CC Minutes 10-25-2021City Council Minutes – October 25, 2021
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Pearce and Chief Johnson have been working with the dispatch center about medical response.
He noted several staff attended the unmanned aerial vehicle pilots training from the City and will
get their pilots licenses soon. Assistant Chief White worked with the Communications team to
create a virtual learning tool in place of the fire prevention week activity. Some members of the
fire department also did some continuing education.
2. Law Enforcement Update for September
Lieutenant Pearce was not present to provide a report. Mayor Ryan asked the City Council to
read the report in the packet and reach out with questions.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Resolution 2021-64: Certification of Delinquent Sewer and Water Accounts to the
County Auditor
Finance Director Kelly Strey stated that every year the City is able to certify any delinquent
water and sewer accounts to property taxes; if they are unpaid the City does not turn off water
but instead certifies the balances to property taxes. The list is included in the packet with 151
accounts for a total of $103,000.
Mayor Ryan opened the public hearing.
Mayor Ryan closed the public hearing.
Councilman McDonald moved, Councilwoman Rehm seconded that the Chanhassen City
Council adopts a Resolution certifying delinquent utility accounts to the County Auditor.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.
GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Consider a Request for Preliminary Plat Approval for Avienda Townhomes
Associate Planner Young-Walters gave a presentation and shared that the first part of the
Avienda development went before the Planning Commission for a public hearing on October 5,
2021. The request is to subdivide outlots A and C into 39 lots and 6 outlots. One goal of the
development is to have a transition area buffering the single-family neighborhood to the west
from the higher-density commercial use and apartments. This section of the development was
given a density of 3-6 units/acre and comes in at 3.8 units/acre and provides that transition zone.
Lot sizes average about 5,000 square feet on the north and 6,000 square feet for the section on
the south. Three larger lots are highlighted which are the common lots around the houses and
will be platted as outlots. The housing project is all luxury detached townhomes; grading is
underway on the site and the preliminary plans are in general conformance with City ordinance.
A retaining wall is proposed on the north which will likely be over four feet high; therefore, they
City Council Minutes – October 25, 2021
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will need to pull a building permit and have an engineer design the wall. Two private streets are
proposed, public street design conforms to City standards.
Mayor Ryan asked about the public and private streets: regarding private street S, will there be
one-ways in and out? Her concern with the exit to the west is the proximity to that roundabout.
Charlie Howley, Director of Public Works/City Engineer, replied that right now the private
streets are not planned to be one-ways. They will be 28 feet wide with only one side of the street
designated for parking. Private Street S is one of the main design points that is still open for
resolving with the Engineer and it is the proximity of that connection with Bluff Creek
Boulevard. He noted Staff feels the same way as Mayor Ryan and would like to learn a bit more
about how it will look, volumes proposed, and how operations of the roundabout look during
peak hours. He clarified Private Street S is only a right-in, right-out.
Mayor Ryan asked during high shopping times such as Christmas, would they have a parking
permit for the street.
Mr. Howley replied Bluff Creek and Avienda would be no parking. He said technically for the
collector roads someone could park there and walk across. The developer may want to think
about that and address it first.
Mayor Ryan asked about drainage between the existing homes.
Mr. Howley is curious to see the outcome of the neighborhood meeting, he thinks that common
property line will get looked at for drainage.
Applicant Mark Nordland noted Level 7 Development is very excited for this project and they
are very close to being done with earthwork and will begin construction of utilities on site. There
will not be pavement on any roads until mid-summer of 2022. They had hoped to have a couple
of model homes started this fall but were unable to get there. Mr. Nordland noted they had a
great neighborhood meeting. In order to grade the property line they would have had to tear out
existing landscaping and plantings. The privacy between the backyards of the new and existing
homes is much better with a proposed berm.
Rick Denman, Charles Cudd Company, is very excited about Avienda, it is a walkable
community and this is targeted as an empty-nester product.
Councilwoman Schubert moved, Councilman McDonald seconded that the Chanhassen
City Council approves the subdivision of 40 acres into 39 lots and 6 outlots, Avienda
Townhomes plans prepared by Landform dated September 8, 2021, subject to the
conditions in the Staff report and adopts the Findings of Fact and Recommendation. All
voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to 0.