CC Packet 2006 03 20AGENDA
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2006
CHANHASSEN MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 7700 MARKET BOULEVARD
5:30 P.M. - CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, FOUNTAIN CONFERENCE ROOM
Note: If the City Council does not complete the work session items in the time allotted, the
remaining items will be considered after the regular agenda.
A. Interview Applicants for Commissions:
5:15 p.m. - Ron Olsen, Environmental Commission
5:30 p.m. - Pat McGough, Senior Commission
5:45 p.m. - John Schevenius, Environmental Commission
6:00 p.m. - Kurt Papke, Planning Commission
6:15 p.m. - Anne Murphy, Park & Recreation Commission
6:30 p.m. - Jeff Daniel, Park & Recreation Commission
B. Key Financial Strategies - Police Contract Benchmarks.
7:00 P.M. – REGULAR MEETING, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CALL TO ORDER (Pledge of Allegiance)
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONSENT AGENDA
All items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine by the city council and will
be considered as one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is
desired, that item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately. City
council action is based on the staff recommendation for each item. Refer to the council packet for
each staff report.
1. a. Receive Commission Minutes:
- Park & Recreation Commission Summary Minutes dated February 28, 2006
- Park & Recreation Commission Verbatim Minutes dated February 28, 2006
b. 2006 Sealcoat Project No. 06-02: Award of Bid.
c. Item Deleted (Stonefield: Approval of Final Plat, Plans & Specs, and
Development Contract)
d. Approval of 2006 Liquor License Renewals.
e. 2006 Street Improvement Project 06-01: Approve Plans & Specifications;
Authorize Advertising for Bids
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
1.5 Mike Fahey, Board of Directors, Community Youth Center in Chaska
LAW ENFORCEMENT/FIRE DEPARTMENT UPDATE
2a. Sgt. Jim Olson, Carver County Sheriff's Department
2b. Chief Gregg Geske, Fire Department
PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
3. HALLA GREENS (aka Chanhassen Short Course), Located on the Southeast Corner of
Great Plains Boulevard and Pioneer Trail, Applicant: John Kosmas: Request for Site Plan
Amendment and Variances for the Construction of a Golf Course.
NEW BUSINESS - None
COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS
CORRESPONDENCE SECTION
ADJOURNMENT
A copy of the staff report and supporting documentation being sent to the city council will be
available after 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. Please contact city hall at 952-227-1100 to verify that
your item has not been deleted from the agenda any time after 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.
GUIDELINES FOR VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
Welcome to the Chanhassen City Council Meeting. In the interest of open communications, the Chanhassen City
Council wishes to provide an opportunity for the public to address the City Council. That opportunity is provided
at every regular City Council meeting during Visitor Presentations.
1. Anyone indicating a desire to speak during Visitor Presentations will be acknowledged by the Mayor.
When called upon to speak, state your name, address, and topic. All remarks shall be addressed to the
City Council as a whole, not to any specific member(s) or to any person who is not a member of the City
Council.
2. If there are a number of individuals present to speak on the same topic, please designate a spokesperson
that can summarize the issue.
3. Limit your comments to five minutes. Additional time may be granted at the discretion of the Mayor. If
you have written comments, provide a copy to the Council.
4. During Visitor Presentations, the Council and staff listen to comments and will not engage in discussion.
Council members or the City Manager may ask questions of you in order to gain a thorough
understanding of your concern, suggestion or request.
5. Please be aware that disrespectful comments or comments of a personal nature, directed at an individual
either by name or inference, will not be allowed. Personnel concerns should be directed to the City
Manager.
Members of the City Council and some staff members may gather at Houlihan’s Restaurant & Bar, 530 Pond Promenade in Chanhassen immediately
after the meeting for a purely social event. All members of the public are welcome.
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Commission Interviews Report.doc
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
DATE: March 20, 2006
SUBJ: Commission Interviews
The second round of Commission interviews has been scheduled for Monday, March 20
in the Fountain Conference Room. The following schedule has been established:
a. 5:30 p.m. – Pat McGough, Senior Commission
b. 5:45 p.m. – John Schevenius, Environmental Commission
c. 6:00 p.m. – Kurt Papke, Planning Commission (incumbent)
d. 6:15 p.m. – Anne Murphy, Park & Recreation Commission (incumbent)
e. 6:30 p.m. – Jeff Daniel, Park & Recreation Commission
Senior Commission: Three 3-year positions exist on this commission (a total of 4
applications have been received).
Park & Recreation Commission: Two 3-year positions are available on this
commission (a total of 3 applications have been received).
Environmental Commission: Three 3-year positions are available on this commission
(1 application has been received and two others listed the Environmental Commission
as an alternate).
Staff has prepared a list of potential questions to ask applicants, as well as a proposed
scoring sheet for your use.
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Police Benchmarks Report.doc
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM: Justin Miller, Assistant City Manager
DATE: March 13, 2006
RE: Key Financial Strategies – Police Contract Benchmarks
BACKGROUND
One of the items identified as a priority in this year’s Key Financial
Strategies/Strategic Planning process was the establishment of benchmarks for
evaluating the police contract with Carver County. Below are comparisons from
2003-2005 in areas that the Carver County Sheriff’s Office keeps track of.
Criminal Service Calls
2005 2004 2003
Assault 65 51 37
Burglary 57 53 52
Drug Violation 52 28 34
Homicide 0 0 0
Misc. Criminal 106 152 145
Property Damage 222 290 334
Robbery 0 3 2
Sex Crime 6 10 15
All Theft* 420 500 528
Traffic Alcohol** 86 201 149
Total Criminal
Calls for Service
1,014 1,288 1,296
* This includes theft related (identity theft, credit card, bad checks, etc.)
which jumped from 23 in 2004 to 79 in 2005
** Reporting changed from 2004 to 2005. Previously included reports of
possible drunk drivers, now includes only actual arrests
Non-Criminal Service Calls
(Includes 35 categories such as auto accidents, motorist assistance, medical,
snowmobile, boat and water, traffic, missing persons, unlocking vehicles, etc.)
2005 2004 2003
12,650 11,565 10,742
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Police Benchmarks Report.doc
Traffic Accidents and Enforcement
2005 2004 2003
Property Damage
Accidents
625 590 565
Personal Injury
Accidents
82 86 103
Fatalities 3 0 3
Total Accidents 710 676 671
Enforcement –
Total Citations
3,220 2,234 2,223
Chanhassen Share of Fine Revenues (Prosecuted Cases)
2005* 2004* 2003
$92,515 $52,849 $29,601
* Beginning in 2004, the City began using Campbell Knutson, P.A. for
prosecution services. In years 2003 and before, the city received 1/3 of
fine revenue, with the state and county receiving the other 2/3. Under the
contract with Campbell Knutson, the City now receives 2/3 of fine
revenues. 2004 and 2005 payments to Campbell Knutson for prosecution
services were roughly $20,000/year.
One recommendation of the public safety study completed last year by Ehlers and
Associates was to begin a formal customer service feedback process. In February
2006, staff began sending customer service surveys to randomly selected
recipients of our public safety services. A copy of the survey is attached to this
report. It is still too early to gather any meaningful data from the surveys that
have been returned, but staff anticipates providing the City Council and Carver
County Sheriff’s Office a full report once enough responses are submitted.
Staff believes that by monitoring the data detailed above that we will be able to
ensure that the City of Chanhassen continues to receive quality law enforcement
services from the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Bud Olson and
Sergeant Jim Olson plan to attend the March 20th work session to further discuss
any issues the council may have.
City of Chanhassen
Public Safety
Customer Feedback Questionnaire
1) For each of the following statements, please indicate whether you strongly agree,
somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree by circling the appropriate letter(s) to
the right.
2) If you were dissatisfied with any of the above items, please tell us why:
3) If there was one thing you could change about how we served you, what would it be?
4) Please tell us the name of any staff who did a particularly good or unsatisfactory job:
5) Do you have any additional comments or suggestions?
Strongly
Agree
Somewhat
Agree
Somewhat
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Not
Applicable
A. I received prompt service. SA A D SD NA
B. The employee(s) were courteous. SA A D SD NA
C. The employee(s) were
knowledgeable and competent.
SA A D SD NA
D. The employee(s) seemed
interested in providing me with
quality service.
SA A D SD NA
E. My request or case received
adequate follow-up.
SA A D SD NA
F. Overall, I was satisfied with the
quality of service I received.
SA A D SD NA
Dear Public Safety Customer:
In order to provide the best possible service to our
customers – the residents, visitors, and businesses
of Chanhassen – we are requesting your feedback
on how we served you. You recently had contact
with one or more employees from the Carver
County Sheriff’s Office or City of Chanhassen
staff. Please take a moment to complete this
questionnaire. Your input will be valuable in
helping us maintain high quality public safety
services. To return the questionnaire, simply
refold this mailer, tape it closed, and return it to
the address shown. Thank you!
City of Chanhassen
P.O. Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
City of Chanhassen
Attn: Assistant City Manager
P.O. Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Continued from other side
6) Was some kind of enforcement action taken against you (for example, a citation or an order to
correct a code violation)? _____ Yes _____ No
7) I am a …___Chanhassen resident ___Nonresident ___Local business person or contractor
□Check this box if you would like someone to contact you as a follow-up to concerns you have
raised in the questionnaire. Please include your name and daytime phone number.
Name:_______________________________ Phone Number:________________________
CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
SUMMARY MINUTES
FEBRUARY 28, 2006
Chairman Stolar called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m..
MEMBERS PRESENT: Glenn Stolar, Paula Atkins, Ann Murphy, Steve Scharfenberg and
Jack Spizale
MEMBERS ABSENT: Tom Kelly and Kevin Dillon
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; and Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation
Superintendent
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Todd Neils 990 Saddlebrook Curve 401-8950
Shawn Siders Town & Country Homes
Kevin Clark 7615 Smetana Lane, Suite 180, Eden Prairie 253-0462
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Murphy moved, Scharfenberg seconded to approve the
agenda amended to move items 6 and 7 before new business. All voted in favor and the
motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: None.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Scharfenberg moved, Murphy seconded to approve the
verbatim & summary minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission meeting dated
January 24, 2006 as presented.
LIBERTY AT CREEKSIDE, TOWN & COUNTRY HOMES: RECOMMENDATION
CONCERNING PARK AND TRAIL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED EAST OF AUDUBON ROAD, NORTH OF PIONEER TRAIL AND
NORTHWEST OF FUTURE HIGHWAY 312 (1500 PIONEER TRAIL).
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item. Shawn Siders with Town and Country
Homes presented their configuration for trails on the site. Commissioner Murphy asked for an
explanation of how the process will work for approving the trail configuration. Chairman Stolar
asked for clarification on cost implications, long term maintenance costs and environmental
impacts. Commissioner Spizale asked for clarification of the contours along the creek bed.
Park and Rec Summary – February 28, 2006
2
Murphy moved, Atkins seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommends
that the City Council require the following conditions of approval concerning parks and
trails for Liberty at Creekside subdivision.
1. The payment of full park dedication fees at the rate in force upon final plat approval in lieu
of parkland dedication.
2. The applicant shall provide all design, engineering, construction and testing services
required of the “Bluff Creek Trail”. All construction documents shall be delivered to the
Park and Recreation Director for approval prior to the initiation of each phase of
construction. The trail shall be ten feet in width, surfaced with bituminous material and
constructed to meet all city specifications. The applicant shall be reimbursed for the actual
cost of construction materials for the Bluff Creek trail. This reimbursement payment shall
be made upon completion and acceptance of the trail and receipt of an invoice
documenting the actual costs for the construction materials utilized in it’s construction.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
Todd Hoffman noted that staff will work with the applicant and all interested parties to provide a
resolution regarding trails to the Park and Recreation Commission at their March meeting.
RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING 2006 BALLFIELD IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS.
Todd Hoffman reviewed the findings and recommendations for the 2006 ballfield improvement
projects. Todd Neils, President of Chanhassen Little League asked for clarification on the
dugout construction. Chairman Stolar suggested seeking community support to help complete
some of the improvements, i.e. field lighting, and shelter construction. The commission
prioritized projects starting with netting at Bandimere, dugouts and trail connections. There was
no action taken on this item.
RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING REACH FOR RESOURCES ADAPTIVE
RECREATION CONTRACT.
Jerry Ruegemer presented the staff report on this item as an informational item only.
RILEY-PURGATORY-BLUFF CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT: REVIEW
REQUEST FOR A WETLAND ALTERATION PERMIT FOR EXCAVATION AND
MAINTENANCE OF FIVE (5) STORM WATER PONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF
IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN RICE MARSH LAKE AND LAKE RILEY
WATERSHEDS. (THREE OF THE FIVE PONDS ARE LOCATED WITHIN RICE
MARSH LAKE PARK.)
Todd Hoffman reviewed the proposed storm water pond projects as an informational item only.
Park and Rec Summary – February 28, 2006
3
PETERSON PROPERTY, D.R. HORTON: RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING
PARK AND TRAIL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY LOCATED
NORTH OF PIONEER TRAIL (1600 PIONEER TRAIL), AT FUTURE HIGHWAY 312.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item. Commissioner Spizale asked for
clarification of what’s included in the conceptual drawing for the park. Commissioner
Scharfenberg asked about trail connections to the park. Chair Stolar asked to see what the actual
density per real parkland is given all the plats in the 2005 MUSA area.
Scharfenberg moved, Murphy seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission
recommend that the City Council require the following conditions of approval concerning
parks and trails for the Peterson subdivision:
1. The designation of a 4.72 acre neighborhood park site, including Outlot H and Lot 1,
Block 4. This property shall be transferred to the City by Warranty Deed with 3.79 acres
of the site being dedicated/donated by the applicant/owner and the remaining 0.93 acres
being purchased by the City of Chanhassen. The City shall compensate the owner/
applicant $218,550 in total compensation for said 0.93 acres.
2. That the applicant rough grade and cover seed the park site and construct a 20 stall parking
lot for an additional not to exceed payment of $50,000 from the City. The parking lot shall
include insurmountable curb. Construction plans for all improvements within the borders
of the park shall be submitted to the Park and Recreation Director for approval prior to
initiating construction of these improvements. All material and labor costs are
reimbursable. Design, engineering and testing services associated with these
improvements shall be provided by the applicant.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
BOULDER COVE: RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING PARK AND TRAIL
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY LOCATED ON NORTH OF
HIGHWAY 7, EAST OF CHURCH ROAD AND SOUTH OF WEST 62ND STREET.
Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item.
Murphy moved, Spizale seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend
that the City Council approve that full park fees in lieu of parkland dedication and/or trail
construction be collected as a condition of approval for Boulder Cove. The park fees shall
be collected in full at the rate in force upon final plat submission and approval. All voted
in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
RECREATION PROGRAM REPORTS:
2006 EASTER EGG CANDY HUNT. Jerry Ruegemer presented the report on the Easter Egg
Candy Hunt and asked for volunteers.
Park and Rec Summary – February 28, 2006
4
DADDY DAUGHTER DATE NIGHT EVALUATION. Jerry Ruegemer reviewed the Daddy
Daughter Date Night events.
FEBRUARY FESTIVAL EVALUATION. Jerry Ruegemer reviewed the February Festival
activities. Chairman Stolar suggested adding another runner sheet to the prize board, and asked
for clarification on some of the different prizes. Commissioner Atkins asked about the fee to the
Minnesota Gambling Control Board.
COMMISSION MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS. Chair Stolar reported on the final
meetings of the Surface Water Management Task Force.
Spizale moved, Murphy seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the
motion carried. The Park and Recreation Commission meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
FEBRUARY 28, 2006
Chairman Stolar called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m..
MEMBERS PRESENT: Glenn Stolar, Paula Atkins, Ann Murphy, Steve Scharfenberg and
Jack Spizale
MEMBERS ABSENT: Tom Kelly and Kevin Dillon
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; and Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation
Superintendent
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Todd Neils 990 Saddlebrook Curve 401-8950
Shawn Siders Town & Country Homes
Kevin Clark 7615 Smetana Lane, Suite 180, Eden Prairie 253-0462
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Stolar: Todd and I just talked about that for, we’d like to move old business before new business
so that our guests in the audience could have a chance to speak earlier and not wait through the
entire meeting so item 6 and 7 will be the first ones we cover.
Murphy moved, Scharfenberg seconded to approve the agenda amended to move items 6
and 7 before new business. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a
vote of 5 to 0.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: None.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Scharfenberg moved, Murphy seconded to approve the
verbatim & summary minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission meeting dated
January 24, 2006 as presented.
LIBERTY AT CREEKSIDE, TOWN & COUNTRY HOMES: RECOMMENDATION
CONCERNING PARK AND TRAIL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED EAST OF AUDUBON ROAD, NORTH OF PIONEER TRAIL AND
NORTHWEST OF FUTURE HIGHWAY 312 (1500 PIONEER TRAIL).
Hoffman: Thank you Chair Stolar, members of the commission. We have a number of
development reviews this evening. The first one we’ll talk about is Liberty at Creekside. The
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
2
applicant is Town and Country Homes. We have a couple of their representatives here this
evening. They’ll speak in a few moments. This is one of the properties in the 2005 MUSA area
that the commission is becoming more familiar with this region of our community. It travels
south of Lyman Boulevard and then back east off of Audubon and is basically a triangular
shaped piece of property, very large piece of property for what’s left in the city as far as vacant
land. And then the southern border, the new Highway 212 corridor. This development is
proposed to be 146 residential townhomes. It’s the old Jeurissen farm. Anyone that’s familiar
with that property. Our comprehensive plan calls for 1 acre of usable parkland be set aside for
every 75 residents. Liberty at Creekside as proposed will result in an estimated 292 residents or
close to 300 new residents moving into Chanhassen. Therefore we generate 3.89 acres of new
parkland if we selected to take, elected to take parkland in this particular region of the
community. However our comprehensive plan also identifies park service areas, and we have
been working with another applicant in this area, D.R. Horton on the acquisition of just about,
just under 5 acre park site. It’s a little to the west and south of this particular property. That
subdivision was also on your agenda this evening and D.R. Horton is in, agree with the
recommendations tonight that you look at for the acquisition of that mark. Knowing that we are
not recommending, staff is not recommending acquisition of additional parkland as a part of
Liberty at Creekside development. Therefore we’re seeking park fees in lieu of land dedication
as a condition of this subdivision and that was our parks issues. Trails. There’s a significant
section of our comprehensive trail plan within this particular area of the community. We’re
calling for a 10 foot wide asphalt trail to be constructed adjacent to and paralleling the Bluff
Creek corridor as a part of this plat. The exact location for that, we’ll get into a little bit tonight
but still, I don’t think we’ll come up with the exact design of the trail. It’s currently not reflected
on the plans. These gentlemen here may go over some concepts for the trail. Additional
pedestrian trail sidewalks and trail connections also need to be incorporated into the project. It’s
important to have a facility in a feature such as the Bluff Creek trail that we have, convenient
access for the residents of these new subdivisions to gain access into the trail corridor. Bluff
Creek is going to be the largest, or longest interrupted trail corridor within our community. It
travels from approximately Lake Minnewashta just at Highway 41 all the way south to Pioneer
Trail. I counted up, I think there’ll be 9 underpasses or bridge crossings as a part of that trail.
It’s approximately 2/3 complete to date and this last piece between Lyman and Pioneer is a
significant section of that trail. When we have applicants that come in with a piece of the
comprehensive trail plan within their subdivision we ask that they incorporate it into their
planning in the design and engineering work, grading, and then the city reimburse for material
costs after the completion of that trail. So in this particular, in this particular subdivision it
would be the design and then we would pay for maybe the retaining walls or maybe just planning
on the exact design and then after completion and acceptance of the trail, we reimburse the
applicant with a check based on their cost for constructing that piece of trail and we pay for that
through park and trail dedication funds. So those are the issues relating to parks and trails.
Specific recommendation that staff is making to the commission tonight is that you recommend
to City Council that payment of full park dedication fees at the rate in force upon final plat
approval in lieu of parkland dedication. And then second, that the applicant shall provide all
design, engineering, construction and testing services required for the Bluff Creek trail. All
construction documents shall be delivered to the park and recreation department for approval
prior to initiation of the phase of construction. And the trail shall be 10 feet in width. Surface
with bituminous material and constructed to meet all city specifications. And then as I stated
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
3
earlier, the applicant will be reimbursed for actual cost of construction materials for Bluff Creek
Trail. This reimbursement payment shall be made upon completion and acceptance of the trail
and receipt of an invoice documenting the actual cost for construction materials utilized in that
trail. And prior to letting the applicant get up and talk I just want to make sure that all
commissioners understand the, at least the general location of where this trail is going to occur in
the plat.
Stolar: That’s on this drawing here?
Hoffman: Correct. Page 3 of 10. In what is called the east/west collector trail. This is basically
Bluff Creek traveling through the site. …townhouse units. So we want to see the trail corridor
within that Bluff Creek alignment and would just continue that conversation today with what
would be incorporated in. At present we’d like to keep the trail on the north side of the creek but
that may not be possible due to grades and such difficulties. There’s always trade-off’s in
getting these types of…put bridges in and those type of things so we’re not far enough along in
the design to make a specific recommendation to you this evening, but just know that the trail
will travel through this creek in some configuration. I’ll let these gentlemen to speak to that as
well. So I’d be happy to take any questions from the commission…
Stolar: Okay, any questions for Todd?
Spizale: I’ve got one. Todd, how close would the trail be to the creek? Bluff Creek.
Hoffman: The creek is one of the areas that is, trails are the only thing allowed within that Bluff
Creek setback, Bluff Creek preservation area so it may be 20-30 feet, but the exact design has
not been as yet so. I think all you’re familiar with it. It travels, it meanders within this, the Bluff
Creek area going north and it gets closer to the creek in some areas and if you’re familiar with it
north of the railroad tracks, it’s probably down to within 10 or 15 feet of the creek…
Stolar: Okay, other questions? Why don’t we let the applicants speak first and then we might
follow up with questions both for you and for Todd.
Shawn Siders: Good evening commissioners. Thank you for having us this evening. My name
is Shawn Siders. I’m with Town and Country Homes, a K. Hovnanian Company. With me this
evening is Kevin Clark. He’s our Vice President of Land Development and is charged with
developing the, you know he and I are charged with developing these sites in preparation of the
house building that will commence after streets, utilities and trails are constructed throughout the
site. If nobody minds I’d like to put this back up on the board…since we don’t have the
overhead in front of us.
Hoffman: It’s a new system. We’re not completely trained.
Shawn Siders: Todd was correct in pointing out that what we had, what Todd had roughly
proposed for a trail configuration, put it this way is, a trail configuration that comes off of the
east/west collector road and then is tucked in behind these proposed units here and then you
know meander it’s way down, without any creek crossings to a pedestrian underpass that will be
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
4
constructed somewhere in that area. And I don’t know that that specific area’s been identified by
anybody but nonetheless it’s somewhere in this area and that alignment does not pose any creek
crossings. However, if you look at your grading plan this is an awfully steep slope throughout
all this area and the sheet that we looked at, I think page 5. You can see here where that
configuration goes, it’s kind of penciled out in front of you. It’s awfully steep and our primary
concern with that is, there are a couple of concerns. One is…because it’s, because of how steep
it is, we’re a little concerned about our ability to stabilize that rough or that grade while
constructing the trail. Now you can kind of see how we configured this within that grading plan
and we have stayed out of the Bluff Creek Overlay District per directions specifically…that of
course trails are an exemption to that and that’s okay. So I guess what we would propose is to
perhaps you can make recommendation to the council something to the effect that the trail,
considering the configuration that would come down here, would actually make two creek
crossings come along you know and then shoot over to the east in this direction. Come back up.
Make another creek crossing and then tie into that pedestrian underpass. That does a few things.
This site has got, this area down here is going to be graded for wetland mitigation pond that
we’re going to develop in conjunction with Town and Country’s two developments out there.
Liberty on Bluff Creek as well as over at Creekside so there will be some construction activity
already underway down here. We’re also going to be finding this trail configuration may give
people a better opportunity to you know enjoy their trail experience a little more. They’re going
to be walking through native grasses and plantings. Trees, so it’s just going to be a little more
visually appealing as you traverse through the site, rather than looking up to a retaining wall if
this configuration works. Now we haven’t asked our engineer to kind of evaluate each one
independently and see which one works best and so what we’ve asked Todd is you know, the
ability to work with him and his staff to find a configuration that works well for the city as well
as for Town and Country and understanding it’s still going to be on the south side of this
development but the configuration may change. And I guess one point I didn’t hit on is, the
MPCA and EPA are taking very proactive approach, appropriately at protecting our natural
resources, the forest and why I mentioned stabilization earlier is because they, there’s a system
called the NPDES that they of course influence and we have of course during the construction
we have to comply with the NPDES and at first glance we’re a little concerned about our ability
to really stabilize this site because we might, you know there might be instances where we have
to get in to that slope 20 to 30 feet, really disturbing a natural area that we’ve all tried to preserve
yet then going in and disturbing it and we’re not sure that makes entirely the best sense but at the
same time we would like to look at the feasibility for us to work with the Riley-Purgatory
watershed district and see whether or not creek crossings make sense so that’s kind of where
we’re at this evening. We understand the need for a trail. There will be of course a pedestrian
sidewalk up here. Todd of course appropriately pointed out that that pedestrian you know,
pedestrian walkers on the sidewalk…and trail users are kind of a different animal if you will, and
so it’s a good idea to keep it separate so, that’s really what we would propose this evening is
perhaps give us a few days. We can work with Todd, Mr. Hoffman and his staff and develop a
trail configuration that makes sense for everybody so I’d be happy to answer any questions.
Stolar: Do we have any questions?
Spizale: What road takes you into the site?
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Shawn Siders: This site will actually be accessed off the proposed east/west collector that will
go to construction this summer and then this will actually be accessed through the Peterson and
Degler property so planning staff is working with us to obtain the necessary right-of-way and
then we’ll construct a connection to the east/west collector road…
Hoffman: Right at the very location where this road is connecting to the east/west collector is
the underpass. It’s out in the field today. It’s being built out in the middle of the construction
that’s taking place.
Murphy: So when you say you’ll work with our parks and rec department, you’ll submit a
proposal or how would the process for that go?
Shawn Siders: We’ll come up with a configuration. Of course it’s going to be a part of a
preliminary plat approval that we’ll walk through next, you know the next step will be the
Planning Commission as well as in the final, the City Council so what we’ll basically do is work
together. Our engineers will come up with a proposal. We of course need to talk with DNR and
the watershed district. See what our abilities are to permit versus you know if we can’t get a
creek crossing, what design elements would need to be incorporated into that. Of course cost is a
consideration. You know working with the city. Partnering with the city. So I think what will
happen is we’ll have a couple of options that we’ll work with Todd and his staff and then we’ll
just basically sit down and evaluate which one makes the most sense for everybody.
Hoffman: Our engineering department and water resources folks are looking at this thing on a
daily basis as well.
Atkins: Sounds like everything’s in place to do a little more research on it. I don’t like the idea
of steep grades either. It seems like trouble.
Scharfenberg: I don’t have anything more.
Stolar: If not is there any issues that you have with going forward and suggested where they
come up with some suggestions and let staff and yourself work together to try to figure it out.
Hoffman: Yeah there’s still some unknowns. I don’t want to, I don’t think the commission
should be putting the council in a position of selecting one alternative or the other. The beetle
was designed with the trail on the north side of the road and any time you can eliminate creek
crossings you’re better off and so, if it comes down to the fact that these creek crossings are
necessary, it would have to be for a good reason. Steep grades is going to be too difficult to
construct. The cost for retaining walls are too significant. These bridges aren’t going to be
cheap either. They’ll be somewhere around $50,000. Something like that for bridge crossing so
those costs add up as well. The last bridge we constructed with the watershed district was down
here on 101 and the crossing between Lake Susan and Rice Marsh. The trail project and the
bridge that were just $99,000. The bridge cost was approximately $45,000-$50,000 for that
single bridge so. Aesthetically they’re very pleasant. People enjoy crossing the creek. They can
see the water. Experience it a little bit more and so the, that alignment and cost seem to work
out. We have redesigned numerous trails throughout the system to eliminate or reduce the height
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
6
of the retaining walls. In my work retaining walls don’t last forever and they’re going to be
issues in the future with those retaining walls and we might see that already in the projects areas
in our trail system so. It’s a pretty significant design issue. We just did not have enough time to
work with the applicant in solving those issues so if you’ll allow us to do that and then I think
it’s probably time to check back in with you in another month as well.
Stolar: That’s what I was wondering because there is, one the cost because, and it’s both for you
as well as the city and on the city side I’m worried you know, we’ve got to look at the initial cost
because reimbursed for all materials so from what I understand you’re saying, if they put in
bridges, we pay for that. If they put in retaining walls, we pay for that.
Hoffman: Correct.
Stolar: So understand the cost comparison. I think another thing we want to understand is the
long term maintenance cost because is one better than the other. May not be an issue. Then the
third thing I’d like to understand is the environmental impacts on both sides which have both
positive and negative because I do think the idea of bridges crossing the creeks, if done right add
value to the trail, but I don’t want it done at you know 4 times the cost of what it would take to
do the regular trail. Right you know, we’ve got to balance that. So if we’re able to take another
month and work out options for us to review or come to an agreement that you can present, I
think that’d be good. Because I haven’t heard anyone say for sure that one way’s absolutely
better than the other right now, is that correct Todd or?
Shawn Siders: And I’ll say on first blush on maintenance, I think you might find and hearing
this again was just gut reaction. This might be a little better from a maintenance standpoint if we
make a creek crossing only because with the slopes we’re talking about, I think you may find a
circumstance where the trails start to erode away, you know.
Stolar: I think that’s why you were talking about the retaining walls. They go away at some
point. So is that acceptable to you Todd if we table this for one month? Come back to us with
some recommendations.
Hoffman: Well it’s going to go to the Planning Commission on March 7th and so I’m not certain
that it’s appropriate to table it but to frame the, your desire and then allow us to bring that back
and make a recommendation with like you were talking about. The trail, we all know that the
trail needs to be constructed. Best overall alignment. Best design. Best value and so the things
that you’re talking about and make a recommendation to continue moving forward and I’m not
sure that we can hold it open until the end of March but…
Shawn Siders: Other than to say that we would like to have some type of recommendation this
evening only so we can proceed through the process with the Planning Commission so if there’s
a level of comfort. I don’t know…kind of evaluate you know both options if there’s going to be
a clear winner, I can’t realistically state that right now. I don’t know if you’d be comfortable
framing a recommendation you know we will be back for final plat as well with the city so it
certainly isn’t the end all deal of approvals. We’ll be in front of the city on a few occasions here
over the next few months so.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
7
Hoffman: You can make your recommendation contingent upon seeing it again prior to final
plat. That could be fine for both staff and the applicant.
Atkins: I have one more question. Is it, what would be, will you be prepared to offer the
different options on March 7th to the Planning Commission?
Shawn Siders: Yes.
Scharfenberg: I have a question.
Stolar: Yes.
Scharfenberg: Do we have an option in terms of regarding the creek crossings Todd, that they
would be bridges as opposed to the Bluff Creek corridor trail just south of the train tracks where
you know now it’s a culvert with, I mean we’re not talking a creek crossing like that?
Hoffman: No. Bridges.
Scharfenberg: Okay.
Hoffman: Watershed district prefers bridges.
Shawn Siders: One of the concerns that Commissioner Stolar mentioned was long care
maintenance, which probably is a concern along with the constructability of it… We’ve been
working with the city on this project now for well over 3 years and have certainly been very
sensitive to the bluff setbacks, as far as our whole development and all the other natural
amenities that the sites have given us, so we just wanted to make sure that we’re making the right
choice. We know that it’s appropriate to have a trail here. We just want to make sure we put it
where it’s going to have long term effect. Are we giving the city you know, are we both thinking
we’re providing the best resource here at the end of the day for long term maintenance. For
best…for investment, and for the resource that we’re trying to provide to the public. So I think
we’re going to end up probably with a solution. It’s not that there isn’t going to be a trail. It’s
just what’s the right place for it.
Stolar: Any more questions on the trail because I have a question on the park dedication. And
this actually might fall into the other one. Any questions? Real quick on park dedication. If I
add up the, and I understand these are guidelines. The acres per residence for this plus the other
comes out to quite a bit higher than what we’re going to end up getting with the one park area
we’re purchasing south and west of here. I assume that we have, that that’s just something that
we have to do because that’s all that’s available to us?
Hoffman: Well yeah, you would add up the residents in this entire area would be much larger.
You know probably 15-20 acres and we’re able to acquire 4.75. It’s just due to the fact that the
value of this property, the cost of the property and the tight margins that all of these different
applicants are dealing, to take on a chunk of land out of one particular subdivision any larger
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
8
than 5 acres becomes very difficult to do economically and so you’re going to rely on a
neighborhood park. Public neighborhood park and then also two gentlemen that are here this
evening are planning neighborhood amenities of their own in the other projects to the, what’s it
called?
Shawn Siders: Liberty on Bluff Creek.
Hoffman: Liberty on Bluff Creek to the, which is to the west of D.R. Horton’s proposal. So
there’s going to be other amenities included in addition to the neighborhood park. The Bluff
Creek corridor is one of those. It’s not a park you know per se but it does provide recreation
amenities. It also will allow people to travel from this region north to the future school location
which will have additional public recreation amenities at that location.
Stolar: And does this trail connect to any, the park that we’re talking about putting in on the
other property, we have connectors then that they can get to that park also?
Hoffman: They’ll travel up the east/west collector trail right to the top of the hill to the…
Stolar: And that east/west collector trail, that’s the one that’s being put in with that east/west
connector. How does this connect up because it stops here?
Hoffman: Yep, you’re going to go north and then.
Stolar: So we’re putting in a trail here? Or is that going to be the development over. But this
will connect then off, okay. Alright, so do we, I just wanted to.
Shawn Siders: …what we were proposing on the other side is a swimming pool, a totlot, you
know picnic table. Stuff like that so, you know we’re making an investment. We’re…
Stolar: Would these residents be able to access that or is that, that’s only that homeowners, two
separate homeowners.
Shawn Siders: It’d be two separate homeowners associations.
Scharfenberg: Is the creek a buffer to the two developments? Okay.
Shawn Siders: Yeah, the elevation, this site is, well every bit, there’s the…
Stolar: Do we have a motion that we want to put forth or an amendment to what is
recommended? Or do we want to just, because you don’t actually specify a particular trail
approach do you?
Hoffman: No. Well I, no. Just as Bluff Creek trail. Required Bluff Creek trail.
Stolar: So if anybody wants to put some guidelines…
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
9
Spizale: I’ve got one comment. It’s too bad we don’t have, it’s really hard to get an idea of the
lay of the land without a picture or visual. You know it’s really hard to try and figure out exactly
where this would go and how the land goes. I know it’s steep and stuff but it’s a little bit hard to
visualize it.
Shawn Siders: You mean how the slopes on this particular site?
Spizale: Yeah.
Shawn Siders: Other than the grading plan, we do have a larger one here. Basically what will
happen is the site kind of walks down so you know these folks will be higher than these folks
and these folks will be higher than these folks here so it steps down if you will up here so, so this
certainly would be the high point in this. So what we try to do is you know situate or orient the
buildings so that you know everybody has a view.
Spizale: Does that go with kind of a natural flow with what’s there now or does that take a lot of
grading?
Shawn Siders: There will of course be some retaining walls only because you know the way the
site is configured but it’s natural the way it is now. It’s just there will be a little more
embellished with the grading that will happen on the site.
Spizale: And the other side of the creek is flatter?
Shawn Siders: Relatively, well I guess flatter yes.
Spizale: More of a meadow?
Shawn Siders: Yes.
Town and Country Representative: The other side of the creek that’s where, the irrigation and
slope restoration and basically prairie.
Shawn Siders: Prairization I guess for lack of a better word. There’s a variety of activities going
to take place on that side. It was earlier on decided, and this was over 2 ½ years ago, that that
slope in that area were really not going to be developable because there really wasn’t a, there
wasn’t a strong enough impetus to allow a creek crossing there for vehicular traffic and so that’s
why that area was really, was kind of collectively looked at for improvement to benefit the whole
AUAR area as far as how we were approaching both neighborhoods so that we could work to
bring all our mitigation and such into that location.
Spizale: What’s going to be the general cost of the townhouses?
Shawn Siders: There’s four products throughout both neighborhoods. In here we have 2
products. A row townhome product and then a true townhome product with a full basement. So
the prices will range mid 2’s to probably mid 3’s.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
10
Stolar: Actually one other question. Regarding the, if you did go with the bridges and all, has
that been proposed yet? Does Lori have to look at that also for, or the watershed you said.
Kevin Clark: …separate from the idea if we can make it work.
Shawn Siders: It’s a balancing act. I mean it’s a balancing act between planning perhaps,
conserving the slope. There’s territorial, I mean not, welcome to my reality right so. It’s a
balancing act between how we would like to be asked to achieve the goal and also it’s a
balancing act between Todd’s whole goal, the watershed’s goal, natural resources, DNR so,
we’re all looking for trying to make it a win, win, win so that everybody understands that at the
end of the day we were true to our vision to preserve the bluff and…preserve the creek. We also
want to make sure this area’s accessible to the public and that was the purpose to allow
development and create this corridor, because all along the AUAR was really one of the
founding, this was how do we preserve this corridor from Lake Minnewashta south all the way to
Chaska and that’s really the goal is to preserve this green belt and that’s what we want to
continue to look at. So we’re just asking for the opportunity to put in place the right plan and
we’re kind of a step behind, and for that we apologize so we’re looking at this opportunity to
work through those and meet your’s, Todd’s, Lori’s and our input to arrive at the best solution.
Stolar: Okay.
Hoffman: We identified our construction access to that, the south side of the creek area yet so
when you’re doing the construction in that area you know what your construction access point
will be.
Shawn Siders: We can come up the Jeurissen driveway and the same, there’s a field road that
approaches that area. You can drive back there because there are tree branches and other things
that have been you know 5 years since.
Hoffman: Stock piling.
Shawn Siders: Stockpiled back there so there is an access there that was.
Hoffman: You can see it on the plan, on the cover sheet.
Shawn Siders: Yep, there’s a field road that you can access that driveway. So that will be, we
won’t be impacting the creek through the process of mitigation.
Hoffman: Yeah, there’s a culvert crossing there for that field road. Hard to visualize because
it’s a very isolated area. If you haven’t been up into Mr. Jeurissen’s driveway, you’ve never
been here.
Spizale: Sort of like an island.
Hoffman: It’s hidden way back in. …not me. I’ve been there.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
11
Murphy: Well the recommendation calls for approval by the Park and Recreation Director for
each phase of construction. Do we need to be any more specific then that?
Stolar: We don’t. Not if we don’t want to. Do you want to make a motion then?
Murphy: Yes. Motion to recommend that we recommend that the City Council require the
conditions listed in the document.
Stolar: Can I have a second?
Atkins: I second.
Stolar: Okay. Motion put forth by Commissioner Murphy, seconded by Commissioner Atkins.
Any further discussion or amendments to the motion? Do we want to provide staff with
guidance after approval? Just no? Okay.
Murphy moved, Atkins seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommends
that the City Council require the following conditions of approval concerning parks and
trails for Liberty at Creekside subdivision.
1. The payment of full park dedication fees at the rate in force upon final plat approval in lieu
of parkland dedication.
2. The applicant shall provide all design, engineering, construction and testing services
required of the “Bluff Creek Trail”. All construction documents shall be delivered to the
Park and Recreation Director for approval prior to the initiation of each phase of
construction. The trail shall be ten feet in width, surfaced with bituminous material and
constructed to meet all city specifications. The applicant shall be reimbursed for the actual
cost of construction materials for the Bluff Creek trail. This reimbursement payment shall
be made upon completion and acceptance of the trail and receipt of an invoice
documenting the actual costs for the construction materials utilized in it’s construction.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
Stolar: I think the discussion states we do want, I would appreciate seeing the final plat and I
would like you guys to work together and come up with the best solution that balances the things
we talked about. And I think we’ve all done this enough that you know how to do that and let’s
work to the best solution, I think there are a couple good options. Each with their own downfalls
and advantages but let’s try and figure out across all the interested parties what the best option is.
But it sounds like we’ll have a trail no matter what.
Hoffman: And not all trails are easy. Some are. The important thing to remember here is that
this kind of trail is the one, these types of trails that people really value them. The appreciation,
the experience is so much more valuable and what the residents are going to do in this area is
they’re going to use the street corridor to do a trail loop back home, so if it’s a morning run or
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
12
you know Saturday morning walk or after work, they’re going to use this trail and loop back
around into their residential areas on a sidewalks or connector trails, but it’s really the creek is
going to be their destination so to make it the best experience possible, and we made a significant
investment in the 44 miles of trails that we have already in the city and this will be no exception.
And always the exciting thing is if you look forward 3 or 4 years, you’re going to be walking on
this trail. It’s going to be out there and so it’s in all of our best interest to make it the nicest
experience possible because it will continue to be a selling item. If this trail has problems in the
future, it’s not good to live next to a problem and so the applicants here want to create the best
experience as well so I trust they’ll work with us and we’ll bring that back, a resolution back to
you in March.
Stolar: Great, thank you very much. Thank you for your time.
RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING 2006 BALLFIELD IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS.
Hoffman: We talked about our ballfield improvement project at the last meeting. Todd Neils
and others were here at that conversation. Thank you. Good night. And there was a variety of
issues identified if you’d like to quickly go through them. They’re on the cover of your report.
Dugout, player benches. Fence extensions. All those different things but then the important
thing is really staff our response to that and what our findings were. Turn to page 2. Dugouts or
player benches, we’re in total agreement with that. We would like to come up with a plan for all
of our different field locations, Lake Ann. City Center. Bluff Creek. Bandimere. Some are
going to be easier than others. They’re pretty well fenced in already and we just have to put
some framing on top and then some netting for those, but part of the design that we think we’ll
be looking towards is that netting design where you have the, it’s a shade situation. It’s not
going to be a hard type of surface treatment. And then the fence extensions along the foul lines
of Fields #1 and #2. Again we’re in agreement with that. Think it’s a good safety and
containment measure to take and have installed. The plastic fence toppings we’re not in
agreement with. Really could not locate a source that identified chainlink fences as a significant
threat to safety. There’s two different kinds. The rolled fencing where it comes with a rolled top
and then the type that comes to a spike which is less of that around but if it comes to a spike,
there’s a significant threat there to scratching and injury but with the rolled top, a number of
searches could not find a situation and just in my time in the park and rec business, we’ve not
talked about that at any of our conventions, nationally or locally. And if we put that yellow
topping, again depending on the eyes of the beholder, I think it would be distinctive or the word I
used is garish but I think if you lined Lake Ann ballfields 1 through 6 with yellow plastic
topping, it may catch the eye of some that may think it’s not as attractive as it might be without
it. Cracked home plate. We’ll fix that this spring as a part of our routine maintenance. Storage
building for association use at Lake Ann. You always want to be careful with what I would call
the proliferation of buildings in your park sites. It’s the reason we have zoning and master plans
in our community and the master plan for Lake Ann park features 3 buildings. The large
maintenance building, picnic pavilion overlooking the lake and then a shelter serving the
ballfields. The shelter serving the ballfields was a donation by the Chanhassen American Legion
back in their early days of park development here in Chanhassen and it really does not meet the
final demands for that particular location. It’s always been planned or thought of that you would
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
13
have modern restrooms there. Larger building with storage, concessions. Second floor for
observation, and we’ve made some accommodations for that as time has come along. When the
water was run into Lake Ann Park we installed water right through that particular corridor so
when the time comes you’ll have water available there. Sewer from that building will travel
down towards the lake to a pumping station that was designed to accommodate that into the
future and then that pumps the sewage around Lake Ann, all the way to Greenwood Shores.
There was accommodations made for a future building there, and it’s my recommendation that in
lieu of adding an additional building, that we explore a joint project with some of our
associations who utilize the fields and take a look at putting this building into a future capital
plan and solving that issue in that fashion. More accessible routes to the fields. Staff supports
this. We’ve heard from a number of people over the years that accessibility is more and more
important. The initial spine of trail has been added but there’s still fields that you don’t have
convenient access to. Barrier netting to contain balls. Again this issue was identified shortly
after the opening of Bandimere Park. We support it. I believe it was the Minnetonka baseball
group in today offering up some additional dollars. Chaska? Okay. District 112. Then the
pitching mounds, fields…again that’s a maintenance issue that we’ll evaluate with the
associations and make appropriate modifications. That’s not an exact science and it’s depending
upon the material that you have, weather conditions, those type of things but we can work with
those folks on that. Fields at Lake Ann didn’t seem to drain well after the significant rain events.
Again maintenance staff will evaluate that. They add material on an almost yearly basis and so if
you see stockpiles out there in the winter, that’s because they’ve driven the dump trucks out onto
the infields. Dumped the aggregate and then they grade that appropriately each spring. We do
get some lipping right around the grass areas and that can contain some water and they take that
out on a periodic basis as well. And the last item, need for additional Lacrosse space and nets.
We currently have enough nets for the fields that are being used for Lacrosse but staff is
evaluating the merits for that. Offering additional field time for Lacrosse. Bear in mind that any
time we give Lacrosse, you’re going to be taking away from soccer and so Jerry’s working on
that and coming up with a recommendation. So upon receiving your feedback from the
commission staff will continue to develop the project plan, including cost estimates for each one
of these items. We’d welcome Mr. Neil’s comments as well this evening.
Stolar: Let me ask if Todd has any comments you want to add.
Todd Neils: Todd Neils, President of Chanhassen Little League. I guess my only question
would be the dugouts or player bench covers. I was confused by what that meant necessarily. I
know that the, there was been discussion both about chainlink enclosure as well as cement or
block enclosure and I would like to see a broader range of dugouts being put in across the area
and therefore would love to see the chainlink option, since it’s less expensive. But would like to
know if it’s going to be an enclosed dugout or just simply a covered area.
Hoffman: Enclosed meaning enclosed completely by fence?
Todd Neils: Yes. And on sides.
Hoffman: Yep.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
14
Todd Neils: Okay.
Hoffman: Similar to what Bandimere has now.
Todd Neils: Okay. And then also will have a top.
Hoffman: Yeah.
Todd Neils: And then we’ll have the netting.
Hoffman: Yeah.
Todd Neils: Great. That’s fantastic. And then I guess beyond that I will wait to hear the cost
estimates and would love to see you know this get going as soon as possible because our intent
as an organization, or an association in the area is to utilize the Lake Ann complex for
tournaments in the future, whether it be softball where we would like to host a State tournament,
or baseball where we offer it up to other associations. So again, have a hammer in hand and
ready to help any way I can.
Stolar: Okay, great. Thank you. Steve.
Scharfenberg: No questions.
Stolar: Paula.
Atkins: How soon were you thinking about bringing up the new shelter? Putting that into the
CIP. Redoing the shelter up on the hill.
Hoffman: It’s not currently in the 5 year CIP so if you want to accelerate it, then we need to get
some consensus among the commission and talk about it.
Atkins: I just hope that we have less significant rain events in 2006.
Stolar: Just a few question. The Bandimere netting, that was a separate line item right? So
we’ll have that, but you’re just going to look at all this together and make sure we plug it off
against.
Hoffman: Right.
Stolar: And then do you think given what you’ve recommended that we’ll be within the budget?
Hoffman: I don’t know yet.
Stolar: So you’ll come back to us with that, okay.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
15
Hoffman: And my thinking in all cases is that we’re going to do a good job on the things that we
can afford and not do the rest. So we’ll see. We’ll pick out our high priority items and get as far
as we can, and then leave the rest for later.
Stolar: Okay. And some of these things don’t hit that budget like the cracked home plate and
some of those. The extended trail, that’s in the CIP?
Hoffman: Yep. Yeah most, the costs are going to be in netting, fencing and then the asphalt.
Those are going to be your primary costs.
Stolar: Alright. Then regarding the building, the storage building. I mean it’s not in the CIP and
I know we’ve got the other big ticket items we’ve got, one of which is the lighting for the fields
which may in fact be meeting Lacrosse space because if you light soccer fields you get extra
time on it. So for the building, the Legion donated the current one. Is this something that might
be consideration for the commission also to seek community support?
Hoffman: Oh certainly. You know the intended community, just about any different plan or any
different, any variety of projects that needs to have some sort of a tie in back at the time the
Legion was hosting a lot of softball tournaments so they had a vested interest. Today they may
not have that same interest.
Stolar: I don’t know if it was in this one I read somewhere but, and several other parks
surrounding have a parks foundation. There isn’t one for Chan right now is there?
Hoffman: You have pull tabs flying around your city. Good place to start. They built a very
nice facility in the Minnetrista and each one of the four different establishments sponsored a field
and part of the building so, but they had…pull tabs.
Murphy: Just a question at the last line here, receiving feedback from the commission on the
report. Staff will continue. Are we looking at, as far as feedback, as far as ranking the items or
what type of feedback are we talking about?
Hoffman: Any type you want. If you want to rank them. Right now I would rank the protective
netting, the dugouts and then the asphalt trail as the highest priority items. Majority of the rest is
maintenance, is basic maintenance so. If you’ve got ideas or if you’ve seen other facilities that
have, we can take a look at. That type of feedback would be important.
Stolar: Ann did you want to do a poll here or provide your ranking?
Murphy: I don’t have a whole lot right now. I don’t know if anyone else does.
Scharfenberg: Well it sounds like again netting at Bandimere is the biggest issue. I think that
needs to be taken care of first but that’s, there’s already a line item for that, right? Then the
dugouts and the trail as Todd has indicated.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
16
Stolar: So I think that prioritization sounds good. The one question I have on the dugouts is, as
you start getting the cost is the question of do we do it nicer at fewer to make sure that we get
those done and then try and get some budget nets the following year or to do the other ones. Just
something to think about. I’d rather do it right, as you said, even if it means fewer fields get it.
And then we do more the next year and keep continuing on and on.
Hoffman: Yeah, and we’ll select the parks based on their age level. The higher the age level, the
more issues you have with foul balls and balls…
Todd Neils: Todd Neils. I would like to talk about the storage building a bit more, if it wouldn’t
be too much to request a, some type of look at how much something like that would cost. I have
some ideas floating around in my brain where I can’t guarantee but may be able to tap our big
brother in Little League National or some of our world wide sponsors on the shoulder to possibly
donate funds to help with the cost of the new building. So if we’re able to get an idea about size
or square footage and how much that would cost, we may be able to start working towards that.
Stolar: Is this something that would require a design consultant to look at?
Hoffman: We’re talking about 100, 150,000 dollar project.
Stolar: There you go. Design consultant… You’ve probably looked at this a little bit before
huh?
Hoffman: Well the others, you know there’s basic elements that are there but any time you
include public restroom, the plumbing and the heating and design and electrical and concrete and
lumber, you know 100 to 150,000 dollars is probably a very good target.
Stolar: And would it be something that would allow, I think about Bennett Park for example.
They have kind of a kitchen there to allow concessions to be sold. That’s part of that 100, you
would have a concession… Okay, so is that what you were seeking?
Todd Neils: Yes, thank you.
Hoffman: The concession warming house at the Recreation Center was a quarter million dollars
built in 1997. So it’s, this building probably would not be all brick. More the brick and wood
structure. So the construction costs are, just think of it as building a, you’re building a small
dwelling.
Stolar: Now you would take down the current building and you couldn’t add on to that
footprint?
Hoffman: No.
Stolar: Jack, did you have anything?
Spizale: No.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
17
Stolar: Alright. There was no action required on this but I do appreciate staff coming back
exactly as we asked and looking at these and providing us with some guidelines and
recommendations and thanks again to all the people who came out to give us their input and
Todd, for you coming out a second time. So I appreciate it and we’ll see you next month. I’m
sure there’ll be something for you to come out for on the next one. Alright, do you see foresee
us being able to get some of these dugouts in this year?
Hoffman: Absolutely.
Stolar: Okay, great. Awesome.
Todd Neils: …that information at the next meeting or.
Hoffman: Probably March or April. Depends on how quickly our consultants turns this stuff
around…
Todd Neils: Great, thank you again.
RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING REACH FOR RESOURCES ADAPTIVE
RECREATION CONTRACT.
Ruegemer: Thank you Chair Stolar. On an annual basis we do review the contract provided by
Reach for Adaptive Recreation Services. We have been contracting through Reach since 1999 to
provide those type of services for our population with disabilities within Chanhassen. We did
again in the past Reach has trained our summer staff and they’ve done a fine job with that. It’s
nice to bring awareness to not only our staff but the rest of the kids in the programs to include
kids with disabilities so it’s been really a very positive thing for us. If you look at the overall
2006 contract, the dollar amount does reflect a decrease of over, a little bit over $2,000 over
2005. The decrease is a direct result of participation numbers. We had a high number in 2005,
9% that did go down to 4% roughly as the overall participation numbers of the consortium of
cities, so if you look at the base charge or the base price, that is $2,000, 4% of the population
within that consortium. That dollar amount equals out to be $1,819.88, which calculates into the
total contract of $3,819.88 for 2006. Staff has been very happy with the service that Reach did
provide with the City. As you look at the agreement that’s attached, it kind of goes through a
number of different services that Reach does provide, not only to the City of Chan for the rest of
the cities within the consortium of cities. The contract agreement and then the overall numbers
so, what I wanted to do tonight, we’re not really looking for any specific recommendation from
the city to move on to City Council. We wanted to make the council, or the commission aware
of the contract, the dollar amount. Kind of where we’re at for 2006. Just kind of a little more for
your information tonight…
(There was a tape change at this point in the presentation.)
Ruegemer: You know we really as a staff we’ve been talking a lot about that on a number of our
contracts. Not only this contract but also, it may be a little bit harder with this contract as far as
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
18
the fluctuation of numbers, but that’s really something we are definitely willing to explore. We
also, I talked about that with the lifeguard contract, also the fireworks contract as well, so we’re
at the kind of reinvent the wheel every year. Kind of go through that process and do it that way
so, we can certainly explore that in the future.
Stolar: Yeah I think it’d probably be a good idea to look at that so we don’t have to do it every
year.
Ruegemer: You bet.
Stolar: Thanks. No action was required you said?
Ruegemer: No.
Stolar: Alright. Should we go onto the other three development proposals.
RILEY-PURGATORY-BLUFF CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT: REVIEW
REQUEST FOR A WETLAND ALTERATION PERMIT FOR EXCAVATION AND
MAINTENANCE OF FIVE (5) STORM WATER PONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF
IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN RICE MARSH LAKE AND LAKE RILEY
WATERSHEDS. (THREE OF THE FIVE PONDS ARE LOCATED WITHIN RICE
MARSH LAKE PARK.)
Hoffman: Thanks Glenn Stolar, members of the commission. This item does not require a
recommendation from the commission tonight but if you have additional input, basically what is
taking place here is that we have another government unit that’s going to do some good things
within our community in regards to storm water basins, sediment retention and water quality and
water quantity. I’m going to go over them individually for you to make sure that you’re familiar
with the locations and where the activity will be taking place. It’s in very public areas and 3 of
them are directly within the Rice Marsh Lake Park area, which you were down working on this
summer. Are the commissioners familiar with the Watershed District? A small percentage of
the tax dollars goes into a special fund and they’re appointed by the Carver County Board,
Hennepin County Board. In our particular watershed district I think one is appointed by Carver
County Board of Commissioners and the other 3 or 4 appointed by Hennepin County. Then they
serve with a staff, engineering consultant to do water improvement projects within in the
watershed district.
Stolar: And just so you know, Chanhassen has multiple watershed districts. This is I think our
largest by far.
Hoffman: The first pond, as you go to the plan set and hold the one up that, the plan set that
shows Lake Susan and Rice Marsh. This is the general vicinity and as you flip over the plan
sheet to sites RM1.1, it’s a very large basin to be constructed right now adjacent to Rice Marsh
Park. The trail that comes through and then there’s a little stub trail that comes down into the
park at this location off of Dakota so you have Rice Marsh, Lake Susan and then this pond. It’s
presently, currently located there but it’s going to be expanded quite extensively and the feature
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
19
that you’ll notice most dramatically is the trail runs along the north side of the pond and they’re
going to put a split rail fence along that trail. Currently they have it 3 feet behind the trail. It’s
not far enough to offer snow plowing and regional maintenance so we asked them to move that
back. It may require some redesign of their pond slopes but we want at least 6 feet of clearance
on that trail. There are some trees coming out on the park. This is the park property on this side.
There’s some vegetation being removed. We have the basin, the four basins for sediment
retention and then the rest of the basin’s being enlarged to allow for additional water quantity,
and eventually water quality improvements. So you’re driving trucks right down a public trail
and primarily during the winter construction season. They’re talking to the applicants here, road
restrictions are probably going to come off here in the next week or two so these projects are not
going to happen this year. They’re going to be bid in the next month or so, but they’ll all be
winter construction next year. So allow the areas to freeze. Move in with their heavy
equipment. Dig these ponds out. Make the improvements and then do the restoration, final
restoration in the spring.
Stolar: Now they’re doing replanting also over there, correct? I’m looking at the next page here,
it shows some replanting.
Hoffman: Yep. These are a million dollar project. Includes excavation, revegetation, piping
and then the reclamation of the trails. You’ll note the existing, it says existing bituminous trails
shall be checked by contractors, city representatives and engineer prior to using as a haul road.
Any damage to the existing trail shall be repaired and included in the project at the owners
expense, the owner is the watershed district and any damage adjacent to the trail shall be restored
and turf established. Trail closure shall be coordinated with the City so those are the things
we’ve asked for already that we want to make sure that when these projects are underway that
our residents are aware that they’re happening so they can alter their routes.
Scharfenberg: That trail will be closed down for.
Hoffman: A day. At a time. So it will be during construction day. Opened back up for the
evening. And they’ll move in very quickly. When these contractors get to these pond projects,
they don’t want to spend any more time there than they have to because once you get in and start
moving in the water, you want to get in there and get it done. …some smaller basins. RM2.2.
It’s a small pond located north of Highway 5 and Lotus Lawn and Garden, and what you’re
doing is you’re collecting this water as it’s traveling down, through Rice Marsh, into Lake Riley
so they’re working hard on improving water quality in Rice Marsh Lake and Lake Riley and
eventually the Minnesota River, and this is one of the basins early on in the process. It’s on
privately owned property. The watershed district has an easement over the property to have the
pond there and now they’ll improve the pond as a part of this project. Continue on to the linear
type of improvement. RM2.5 and this is situated again back down on Rice Marsh but on the
Chanhassen-Eden Prairie border. There’s a creek way that travels down through from Lake
Drive and you’ll notice on the north side they’re cleaning out the muck basin that has a steel weir
and then installing a new culvert. Set the trail right at the Eden Prairie-Chanhassen border and so
this is one part of a two part project which we’ll look at here after this one. You’ll note that
they’re constructing a 10 foot wide gravel maintenance road. That will stay in place so they can
continue to maintain this upstream basin with the muck excavation. Continue on through the
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
20
sheets. Probably see the most dramatic change in this basin. It’s immediately south of where,
the one we just looked at. Again right at the Eden Prairie-Chanhassen border. In fact the line,
the pond is being enlarged in the Eden Prairie. At present the pond is only in Chanhassen.
Being enlarged to the east in Eden Prairie. Trail is located right on the north side. Very popular
trail between Lake Susan area and then Eden Prairie area. And they’re going to have an
additional feature, that nature trail along the berm. It’s slated as 4 feet. We’re going to request
that that go to 6 feet to allow for easier maintenance of construction vehicles, pick-up’s, Bobcats,
those type of things. But a significant impact. They are removing wetlands as a part of this and
they’ll be reclaiming or restoring that. That’s about another million dollar part of the project,
and so the project total is approximately $2 million dollars so when they’re taking out the
wetland areas to create these ponds, they have to go ahead and mitigate that in other locations.
And the last one. This pond just down the street. The largest pond and it’s right at the
intersection of Highway 5 and Market Boulevard. Right over here on Highway 5 and Market.
It’s the pond just down, behind Festival Foods and.
Stolar: Cub Foods.
Hoffman: Cub, thank you. County Market. When the consultant investigated this pond they
thought they would need chest waiters. All they had with them was hip boots. They put on hit
boots and they walked across the entire pond so it’s very shallow. This four bay was excavated
but that was…last two day rain events and it again filled up with sediment. Comes out of the
streets and parking lots in our downtown. Travels down the storm sewer system. Comes into the
pond and then it does not allow for the, I think it was the September rain where it flooded up and
over this pond. Across in front of, which was then the bank. Is not Walgreen’s. It flooded the
street on the other side. A person drove their car into that and stalled out right in that particular
area there because the water was so deep, and that’s due in part to the fact that this basin didn’t
have the capacity to take that rain. So they’ll again excavate the four bay. People always say
that why don’t they make these things deeper? Why don’t we make them 10 feet deep and
interesting, something I’ve never thought of is ground water just fills it up so there’s really only
about 4 feet of depth in any given area where you can have that it will stay dry, free of ground
water that would allow you to have that capacity of the 4 feet times the size of the pond. It still
doesn’t matter, you go 10, 12, 14 feet, it just fills up with ground water and you don’t have that
capacity there. So read through the recommendations that staff has requested of the watershed
district. All neighbors shall be notified via U.S. Mail and they already have the mailing labels
for that. Restoration of trails damaged by construction should be included in your bid package.
Trail closures should be thoroughly reviewed and addressed as necessary. We want appropriate
signage. Back on the front page of the staff report. Proposed timing of the projects should be
conveyed to the City and the project neighbors. The Market Boulevard pond is highly visible.
Keeping the truck drivers alert and keeping the streets free of mud. So those are the
recommendations that we have. If you have any additional comments for the watershed district,
we’d be happy to pass them on. We’ll be working through Lori Haak, our Water Resource
Coordinator. She’s the point person for the project for the City.
Atkins: I have a question. Where is the funding coming from?
Stolar: Your tax dollars.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
21
Hoffman: Yep, tax dollars. It’s a special taxing district. Watershed district. They get a small
percentage, if you pull out your tax statement, you’ll see right on there watershed district.
Stolar: I don’t know, are they getting any grants for this one too?
Hoffman: Not that I’m aware of.
Stolar: Okay. Sometimes they get grants for projects. Sometimes they give grants for projects.
Hoffman: They have the money Paula. It’s good that they’re spending it here in Chan.
Stolar: The one thing I noticed, and I forgot to look back at my notes but from the Surface Water
Management Plan, these weren’t necessarily the main lakes with issues that we discovered but
they also weren’t necessarily the best rated, so this will help some of the lakes in Chan. I mean
these are rated as okay but we should still keep an eye on them.
Hoffman: Yep. Their primary impetus for this is the conditions of the structures that they’re
currently in place.
Scharfenberg: Is it similar to what they did on the holding pond at Lake Susan a couple years
ago?
Hoffman: Similar.
Scharfenberg: Similar type of project.
Hoffman: Yeah.
Stolar: Similar in that I think some of the activities they’re doing here are a little different but
similar, yeah.
Hoffman: That’s the biggest pond in the city, that Lake Susan pond.
Stolar: Alright. Any other questions, comments? Alright, then we want to go to item number 4.
PETERSON PROPERTY, D.R. HORTON: RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING
PARK AND TRAIL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY LOCATED
NORTH OF PIONEER TRAIL (1600 PIONEER TRAIL), AT FUTURE HIGHWAY 312.
Hoffman: Thank you Glenn, members of the commission. This property again is located within
the 2005 MUSA area. It’s at the edge of Bluff Creek. It’s proposed to be developed into 81
single family homes. It’s immediately south of the property that you looked at with folks here
from Town and Country. Across and up the bluff. And again, if this is developed as proposed
will result in 284 new residents and we arrive at that figure by multiplying the 81 homes by 3.5
persons per home. That’s recently gone up from 3 persons per home. The 3.5. It was a look at
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
22
new demographics we had from the school districts. Therefore the subdivision generates a need
for 3.79 acres of new parkland. Staff and the applicant identified a park area called Outlot H to
be acquired as a condition of the subdivision application. Little history on the acquisition of this
park site. If you’ll recall, we had originally identified as our hope of acquiring park on the
Degler property to the north. That did not come to bear so we quickly moved our attention to
the, our second most desirable location which is just to the south of the creek. The north site at
the Degler property was a little bit more centrally located in the 2005 MUSA area, but we
wanted either one of the other. Either right on this knoll on that side of the creek, or on the knoll
on the south side of the creek, and so we’re looking at the crest of the hill on the south side of the
creek, immediately south of the round about. That particular location and it makes for a nice
neighborhood park. In addition to Outlot H, Lot 1, which is a 21,000 square foot lot shall be
incorporated into the borders of the park and combine those two parcels total, 4.72 acres. You
subtract the dedication amount which is 3.79, we will be required to purchase .93 acres. The
applicant paid $235,000 per acre for this property and if you do the math on that, we’ll, the City
shall pay $218,550 for our additional .93 acres. The applicant, D.R. Horton has agreed to rough
grade and cover seed the park site. Construct a 20 stall parking lot and for those improvements
we will agree to pay $50,000 in a not to exceed amount so…pay the actual construction costs for
those improvements. There’s two access points currently being evaluated for the park. One off
of the main street, which is Street D and one off the cul-de-sac. There are again pluses and
minuses to both those locations. Staff would be interested in hearing your viewpoint on that.
From the commissioners standpoint. The engineers and the planners like to weigh into those
type of issues but we’d certainly like to hear from you as well. And so that’s the park issue.
Trails. The Peterson plat will have access to that trail we talked about and there’s no need for
additional comprehensive trail plan construction as a part of this plat. However they will have
multiple connectors to the trail, city’s trail system. This acquisition of the park or
recommendation to acquire this park did not come to the commission without significant
negotiations between staff and the applicant. As you can imagine when you come in and pay
$234,000-$235,000 per acre, our park fee’s based off of a land value of $125,000 per acre and so
any applicant would just as soon give you the cash versus giving you the land. But we have the
dedication ordinance in place and we have a responsibility to provide our new residents with
public parks and so they understood that and they understood our ability to take that property so
we negotiated on a few other items in regard to assessments that our engineering department
looked at for D.R. Horton and they had come to the conclusion that they will agree with this
recommendation. They offered to be here this evening to speak to the commission but they also
had another meeting to be at so with their agreement with our recommendation, I suggested that
they did not need to be here. Since they had another commitment. Be happy to answer any
questions of the commission and I would imagine that upon acquisition of this property we will
start development in a very rapid fashion because we’ll have a graded site and with a parking lot
ready to go with a couple of thousand new residents coming our way so we’ll want to play a
playground and ballfield…
Spizale: Would this be a rough idea what the park would look like? What you’d have in the
park.
Hoffman: Just conceptually. We will master plan with the commission. Have a park planner
come in and meet with you and go through the exact design.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
23
Spizale: But you’ll definitely have a playground area. Definitely have a soccer field. Definitely
a ballfield.
Hoffman: Yeah. I wouldn’t label it a soccer field. More of an open field area.
Spizale: Okay.
Stolar: Well is that something for us to consider given some of the previous comments we’ve
had about soccer space and such?
Hoffman: Well yes, but then in a neighborhood park we’re not traditionally scheduling, trying to
restrict scheduling team sports so. If we were building another community park, which we will
be shortly at hopefully a school site, then we’ll be able to.
Atkins: Is this going to be constructed before the new road goes through? 212.
Hoffman: The park?
Atkins: Yeah. Well the whole.
Hoffman: Concurrently. Concurrently at the same time.
Atkins: And is this very close to that Liberty Heights, or the Liberty one that we were just
looking at? Is it like directly across the street?
Hoffman: Across the creek.
Atkins: Creek.
Hoffman: Across the creek, yep.
Atkins: Okay.
Hoffman: The property, Liberty is the, if you look at the cover page. Liberty at Bluff Creek is
this one right here.
Atkins: Okay.
Hoffman: And the creek’s right there. And then you can see the townhouse units at the bottom
of the page. That’s the other townhome development that they’re working on and that accesses
out onto Audubon. All of these properties are coming in at the same time.
Scharfenberg: So what will the trail access to get to this park will be what? Since it’s right
along a road or street, will be what? Just sidewalk.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
24
Hoffman: Trails.
Scharfenberg: Trails.
Hoffman: Trails on both sides. 10 foot wide trails. Obviously access to the residents on the
south side of the creek is going to be better than those on the north side. They’ll have to travel
down and come back up the hill. But you’re serving these 81 homes and then I think it’s 371
homes to the west of here in the townhomes development. So you’re serving approximately 450
homes at this particular park site.
Stolar: So for the Degler property we couldn’t get what we were originally envisioning. Are we
getting any parkland over there?
Hoffman: No. The creek corridor. You haven’t reviewed it yet but our staff’s current position is
that we’re not seeking additional parkland acquisition on that property, but the creek corridor and
the creek trail will be one of the amenities that comes through. It’s not in for preliminary review,
preliminary plat. At that time you will see it but that’s our current position.
Stolar: Okay. So this MUSA area, we’re really, I’d love to see at some point what the actual
density per park is given all these plats of real parkland because really it’s, if the
recommendation is for every 75 residents, they’re going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of
200 probably per acre. Or more. It’ll be more than that. Could be close to 300. I think that’s
something worth telling City Council.
Hoffman: I believe you’re right. If the, we have enough park acreage in the community to meet
all future development and all future residents but it’s not located in the right spots. We still
have to have it every one half mile from a home so, that’s where the…
Stolar: You know I think if we could have some assessment of you know as we get pretty close
to understood if we can just run that by us and because I think that still relates to the whole land
prices are much greater than, there’s no incentive for them to give the land. Right now they’re
better off giving the fees.
Hoffman: Correct.
Stolar: By at least half, it’s half the cost. So congratulations to these guys and to yourself for
working out a way to get the land with what seems to be a fair compromise of giving some and
selling some and working together so I think that’s great. And appreciate it. I think this does
need a vote so is there a motion?
Scharfenberg: Move to accept staff’s recommendation for the Peterson property.
Murphy: Second.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
25
Scharfenberg moved, Murphy seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission
recommend that the City Council require the following conditions of approval concerning
parks and trails for the Peterson subdivision:
1. The designation of a 4.72 acre neighborhood park site, including Outlot H and Lot 1,
Block 4. This property shall be transferred to the City by Warranty Deed with 3.79 acres
of the site being dedicated/donated by the applicant/owner and the remaining 0.93 acres
being purchased by the City of Chanhassen. The City shall compensate the owner/
applicant $218,550 in total compensation for said 0.93 acres.
2. That the applicant rough grade and cover seed the park site and construct a 20 stall parking
lot for an additional not to exceed payment of $50,000 from the City. The parking lot shall
include insurmountable curb. Construction plans for all improvements within the borders
of the park shall be submitted to the Park and Recreation Director for approval prior to
initiating construction of these improvements. All material and labor costs are
reimbursable. Design, engineering and testing services associated with these
improvements shall be provided by the applicant.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
BOULDER COVE: RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING PARK AND TRAIL
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR PROPERTY LOCATED ON NORTH OF
HIGHWAY 7, EAST OF CHURCH ROAD AND SOUTH OF WEST 62ND STREET.
Hoffman: Boulder Cove is a property located north of Highway 7. It’s going to be developed
into a couple of different types of units. Townhomes and two single family properties as well.
In the general vicinity of Cathcart Park. If you’re familiar with that neighborhood park. It’s an
interesting park site. It’s shown here on one of the attachments. It’s owned by the City of
Shorewood but it’s within the City of Chanhassen and the church across the street originally
owned the property and then they donated it, or dedicated it to the City of Shorewood for a park
since the church was in Shorewood. And so now we have a multi-jurisdictional facility where
we mow the grass and trim the trees and they own it and take care of the capital improvements
and the design. Both residents of Shorewood and Chanhassen use it as a park. It’s located just a
block to the west of the proposed Boulder Cove. Provides good access for parks and so staff is
recommending that we accept park dedication in lieu of land acquisition. Trails. There is one
section of the regional trail system within the vicinity. It’s the South LRT running from Hopkins
to Victoria and it’s, there’s no trail head at this location but there is a direct access just one home
away from Cathcart Park, and then the corridor slices northeast and southwest. So if you move
into the Boulder Cove development you’re going to have convenient access to both the parks and
trails, and staff is not recommending any additional construction of trails at this point of the
development. It’s our recommendation that the Park Commission recommend that the City
Council accept full park fees in lieu of parkland dedication and/or trail construction, and as a
condition of Boulder Cove.
Stolar: Any questions? Do I have a motion to approve the staff’s recommendation.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
26
Murphy: Motion to approve staff’s recommendation.
Spizale: Second.
Murphy moved, Spizale seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend
that the City Council approve that full park fees in lieu of parkland dedication and/or trail
construction be collected as a condition of approval for Boulder Cove. The park fees shall
be collected in full at the rate in force upon final plat submission and approval. All voted
in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
RECREATION PROGRAM REPORTS:
2006 EASTER EGG CANDY HUNT.
Ruegemer: It’s kind of an FYI on behalf of Nate tonight to kind of give the commission the
Easter Egg Candy Hunt date. It will be April 15th out at the Chan Rec Center. Sure to be, there
will be information, he’s putting all that information together right now to distribute through the
schools. Looking for volunteers. Stuff like that again so if the commission would like to help
out in any way with that, feel free to give myself or Nate a call and we can put you on a task.
The reservations have already been made for the facility. Entertainment has been secured last
October. So we’re pretty much just kind of falling into place here and just wanted to give you,
the commission a little update as to when the dates are going to be.
Stolar: Thank you. Any questions?
Spizale: Jerry, what time of the day is this?
Ruegemer: 9:00.
Spizale: 9:00.
Ruegemer: Everything will be over by about 10:30. Hopefully being a couple weeks later we’ll
have, we’ll be outside and warm.
Stolar: Hopefully. Without any rain. Okay, next.
DADDY DAUGHTER DATE NIGHT EVALUATION.
Ruegemer: Thanks. Daddy Daughter Date Night, a successful event again. Held February 9th
and 10th. Thursday and Friday nights out at the Recreation Center. We had really good numbers
on Friday night and roughly about 30 to 32, 35 couples roughly on Thursday night so a good
event. We changed up the catering a little bit this year. …and that was a rousing success so, but
the kids certainly enjoyed that and I think the dads appreciated that as well to get their kids to get
a little something at the event so. A lot of the components were the same again this year. The
dance with the DJ and face painting. Balloon sculpture. One of the events was the same. We
had great help again with Nancy Gagner. She’s one of our, kind of our craft instructors and
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
27
Sailor Johnson also assisted Nancy with that. They’ve been with, involved with the event for a
number of years so it was a nice transition for Nate. His first year with the event to have some
seasoned staff to help him with that so, Nate did a great job on really paying attention to all the
details on that. Very thorough with decorations and details of the event and did a great job his
first time around. We kind of looked at continuing Friday night is by far the successful, most
successful night. That fills up I would say a week or two after the newsletter goes out on that
and if we had 3 more Friday nights you could probably fill those up as well, so we’re looking to,
potentially looking to expand that and possibly holding a Saturday night event option again next
year. Either we eliminate the Thursday and just go Friday to Saturday or provide all three
options, which we certainly can pull off from a logistic standpoint. So look into that and Nate
made some improvements this year on kind of the photo options of that as far as keeping track of
the, kind of the sequential picture taking corresponding with the people who are in the picture, as
far as identification so, that worked our really good this year and we’ll continue on with that.
And just a simple, you know just kind of logistics placements. Runway out. That sort of thing
with that. All accounts, everybody that attends has a fantastic time. We’ve certainly had our
mayor, Mayor Furlong attend, along with some city council members and other members of the
commission. Kevin was there this year. So everybody seems to really enjoy the night out with
their daughters. Kind of a little special time so, it’s a great event.
Stolar: Any questions? Great.
FEBRUARY FESTIVAL EVALUATION.
Ruegemer: Seems so long ago, doesn’t it?
Stolar: Have we finished the investigation into the winning fish yet and the situation there?
Ruegemer: That’s an ongoing task. So just you know, it was another fun year. Certainly we had
some challenges with ice conditions and all that but all that being said, we sold the same amount
of tickets as we had last year. Identical to the numbers so it was a great event. Down to the
ticket. 1,061. So great event again. Had a lot of help. Great help from community members.
Park maintenance staff did a wonderful job again on preparing the site, and also facilitating the
logistics of the event during the day of the event. I want to thank all the commissioners that were
out there providing help with the prize board ticket sales. All the above so we couldn’t have
done it without you. And it was a little bit of a chilly day out that day so we appreciate
everybody taking the time and coming out and helping us again and seeing really first hand what
a wonderful event it is. We’ve got some people who enjoy it. We have people there that haven’t
missed one yet in 13 years so, it’s a tradition that’s engrained not only with our community but
even really people outside of our community that keep coming back so. It’s a fun event. You
know kind of looking at the comments regarding the deal. It certainly was helpful to have
everything labeled. I hope everything, you know the coordination within the prize board area.
The commissioners were really responsible for really went smooth with that, which we try to
take a look at labeling and numbering and putting things in order and hopefully that helps with
the speed and ease of distribution during the event itself so we’re certainly always looking for
comments or suggestions to certainly to help out with that. You know great to announce the
prizes as well as names and ticket numbers. Fred did always does a wonderful job with that and
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
28
I think people really try to make an effort this year to go out and go out into the community and
really try to lower our expense overall. Kind of bridge the gap between revenue and
expenditures and we did a better job this year on going out. Did a lot of door knocking this
year. I did a lot of door knocking after Corey had left and certainly was one of my goals was to
make the debt a little bit more friendly as far as expenditures versus revenue so we did a better
job lowering the event by about $1,100-$1,200 in expense to bridge the gap so, always looking
for ways to cut expense without cutting the overall experience for our participants. You look at
the overall, really the overall prize per participant that the won a door prize. It really was a
phenomenal value this year for a $5 ticket so we did a great job on getting a number of books
donated from a publishing company here in town, and just a lot of other callers came through
with a lot of value baskets and desserts and there was just a lot of great event. Gander Mountain
donated poles and other types of items. Ivan Sinclair donated some fishing poles and other, ice
auger and some other prize board items so it really was a great event. It was fun to get out and
make some new sponsor contacts and get excited and rally people around the event so. Overall
we certainly talked amongst the staff as to way we can improve again next year. Eliminate some
costs with that. It does seem like we’re, you know the advertising that we do certainly is
beneficial but you know are we kind of at the point now where it’s kind of engrained in people’s
mind as to when the date’s going to be and I’m looking to maybe look at doing maybe some
different advertising next year that we can eliminate maybe some of the ads in the paper to save
some costs somehow that way but, just really looking for the commission tonight, if there’s any
items or general comments, suggestions that you were willing to pass on tonight that we can
improve the event or you know kind of looking forward to it so.
Murphy: I just think people were really pleased with the prizes and winning whatever they won.
They were just glad to get something. So I think that went really well with the amount of prizes
that we had.
Stolar: The question, a couple things on the prize thing. If they could add another sheet, and I
don’t know if that’s going to be easy or not but one of the things, you know I’d take the sheet
and I’d go running and then I’d come back. Well they had new numbers so I have to wait for
those to be written. If you had like two runner sheets, then I could just you know take one,
because Fred was waiting on me a lot. It wasn’t fun. He’d be sitting there waiting. I do have a
question about the, just when looking at the numbers. The total expenses didn’t match in the two
areas, and I’m sure that’s just a typo.
Ruegemer: On what, actually I have an updated one.
Stolar: And like when we see prizes here for Cabin Fever Sports and Sheraton Bloomington
Hotel, those are where we bought prizes, correct?
Ruegemer: If you look at, Cabin Fever Sporting Goods, yeah. Jeff does donate the portable fish
house for that and certainly then we supplement.
Stolar: With buying other.
Ruegemer: Correct. Buying some other prizes.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
29
Stolar: And the hotel, same thing? That’s one of the prize.
Ruegemer: Actually the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel is the PA system for the ice.
Stolar: Oh okay.
Ruegemer: We actually did go out for about 2 or 3 quotes on that this year. Sheraton is who
we’ve used for the past you know 10 plus years for that and they definitely did sharpen their
pencil on us after they knew we were kind of going out for some other options. It’s expensive,
without question.
Stolar: But you’ve got to get the right equipment there.
Ruegemer: Yeah. When you’re stringing out you know 1,200 feet of cable and.
Stolar: Right, they set it up and they take it down?
Ruegemer: Yep.
Stolar: It’s worth it.
Ruegemer: Turn key for us, yeah. We just provide power.
Stolar: Yep. The only thing, and I’m going to play off of something that Todd did this year
which is, it would be fun to maybe have a ice fishing lesson there. Like maybe the half hour
beforehand, a couple people go around and coach or do like what you did with Dave… Be kind
of fun. See a couple volunteers out there. Either the Friday before or you know like people can
come at noon and there’ll be a few holes set up with some.
Hoffman: Beginner area.
Stolar: Yeah. Actually you could set up a beginner’s area where someone just kind of walks
around and.
Hoffman: Yeah, we could get some Lions. $5,390.32 is the actual total expense on the updated
sheet. 5390.32.
Stolar: For $90 of investment, boy was that worth it. That was a great payback.
Murphy: I have to say it took me a while to thaw my feet out.
Stolar: The year before of all the water that was on there, that had melted, actually this year
went out and bought different boots just, and they worked great.
Hoffman: Thanks again for all your help.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
30
Atkins: I just want to know what Minnesota Gambling Control Board is.
Ruegemer: The $50?
Atkins: Yeah.
Ruegemer: We have to go through a permit application process to get, since it’s considered a
raffle. That’s why if you look on those fish tickets there that’s X065 number. That’s all based
on, it’s gambling essentially so we have to go through that State agency to get a permit to host
that raffle.
Hoffman: Through the Chamber of Commerce.
Ruegemer: Yeah. So we do that process every fall. We go through the Chamber of Commerce
actually did pass an ordinance that we don’t need board approval anymore. The Board of
Directors did pass that so on an annual basis they automatically give us the official okey dokey
and we go through that process and get everything approved so.
Atkins: Do you have to do that for the 4th of July?
Ruegemer: No.
Stolar: Correspondence section. Anything anybody needs to.
Murphy: This was pretty neat.
Hoffman: Which one is it? Dog?
Murphy: Yeah.
Stolar: For the Shorewood.
Murphy: Funding raiser going.
Stolar: That’s where it was. The foundation, the Shorewood Parks Foundation.
Murphy: I haven’t seen that anywhere.
Atkins: Me either. …distributed in Chanhassen?
Hoffman: I received it in the mail.
Scharfenberg: Is there any update Todd on that process for Marty?
Hoffman: No updates.
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
31
Stolar: Well even though there are no updates, I would like to ask for him to come to either the
March or April meeting. If that’s possible. Even if he has no updates so we can ask him
questions.
Hoffman: Sure.
Murphy: I would also like to contact him just to see what I can do to help maybe make this more
visible in Chanhassen.
Stolar: I guess the question I have is, even if we raise all this money, if Marty’s group isn’t
going to do it, it doesn’t really help us to have the money. It’s a time constraint and resource
constraint for us more than the money right now.
Hoffman: I didn’t receive the nomination form but I see Karen included in the packet, for the
Distinguished Service Award last year. I’m not sure if we talked about that or not. I think we
did.
Stolar: We reviewed the nominees last year.
Hoffman: At this point you’re eligible to make a nomination of the community. As an
organization you can make a nomination for a person to be considered. And today’s the
deadline.
Stolar: Are we going to see who was nominated again?
Hoffman: You will. But you also have the opportunity to nominate somebody if you so choose
as a commission.
Stolar: Also remember the gala is April 29th. Your names are on the list to get an invite.
Hoffman: Is there any desire by any member to nominate a person?
Atkins: Did you say Karen was nominated? Oh, I don’t know why I thought I heard that. Karen
Engelhardt.
Stolar: I think if you have somebody, I guess now would be the time. Just one other quick note,
this letter for Dale. It sums up a lot of things he and his group have been doing for this
community. I thought that was great. Really appreciate it.
Hoffman: Nice letter.
Stolar: Alright. Does anyone have any other business to bring towards this committee? I guess
I can wrap up my final committee report. We’re done with the Surface Water Management task
force. There’s going to be a public hearing March, when is the Planning Commission meeting?
Park and Rec Commission – February 28, 2006
32
Hoffman: The 7th.
Stolar: The 7th. So March 7th, Planning Commission is going to have a public hearing. They
now own the recommendations and the watershed districts, all watershed districts have to review
it and give their input. Carver County has to review it. Give their input. City Council’s seen a
briefing of it. I didn’t think, I guess you could bring in a March to bring our deal into it so
maybe why don’t we put something in March and I’ll just, I’m trying to get at summary
document from them so I’ll see if they have the updated exec summary yet and we’ll use that as
our input document. But I thought a lot of it was done really well and again as I mentioned last
time, the key thing was, we were able to classify water bodies, including calling a couple of them
pristine, meaning you really want to focus on them and keeping them with extra regulations and
codes and stringent adherence to codes to make sure they don’t get disturbed and those would be
Seminary Fen and the creek.
Hoffman: Assumption Creek.
Stolar: Assumption Creek. So, and City Council when they were told that didn’t seem to have
any comments at that time but it was just a preliminary briefly for them. And then from a parks
perspective, just we’re going to continue to try and make the city the show case so one of the
things we’ll talk about is some things downtown that Lori may propose which the parks, Dale’s
crew maintain downtown so maybe some things there. Native vegetations and things like that to
help improve runoff. Of course that runoff goes…we were just talking about. Do I have a
motion for adjournment. I guess there are no other committees right now going on. Motion for
adjournment?
Spizale moved, Murphy seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the
motion carried. The Park and Recreation Commission meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM: Karen J. Engelhardt, Office Manager
DATE: March 20, 2006
SUBJ: Approval of 2006 Liquor License Renewals
Attached is a listing of all of the liquor licenses that are renewed annually by the
City Council. This renewal is for the licensing period of May 1, 2006 through
April 30, 2007. As of this writing, staff has not received all of the necessary
documentation from every license holder. This is typical and no license will be
issued until all documentation is complete.
Staff has completed background investigations on the applicants and the operating
manager of each establishment. This background investigation includes criminal
history, outstanding warrants, and driving records. No negative comments were
found on any of the applicants.
Staff also reviewed property tax and utility bill records for each applicant. One
establishment’s utility bill is delinquent and this amount will be collected prior to
issuance of the license.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 2006 liquor license
applications as listed on the attached sheet contingent upon receipt of all necessary
documentation. Approval requires a simple majority vote of those City Council
members present. Following Council approval, I will forward all of the licenses to
the Liquor Control Division at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for final
processing. The state requires that these documents be in their office by April 1,
2006.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2006 Liquor License Holders
2006 LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS
ON-SALE INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSES Fee
(All fees listed include $200 Sunday Sales fee, except High Timber Lounge)
· Axel’s, 560 West 78th Street $6,315
· Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 West 78th Street $13,304
· Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 590 West 79th Street $9,809
· High Timber Lounge & Meeting Rooms, 545 West 78th Street (no Sunday Sales) $7,862
· Houlihan’s, 530 Pond Promenade $9,809
· Chanhassen American Legion Post 580, 290 Lake Drive East $9,809
· Buffalo Wild Wings, 550 West 79th Street $9,809
· Chipotle Mexican Grill, 560 West 79th Street $6,315
· Rey Azteca, 7874 Market Boulevard $6,315
· Jacob’s Tavern, 7845 Century Blvd. (approved but not under construction yet)
OFF-SALE INTOXICATING LICENSES
· MGM Liquor Warehouse, 7856 Market Boulevard $200
· Cheers Wine & Spirits, 530 West 79th Street $200
· Byerly Wine & Spirits, 780 West 78th Street $200
· Century Wine & Spirits, 2689 West 78th Street $200
· Winestyles, 600 Market Street, Suite 140
OFF-SALE 3.2 MALT LIQUOR LICENSES
· Kwik-Trip #402, 2201 West 78th Street $58
· Chanhassen Citgo Company, 380 Lake Drive East $58
· Cub Foods, 7900 Market Boulevard $58
ON-SALE 3.2 MALT LIQUOR LICENSE
· Bluff Creek Golf Association, 1025 Creekwood Drive $410
· RSS Golf, 825 Flying Cloud Drive $410
ON-SALE BEER & WINE LICENSES
· Na’s Thai Cafe, 566 West 78th Street $410
· Byerly’s Restaurant, 800 West 78th Street $410
· Happy Garden Restaurant, 2443 Highway 7 West $410
· Frankie’s Pizza, Pasta, & Ribs, 7850 Market Blvd. $410
· CJ’s Coffee & Wine Bar, 600 Market Street, #600 $410
Total $83,191
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM: Paul Oehme, City Engineer/Dir. of Public Works
DATE: March 20, 2006
SUBJ: Approve Plans & Specifications; Authorize Advertisement of Bids for
the 2006 Street Improvement Project No. 06-01
REQUESTED ACTION (Simple Majority Vote)
The City Council is requested to approve the plans and specifications and authorize
advertisement of bids for the 2006 Street Improvement Project.
BACKGROUND
On September 26, 2005, the City Council authorized the preparation of a feasibility
study for this project.
On January 9, 2006, the City Council received the feasibility study and called the
public hearing.
On January 23, 2006 the City Council authorized the preparation of plans and
specifications for the project.
DISCUSSION
The Pavement Management Program has identified the street segments for this
project as needing improvements at this time. Bolton & Menk, the City's consultant
for this project, is completing plans and specifications for the project. The plans are
on file in the Engineering Department. A brief summary of each of the proposed
improvement areas is provided below.
Koehnen Area
The streets in this area are recommended for reconstruction. These streets are 35
years old and are in need of replacement. The streets currently do not have concrete
curb and gutter. The reconstruction area includes approximately 1.05 miles of street,
including West 63rd Street, Koehnen Circle East, Koehnen Circle West, Cardinal
Avenue, Blue Jay Circle, Audubon Circle and Yosemite Avenue (from 6440
Yosemite Avenue to the City limits). Concrete curb and gutter is proposed to be
included in the street design. Also, the street improvement project will include
replacement of all watermain, replacement of some sanitary sewer, installation of
storm sewer and construction of stormwater treatment ponds.
Todd Gerhardt
March 20, 2006
Page 2
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Staff Report.doc
The watermain in this area is cast iron which has resulted in 23 documented
watermain breaks. It is recommended to replace the watermain in this area along
with the water services in the right-of-way.
Televising of the sanitary sewer indicates that portions of this utility are “egged”,
sagging and/or cracked. Bolton & Menk, the consultant engineer the City has
contracted for this project, recommends that portions of the sanitary sewer exhibiting
“extreme” sagging or segments that are cracked be replaced.
Storm sewer will be installed and will outlet to one of three ponds that will be
constructed in conjunction with the project. The ponds will treat the runoff before
discharging to other water bodies.
Forty percent (40%) of the street rehabilitation costs are proposed to be assessed to
the benefiting property owners within the project area. The preliminary assessment
amount for the Koehnen area is $7,100/lot and is proposed to be assessed over a 10-
year period at 6% interest.
As directed by the Council at the public hearing, streets in this area will remain
approximately their same width of 28, except for Yosemite Road that will be widened
to 32’ based on state aid standards.
Retaining walls will be constructed were necessary to ensure a properly engineered
design for slope stability. Staff will work with the property owners to obtain
temporary construction easements to grade on private property to reduce wall
quantities after the award of a construction contract.
Todd Gerhardt
March 20, 2006
Page 3
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Staff Report.doc
Chanhassen Hills Area
The Chanhassen Hills area project includes resurfacing or rehabilitation of the streets.
These streets are 15 years old and are recommended for milling and overlaying. The
streets have been sealcoated twice and can no longer be maintained adequately with
preventative pavement management techniques. Improvements consist of milling the
pavement and paving a minimum of 2” bituminous. Damaged, “alligatored”
pavement areas will be removed and repaved prior to the overlay. Severely damaged
curb will be replaced. Draintile in back of the curb is also proposed to be included at
various locations. The water table in this neighborhood is very high and most
properties with sump pumps run all year long. In 2000, the City had a sump pump
inspection program that identified several properties in this area with illicit sump
pump discharges connected directly into the sanitary sewer. At that time, all of the
illicit discharges were removed. In working on the Inflow/Infiltration program, this
area again has become a concern for illicit discharges. By including the draintile in
with the street improvement project, the City will give the residents another
alternative to discharge the sump pump water into a city-maintained system.
Forty percent (40%) of the street rehabilitation costs are proposed to be assessed to
the benefiting property owners within the project area. The preliminary assessment
amount for the Chanhassen Hills area is $1,698.15/lot and is proposed to be assessed
over an 8-year period at 6% interest.
Todd Gerhardt
March 20, 2006
Page 4
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Staff Report.doc
Lake Ann Park Parking Lots
Also included in this year’s street project are proposed improvements to the parking
lots at Lake Ann Park. Most of the drives and parking areas are in very poor
condition and are in need of reconstruction. The improvements include
reconstruction of the roadways, realignment of roadways, reconstruction of parking
areas and overlay of parking areas. Also included will be placement of concrete curb
and gutter in parking areas.
Todd Gerhardt
March 20, 2006
Page 5
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Staff Report.doc
Funding
Funding for this project is proposed as follows:
ITEM ESTIMATED
COST
2006 CIP
Project Number
ST-012 (MSA) Street Reconstruction $ 1,561,073 ST-012
Rehabilitation Area
(Chanhassen Hills)
661,300
ST-018 (Pvmt.
Mgmt.)
Subtotal, Streets $ 2,222,373
Lake Ann Park $ 321,235 PK&T-051
Storm Sewer 586,011 SWMP-019
Todd Gerhardt
March 20, 2006
Page 6
C:\DOCUME~1\karene\LOCALS~1\Temp\Staff Report.doc
Sanitary Sewer
Reconstruction
185,679 SS-014
Watermain
Reconstruction
544,585 W-024
TOTAL $ 3,859,833
For the street projects $764,385.50 is proposed to be assessed to the benefiting
property owners.
The estimated costs for storm sewer improvements are higher than the budgeted
amount since the detailed storm sewer design was not complete when the budget
amount was determined. Staff will be obtaining an alternate bid for storm water pipe
using different materials to help offset these costs.
The estimated watermain costs are high due to the unforeseen increase in the cost of
watermain pipe. Potential new revenue that was not budgeted for in 2006 may be
able to be used to help offset these costs.
The tentative schedule for this project is as follows:
Approve Plans and Specifications; Authorize Ad for Bid March 20, 2006
Assessment Hearing/Adopt Assessment Roll/Award Contract May, 2006
Start Construction June, 2006
Construction Complete October, 2006
The project start and completion dates are later than originally anticipated due to
changes in MnDOT’s State Aid review process. It also took longer then anticipated
to designate Yosemite as a Muncipal State Aid Route. The route designation is
required prior to MnDOT reviewing and approving construction drawings. The
City’s consultant is prioritizing the preparation of Yosemite Avenue plans in an
attempt to get the project back to the original anticipated schedule. Currently,
MnDOT is still finalizing the route designation. If the route designation is not
completed soon and MnDOT's plan review is longer then anticipated, the Koehnen
project area may need to be delayed.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following motion:
"The Chanhassen City Council approves the plans and specifications and authorizes
the advertisement of bids for the 2006 Street Improvement Project."
Attachments
c: Marcus Thomas, Bolton & Menk
MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM: Gregg Geske- Fire Chief
Sherri Walsh – 1st Assistant Chief
Randy Wahl - 2nd Assistant Chief
Mark Littfin- Fire Marshal
Ed Coppersmith – Training Officer
DATE: March 15, 2006
SUBJ: Monthly City Council update
Fire Department Overview:
Staffing is at 46 active firefighters as of March 15, 2006, allocation is 45 PTE’s.
We have had 88 calls as of March 12, 2006, down from 101 calls at this same time in 2005. We had
one of our members, Dale Gregory, Battalion Chief, reach a monumental milestone in March. He has
been a Chanhassen firefighter for 35 years.
Fire Training:
In April we will concentrate on NIMS, National Incident Management System training. This is a
16 hour required class for our responders in order to be certified. We need to be certified by
September of this year in order to receive grants and any disaster assistance.
Fire Marshal:
The cause of the fire on Lotus Trail was the improper installation of the wood burning stove and
chimney flue. The home was determined to be a total loss. Mutual aid was received from Victoria,
Chaska, Eden Prairie and Excelsior Fire Departments. As of this date, we have no time schedule for
demolition or rebuilding. We had no other fires to report.
New Construction – The Chanhassen Water Treatment Plant is the only major building project under
construction at this time. There are a number of smaller remodeling projects underway at Wells
Fargo Bank, the Golden Chalice Restaurant, and Vessco, Inc.
Mr. Todd Gerhardt
March 15, 2006
Page 2
We are conducting re-inspections of many of the apartment buildings and motels/hotels. Last month
Emerson, General Mills, Banta Corp., along with other office manufacturing warehouse occupancies
were inspected. Businesses along Lake Drive East are scheduled to be inspected in the next one to
two weeks. In the past few months, we have been utilizing Firehouse software for tracking
businesses, the different types of occupancy, and inspection record retention. Rick Rice, Betty
Eidam, Ed Coppersmith, and I recently attended a Firehouse software class at a Mankato sectional
fire school.
Fire Inspections:
The past month has been a very busy one for the Chanhassen Fire Department. We finished up the
month of February with several live burn trainings at 9715 Audubon Road, which were done on
regular Monday nights and two Saturday mornings. Also, the Fire Department received training on
conducting fire suppression and rescue operations on new style vehicles which have hybrid engines
and new airbag designs. The Department also received its annual training on Right to Know and
Haz Mat refresher.
Fire Prevention:
Not much to report at this time. There have been a couple of fire station tours for some of our local
scout troops. Once the snow melts and summer arrives, we will be getting requests for bringing fire
trucks to local block parties and neighborhood events. We always get a wonderful turnout from our
firefighters who like to participate in these types of events
Mr. Todd Gerhardt
March 15, 2006
Page 3
March 16, 2006
Mr. Dale Gregory
7091 Redman Lane
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Dear Dale:
Congratulations and thank you for your service as a Chanhassen Volunteer
Firefighter for the past 35 years! You and your family should be very proud of
your dedication, performance, and devotion to your community and fellow
firefighters. Firefighters like you, who give up a considerable amount of time
and energy for the good of others, is what makes Chanhassen a “great
community.”
I am pleased to hear that you will continue to serve the Fire Department and
commend you on this tremendous accomplishment. Thank you for the part you
play in making Chanhassen a safe place to live.
Sincerely,
Todd Gerhardt
City Manager
c: Mayor & City Council
Halla Greens
March 20, 2006
Page 2
The first option reflects 4 foot high lights. The level of illumination is minimal leaving dark areas within
the parking lot.
4 Foot High Light fixture
The second option shows a mix of 15 foot and 4 foot high light fixtures. This option provides an improved
level of illumination.
15 Foot High Light fixture
Staff is recommending all lights with the exception of the light located in the center island of the parking lot
be shut off one hour after sunset.
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Halla Greens
March 20, 2006
Page 4
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following motions:
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
“The City Council approve an amendment to Conditional Use Permit 2003-4 CUP – Planning
Case 05-39, for the construction of a golf course with a club house as shown in plans dated received
January 6, 2006, with the following amendment to condition #9 of the existing conditional use
permit and adding conditions 10, 11 and 12:
9. No exterior lighting shall be permitted with the exception of safety lights which includes
parking lot lights and drive aisle lights. The height of the light pole may not exceed 15 feet.
All light fixtures must meet ordinance requirements. All lights with the exception of the light
located in the center island of the parking lot be shut off one hour after sunset.
10. The applicant/owner/lessee shall apply pesticides only when needed. Use products that are
most effective, target specific, and present the least hazards to people, wildlife, and the
environment.
11. A retail pro shop is permitted within the clubhouse. Retail operations shall not occupy more
than 20% of one floor. Retail sales are limited to food, beverages, and golf-related items.
12. Hours of maintenance operation shall be limited to Civil Sunrise to Nautical Sunset.”
SITE PLAN REVIEW
“The City Council approve an amendment to Site Plan Review 2003-7 SPR – Planning Case 05-
39, for the construction of a Club House, a Maintenance Building, a golf ball washing building and
a lean-to for a golf course as shown in plans dated received January 6, 2006, with the following
added conditions:
1. Applicant shall increase landscape plantings to meet minimum requirements for parking lot
trees. A revised landscape plan shall be submitted to the City and approved by staff prior to
issuance of a building permit.
2. Applicant shall fully screen parking lots from adjacent roadways through the use of berming
or increased landscaping.
3. The applicant must submit detailed architectural plans for the maintenance building, golf ball
washing building, and lean-to that meet the design ordinance requirement.
4. Comply with all conditions of the MnDOT review letter dated November 23, 2005.
5. The temporary 120 square-foot octagon building is permitted for a maximum of 12 months
from the day the City Council approves this application or when the certificate of occupancy
for the club house has been issued, whichever comes first.
Halla Greens
March 20, 2006
Page 5
6. The applicant is responsible for obtaining and complying with MnDOT and Carver County
permits and approval on any grading that takes place along the north and west side of the
property.
7. All disturbed areas are required to be restored with seed and mulch within two weeks of
grading completion.
8. All plans must be signed by a professional civil engineer registered in the State of Minnesota.
9. The golf ball washing and golf ball dispensing building shall not exceed 100 square feet in
area.
10. The maintenance building may not be used for “Halla Nursery” related items nor exceed
2,040 square feet in area. The outdoor storage area shall be fully screened by a board on
board wooden fence. The height of the fence shall not exceed 6½ feet.
11. The trash enclosure located west of the maintenance building shall be constructed of
materials similar to the club house building.”
ATTACHMENTS
1. Findings of Fact.
2. March 2006 calendar showing Civil Sunrise to Nautical (Twilight) Sunset times.
3. Ball Dispenser Building.
4. Maintenance Building.
5. Site Plan showing location of Maintenance and Ball Dispenser Buildings.
6. City Council minutes dated March 13, 2006.
g:\plan\2005 planning cases\05-39 halla greens 03-07 site plan amendment\revised staff report to council.doc
123914v06
RNK:r03/17/2006 1
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
FINDINGS OF FACT
AND DECISION
IN RE: Application of Don Halla requesting a Site Plan Amendment and conditional use permit
amendment for a golf course: HALLA GREENS – Planning Case No. 05-39.
On March 20, 2006, the Chanhassen City Council met at its regularly scheduled meeting
to consider the application of Don Halla for a conditional use permit amendment and site plan
amendment for the property located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Great Plains
Boulevard and Pioneer Trail. The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the
applications which was preceded by published and mailed notice and has made recommendations
to the City Council. The City Council makes the following:
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. The property is currently zoned Agricultural Estate District, A2.
2. The property is guided by the Land Use Plan for Residential – Large Lot.
3. The legal description of the property is: The NE ¼ of the SW ¼ of Section 25, Township
116, Range 23, Carver County, Minnesota (“subject property”).
4. On September 15, 2003, the City approved Conditional Use Permit 2003-4 and Site Plan
2003-7 SPR for a golf course on the subject property. The applicant now seeks amendments
to the previous approvals.
5. The table below summarizes the proposed changes:
PREVIOUSLY
APPROVED
PROPOSED
Club House 40’ x 60’ 40’x 66’
Outdoor seating areas 10’ x 60’ covered porch
without screening and a
1,413 sq ft patio
13’4” x 40’ screened veranda on
each end of the building and a
1,000 sq ft patio
Maintenance building 30’ x 60’ 34’ x 60’ with enclosed outdoor
storage area
Ball
washing/dispensing
building
None Proposed 10’ x 10’ Ball dispensing and
Pop machine building
123914v06
RNK:r03/17/2006 2
PREVIOUSLY
APPROVED
PROPOSED
Shelter building
None Proposed 16’ x 40’ teaching shelter
building. The use was
originally approved without a
shelter building and as an
auxiliary use to the golf course.
Lighting Lights attached to the
building
Parking lot lights
Temporary structure None Proposed Request for a temporary 12’
octagon building to serve as
customer and employee
building.
Building Material
Wood was used as an
exterior material for the
utility building
Vinyl is proposed as the exterior
material for all buildings.
Hours of Operation
Sunrise to Sunset Civil Sunrise to Nautical Sunset
(approx. ½ hour after Civil
Sunset, also known as twilight).
6. The City Council shall issue such conditional use permit only if it finds that such use at the
proposed location:
a. Will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, comfort, convenience or
general welfare of the neighborhood or city.
b. Will be consistent with the objectives of the city's comprehensive plan and the zoning
chapter.
c. Will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so to be compatible in
appearance with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity and will not
change the essential character of that area.
d. Will not be hazardous or disturbing to existing or planned neighboring uses.
e. Will be served adequately by essential public facilities and services, including streets,
police and fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, water and sewer systems
and schools; or will be served adequately by such facilities and services provided by the
persons or agencies responsible for the establishment of the proposed use.
f. Will not create excessive requirements for public facilities and services and will not be
detrimental to the economic welfare of the community.
g. Will not involve uses, activities, processes, materials, equipment and conditions of
operation that will be detrimental to any persons, property or the general welfare because
of excessive production of traffic, noise, smoke, fumes, glare, odors, rodents, or trash.
123914v06
RNK:r03/17/2006 3
h. Will have vehicular approaches to the property which do not create traffic congestion or
interfere with traffic or surrounding public thoroughfares.
i. Will not result in the destruction, loss or damage of solar access, natural, scenic or
historic features of major significance.
j. Will be aesthetically compatible with the area.
k. Will not depreciate surrounding property values.
l. Will meet standards prescribed for certain uses as provided in Chapter 20, Article IV of
the Chanhassen City Code.
7. In evaluating a site plan and building plan, the city shall consider the development's
compliance with the following:
a. Consistency with the elements and objectives of the city's development guides, including
the comprehensive plan, official road mapping, and other plans that may be adopted;
b. Consistency with this division;
c. Preservation of the site in its natural state to the extent practicable by minimizing tree and
soil removal and designing grade changes to be in keeping with the general appearance of
the neighboring developed or developing areas;
d. Creation of a harmonious relationship of building and open space with natural site
features and with existing and future buildings having a visual relationship to the
development;
e. Creation of functional and harmonious design for structures and site features, with special
attention to the following:
1. An internal sense of order for the buildings and use on the site and provision of a
desirable environment for occupants, visitors and general community;
2. The amount and location of open space and landscaping;
3. Materials, textures, colors and details of construction as an expression of the design
concept and the compatibility of the same with adjacent and neighboring structures
and uses; and
4. Vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including walkways, interior drives and parking
in terms of location and number of access points to the public streets, width of interior
drives and access points, general interior circulation, separation of pedestrian and
vehicular traffic and arrangement and amount of parking.
123914v06
RNK:r03/17/2006 4
f. Protection of adjacent and neighboring properties through reasonable provision for
surface water drainage, sound and sight buffers, preservation of views, light and air and
those aspects of design not adequately covered by other regulations which may have
substantial effects on neighboring land uses.
8. The proposed amendment to the Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan, meet ordinance
requirements.
DECISION
The City Council approves the site plan and conditional use permit amendments
applications.
ADOPTED by the Chanhassen City Council this 20th day of March, 2006.
ATTEST: CITY OF CHANHASSEN
_______________________________ _____________________________
Todd Gerhardt, City Clerk/Manager Thomas A. Furlong, Mayor
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 13, 2006
HALLA GREENS (AKA CHANHASSEN SHORT COURSE), LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GREAT PLAINS BOULEVARD
Public Present:
Name Address
David & Sharon Gatto 9631 Foxford Road
Gaye Guyton 10083 Great Plains Boulevard
David & Judy Walstad 10071 Great Plains Boulevard
Sandy & Don Halla 6601 Mohawk Trail
Dave Wondra 9590 Foxford Road
Tom Anderson 9371 Foxford Road
Magdy & June Ebrahim 521 Pineview Court
Steve Shipley 261 Eastwood Court
Kate Aanenson: Thank you. The applicant before you tonight is requesting an amendment to
the conditional use and site plan approval that was granted for a golf course located on Pioneer
Trail and 101, on the southeast corner. The plan itself has changed since the original application.
The cover part of your staff report was, what was originally approved and what the applicant,
Mr. Halla is proposing. Instead of going through that, what I would like to do is if you turn the
page is go through what Mr. Halla’s requesting and what the staff is recommending. And with
that, this did go to the Planning Commission. There was some ambiguity at the Planning
Commission regarding the motion and I know that caused a little bit concern with the, with some
of the neighbors but the Planning Commission did hold a public hearing February 7th to review
the project and the Planning Commission 4 to 2 voted to deny the requested amendments. So
with that the staff took the lead to get the application where we felt it met the issues regarding,
where we could attach reasonable conditions for a conditional use and the site plan. Have them
make those modifications and that’s what I’d like to spend some time going through. So on the
north is the Pioneer Trail, and this would be the driveway coming in. The original club house
itself was 44 by 66 and that’s, or what Mr. Halla’s requesting and that still is what we’re
recommending for approval. There was outdoor seating. It’s been changed to kind of a veranda
on each side, and the staff is supportive of that. There was a maintenance building and Mr.
Halla’s requesting a 68 by 120 with a 24 foot future. The staff has recommended denial of that.
That size, but back to the 1,800 square foot that was previously approved. We think that’s in
excess of the size of this operation. Again the ball washing machine, we believe that can be
incorporated into the maintenance building so we are recommending denial of that. There was a
shelter building that they used for teaching and the staff is recommending approval of that shelter
building and that was 16 by 40 feet. Lighting. The applicant wanted to use two different size of
heights, 25 and 15. Staff is recommending 15 feet around the entire site. The lights themselves,
I’m just showing this just, I know you can’t read it but just for your edification. This is
photometrics. This was submitted. We do require a half foot at the candle…anybody read it but
I just want you to know we have reviewed that. But the lights themselves, there’s lighting here.
And there’s lighting on the driveway coming here and then back towards the maintenance
building and those we’re recommending 15 feet. Again just for clarification city code does
require parking lot lighting. I know we were asked by the residents that Bluff Creek Golf Course
does not have them. That golf course predates most of us here that were involved in the city.
The most recent golf course that the staff worked on, actually I worked on is the Rain, Snow,
Shine Golf Course and that one does have parking lot lighting and that is consistent with city
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
2
ordinance, but actually this one we actually went down a little bit lower and I believe they even
have that’s 15 feet which city ordinance allows 30 feet. So we did recommend 15 feet overall.
The applicant had requested some at 25 and some at 15. There was a request for a temporary
structure, …building to serve customers and employees building until that’s complete. That’s
fine. Staff did recommend approval of that. And then the other one we had a concern with was
the ribbed metal on the exterior building for the maintenance building and the ball washing. We
recommended denial on that. Again we don’t know how long the life of this building would be
so we are making consistent with the city ordinance which requires non-metal and it would be
used as an accent. And then the request of hours of operation. We’re again going back to the
original conditional use. Again fitting in with the neighborhood, and that request for the
extended hours was denied. At 11:00 it’s dark so you couldn’t be golfing then. So with that,
again this is just a change. I’m not going to go through unless you have specific questions on the
use of the building itself. If you turn to page, findings of the changes are all found throughout
the staff report but the conditions itself then are, what we’ve done is taken the original site plan
condition. Whatever shows up in the original conditions of approval for the site plan or the
conditional use. Those conditions starting on page, the recommendations starting on page 18
would be in addition to those original conditions or shown as modified, if that makes sense. So
that’s what we are recommending for approval on the conditional use and the site plan itself. So
with that I’d be happy to answer any questions that you have.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Questions for staff.
Councilman Lundquist: Kate, the, now I lost my page. Go to the lights first. If this was not a,
anything more than a sunrise to sunset operation, would our ordinance still require, and I
understand the safety element of the ordinance and that but if it’s a sunrise to sunset operation,
would we need lights there?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah and that’s very similar to what we have at RSS. Sometimes people, there
is a building, sometimes people go in and visit for a little bit afterwards. We have restrictions on
what they can serve down there too but it’s very similar and there’s also parking lot lighting
down there.
Councilman Lundquist: Well Rain, Snow or Shine, I mean they’re open when it’s dark. You go
in the winter time, they’re open til 9:00 and it’s dark at 5:30. So I mean that’s not a.
Kate Aanenson: Again I’ll go back to what the city ordinance says. You know what we look at
too is the safety issue too. Backing in…
Todd Gerhardt: Yeah Mayor, council members. The lighting in the parking lot also acts as a
security. If you don’t have lights in the parking lot you could have individuals go in there at
night, park and run around the golf course. By having lighting it provides security for our
policemen as they drive by to see what’s going on in the area. Golf courses are notorious for
teenagers to hang out and do property damage so it also provides a security.
Councilman Lundquist: On the other conditions as I read through here, we’re requiring some
berming and other stuff around the parking lot so that parking lot’s not visible from the street and
neighbors.
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Kate Aanenson: Well what’s intended, you would still be able to see a car but really it’s
intended also to screen some of the car lights so you’re not, those aren’t shining on adjacent
properties.
Councilman Lundquist: So would that parking lot be readily visible from 101 and Pioneer?
Kate Aanenson: I think you’d be able to see if there’s a car in there but not necessarily the lights
so you still could see the top of a car.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: I believe you can pretty much right now so.
Councilman Lundquist: Right. The extra, the 16 by 40 building, on that plan that you have in
front of you. Show where that is proposed to go?
Kate Aanenson: This is the larger storage building.
Councilman Lundquist: No, not the 60, not the monster one. The 16 by 40 teaching shelter
building. It may be in relation to where the club house is proposed to go.
Kate Aanenson: It’s a wing wall building and I don’t see it on the plan.
Erik Olson: Right, the drive…is right here. The little teaching shack would be on the west side
of the driving range, approximately right around this area.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, it’s open on the outside. Yeah, 3 sides.
Councilman Lundquist: Like a RSS?
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. Okay. Other, and refresh my memory on the ordinance, what the
lights. Do we have a minimum requirement for foot candles or height of lights or anything like
that in the ordinance or does it just say, got to have some lights in the parking lot?
Kate Aanenson: Well there is a photometrics here so we try to look that it’s evenly distributed
and then it drops at the half foot candle at the property line, which this does significantly before
you get to that. The 30 foot, based on the character of the neighborhood, since he was already
proposing 15 on a majority of them, we felt 15 would be consistent throughout there but we
wouldn’t have as much spill. We certainly understand that that’s changing the neighborhood by
having additional lighting there, and whether it’s along the street lighting and that, those
neighborhoods there.
Councilman Lundquist: So does the ordinance require a minimum height of a light or is it just
say we’ve got to have some lights.
Kate Aanenson: Well the ordinance says 30 feet. Because he had.
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Councilman Lundquist: Minimum of 30 or maximum?
Kate Aanenson: Maximum.
Councilman Lundquist: And is there a minimum standard?
Kate Aanenson: You know to get a parking lot light less than that might be, I’m not sure would
be desirable or effective.
Roger Knutson: Could just comment. It has to be a parking lot light to light the parking lot so
presumably there’s some minimum height. I don’t know what it would be to light the parking
lot.
Kate Aanenson: Well and the other part of that is, we may have more poles to get the same
amount of lighting so you might have the same illumination, or more illumination so it’s a
mathematical thing too.
Councilman Lundquist: So there’s a standard in there that talks about foot candles? I’m
searching for something other than.
Kate Aanenson: We tried that too. Tried to find some other way to mitigate that but you would
actually, you may have more poles and more lights to try to get to that, if you want to 10 feet or
something.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. So the standard in the ordinance is about, there’s a maximum
and then there’s a standard for foot candles of illumination that are required?
Kate Aanenson: Correct. That’s the two variables.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay.
Mayor Furlong: And I guess to clarify, is that illumination requirement that maximum
illumination in the parking lot or at the property line?
Kate Aanenson: At the property line but there are industry standards and we go back to the
literature to review that. We don’t have that built in our code but we would work with Beth
Hoiseth, our safety person to look at that, and that, going back to what city manager said, that’s
kind of the safety issue part of it. How we balance that.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Kate.
Mayor Furlong: Other questions, thank you.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Yeah, when I was a new Planning Commissioner I think when this
came on the first time so I have a history with this sort of. I don’t remember discussions
regarding lights at that point. I know there was discussion regarding wells and the watering of
the course. Why wasn’t that ever brought up or you know talked about back then?
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Kate Aanenson: Well I think that the applicant, as you can see by the request, as a different need
and different desires than the original, the original applicant so.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: And I don’t want to put you in a spot but what different needs? I
mean what’s changed with this whole thing?
Kate Aanenson: Well I think clearly one would be the building itself. If you look at what the
original building looked like. Zoom in on that. A little bit more rustic. I think the current
applicant has a little bit more highly stylized building so I think that would be some of it too.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: In regards to lighting the parking lot?
Kate Aanenson: No, in regards to the use itself. That’s where I was going back to.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Oh, okay.
Kate Aanenson: So this conditional use, and the site plan amendment, there’s several things that
are being requested. The applicant didn’t want to stay with those same standards. So one would
be the highly articulated building and assuming the additional parking to provide more people to
come there.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: And what are the club house hours?
Kate Aanenson: Well the original request was for sunrise to sunset and then this applicant
wanted to go to 11:00 p.m..
Councilwoman Tjornhom: For the club house and the golf course or just?
Kate Aanenson: Well there’s no lights on the golf course.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: So you can’t golf at 11:00.
Kate Aanenson: You could try but.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Well it wouldn’t work, and I don’t golf but I’m assuming…
Kate Aanenson: Well, and that goes back to the building itself so, right. So if you can’t golf,
which is they’d be doing something at the building.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: At the club house, that’s what I’m trying to get at. Is that what
brings the safety concerns and the needs for lights?
Kate Aanenson: Well if you look at the conditions of approval, that’s where we recommended
denial of extension of hours because then you’ve got a segment of time between the, when you
can’t golf and.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Right, you have to go home when you’re done golfing.
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6
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, you can lounge a little bit but pretty much that’s the intent and that’s the
same condition that…a curfew that while they’re golfing in the winter then it’s not intended to be
a club house or you know some other type of establishment. That it’s really ancillary to the
primary use which is the golf. So it’s an opportunity to visit. Meet the pro, whatever but it’s
really intended to be part of the same, not a separate commercial type use. But it’s related to
golf. And that was the recommendation for not, for denying and not extending the hours.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Right.
Mayor Furlong: Any other questions? Councilman Peterson, any questions at this point?
Councilman Peterson: You know one of the things Kate was that we were originally intending to
put lights on the building. Was the building in a different spot originally so that we were going
to off light the parking lot with off the building? I mean I assume it would be because right now
it wouldn’t really be possible would it?
Kate Aanenson: It would be difficult. I mean you could put them in the soffit over the door the
way the.
Councilman Peterson: But if we did that, the lighting would be more intrusive to the neighbors
than it would with down lighting now right?
Kate Aanenson: Right. I mean if you put it, if you put in under the soffit here, it would provide
lighting just for that door otherwise yeah, you’re right. It would be the height of the building at
27 feet, if you put somewhere, could be higher.
Councilman Peterson: And you’re going to put spots and it’s just going to be a glaring thing in
the night.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, and those tend to be, that is a nuisance, the calls that we get sometimes
when a business goes next door that we have to work to get it shielded and pointed down. And
then you might not get the park, or the area for protection that we’re talking about before in the
parking lot.
Councilman Peterson: What kind of discussion did you have with the applicant regarding the
maintenance building more than doubling in size? I’m confused by that. I don’t know whether
you’ve had any discussions or we can ask the applicant the same thing.
Kate Aanenson: Sure. Well I think you know we always try to find that proportionality to say, if
this is intended to be related to the golf course, it seems excessive for that size of a course and
we kind of looked around to see what other size of maintenance buildings and it just seemed in
excess of what you would need for this golf course. So we recommended that it be significantly
smaller.
Councilman Peterson: Okay.
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Councilman Lundquist: Kate, one more on the parking spaces. I mean as I drive by I guess I see
that the parking lot’s already there so, but it’s not often that we have applicants come in with
four, with even barely meeting the number of parking spaces and certainly not with 4 times. Any
concerns from staff on all that extra hard cover when you know ordinances require or that’s an
applicant driven figure and that’s how many people they can get out on the course at a time or?
Kate Aanenson: Some of both, yeah. I don’t think that, based on what they would consider the
practice, that’s what they felt they needed. We did put a condition in here regarding that there’s
no commercial kitchen so it’s not being used for that type of facility. For that, but if there was
some, if you had something after league or something like that where they did, they catered
something in, I think that’s kind of what they were looking at possibly too.
Councilman Lundquist: Yeah, as I went this weekend down to Rain, Snow or Shine I think I
counted 64 parking spots and I guess I’d look at it as a similar deal. I mean they’ve got a little
short course there. They’ve got their little putt putt thing and the other stuff going on, and just
one of those things, I wonder if the parking lot needs to be that, I mean it’s there. It’s already,
it’s approved. You know it’s fine. I just wanted to know if you’ve got any, if staff had any
concerns about all that extra hard cover when.
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor, council. We constantly look at ways to try to reduce the impervious
surface and you know they have a 45 acre site so my guess they’re substantially below the
minimum. We work with them in trying to determine what they need to operate the business and
I guess that’s what we agreed to.
Mayor Furlong: I may have some follow up questions for staff after we hear from the applicant.
Are there any other questions for staff at this point? If not, is the applicant here this evening? I
know you are because you came up once already.
Erik Olson: Good evening Mayor, council members. Fellow neighbors and citizens. My name
is Erik Olson. I’m a resident of Chanhassen. I reside at 9855 Delphinium Lane. I’m also the
manager of Halla Greens Golf Course. I’m here tonight to give you a brief history of our
involvement with the course and then go over the issues about the buildings, the hours of
operations, the lights. Hopefully we can get that straighten away tonight too. Just a brief
history. About 6 years ago Don Halla leased his property out for the construction of a golf
course. Back in November of 2004 the lease was essentially given back to Don. He had to
decide between completing the construction of the course or letting it revert back to a tree farm,
which is what it was originally. The decision was made by Don and his wife to basically go
ahead with construction of the course and you know build something that the whole community
can enjoy. By the time we got involved the previous lessee had already received all the people
permits from the city and during the process of building and growing in the courses last year we
came to realize that some changes were needed in order to basically improve the operation of this
golf course and that’s basically why we’re here tonight. We’ve worked hard with the staff to try
to fix all the different issues that we’ve been having. We’re pleased that they like the new club
house. The old one was basically you saw a picture of it, a 40 by 60 pole barn with cedar siding.
Looks like something you’d tie a horse up to and go into a saloon basically. The new one is, it’s
just lightly larger. 40 by 66 and like staff said before, we’d have two enclosed porches on the
east and west sides and it would be built using vinyl shake siding with simulated cedar textured
siding. An example of the color and style that we would use and like I said before, staff has
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given approval for this. Do want to bring out just one other picture, and you can see this a little
bit better than the one that was already here but this is basically the design of the new club house.
It’s similar in style, looks to the Chaska Town Course club house, if any of you are familiar with
that one. The maintenance building as approved is a 30 by 60 pole barn. Storage of equipment
is really the main problem here. We would only be able to store about 25, maybe 30% of the
equipment that we have inside and then the balance of it would have to be kept outside the
maintenance building in an enclosed, fenced in area that’s required basically by city code. This,
even though it’s outside and enclosed in a fence, you know you’ll probably still get to see some
of the equipment sitting back there. Not very attractive and it’s also you know very damaging to
the equipment itself, forcing it to sit outside in the elements all the time. What we proposed is a
68 by 120 foot metal pole barn building. The construction material that’s similar to the one,
Hazeltine Golf Club just built down the road as far as the metal that they used. This is an
example here from the colors and the metal itself. Now in regards to the variance that we’re
requesting the use of metal on the maintenance building, I understand why the City wants the
material to be wood. Wood looks very nice. But with the materials that we would use, and
really the way the buildings are designed, we don’t feel it would be a blight on the community in
the slightest. In addition, we already have metal buildings around the entire property already.
We don’t feel that we’re adding anything different or out of place to the surrounding community.
There is both commercial and residential metal buildings around the site. The commercial ones
are in the northwest corner of the property and west side of the property. Commercial,
residential basically on all four sides already. You know in regards to the size a little bit too, I’d
like to talk about most golf courses, if you go into their maintenance area, they have a lot of
equipment sitting out. You know there’s piles of dirt. There’s piles of sand. There’s you know
equipment that doesn’t work anymore sitting out in the yard basically, and with this increase in
size basically we’re allowing it all to be brought inside…I know there’s some concern brought
up in some of the staff reports that the nursery, Don Halla’s other business would be using part
of this building to help out their endeavors over there and I would just like to stress that that
wouldn’t be the case at all. This is strictly golf course operation and equipment being used in the
building. We also respectfully ask for two other buildings that weren’t thought of before. One is
a ball, staff refers to this as a ball washing building and that really isn’t the correct definition.
We can wash the balls in the maintenance building. That’s not the problem at all. What we need
is a building to house the ball dispenser for the range balls. Holds the baskets there. The balls
themselves. Extra balls that we have. The washing can take place over in the maintenance side.
That isn’t a problem, but basically we need that building in order to operate and run the driving
range. Without the club house built yet, you know that’s really what we’re planning on, or we’re
planning on building first in order to get this golf course open this spring. A driving range is
always the first thing to open up on a golf course, but we need something to house the ball
dispenser. Keep it safe at night. Keep it locked up. The other building is a lean-to teaching
shack on the range to provide privacy and really safety for the golf pro and students. I pointed
out earlier where it would go on the driving range. Both these buildings can be built using the
vinyl siding that I showed here earlier. Something similar in design so everything looks nice and
attractive. But you know if it helps matters we would be willing to eliminate the teaching shack
structure in order to get approval for the ball dispensing building. The variance on the hours of
operation is also very important to the success of this golf course. Right now we have approval
of limiting our time of operations from sunrise to sunset. As you know there’s a lot of light
before the official sunrise and plenty of light after the official sunset. We would like to be able
to conduct our business the exact same way every golf course near us does, as well as basically
every golf course in America does. And let me explain a little bit what I mean by that. The first
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tee time is usually at sunrise. The official sunrise time. Typically a half hour before that, the
ground crew’s out mowing, moving the holes on the greens. Putting the flags out. Things like
that, and the last golfer that comes in, when they can no longer see the flight of their ball. I don’t
know if any of you are golfers here but if you’re one of the last ones out on the tee time and you
know it’s getting toward dark and you don’t want to feel like you’ve spent money for nothing. I
mean you’re staying out there and hitting that ball as long as possible until you basically can’t
see anymore. Behind that last golfer on the course, the ground crew’s again is out trailing behind
them. Removing the flag sticks from all the greens for the night. Picking up any garbage they
see laying around the course so it’s not flying around over night. Basically by doing things this
way, three things are really accomplished. One, the grounds crew is kept safe from being injured
by a ball. Two, the golfers aren’t inconvenienced by and they’re really kept safe from
maintenance being done on the course while they’re out there playing their round. And three, it
allows us to maximize the usable playing time over the course of a day. We’d respectfully
request that the sunrise to sunset definition be changed to say, light to dark or have a time
stipulation attached. This 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. that was listed was really given to the city staff
as an example of something that we wanted to see as opposed to just sunrise to sunset. I mean
that was never designed to be the exact times that we wanted to remain open. It was just meant
as an example. So you know, the light to dark or even if we could have something like a half
hour before sunrise. Half hour, hour after sunset. Something like that. This would basically
allow us to compete fairly with our competition and keep our employees and customers safe.
Lastly we request to be able to put in the parking lot lights for the safety of the employees, the
customers, property itself. The 15 foot high poles that the staff recommends is perfectly
acceptable to us. We don’t have a problem with that. I know that some of the neighbors do have
a lot of concerns about these lights and I’ve talked to David before and I’m sure that’s why he’s
here tonight too is to see what the decision is on that and basically as an act of good faith and to
show that we do want to be good neighbors, we’d be willing to withdraw the request for parking
lot lights, although I don’t know if city code allows us to do that or not. I mean that’s something
that you’ll have to decide. This could be you know a wonderful community asset but you know
we need your help basically on some of the variances with buildings and the longer hours of
operations and possibly with the lights. How you decide to do that. I just want to thank you for
your time and if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, thank you. Questions for Mr. Olson.
Councilman Lundquist: Mr. Olson, if you can, can you explain the original lessee, Mr. Saatzer,
is he involved with the golf course anymore at all?
Erik Olson: You know I’m not really privy to that information but I believe he’s a small, has a
small percentage of the investment on the course. From my understanding.
Councilman Lundquist: So I’m curious that with the original proposal with Mr. Saatzer as the
primary lessee and all of that, that Mr. Halla was fine with everything that was going on as long
as Mr. Saatzer was paying the rent. Now that’s not the case anymore. You don’t feel like it’s a
viable, a viable business anymore?
Erik Olson: Well from my original understanding, Don Halla’s only involvement in the original
proposal is he was strictly leasing the land to Ron Saatzer. And that’s as far as that went. When
he essentially gave back the lease to Don, how can I put this? The original plans, everything was
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10
done to a minimum. Kind of just to get by. Don just wanted to build something nicer. Bottom
line. That’s why you see the difference in the club house. The difference in the maintenance
building. Instead of having a smaller building and having things left out you know, we get a
bigger building and put everything inside so nothing is viewed. The hours of operation I don’t
think were really thought of before in that initial approval from Ron’s side. When we were
building it and looking at it, knowing how golf courses operate and I have a list if you want of
the work start times for basically all the surrounding golf courses. When they start their play.
When they end their play. When they’re watering schedule is. It’s all basically the same. Kind
of coming in late to the approval process we just wanted to try to make some changes to better
the course.
Councilman Lundquist: So what’s your thoughts on tee times? How often, what’s the gap going
to be between your tee times?
Erik Olson: 8 minutes.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. And you think of a, I mean that’s a pretty, you feel like that’s a
pretty aggressive tee time for a short course? Do you expect that you’re going to have mostly
beginners? You know all levels of play or what do you think is your primary target?
Erik Olson: Well it’s not like the 9 holes down at the bottom of the hill, the Rain, Snow, Shine
Golf Zone I think is the other name he goes by. That course is, I think maybe the longest hole he
has is 60 yards. So that’s really designed for the absolute beginner. You know someone just
starting out. This course is going to be more difficult. It’s not really designed for that type of
beginner. We’ll have teaching pros available for beginners to learn and you know the driving
range for them to practice on, but it would really be better for them to go down at the bottom of
the hill if they want to play a round. This is designed more for you know the hacker can still go
out and have fun on it. But if you’re you know a first day of golf is your day that you’re playing
Halla Greens, you might not have that much fun. You might not have much fun on any course
for that matter but, you know our course is going to be a challenge.
Councilman Lundquist: What’s the longest hole? It’s 1,500 yards for 9 holes.
Erik Olson: We have two par 4’s. Both dog leg left’s. The longest being 333 and then the other
one I think is 318. 317. Something like that.
Councilman Lundquist: So par 29?
Erik Olson: Yes, it’s par 29.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. The ball shed, whatever. The 32 by 20. Is that what that is? I
mean as I walk around other golf courses, when I think of a driving range, I mean there’s a thing
like the size of a pop machine that you put the bucket under and then like two pop machine
depths behind it where they store you know 500 or 600 baskets of balls. And so when I think of
you know a place for all of that, I think you can, if you put 3 port-a-potties together it probably
fits in that size so can you, you know help me understand why you think you need the size of that
building to put a ball dispenser and some baskets in.
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11
Erik Olson: Sure. Basically going around to all the golf courses, I talked to the golf courses that
had ranges and the person that was involved with the range and took a look at what they had as
far as the building that stored their range balls. Their ball dispenser and for the most part you’re
right. They’re maybe 15 by 15 side of a building at the, you know on the larger end. 15 by 20
maybe on a couple of them. Like maybe down by Deer Run I think has a pretty good size one.
But talking with these people, the one thing they always wanted was for the building to be bigger
for more storage. You’re always buying more range balls. Range balls get lost. Stolen.
Damaged so you’re constantly having to have a new supply of range balls brought into the
course. The best way is to have a whole bunch of balls already on the facility available to you
instead of waiting for shipment. So with the size that we came up with, basically that was the
size that all these other driving range managers ideally would have liked to have on their bench.
You know for their use. So that’s the size that we came up with. If it would help matters, I
mean we’d be willing to sit down with staff and maybe come up with a different size or more
appropriate size, if that makes you feel more comfortable.
Councilman Lundquist: That’s all I have.
Mayor Furlong: Other questions?
Councilman Peterson: Speaking on the same realm of building size, as I offered earlier. You
spoke of storing stuff inside a maintenance building that you would normally have outside. Was
that the assumption to the best of your knowledge when the original building was proposed at 30
by 60, that everything else be stored outside? Number two, you know I look at the schematic of
the layout of the building, it looks like you’re storing some golf carts inside and is that primarily
why you want the extra space? What are you planning on putting in versus out?
Erik Olson: Right now we do not have golf carts for the course. This larger building would
basically house everything. From the fertilizers. Have a chemical room inside. Like I said
before you know with the 30 by 60, I’m sure Ron was going to get what he could inside that size
and you know, you’re basically forced to leave the rest out. You know you’re leaving your,
we’re going to have, a golf course has to have piles of soil for maintenance out on the course and
replacing divots. We’ve got to have sand for top dressing the greens. Those piles are typically
outside and they’re typically covered with some sort of tarp. You want to keep them as dry as
possible. It’s just much easier to work with the material when it’s dry as opposed to wet. Some
of the stuff you can’t work with it when it’s wet so, we were envisioning all of this moving
inside the building and basically removing anything out of sight from the public. Including in
the future, if we choose to have golf carts available for our golfers, we’d have room inside the
maintenance building then for storage of the carts overnight.
Councilman Peterson: Okay, and what’s the intent of the additional 24 feet? Is that anything
specific in mind for that?
Erik Olson: You know that would be probably for additional carts. I don’t know off hand.
Sandy Halla: When they’re handicap they have to…so a normal person would probably want to
do that. The people who wanted help would be able to do…
Erik Olson: So additional golf carts basically is what that would be for.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
12
Councilman Peterson: Okay.
Mayor Furlong: Question on the teaching shelter. I guess we’re going building to building here.
You had mentioned and again could you point out where, that’s not on the, is that on the site plan
that we were given or not? And if it’s not, if you could point where that is.
Erik Olson: If you could zoom in…this area. This is the building right here. This is the west
hand side. It’s probably, this is the driving range tee box and from that tee box, I’m guessing
here but it’s maybe 20 yards away from that tee box. You’d have this side, this side and this side
and then open in the front, with a roof on the top. Basically a lean-to and they’re shooting out.
Being used only for iron practice. Not for woods practice. They have to go back to the tee box.
We don’t have the room for them on that, but it’s basically in that area and just provides a safe
haven. Get them off and away from the other clientele using the driving range.
Mayor Furlong: So the, to move them away or get them away from the other clientele using the
driving range, that’s just a preference spot on the course?
Erik Olson: You know some of the golf pros like to do that. If they’re on the tee box, say we
section off an area.
Mayor Furlong: The driving range?
Erik Olson: Yeah. The driving range tee box and they’re teaching. We have an area sectioned
off for them and they maybe have 5-6 students there. If I’m trying to pick up some free lessons.
Don’t want to pay them to spend an hour with me, you know I might try to get as close to them
as possible to pick up what information I can. Eavesdrop basically and so some of the pros like
to basically have a separate teaching shack where they can teach in privacy. And because of the
area that it’s at, it’d have to be enclosed on the three sides just to provide safety. There is netting
going to be installed along the side, but even with that netting we would still want it to be sided
just for further protection.
Mayor Furlong: Some of my other questions have been asked. You commented on them so,
okay. Other questions at this point for the applicant? Okay. Very good. Thank you.
Appreciate it.
Erik Olson: Thank you.
Mayor Furlong: There was a public hearing held at the Planning Commission and I don’t want
to repeat that this evening. At the same time if there are some residents or other interested
parties that would like to provide some comment to the council based upon changes that
occurred between the Planning Commission and now, I would certainly entertain…comment
there as well. So if anybody would like to provide some comment, they can come forth at this
point. State your name and address for.
Dave Walstad: Good evening. My name is Dave Walstad. I live at 10071 Great Plains
Boulevard, which is directly south at the end of the driving range. I just have a couple quick
comments regarding hours of operation which to me is the main issue for me. It seems like the
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applicant wants to have it both ways. First of all stating that it’s light for so long before and after
sunset, that they should be allowed to operate and then saying they need lights to provide safety.
To me the reason for the lights are more safety for the building versus safety of personnel and
I’m not sure if that issue is really the same. Are they allowed to light, for instance we allow
parking lot lights, building lights, 15 feet tall, whatever height, does that mean they’re allowed to
operate 24 hours a day? Are they there for only on for timers? To shut off now after sunset.
That would be something that I think should be considered. If it’s truly for people that are on the
course, I think that can be restricted. And secondly, the other issue seems to be again, you
mentioned in the previous hearing it was talked about residents and the areas that they were in
being large lot and yes, you’re very correct and that’s why we bought our property was to
maintain that type of atmosphere. Yes, we realize a golf course is a conditional use and that’s
permitted. However, we do wish to make sure that it’s understood that this is not a commercially
zoned area where some of the other golf courses might be operating in that type of zone. And so
again the concern over the hours of operation was brought up significantly at the Planning
Commission hearing and I don’t want to belabor that.
Mayor Furlong: Okay.
Dave Walstad: But that’s, I think that’s all I need to say at this point.
Mayor Furlong: Alright, thank you. Anybody else? Like to make comments.
David Gatto: Good evening Mayor, council. My name’s David Gatto. 9631 Foxford Road. I’m
speaking on behalf of the 37 families that live on Foxford Road, on Pinecrest Road and what’s
the other one?
Audience: Eastwood.
David Gatto: Eastwood Court. And I’m going to not try to repeat what I said in the commission
meeting, but what we’re going to discuss tonight, it looks like what you’re discussing tonight is
really a substantial change and an expansion for a business and a business plan that wasn’t, that
hasn’t really operated for one hour yet for the original proposed business. What we’ve approved
so far, what the city’s approved so far is really what I’ve heard folks say is a ma and pa, pop
executive golf course and driving range, a small club house with outdoor seating. A reasonable
maintenance building. We’ve got a big inconsistency with the staff and the conditional use
permit did specifically talk about safety and lights. You talk about safety in the background
narrative of the staff report. You talked about lighting in the executive summary under what
was, and then under lighting it says lights attached at the building. So what I put in the e-mail to
all you folks, the residents at Lake Riley Woods will hold the City responsible for those
notifications and notices to us that you did address safety and you did address light and that’s
what it said it would be, and that’s what everybody said would be great. Let’s have this little
golf course because that’s all light and it’s going to be present. With their change tonight, what I
appreciate these folks saying is that they are, they’re a bit flexible with regards to the parking lot
lighting. If they’re flexible with regards to the parking lot lighting, I think they’re going to find
that the residents just north of this golf course are going to be very flexible with regards to the
things that we will support them in. These other things that they’d like to do now. We also have
reasonable expectations the business would operate from sun up to sun down. So you permitted
the above described business in a very special part of your city, and we’ve heard a lot of that
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14
tonight. And we think this very special part and corner of our city ought to stay that way. It has
rarity and character. It has nice homes. It has big lots, and it has strict association standards that
we have enforced even if it’s been painful to some of us sometimes. We have dark. We have
quiet nights out there, and no one thought much about this small corner of Chanhassen yet. I
mean even to the point to where we don’t have any sewer and water. The sewer and water is
long went past us to the west and to the north, and to the south, and we are all eagerly awaiting in
a couple years when the freeway opens and the commuter traffic, the east/west commuter traffic
is pulled off of Pioneer Trail and that corner of Chanhassen’s going to be pretty unique. Now
what we’re asked to consider is a business described plus a larger and more deluxe club house
with more seating outside. A maintenance building that’s more than 2 times with future
expansion capabilities. A ball washing facility that’s bigger than a large 3 car garage. I agree
with you Brian. I’ve been around golf courses since I’ve been about this high and I’m not
understanding that one myself, but I could be wrong. A teaching shelter 40 feet long. The staff
approved it. They didn’t even know where it was on the plan. A temporary shelter because the
applicant didn’t build his original permitted club house. He’s worked on the course for nearly 2
years. We’re now going to have potentially expanded hours. We have lots of extra lights. And
we hear that they might want to sell beer in the future, so the original plan was a quiet day time
business. It generally didn’t impact our neighborhood. The new plan will physically affect the
unique beauty and landscape of our neighborhood. The expanded hour and lights and capacity of
people will impact the quiet and private nature of our neighborhood after dark. I’m sure I’ll be
able to hear people talking and yakking in those porches that are going to be each side of that
club house. If they’re drinking beer and carrying on after dark until 11:00, I know we’re going
to hear them yakking and carrying on. I know that’s going to impact my…and it’s going to give
me great concern for my safety…golf courses and parking lots attract potentially undesirable
people. As it stands out there now and everybody knows, we’ve got our wives and our children
that go out walking before the sun rises. After the sun sets. This couple here, I’ve seen them
almost every night before this morning. They’ve been out after dark walking. So we really think
that limits our enjoyment. Our comfort and these changes are going to negatively affect our
property values out there. So as it stands now, and I again, the flexibility in the parking lot
means a lot to us but as it stands now the larger club house we think is okay. We don’t like the
larger maintenance building. We don’t like the outdoor seating area. We don’t like the big ball
washing building. We don’t like the teacher shelter. We certainly don’t like the parking lot
lights. The temporary shelter, we noticed the staff lets them keep it up for a year. We don’t
understand that. We think that the City should give them their temporary shelter for about 4
months. That’s about how long it will take to build a nice building. The approval that changes
the hours, obviously no. We’d like the materials still made out of wood. So council, you’re now
asked to carefully consider that your own city’s general issuing standards. You’re number one,
you know the changes in our opinion will most likely affect our safety, comfort, convenience and
general welfare of our neighborhood and therefore the City. We noticed the staff report glosses
right over that and says this doesn’t affect it. Your number 3, the changes as proposed will
change the essential character of our area. Your number 7, the changes will be detrimental
because of traffic noise and light glare. Number 10. The changes are not aesthetically
comparable with what we have out there now. And number 11, it will depreciate my property
value. So I thank you very much for listening to me and I want to know if you have any other
questions for me.
Mayor Furlong: Any questions?
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15
David Gatto: Thanks very much for your time.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Anyone else?
Gaye Guyton: Good evening. My name is Gaye Guyton and I also live kind of adjoining the
golf course. 10083 Great Plains Boulevard. I’m here tonight as one of the people who was
really supportive of this in the beginning. The idea was almost that the short course be a service
to the community. A park. A place where kids and their parents and families and older people
could come and play golf. Short 9 hole course. Very family friendly. Neighborhood friendly.
The lighting was addressed at that point so that there’d be lights just on the outside of the
building. Not big lights on the parking lot. The idea that we got from coming to these meetings
when the original conditional use permit was put out was that this was not a big commercial
venture. This was a service. This was for fun and this was to benefit the community. And I
think, especially in light of the last meeting, which I won’t go over but I just have heard such
things that are concerning to me where this golf course is getting compared to Interlachen. To
Hazeltine. To Minnekahda and to Deer Run. Those are big businesses that were planned for as a
business. Not something that was coming into a residential neighborhood that was already
existing, and it seems almost as kind of visions of grandeur for this little 9 hole golf course
where it started to try and think that it is something that it’s not. Where a country club would be.
Where it would have longer hours of operation and need to be lighted because worried that
people are going to be out on the course at night. So I would just ask that you please consider, or
in light of the residents, what was originally planned that so many people were so excited about.
How that’s going to impact us. The fact that in the last meeting they talked about a fleet of
lawnmowers starting out about 5:00 in the morning to be able to prepare the course for the day’s
golfers. That’s nothing that we were you know ready for and to really limiting to sunrise to
sunset so that the people who were there first can enjoy having a golf course near us but not be
impacted negatively by the kinds of changes that they’re making and we would just appreciate…
so thank you very much.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Judy Walstad: Good evening. My name is Judy Walstad and I live at 10071 Great Plains
Boulevard. Our home is on the south side of the golf course. We are directly behind the driving
range. I just have one question I’m going to ask and then two short comments. I can’t remember
the height of the new proposed club house, but I’m assuming that this upper part is not being
used for any, it’s just a one story. Okay. So it’s not any business conducted on the top floors.
I’m just asking because our house is tall and. It’s like a one story usage building.
Kate Aanenson: …32 feet to the top of the cupola. This right here is to 27. Some office space
above…
Judy Walstad: Okay. The other question, I just wanted to make a comment about Rain, Snow
and Shine which is the golf course down on 212. I know they do have lights but I also know that
they operate at dark and I also know that there are no residents around there that would impact
that so it’s a very convenient, and a desirable location for something of that nature. And the
other comment I would just like to make is in the maintenance building. Depending on position
of lighting, that could impact our homes. I would just like to ask the applicant to consider
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16
minimal lighting and to have it possible not shining on the front of our yard. That’s all so thank
you for your time.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Sharon Gatto: Hello Mayor and council. Sharon Gatto, 9631 Foxford so directly north of the
course. We’ve been very excited to have the course, and as it’s been stated we’re losing that
enthusiasm due to change. But as a golfer I play par 3’s and executives all summer long once a
week. I play on a foursome. So here’s what I’ve experienced. First of all, I’ve never seen a
teaching shelter on any of them, and I’ve taken some lessons on Braemar, which is a much larger
course. They have maybe a tee box for the range. They have it set aside, or they have a couple
holes we play on, but I’ve never seen a teaching shelter so I have to say from my experience that
it’s unusual. Also, going to the liquor that might come about. Yes, most of them sell liquor but
when I’m the last off the course, they’ve shut it down. So they have regular hours of liquor too.
None of them usually go beyond dark, and sometimes I am playing the last off the course. I feel
the teaching building might be a detriment if it was near Pioneer and seen, visibly seen by the
public. So now it sounds like it’s further back. That might have been established…but we do
have a unique corner of Chanhassen. Bringing in the executive course they’re in a sense
intruding on the neighborhood so I feel they should be working in the best interest of the
neighborhood and not in the best interest of their pocket books to try and get the most people in
and the most amount of time and the most daylight hours. I think they need to be, blend in with
the neighborhood residents stand out. And as far as, some of this sounds like we’re in downtown
Chan. Where we’re in a business district and I’d just like you to recognize that we’re still a
neighborhood that was there first and we would like the blending in to become a part of us, and
we will use it. Sitting out on the deck at night, we don’t want to hear, we don’t want to see
lights. I mean that’s why as you mentioned, we bought into this neighborhood. We bought into
the large lots. The quietness and we would like to maintain that and we appreciate your help
with that, thank you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Steve Shipley: My name is Steve Shipley. I live in Lake Riley Woods, at 261 Eastwood Court.
I’m also a President and owner of POS Plus located at 8185 Upland Circle in Chanhassen. I had
an experience about 5 years ago of building a property in Chan. I was green. I didn’t know what
was involved and I became accustomed very quickly on permits and all those different things
that you had to have in order to build a building. I spent thousands of dollars on a building
permit. My understanding is those dollars were used to pay city officials to come and do
inspections. I also spent a lot, thousands of dollars for a bike and trail fee. So I’m pretty familiar
with the building process. When you take a look at the lights that Mr. Halla’s installed, I don’t
think he had a permit to do that. He just went ahead and did it. You take a look at some of the e-
mails that were written, that are on record, and especially about a couple people here, he’s not
been a very good neighbor. He doesn’t respect people’s private driveways. He does not respect
the dumping of certain materials, of which I’m not too sure of. So what I’m getting at is you’re
allowing a person to operate a business like this and he seems to be kind of a cowboy. That he
does pretty much what he wants to do. So I would ask that you give that some consideration.
Especially on the lights. I mean this was, the application was dated January 6th of 2006. Those
things were put in last fall. We just kind of had, went ahead and did business on his own. Also,
when I built my building I was required to have an area for garbage. I do not see any area on this
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17
to hold garbage containers. Alright so, again we need continuity in what people are supposed to
do so I’d just ask that you take that all into consideration. Thank you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Anybody else? I see we have a representative here from our
Planning Commission, Mr. McDonald. Is there anything you’d like to follow up on after public
comment here. The course of action that took place at the Planning Commission.
Councilman Lundquist: Come and talk on our birthday Jerry.
Mayor Furlong: Happy Birthday.
Jerry McDonald: Thanks a lot. That’s it, tell the whole city. I’m Jerry McDonald. I was the
Acting Chair of the Planning Commission and I guess one of the things that happened at our
meeting, same thing’s happened at your meeting. We ended up running rather late that night and
there were a lot of issues that came up. I think paramount to all of us looked at was this did seem
to be a change from what was originally there. And we had some problems I think grasping
what that was based on what the neighbors have told us. What the plans were. It did appear that
this was more or less creeping commercialism within an area that was residential. We’re very
sensitive to that, as you’re well aware. We went through this with the Reykjavik’s thing. We’ve
been through it a couple of times but there are certain neighborhoods that are unique within a
city and we try to respect that. It was the same thing here. The motion, there was a lot of
confusion about the motions, the way it came out. The intent after polling everybody on the
commission, we all agreed to vote against any expansion and we probably went over what our
jurisdiction was and we probably went over what we were allowed to do, but the intent was to
turn it down. That’s why the motion that came before, we did not vote on staff’s motion because
we rejected that. We came up with the lower lights. I think we came up with 4 foot height, and
basically turned down most of the rest of the commercial application. The expansions and those
things. Those motions failed before us. The only two people who voted for the motions were
the gentleman who made the motion and… That was pretty much it. The rest of us were against
it. That’s what happened at the commission. After hearing all the comments from the
neighborhood and everything such as that, you know I had made the comment that they actually
needed to work with their neighbors because there was no support at the Planning Commission,
which is unusual. Generally someone will come up and will support, there were compromises
that were made back and forth. I’m glad to see today that they’ve decided to at least compromise
on the lights but that was something that was missing at that meeting was the right hand didn’t
know what the left hand was doing. And I think we picked up on that as a commission and that
was one of the reasons why we rejected the plans. It did, as I say, it got very confusing because
it was almost midnight and I think that we probably were not as clear in our objections and why
that we should have been but the bottom line of all this was that we did not see the support there.
It appeared that this was something that was different from what was originally sold to
everybody and we didn’t understand why the changes were being made. That was not made
clear to us and again there was no consensus within the neighborhood to support these changes
so based upon that, that’s why we rejected what staff had put together and we came up with a
proposal that probably doesn’t you know beat the mustard of what we should have done but the
intent was that we didn’t think the plans should go forward. If you have any questions about any
particulars.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you, any questions? Very good, thanks.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
18
Jerry McDonald: Thanks.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Lot of comments. Lot of information. I guess as we finish up here,
we’ve heard a lot of public comments this evening that was consistent with and covered a lot of
the areas covered in the public hearing as well, and I guess response from staff with that or with
other things or information that you heard prior to your original report.
Kate Aanenson: Well I guess, we agreed that the building should be smaller. I think we’re all in
concurrence with most the changes except for the driving, teaching area. That’s fine if the
council choose to remove that. We recommended down sizing the building.
Mayor Furlong: Right.
Kate Aanenson: We also felt the ball washing machine seemed excessive and did recommend
denial of that. We also have the same concerns and have from the beginning. We recommended
the denial of the extension of hours and I think the concern’s valid that it might become kind of a
quasi hangout as opposed to ancillary to a golf related use which is the intent of that. I think the
one issue we still have disagreement on. Just some other thoughts I had taking notes, I guess for
the square foot of the building, I think it’d be prudent to ask for what’s, what has been done
before with the city attorney, what’s going inside the building. Even though we’re going to have
storage, if we’re building it to put the sand in and the salt, we want to see what’s going in. Even
at the smaller size. I think it might be prudent to deal with what’s being actually stored in the
maintenance building so we can have some control over that. The 4 months for the temporary
building. Typically a commercial building might take a little bit longer. That was the intent so
I’d agree, it probably doesn’t need to be 6 months. We can figure out a reasonable time. What
that should be. A temporary building. Sounds like they want to get some revenue out of that yet
this spring while they’re building the other building so we can look at a reasonable timeframe for
that. So really I think that, there’s a lot of concurrence on. The square footage of the building
itself, an extra veranda, I’ll let the council decide on that but I think the other one that I still have
concerns on, and I guess I’d ask for maybe the city attorney’s input too and that would be having
no parking lot lighting at all. We talked about a couple of things. One is security on the building
and then you know trying to separate that. I did look at the photometrics and actually the
brightest spot is right underneath those lights. It drops off pretty quickly when you get to the end
of the parking lot. It’s already at a half foot so the property line, you’re at zero quite a ways in
from the property line. Obviously there will be some lighting if we turn the lights off at 10:00.
Then we still need some security lights. We will through a different type of security lighting,
that would be something that we could look at to make sure there’s nobody in there but still
security in the building. We’d be willing to look at that with the Crime Prevention Specialist.
Mayor Furlong: Okay quick question. Help me understand with regard to the lighting and the
photometrics. When we speak to what can be seen at a certain point, a half candle. Is that the
amount of illumination that’s coming directly from the light itself or is that a reflective light off
of?
Kate Aanenson: It’s coming from the light itself.
Mayor Furlong: From the light itself.
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19
Kate Aanenson: Right. So really once you get to the edge of the parking lot and you’re at a half
a foot, once you get beyond that it drops off at a pretty much.
Mayor Furlong: You say half a foot.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, half a foot candle. I’m sorry. Yeah, so it’s dropping off. It’s relatively,
you know even when you, there’s also ambient light. If you’re downtown it’s a lot different than
you are out in an area that’s isolated. For example, Bandimere Park has taller lights and so those
are probably in excess of, they might be a little taller than 30 feet. I mean those are much higher.
Much brighter. Different type of lighting. Maybe Lake Susan I guess would probably be a
better one. When you’re playing softball in the dark. It’s a different type of lighting than we’d
have for parking lot lighting because there you’re trying to do a function underneath, but to
separate the security at the time that the parking lot, and there were some other ways to look at
security of the building. There’s two approaches for people coming and going. Then also secure
the building as the city manager mentioned. You want to make sure there’s not, it’s not an
nuisance down there.
Mayor Furlong: What causes the light noise, if you allow me to use that expression in terms of
adjacent property owners? I mean obviously if a parking lot is lit, you’ll be able to see what’s lit.
That’s reflective light.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, there’s a lot of interesting discussion on that. We actually, we have a
former councilman that was very interested in that and spent a lot of time looking at too much
light, and down in that area where there isn’t a lot of light, it’s going to seem like a lot because
it’s already kind of a dark area. Whereas when you’re in the downtown, there’s already street
lights, parking lot lights, so the spillover is more, while it gets dark in certain areas, it’s not the
same so I think it’s just the fact that there’s no lights down there now. I believe that the nursery
probably has lights on their buildings right now. On the 101 side. These people are on the north
side of Pioneer and it seems that some of the people on Delphinium gets, we hear complaints on
that too.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Thank you. Thoughts. Comments. Additional questions.
Councilman Peterson: Where do you start?
Mayor Furlong: Yeah. I’ll get the discussion started here with what has been expressed I think
accurately is that there’s a change in scope in terms of how this golf course is anticipated to be
operated versus what came through a couple years ago. We heard references and it was
mentioned tonight by one of the residents that spoke, references to the town course and Hazeltine
and Deer Run and others. Those are different levels of courses than I think what was, this
community was originally discussed.
Councilman Peterson: Well but is that really true because if they’re going to put somebody on
the course every 8 minutes, did that change from 2 years ago or a year ago? I would beg to differ
but the number of people on the course hasn’t changed.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
20
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Well but they’re going to make a faster course where before it was,
when I was on the Planning Commission it was supposed to be a teaching course for kids and a
place for families to go and have fun and so now it sounds more intense where you’d better know
how to golf. You’d better get going. There’s no time to just kind of putz around and you know
practice your swing or whatever. I think it probably has changed to a faster moving course.
Councilman Lundquist: Your handicap is directly, adversely proportional to the length of time
to takes you to play a hole.
Mayor Furlong: Is that a technical term?
Councilman Peterson: But to my point, there may not be, there may be 50% more people there
likely. It’s maybe 10% more people, I don’t know.
Mayor Furlong: No, it may not be the number of people. I guess what I was referring to is the
nature of the buildings. The maintenance. The, you know the amount of activity dealing with
the operation of the course. Not necessarily the number of golfers going through. You know
that’s where I see a change and it is a function I think of the change in operation. Change of
management ownership that’s occurring here.
Councilman Peterson: And that clearly has changed. I would agree with you on that. Should I
continue or should.
Mayor Furlong: That’d be fine. You know, we’ve got a number of issues before us and at some
point it might make sense to I guess maybe start with some general thoughts and then go down
the list and see where we are and if we’re in agreement or not. Either with staff’s
recommendation. With the applicant’s request. With the residents or Planning Commission. I
mean we may be some back and forth, depending on where we are I think it makes sense to
evaluate what the motions that we have existing and we might, you know if we’re in agreement
with all of staff’s recommendation, then we have motions in the staff report tonight too to move
forward. But there may be some other things so that’s why I’m saying. You know maybe we
start with some general comments and then make sure we get an understanding of where all of us
are on each of the different items.
Councilman Peterson: I can do some general comments. The balance that I struggled with is
that this is, at the end of the day a business and we want to help businesses succeed within
reason. And if this business is now asking for some changes that are reasonable, which is the
ultimate question, to enhance the success and the viability of the business, then I think we need
to consider that. So that being said, that’s what I’m doing. I’m considering their request because
I want to have a successful business in Chanhassen. I don’t think anybody wants it to fail. So
you know I’ll kind of go through points as presented. The club house I don’t think the 6 foot
variance is substantial and you know I think we’re getting a much higher quality building than I
think this neighborhood better also so I certainly haven’t got a problem with that. The outdoor
seating area seems to be reasonable. The maintenance building seems to be unreasonable. You
know I look at it and I look at the design of it, you know I see, I see a huge building for what
they’re talking about but yet if they’re taking stuff from outside and putting it inside, and we get
a high quality exterior of the building, then is that better? And that’s something I want to hear
more about is, you know I think everybody would agree, much rather have stuff inside stored out
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
21
of the view versus having stuff outside stored which they are certainly capable of doing. You
know right now it’s designed for 68 by 120. You’ve got, there’s a 40 foot work bench. I kind of
shake my head at that. There’s supposed to be 10 golf carts in there. Without the expansion so it
does seem to be over kill and I’m not of course an expert but just logic says that 68 by 120 with a
24 foot addition seems to be an unreasonable request. Now, what I don’t know is, should it be
35 8 and can you accomplish that? I don’t want to get into that. I’d rather have staff and the
applicant figure that out but, and that may be having them spend more time presenting a succinct
idea of what’s inside and what’s outside. If we don’t give them any more than the 30 by 60,
where does that mean that’s going to be outside? And ultimately the residents around there
prefer it to be a bigger building and have less outside, so I don’t think we’re going to answer that
tonight. Ball washing building. You know again that seems overly large and I think we can
downsize that. And what we don’t want to do is have an outhouse style out there either, so you
want to have something that takes care of their needs but not, not necessarily granting them all
their 30 by 24. The teaching shelter, you know I’ll look for other comments on that. I don’t
know whether or not 16 by 40 certainly seems to be an awfully large building also. The
temporary structure. I’ll go back to lighting in a second. The temporary structure certainly is
logical to ask for that and grant that. We can probably put in here something that 30 days after
the CO granted on the main building, the other one has to be gone. Or whatever day that would
be but you want to give them a building up until the time that their other one is ready. The
building materials, I don’t feel any reason to move away from our building standards on that one,
particularly in the residential area. Hours of operation. I guess if you would have asked me to
interpret sunrise to sunset, there’s a meteorological definition to that and then there’s a real
definition. Even the FAA has a twilight definition too so, you know I would probably say a half
hour before and after sunset and sunrise. I think that’s actually the legal definition from an FAA
standpoint. Defining twilight. I would assume that people would golf until they can’t golf
anymore. If sunset was at 8:57 that day, and you can still get a half hour of reasonable light, then
they can be out golfing so, I think there’s a reasonable summation that can be made there. To
lighting, clearly don’t like the 25 footers. You know I think, I think it would be reasonable to
have some kind of lighting, whether it’s low voltage landscape lighting or whether it’s the 14
footers. You know I’ve historically been kind of biased. I don’t like a lot of light. I think our
ordinance is probably more than what we need. I was the one that was the champion to turn off
the street lights so I’m coming from the opposite extreme. But I think we can work on that and
give something the residents can live with. The low voltage landscape lighting that can clearly
light the parking lot can be a very attractive amenity and done well, as well as the 14 or 15
footers can look very nice too. If they’re down lit and they’re not going to be offensive to the
neighborhood, and they’ll certainly light the parking lot. You know in closing I think it’s been
brought up a couple different times. We can’t forget that this is a commercial business going in
a residential area and that’s, you know that’s the balance that we all respectfully have to take on
tonight and, but we decided that we’re going to allow this commercial business in here and we
now we need to have it be successful. We need to have it look good and some of these requests
are clearly reasonable. Some of them I think need some more work. And whether or not that
means tabling it to get a better definition and request of what’s inside and outside. What the
lighting is and what it’s going to look like. You know I’m certainly open to that. And I’m
obviously open up to listening to what my fellow council people and mayor would have to say
about it.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Other thoughts.
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22
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Well I thought about 10 minutes ago was I’d like to see this tabled
also just because Mr. Johnson I think has said he was willing to compromise on some issues.
Kind of a give and take thing to try and give a reasonable proposal going. But if that doesn’t
happen I have to say that I kind of took my, what I thought was important, you know I’m going
to start at the top and I, for me it’s maybe too simplistic to say that if you don’t change your
hours of operation, you keep them where they were originally placed, then you really don’t need
additional lighting because there really isn’t that much of a safety concern then so, keep the
hours where they’re supposed to be then for me there is no lighting issue. Yeah, it is a business
and I want it to be successful but when it first came in it wasn’t necessarily built to be a big
business. It was supposed to be just a mom and pop recreational golf course and I think that if
these proposals that are before us now had come in 2 or 3 years ago, they would have been
addressed and probably not, it would have been denied 4 years ago so I really go back to that
time when I was there and I have to respect what we did there and I just always try to think about
who, you know who was there first. You know the neighbors were there first. You bought your
lots because it’s quiet. It’s dark. It’s private and I have to respect that. If the golf course was
there first and there was development coming in, I’d probably have a different view but that’s
kind of where I stand on these issues. I’m sorry but I really don’t have a problem with the bigger
maintenance building if it does keep junk from being in sight. I think your neighborhoods are
better off having stuff enclosed. It looks neater. It looks cleaner. There’s always an attempt for
crime to come in and steal things or kids come in and drive where they do. So I guess for the
building stuff I just, I don’t see it as that big of a deal. The ball machine, I’ve never seen a ball
washing building so I can not comment as to what it should look like or what it should be. You
know I think if we hold the golf course to architectural standards and make the buildings look
decent, I just don’t see how you can have a problem with that basically. Making the club house
bigger once again, I think the draft of what I saw, it’s an improvement from what there is now.
Someone said it, something you could put your pony up to and go have a beer or something.
You know kind of something out of the wild west and I think we’re probably more progressive
in Chanhassen than that so I don’t have a problem with making the club house bigger and the
outside seating seems reasonable. We only have 3 months out of the year to enjoy the outside
and I think we should be allowed to do it as much as we can. And the building material once
again I just think we need to hold to those standards we set back 4 years ago and keep it looking
neat and nice. That’s what I have.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, thank you.
Councilman Lundquist: I’m kind of probably a unique situation. Mr. Saatzer first proposed this,
he contacted me and so I was, spent several hours talking to, meeting with Mr. Saatzer. Helped
facilitate that with the city staff so I’m very familiar with the original proposal. The vision
behind it and what Ron was trying to do. And Bethany as you just said, I think the key point for
me really is had this proposal that we were looking at now come through 2 years ago, I’m quite
certain I would have voted against it so, that’s really where I go back to is you know the
unfortunate thing is that there’s been some you know things business wise that have happened
between the current applicant and the previous applicant, and you know things happen and things
happen for reasons. At this point I don’t feel obligated to approve any of the changes because
you know those are decisions that are made outside of us and I think to make a decision like that
and then come and say hey, I’m not going to be successful unless you give me these things is you
know, it’s really not our issue because we didn’t force the change to begin with. I don’t want to
see a business fail, but you know we didn’t cause the original issues so I don’t feel compelled to
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
23
get in the middle of that. You know Mr. Shipley made some comments I think, there’s a lot of
stuff that goes on. There’s a lot of history. There’s a lot of things. When I look at this proposal
I’m looking at it on the merits of the proposal, not with the parties that are involved or not
involved. It’s not required to be a good neighbor as a business. It’s certainly encouraged and
appreciated but it’s not in any way required. When we look at the difference between, you know
one thing we fact a lot of times is the who was there first and of course we have the famous not
in my back yard. I mean every time we put an infill development in, you know we get 300 e-
mails and calls from residents that don’t want to see the wildlife and everything else destroyed
that was you know living 50 feet down in their front yard before their house was built so, you
know however that said, in this particular piece I’m not concerned with necessarily who was
there first but with what the character of that neighborhood is. And when you look at things like
large lights or 15 foot, 25 foot, whatever it is, you might have a half a candle, foot candle at the
edge of it but you can’t deny when you stand 500 feet away from the edge of that that you’re
going to see lights there. You’re not going to be able to see the sky and the things the same so,
so overall I keep going back to the major changes. It’s not the original vision that was there. To
go down specifically, I think the club house and the veranda is not that big of a deal. I’m okay
with that. The maintenance building, I guess I’m kind of in the same place as Craig. 60 by 30, is
that big enough? Well, you know maybe. Maybe not. 68 by 120. That seems a little bit
excessive so is 1,800 the magic number? Is 2,000 the magic number? You know I don’t know.
I think again it all depends on what you’re looking at. The ball washing and some of that stuff, I
mean I think is just unreasonable. Unreasonably large for that scale of course. The teaching
shelter I think if tastefully done, it seems to be in a location that’s not too intrusive. I can be
convinced. The lighting, I would say I’m either would lean towards ground, low voltage ground
lighting to allow some visibility you know so that you can see if there’s a person in there or if
there’s a car parked in there rather than pitch black. Just for safety of the people I would prefer
to have I think lights, safety lights around the building and some of that and keep that area as
dark as possible. I think our ordinance Kate as you stated doesn’t require, we have maximums
but not minimums and I really want that area to remain kind of dark and secluded and to have
that overall character. But still be sensitive to the fact that you know, there’s a business there.
There’s a wide open area there. If the deputy drives by or a resident just happens to be walking,
you want to be able to see if there’s something that doesn’t look out of place there so, if there’s a
way to do that, but you know not make it intrusive. Temporary building. I think we want to be
real careful there. Maybe put some stipulations on that building. Has to be on the parking lot or
something so that we don’t get into a hassle about you know, the building is there. We’ve given
a Certificate of Occupancy and now we get into a scuffle about you know when did we come
out? Are we going to have to walk in there with a crane and actually physically remove that or
how that works so, let’s be careful and put some conditions maybe to make that beneficial to that
more to pull that out. Building materials, definitely not in favor of that variance. Hours of
operation. Craig, I’m with you there. I think that reasonable, when I think of sunset to sundown,
I think of you know if you can see with the naked eye without lights, that’s reasonable to call it
sunset, sun up to sunset. You know again to preserve the neighborhood. The character of the
neighborhood, you know I think leaving it at sunrise to sunset is fine there so, and so just to
summarize again, I think my biggest issue with this as I see it, as a vision of what we started with
and what we’re at now are two completely different things and that’s where my biggest problem
with the entire proposal is. There’s been a change that was not initiated by the City. Was
initiated by a lessee and an owner that’s now initiated, you know pushing this change and it’s
considerably different than what that was and again had this come in 2 years ago, I would have
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
24
voted against it because it just doesn’t fit that character of that neighborhood. Those are my
comments.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, we’re three comments. Three different sides of the issue here so, maybe
we’ll get four and make a box. I think the number, a number of the comments that have been
made already go back to and I think where Councilman Lundquist finished up is the change. It’s
different and the question is, is that difference, does it matter where the initial issue is? The City
didn’t have an issue? You know I travel to what’s a reasonable use here in terms of whether the
requests are meeting our ordinances and our comprehensive plans. Try to go back to that. I
think that there have to be some reason and judgment in that and we’ll go down the list and I
think in some cases there are reasonable requests and other cases there are unreasonable ones. I
was very pleased to hear tonight the applicant’s offer to withdraw the lights in the parking lot.
That was an issue that was clearly a struggle for some of the residents. Perhaps there’s some
compromise there that is in the offing now that did not exist at the Planning Commission
meeting, which I think goes back to some of the comments we heard this evening was, some lack
of cooperation between the applicant and the neighbors. And I think we said earlier, there’s no
requirement to do that. We have found it successful in the past when that occurs but there’s no
requirement to do that and so sometimes when that doesn’t happen you get a little more choppy
as you’re going through the public process here in terms of the Planning Commission and City
Council and I think we’re witnessing that tonight. Overall you know what we’re trying to do
here and what I think we’re coming with different perspectives and we heard it tonight too is the
property owner, this is a conditional use with the property. A legal use to put a golf course in
this land and they’ve got a right to operate their business, as most business owners do, and yet
we’ve got the neighborhood there, the surrounding property owners that want to maintain their
current lifestyle. Their quiet enjoyment and how do we balance that and try to minimize or
eliminate any impacts of the neighbors, while at the same time providing the property owner to
make sure they follow our ordinance and continue forward. That being said I think there’s some
judgments on these things that allow us to do some of that balancing. The club house I think is
you know given what is being proposed, it’s not significant. The significance there is in the
design that I see and the look of it and I think that will likely be an improvement from a view
standpoint, from a look. The maintenance building, I guess what I heard this evening I just
don’t, have not heard the justification for the need. I’ve heard some statements but I haven’t
heard anything that justifies the need for that. Just with the work that the staff has done to try to
evaluate is this a reasonable request or not, which I think is a very good way to go about it, what
do other golf courses have and this one was clearly significantly larger and I just can’t, I’m not, I
can’t see it. Is the 1,800 enough? It was a couple years ago and while there is change, you know
the thought went into and Councilman Lundquist you said, you’re personally familiar with a
number of discussions that took place. You know that a lot of thought went into the operation of
a 9 hole executive course. Par what, 29. That’s not a Hazeltine. It’s not a Town Course. It’s
not one at Deer Run. It’s not those. It’s a different type of offering of golf than what’s there.
The ball wash building, I’m not looking for you know a couple of biffy’s next to each other but
from a size standpoint, you know that’s what you see. You just don’t, I can’t get my arms
around any justification for a building that size, nearly 800 square feet if I did my math right, for
a piece of equipment that distributes buckets and balls. You know it’s just, it’s just not there. So
I’m struggling with that. I agree with staff on that. There should, it should be incorporated. The
shelter building, I mean it’s far removed. I’m struggling with the justification for each of these.
Based upon any sort of need. I just don’t, I just can’t get there. The temporary building, I agree
with the comments made this evening and you know I think that should be allowed. We do that
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
25
with a number of property owners. We did that with Lifetime Fitness for example so they could
start selling memberships before their clubhouse was built. Here, putting some restrictions on it,
I think it was mentioned 30 days after occupancy or I think certain number of months from the
approval makes some sense to require that and to make sure that’s done. You know the building
materials I think, I don’t see any reason to change there. Hours of operation, we’ve had some
discussion there. The concern that I heard more from residents there was the lawnmowers going
early in the morning and people sticking around on the patio talking and working after night. It
would seem to me to try to accommodate that by not, and I understand Councilman Peterson
your thought about a half hour before, half hour after. That’s pretty typical. Maybe what I
would suggest for a compromise there is to start at sunrise, rather than half hour before so there’s
not lawnmowers out there running around before sunrise, but allow the half hour after sunset
because it is still twilight, especially during the golfing season. You can see the ball and you
keep hitting and you know for a 9 hole course, you’re probably going to zip around it pretty
quickly but that will allow somebody starting an hour or so before sunset to continue and finish
up. And so I might throw that out as a potential balance there between the business owners
desire to operate a business, which they should do, and the concern from some of the residents
and neighbors with regard to noise or other problems with regard to that. I think I mentioned the
lighting. It seems to me there can be some compromise there that will work and still provide
some light. Anything I believe would have to be any, well it would have to be designed such
that it’s shielded. It’d have to be down lighting. Shielded, which I think was talked about here,
but to find some way to minimize what’s going to be seen. It’s going to be different. It is, even
lights on a building there is going to be different than what exists now. Lights on a building,
even if they’re shielded will generally be shining out. These lights will generally be shining
down so perhaps there’s some benefit to down lighting versus up lighting but it looks like there
might be some compromise there, which I’d kind of like to see. So it’s, this is a tough one
because it is a change. It’s a change in scope in how this business is going to be operated within
their rights to operate a business, not only check that and balance that from a reasonableness
standpoint given the neighbors and their rights to minimize any disruption to their enjoyment of
their property. So I think those are my thoughts. Any follow-up? It seems to me, was I correct
that everybody was generally consistent with the proposed clubhouse as we talked through?
With that. I would keep that. The outdoor seating. Veranda with the patio generally okay with
that as well. Maintenance building, I heard generally not okay but justify it. If we can get some,
if we know what’s going in there from a justification standpoint and need, and we’ve got
documented need to operate a 9 hole golf course, what’s there and how they’re planning to
operate, I think you know 1,800 square feet may not be appropriate. Something bigger might
work but, I mean is that generally or?
Councilman Lundquist: Yeah.
Mayor Furlong: Are you pretty firm on the 1,800?
Councilman Lundquist: Well no. I mean that’s not a magic number but I think my, if it gets
much bigger than 1,800, you’re going to get less and less support from me. The farther away
that number gets from 1,800, the less support I’ll have.
Mayor Furlong: Kind of like lighting the property. Yep, no and I’m 100% with you on that.
100% with you. You know outside storage, we want to minimize that but to the extent that it’s
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
26
not visible, it may be prudent to have some things stored outside as well. Ball washing, I didn’t
hear a lot of support for that. It’s current size, is that correct?
Councilman Lundquist: Absolutely…
Mayor Furlong: Eliminate or coordinate that in with the existing building or different proximity
and significantly reduce. Shelter building. Again, thoughts there. Clarify.
Councilman Lundquist: I can go either way. I’m just, I mean in the spirit of compromise, I
guess we can allow that. If it wasn’t there, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
Mayor Furlong: Sounds like with, it’s far enough away or it’s far enough towards the interior of
the property that I don’t think the residents have a significance about that. Lighting. I think we
had 5 different opinions out of 4 of us on that one so, looking to do something there. It sounds
like the applicant’s willing to come up with some compromises and I think we’d like to pursue
those. At the same time look at recognizing that some light, whether it’s landscape light, I heard
mentioned I think or something else might be something that might work. Temporary structure,
I think you heard some thoughts and ideas on that. Is everybody generally consistent with that?
Something more limiting than and/or clear as to the length of time, likely shorter than what, the
12 months in the report. Building material I heard general support for what was, for no change
there. And hours of operation, I didn’t hear a lot of support for the request of 6:00 to 11:00. We
talked about sunrise to sunset. Half hour before, half hour after. Is there some thoughts there or,
we had 2 or 3 thoughts pulled out?
Councilman Peterson: I’m not indifferent to what your recommendation was to do sunrise and
then.
Mayor Furlong: Half hour after sunset? Is that what, is that the FAA definition for twilight.
Councilman Peterson: Well both. Morning because you can see before sunrise so.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, understand.
Councilman Peterson: It goes back to do we want mowing lawn at 6:00 a.m.? The answer’s no.
Mayor Furlong: Yeah, it’s one thing to see. It’s another thing to be, to hear and.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Do we have us the ordinance that regulates when they can be
mowing or when people can start, commercial businesses can start mowing? I mean do they fall
into that category?
Councilman Lundquist: We let garbage trucks out before 7:00 in the morning.
Kate Aanenson: We have a nuisance ordinance.
Mayor Furlong: So let’s take a look at that then and see what.
Kate Aanenson: We’ll apply those standards.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
27
Mayor Furlong: Give us some guidance there. Okay.
Councilman Lundquist: Like I say, overall I would tend to be more restrictive on that than less.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Any other thoughts or comments? It sounds like here is we’re moving
towards a tabling so the staff can work with the applicant on a couple of these things and also
make some modifications to the recommendation. Any other comments or thoughts or questions
you have for clarification?
Kate Aanenson: Point of order before you table. Our next regular meeting, as you just approved
would be in a week.
Mayor Furlong: Yes.
Kate Aanenson: I’m not sure we can, we may be able to turn it around. Tomorrow. But
otherwise.
Mayor Furlong: If we can’t, are we running out of time?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah…otherwise it will be pushed to April 10th. I do want to get some
comments from the sheriff’s office. …that’s fine, I just want to make sure that the crime
prevention specialist and the sheriff’s office comment and a couple other things too.
Mayor Furlong: That’s fine.
Kate Aanenson: But I’m just not sure of the turn around in one week so, I’d like to go to April
10th, if that’s okay with the applicant.
Mayor Furlong: You know I think a lot of these issues, you know a little more thought is fine
than try to push it through. I guess the question is, do we have the time to do that.
Roger Knutson: I believe, according to the application it says they’ve waived the time lines.
Maybe we just could have them confirm that they’re okay with us taking this up, at this point
until April 10th.
Don Halla: Could we have an approval of the club house building so we could get construction
going on that? The temporary.
Roger Knutson: You really can’t piecemeal it.
Sandy Halla: Even when we’ve had a discussion, we’d be willing to do whatever it is that you
needed…do what it is that you wanted us to do…
Mayor Furlong: Ma’am, I’m sorry. Could you come up to the microphone and just give us your
name and address.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
28
Sandy Halla: …we knew that the house really was what we thought everybody would think
would be the right size and that would be something that people would enjoy being in. And that
wasn’t overly done we didn’t think… What we really worked on was trying to have a place that
folks…to be able to do that so this particular thing, I don’t think that we would change it any
way whatsoever and it didn’t sound like anybody else here would change it. That there wasn’t
any reason that… We really wanted this to be something that all the young children, and we
thought…we’ve got grandchildren here and to go play golf at the age of 16 or whatever… So
that it isn’t the dollars that we’re trying…and there’s so many places that really aren’t really
affordable so that we were trying to do that. And as far as what we were talking about now with
the equipment, I think that we felt when we came here, we didn’t want a great big thing. We’ll
have to…and we wanted it to be so that people could use it…handicap and are getting a little
older and want to have something there… So I think that anything that you think that we
shouldn’t be doing now, we’re okay with it. If we’ve gone to no lights, John Kosmas is gone
right now, the architect that was here last time, and…what was okay to do…one person wanted it
there and the next person didn’t want it at all and as far as we’re concerned, there’s soft lights
going down and if nobody gets hurt or killed, you know…that’s all that really we’re talking
about. We don’t need people out at night or early morning or whenever else it happens to be, so
that that’s not what we’re looking for. …okay, I think that’s too big. Fine. I think that we
didn’t, I don’t know how we got into that, we didn’t think that actually…would be as important
as the golf ball situation to be able to get golf balls back out there… If that’s all it is…so that’s
all we are trying to look at it and so it isn’t that we have to have anything…we want to do. What
we consider a good place there and not what some people…how that would make it work with
what people really wanted and so that’s where we’re at so we feel, feel free to say we don’t want
it or whatever else that would be helpful…
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Okay.
Councilman Peterson: What I’m hearing is we can probably get this done by Monday. Kate, the
only thing that seems to be, the struggle might be the police.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, we’ll do our best to get it on there…
Mayor Furlong: Let’s see if we can get it done.
Kate Aanenson: …you might not get it out in Wednesday’s packet but we can commit to get it
out and keep it on Monday, that’s fine.
Mayor Furlong: Well let’s do what we can. It sounds like they want to, they’re flexible and
you’ve heard out comments and unfortunately we have a short turn around here but, which will
put some strain on you but.
Kate Aanenson: I just need to make something, say something for the record. We’ve had 2 or 3
different people working on 2 or 3 different opinions. Just heard another opinion now so I think
it’s prudent that we get it in writing as the City Attorney said and button down that it’s all
consistent and this is what happened at the Planning Commission. We’re late, in the 11th hour so
tabling I think is the prudent thing.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
29
Mayor Furlong: No, and that’s where we’re going because we want to make sure that we’ve got
something that’s clear that the applicant and the residents and the council know what we’re
talking about and what we’re voting on so, I think that is important. We’ll try to work as quickly
as we can for the applicant but at the same time we’ve got to make sure that we’re, that we’re
getting everything covered and so, if there is a delay we apologize for that but we want to make
sure that we don’t have confusion down the road either, which would not be good for anybody
so.
Sandy Halla: …I understand that…so they’re not firing up the golf course carts…
Mayor Furlong: Right, understand. Thank you. Anything else from staff? Any other comments
from council?
Todd Gerhardt: I just wanted to note one thing. The original plan did show the trash enclosures
be screened so.
Kate Aanenson: It is addressed in the staff report. And we’ll follow up on those sort of things.
Mayor Furlong: Alright, very good. Then at this point is there a motion to table?
Roger Knutson: If you could just wait a moment.
Kate Aanenson: We need just a signature.
Mayor Furlong: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: While we’re waiting too then, when this staff report becomes available, you can
go to the city’s web site and download upgraded project and the new staff report will be done
hopefully by the end of the week.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, to the extent possible there might be a new cover memo but if we can red
line the existing…so we can see changes.
Kate Aanenson: Will do.
Mayor Furlong: Excellent. I know you usually do but that way residents and the applicant as
well, and the council members.
David Gatto: Can we work as a task force with these folks? I mean as I hear them, when they’re
talking to the sheriff and it’s going to go. I mean are we going to be able to work with these
folks at all?
Mayor Furlong: Well I think from a process standpoint certainly that’s able. There’s no
requirement that the property owner work with the neighbors. I think what we heard tonight was
an accommodation to some of the issues that the neighbors were raising.
David Gatto: Well it’d be nice if we could come here and say we support it because otherwise
we’ll come back and otherwise you might…what we’re considering doing if you pass it.
City Council Minutes – March 13, 2006
30
Kate Aanenson: I just want to be clear, I think we understand they don’t want lights. My point
is I want to make sure that if the public safety says something, this council has that information.
I think everybody understands that you don’t want lights.
David Gatto: We’ve said what we’re going to say now and I mean I volunteered to be on a task
force. We want to work with you folks. We want to.
Kate Aanenson: Okay, no. We’d be happy to follow up on that. Get that information that we
have prior to.
Mayor Furlong: I mean there’s nothing that precludes the applicant and the neighbors getting
together and meeting if they want to. At the same time I think from a staff standpoint, which is
what our objective here is tonight after all the comments we’ve seen, is to try to keep this process
moving forward in a manner that’s consistent with what we’ve heard and what we’re trying to
accomplish here for everybody and balancing that. So.
David Gatto: And we’re all in the community together.
Mayor Furlong: Yes sir.
David Gatto: We want to work with you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Mr. Knutson, we’re okay now?
Roger Knutson: Yes we are.
Mayor Furlong: To move forward if there is a desire to table. Is there a motion to table?
Councilman Peterson: So moved.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Second.
Mayor Furlong: Made and seconded.
Councilman Peterson moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded that the City Council
table the Site Plan Amendment and variances for the construction of a golf course, Halla
Greens, located on the southeast corner of Great Plains Boulevard and Pioneer Trail. All
voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you and thank you to everybody sticking around tonight and contributing
to the discussion.