11-18-2024 City Council Work Session Minutes1
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
November 18, 2024
Mayor Ryan called the work session to order at 5:30 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ryan, Councilmember von Oven, Councilmember
Kimber, Councilmember McDonald, and Councilmember Schubert
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Laurie Hokkanen, City Manager, Charlie Howley, Public Works
Director/City Engineer; Matt Unmacht, Assistant City Manager, Jerry Ruegemer, Parks Director;
Eric Maass, Planning Director; Kelly Grinnell, Finance Director; Patrick Gavin, Communications
Manager; Jenny Potter, City Clerk; Priya Wall, Recreation Manager; Richard Rice, IT Manager
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Presentation of Preliminary 2025 Utility Fund Budgets and 2025-2029 CIP
Priya Wall, Recreation Manager and Jerry Ruegemer, Parks Director, presented holiday tree
options for the new Civic Campus. The city’s previous holiday tree had to be cut down during
the Civic Campus’ construction.
The options presented were: a real evergreen tree, an artificial light tree, and an artificial panel
tree. The City Council unanimously supported a real evergreen tree.
Kelly Grinnell, Finance Director, presented the preliminary 2025 utility fund budgets and the
2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan.
The next steps for the council will be to give feedback on utility rates and budgets, wetland bank
credit sales, 2025-2029 CIP items, and funding for Park items.
Mayor Ryan recessed the work session at 6:54 P.M.
Mayor Ryan reconvened the work session at 8:10 P.M.
Continuation of Presentation of Preliminary 2025 Utility Fund Budgets and 2025-2029 CIP
Charlie Howley, Public Works Director/City Engineer discussed a need to get feedback from the City
Council on about the possible sale of wetland bank credits.
The City Council agreed to move ahead with perusing the sale of the wetland bank credits.
City Council Work Session Minutes – November 18, 2024
2
Discuss amending the city's zoning ordinance regarding conditional uses in the Rural
Residential (RR) and Agricultural Estate (A-2) zoning districts related to Group Homes
serving 7 to 16 persons.
Eric Maass, Development Director, discussed amending the city's zoning ordinance regarding
conditional uses in the Rural Residential (RR) and Agricultural Estate (A-2) zoning districts
related to Group Homes serving 7 to 16 persons. At the October 14, 2024, City Council work
session, the City Council directed staff to draft an ordinance amendment reducing the number of
persons able to reside in a group home through the issuance of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP).
This proposed text amendment would apply to both the Agricultural Estate (A-2) and Rural
Residential (RR) zoning districts which currently allow a maximum of 16 persons through the
issuance of a CUP. City staff prepared a draft ordinance reducing the maximum number of
persons from 16 to eight (8), as well as modifying the standard conditions associated with group
homes operating under a CUP. Because Minnesota State Statute regulates Group Homes serving
6 or fewer residents as permitted uses in single-family zoning districts, the City Council’s
preference was to rely solely on the State of Minnesota for regulations regarding group homes
and directed staff to modify the proposed ordinance to eliminate Group Homes allowed through
a CUP as well eliminating the standard conditions associated with group homes operated through
a CUP as they would no longer be relevant with the conditional use option removed.
The City Council directed Mr. Maass to start the process of the formal ordinance amendment
with the planning commission which will include a public hearing.
Chanhassen Bluffs Community Center – was not discussed
Mayor Ryan adjourned the meeting at 8:54 P.M.
Submitted by Laurie Hokkanen
City Manager
Prepared by Jenny Potter
City Clerk