11-25-2024 City Council Work Session Minutes1
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
November 25, 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; Kelly Grinnell, Finance Director; Patrick Gavin, Communications Manager;
Jenny Potter, City Clerk
PUBLIC PRESENT:
Final Review of Proposed 2025 Levy, Budgets and CIP for all Funds
Kelly Grinnell, Finance Director gave an overview of the preliminary 2025 budget. Highlights
included: Revenues up 2.3%, or $363,000, from 2024, Property Tax Levy up 2.0% (or
$239,000), Intergovernmental revenue up 19.5% (or $91,000) due to increased police and fire
state aid, and Investment income up $50,000.
Staff priority items included in the Park Renovation Fund within the 2025-2029 CIP included:
Pickleball Court Resurfacing (Rec Center), Bandimere Park Ballfield Reconstruction, Carver
Beach Park Playground, Lake Ann Park Playground, Bandimere Park Playground, Bandimere
Park backstop replacement, Backstops for Meadow Green / Rice Marsh / Carver Beach, Dock
replacement (South Lotus Boat Landing), and Roundhouse Park Pickleball/Tennis Court
resurfacing.
Ms. Grinnell presented the City Council with the following 2025 Levy Options:
• Scenario A: Reduce levy increase to 5.6% (eliminates $180,000 in General Fund Levy)
• Scenario B: Reduce levy increase to 5.9% (redirect $45,000 of General Fund levy to Park
Renovation Fund)
• Scenario C: Reduce levy increase to 6.2% (redirect $90,000 of General Fund levy to Park
Renovation Fund)
• Scenario D: Reduce levy increase to 6.6% (redirect $135,000 of General Fund levy to
Park Renovation Fund)
• Scenario E: Keep levy at level adopted in September (6.9% increase but redirect
$180,000 of General Fund levy to Park Renovation Fund)
The City Council expressed it preference to redirect $100,000 of the General Fund Levy to
the Park Renovation Fund and to reduce the property tax levy increase to 6.4% for 2025.
City Council Work Session Minutes – November 25, 2024
2
Market Boulevard Improvement Project – Staging Review
Charlie Howley, Public Works Director/City Engineer, gave an overview of staging the Market
Boulevard Improvement project. Mr. Howley discussed how the Market Boulevard Reconstruction
Project would enhance pedestrian safety and mobility, improve bike access, and address pavement
replacement needs, while also implementing traffic-calming measures like reduced travel lanes,
medians, curb bump-outs, and mini-roundabouts, all informed by a traffic study and simulation.
Howley shared the four phrases of the project (which would roughly start in April 2025 and finish
in October) and explained how the project could be completed with careful consideration of such
factors as the 4th of July parade, business customer access, business delivery access, manageable
timeframes, and contractual obligations including financial penalties.
Mayor Ryan recessed the work session at 6:55 P.M.
Mayor Ryan reconvened the work session at 7:51 P.M.
Chanhassen Bluffs Community Center
Laurie Hokkanen, City Manager, gave the City Council an update on several important items
regarding the forthcoming Chanhassen Community Center. The items were a rough outline of
timelines and next steps that included, site acquisition, an RFQ for a design and architecture
firm, an RFP and RFQ for a construction manager, an RFP for a restaurant, and an RFP for
potential naming rights. The city will provide numerous opportunities for public engagement
throughout the process. Construction would potentially begin in 2026 and finish in late 2027 or
early 2028.
Market Boulevard Improvement Project – Staging Review continued
The City Council asked Mr. Howley to present at a later date, some alternatives to the current
proposal. They would like to see a proposal that includes additional lanes of traffic thought the
entirety of Market Boulevard, show alternative traffic model flows, and a possible elongated
timetable.
Mayor Ryan adjourned the meeting at 8:50 P.M.
Submitted by Laurie Hokkanen
City Manager
Prepared by Jenny Potter
City Clerk