CC 2017 05 08
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge to the Flag led by Boy Scouts Sean Jesse and Michael Furlong.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mayor Laufenburger, Councilman McDonald,
Councilwoman Ryan, and Councilman Campion
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:
Councilwoman Tjornhom
STAFF PRESENT:
Todd Gerhardt, Chelsea Petersen, Paul Oehme, Kate Aanenson, Todd
Hoffman, Jill Sinclair, and Roger Knutson
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Sean, Nicole & Scott Jesse 8198 Stone Creek Drive
Susan Farr 2722 Park Avenue
Mike Hoagberg 17550 Hemlock Avenue, Lakeville
Tom & Michael Furlong 1405 Knob Hill Lane
Zhexin Zhang 1455 Bethesda Circle
Jon Gilbert 1641 Jeurissen Lane
Chris & Tracy Rust 7500 Chanhassen Road
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you and welcome to City Council this evening, not only those of
you that are in the council chambers but also those of you that are watching by Mediacom cable
at home or via the web through our livestream service from the City website. For the record
council members all present with Bethany Tjornhom who is sick and unable to be with us this
evening. Before we begin tonight I would just like to say that prior to this council meeting we
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had a wonderful 50 anniversary celebration out in the fountain plaza commemorating tonight,
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this is May 8 and 50 years ago today the City of Chanhassen was formed through the merger of
the township of Chanhassen and the village of Chanhassen so tonight is a momentous occasion
and we’re 50 years into it and I say let’s go for at least 50 more.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mayor Laufenburger: I do have a public announcement to make tonight and I don’t see
Matthew. We would like to take this time to present the Maple Leaf Award to Matthew Myers,
and I’m just going to show it so those of you at home can see this. Can you see that Nann?
Okay. Matthew Myers, a little higher okay. Does that work? Okay. Matthew Myers was
appointed to the Environmental Commission in 2011 and served two terms for the City. He
brought passion and commitment to all of the commission’s endeavors. While serving on the
Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
commission he contributed to the following accomplishments. He helped revitalize the annual
Arbor Day celebration with tree planting to honor the spirit of the day. He donated his time and
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talent to provide public education at the July 3 business expo every summer over his two terms.
He wrote public education articles for the Villager on behalf of the commission and his greatest
accomplishment while on the commission was the spearheading of a partnership between the
City and the School District to install a re-use irrigation system for athletic fields at the
Chanhassen High School. After learning about re-use systems at a commission meeting he
facilitated a meeting between the City and the Athletic Director to discuss employing such a
system at the high school. Thanks to his determination the City, the school district and the
Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek watershed district undertook a joint project that will soon come to
fruition. The system will go online this year and we will see a savings averaging 3.8 million
gallons of water and more than $16,000 each year. All and all Matthew was a dedicated member
of the commission and his involvement will be missed so at this time we honor Matthew Myers.
Let’s hear it for Mr. Matthew Myers. And I forgot one thing. Regarding the agenda, are there
any modifications to the agenda this evening from council members? If not we will follow the
agenda as printed.
CONSENT AGENDA: Councilman McDonald moved, Councilman Campion seconded to
approve the following consent agenda items pursuant to the City Manager’s
recommendations:
1. Approve City Council Minutes dated April 24, 2017
2. Receive Planning Commission Minutes dated April 18, 2017
Resolution #2017-29:
3. Accept 2017 Community Event Sponsor Donations
Resolution #2017-30:
4. Lake Drive East Rehabilitation Project No. 18-02: Approve
Consultant Contract.
5. Approval of Temporary Liquor License, Chanhassen Rotary Club, July 3-4, 2017
6. Approve Ordinance Amending City Code Concerning Stables
7. Approval of Massage License for Spalon Montage
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: I would like to take just a moment. One of the items on the consent
agenda was accepting the 2017 community event sponsor donations. We have a number of
events in this community in Chanhassen and many of them are funded by the generous donations
from businesses in the community so I just want to publicly say thank you to all those businesses
that have continued to support our community events here in Chanhassen.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS.
Mayor Laufenburger: We have two scheduled visitor presentations. Let’s begin with Mr. Sean
Jesse. Whoever is present here. State your name please.
Scott Jesse: My name is actually Scott Jesse. I’m sliding in here as the Scout Master for Troop
330 here, the local Chanhassen troop.
Mayor Laufenburger: Welcome Scott.
Scott Jesse: Thank you Mayor and thank you distinguished council members. The reason I’m
sliding in here to introduce Sean, he’s my son first of all. Hence the last name that is the same.
Mayor Laufenburger: Similar right.
Scott Jesse: And I also want to congratulate you for 50 years as a city. That is a wonderful
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accomplishment. And not to be taking anything away from that but this happens to be our 70
anniversary year for the Boy Scout Troop.
Mayor Laufenburger: Well congratulations and happy anniversary.
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Scott Jesse: Thank you and we plan on having a community event on August 27 and I’d like to
invite the council members and the mayor to attend. Any of the public to attend as well so that’s
the reason I slid in here to slide.
Mayor Laufenburger: Can you tell us where this event will be held?
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Scott Jesse: It will be at Lake Ann at the Lakeside Pavilion on Sunday, August 27 and the
details are still forth coming with the agenda and the exact timing et cetera but it should be
around 1:00 for distinguished guests like yourselves.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright.
Scott Jesse: With no further adieux I’d like to introduce Sean Jesse then.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright. Good evening. State your name.
Sean Jesse: I’m Sean Jesse.
Mayor Laufenburger: Hello Sean, nice to have you here.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Sean Jesse: Thank you distinguished council members and mayor for this opportunity to speak
about my Eagle project. So a little background about myself. I’m Sean. I attend Chanhassen
High School. I’m a sophomore there. I am a member of Boy Scout Troop 330 in Chanhassen
here so my Eagle project is going to be a pollinator garden. It will be for Monarch butterflies
specifically. It will be held at Lake Susan, or created at Lake Susan and so if you look up at the
screen there’s just a picture of a Monarch but on the next slide.
Mayor Laufenburger: Partnership here amongst the boy scouts.
Sean Jesse: So just some general facts about Monarch butterflies. They have the longest
migration especially for their size for any insect or any organism, all the way from up to 3,000
miles to Mexico from somewhere in Canada. They lay eggs on milkweed and it’s the only thing
they will reproduce on. They are highly poisonous because they take a toxin into their bodies
from the milkweed that they eat as a larva and they are a major pollinator for many flowers.
Many plants in general. They have two major enemies as adults but these enemies are not the
reason that they are, that their population is declining rapidly. So there’s two birds that can eat
them. One of them has developed a resistance to the toxin that they have inside of them. The
other eats the body and leaves the wings where most of the toxins is held. So their life cycle,
they are an egg for about 3 to 5 days. Just on a milkweed. Their larva, as a larva there’s 5
instars. Basically 5 different times shedding their skin. They get bigger and then they become a
chrysalis for about 5 to 14 days and then about 2 to 6 weeks they will live as a adult unless they
migrate to Mexico in which case they will go all the way down to Mexico. Live there and to
make the return trip to lay more eggs. So Monarchs are, this is a picture of what people used to
see on the way down to Mexico. Their population is rapidly declining and there are very few
places even on the way, even all the way down that you can see this anymore so things to help to
save them is creating gardens that include milkweed or flowers and everything that they need
and specifically no pesticides and herbicides because those things get taken into the milkweed
and then it kills the larva as they eat the milkweed and so that really hurts the Monarchs. So my
Eagle project is going to be tailored towards making a garden that has milkweed included in it
but as well it’s going to be very beautiful. It’s going to have many flowers. It’s going to be at
Lake Susan. It’s going to have a, it’s going to be right next to a bunch of trees so they can go
roost at night. It’s relatively close to the lake. They have their food source readily available in
the flowers. Everything. So this is one of the pictures of the garden location. It’s at Lake Susan.
You can see the trees in the background and it’s, the area for the garden will be 20 by 10 feet and
that is what it looks like so the project, it’s rather large and it’s going to be, I think it will be just
the perfect size for Monarch butterflies and what they need. Here’s just another angle of the
picture.
Mayor Laufenburger: Sean this looks like it’s near the creek that exits the, is this on?
Sean Jesse: It’s relatively close to the volleyball courts and a little bit off of the other
playground.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Sean Jesse: Just a little ways away from there.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright.
Sean Jesse: On top of the hill. And so the project will hopefully be done this summer. It will be
done the beginning of summer. We have a couple tentative dates. The project will be done by
me and my troop. We will be creating the garden and eventually maintaining it until September
and after which I’m hoping that the City will be able to take care of it from there. Nothing
major. Just a little bit of upkeep. Making sure nothing got, mowing around it. There’ll be a
woodchip border around the garden. This should help prevent anything wrong. Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Before you go, anybody have any questions of Sean? I have a
question for you. Can you tell me why the Viceroy looks so much like the Monarch?
Sean Jesse: Yes as a matter of fact I can.
Mayor Laufenburger: Please.
Sean Jesse: So the Viceroy is what’s called a mimic where it doesn’t have any toxins of it’s own
but in order to protect itself it pretends to be the Monarch so the predator will be like oh there’s a
Monarch. I’m not going to eat that because that will give me a tummy ache.
Mayor Laufenburger: That’s an A Sean. Mr. Hoffman is there anything, have you, you’re aware
of this project Mr. Hoffman?
Todd Hoffman: Jill.
Mayor Laufenburger: Oh this is Jill’s, excuse me. I was thinking Lake Susan Park but
pollinator. Is there anything that Mr. Jesse needs from the City in order to make this happen?
Jill Sinclair: The City’s going to help do some of the preparation before they arrive but after that
it’s kind of all his so he has it well under control.
Mayor Laufenburger: Well I wonder if we could have a motion of support for Mr. Jesse’s
project.
Councilman McDonald: Sure I’ll make a motion.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you very much Mr. McDonald. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Ryan: Second.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: We think you’re going to have a good project and good answer on the
Viceroy and bring those Monarchs back from Mexico okay.
Councilman McDonald moved, Councilwoman Ryan seconded to support the Eagle Scout
project presented by Sean Jesse to install a Monarch butterfly and pollinator garden at
Lake Susan Park. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4
to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: You’re on your way Sean. Good luck to you.
Sean Jesse: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you. We have another visitor this morning, or this evening.
Michael Furlong. Michael. Michael would you just state your name so the people who are
watching at home know who you are.
Michael Furlong: Yep, my name is Michael Furlong and I live at 1405 Knob Hill Lane.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Michael Furlong: So I’m also planning to do my Eagle Scout project at Lake Susan. There are
some grills at Lake Susan currently that need replacing so right now there are 5 grills at Lake
Susan, and as you can see by the picture they’re in very poor condition. You know rusted and
overall don’t look very good and nobody really wants to cook on a rusted grill. They’re also in
poor locations like they’re away from trees and picnic tables and shade that people want to grill
and picnic by. So what I’m planning to do is install, remove the 5 and install 3 new grills.
Locate them in better spots you know by, in shade. Near trees. By picnic tables. That’s one of
the grills that I purchased or that we ordered and it’s, that one is currently at Lake Ann and since
that one has been installed more and more people have been using the grills at the park instead of
bringing their own which I’ve witnessed at Lake Susan a couple times is people have been going
to the park but they’re bringing their own grills and stuff instead of using the ones that the City
has there. So the benefits of this, convenience you know with the location. They’re in better
spots so where people want to picnic. Where they want to grill. Also you don’t have to haul
your own grill to the park. You can just use them there. I mean you’re going to have to bring
charcoal and stuff but that’s nothing too hard. It looks better. I mean if you go to a park and you
see a grill that’s rusted and run down and you’re like oh well, you know they don’t really take
care of their parks but when you look at these new ones that look really nice it’s like oh, they
really care about their park system and it brings a good look to the city. And it should also
increase the usage of these grills there. Like I said the one at Lake Ann are being used more and
more so that is ultimately the goal at Lake Susan. So basically the cost of this whole project, the
grills are about $150 to $200 each so it’s going to be about $600 for the grills. We’re going to
need concrete to set the grills in place so it will be about $70 roughly for the concrete. We’re
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
going to have to fill in some holes for where the new, or where the old grills were that we’re
taking out. We’re going to have to fill in those holes so that will be $10 to $20. Nothing too
much and then we’re just going to top it off with some gravel as you can see with the Lake Ann
Park. It just makes it look cleaner and it also keeps the ash and the, yeah the ash from falling
onto the grass and ruining the grass. So the whole project is going to be roughly $700 so nothing
too harsh. And I guess I’m asking that the Chanhassen City Council approve and fund the
project.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright. Michael see if there’s any questions. Any questions of the
council? How much labor? This feels like it’s going to take a little bit of man power. Do you
have a team of people that are going to help you?
Michael Furlong: Yeah. I’ve got my troop that’s helping me so I’ve been talking to people in
my troop. They’re coming out. I’ve also been getting friends from school to come out and help
me as well so it shouldn’t take too long if we have a good number of people which I’m planning
on having.
Mayor Laufenburger: And when are you thinking that you’ll be done with this project?
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Michael Furlong: As of now the plan is to start May 13 so this Saturday and finish on the 14.
Mayor Laufenburger: Oh so it’s a quick turnaround.
Michael Furlong: Quick project.
Mayor Laufenburger: Wonderful. Well if there’s no other questions can we have a motion to
approve and fund the project. Now before I do that, is this under you Mr. Hoffman?
Todd Hoffman: Yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay so it’s at Lake Susan. It will be a little ways away from the
pollinator garden right?
Michael Furlong: Correct, yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. And your park and rec’s prepared to fund this, is that correct?
Todd Hoffman: We are.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright. Well that’s good to know. I wonder if we could have a
motion of support on this.
Councilman Campion: So moved.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Campion. Is there a second?
Councilman McDonald: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you.
Councilman Campion moved, Councilman McDonald seconded to support and fund the
Eagle Scout project presented by Michael Furlong to replace grills at Lake Susan Park. All
voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: Michael you have our approval. We’re looking forward to seeing these
new grills over there.
Michael Furlong: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you very much and thank you for your initiative. And also thank
you to both you and Sean for your initiative. I know that this Eagle Scout project is an important
element in the completion of your Eagle Scout achievement so we wish you both the best of
luck. Thank you Michael.
Michael Furlong: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Nice job. Now I would like to, at this time I would like to offer anybody
else that is interested in making a visitor presentation, you simply step up to the podium. State
your name and address and for the record. And this is just a reminder to all citizens, we offer
visitor presentations at every City Council meeting. We’re pleased to have anybody come
forward and address the council about anything. Is that something you’d like to do?
Jon Gilbert: Perhaps. I have a procedure question. My name’s Jon Gilbert. I’m a resident at
1631 Jeurissen Lane. I have questions or comments about the AUAR which is on the agenda
later and I don’t know if I should wait until then to make comment or if it has to be done now.
Mayor Laufenburger: Since it’s on the agenda it would not be done right now.
Jon Gilbert: Okay.
Mayor Laufenburger: But we’re going to address that during that AUAR time period.
Jon Gilbert: Very good.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, thank you Jon. Okay there being no other visitor presentations
I’m going to close visitor presentations at this time and move to our next item on the agenda.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
PUBLIC HEARING: VACATION OF EASEMENT AT 7500 CHANHASSEN ROAD,
VACATION FILE NO. 17-01.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Oehme is this your’s?
Paul Oehme: It is.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright Mr. Oehme, staff report please.
Paul Oehme: Thank you Mayor, City Council members. A vacation request for drainage and
utility easement has been made to the City at 7500 Chanhassen Road which is just off of, just
south end of Lotus Lake and the access onto Highway 101. The easement in question is for a
drainage and utility easement for the stormwater system that discharges from Highway 101 and
the frontage area in front of 101 drains down the property line and down to the lake. The
property owner at 7500 is in the process of rebuilding their house and they are, have situated the
house in such a way, fashion that it encroaches onto the drainage and utility easement. They are
requesting that a portion of this drainage utility easement be vacated so the new easement would
look like this. It still would encompass the stormwater pipe and the storm sewer system in the
area. The city staff has reviewed the request and finds it acceptable. Gopher State One has been
called to see if there’s any private utilities within the easement area that is proposed to be
vacated and there is none so staff is recommending that the easement be vacated and a new
easement be dedicated as shown here. So with that if there’s any questions with this vacation I’d
be more than happy to answer them. Otherwise I’d request that a public hearing be opened at
this time. The applicant Tracey and Chris Rust are here today, tonight if you have any questions
for them.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Let’s first see if there’s any questions of staff. To staff from the
council. Any questions from the council? Okay. Then at this time I’m going to ask the
applicant to step forward. Just introduce yourself if you don’t mind and tell us a little bit about
your interest in having this easement vacated.
Tracey Rust: Sure, good evening.
Mayor Laufenburger: Identify yourself please.
Tracey Rust: Tracey Rust, 7500 Chanhassen Road. My husband.
Chris Rust: Chris Rust, 7500 Chanhassen Road.
Mayor Laufenburger: You live together.
Tracey Rust: Yes we do. Still.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: You don’t have to go there. I just want to know about the easement.
Tracey Rust: We made it through one move already so Mayor, council members, thank you so
much. So we have been living at the property for 12 years. Over 12 years now and there was an
existing easement on the property at the time that we bought the property the drainage way was
actually an open drainage way. Since then the City has come in, designed and actually put that
drainage way in a pipe with a structure so we are now asking just, we’re tearing the house down.
Building a new house and looking to the City to see if we can reduce that easement. Still large
enough for that underground pipe for the City to get in and maintain it but just asking that the
property not be burden as much as it is right now.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright. Anything to add Chris?
Chris Rust: No. This is her area of expertise and she handled it perfectly.
Mayor Laufenburger: Wise comment on your part. Alright, thank you very much. Any
questions of the applicant? Alright, thank you very much.
Tracey Rust: Thank you.
Chris Rust: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: At this time I would like to open a public hearing. If there’s anybody
present that would like to speak either in favor of or in opposition to the vacation of this
easement now would be a time to do so. Alright, there being none I’m going to close the public
hearing and bring it back to the council. Any questions, comments or anybody like to make a
motion.
Councilwoman Ryan: Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Laufenburger: Yes.
Councilwoman Ryan: I’d like to make a motion please.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I propose that the City Council adopts the attached resolution vacating a
portion of the drainage and utility easement on 7500 Chanhassen Road as described on the
attached Exhibit.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright we have a valid motion. Is there a second?
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Councilman Campion: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Campion. Any further discussion?
Resolution #2017-31: Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman Campion seconded that
the City Council adopts the attached resolution vacating a portion of the drainage and
utility easement on 7500 Chanhassen Road as described on the attached Exhibit. All voted
in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: Congratulations Tracey and Chris. Enjoy your new home.
Chris Rust: Thank you very much.
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor I just want to thank the Rust’s. It’s not a simple process when you live
in existing home and you want to tear it down and build a new one so they were great to work
with and appreciate your patience and working through the system. We don’t usually get that
and thank you.
Tracey Rust: Thank you.
Chris Rust: Thank you.
APPROVAL OF MISSION HILLS SENIOR HOUSING PUD AMENDMENT, SITE
PLAN REVIEW AND PRELIMINARY PLAT; ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING
LIMITED USE PERMIT.
Mayor Laufenburger: I bet this is your’s Kate.
Kate Aanenson: Yes it is.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright Ms. Aanenson, staff report please.
Kate Aanenson: Yes, thank you Mayor, members of the City Council. This item did appear
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before the Planning Commission on April 18 and there was unanimous approval of it so this is
an application for Mission Hills Senior Living. A little bit different than what you saw before
and I’ll go through the history here briefly. The site is located on 8600 Great Plains Boulevard.
The background on this is that as part of the original Mission Hills which had a number of
different densities or different uses on there, guiding. This was kind of an older district that we
had. It was a mixed use so in that there was low density. Medium density and also commercial.
The commercial piece was given, and they wanted to stay, have that piece stay there and that was
actually put in place before 212 was built and once 212 got built that piece across the street
where the Kwik Trip is and the Kraus-Anderson property actually made that site more
advantageous for commercial use. Over time we had tried to work with the Klingelhutz family
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
looking at, MnDOT was reluctant to give a right turn in and some of those turn movements for
commercial were problematic so we worked looking at some other alternative uses for this site
and because there is additional density we felt that the senior housing project was a good project.
So as that moved through the process there was, you can look at the density as how many units
could be on the site based on the acreage so in that circumstances there could be up to 246 and a
project was approved under the 210 actual number of units so that was the project that was
approved so just strictly senior housing that was what we considered service enriched so you
could go through the cycle there and also some townhouses that were also a part of that project.
That project was approved a number of years ago and sat for a while. I just want again review
the land use there so the subject property, you can see is the commercial piece which also does
allow the residential and again that mixed use development is what the underlying land use is so
it is consistent with the land use and also the zoning. So this project is a little complex in the fact
that it does fall within the shoreland district so a part of the property to the north ended up with
the townhouse project which, to keep the 50 percent open space within the shoreland district and
also staying within the height regulations of the shoreland district which is the 35 feet. So the
four story building ends up on the south side of the site.
Mayor Laufenburger: Outside of the water?
Kate Aanenson: Correct, outside of the watershed so this here is now the senior housing. The
change here then is they actually put in a daycare on the site so the project changed slightly in
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the fact that now a daycare is introduced to the site and they will still enter off of 86 Street and
then come down. It will be one way traffic controlled here and for the daycare on this side of the
building and so it’s intergenerational. At the Planning Commission the testimony there was very
supportive of having intergenerational there. The senior housing and the daycare and feel really
good about that. One of the buffer, the concerns was the buffering here so I think they worked
hard to manage that separation there and the change in grade. So again we talked about access
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coming off of 86. This is one of the issues that was addressed before with the project. 86
Street and the restricted lane here. So with additional turn movements coming here out on West
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86 Street and a left turn at this intersection can be problematic at certain peak times. MnDOT
and the County are aware of those issues and will be monitoring that if there needs to be any
changes in place but as of right now the traffic study does show that it will work and I’ll let the
City Engineer, if he wants to add a few comments there regarding traffic in itself.
Paul Oehme: So thanks Ms. Aanenson, members of council. So yeah SRF did complete a traffic
study in conjunction with the development. We did have meetings with MnDOT and Carver
County. We looked at several options. A signal is not warranted at this location. It’s a T
intersection and the traffic generated from the existing site and the new site just did not meet that
warrant for a new signal. By putting in a signal without meeting warrants it can actually
decrease the level of safety at the intersections over time as well too so we are, looked at several
options. Adding some islands and some other features. Redoing the median on 101 but at this
time the best option we think is just to monitor it and see how much traffic in the a.m. and the
p.m. and we’ll make some changes down the road if necessary.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Kate Aanenson: So I was just going to add then too for the daycare itself will have 90 children
and then approximately 8,600 square feet. So we want to make sure there’s connectivity so one
of the things would be the continuation of the sidewalk and then also the, we needed a limited
use permits from MnDOT for this trail connection through here so that’s one of your motions
tonight to be included in that. And then to accommodate the daycare one of the twinhomes, the
rental twinhomes was eliminated so that would be the significant changes in the project itself.
Again the architecture is similar to what we had seen before. Highly enhanced. It matches
what’s in the neighborhood. Real articulated so staff and the Planning Commission was very
supportive of that. Material sample. Again showing the twinhomes. Again blending with the
architecture of the senior project itself and the daycare. There will be a sign. This sign is located
on 101 so the sign will be senior living. The daycare can also is permitted to have a sign so they
could have one on their project also but the sign will, as you can see on the right here where that
will be located. Parks, that was an issue that was brought up before. Is there adequate parks in
the area? There is open space on the site as I mentioned earlier. There’s a sidewalk for
connectivity in that area. There’s also, you can connect to the trail that was put in with a recent
Knoblauch subdivision if you wanted to head to the east to get back around Rice Lake Marsh
too. So I mentioned the limited use permit and that was in order to get the trail onto 101 so
there’s the other part of the connectivity so that’s one of the motions included in your packet. So
this is also a plat included in this. This is an outlot so we are platting this lot to allow for this
project. So again there’s 4 motions for you. The resolution for the limited use permit, the
preliminary plat, the site plan approval and the PUD. With that I’d be happy to answer any
questions that you might have.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, thank you Ms. Aanenson. Any questions of staff from council?
Councilwoman Ryan, questions?
Councilwoman Ryan: Thank you. Can you explain the limited use permit for the trail please?
Kate Aanenson: It’s MnDOT’s right-of-way and so the description there just limits how you can
use that and if they need to get in there and address it.
Paul Oehme: Right so we’ll have ownership of the trail within the right-of-way. They just allow
for that use and they want to just make sure that we’re maintaining it so, down the road we might
have to update the limited use of that document but it’s just basically for future maintenance to
make sure that it’s in good condition.
Councilwoman Ryan: So it’s basically saying that Chanhassen will maintain the trail, that’s
what.
Paul Oehme: Within the right-of-way.
Councilwoman Ryan: Within the right-of-way.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Paul Oehme: Yeah so MnDOT doesn’t give limited use permits to developers to they have to
work through the City for that.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay. Okay, thank you.
Kate Aanenson: And to be clear it’s for trail purposes, yeah.
Councilwoman Ryan: Right, okay. And then you mentioned something about the, a twin home
being removed.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah so there was originally with the project there was 9 so now they’re down
to the 8 and that was to accommodate the parking. Additional parking required with the daycare
and better circulation through the site. One way circulation for drop off.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay. And then in terms of the daycare is that, just out of curiosity, is
that then independently owned or does that?
Kate Aanenson: I’ll let the applicant answer that question if you wouldn’t mind.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: If they partner with somebody or.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay. We’ll get to that. And then I do, if I may ask another question. I
am concerned about the traffic issue. I know it came up in the meeting when we discussed this
before and I understand that it’s going to be monitored by Carver County and you know watch it.
A couple concerns that I have is first in reading some of the information the Mission Hills
Garden Homeowners Association said that they had sent two requests. I’m assuming you’ve met
with them and discussed this. They’ve been involved in the conversation about it. And some of
their suggestions were about doing something with the median or breaking it down or having a
better, just some of the vantage point I guess or views with the speed coming north on 101.
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People coming from the light. Picking up speed and then making that left turn lane off of 86
onto 101 is concerning.
Paul Oehme: Right so one of the improvements that the developer would be making with this
project is to eliminate a portion of the median that’s currently out there.
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Todd Gerhardt: On 86.
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Paul Oehme: On 86 Street to restripe it correct. Right so that’s an improvement that’s going to
be made here. Just a little bit more visibility. Taking some of the vegetation out of the median
and allowing for better sight distances.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Kate Aanenson: So I think it also allows for the free left and the free right so, and then there.
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Councilwoman Ryan: So there’s no back up on 86?
Kate Aanenson: Help reduce the back up, the stacking yeah.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay. And when Carver County says that they’re going to monitor the
situation on 101, I mean is it just are we waiting for so many accidents until something’s done or
just knowing that it’s a senior housing it’s a fast road on 101. I know it doesn’t constitute a full
light, a signal but can you do flashing lights? Is there anything to just make people aware of that
intersection?
Paul Oehme: For this, it’s kind of a difficult intersection to make substantial improvements to
for traffic flow. Like I had mentioned before we did look at a splitter island at this intersection
and would basically would mean that reducing the center median. Having that as, if you’re
going southbound on 101 kind of a stacking area here and little bit better safety location in the
median here when people pull out and go southbound onto 101. We’re a little bit hesitant to take
that to the next step and just because of some of the conflicts that potentially could happen at the
intersection. We did look at like I said we looked at signals. We looked at other traffic safety
devices as well. Nothing really, and additional striping too. Nothing really jumped out at us as a
significant improvement from currently what’s out there today. There is left turn lanes on
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southbound 101 to get into, onto 86 Street and there are stacking lanes on 86 Street for left and
right turn lanes so it is a wide intersection. Four lanes on Highway 101. I think that’s what
causes most of the problems. You know to decrease the width of 101 is really problematic just
because of the volumes of traffic that go through the intersection so you know it’s a tough, tough
location to really make any significant improvements. You know we looked at roundabouts too
there. There isn’t warrants for that. That’s not in the cards right now either so like I said Carver
County’s going to be monitoring. The City will be monitoring as well. We’ll take traffic counts
and work with Carver County on traffic counts on 101 too and ever so often we do traffic counts
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on 86 Street as well too so we’ll hear from neighbors as well. We’ll monitor those and take that
into consideration too so that’s kind of the process and the path that we are proposing to move
forward with.
Councilwoman Ryan: And when you did the traffic study and looked at this area what do they
anticipate most of the turn movements being? Is the volume higher going, making a right or is it
going left to get onto 212?
Paul Oehme: Most of the turning movements are still that left hand movement going southbound
on 101. Let me see if I can pull it up here. Yeah so it’s in the future they’re looking at 79 left
turns onto 101 and then on northbound it’s about 64 trips during the peak hour. And that’s the
a.m. and then the p.m.’s a little bit less than that but I guess there is a little bit more on the left
hand turns but the right hand turns are pretty high as well.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay I’ll hold for now, thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Just related to that Mr. Oehme, when this development first began, when
Mission Hills first developed as residential, this property was it originally zoned as commercial?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah it was mixed use so commercial. We had a number of offices look at that
and the peak demand at offices were significantly worst because you had more trips coming in at
the same time.
Mayor Laufenburger: That was my question.
Kate Aanenson: Yep so, so staff felt like as far as a developable parcel this was really the best
possible solution.
Mayor Laufenburger: So what you’re saying in, what I’m hearing you say is that when this
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entire development first began and the road construction, not only 86 Street but what’s the road
just north of there? Where there’s a right turn only.
Kate Aanenson: Marsh Glen.
Mayor Laufenburger: Marsh Glen, is that what it is? So when this development was originally
planned and approved the anticipated traffic from this property, though it was vacant at the time,
the anticipated traffic was greater than what you’re calculating it will be with the senior living
and the daycare, am I saying that correctly?
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct, yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay so I’m with Councilmember Ryan on one thing and that is the
monitoring. Can you give us an example Mr. Oehme of what would, what sort of actions or
what sort of incidents would prompt the City and the County to take action of some sort beyond
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what it is right now? Beyond removing some of the median on 86. Can you give us an
example?
Paul Oehme: Sure. So traffic flow is obviously one of them. We look at say the level of service
for the intersection. That’s how the intersection performs. How much wait time you’re going to
get. You’re going to look at, at an intersection on each of the legs so we look at that. We hear
from property owners. Complaints. You know it’s backing up, way backing up into say the next
intersection and I’ve got a lot of wait time. You know people are making unwise choices
running through the intersection at times so we hear from the public on those type of things.
Like I said Carver County does take traffic counts on 101 I think every 2 years so we’ll know,
we’ll look at volumes of traffic on 101 to see if they’re increasing. How does that correlate to
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
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the traffic on 86 Street. Those type of things. So just a lot of different things that we’ll be
looking at in the future.
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Mayor Laufenburger: But specifically you identified 79 left turns in a peak off of 86 onto
southbound 101. Is that what you said?
Paul Oehme: Correct, yep 79.
Mayor Laufenburger: And 64 north turns northbound.
Paul Oehme: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: And obviously people in the neighborhood if they detect that there are
more cars that are stacking up to turn left they would probably go to that Marsh Glen exit to get
their right turn.
Paul Oehme: They have that option.
Mayor Laufenburger: They have that option, okay. So alright.
Todd Gerhardt: Paul are those movements within an hour or 2 hour range?
Paul Oehme: So those movements are the peak hours so it’s typically from 8:00 to 9:00 during
the day and then we also look at the p.m. peak hours as well so, and the traffic study too, the
level of service at the intersection right now is a level B which is fairly good. We try to keep it
about a C and with the new development the projections are to remain at a level B so we’re
going to be looking at that and seeing if the projections in here are made in the future if the
development were to move forward.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Councilmember Campion, did you have a question or comment?
Councilman Campion: Yeah I just have one follow up question for Mr. Oehme. In a situation
like this where there isn’t a good solution for the left hand turn it looks like to increase the safety
much is it, would you consider making it right turn only?
Paul Oehme: Yeah we looked at that too. A right-in/right-out or something like that. We’ve,
it’s kind of a balancing act. If you make a right-in/right-out or reduce or a three-quarter access
you’re limiting the mobility of that neighborhood and it’s, that’s not a, you know if it’s not
warranted you know we don’t want to put hardships on the neighbors as well either so it’s kind
of a balancing act in terms of safety and mobility so at this time we’re not, we wouldn’t propose
that but again that’s something if, you know if the intersection were to degrade over time
substantially that would be another tool that we would look at but at this time we’re not
proposing that.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Councilman Campion: Yeah I mean just looking at elongating the left turns stacking I mean
doesn’t seem with the amount of additional cars that are being added to the neighborhood, it’s
hard to imagine that problem getting any better.
Mayor Laufenburger: Did you have another?
Councilman Campion: No that’s it.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Oehme and Kate, are there any other residential developments
planned back in this area? I know we had Mr. Knoblauch. Is there anything else that would add
more?
Kate Aanenson: No. Let me just go back to that kind of the overview of that, of this area. So if
we go out to Mission Hills Lane, I think the challenge would be if everybody went up this way
that would be the end on people on Tigua and the end of Knob, this development. Knob Hill?
No.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Knob, is that Mister?
Kate Aanenson: Is Mr. Knoblauch’s but anyway you’re pushing that up to a low density which
is this is a right out only on that intersection so that goes to what Mr. Oehme was speaking about.
It presents some other challenges because all the townhouse projects here. The higher density
here.
Mayor Laufenburger: But there’s no further residential development to the east?
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct. That’s correct. It would be fully developed.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Alright. Anybody else questions?
Councilwoman Ryan: I have one more.
Mayor Laufenburger: Councilmember Ryan, go ahead.
Councilwoman Ryan: When they redid the road on 101, or redid 101 and they changed it to a
right only out of Mission Hills, was that for safety reasons?
Paul Oehme: It wasn’t for safety as I recall. It’s more mobility. It’s just another access. Before
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86 Street was one long dead end. A big cul-de-sac so it doesn’t meet with our code. It was you
know it was more for a safety perspective you want to have at least more than one access point
for this size of a development so it was more of a mobility and safety consideration that that
access was installed, or connected to 101.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Councilwoman Ryan: Because I mean before they put the median in they were able to make the
left turn out of there before the road was redone, correct? Or was it never, were you never able
to go left?
Kate Aanenson: I don’t think it was there because Mission Hills subdivision, I’m not sure on
that.
Mayor Laufenburger: I’m not understanding your question Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I thought at one point they were able to make a both left and right turn out
of Mission Hills and then.
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Mayor Laufenburger: Out of Mission Hills from 86?
Todd Gerhardt: She’s right, it was a 2 lane highway 101. It didn’t have a median.
Councilwoman Ryan: And so if you go, if you look up, if it’s north over Mission Hills before
they redid 101 Mission Hills could come out and they could make either a left or a right turn.
Mayor Laufenburger: But that’s when the road was occupying the corridor that is currently
Waters Edge Drive, am I correct on that?
Kate Aanenson: The old 101.
Mayor Laufenburger: The divided two highway, or the divided highway of 101 supplanted
Waters Edge Drive as 101.
Todd Gerhardt: Yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. So it was two lane. Dangerous as can be.
Todd Gerhardt: As you came out of Mission Hills Lane you could make a left or a right. After
the reconstruction of 101 into a 4 lane it was decided that the full intersection would be
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concentrated at 86 Street. So anybody wanting to make a left hand turn in the Mission Hills
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development would have to go to 86 Street to do that. So before it was just a 2 lane highway.
Councilwoman Ryan: I mean my point being that now we’re, even though a 2 lane highway
might be unsafe I think crossing 2 lanes of traffic that are gaining speed into, you know to head
south, to not have some sort of a safe lane for people to turn into is concerning to me especially
noting that it’s senior housing and it just is concerning to me.
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Mayor Laufenburger: Is there not a left turn lane in 101 south? Right at 86 Street.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Paul Oehme: There is a left turn lane.
Todd Gerhardt: Yeah Kate showed it on the map. There’s a left and a right.
Councilwoman Ryan: But a left safe like to turn onto 101.
Paul Oehme: Right, yeah. So there’s the left turn there.
Councilman Campion: You have to get on and get up to speed right away.
Paul Oehme: Yeah so.
Councilwoman Ryan: There’s no like receiving lane.
Mayor Laufenburger: Acceleration lane.
Councilwoman Ryan: Right.
Paul Oehme: Right.
Councilwoman Ryan: Some sort of a receiving lane next to the median to get across and then
accelerate onto 101 because you know you’re trying to cut across traffic that’s headed north and
you’re trying to head south.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Oehme what, what traffic incidents have you, have been reported at
that location?
Paul Oehme: I know when the traffic study they looked at that. I don’t have that right in front of
me right now but as I recall it wasn’t in the high severity crash intersection so in, that’s one of
the items that we look at when evaluating intersections for warrants. For a signal so it didn’t rise
to that threshold either.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Paul Oehme: To Mrs. Ryan’s point we did look at decreasing the size of the median at this
location here and having an acceleration lane for southbound traffic. The problem is that at the
intersection you have to put another median at this location for safety purposes and we were just
a little concerned at this time about the traffic crossing at that location and some conflicts that
potentially could happen there so you know we’re, staff is more than willing to look at that a
little bit harder and see if we need to, if there’s another option out there that we can have an
acceleration lane going southbound in a safe zone basically so you can pull out. You know
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
crossing the two northbound lanes and then having a safe area there to accelerate to the south so
we can look at that option again.
Todd Gerhardt: Paul isn’t the safety zone where your red dot is? There’s plenty of room for 1 to
2 cars right there before they make the left hand turn.
Paul Oehme: There’s I would say maybe one car. The problem is that.
Todd Gerhardt: Going to pass around Google Maps and you can take a look.
Councilwoman Ryan: Dan has it on.
Paul Oehme: But the problem is, yeah there’s no acceleration area.
Todd Gerhardt: Yeah there’s plenty of room for 2 cars there because there are cars on the road.
You know the other point is anybody that if you close that intersection off is one option. Then
people are going to go down to the apartments and St. Hubert’s and make a U turn to go south.
Councilwoman Ryan: Right. And I’m not suggesting closing it off. I think it’s important to
have the access to make both the left and the right hand turn lane. I disagree that there is room
there to get across and accelerate onto southbound 101. I mean I think it’s still tight.
Todd Gerhardt: No I wouldn’t, I’m not saying accelerate. I’m saying waiting until the cars are
through then go.
Paul Oehme: You know we’ve observed that cars do, you know one car or so can stop right here
and then wait for traffic on southbound 101 and then go after that but it’s not a very safe
movement I would say because anybody that’s heading southbound and want to make that left
there might be a conflict that they run into so it depends on where the car is so. So we’ll, staff is
more than willing to look at that option again and see if we can come up with a better solution.
Councilwoman Ryan: I would prefer that you did just to take a harder look at what the
possibilities are for more of a safe zone or an acceleration lane. My concern is that waiting for 2
years to do another traffic study it’s, I think it’s easier to get something done while the project is
underway versus waiting to see what happens and the what happens situation is not a good you
know what if so.
Paul Oehme: Okay.
Councilwoman Ryan: I’d appreciate that. Thank you.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Any other questions or comments? Kate can you just clarify for me in it’s
simplest form, so this project came before the council previously and we gave it an approval, is
that correct?
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: So the significant changes are number one, you’re adding the limited use
trail.
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: You’re taking away a twin home.
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: And you’re adding a daycare.
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: So those are the 3 primary things right?
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: And the daycare you identified 8,600 square feet. Is that a repurposing of
8,600 square feet or is it an adding of an additional 8,600 square feet.
Kate Aanenson: They still have the same number of units. I’ll let them speak to that a little bit
more about who their vendor is and how that will be operated. They are here tonight.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, that might be a good segue. I wonder if the applicant would like
to speak at this time. And answer any questions we may have. Simply just identify yourself,
your organization.
Mike Hoagberg: Hi I’m Mike Hoagberg with Headwaters Development. We’re out of
Lakeville, Minnesota. Thank you for your time tonight and there’s a lot of good questions and
things that we’ve been struggling with a little bit on this development but what we think is a little
more exciting is some of the things that we added to this. We think we enhanced the project over
time. We understand that it’s taken a little while to get to this point but with working with our
operator Ebenezer we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about is there a better enhanced use than
just the senior component and what kept coming to the surface was this daycare component.
Intergenerational is a big push. We’ve seen a lot of great success in previous Ebenezer projects
and we think this location and in the city of Chanhassen is a fantastic opportunity. We look at
taking that energy of those children and putting them with the seniors and the wisdom and
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
friendship that they can provide and making sure that that’s all very cohesive throughout the
building is important and we’ve seen a lot of great success, not only from the seniors but also
with the children and so we’re excited to add that component. As we mentioned we did lose one
of the twin homes but we think that improved the circulation throughout the site and allows for
the pick up and drop off to be more efficient. And to answer a couple specific questions that you
had, we did repurpose part of the square footage so it is the same number of units but we felt that
it’s important to have the actual daycare center in the main building and so on the, let’s see here,
it’d be the east. The first floor on the east side of the building. The front there is where the
8,600 square feet is. There’s a separate entrance for the drop off and pick up. It’s a secured
entrance for the children. And then inside the center of the building will be a secured walkway
where the children can come in to meet with the seniors and their community and the seniors can
come into the daycare center. It is owned by our same ownership group. Ebenezer will be
operating both the senior care component as well as the child care. They have a lot of experience
doing that. They have their own specific dedicated staff to children and licensing and operating.
I think that addressed those questions.
Mayor Laufenburger: It did.
Mike Hoagberg: And then the traffic study. We’ve done a couple of them to look at the
different uses that we proposed for the site and we’ve struggled with it too. We think that this is
a fairly busy intersection. I’ve been out there on several occasions trying different times of the
day and some of them are more difficult, especially when the light changes at night or early in
the morning or during those peak hours. From a senior component, one it’s a little less usage.
There’s certain residents in there that aren’t driving so that is reflected in the study but more
importantly there’s a lot of the senior driving component is off peak hours. It’s not during the
rush hours. We do have staff that will be coming in and out during those rush hours but it’s
typically not necessarily the resident. We do want to make a commitment. We understand it’s a
little difficult because it’s part of the County has the decision on the roads and not necessarily the
City but we want to commit that we want to work with you guys to figure this out because we do
think it’s a problem that needs a solution. I don’t know what that is yet. We’re talking about a
lot of different options here and I agree. I think we should be more proactive on trying to figure
out whether you know it’s a stop light or a roundabout or whatever might be the best solution. I
think we can collectively work together to figure that out.
Mayor Laufenburger: Good, alright. Would you just stand for questions. Any questions of the
applicant? Thank you for answering that repurposing question. Thank you Michael.
Mike Hoagberg: Alright thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Look forward to having you in the community. Alright let’s bring it back.
Kate can you just put up that resolution one more time? So just restate for us the four elements
of this motion.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Kate Aanenson: One would be approving the PUD which specifies the twinhomes, the daycare,
and the senior housing.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: A site plan approval so we showed you the architecture and the numbers of
units. The preliminary plat. We’re taking an outlot and creating a lot with the extractions that go
with that and then a resolution for the limited use for the trail on MnDOT’s property and then
adoption of Findings of Fact.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. And you called this a site plan approval and a preliminary plat. Is
there, will this come back to the council for a final plat or not?
Kate Aanenson: I don’t believe so.
Mayor Laufenburger: So once we approve this then we’re essentially giving, we’re giving
permission for the developer to move forward exactly as they’ve identified?
Kate Aanenson: Yes. I believe all the conditions are in for engineering that they need for the
plat.
Todd Gerhardt: Preliminary and final?
Kate Aanenson: It’s only noticed for preliminary on here so it may have to come back for just
the final.
Todd Gerhardt: Yep.
Kate Aanenson: Yep so it would come back for just for the final plat, yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Alright let’s bring it back to the council. Any further discussion?
Discussion, comment or motion.
Councilwoman Ryan: Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Laufenburger: Councilmember Ryan, yep.
Councilwoman Ryan: So with that, with this motion and the question in terms of traffic and
looking at it, where does that leave us because in, you know and you’ve been hearing the
conversation. When you talk about a daycare obviously that’s daily in and out by parents
dropping their children off so, and thinking that they might then drop their children off and want
to hop onto 212 to get into downtown so that’s that left turn lane. So where does approving this
motion leave the looking into the traffic and doing something on 101?
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Kate are there, is traffic study part of the Findings of Fact?
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Mr. Gerhardt did you want to give us any counsel on this?
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor and council, if you want to make that as part of your motion to direct
staff to look at alternative acceleration lanes on Market Boulevard to go south and you know
bring that back as a feasibility study for your consideration we could do that.
Mayor Laufenburger: But that direction is not, is that direction specifically needed to call this
out? We’ve already heard Mr. Oehme say that he plans to work with the County to monitor
activities there. Historically what has the council done historically in your experience here?
Todd Gerhardt: Well historically the council’s probably done both and if you still have your
Google Maps and you move up to Market Boulevard and Lake Drive there’s, which is I would
say a busier intersection by Bookoo Bikes and Summerwood and there’s no acceleration lane
going south. There is a small acceleration lane going north and.
Mayor Laufenburger: Right turn out of Summerwood onto north 101?
Todd Gerhardt: Yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Is that what you’re referring to?
Todd Gerhardt: Yes. There is an acceleration, small acceleration going north but as you come
out of the Summerwood, Bookoo Bikes area you have a choice of two lanes. Well really the
inside lane. There’s no acceleration lane. There’s a median and then the two thru lanes that go
to the south.
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Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Oehme let’s go back to 86 Street. Have you examined closely the
sight lines? Are there any obstructions of sight lines such as any shrubbery or tall grasses in any
direction?
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Paul Oehme: The 86 Street? No the vegetation in the median is far enough back from the
intersection where I don’t think there’s any sight lines on 101.
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Mayor Laufenburger: You’re talking about the median on 86?
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Paul Oehme: On 86 Street yeah, and then likewise on 101.
Mayor Laufenburger: And isn’t there, there is a path on the east side of 101 all the way right?
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Paul Oehme: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Or trail I guess you would call it.
Paul Oehme: Trail, yeah. So there really isn’t any sight lines or vegetation issues at this
intersection to obstruct visibility.
Todd Gerhardt: Is there a left turn acceleration lane onto a four lane highway? Has that ever
been designed?
Paul Oehme: There’s a few that are out there.
Todd Gerhardt: Are there?
Paul Oehme: Yeah.
Todd Gerhardt: I just haven’t seen too many. Usually you kind of stop in the middle and then
you go when there’s an opening.
Paul Oehme: Right. The problem is that it works better if there’s a larger median. When you
have a smaller median it’s a little bit more difficult to have any vehicles there. Like on say
Highway 7, I think that median’s a little wider so if there’s cars that are crossing say Highway 7
there’s more stacking at those type of facilities than there are…
Todd Gerhardt: But those at controlled intersections.
Paul Oehme: No there’s a couple out there that, I’m specifically thinking about one on Highway
7 in Excelsior there’s a median there that I think you can stack at least 2 cars there.
Todd Gerhardt: Okay.
Paul Oehme: This one’s a little bit narrower so it’s a little harder to stack cars in the median.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, Councilmember Ryan I would say that based on Mr. Gerhardt’s
comments that this sometimes the staff or sometimes the staff is directed. Sometimes they’re
not. For my perspective and I guess I would like to hear from other council members, I think
they got the message that the concern. Mr. Hoagberg mentioned. You’ve mentioned it. It’s
been reinforced by council and others that it needs to be watched. If there’s something specific
that we would like them to come back with, a recommendation I don’t know if they’re equipped
to do that until, well no I think they could be equipped to do that. Come back with a
recommendation. If you’d like to make that a part of the language of the motion or does it have
to be part of the motion or we can just direct staff?
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Todd Gerhardt: Just direct us.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Alright so I would say you’re welcome to make your statement on
what you would like to see the staff come back with. Giving them some, and make it
independent of this motion I would say. Are you comfortable with that?
Councilwoman Ryan: Sure.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. So state what you would like to see staff.
Councilwoman Ryan: I would like staff to look at the option of either an acceleration lane
headed south on Great Plains or the median on the south side of the intersection looks a little bit
thicker than on the north side and maybe there would be space to do something there so if we
could just look at an option for a safe zone or somewhere for people to turn into I’d appreciate it.
Mayor Laufenburger: Including options, feasibility and costs?
Paul Oehme: Absolutely we can put all that together. We have something similar to that already
drawn up so.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay.
Paul Oehme: So it won’t be hard to put some numbers together.
Mayor Laufenburger: And if you don’t mind I think it’d be worthwhile for us to bring that back
in a work session so we can talk in greater detail. Less formally about that. Are you okay with
that?
Councilwoman Ryan: That would be great.
Paul Oehme: Absolutely.
Councilwoman Ryan: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Any other discussion, comment or motion?
Councilwoman Ryan: Mr. Mayor I’ll make a motion.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I think it’s a great project. I’d like to propose that the City Council
approves a planned unit development amendment to the existing standards, Mission Hills PUD.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
A site plan approval for the construction of a 136 unit multi-tenant senior housing apartment
building, 8 twin homes, 16 independent living units, and a daycare center, and a preliminary plat
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approval to replat 8.64 acres into Lot 1, Block 1, Mission Hills 3 Addition. And resolution
approving a Limited Use Permit with MnDOT for a trail connection on property zoned planned
unit development PUD and located at 8600 Great Plains Boulevard, Outlot E, Mission Hills, and
adoption of the attached Findings of Fact.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, thank you Councilmember Ryan. We have a motion. Is there a
second?
Councilman Campion: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Campion. Any further discussion on this motion?
Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman Campion seconded that the City Council
approves the Planned Unit Development amendment in the attached ordinance for Mission
Hills to allow High Density Use with a Childcare Center on the site and set standards for
the structures as shown below with the following conditions, and adoption of the attached
Findings of Fact:
1.The site must comply with the DNR Shoreland Rules.
2.The site shall comply with the following standards:
Mission Hills Zoning Standards
a. Intent
The purpose of this zone is to create a PUD neighborhood commercial/mixed density housing
zone. The use of the PUD zone is to allow for more flexible design standards while creating a
higher quality and more sensitive proposal. All utilities are required to be placed underground.
Each structure proposed for development shall proceed through site plan review based on the
development standards outlined below. Except as modified by the Mission Hills standards below,
the mixed density housing development shall comply with the requirements of the R-8, Mixed
Medium Density District. Except as modified by the Mission Hills standards below, the
commercial development shall comply with the Neighborhood Business District, BN.
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Lot 1, Block 1, Mission Hills 3 Addition shall comply with the R-12, High Density District.
b. Permitted Uses
The permitted uses within the development shall include the following:
Single Family Residential
Medium Density Residential
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
High Density Residential with a Child Daycare Center
c. Setbacks
In the PUD standards, the building setback for commercial is 50 feet from any public right-of-
way. The High Density parking setback shall be 35 feet from any public right-of-way and/ or
interior property line. There shall be a buffer separating the residential portion from the High
Density portion of the site. This buffer shall be in the form of a berm and landscaping. The
following setbacks shall be observed:
Commercial Residential Residential Commercial
Street High Density Medium Density Parking Parking
Building Setback* Building Setback Setback Setback*
Highway 101 * 50’ 20’ *
Highway 212 * 50’ 20’ *
West 86 th Street * 30’ 20’ *
0’(from commercial) 0’ (from commercial)
Interior Lot Lines 0’ 0’
50’(from residential) 35’ (from residential)
* Setbacks shall be established pursuant to section 20-505 of the Chanhassen City Code.
d. Development Standards Tabulation Box
Minimum Lot Size multi-family units:
Mission Hills: As approved on October 24, 1994 in the Plat of Mission Hills; Mission Hills
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Villas, A Condominium, Common Interest Community No. 8, 9 Supplemental filed April 10,
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1996; Mission Hills Villas, A Condominium, Common Interest Community No. 8, 10
Supplemental filed April 10, 1996; Mission Hills Villas, A Condominium, Common Interest
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Community No. 8, 11 Supplemental filed May 7, 1996; and Mission Hills Villas, A
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Condominium, Common Interest Community No. 8, 12 Supplemental filed May 20, 1996;
nd
Mission Hills 2 Addition: Area: 2,100 square feet
Width: 46 feet
Depth: 47 feet
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Mission Hills 3 Addition: Area: 376,358.4 square feet
Width: 480 feet
Depth: 620 feet
Net Lot Hard Surface
BLOCK USE Density
Area Coverage
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
152 Multi-Family
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Mission Hills 3
Units/Child Daycare 8.64 acres 17.5 50%
Addition
Center
138 Multi-Family
Block 1, Mission Hills 18 acres 7.66 37%
Units
Block 4, Mission Hills 56 Multi-Family Units 8.92 acres 6.28 43.2%
RESIDENTIAL
1.Building exterior material shall be a combination of prepainted 5-inch aluminum siding and
brick.
2.Arched transoms and soffit returns shall be used over the entries of the one-story units and
horizontal transom windows over the 2 story windows. Introduce some variation among the
buildings through the shape of windows, adding louvers, shifting entry ways, and adding
dormers.
3.Colors used shall be earth tones such as soft gray, creamy white, pearl gray, shell white, etc.).
4.Each unit shall have a minimum of one overstory tree within its front yard.
5.All units shall have access onto an interior street and not 86th Street.
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6.The apartment building located on Lot 1, Block 1, Mission Hills 3 Addition shall:
a.Have pronounced entrance.
b.Insure that all foundation walls are screened by landscaping or retaining walls.
c.
Have materials which include masonry, painted siding, and exterior finish and insulation
system (E.I.F.S.) and the structures will have sloped shingle roofs. All elevations that
can be viewed by the public have received equal attention.
e. Site Landscaping and Screening
The planting plans prepared for the site are intended to create a strong sense of street tree
plantings using overstory deciduous trees such as Summit Ash, Linden, and Sugar Maple.
Highways 101 and 212 will be buffered with a combination of overstory evergreen trees and
ornamental deciduous trees. The outdoor private living areas will be buffered with the use of
evergreen trees. The wetland will be highlighted with the introduction of native wetland species.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
In addition, to adhere to the higher quality of development as spelled out in the PUD zone, all
loading areas shall be screened. Each lot for development shall submit a separate landscaping
plan as a part of the site plan review process. Berms of 2 to 3 feet high shall be added along the
Highway 101 and 212 right-of-way. These berms shall be seeded and/or sodded and bushes and
trees shall be planted on them. All disturbed areas within the single family lots shall be seeded
and/or sodded. Two trees with a minimum of a 2½ inch caliper shall be planted within the front
yard setback. These two trees shall consist of one overstory evergreen tree and one ornamental
deciduous tree.
1.All open spaces and non-parking lot surfaces (outlot) shall be landscaped, or covered with
plantings and/or lawn material.
2.Outdoor storage is prohibited.
3.Loading areas shall be screened from public right-of-ways. Wing wall may be required
where deemed appropriate.
4.The Outlot shall be seeded and maintained in a weed free condition in all areas proposed for
future development.
f. Signage
One monument sign along Great Plains Boulevard shall be permitted for Lot 1, Block 1, Mission
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Hills 3 Addition.
1.Monument signage shall be subject to the monument standards in the sign ordinance.
2.Wall signs are permitted on no more than two street frontages. The total of each wall
mounted sign display areas shall not exceed 24 square feet.
3.All signs require a separate permit.
4.The signage will have consistency throughout the development and shall tie the building
materials to be consistent with the signs. Signs shall be an architectural feature, they shall
not be solely mounted on a pole of a foundation.
5.Consistency in signage shall relate to color, size, materials, and heights.
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6.No illuminated signs within Lot 1, Block 1, Mission Hills 3 Additionmay be viewed from
the residential section of the PUD.
7.Only back-lit individual letter signs are permitted.
8.Individual letters may not exceed three feet in height.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
9.Only the name and logo of the business occupying the unit will be permitted on the sign.
RESIDENTIAL
One monument identification sign shall be permitted for the residential development. The sign
may not exceed 24 square feet in area and 5 feet in height.
g. Lighting
1.All light fixtures shall be shielded high-pressure sodium or LED fixtures. Light level for site
lighting shall be no more than one-half foot candle at the property line. This does not apply to
street lighting. The maximum height of a residential street light shall not exceed 15 feet.
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Light fixtures within Lot 1, Block 1, Mission Hills 3 Additionshall not exceed 25 feet.
2.Glare, whether direct or reflected, as differentiated from general illumination shall not be
visible beyond the limits of the site from which it originates.
3.Lights shall be on a photoelectric cell to turn them on and off automatically as activated by
yearly conditions.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman Campion seconded that the City Council
approves the preliminary plat to replat Outlot E, Mission Hills into Lot 1, Block 1, Mission
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Hills 3 Addition, as shown in plans dated received March 17, 2017, including the attached
Findings of Fact and Recommendation, and subject to the following conditions:
Park and Trail Conditions
1.Full park fees in lieu of additional parkland dedication and/or trail construction shall be
collected as a condition of approval for Mission Hills Senior Living. The park fees will be
collected in full at the rate in force upon final plat submission and approval. Based upon the
current residential park fee rates of $3,800 per apartment dwelling, $5,000 per twin home
dwelling, and $500 per bed for continuing care units, the total park fees will be $478,000.
Unit Type No. of Units Amount Total
Independent Apartments 100 $3,800/unit $380,000
Assisted/Memory Care 36 $500/bed $18,000
Apartments
Rental Twin Homes 16 $5,000 each $80,000
Total $478,000
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Engineering Conditions:
1.The estimated Surface Water Utility fees are $125,691.69. These shall be due with the
final plat.
2.The applicant must prepare an operations and maintenance manual that provides for the
protection and preservation of the stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to
provide for the designed water quality benefit in perpetuity.
3.The applicant must enter into a maintenance agreement with the city and record that
agreement against the property.
4.The applicant must dedicate public drainage and utility easements over the BMPs.
Planning Conditions:
1.Approval of the subdivision request is contingent upon approval of the PUD amendment
and Site Plan application.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman Campion seconded that the City Council
approves the site plan consisting of a 136-unit senior housing apartment with a childcare
center and eight twin homes, Planning Case 2017-07 as shown in plans dated received
March 17, 2017, including the attached Findings of Fact and Recommendation, and subject
to the following conditions:
Environmental Resource Conditions:
1.The applicant shall submit a revised landscape plan for approval. The revised plan shall
meet minimum bufferyard requirements.
2.Additional planting may be required along the southern half of the east property line.
3.Park grade trees are not acceptable quality and will not meet landscape standards for the
City of Chanhassen. Item #12 of the General Notes shall be deleted.
4.The applicant shall consider locating landscaping along the rain garden near the corner of
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86 St W and 101 to block headlight glare from turning vehicles.
Building Official Conditions:
1.The building plans must be prepared and signed by design professionals licensed in the State
of Minnesota. A “Code Record” is required (Code Record schematic plans may be same
scale as architectural).
For “Code Record” information go to MN Dept. of Labor and Industry:
http://www.dli.mn.gov/CCLD/PlanConstruction.asp
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
2.Buildings must be protected with automatic fire suppression systems. As required by
Minnesota State Building Code and /or Minnesota State Residential Code.
3.An accessible route must be provided to all buildings, parking facilities, public
transportation stops and common use facilities.
4.Parking areas, including parking garages, must be provided with accessible parking spaces
dispersed among the various parking areas and building entrances.
5.Accessible dwelling units must be provided in accordance with Minnesota State Building
Code Chapter 1341.
6.The building owner and/or their representatives should meet with the Inspections Division
to discuss plan review and permit procedures (in particular, type of construction and
allowable area issues must be addressed).
Fire Marshal Conditions:
1.A three-foot clear space must be maintained around fire hydrants.
2.“No Parking Fire Lane” signs and yellow painted curbing will be required. Contact Fire
Marshal for specifics.
3.Street names are required for the main road entering the project and the loop road serving the
twin homes. Street signs shall be installed prior to building construction. The current street
names proposed on the plan are Oriole Drive and Oriole Lane. The name Oriole has already
been used within the City of Chanhassen and may not be reused within this development.
Alternative proposed street names must be submitted to Chanhassen Fire Marshal and
Chanhassen Building Official for review and approval.
4.Fire hydrants shall be installed and made serviceable prior to combustible construction.
5.Prior to combustible construction fire apparatus access roads capable of supporting the
weight of fire apparatus shall be made serviceable.
6.In lieu of a fire lane to the back side of the building, additional fire protection features shall
be provided, including but not limited to Class 1 standpipes installed per Fire Department
requirements.
7.Provide to Chanhassen Fire Marshal radius turn dimensions for accessing the building. The
concern is the center islands for getting fire apparatus to the front doors.
Engineering Conditions:
1.The low area where filtration basins #1 and #2 discharge shall be modeled or the
discharge pipes shall directly tie-in to the MnDOT drainage system.
2.Plans must show the location and elevations of the Emergency Over-Flows (EOFs) on the
project, specifically for Filtration Basin #1, #2, #4 and #5.
3.Plans must show the style of home for the twin homes.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
4.The stand-alone SWPPP document shall be submitted to the city for review with the final
plat documents and will be required prior to any earth disturbing activities.
5.An NPDES construction permit must be granted to the applicant prior to any earth
disturbing activities.
6.Stockpile locations shall be shown on the plans.
7.The following materials are prohibited for retaining wall construction: smooth face,
poured in place concrete (stamped or patterned is acceptable), masonry, railroad ties and
timber.
8.Walls taller than six feet shall not be constructed with boulder rock.
9.Any wall taller than four feet must be designed by a professional engineer licensed in the
State of Minnesota.
10.If a wall is taller than six feet, a fence or other barrier would be required to provide
separation from any drive or walkway within 10 feet.
11.The developer’s engineer must submit documentation that the street pavement meets a 7-
ton design.
12.The developer shall incorporate the recommendations from the traffic study into their
plan set.
13.The parking lot aisles must be a minimum of 26 feet wide and the parking spaces must be
18 feet long.
14.Pedestrian ramps shall meet ADA requirements.
15.If required by MnDOT, the applicant shall obtain a LUP for the trail connection on
MnDOT right-of-way.
16.All water main and sanitary sewer main constructed in this project shall be privately
owned and maintained and must meet the city’s requirements for public utilities.
17.The plan shall use 2017 Chanhassen standard detail plates, which are available on the
city’s website.
18.This parcel has paid the city for one (1) water and sanitary service hook-up. The
additional twin home units (7) must pay a water and sanitary service partial hook-up fee
at the time of final plat. The remaining hook-up fees would be paid with the building
permit.
19.The hook-up fees for the main building are due with the building permit.
20.All work within the MnDOT right-of-way must be approved by MnDOT.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
21.This site will need to be compliant with the City of Chanhassen’s MS4 permit.
22.The applicant’s engineer will continue to work with the Watershed District to update
their permit and meet requirements.
23.City staff will evaluate the design based on the requirements above until the city receives
confirmation from the Watershed District that this project will be evaluated under a
different requirement. The annual reduction by the proposed BMPs (Best Management
Practices) are 67% removal for TSS and 60% removal for TP. This does not meet the
requirements for TSS, so the design must be revised. The current design removes only
20% of the required 1.1” of impervious run-off volume. The design must be revised to
meet the 1.1” volume removal.
24.The applicant shall evaluate the practicality of implementing, to the “maximum extent
practicable,” volume reducing practices including re-use.
25.The P8 model submitted shows an anticipated infiltration rate of 1.0”/hour, this is
contrary to the MN Stormwater Manual’s estimation for Type D soils: 0.06”/hour and
shall be revised.
26.The construction plans shall include filtration basin cross sections and call out
information about the iron filings.
27.The infiltrometer testing results for each basin shall be submitted to the city to verify the
infiltration rate prior to release of the security for the filtration basins.
28.Pretreatment shall be provided for all filtration basins accepting water from driving and
parking surfaces.
29.In areas where storm water is directed to the basin through a catch basin, a sump
manhole, at least three feet in depth should be used, four feet is recommended.
30.The plans shall label the sump catch basins.
31.The proposed BMPs will be privately owned.
32.Erosion control blanket shall include the swales in their entirety.
33.The design of the stormwater BMPs shall follow the guidelines of the MN Stormwater
Manual unless the City Engineer agrees to a deviation for those guidelines.
34.A planting plan for the filtration features will be required before recording the final plat.
35.Staff strongly recommends using plantings rather than seed, as seed can take up to three
growing seasons to establish. The city will not release security until the vegetation is
established.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
36.It is the applicant’s responsibility to assure that permits are received from all other
agencies with jurisdiction over the project.
Planning Conditions:
1.The applicant shall work with staff to improve the screening of the southwesterly portion of
the site through the use of berming and landscaping.
2.All rooftop and ground equipment must be screened from views.
3.The site is permitted one monument sign facing Great Plains Boulevard. Sign illumination
and design shall comply with ordinance.
4. Approval of the Site Plan application is contingent upon approval of the PUD amendment
and Final Plat Approval.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Resolution #2017-32: Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman Campion seconded that
the City Council approves the Limited Use Permit (LUP) resolution with MnDOT for a
trail connection that requires grading within Highway 101 right-of-way with the following
conditions:
1. Approval of the Limited Use Permit (LUP) is contingent upon approval of the PUD
amendment, Site Plan Permit and Final Plat Approval.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you very much council. And thank you Mr. Hoagberg. Best of
luck to you on your development.
Todd Gerhardt: We can bring this back for final plat approval.
Mayor Laufenburger: That would be great. Okay. Alright.
ADOPTION OF UPDATE FOR ALTERNATIVE URBAN AREAWIDE REVIEW FOR
AVIENDA.
Mayor Laufenburger: Is this your’s Ms. Aanenson?
Kate Aanenson: I’ll start, yeah. I’ll introduce it here if you give me just one second.
Mayor Laufenburger: And you’re going to give us some history on how this has been handled so
far, is that correct?
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Kate Aanenson: Correct. Thank you. I’m going introduce our two consultants. We have Brad
Scheib here with Hoisington-Koegler and Jon Horn with Kimley-Horn who have been the two
consultants who did the original AUAR in 2005 so in order for the Avienda project to proceed
we had to update that AUAR so the timeline is back in February we actually had a work session
with the City Council and explained to them some of the significant findings before we had an
open house. That open house was also held in February and then after that we held, which
wasn’t required but we did hold a public meeting to take comments at the Planning Commission
and after that it was published in the EQB Monitor to take comments so this meeting now is to
review those comments that were received and the process that I’ll let the, Brad Scheib go
through and Jon kind of go through the issues. Kind of explaining where we are in the process
and the next steps.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright Ms. Aanenson would you just repeat in what ways did you engage
the public for comment and discussion, would you just repeat that?
Kate Aanenson: Sure. So we had an open house. That was held before the public comment
period so that was an opportunity for residents and that was noticed. Residents to come in and
ask specific questions and then the developer of Avienda was there as well as the consultants as
well as staff to answer specific questions that they may have.
th
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay and that was the February 28 open house right?
Kate Aanenson: Correct. And also just to clarify what the difference between the AUAR and
the actual site plan approval process that we’ll be going through with the project.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: So then to take public comment at the Planning Commission. Again that was a
noticed meeting, public meeting and to allow residents to ask specific questions about the
AUAR. Again clarifying the difference between what the AUAR is studying and scoping and
the project itself so trying to track those two processes separately which you’ll hear a little bit
about tonight so. Then I think we also shared with the council kind of where that was and then
authorized, asked the City Council to authorize publication in the EQB Monitor and we went
longer than the required number of days to get additional comments and so that comment period
thth
has ended and then since that time, which I believe was April 15 or 17, been reviewing those
comments and putting together a summation which is before you tonight to act on those
comments that were received and move forward.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. So the action that you’re asking the council to take tonight is to
simply approve the, let’s see. Approve the final AUAR as it was reviewed over the last 6
months.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Kate Aanenson: Right with a mitigation strategy.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: So that’s one of the things too so that would be.
Mayor Laufenburger: So the council is not approving, we’re not approving the Avienda
development plan. We’re not approving streets. We’re not approving location of stores,
restaurants, things like that. All we’re doing is saying yes, we accept that this AUAR is
acceptable and the mitigation plan is acceptable.
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright. So with that can you continue?
Kate Aanenson: Yep, I’m going to turn it over to Brad Scheib to go through the.
Brad Scheib: Alright thank you Kate.
Mayor Laufenburger: Good evening.
Brad Scheib: Mr. Mayor, members of the council. Kate kind of went through a lot of what I
think I was about to talk through so I’ll, well I’ll be kind of.
Mayor Laufenburger: You can restate.
Brad Scheib: Quick here. I will, I will.
Mayor Laufenburger: Sometimes we need to hear things twice and three times.
Brad Scheib: Yeah so let me just kind of start with what is an AUAR and explain kind of the
differences because there was a lot of interest and there is going to be continued interest in the
physical development project that actually moves forward. So this, as you mentioned, is not
approval of that development project but this is a higher level environmental analysis of an area
which you see on the map here. The area bound by essentially Powers, Lyman, Audubon and
Pioneer on the south with Highway 212 cutting through that southeast corner. The AUAR is
that environmental assessment but it’s also the mitigation strategies and so it gives you some
idea of what we call kind of a defined level of impact and some mitigation strategies that many
of which already are in place in your current policies and ordinances which you would apply to
any development within this project area as it moves forward to manage those impacts, and those
bullet points you see at the bottom here, things we typically look at. Natural resources, historical
cultural resources, park, recreation areas and trails, connectivity. The traffic impacts which are
usually the most significant things that people are concerned about and want to understand the
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
impacts and then water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure are also very important elements.
So the AUAR process is authorized by State laws and it is an alternative to the traditional
environmental assessment worksheet or EAW and the Environmental Impact Statement. Part of
the entitlement process when development triggers the warrants for an environmental review so
it’s not the entitling element but it is part of the process if a development hits that magnitude and
this development would, the Avienda project would hit that magnitude so I just highlight that.
That the AUAR does not approve a specific project but it just defines that order of magnitude
and identifies those mitigation strategies. So from the history standpoint which Kate went
through some of this, this is an update to an AUAR originally done back in 2003. It was done in
2003 as a result of Comprehensive Plan, identifying that as the next growth area and at that time
there was a number of development projects that were in various stages of moving forward. And
so the AUAR was completed back then. State law requires that for that AUAR to be valid for
new projects that come forward it needs to be updated and thus you adopted the resolution to
begin the process in November, 2016 because two things. One, the Avienda project was moving
forward but also the City did a comp plan update back in 2010 that provided some different land
use direction as well so we needed to update the AUAR to maintain the validity of that
environmental review. After the order for review, and a little bit before the order we were
beginning to look at some analysis and trying to understand the different development projects
that were being considered but we created the updated draft AUAR, and then as you have
already talked about we went through a series of processes to engage the public. Give them the
opportunity to one, understand what an AUAR is or is not, and to provide comment on some of
the findings that we had in the AUAR so we had the open house the end of February, and then
we also had the Planning Commission public hearing. Both of those processes are kind of above
and beyond the required processes of the AUAR and things that I think traditionally Chanhassen
has always practiced doing. We took the comment that we received from those two processes
and we revised the draft AUAR. We met with the council to present that review and then we
went through the formal required process of getting it published in the EQB Monitor which all
environmental reviews are published in the EQB Monitor and then allowing that agency
comment during that 10 day review period for the agencies to give us comment on the substantial
or the completion of it so this is just a chart. This was in your packet that kind of shows on a
flow diagram the process. Over here in the upper right hand corner is where we actually make
that submission of the final document to the EQB Monitor. The final draft to the EQB Monitor
for their comments. If we get no objections then we move to where we’re at today and basically
we received a number of comments. None of them were objecting to the AUAR. They were
commenting on some of the components and content to it of which we responded to and have
made some revisions. So we received 8 comment letters in that period. Of those comment
letters many of them were simply comments. Many of them we do not really need to provide
any response to because there wasn’t really a question. Many of the comments were also what
we would characterize as comments on the specifics of the Avienda project which are not
appropriate at the AUAR level but more appropriate when you go through those physical
entitlement processes with the PUD, the site plan. Kind of what you just went through with the
prior application.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: But those are in front of us? Those are.
Brad Scheib: Those comments.
Mayor Laufenburger: Those comments will be in front of us as we get towards working.
Brad Scheib: Yes. As you continue to and those comments, even though we don’t really need to
address them in the AUAR we are recording them because we did receive them so they are part
of the record and they’re part of the process.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Brad Scheib: So the comments that we did make some modifications to or did provide a little
more substantive response to, we did have some things in the document, a couple graphics that
were not clear in terms of the impact of the development scenario A, which is the scenario that
included the Avienda portion that has the greatest impact on that central wetland so we made a
modification to that graphic to better show that wetland implication. The numbers we used were
accurate. It was just the graphic in that particular case. We did also have a comment from the
DNR in terms of some ecologically sensitive resource areas. That when we originally did the
process we relied on prior environmental field work and we also relied on looking at some of the
national and regional data sets. The DNR did have some more current information that they did
recommend that we include and so we did have another exhibit added that identified an
ecological sensitive resource area which is not in the project area but to the south of the project
area and we added some text at their suggestion also that talked about the impacts to those areas,
as well as some mitigation which again through our current policies and ordinances including the
Bluff Creek ordinance you have a lot of things in there that protect those ecological sensitive
resources even if they’re downstream. There were some concerns over traffic which we have
some additional slides here that Jon will go through as part of his presentation. And then like I
said there were a lot of concerns and things that were talking about things like specific store
locations and design features that are really more appropriately handled through the PUD process
and the site plan review. So this map graphic here shows the new graphic that we added. That
big blob you see to the south of the project area is considered an ecologically significant area.
Those were based on a series of resources that the DNR has put together over the last 10 years
that weren’t available when we did the original AUAR. We did actually look at that before we
did the AUAR but we didn’t include it because it was not in the project area and at the DNR’s
request they did request that we add that and talk about the impacts downstream. So that was
added to the document. And then I’ll turn it over to Jon and Jon will walk through some slides
on traffic.
Jon Horn: Good evening Mayor and council. As Brad suggested traffic was a fairly popular
topic as we went through the AUAR update process so we wanted to touch a little bit on that to
provide you some additional background. The graphics that’s up on the screen generally shows
the study area. The area in the tan color. The brown area is the existing developed area.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Everything shown in blue is the area that was considered as a part of the AUAR update process.
The red dashed lines are basically the proposed public street infrastructure that would be
constructed to serve the development area. So we did look at existing traffic conditions. These
are basically today’s traffic volumes at all the surrounding roadway systems and particular
interest to the neighbors was what was happening along Bluff Creek Boulevard and Bluff Creek
Drive so pay particular attention to Bluff Creek Boulevard and Bluff Creek Drive. I don’t know
Paul maybe you can point that out on that graphic there. Yeah so it’s basically the Bluff Creek
Drive is the 2,500 and 2,900 going south down to Pioneer Trail and then Bluff Creek Boulevard
is the 2,200 there close to Audubon and then decreasing to 1,600 as you go to the east so that’s
basically existing traffic volumes. We did look at both of the concepts considered as a part of
the AUAR and came up with updated traffic volumes. So this graphic shows those increases.
General increases across all the roadways but again with particular interest to Bluff Creek
Boulevard and Bluff Creek Drive. You know seeing increases on Bluff Creek Boulevard going
from 2,200 and 1,600 to 3,600 and 3,000 so certainly increases in those traffic volumes. And
then on Bluff Creek Drive going from 2,500 and 2,900 to 2,700 and 4,200. That 4,200 is a larger
number just because of the proposed access to that development area as Mr. Oehme is
highlighting right now would come off of that section of Bluff Creek Drive. Would reference
back to the original AUAR that was done for the study area. In that original AUAR they looked
at 2010 traffic volumes and just to give you some sense of how these proposed traffic volumes in
2022 relate to the 2010 traffic volumes so Bluff Creek Boulevard just to the east of Audubon
where it shows there’s 3,600 on 2022. Actually the original AUAR identified that as 4,500 so at
2022 traffic volumes based on the updated AUAR are less than what was anticipated in 2010 as a
part of the original AUAR document.
Mayor Laufenburger: Say that again. So Bluff Creek Boulevard off of Audubon.
Jon Horn: Yep.
Mayor Laufenburger: In your 2003 AUAR you were estimating 4,500.
Jon Horn: 4,500 cars a day.
Mayor Laufenburger: And in reality what we’re seeing today, I think you said was 2,200. Is that
right?
Jon Horn: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Jon Horn: And we’re anticipating that that 2,200 would increase to 3,600 but again would be
well within the traffic volumes that were anticipated in 2010 as a part of the original AUAR.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Can you go to the back one just for a second? I’m curious about
212. You’re saying 212 is 38,000 but with this new development of Avienda you’re suggesting
that’s going to go to 43,000?
Jon Horn: Right. And the other thing to consider is this also includes traffic growth over time so
we’re looking at basically existing traffic volumes as well as growth to 2022 so when you see
these numbers some of it’s tied directly to the Avienda development but some of it’s just general
traffic growth that’s going to occur.
Mayor Laufenburger: Like the development that’s going on in Carver and down in that area,
okay. Alright. Thank you.
Jon Horn: As a part of the original AUAR there was a lot of conversations, actually if you look
at the mitigation measures in the original AUAR a lot of discussions about what can be done to
Bluff Creek Boulevard to try to minimize cut through traffic and if you look at the design out
there today, I mean it’s certainly not a straight through roadway that connects Audubon to
Powers. You know there were roundabouts that were installed and the roadway design was
actually set up to have some turns and to make it a little more circuitous to help to minimize
some of those cut through traffic volumes. So again certainly traffic volume increases along
Bluff Creek Boulevard and Bluff Creek Drive but within the limits of what were anticipated or
projected as a part of the original 2005 AUAR process. So we also looked at what potential
improvements would be necessary and all the surrounding roadway networks. We looked at
Lyman Boulevard. We did an east/west direction on the north side of the development area.
We looked at Powers Boulevard on the east side. Pioneer on the south and Audubon on the west.
Basically all of the red lines that show up on these graphics show the improvements that would
be necessary at various intersections so I don’t know Paul if you can maybe point them out as
we’re showing at Audubon northbound, north of Lyman Boulevard. Certainly there’d be an
access at that location that would serve that site in the far northeast quadrant of the development
and as you go down to the south to Lakeview down here. Again improvements is necessary to
connect that loop drive between Lyman and Audubon. Now let’s go back to the east to Lyman
Boulevard. So an access is proposed into the Avienda development at that location. Basically a
south leg at Sunset Trail.
Mayor Laufenburger: With a light.
Jon Horn: With potentially a signal system at that location. Based upon traffic volumes that are
anticipated on a preliminary signal warrant analysis anticipated that both that location on Lyman
as well as the Audubon north location could potentially warrant a traffic signal at future
development. And then as you go down to the Powers Boulevard intersection with the ramps off
of 212 shows the improvements that would be necessary there to be able to accommodate that
extension of Bluff Creek Boulevard all the way over to Powers. And then as you go further to
the south on Powers an access for the far south eastern quadrant of the development basically the
roadway intersection improvements off of both Powers and Pioneer to be able to accommodate
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
that. And then we have also looked at the Powers and Pioneer Trail intersection. It’s anticipated
that a signal would be warranted at that location in the future as well so really full buildout of the
development’s anticipated that we would end up with 3 new traffic signals. Powers and Pioneer,
and then two along Lyman. One at Audubon and one at Sunset Trail.
Mayor Laufenburger: Just leave that up there just for a second. Council any questions about
what you’re seeing here? Kate I have one. Mr. Horn is talking about some changes there on
Powers just north of Pioneer. Could you highlight?
Kate Aanenson: You mean over here?
Mayor Laufenburger: Yeah right there. Okay, so go up north, just right there. So you use the
term part of the development. This property is not part of the Avienda development is that
correct?
Kate Aanenson: That’s correct but it’s part of the AUAR so the update includes all that and I
just want to clarify too, so that area right now is not serviceable because it’s sitting too low and it
needs a lift station that we’ve programmed across the street on the Erhart property. This area sits
too low. Also those two streets, because the creek goes through, would be served by two cul-de-
sacs. But it’s still included as part of the background traffic volumes for the update of the
AUAR so as Mr. Horn’s going around he’s talking about all the improvements over time that
would be impacted by the filling out of this development. The other piece that we don’t know
what the timing of that would be, would be the Degler property which that road would tie down
through here and we don’t know the timing of that development but also the traffic numbers
would be updated for that too.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. I just needed to have that clarified.
Kate Aanenson: Yep.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Horn.
Jon Horn: So just from a traffic summary, again we looked at the original AUAR. We looked at
updated traffic volumes based upon the proposed development and the concepts were considered
as a part of the AUAR update and specific to Bluff Creek Boulevard and Bluff Creek Drive. The
traffic volumes are consistent or less than what was anticipated as a part of that original AUAR
process. Certainly our mitigation measures consisted of what was suggested when the original
AUAR was done and certainly we’re proposing the same thing now. As designs proceed for
Avienda and other developments in the area attention to looking at traffic calming and to try to
minimize that cut through traffic volume that could want to go between Powers Boulevard and
Audubon is certainly something that needs to be considered as design measures and design
developments are reviewed. And then I mentioned the 3 potential locations where traffic signals
could be warranted in the future as development occurs.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Any questions? Is this your’s?
Kate Aanenson: No. If you have questions on the traffic.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, any questions on the traffic? Very well, continue.
Brad Scheib: So Mr. Mayor, members of the council, the last slide we have here is just some
general conclusions. The first one, environmental impacts that would result from future
suburban development in this particular area are no greater than what was assumed in the
original AUAR and that applies more than just to the traffic impacts but the land use impacts as
well. And we believe strongly that the impacts can be sufficiently mitigated through the
mitigation policies and what not that have been identified in the mitigation strategies and like I
said before a lot of those are in place in your existing ordinances and the development review
process that you’ll take more detailed development through. So adoption of the AUAR satisfies
that environmental review so long as any development project that does in within this area, and
that pertains to more than just the Avienda project, meets the general assumptions from the land
use perspective and more importantly the overall development magnitude. The number of units
that we’re talking about that comes out of this so when a project comes in, planning staff will
look at that project and say is that within the range of this environmental review. If it is then the
environmental documentation is satisfied. If it’s not then they either update the AUAR again or
they could do an EAW so if that project is of a greater magnitude doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
It just means they need some more processing to go through. So with that I don’t have any
further. I’m here for questions.
Kate Aanenson: We do have the, we put the motion up for you when you’re ready for that part.
Mayor Laufenburger: This is the action?
Kate Aanenson: Correct. So the action tonight would be adopt.
Mayor Laufenburger: Adopt 1 of these 3 is that correct?
Kate Aanenson: Well.
Brad Scheib: Correct and we’re at a position where we believe we’re ready to have you adopt
the AUAR document and once that AUAR document is adopted it includes the actual AUAR and
mitigation strategies. Following that then we publish it in the EQB Notice and then it is in
enforce. In effect.
Kate Aanenson: So what we have for you in the motion then would be approving that resolution
adopting the final alternative areawide review. Or the updated one.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: So to go back to what we just talked about here again, if the understanding is,
which we believe it is to have the mitigation strategies fulfill the requirements of the AUAR that
we would recommend that you approve that resolution and then for public, final publication.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Let’s see council are there any questions on what our action is
available or is in front of us tonight? Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: Because you know I love traffic so just to be clear.
Mayor Laufenburger: Wait a minute, we all love traffic Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I know, I know. It was just a joke.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Councilwoman Ryan: So just to be clear with the acceptance of this AUAR then, because
obviously Bluff Creek is the biggest concern. So then it goes, even though this is, if it’s adopted
then you work with the developers on what those, the actual mitigation strategies are.
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Councilwoman Ryan: Correct.
Kate Aanenson: I think Mr. Horn said it correctly is you know one of the things we talked about
with that street when we develop Bluff Creek Boulevard is to make sure that it wasn’t a quick
way to get between Powers and Audubon so it was circuitous. We put the roundabouts in there
and we’ve been working with the developer on the Avienda piece to make sure we’ve got those
same strategies in place so you’ll see how that is translated as a strategy into the implementation
of that design of the road.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay and similar to when we talk about the environmental impact,
wetlands.
Kate Aanenson: Correct. Yep, Bluff Creek Overlay District. Wetlands. Those all have to go
through the process and that’s what the strategy said. You’re going to use your zoning
ordinance. Your requirements to get a wetland alteration permit. The Bluff Creek, all those
ordinances will be followed as part of the strategy.
Councilwoman Ryan: Okay.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: But certainly a big picture is that, that which Avienda has presented to us
so far as defined probably by scenario A or scenario B, their plans would fit in this AUAR area?
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Correct. And we’re essentially, we’re affirming that.
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Alright. Kate I want to respect the gentleman that came forward
before but I want to ask a couple questions before I address him. What public comment, you
identified the public comment that has taken place so far. Obviously this project, the Avienda
project has a great deal of interest in the community. Can you just give us kind of an overview
of, assuming we pass the resolution tonight, what are some upcoming opportunities that the
public will have to provide input to what the Avienda project looks like, including conceptually.
Where things are located. What streets look like. Things like that. Can you just speak?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, that’s a good question. I know the developer’s planning an open house
and I think those notices have been sent out. We’re having 2 meetings at the Planning
Commission. It’s pretty complex putting together not only just looking at the PUD. You know
constructing what uses go in there. The heights. The kind of the height and bulk of all that plus
the preliminary plat issues regarding sewer, water, traffic, those sort of things that would go with
th
that so there’ll be 2 meetings at the Planning Commission. The first one will be the 16 of May.
th
Next Wednesday and then there’ll be one in June. June 6 and then you will see it likely on the
th
26 so those are the right now tentatively scheduled opportunities.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Alright. Before we, before I ask for further discussion or a motion
on this, was it Mr. Gilbertson?
Jon Gilbert: Gilbert.
Mayor Laufenburger: Gilbert. Would you just come to the podium for a second please. I
hesitate to make this open to the public discussion simply because it wasn’t advertised as such
and if it had been then others would have perhaps come forward to make comment. There was,
in my view there was substantial opportunity for the public to hear about this but I would ask this
Mr. Gilbert, is there, and state your address again please.
Jon Gilbert: 1641 Jeurissen Lane.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay so you’re in the Camden Ridge area, is that right?
Jon Gilbert: On the way down, yes.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: On the way down okay.
Jon Gilbert: Yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: So Mr. Gilbert did you, you had a question. Did your question get
answered with the dialogue that you heard from staff, from council, from others?
Jon Gilbert: Some of it did. I still have some questions which may contribute or cause a
discussion among the council.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. So let’s just take a little bit of latitude and can you just raise your
questions or your comments in 2 or 3 minutes Mr. Gilbert?
Jon Gilbert: I sure will and I know that my neighbor has a question separate from mine about
traffic but I will try to make mine succinct.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright thank you.
Jon Gilbert: As possible. First congratulations on 50 year anniversary and if the boy scouts were
here but for the record congratulations to them too.
Mayor Laufenburger: 70.
Jon Gilbert: Some of the things that they said actually play into the terms that I wanted to bring
up tonight. There are 3 of them, and also about the senior housing over at Mission Hills. I’m
hoping some of the people actually are turning left out of there to go to Avienda. Not all of it…
Mayor Laufenburger: Let’s focus our discussion on the specifically the AUAR.
Jon Gilbert: Sure and on the AUAR when you sent it out for external comments I know that you
only received about 6 comments from external agencies and the other two were from the
developers and from our neighborhood. We had a neighborhood letter. I work with federal
agencies with the type of work that I do. I know the FDA will not just grant me marketing
approval if I don’t hear back from them. I have to hear back from them because they say that
they regardless of, if they don’t send comments doesn’t mean you get to go ahead so I took it
upon myself to make some calls because in the AUAR or in the previous council meeting, a
work session I think you had brought up a problem at 101 and 61 with an endangered species and
I just wondered about the process. This is new to me and sometimes I have to hear it a couple of
times to understand it fully but when I was trying to understand the comments that were coming
back from the external agencies I found that not all of them commented and I don’t take that as
carte blanche to just proceed. Maybe they didn’t have time to look at it. Maybe they did look at
it and have no comments.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Gilbert I think I need to ask you to state your question or your
comment rather than about what other people might have said.
Jon Gilbert: I spoke to U.S. Fish and Wildlife. They said, in speaking to Andrew Horton he said
that they hadn’t looked at the AUAR. He also said that he didn’t believe that there was habitat
had been analyzed to determine whether there were these rusty patch bumblebees. I don’t know
if there. I don’t know if there aren’t but looking back 50 years I suspect that the founders of
Chanhassen and beyond that had a very different view on being thorough about preserving the
land. I live adjacent to the woods. I think it’s a natural resource that needs to be looked at
carefully. DNR made a comment that the, not all the information was current so I wonder is all
the information that you have from the other 15 external agencies current. Did they look at it? I
also believe that there’s probably enough information to move forward, especially if the PUD
process does look at these things so my first question is, was it thoroughly vetted and do they get
a second bite of the apple now that there’s new information that’s been presented and one of the
motions does allow them to look at it again. The second question I think is more detailed about
senior housing and that’s more specific to I think the PUD so I’ll just put that one off. And then
the third one does have to do with again cutting back through the preserve area and the Bluff
Creek Overlay and I don’t recall seeing detail, a detailed habitat analysis of the impact of putting
that cut through. That safety road through to the Miranda Way cul-de-sac. Frankly there are
almost another dozen cul-de-sacs in Chanhassen that don’t have an egress point so are all of
those something that need to be looked at in the future as a potential safety issue? The reason
that that cut through is being put in there is because it's a safety issue so how many other safety
issues exist that taxpayers may have to address or the council may have to address or developers
may have to address?
Mayor Laufenburger: Well if they’re outside of the AUAR area they’re not being addressed in
this discussion.
Jon Gilbert: I understand that and my specific question to that is what parameters define the
need for one there at this time when it hasn’t been a safety issue apparently before and I’ll just
leave it at that and continue to come to the meetings to learn more about the process because I
have to hear about it more than twice sometimes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: Mayor I can just address those really quickly.
Mayor Laufenburger: Please.
Kate Aanenson: So I’ve spoken with Mr. Gilbert a couple times so, the PUD process will
address the Bluff Creek and that’s again one of the mitigation strategies is that we’re going to
follow our tools so we’ll be talking about the impact. There is some work being done in the
Bluff Creek so we’ll comment on that. The use we’ll talk about. We did get your letter so some
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
of the comments that were included in there we tried to take that were parochial to the AUAR.
Some of them are specific to the project itself but the connection he’s talking about is the
connection from Camden Ridge.
Mayor Laufenburger: On the south?
Kate Aanenson: Correct going north which cuts through that woods.
Mayor Laufenburger: I know there’s been discussion about that.
Kate Aanenson: There’s some concern about that and we’ll address that in the site plan so I
understand your concern on that so that’s the issue there.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Mr. Gilbert asked a question though that maybe this is not right or
he made the statement that some people didn’t respond. Did we follow the statutes regarding
placing this in the EQB inviting appropriate responses from all the relevant agencies?
Kate Aanenson: Yes we did and I also mentioned that we also when we send it out for the site
plan review we send it to the same agencies again so they do get a second chance to review that.
All the same people that were contacted the first time will also get a second chance to look at the
specific PUD preliminary plat so they have a right to comment again.
Mayor Laufenburger: So let’s reverse this a little bit. If other entities, if other entities in our
region, Kate or Mr. Oehme or Mr. Gerhardt, if they send us things for comment, if we don’t have
any comment do we respond and say no comment or do we just not respond?
Kate Aanenson: If we don’t get a letter that is?
Mayor Laufenburger: No, no, no. If there’s a development going on in Chaska and they are
required to send us a notice, this is what we plan to do in Chaska at Engler and 212 and they
invite our comments. If we don’t have any comments do we go back to them and say no
comment or do we just not respond?
Kate Aanenson: Often we might not respond. I think I’ll turn this over to the City Attorney but
often you have a certain comment period to respond on something.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay and did we allow the appropriate comment period?
Kate Aanenson: Yes under the, we actually extended it. As was in the flow chart I think it was
10 days was the comment period. I think we kept our’s open for 17 days and we actually took a
few comments that trickled in afterwards. We still accepted those because we were reviewing
the comments also.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay so we didn’t do anything to impede comments from some of the
agencies that Mr. Gilbert referred to that didn’t make a comment?
Kate Aanenson: No. No.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright. Mr. Gilbert thank you very much for your comments.
Appreciate it and I appreciate that you continue to follow this.
Jon Gilbert: Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you council members.
Mayor Laufenburger: So is there somebody else that would like to speak to us? Please. State
your name and address please.
Zhexin Zhang: Zhexin Zhang at 1455 Bethesda Circle so across the street from Jon.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay, alright.
Zhexin Zhang: And first of all I just want to say thank you to the City Council, Mayor, city staff,
consultants as well. Great conversation. Great discussion. My only, I just have a question
because I’m so new to this. For the traffic when you’re saying like 3,000. Is that 3,000 per
hour? Per day? I just have no concept of what that means.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Horn.
Jon Horn: Yeah so the traffic volumes that I presented are two directional traffic so it’s both
ways and it’s daily traffic volumes.
Zhexin Zhang: Okay.
Jon Horn: So it’s basically daily traffic volumes.
Zhexin Zhang: Yeah because I was thinking you know, I was reading as 3,000 at peak hour and
I just thought 3,000 in one hour that just seems.
Mayor Laufenburger: We confuse you a little bit because there are times when we do talk about
peak hour traffic and then there are other times we talk about average daily traffic and so that’s a
good question. Thanks for that clarification.
Zhexin Zhang: Sure. And then my other kind of follow up question then is, you know there was
that one picture that put in all the stop lights along Lyman I believe.
Mayor Laufenburger: I think it indicated potential or warranted potential.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Zhexin Zhang: Right potential so does that traffic analysis take into consideration with those
traffic lights in there or with, as without I guess?
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Horn.
Jon Horn: So basically the traffic analysis looked at the projected traffic volumes and then you
basically look at the operations at each of those intersections. Evaluate whether those
intersections can operate effectively without a traffic signal and whether a traffic signal would be
necessary to improve operations at an acceptable level of service so basically our analysis
suggested at the 3 locations we identified for potential traffic signals, a signal may be necessary
at each of those locations to allow those intersections to operate acceptably. It’s just at a certain
traffic volume operations at the intersection, it just results in delays and things like that there that
really necessitate the installation of that traffic signal.
Zhexin Zhang: Sure yeah and I totally understand that. Yeah so I was just kind of wrapping my
head around you know what those projections mean in terms of having those traffic lights there
or not because my concern is you’re putting in you know 6 traffic lights along the north, if you
go from north to, or west and then south you know and it’s just a lot of lights. And if you go the
other way I think there’s about 5 lights or something like that. It’s just a lot of lights and I think.
Mayor Laufenburger: Do you like lights or not?
Zhexin Zhang: I do. I like lights for safety.
Mayor Laufenburger: Good.
Zhexin Zhang: My concern is you know Bluff Creek has no lights so you know I think maybe
I’m in the minority but I would rather go through a street that doesn’t have lights because I don’t
get stopped so.
Kate Aanenson: Correct me if I’m wrong Jon or Paul but part of this is going to be phased in as
we look at the development. You know there’s a timing issue. How much development is
driving so as we look at the project in a whole we talk about, we set up the PUD. The
framework and then each project will come in for site plan approval so with each project then
you’ll decide to look at say at this time the traffic being generated by this much square foot,
whether it’s the housing or the grocer, whatever that is, then you would decide what’s
appropriate traffic control devices so it would be made on that. It wouldn’t go necessarily all in
at once. As the project evolves. Does that make sense?
Zhexin Zhang: Yeah, sure. Sure.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you for your comments.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Zhexin Zhang: Thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: And thank you for continuing to follow this as it, as the development
moves forward.
Zhexin Zhang: Of course, thank you.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright. Let’s bring this back to the council. This is the motion in front
of us. Is there any discussion, comments or anyone willing, that would like to make that motion?
Councilwoman Ryan: Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Laufenburger: Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I’d like to make a motion.
Mayor Laufenburger: Please.
Councilwoman Ryan: I propose that the City Council approves the resolution adopting the final
Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) and mitigation plan for the update to the 2005
Metropolitan Urban Services (MUSA).
Mayor Laufenburger: MUSA. We have a valid motion. Is there a second?
Councilman McDonald: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. McDonald. Any further discussion on this motion?
Resolution #2017-33: Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman McDonald seconded that
the City Council approve the Resolution Adopting a Final Alternative Urban Areawide
Review (AUAR) and Mitigation Plan for the 2005 Metropolitan Urban Services Area
(MUSA). All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: That motion carries 4-0. Thank you very much Mr. Horn and Mr. Shaw,
is that right? Is it Mr. Shaw?
Councilman Campion: Scheib.
Mayor Laufenburger: Scheib, excuse me. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your help in
confirming the AUAR. We appreciate that very much. Important part of the process. Alright
that concludes our new business at this time.
COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS.
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
Mayor Laufenburger: Any council presentation?
Councilwoman Ryan: Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Laufenburger: Councilmember Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: Just a, not a presentation but a quick thank you to Mr. Hoffman and Ms.
Sinclair and I see Adam in the crowd. Arbor Day was on Saturday and it was a great celebration
and Councilmember Dan Campion here was also there. It was a great day. We had a great turn
out from the neighborhood and really from community members across Chanhassen. Planted a
number of trees. It was beautiful but just the coordinating efforts by parks department and Jill
Sinclair with Environmental Resources Specialist to make it such a great day so planted trees.
Had a great community event and did something great for the environment so thank you for
organizing the event.
Mayor Laufenburger: Good, very well. Anybody else? I would just like to add that on Saturday
evening the Rotary Club of Chanhassen honored a member of our Senior Commission Barbara
Nevin with the Distinguished Service Award for 2017. This is an award that’s presented to
individuals who represent the ideal of service, specifically service above self so Barbara Nevin
nice job.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Gerhardt, any administrative presentations?
Todd Gerhardt: I’m just very thankful for the efforts of Todd and his staff and all the
th
departments that participated in the 50 Anniversary Celebration that we just had out in the
plaza. There’s one thing that we really excel at around here is putting on a great party and thank
you to the mayor and Elise for your kind words and being a big part of that presentation to the
public. I think it was well attended and we made some adjustments along the way to make sure
people could get food before we started and just a great team effort and thank you for allowing
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us to celebrate that 50 anniversary.
Mayor Laufenburger: Well on behalf of the council I second that. Great work Mr. Hoffman and
your entire team and wow, a flag, a plaque. It will be remembered for a long time. Anything
else Mr. Gerhardt?
Todd Gerhardt: That’s all I have.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay. Just a reminder that following adjournment we are convening in
the Fountain Conference Room for a work session, is that correct Mr. Hoffman? We’ll be
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Chanhassen City Council – May 8, 2017
talking about plans for improvements around City Hall. Exterior improvements around City
Hall. With that do I have a motion to adjourn?
Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilman McDonald seconded to adjourn the meeting. All
voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0. The City Council
meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Submitted by Todd Gerhardt
City Manager
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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