelling means of 8,500. I don't have a problem adopting the commercial
part of it but I sure have a problem with the residential.
Councilman Horn: Is R-3 a house?
Jim Chaffee: Yes, it's a house of 8,500 square feet or three stories.
Councilman Horn: Does that include the bas~nent?
Jim Chaffee: No, I don' t think that includes the basement.
Councilman Boyt: No it wouldn't.
Councilman Johnson: By the way, if you look closely on this chart, R-3
dwellings, you go straight over, there is no requirement under Appendix E. If
you go to the Appendix E, they only have it for R-1. 8,500 is for R-l, not
for R-3.
Councilman Horn: That' s right.
Councilman Johnson: Apartments and Hotels. If you look in the actual
Appendix which is right here, there is no R-3 at all mentioned within the
Appendix so we're not requiring any sprinkling in any residences as I can see
reading this.
Councilman Horn: Is that true Jim?
Jim Chaffee: When I wrote this up and I did the research I was under the
impression that there were two separate issues. One was the residential
sprinkler system and this had only to do with only commercial new
construction.
Councilman Horn: That would make me feel a lot better.
Councilman Boyt: Well, I pass it with that understanding. If that's not
true, we' 11 reconsider it.
Councilman Johnson moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to adopt the first reading
of Appendix E to the Uniform Building Code requiring sprinklers in all new
commercial construction with the understanding that single family residential
is not included in the R-3 and that staff will verify that before final
reading that that's the case. All voted in favor and motion carried.
TH 212 TASK FORCE, CITIZEN APPOINTMENT.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to appoint Mike Mulligan to
the TH 212 Task Force. All voted in favor and motion carried.
62
57
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
SOUTHWEST. COALITION OF C(IMMUNITIES.
Mayor Hamilton moved, Councilman Horn seconded to appoint Councilman Geving to
attend the meeting of the Southwest Coalition of Communities.' All voted in
favor and motion carried.
CONSENT AGENDA: JOINT CITY OgUS~IL/PARK AND R~CREATION ~SSION MRRTING.
Councilman Boyt stated he had a conflict with the date of September 29, 1987
for the joint City Council/Park and Recreation Commission meeting. ~he
Council decided to reschedule the joint meeting on October 7, 1987.
Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to schedule the date of
October 7, 1987 as the date for the joint meeting of the City Council ar~ Park
and Recreation Cc~mission. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Councilman Horn: I assume that under this number one, Comprehensive Trail
Plan, somebody's going to finally answer my question about bow we're going to
maintain all these trails. I've asked many times we 'not approve another trail
until somebody shows me how we can...
Councilman Johnson: I think that's a serious issue we ~ to take up.
Councilman Horn: We better not go approving all these things unless we know
how we're going to maintain the~. ~en Prairie isn't doing it.
CONSENT AGENDA: DANGm%0US DOG ODIn, FIRST READING.
Councilman Boyt: I thought Tom that we gave pretty clear direction at the
beginning of this that it was not limited to dogs. That we were interested in
dangerous animals really so the one recommendation that I would make is, that
everywhere you see dog in there, it's changed to animal. ~he other one,. I
think we're all in agreement that we're going to strike (d) as not being
necessary urn]er definition.
Councilman Johnson: I would like someone to look at the feasibility on this
$50,000.0~ worth of insurance. Once you declare an animal dangerous, is it
possible to get insurance?
Roger Knutson: I checked with about 10 to 15 insurance companies. Some yes,
Cour~ilman Johnson: So it is possible?
Roger Knutson: Some would say yes. Most would say no. The way this came
down, at least I ur~erstood my instructions were to be to come up with
scmething that was typed.
Mayor Hamilton: I think we have a better chance of winning any potential
lawsuit by having it dangerous animal. I guess that insurance thing, I kind
63
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
of agree with Jay. I don't know how we can enforce it.
Roger Knutson: One thing you can change. Some cities do have this right now.
This ordinance is modeled after an ordinance that was upheld after a court
challenge it in Kansas. To make it easier on insurance, you could take out
the requirement that the City, that clause that they have to give you 10 days
advance notice of being cancelled. Virtually every single homeowners policy
right now would cover that dog. It's part of your normal coverage. If they
find out that you have a dangerous dog, some of them might cancel you out so
if you just have a requirement that they bring in the insurance, a copy of
their insurance policy, anyone who has insurance will have no problem. The
only people that it will probably effect are people who live in apartments who
have no insurance right now and typical renters policy has some liability but
very, very modest. Under $100.00 a year. Very modest.
Councilman Johnson: If we're changing this to dangerous animal, when they
talk about leased and muzzled, pens and kennels and stuff, maybe we should
look at generisizing the language in here to where muzzles don't apply to all
animals. There may be some way to make it look slightly more generic. I have
some friends in Alabama that had rattlesnakes in their house. My last
question is on Section 578, it says registered with the Chanhassen Police
Department. Is that the Chanhassen Department of Public Safety?
Roger Knutson: Yes.
Councilman Johnson: I think we should change that. Is there anyway at this
time that our Fire Department knows when they're going into a home, whether
they're going into a home that's guarded by a Doberman or anything like this?
While it may not be part of this ordinance, I think we need to look at, if we
can just review our own dog registrations now because I think that's a serious
problem to be addressed here is the firemen responding to a fire to open the
door to meet a doberman or some other. But that's a sideline.
Jim Chaffee: With all that equip~nent the firemen have on, I don't think it
would worry them in the least.
Councilman Boyt moved, Councilman Horn seconded to approve the first reading
of the Dangerous Animal Ordinance as amended. All voted in favor and motion
carried.
Mayor Hamilton: I just had a question of Roger. When you say muzzled. I
think it's Great Britain has a muzzling ordinance and people walk their dogs
down the street with the muzzle hanging around their neck. Do we need to say
that the muzzle needs to be over the snout or s~nething?
Roger Knutson: In the appropriate place.
CONSIDER ASSESSMENT REIMBURSEMENT: KATHY SCHWARTZ, 790 PLEASANT VIEW ROAD.
Don Ashworth: I should make one note. That is, following the memorandum that
I wrote, I had Jean retrace the assessment history on this property and there
is a real question as to whether or not that she has paid that additional
64
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
assessment so if that affects your vote. What I would have Roger do is to
verify that chain of sales to determine whether or not she truly has that
additional assessment forthcc~irg. As we sit here right now, it appears as
though she does not.
Councilman Horn: So then there's no issue. So our motion would be to
reimburse is appropriate?
Don Ashworth: ~t~at's correct. Unless you want her to pursue the flag lot
option.
Mayor Hamilton: What's wrong with the flag lot option? I kind of like that
option. I think three lots fit in there quite well.
Councilman Johnson: She has the option to pursue that if she wants to.
Don Ashworth: It does cost her $150.g0 to $290.~0. Staff more or less
encouraged her not to make the application feeling that it would no be
received by the Planning C~mmission or City Council with the necessary votes
for passage.
Mayor Hamilton: I know she's trying to sell her property. F~r husband died
suddenly last fall and she's, I~ sure having s(m~e financial difficulties so I
know she has the property for sale..
Councilman Horn: Looking at the character of the neighborhood.
Mayor Hamilton: We kind of discussed this Kathy as to whether or not the
assessment had ~ paid. Apparently that's being researched to find out
whet3~r or not it has.
Kathy Schwartz: Yes it did.
Mayor Hamilton: I guess Don was not sure.
Kathy Schwartz: She looked it up ar~ she sent me a letter showing.
Don Ashworth: But there is a correction to that. I r~_~ to have Roger verify
through the whole chain of assessments on the property. The record that ~
referred to does not correspond with the original assessment rolls and so, my
statement to the City Council was that if t~ are going to, how did you state
that, it was approved conditioned upon me verifying that in fact that
assessment had ~_n paid.
Mayor Hamilton: If it has, then you'll be paid. I made a comment about your
proposed three lot subdivision and I know you've had your property for sale
and I don't know if you're serious about att~ing to go through with this.
Kathy Schwartz: With the three lots? Because of the c~mments that were made
here by Barb and me and comments she had from Roger,'that was pulled back.
That's why ~ cancelled c~ming before the Council.
65
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: I know staff didn't encourage you to do that and I know that
some of the council members have a problem with flag lot type of situations
but I didn't know if you had wanted to discuss that.
Kathy Schwartz: No.
Councilman Horn moved, Councilman Boyt seconded to reimburse the assessment to
Kathy Schwartz on the condition that the City Attorney verifies that in fact
the assessment was paid. All voted in favor and motion carried.
COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS:
Councilman Boyt: We discussed the possibilities of saving Kerber Barn and I
think it's an example of how communication can become foiled in the city when
everybody has good intentions but the barn is flat. To my knowledge it was
flattened without the knowledge of anybody in the city. Part of that is, I
suspect that we took a month to 6 weeks to try to get anywhere on it. I'm
disappointed that we didn't have a chance to pursue it further and I guess I
just bring it up with the thought of I don't know what problems this
identifies that we're having. Whether it's the staff not having sufficient
time, although I think the building inspector did get out and look at it or
whether it's the inability to communicate with developers or whether it's just
one of those things that fell through the cracks but we won't get another
chance at that one.
Mayor Hamilton: The other problem is, the developer can't wait forever and it
was right in the way of his construction. He waited a reasonable length of
time for something to happen, either to have it moved as you had suggested or
for the Fire Department to burn it down which is a slight source of irritation
for me too. It's the same barn but a different proposal and that was to burn
it down along with some of the other buildings and the developer offered our
Fire Department $800.00, as I understand it, to burn those buildings down and
they told him it wasn't enough. When I heard that I was just really upset. I
thought they are coming back here looking for money all the time to do their
things that they like to do but $800.00 to burn down a building that they
could practice on wasn't enough for them to do that. I know that that's true.
It came from a very reliable source. That just disturbed me. I thought dog
gone it, if that's the way they want to be, then I guess we'll need to tighten
up our belts a little bit and taker a harder look at what they're trying to
do.
Don Ashworth: Could you comment on that Jim? I wanted to get over this
afternoon and alert you that this question would be posed and I didn' t.
Jim Chaffee: How can I comment on that. I was aware that the Fire Department
was looking into burning one of the two barns. I'm not sure which one they
were looking into. I know they did discuss the cost associated with the
burning of the barn and if I remember my discussion right, they offered a sum
of money, that wasn't right either. Tney didn't offer a sum of money when I
was approached with the question. They wanted to burn it down without any
apparatus from the Fire Department standing by and the Fire Department would
66
Ci%yCouncil Meeting - Sep~ 14, 1987
not do that ar~ I would have to agree with that. If they're going to burn a
structure of that size they should have at least one pumper standing by. I
don't recall tbs issue of money coming up.
Don Ashworth: What about the other question? You were going to have the
building inspector go out and take a look at it. There were questions as to
whether or not we should save that type of a building, primarily the
structural portions associated with it.
Jim Chaffee: Roger, I believe did go out and look at both hams ar~ as far as
structure goes, he was not sure whether, t~ were structurally sour~ but
whether or not it was affordable to make them aesthetically pleasing, he
wasn't sure about that but as far as structure, I believe that he thought they
were structurally sound. Is that contrary to what?
Don Ashworth: No, but I think I do owe the Council an apology in that we did
not get that information back to them so that we could have then made a
decision one way or the other to tell the developer to leave ~, meaning we
had to start renegotiating the ~nount of park and open space, etc. or not.
Jim Chaffee: Weren't there two barns w~ were looking at?
Don Ashworth: Yes, there are two barns on the property.
Jim Chaffee: We may be getting our barns mixed up here.
Councilman Boyt: That's all I had on that item. Goals for budget meeting. As
I think we picked up in Don's memo about the upcoming budget meeting, I would
suggest that each of us think about, besides from what our alternatives are.
The only way I can see getting through that is if we have a pretty clear
agrc~-n~ ent about what our goals are. Clearly I don't think we have the money
to do all the things that are on that list and some of those decisions are
going to be pretty hard so I would be open to some ideas on how we might be
able to develop some goals before we get into looking at the alternatives for
our meeting. Any ideas on developing these goals?
Councilman Horn: It -__~cms like to me that we should set up some kind of
financial goals in terms of mil rate.
Mayor Hamilton: I think what we've normally done in the past, which doesn't
mean it's right, but you back into your budget really. You know how many
dollars you have to sper~ and then you allocate it to different areas that you
feel you need to sperm] it in.
Councilman Horn: That's not the way industry does it.
Mayor Hamilton: I know it's not the way industry does it but they don't live'
urger the same type of situations that the government does. We only have a
certain number of dollars to sperm] and the tax dollars that c~ne in from
property taxes and that's what we ~ to allocate somehow to keep the city
running but there are priority areas where we ~ to s~ money. Don and I
have talked quite a bit about that already and hopefully we'll be in agreement
67
City Council Meeting - Sept~ber 14, 1987
by the time we get around to budget time as to where we think the dollars
ought to go.
Don Ashworth: I misunderstood your comments earlier today. I thought you
were saying we should have a way for the councilmembers to share some of the
things they would like to see in the 1988 budget so I suggested if there are
certain things you would like to see, potentially if you got those to me by
Friday, I could make sure that everyone had a copy of those so everyone could
share those areas that you felt were important and Clark, etc.. If the
question is really looking at the bigger items, meaning the expanion onto City
Hall, community center, trail system, I can develop goals and have those ready
for Monday night for you to take a look at as a part of how you're going to
look at those bigger items. Suggested items that you have to kick around.
Mayor Hamilton: This is just the first past.
Don Ashworth: I would like to see Don's suggestions as to how he believes we
should go at it.
Councilman Boyt: I would certainly like to see what you're proposing Don. My
feeling is, it's awfully hard to make a decision if we don't know where we're
trying to go.
Councilman Johnson: I think that's what Monday night's meeting is really for
is to set those goals and get a real feel for what we're looking at. It would
be hard to set the goals prior to getting all the data.
Mayor Hamilton: It depends if you're talking about the general fund or
everything else, like Don is saying, there are several different aspects. If
you want to look at the general fund and how you're going to spend the dollars
there, that's pretty well cut and dry. If you want to look at all the other
funds and where they're going and what our goals and objectives are going to
be further down the road, than that's a whole different picture.
Councilman Boyt: My understanding of the meeting on Monday is to look at the
general fund, isn't that correct? And we do have to make, at least give some
preliminary sort of signals about where we'd like to see that money
distributed. It would be helpful to me to have, and I think to us as a group,
to have a clear agreement on goals and kind of where we're headed here. Are
we headed to encouraging growth? Are we headed to encouraging whatever the
other alternatives are before we get neck deep in our alternatives because
once we're in there, then everybody's got their favorite alternative and it
becomes very hard to step back and look at the strengths of each one of them
when we're trying to defend our own favorite.
Councilman Johnson: The first thing on the agenda for Monday night should be
looking at the concept.
Don Ashworth: As I proposed that agenda, getting into an operating budget you
do have to consider the capital portion. We have these major requests from
groups out there who are inundating this in terms of potentially community
center, potentially trails. I set that agenda up so you could start getting a
68
City (~ouncil Meeting - September 14, 1987
perspective for what was being requested from these various groups, what the
total monetary impact of those would be, and this is really where I thought
that the goal section would come ir~ How do we deal with these issues ar~ can
we do it? That's really what it comes down to. Can we accomplish some of
these things that are being propsoed? Once those questions are answered,
then answering the operational budget, that you brought out earlier Tom,
beoanes a much easier task.
Councilman Horn: I think the thing we always miss, we always get caught off
guard on is, we look at the capital items but we never measure the impact of
what they're going to have on our operational items. Trail system is a prime
example of that. W~ can say, oh well, that's a capital item but what we have
to look at is, years down the road that thing's going to be costing us money
to maintain ~ that should all come up at the same time. Typically we don't
see that.
Don Ashworth: In the same way, the addition on the public works does change
your operational budget for public works. You have to light it ar~ sewer and
water. I've had some impacts, or slowing down on the operational budget
because I need to clarify s~ae of these capital issues as well. ·
Mayor Hamilton: Jay, you had scamething about the agenda.
Councilman Johnson: Yes, wording on the agenda, both the one that's published
in the South Shore and this one. I'm not sure if there's something in the
South Shore or not that says this is a preliminary agenda. I think there's
something about that. Tentative age~da. A lot of people think that's pretty
firn~ They show u~ Is there some place, do we post the age~la? Could we
say the actual agenda will be posted on such and such a bullentin board at
such and such a location on Friday afternoon so somebody coming in to look at
i~em 15 says I'll come in about 10:00 and look at that and they get here at
10:00 and the it~n isn't even on the agenda.
Don Ashworth: What if we put something like please call after noon on Fridays
to verify the items.
Councilman Johnson: Okay, then the other item was, when we discussed the
consent agenda I think a simple little, we've got this little paragraph that
talks about visitor presentation, council procedures allows such and suclL I
think on the consent agenda, because what we're passing on the consent agenda
is staff recommendations for these items on the consent agenda, I think that
should be right down underneath that line that says consent ager~a should be
an explanation of that to get around what B~, Burdick was harping on. I don't
believe he was correct but this would close that door. In effect, we approved
item l(a) with a whole bunch of conditions and so we need some kind of
statement saying that these are approval of the staff's recommendations on
these items with their conditions. That should be. looked at and made clear to
the public what a consent agenda is. It's clear to us because we work with it
but the public may be very well confused on it and think something got passed.
Like the rec(mxmendation on (o) today, if we'd left it on the ager~]a was to
take it off the agenda.
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City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Mayor Hamilton: Can you look at that Barb or Don?
Don Ashworth: I' 11 call Jay tomorrow.
Mayor Hamilton: I had Frontier Trail, I've had a request from some of Bill's
neighbors to open up Frontier Trail, 'to remove the mound of dirt that's there
to allow traffic to flow freely through there and to allow people to walk
through there. This weekend is St. Hubert's Fall Festival and they're having
some kind of run and apparently that's on their route and they would like to
be able to run down that street.
Councilman Boyt: Todd said they changed it.
Mayor Hamilton: I just had a call today so if they changed it, it had to be
between 4: 00 and 7: 00.
Todd Gerhardt: She called and I think she was getting with Lori tomorrow
morning to talk maybe about an alternative route because of the traffic on
Frontier Trail and with that mound there.
Gary Warren: We moved the mound further down the road so they can't by pass
it anymore without taking out a bunch of bushes so it is much more obstructive
situation.
Mayor Hamilton: When are we planning on opening it? There are people living
in there now that I think would probably like to use it.
Gary Warren: I was planning, the conditions of approval required Frontier
Trail not to be used for construction traffic and the erosion controls for the
4th Addition will be building in there through the rest of the season...
councilman Horn: Are you talking about housing construction or road
construction?
Gary Warren: It's not specific. Quite honestly the housing construction with
the framing trucks and block trucks are as destructive as the other.
Mayor Hamilton: I see no reason why you can't post that and say it's a road
not to be used by construction traffic and if you use it you'll be tagged.
Then the residents who are living there while the construction is going on
will be free to use that street and feel like they're part of the con~nity.
Councilman Boyt: There is, not living on Frontier, all I can tell you is you
saw this road full of people who didn't want that road to go through at all
and the council responded by saying in part, we'll block that road during
construction.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't think we said we'd block it during home construction.
I was concerned about the road construction.
councilman Boyt: What we said was even in the very early stages of that
development we had people going down Frontier Trail who were in pick-ups who
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City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
were working for that group who were completely unreasonable with their spcc~.
I asked Jim a month ago, give me a plan? He's got a lot of things on his
desk, about how we can control the spcc~ on Frontier Trail. I don't think we
can do it. Eventually it is going to be opened and this was a means of sort
of placating the neighborhood. Now I~ sure that there are maybe 5 or 10
people who would like to see that thing go through. I would like to see it
go through but I'll guarantee you that this room will fill up with people who
do not want to see that go through before it has to.
Mayor Hamilton: I don't think you'll see it fill up. I guess I disagree with
that. I mean you can go out and recruit them to come in but I don't think
people would come here ar~ sit here and say they don't want that road to go
through and they don't want people who are supposedly going to be their
neighbors to be able to be a part of the community ar~ that's exactly what
we're doing. We're saying we don't want you to drive through our
neighborhood. We're going to put a mound of dirt up here so you can't enter
our neighborhood. You're not good enough for us.
Councilman Boyt: That's not the issue at all.
Councilman Horn: I don't ever recall that we said we were going to block the
road. I know we said we were going to do what we could to keep construction
traffic out of there but I don't recall putting berms and things across the
street.
Gary Warren: If I remember the item correctly, it was phrased to say that the
construction traffic will be restricted to access the site from Kerber Blvd.
and because of the difficulty that we have had in enforcing that, not so much
the utility construction that we had out there. Jedlecki cooperated pretty
well in that regard but the building construction, we've taken this matter...
Councilman Horn: Do what Excelsior did, put a stop sign every block. You
don't have to put a mound of dirt out there.
Barbara Dacy: The Council should be aware that I had a couple of calls this
morning and we continue to have these on a regular basis, but we started out
with a simply sawhorse ar~ they were beginning to drive on lawns and so on.
Councilman Johnson: I know on the south side of ~ Vista it was blocked and
Council, last year's Council, did specify that Chan Vista would be blocked ar~
they blocked it with haybales. The watershed district permit said that they
would have a pile of dirt there for the runoff to silt through. The haybales
resulted in people driving through John Pryzmus' yard until they took the
haybales dow~ ar~ they just drove around.
Mayor Hamilton: I'm just passing that comm~ ent. ~he next item is West 78th
Street update. We've ~ wrestling with this item mightedly the last three
weeks. It was three days it was going to be closed. Not it's over three
weeks. They are open but when they're open they're not operu They're ope~ if
you want to lose your car in a hole. Perhaps you can tell us what's
happening o
71
City Council Meeting - September 14, 1987
Gary Warren: They're starting to rock on it and basically the road is open.
The contractor, his intent and our intent is to try to get curbing up there
and get a paved surface here this week so we can get a finished product so to
speak. We will be, in fact tomorrow, starting with...putting the utilities
underneath the road near TH 101 and bringing them up to... Basically he has
opened up West 78th Street for now.
Mayor Hamilton: Todd told me tonight that he's kind of been stopped now
because he does't have the right kind of forms to do the curb and it's going
to take him two weeks to find them or something. Well, not stopped but he
can't proceed as fast as he would normally because he can't put the curb in
and it's things like that I think ought to be brought to our attention. Tne
Council deserves to know those kind of things are happening so that when
people ask us, why is it taking 3 weeks instead of 3 days to do the project
and it will probably last another 6 weeks, we'll have some idea of something
to say to the people who are questioning this. So if it's a legitimate
reason, that's fine but if you don't inform us than it's a little hard for us
to respond.
Gary Warren: The intent all along has been to get West 78th Street rocked and
open. Not paved and open and that's what we've done. The mold that he needs
for the curb, because it's special curb, that is coming here in a week but
that in no way is really holding up the project. I guess if I thought it was
of a magnitude I would have certainly informed the Council but that's minor.
Mayor Hamilton: It's just another one of those things that people are now
saying, well it's open and you're driving on it so when are they going to pave
it. The questions just come in progression. Now the street's open, now when
is it going to get paved and when is the rest of it going to be done. When's
the entrance to the bank going to be open? Those people have ~n very
patient without their normal entrance to the bank and now they're getting a
little impatient.
Gary Warren: The contractor is willing and intends to do piecemeal paving and
curbing as the area is ready and we intend to put the pressure on to do that
but the emphasize at this point has been to get it rocked and opened so we can
get, the real key to the public utilities has ~-~_n to do the dags on TH 101
and that's really...
Mayor Hamilton: I don't know if the Council has seen what some of the
alternatives are to West 78th Street when it's closed but, I guess if I had
known this whole project was going to be this frustrating as it has been and
it's just getting started, I would never have voted for it.
Mayor Hamilton stated that Friday evening he attended the opening of Paisley
Park Studios. He met the three people who run the studio and they presented a
plaque to the City.
Mayor Hamilton: The last item is we were given a suggested generic
proclamation for the Nations Governor's and Mayor's. I don't know if you had
a chance to read through it but you perhaps if it looks pretty good you might
72
City Council Meeting - Sep~ 14~ 1987
want to pass that so we can all say the Pledge of Allegiance on september
16th.
Councilman Horn moved, Mayor Hamilton seconded to approve the proclamation for
the Nations Governors and Mayors for september 16, 1987. All voted in favor
ar~ motion carried.
Councilman Horn moved, Councilman Boyt seconded to adjourn. All voted in
favor and motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 p.m..
Sukmit~ by Don Ashworth
City Manager
Prepared by Nann Opheim
73