CC Minutes 3-13-06
City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
plat of the Rossavik Addition creating 5 lots and variance for the use of a private street based on
non-conformance with the zoning of the property.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Is there a second to that combined motion?
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Second.
Mayor Furlong: It's made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll proceed with the
vote.
Councilman Lundquist moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded that the City Council
denies the Land Use Map Amendment from Residential-Large Lot to Residential Low
Density for Lot 2, Block 1, Hillside Oaks, adopting the findings of fact. That the City
Council denies the rezoning from A2, Agricultural Estate District to RSF, Single Family
Residential for Lot 2, Block 1, Hillside Oaks based on inconsistency with the
comprehensive plan designation of the property. And that the City Council denies the
preliminary plat of Rossavik Addition creating five lots with a variance for the use of a
private street, based on non-conformance with the zoning of the property. All voted in
favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to O.
Mayor Furlong: Move on to the next item here which is consideration of Halla Greens. We
have a number of people here so I'd like to try to keep our meeting moving at this point.
Kate Aanenson: Take a quick break.
Mayor Furlong: Is there a desire for.
Councilman Lundquist: 5 minutes recess.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. We'll take a recess subject to the call of the Chair. Let's keep it short
though.
(The City Council took a short recess at this point in the meeting.)
HALLA GREENS (AKA CHANHASSEN SHORT COURSE). LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GREAT PLAINS BOULEVARD
Public Present:
Name
Address
David & Sharon Gatto
Gaye Guyton
David & Judy Walstad
Sandy & Don Halla
Dave Wondra
9631 Foxford Road
10083 Great Plains Boulevard
10071 Great Plains Boulevard
6601 Mohawk Trail
9590 Foxford Road
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Tom Anderson
Magdy & June Ebrahim
Steve Shipley
9371 Foxford Road
521 Pineview Court
261 Eastwood Court
Kate Aanenson: Thank you. The applicant before you tonight is requesting an amendment to
the conditional use and site plan approval that was granted for a golf course located on Pioneer
Trail and 101, on the southeast comer. The plan itself has changed since the original application.
The cover part of your staff report was, what was originally approved and what the applicant,
Mr. Halla is proposing. Instead of going through that, what I would like to do is if you turn the
page is go through what Mr. Halla's requesting and what the staff is recommending. And with
that, this did go to the Planning Commission. There was some ambiguity at the Planning
Commission regarding the motion and I know that caused a little bit concern with the, with some
of the neighbors but the Planning Commission did hold a public hearing February 7th to review
the project and the Planning Commission 4 to 2 voted to deny the requested amendments. So
with that the staff took the lead to get the application where we felt it met the issues regarding,
where we could attach reasonable conditions for a conditional use and the site plan. Have them
make those modifications and that's what I'd like to spend some time going through. So on the
north is the Pioneer Trail, and this would be the driveway coming in. The original club house
itself was 44 by 66 and that's, or what Mr. Halla's requesting and that still is what we're
recommending for approval. There was outdoor seating. It's been changed to kind of a veranda
on each side, and the staff is supportive of that. There was a maintenance building and Mr.
Halla's requesting a 68 by 120 with a 24 foot future. The staff has recommended denial of that.
That size, but back to the 1,800 square foot that was previously approved. We think that's in
excess of the size of this operation. Again the ball washing machine, we believe that can be
incorporated into the maintenance building so we are recommending denial of that. There was a
shelter building that they used for teaching and the staff is recommending approval of that shelter
building and that was 16 by 40 feet. Lighting. The applicant wanted to use two different size of
heights, 25 and 15. Staff is recommending 15 feet around the entire site. The lights themselves,
I'mjust showing this just, I know you can't read it but just for your edification. This is
photometrics. This was submitted. We do require a half foot at the candle.. . anybody read it but
Ijust want you to know we have reviewed that. But the lights themselves, there's lighting here.
And there's lighting on the driveway coming here and then back towards the maintenance
building and those we're recommending 15 feet. Again just for clarification city code does
require parking lot lighting. I know we were asked by the residents that Bluff Creek Golf Course
does not have them. That golf course predates most of us here that were involved in the city.
The most recent golf course that the staff worked on, actually I worked on is the Rain, Snow,
Shine Golf Course and that one does have parking lot lighting and that is consistent with city
ordinance, but actually this one we actually went down a little bit lower and I believe they even
have that's 15 feet which city ordinance allows 30 feet. So we did recommend 15 feet overall.
The applicant had requested some at 25 and some at 15. There was a request for a temporary
structure, ... building to serve customers and employees building until that's complete. That's
fine. Staff did recommend approval of that. And then the other one we had a concern with was
the ribbed metal on the exterior building for the maintenance building and the ball washing. We
recommended denial on that. Again we don't know how long the life of this building would be
so we are making consistent with the city ordinance which requires non-metal and it would be
used as an accent. And then the request of hours of operation. We're again going back to the
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
original conditional use. Again fitting in with the neighborhood, and that request for the
extended hours was denied. At 11:00 it's dark so you couldn't be golfing then. So with that,
again this is just a change. I'm not going to go through unless you have specific questions on the
use of the building itself. If you turn to page, findings of the changes are all found throughout
the staff report but the conditions itself then are, what we've done is taken the original site plan
condition. Whatever shows up in the original conditions of approval for the site plan or the
conditional use. Those conditions starting on page, the recommendations starting on page 18
would be in addition to those original conditions or shown as modified, if that makes sense. So
that's what we are recommending for approval on the conditional use and the site plan itself. So
with that I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Questions for staff.
Councilman Lundquist: Kate, the, now I lost my page. Go to the lights first. If this was not a,
anything more than a sunrise to sunset operation, would our ordinance still require, and I
understand the safety element of the ordinance and that but if it's a sunrise to sunset operation,
would we need lights there?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah and that's very similar to what we have at RSS. Sometimes people, there
is a building, sometimes people go in and visit for a little bit afterwards. We have restrictions on
what they can serve down there too but it's very similar and there's also parking lot lighting
down there.
Councilman Lundquist: Well Rain, Snow or Shine, I mean they're open when it's dark. You go
in the winter time, they're open til 9:00 and it's dark at 5:30. So I mean that's not a.
Kate Aanenson: Again I'll go back to what the city ordinance says. You know what we look at
too is the safety issue too. Backing in...
Todd Gerhardt: Yeah Mayor, council members. The lighting in the parking lot also acts as a
security. If you don't have lights in the parking lot you could have individuals go in there at
night, park and run around the golf course. By having lighting it provides security for our
policemen as they drive by to see what's going on in the area. Golf courses are notorious for
teenagers to hang out and do property damage so it also provides a security.
Councilman Lundquist: On the other conditions as I read through here, we're requiring some
berming and other stuff around the parking lot so that parking lot's not visible from the street and
neighbors.
Kate Aanenson: Well what's intended, you would still be able to see a car but really it's
intended also to screen some of the car lights so you're not, those aren't shining on adjacent
properties.
Councilman Lundquist: So would that parking lot be readily visible from 101 and Pioneer?
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Kate Aanenson: I think you'd be able to see if there's a car in there but not necessarily the lights
so you still could see the top of a car.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: I believe you can pretty much right now so.
Councilman Lundquist: Right. The extra, the 16 by 40 building, on that plan that you have in
front of you. Show where that is proposed to go?
Kate Aanenson: This is the larger storage building.
Councilman Lundquist: No, not the 60, not the monster one. The 16 by 40 teaching shelter
building. It may be in relation to where the club house is proposed to go.
Kate Aanenson: It's a wing wall building and I don't see it on the plan.
Erik Olson: Right, the drive...is right here. The little teaching shack would be on the west side
of the driving range, approximately right around this area.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, it's open on the outside. Yeah, 3 sides.
Councilman Lundquist: Like a RSS?
Kate Aanenson: Correct.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. Okay. Other, and refresh my memory on the ordinance, what the
lights. Do we have a minimum requirement for foot candles or height of lights or anything like
that in the ordinance or does it just say, got to have some lights in the parking lot?
Kate Aanenson: Well there is a photometries here so we try to look that it's evenly distributed
and then it drops at the half foot candle at the property line, which this does significantly before
you get to that. The 30 foot, based on the character of the neighborhood, since he was already
proposing 15 on a majority of them, we felt 15 would be consistent throughout there but we
wouldn't have as much spill. We certainly understand that that's changing the neighborhood by
having additional lighting there, and whether it's along the street lighting and that, those
neighborhoods there.
Councilman Lundquist: So does the ordinance require a minimum height of a light or is it just
say we've got to have some lights.
Kate Aanenson: Well the ordinance says 30 feet. Because he had.
Councilman Lundquist: Minimum of 30 or maximum?
Kate Aanenson: Maximum.
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Councilman Lundquist: And is there a minimum standard?
Kate Aanenson: You know to get a parking lot light less than that might be, I'm not sure would
be desirable or effective.
Roger Knutson: Could just comment. It has to be a parking lot light to light the parking lot so
presumably there's some minimum height. I don't know what it would be to light the parking
lot.
Kate Aanenson: Well and the other part of that is, we may have more poles to get the same
amount of lighting so you might have the same illumination, or more illumination so it's a
mathematical thing too.
Councilman Lundquist: So there's a standard in there that talks about foot candles? I'm
searching for something other than.
Kate Aanenson: We tried that too. Tried to find some other way to mitigate that but you would
actually, you may have more poles and more lights to try to get to that, if you want to 10 feet or
something.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. So the standard in the ordinance is about, there's a maximum
and then there's a standard for foot candles of illumination that are required?
Kate Aanenson: Correct. That's the two variables.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay.
Mayor Furlong: And I guess to clarify, is that illumination requirement that maximum
illumination in the parking lot or at the property line?
Kate Aanenson: At the property line but there are industry standards and we go back to the
literature to review that. We don't have that built in our code but we would work with Beth
Hoiseth, our safety person to look at that, and that, going back to what city manager said, that's
kind of the safety issue part of it. How we balance that.
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Kate.
Mayor Furlong: Other questions, thank you.
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Yeah, when I was a new Planning Commissioner I think when this
came on the first time so I have a history with this sort of. I don't remember discussions
regarding lights at that point. I know there was discussion regarding wells and the watering of
the course. Why wasn't that ever brought up or you know talked about back then?
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Kate Aanenson: Well I think that the applicant, as you can see by the request, as a different need
and different desires than the original, the original applicant so.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: And I don't want to put you in a spot but what different needs? I
mean what's changed with this whole thing?
Kate Aanenson: Well I think clearly one would be the building itself. If you look at what the
original building looked like. Zoom in on that. A little bit more rustic. I think the current
applicant has a little bit more highly stylized building so I think that would be some of it too.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: In regards to lighting the parking lot?
Kate Aanenson: No, in regards to the use itself. That's where I was going back to.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Oh, okay.
Kate Aanenson: So this conditional use, and the site plan amendment, there's several things that
are being requested. The applicant didn't want to stay with those same standards. So one would
be the highly articulated building and assuming the additional parking to provide more people to
come there.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: And what are the club house hours?
Kate Aanenson: Well the original request was for sunrise to sunset and then this applicant
wanted to go to 11 :00 p.m..
Councilwoman Tjornhom: For the club house and the golf course or just?
Kate Aanenson: Well there's no lights on the golf course.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: So you can't golf at 11:00.
Kate Aanenson: You could try but.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Well it wouldn't work, and I don't golf but I'm assuming...
Kate Aanenson: Well, and that goes back to the building itself so, right. So if you can't golf,
which is they'd be doing something at the building.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: At the club house, that's what I'm trying to get at. Is that what
brings the safety concerns and the needs for lights?
Kate Aanenson: Well if you look at the conditions of approval, that's where we recommended
denial of extension of hours because then you've got a segment of time between the, when you
can't golf and.
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Right, you have to go home when you're done golfing.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, you can lounge a little bit but pretty much that's the intent and that's the
same condition that...a curfew that while they're golfing in the winter then it's not intended to be
a club house or you know some other type of establishment. That it's really ancillary to the
primary use which is the golf. So it's an opportunity to visit. Meet the pro, whatever but it's
really intended to be part of the same, not a separate commercial type use. But it's related to
golf. And that was the recommendation for not, for denying and not extending the hours.
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Right.
Mayor Furlong: Any other questions? Councilman Peterson, any questions at this point?
Councilman Peterson: You know one of the things Kate was that we were originall y intending to
put lights on the building. Was the building in a different spot originally so that we were going
to off light the parking lot with off the building? I mean I assume it would be because right now
it wouldn't really be possible would it?
Kate Aanenson: It would be difficult. I mean you could put them in the soffit over the door the
way the.
Councilman Peterson: But if we did that, the lighting would be more intrusive to the neighbors
than it would with down lighting now right?
Kate Aanenson: Right. I mean if you put it, if you put in under the soffit here, it would provide
lighting just for that door otherwise yeah, you're right. It would be the height of the building at
27 feet, if you put somewhere, could be higher.
Councilman Peterson: And you're going to put spots and it's just going to be a glaring thing in
the night.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, and those tend to be, that is a nuisance, the calls that we get sometimes
when a business goes next door that we have to work to get it shielded and pointed down. And
then you might not get the park, or the area for protection that we're talking about before in the
parking lot.
Councilman Peterson: What kind of discussion did you have with the applicant regarding the
maintenance building more than doubling in size? I'm confused by that. I don't know whether
you've had any discussions or we can ask the applicant the same thing.
Kate Aanenson: Sure. Well I think you know we always try to find that proportionality to say, if
this is intended to be related to the golf course, it seems excessive for that size of a course and
we kind of looked around to see what other size of maintenance buildings and it just seemed in
excess of what you would need for this golf course. So we recommended that it be significantly
smaller.
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Councilman Peterson: Okay.
Councilman Lundquist: Kate, one more on the parking spaces. I mean as I drive by I guess I see
that the parking lot's already there so, but it's not often that we have applicants come in with
four, with even barely meeting the number of parking spaces and certainly not with 4 times. Any
concerns from staff on all that extra hard cover when you know ordinances require or that's an
applicant driven figure and that's how many people they can get out on the course at a time or?
Kate Aanenson: Some of both, yeah. I don't think that, based on what they would consider the
practice, that's what they felt they needed. We did put a condition in here regarding that there's
no commercial kitchen so it's not being used for that type of facility. For that, but if there was
some, if you had something after league or something like that where they did, they catered
something in, I think that's kind of what they were looking at possibly too.
Councilman Lundquist: Yeah, as I went this weekend down to Rain, Snow or Shine I think I
counted 64 parking spots and I guess I'd look at it as a similar deal. I mean they've got a little
short course there. They've got their little putt putt thing and the other stuff going on, and just
one of those things, I wonder if the parking lot needs to be that, I mean it's there. It's already,
it's approved. You know it's fine. Ijust wanted to know if you've got any, if staff had any
concerns about all that extra hard cover when.
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor, council. We constantly look at ways to try to reduce the impervious
surface and you know they have a 45 acre site so my guess they're substantially below the
minimum. We work with them in trying to determine what they need to operate the business and
I guess that's what we agreed to.
Mayor Furlong: I may have some follow up questions for staff after we hear from the applicant.
Are there any other questions for staff at this point? If not, is the applicant here this evening? I
know you are because you came up once already.
Erik Olson: Good evening Mayor, council members. Fellow neighbors and citizens. My name
is Erik Olson. I'm a resident of Chanhassen. I reside at 9855 Delphinium Lane. I'm also the
manager of Halla Greens Golf Course. I'm here tonight to give you a brief history of our
involvement with the course and then go over the issues about the buildings, the hours of
operations, the lights. Hopefully we can get that straighten away tonight too. Just a brief
history. About 6 years ago Don Halla leased his property out for the construction of a golf
course. Back in November of 2004 the lease was essentially given back to Don. He had to
decide between completing the construction of the course or letting it revert back to a tree farm,
which is what it was originally. The decision was made by Don and his wife to basically go
ahead with construction of the course and you know build something that the whole community
can enjoy. By the time we got involved the previous lessee had already received all the people
permits from the city and during the process of building and growing in the courses last year we
came to realize that some changes were needed in order to basically improve the operation of this
golf course and that's basically why we're here tonight. We've worked hard with the staff to try
to fix all the different issues that we've been having. We're pleased that they like the new club
house. The old one was basically you saw a picture of it, a 40 by 60 pole barn with cedar siding.
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Looks like something you'd tie a horse up to and go into a saloon basically. The new one is, it's
just lightly larger. 40 by 66 and like staff said before, we'd have two enclosed porches on the
east and west sides and it would be built using vinyl shake siding with simulated cedar textured
siding. An example of the color and style that we would use and like I said before, staff has
given approval for this. Do want to bring out just one other picture, and you can see this a little
bit better than the one that was already here but this is basically the design of the new club house.
It's similar in style, looks to the Chaska Town Course club house, if any of you are familiar with
that one. The maintenance building as approved is a 30 by 60 pole barn. Storage of equipment
is really the main problem here. We would only be able to store about 25, maybe 30% of the
equipment that we have inside and then the balance of it would have to be kept outside the
maintenance building in an enclosed, fenced in area that's required basically by city code. This,
even though it's outside and enclosed in a fence, you know you'll probably still get to see some
of the equipment sitting back there. Not very attractive and it's also you know very damaging to
the equipment itself, forcing it to sit outside in the elements all the time. What we proposed is a
68 by 120 foot metal pole barn building. The construction material that's similar to the one,
Hazeltine Golf Club just built down the road as far as the metal that they used. This is an
example here from the colors and the metal itself. Now in regards to the variance that we're
requesting the use of metal on the maintenance building, I understand why the City wants the
material to be wood. Wood looks very nice. But with the materials that we would use, and
really the way the buildings are designed, we don't feel it would be a blight on the community in
the slightest. In addition, we already have metal buildings around the entire property already.
We don't feel that we're adding anything different or out of place to the surrounding community.
There is both commercial and residential metal buildings around the site. The commercial ones
are in the northwest comer of the property and west side of the property. Commercial,
residential basically on all four sides already. You know in regards to the size a little bit too, I'd
like to talk about most golf courses, if you go into their maintenance area, they have a lot of
equipment sitting out. You know there's piles of dirt. There's piles of sand. There's you know
equipment that doesn't work anymore sitting out in the yard basically, and with this increase in
size basically we're allowing it all to be brought inside...I know there's some concern brought
up in some of the staff reports that the nursery, Don Halla's other business would be using part
of this building to help out their endeavors over there and I would just like to stress that that
wouldn't be the case at all. This is strictly golf course operation and equipment being used in the
building. We also respectfully ask for two other buildings that weren't thought of before. One is
a ball, staff refers to this as a ball washing building and that really isn't the correct definition.
We can wash the balls in the maintenance building. That's not the problem at all. What we need
is a building to house the ball dispenser for the range balls. Holds the baskets there. The balls
themselves. Extra balls that we have. The washing can take place over in the maintenance side.
That isn't a problem, but basically we need that building in order to operate and run the driving
range. Without the club house built yet, you know that's really what we're planning on, or we're
planning on building first in order to get this golf course open this spring. A driving range is
always the first thing to open up on a golf course, but we need something to house the ball
dispenser. Keep it safe at night. Keep it locked up. The other building is a lean-to teaching
shack on the range to provide privacy and really safety for the golf pro and students. I pointed
out earlier where it would go on the driving range. Both these buildings can be built using the
vinyl siding that I showed here earlier. Something similar in design so everything looks nice and
attractive. But you know if it helps matters we would be willing to eliminate the teaching shack
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
structure in order to get approval for the ball dispensing building. The variance on the hours of
operation is also very important to the success of this golf course. Right now we have approval
of limiting our time of operations from sunrise to sunset. As you know there's a lot of light
before the official sunrise and plenty of light after the official sunset. We would like to be able
to conduct our business the exact same way every golf course near us does, as well as basically
every golf course in America does. And let me explain a little bit what I mean by that. The first
tee time is usually at sunrise. The official sunrise time. Typically a half hour before that, the
ground crew's out mowing, moving the holes on the greens. Putting the flags out. Things like
that, and the last golfer that comes in, when they can no longer see the flight of their ball. I don't
know if any of you are golfers here but if you're one of the last ones out on the tee time and you
know it's getting toward dark and you don't want to feel like you've spent money for nothing. I
mean you're staying out there and hitting that ball as long as possible until you basically can't
see anymore. Behind that last golfer on the course, the ground crew's again is out trailing behind
them. Removing the flag sticks from all the greens for the night. Picking up any garbage they
see laying around the course so it's not flying around over night. Basically by doing things this
way, three things are really accomplished. One, the grounds crew is kept safe from being injured
by a ball. Two, the golfers aren't inconvenienced by and they're really kept safe from
maintenance being done on the course while they're out there playing their round. And three, it
allows us to maximize the usable playing time over the course of a day. We'd respectfully
request that the sunrise to sunset definition be changed to say, light to dark or have a time
stipulation attached. This 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. that was listed was really given to the city staff
as an example of something that we wanted to see as opposed to just sunrise to sunset. I mean
that was never designed to be the exact times that we wanted to remain open. It was just meant
as an example. So you know, the light to dark or even if we could have something like a half
hour before sunrise. Half hour, hour after sunset. Something like that. This would basically
allow us to compete fairly with our competition and keep our employees and customers safe.
Lastly we request to be able to put in the parking lot lights for the safety of the employees, the
customers, property itself. The 15 foot high poles that the staff recommends is perfectly
acceptable to us. We don't have a problem with that. I know that some of the neighbors do have
a lot of concerns about these lights and I've talked to David before and I'm sure that's why he's
here tonight too is to see what the decision is on that and basically as an act of good faith and to
show that we do want to be good neighbors, we'd be willing to withdraw the request for parking
lot lights, although I don't know if city code allows us to do that or not. I mean that's something
that you'll have to decide. This could be you know a wonderful community asset but you know
we need your help basically on some of the variances with buildings and the longer hours of
operations and possibly with the lights. How you decide to do that. Ijust want to thank you for
your time and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, thank you. Questions for Mr. Olson.
Councilman Lundquist: Mr. Olson, if you can, can you explain the original lessee, Mr. Saatzer,
is he involved with the golf course anymore at all?
Erik Olson: You know I'm not really privy to that information but I believe he's a small, has a
small percentage of the investment on the course. From my understanding.
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City Council Meeting -March 13, 2006
Councilman Lundquist: So I'm curious that with the original proposal with Mr. Saatzer as the
primary lessee and all of that, that Mr. Halla was fine with everything that was going on as long
as Mr. Saatzer was paying the rent. Now that's not the case anymore. You don't feel like it's a
viable, a viable business anymore?
Erik Olson: Well from my original understanding, Don Halla's only involvement in the original
proposal is he was strictly leasing the land to Ron Saatzer. And that's as far as that went. When
he essentially gave back the lease to Don, how can I put this? The original plans, everything was
done to a minimum. Kind of just to get by. Don just wanted to build something nicer. Bottom
line. That's why you see the difference in the club house. The difference in the maintenance
building. Instead of having a smaller building and having things left out you know, we get a
bigger building and put everything inside so nothing is viewed. The hours of operation I don't
think were really thought of before in that initial approval from Ron's side. When we were
building it and looking at it, knowing how golf courses operate and I have a list if you want of
the work start times for basically all the surrounding golf courses. When they start their play.
When they end their play. When they're watering schedule is. It's all basically the same. Kind
of coming in late to the approval process we just wanted to try to make some changes to better
the course.
Councilman Lundquist: So what's your thoughts on tee times? How often, what's the gap going
to be between your tee times?
Erik Olson: 8 minutes.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. And you think of a, I mean that's a pretty, you feel like that's a
pretty aggressive tee time for a short course? Do you expect that you're going to have mostly
beginners? You know all levels of play or what do you think is your primary target?
Erik Olson: Well it's not like the 9 holes down at the bottom of the hill, the Rain, Snow, Shine
Golf Zone I think is the other name he goes by. That course is, I think maybe the longest hole he
has is 60 yards. So that's really designed for the absolute beginner. You know someone just
starting out. This course is going to be more difficult. It's not really designed for that type of
beginner. We'll have teaching pros available for beginners to learn and you know the driving
range for them to practice on, but it would really be better for them to go down at the bottom of
the hill if they want to playa round. This is designed more for you know the hacker can still go
out and have fun on it. But if you're you know a first day of golf is your day that you're playing
Halla Greens, you might not have that much fun. You might not have much fun on any course
for that matter but, you know our course is going to be a challenge.
Councilman Lundquist: What's the longest hole? It's 1,500 yards for 9 holes.
Erik Olson: We have two par 4's. Both dog leg left's. The longest being 333 and then the other
one I think is 318. 317. Something like that.
Councilman Lundquist: So par 29?
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Erik Olson: Yes, it's par 29.
Councilman Lundquist: Okay. The ball shed, whatever. The 32 by 20. Is that what that is? I
mean as I walk around other golf courses, when I think of a driving range, I mean there's a thing
like the size of a pop machine that you put the bucket under and then like two pop machine
depths behind it where they store you know 500 or 600 baskets of balls. And so when I think of
you know a place for all of that, I think you can, if you put 3 port-a-potties together it probably
fits in that size so can you, you know help me understand why you think you need the size of that
building to put a ball dispenser and some baskets in.
Erik Olson: Sure. Basically going around to all the golf courses, I talked to the golf courses that
had ranges and the person that was involved with the range and took a look at what they had as
far as the building that stored their range balls. Their ball dispenser and for the most part you're
right. They're maybe 15 by 15 side of a building at the, you know on the larger end. 15 by 20
maybe on a couple of them. Like maybe down by Deer Run I think has a pretty good size one.
But talking with these people, the one thing they always wanted was for the building to be bigger
for more storage. You're always buying more range balls. Range balls get lost. Stolen.
Damaged so you're constantly having to have a new supply of range balls brought into the
course. The best way is to have a whole bunch of balls already on the facility available to you
instead of waiting for shipment. So with the size that we came up with, basically that was the
size that all these other driving range managers ideally would have liked to have on their bench.
You know for their use. So that's the size that we came up with. If it would help matters, I
mean we'd be willing to sit down with staff and maybe come up with a different size or more
appropriate size, if that makes you feel more comfortable.
Councilman Lundquist: That's all I have.
Mayor Furlong: Other questions?
Councilman Peterson: Speaking on the same realm of building size, as I offered earlier. You
spoke of storing stuff inside a maintenance building that you would normally have outside. Was
that the assumption to the best of your knowledge when the original building was proposed at 30
by 60, that everything else be stored outside? Number two, you know I look at the schematic of
the layout of the building, it looks like you're storing some golf carts inside and is that primarily
why you want the extra space? What are you planning on putting in versus out?
Erik Olson: Right now we do not have golf carts for the course. This larger building would
basically house everything. From the fertilizers. Have a chemical room inside. Like I said
before you know with the 30 by 60, I'm sure Ron was going to get what he could inside that size
and you know, you're basically forced to leave the rest out. You know you're leaving your,
we're going to have, a golf course has to have piles of soil for maintenance out on the course and
replacing divots. We've got to have sand for top dressing the greens. Those piles are typically
outside and they're typically covered with some sort of tarp. You want to keep them as dryas
possible. It's just much easier to work with the material when it's dryas opposed to wet. Some
of the stuff you can't work with it when it's wet so, we were envisioning all of this moving
inside the building and basically removing anything out of sight from the public. Including in
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the future, if we choose to have golf carts available for our golfers, we'd have room inside the
maintenance building then for storage of the carts overnight.
Councilman Peterson: Okay, and what's the intent of the additional 24 feet? Is that anything
specific in mind for that?
Erik Olson: You know that would be probably for additional carts. I don't know off hand.
Sandy Halla: When they're handicap they have to...so a normal person would probably want to
do that. The people who wanted help would be able to do...
Erik Olson: So additional golf carts basically is what that would be for.
Councilman Peterson: Okay.
Mayor Furlong: Question on the teaching shelter. I guess we're going building to building here.
You had mentioned and again could you point out where, that's not on the, is that on the site plan
that we were given or not? And if it's not, if you could point where that is.
Erik Olson: If you could zoom in... this area. This is the building right here. This is the west
hand side. It's probably, this is the driving range tee box and from that tee box, I'm guessing
here but it's maybe 20 yards away from that tee box. You'd have this side, this side and this side
and then open in the front, with a roof on the top. Basically a lean-to and they're shooting out.
Being used only for iron practice. Not for woods practice. They have to go back to the tee box.
We don't have the room for them on that, but it's basically in that area and just provides a safe
haven. Get them off and away from the other clientele using the driving range.
Mayor Furlong: So the, to move them away or get them away from the other clientele using the
driving range, that's just a preference spot on the course?
Erik Olson: You know some of the golf pros like to do that. If they're on the tee box, say we
section off an area.
Mayor Furlong: The driving range?
Erik Olson: Yeah. The driving range tee box and they're teaching. We have an area sectioned
off for them and they maybe have 5-6 students there. If I'm trying to pick up some free lessons.
Don't want to pay them to spend an hour with me, you know I might try to get as close to them
as possible to pick up what information I can. Eavesdrop basically and so some of the pros like
to basically have a separate teaching shack where they can teach in privacy. And because of the
area that it's at, it'd have to be enclosed on the three sides just to provide safety. There is netting
going to be installed along the side, but even with that netting we would still want it to be sided
just for further protection.
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Mayor Furlong: Some of my other questions have been asked. You commented on them so,
okay. Other questions at this point for the applicant? Okay. Very good. Thank you.
Appreciate it.
Erik Olson: Thank you.
Mayor Furlong: There was a public hearing held at the Planning Commission and I don't want
to repeat that this evening. At the same time if there are some residents or other interested
parties that would like to provide some comment to the council based upon changes that
occurred between the Planning Commission and now, I would certainly entertain.. . comment
there as well. So if anybody would like to provide some comment, they can come forth at this
point. State your name and address for.
Dave Walstad: Good evening. My name is Dave Walstad. I live at 10071 Great Plains
Boulevard, which is directly south at the end of the driving range. I just have a couple quick
comments regarding hours of operation which to me is the main issue for me. It seems like the
applicant wants to have it both ways. First of all stating that it's light for so long before and after
sunset, that they should be allowed to operate and then saying they need lights to provide safety.
To me the reason for the lights are more safety for the building versus safety of personnel and
I'm not sure if that issue is really the same. Are they allowed to light, for instance we allow
parking lot lights, building lights, 15 feet tall, whatever height, does that mean they're allowed to
operate 24 hours a day? Are they there for only on for timers? To shut off now after sunset.
That would be something that I think should be considered. If it's truly for people that are on the
course, I think that can be restricted. And secondly, the other issue seems to be again, you
mentioned in the previous hearing it was talked about residents and the areas that they were in
being large lot and yes, you're very correct and that's why we bought our property was to
maintain that type of atmosphere. Yes, we realize a golf course is a conditional use and that's
permitted. However, we do wish to make sure that it's understood that this is not a commercially
zoned area where some of the other golf courses might be operating in that type of zone. And so
again the concern over the hours of operation was brought up significantly at the Planning
Commission hearing and I don't want to belabor that.
Mayor Furlong: Okay.
Dave Walstad: But that's, I think that's all I need to say at this point.
Mayor Furlong: Alright, thank you. Anybody else? Like to make comments.
David Gatto: Good evening Mayor, council. My name's David Gatto. 9631 Foxford Road. I'm
speaking on behalf of the 37 families that live on Foxford Road, on Pinecrest Road and what's
the other one?
Audience: Eastwood.
David Gatto: Eastwood Court. And I'm going to not try to repeat what I said in the commission
meeting, but what we're going to discuss tonight, it looks like what you're discussing tonight is
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really a substantial change and an expansion for a business and a business plan that wasn't, that
hasn't really operated for one hour yet for the original proposed business. What we've approved
so far, what the city's approved so far is really what I've heard folks say is a ma and pa, pop
executive golf course and driving range, a small club house with outdoor seating. A reasonable
maintenance building. We've got a big inconsistency with the staff and the conditional use
permit did specifically talk about safety and lights. You talk about safety in the background
narrative of the staff report. You talked about lighting in the executive summary under what
was, and then under lighting it says lights attached at the building. So what I put in the e-mail to
all you folks, the residents at Lake Riley Woods will hold the City responsible for those
notifications and notices to us that you did address safety and you did address light and that's
what it said it would be, and that's what everybody said would be great. Let's have this little
golf course because that's all light and it's going to be present. With their change tonight, what I
appreciate these folks saying is that they are, they're a bit flexible with regards to the parking lot
lighting. If they're flexible with regards to the parking lot lighting, I think they're going to find
that the residents just north of this golf course are going to be very flexible with regards to the
things that we will support them in. These other things that they'd like to do now . We also have
reasonable expectations the business would operate from sun up to sun down. So you permitted
the above described business in a very special part of your city, and we've heard a lot of that
tonight. And we think this very special part and comer of our city ought to stay that way. It has
rarity and character. It has nice homes. It has big lots, and it has strict association standards that
we have enforced even if it's been painful to some of us sometimes. We have dark. We have
quiet nights out there, and no one thought much about this small comer of Chanhassen yet. I
mean even to the point to where we don't have any sewer and water. The sewer and water is
long went past us to the west and to the north, and to the south, and we are all eagerly awaiting in
a couple years when the freeway opens and the commuter traffic, the east/west commuter traffic
is pulled off of Pioneer Trail and that comer of Chanhassen's going to be pretty unique. Now
what we're asked to consider is a business described plus a larger and more deluxe club house
with more seating outside. A maintenance building that's more than 2 times with future
expansion capabilities. A ball washing facility that's bigger than a large 3 car garage. I agree
with you Brian. I've been around golf courses since I've been about this high and I'm not
understanding that one myself, but I could be wrong. A teaching shelter 40 feet long. The staff
approved it. They didn't even know where it was on the plan. A temporary shelter because the
applicant didn't build his original permitted club house. He's worked on the course for nearly 2
years. We're now going to have potentially expanded hours. We have lots of extra lights. And
we hear that they might want to sell beer in the future, so the original plan was a quiet day time
business. It generally didn't impact our neighborhood. The new plan will physically affect the
unique beauty and landscape of our neighborhood. The expanded hour and lights and capacity of
people will impact the quiet and private nature of our neighborhood after dark. I'm sure I'll be
able to hear people talking and yakking in those porches that are going to be each side of that
club house. If they're drinking beer and carrying on after dark until 11:00, I know we're going
to hear them yakking and carrying on. I know that's going to impact my.. .and it's going to give
me great concern for my safety.. .golf courses and parking lots attract potentially undesirable
people. As it stands out there now and everybody knows, we've got our wives and our children
that go out walking before the sun rises. After the sun sets. This couple here, I've seen them
almost every night before this morning. They've been out after dark walking. So we really think
that limits our enjoyment. Our comfort and these changes are going to negatively affect our
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property values out there. So as it stands now, and I again, the flexibility in the parking lot
means a lot to us but as it stands now the larger club house we think is okay. We don't like the
larger maintenance building. We don't like the outdoor seating area. We don't like the big ball
washing building. We don't like the teacher shelter. We certainly don't like the parking lot
lights. The temporary shelter, we noticed the staff lets them keep it up for a year. We don't
understand that. We think that the City should give them their temporary shelter for about 4
months. That's about how long it will take to build a nice building. The approval that changes
the hours, obviously no. We'd like the materials still made out of wood. So council, you're now
asked to carefully consider that your own city's general issuing standards. You're number one,
you know the changes in our opinion will most likely affect our safety, comfort, convenience and
general welfare of our neighborhood and therefore the City. We noticed the staff report glosses
right over that and says this doesn't affect it. Your number 3, the changes as proposed will
change the essential character of our area. Your number 7, the changes will be detrimental
because of traffic noise and light glare. Number 10. The changes are not aesthetically
comparable with what we have out there now. And number 11, it will depreciate my property
value. So I thank you very much for listening to me and I want to know if you have any other
questions for me.
Mayor Furlong: Any questions?
David Gatto: Thanks very much for your time.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Anyone else?
Gaye Guyton: Good evening. My name is Gaye Guyton and I also live kind of adjoining the
golf course. 10083 Great Plains Boulevard. I'm here tonight as one of the people who was
really supportive of this in the beginning. The idea was almost that the short course be a service
to the community. A park. A place where kids and their parents and families and older people
could come and play golf. Short 9 hole course. Very family friendly. Neighborhood friendly.
The lighting was addressed at that point so that there'd be lights just on the outside of the
building. Not big lights on the parking lot. The idea that we got from coming to these meetings
when the original conditional use permit was put out was that this was not a big commercial
venture. This was a service. This was for fun and this was to benefit the community. And I
think, especially in light of the last meeting, which I won't go over but I just have heard such
things that are concerning to me where this golf course is getting compared to Interlachen. To
Hazeltine. To Minnekahda and to Deer Run. Those are big businesses that were planned for as a
business. Not something that was coming into a residential neighborhood that was already
existing, and it seems almost as kind of visions of grandeur for this little 9 hole golf course
where it started to try and think that it is something that it's not. Where a country club would be.
Where it would have longer hours of operation and need to be lighted because worried that
people are going to be out on the course at night. So I would just ask that you please consider, or
in light of the residents, what was originally planned that so many people were so excited about.
How that's going to impact us. The fact that in the last meeting they talked about a fleet of
lawnmowers starting out about 5:00 in the morning to be able to prepare the course for the day's
golfers. That's nothing that we were you know ready for and to really limiting to sunrise to
sunset so that the people who were there first can enjoy having a golf course near us but not be
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impacted negatively by the kinds of changes that they're making and we would just appreciate...
so thank you very much.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Judy Walstad: Good evening. My name is Judy Walstad and I live at 10071 Great Plains
Boulevard. Our home is on the south side of the golf course. We are directly behind the driving
range. Ijust have one question I'm going to ask and then two short comments. I can't remember
the height of the new proposed club house, but I'm assuming that this upper part is not being
used for any, it's just a one story. Okay. So it's not any business conducted on the top floors.
I'mjust asking because our house is tall and. It's like a one story usage building.
Kate Aanenson: ...32 feet to the top of the cupola. This right here is to 27. Some office space
above...
Judy Walstad: Okay. The other question, Ijust wanted to make a comment about Rain, Snow
and Shine which is the golf course down on 212. I know they do have lights but I also know that
they operate at dark and I also know that there are no residents around there that would impact
that so it's a very convenient, and a desirable location for something of that nature. And the
other comment I would just like to make is in the maintenance building. Depending on position
of lighting, that could impact our homes. I would just like to ask the applicant to consider
minimal lighting and to have it possible not shining on the front of our yard. That's all so thank
you for your time.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Sharon Gatto: Hello Mayor and council. Sharon Gatto, 9631 Foxford so directly north of the
course. We've been very excited to have the course, and as it's been stated we're losing that
enthusiasm due to change. But as a golfer I play par 3's and executives all summer long once a
week. I play on a foursome. So here's what I've experienced. First of all, I've never seen a
teaching shelter on any of them, and I've taken some lessons on Braemar, which is a much larger
course. They have maybe a tee box for the range. They have it set aside, or they have a couple
holes we play on, but I've never seen a teaching shelter so I have to say from my experience that
it's unusual. Also, going to the liquor that might come about. Yes, most of them sell liquor but
when I'm the last off the course, they've shut it down. So they have regular hours of liquor too.
None of them usually go beyond dark, and sometimes I am playing the last off the course. I feel
the teaching building might be a detriment if it was near Pioneer and seen, visibly seen by the
public. So now it sounds like it's further back. That might have been established... but we do
have a unique comer of Chanhassen. Bringing in the executive course they're in a sense
intruding on the neighborhood so I feel they should be working in the best interest of the
neighborhood and not in the best interest of their pocket books to try and get the most people in
and the most amount of time and the most daylight hours. I think they need to be, blend in with
the neighborhood residents stand out. And as far as, some of this sounds like we're in downtown
Chan. Where we're in a business district and I'djust like you to recognize that we're still a
neighborhood that was there first and we would like the blending in to become a part of us, and
we will use it. Sitting out on the deck at night, we don't want to hear, we don't want to see
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lights. I mean that's why as you mentioned, we bought into this neighborhood. We bought into
the large lots. The quietness and we would like to maintain that and we appreciate your help
with that, thank you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you.
Steve Shipley: My name is Steve Shipley. I live in Lake Riley Woods, at 261 Eastwood Court.
I'm also a President and owner of POS Plus located at 8185 Upland Circle in Chanhassen. I had
an experience about 5 years ago of building a property in Chan. I was green. I didn't know what
was involved and I became accustomed very quickly on permits and all those different things
that you had to have in order to build a building. I spent thousands of dollars on a building
permit. My understanding is those dollars were used to pay city officials to come and do
inspections. I also spent a lot, thousands of dollars for a bike and trail fee. So I'm pretty familiar
with the building process. When you take a look at the lights that Mr. Halla's installed, I don't
think he had a permit to do that. He just went ahead and did it. You take a look at some of the e-
mails that were written, that are on record, and especially about a couple people here, he's not
been a very good neighbor. He doesn't respect people's private driveways. He does not respect
the dumping of certain materials, of which I'm not too sure of. So what I'm getting at is you're
allowing a person to operate a business like this and he seems to be kind of a cowboy. That he
does pretty much what he wants to do. So I would ask that you give that some consideration.
Especially on the lights. I mean this was, the application was dated January 6th of 2006. Those
things were put in last fall. We just kind of had, went ahead and did business on his own. Also,
when I built my building I was required to have an area for garbage. I do not see any area on this
to hold garbage containers. Alright so, again we need continuity in what people are supposed to
do so I'd just ask that you take that all into consideration. Thank you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Anybody else? I see we have a representative here from our
Planning Commission, Mr. McDonald. Is there anything you'd like to follow up on after public
comment here. The course of action that took place at the Planning Commission.
Councilman Lundquist: Come and talk on our birthday Jerry.
Mayor Furlong: Happy Birthday.
Jerry McDonald: Thanks a lot. That's it, tell the whole city. I'm Jerry McDonald. I was the
Acting Chair of the Planning Commission and I guess one of the things that happened at our
meeting, same thing's happened at your meeting. We ended up running rather late that night and
there were a lot of issues that came up. I think paramount to all of us looked at was this did seem
to be a change from what was originally there. And we had some problems I think grasping
what that was based on what the neighbors have told us. What the plans were. It did appear that
this was more or less creeping commercialism within an area that was residential. We're very
sensitive to that, as you're well aware. We went through this with the Reykjavik's thing. We've
been through it a couple of times but there are certain neighborhoods that are unique within a
city and we try to respect that. It was the same thing here. The motion, there was a lot of
confusion about the motions, the way it came out. The intent after polling everybody on the
commission, we all agreed to vote against any expansion and we probably went over what our
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jurisdiction was and we probably went over what we were allowed to do, but the intent was to
turn it down. That's why the motion that came before, we did not vote on staff's motion because
we rejected that. We came up with the lower lights. I think we came up with 4 foot height, and
basically turned down most of the rest of the commercial application. The expansions and those
things. Those motions failed before us. The only two people who voted for the motions were
the gentleman who made the motion and... That was pretty much it. The rest of us were against
it. That's what happened at the commission. After hearing all the comments from the
neighborhood and everything such as that, you know I had made the comment that they actually
needed to work with their neighbors because there was no support at the Planning Commission,
which is unusual. Generally someone will come up and will support, there were compromises
that were made back and forth. I'm glad to see today that they've decided to at least compromise
on the lights but that was something that was missing at that meeting was the right hand didn't
know what the left hand was doing. And I think we picked up on that as a commission and that
was one of the reasons why we rejected the plans. It did, as I say, it got very confusing because
it was almost midnight and I think that we probably were not as clear in our objections and why
that we should have been but the bottom line of all this was that we did not see the support there.
It appeared that this was something that was different from what was originally sold to
everybody and we didn't understand why the changes were being made. That was not made
clear to us and again there was no consensus within the neighborhood to support these changes
so based upon that, that's why we rejected what staff had put together and we came up with a
proposal that probably doesn't you know beat the mustard of what we should have done but the
intent was that we didn't think the plans should go forward. If you have any questions about any
particulars.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you, any questions? Very good, thanks.
Jerry McDonald: Thanks.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Lot of comments. Lot of information. I guess as we finish up here,
we've heard a lot of public comments this evening that was consistent with and covered a lot of
the areas covered in the public hearing as well, and I guess response from staff with that or with
other things or information that you heard prior to your original report.
Kate Aanenson: Well I guess, we agreed that the building should be smaller. I think we're all in
concurrence with most the changes except for the driving, teaching area. That's fine if the
council choose to remove that. We recommended down sizing the building.
Mayor Furlong: Right.
Kate Aanenson: We also felt the ball washing machine seemed excessive and did recommend
denial of that. We also have the same concerns and have from the beginning. We recommended
the denial of the extension of hours and I think the concern's valid that it might become kind of a
quasi hangout as opposed to ancillary to a golf related use which is the intent of that. I think the
one issue we still have disagreement on. Just some other thoughts I had taking notes, I guess for
the square foot of the building, I think it'd be prudent to ask for what's, what has been done
before with the city attorney, what's going inside the building. Even though we're going to have
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storage, if we're building it to put the sand in and the salt, we want to see what's going in. Even
at the smaller size. I think it might be prudent to deal with what's being actually stored in the
maintenance building so we can have some control over that. The 4 months for the temporary
building. Typically a commercial building might take a little bit longer. That was the intent so
I'd agree, it probably doesn't need to be 6 months. We can figure out a reasonable time. What
that should be. A temporary building. Sounds like they want to get some revenue out of that yet
this spring while they're building the other building so we can look at a reasonable timeframe for
that. So really I think that, there's a lot of concurrence on. The square footage of the building
itself, an extra veranda, I'll let the council decide on that but I think the other one that I still have
concerns on, and I guess I'd ask for maybe the city attorney's input too and that would be having
no parking lot lighting at all. We talked about a couple of things. One is security on the building
and then you know trying to separate that. I did look at the photometries and actually the
brightest spot is right underneath those lights. It drops off pretty quickly when you get to the end
of the parking lot. It's already at a half foot so the property line, you're at zero quite a ways in
from the property line. Obviously there will be some lighting if we turn the lights off at 10:00.
Then we still need some security lights. We will through a different type of security lighting,
that would be something that we could look at to make sure there's nobody in there but still
security in the building. We'd be willing to look at that with the Crime Prevention Specialist.
Mayor Furlong: Okay quick question. Help me understand with regard to the lighting and the
photometries. When we speak to what can be seen at a certain point, a half candle. Is that the
amount of illumination that's coming directly from the light itself or is that a reflective light off
of?
Kate Aanenson: It's coming from the light itself.
Mayor Furlong: From the light itself.
Kate Aanenson: Right. So really once you get to the edge of the parking lot and you're at a half
a foot, once you get beyond that it drops off at a pretty much.
Mayor Furlong: You say half a foot.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, half a foot candle. I'm sorry. Yeah, so it's dropping off. It's relatively,
you know even when you, there's also ambient light. If you're downtown it's a lot different than
you are out in an area that's isolated. For example, Bandimere Park has taller lights and so those
are probably in excess of, they might be a little taller than 30 feet. I mean those are much higher.
Much brighter. Different type of lighting. Maybe Lake Susan I guess would probably be a
better one. When you're playing softball in the dark. It's a different type of lighting than we'd
have for parking lot lighting because there you're trying to do a function underneath, but to
separate the security at the time that the parking lot, and there were some other ways to look at
security of the building. There's two approaches for people coming and going. Then also secure
the building as the city manager mentioned. You want to make sure there's not, it's not an
nuisance down there.
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Mayor Furlong: What causes the light noise, if you allow me to use that expression in terms of
adjacent property owners? I mean obviously if a parking lot is lit, you'll be able to see what's lit.
That's reflective light.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, there's a lot of interesting discussion on that. We actually, we have a
former councilman that was very interested in that and spent a lot of time looking at too much
light, and down in that area where there isn't a lot of light, it's going to seem like a lot because
it's already kind of a dark area. Whereas when you're in the downtown, there's already street
lights, parking lot lights, so the spillover is more, while it gets dark in certain areas, it's not the
same so I think it's just the fact that there's no lights down there now. I believe that the nursery
probably has lights on their buildings right now. On the 101 side. These people are on the north
side of Pioneer and it seems that some of the people on Delphinium gets, we hear complaints on
that too.
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Thank you. Thoughts. Comments. Additional questions.
Councilman Peterson: Where do you start?
Mayor Furlong: Yeah. I'll get the discussion started here with what has been expressed I think
accurately is that there's a change in scope in terms of how this golf course is anticipated to be
operated versus what came through a couple years ago. We heard references and it was
mentioned tonight by one of the residents that spoke, references to the town course and Hazeltine
and Deer Run and others. Those are different levels of courses than I think what was, this
community was originally discussed.
Councilman Peterson: Well but is that really true because if they're going to put somebody on
the course every 8 minutes, did that change from 2 years ago or a year ago? I would beg to differ
but the number of people on the course hasn't changed.
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Well but they're going to make a faster course where before it was,
when I was on the Planning Commission it was supposed to be a teaching course for kids and a
place for families to go and have fun and so now it sounds more intense where you'd better know
how to golf. You'd better get going. There's no time to just kind of putz around and you know
practice your swing or whatever. I think it probably has changed to a faster moving course.
Councilman Lundquist: Your handicap is direct! y, adversely proportional to the length of time
to takes you to playa hole.
Mayor Furlong: Is that a technical term?
Councilman Peterson: But to my point, there may not be, there may be 50% more people there
likely. It's maybe 10% more people, I don't know.
Mayor Furlong: No, it may not be the number of people. I guess what I was referring to is the
nature of the buildings. The maintenance. The, you know the amount of activity dealing with
the operation of the course. Not necessarily the number of golfers going through. You know
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that's where I see a change and it is a function I think of the change in operation. Change of
management ownership that's occurring here.
Councilman Peterson: And that clearly has changed. I would agree with you on that. Should I
continue or should.
Mayor Furlong: That'd be fine. You know, we've got a number of issues before us and at some
point it might make sense to I guess maybe start with some general thoughts and then go down
the list and see where we are and if we're in agreement or not. Either with staff's
recommendation. With the applicant's request. With the residents or Planning Commission. I
mean we may be some back and forth, depending on where we are I think it makes sense to
evaluate what the motions that we have existing and we might, you know if we're in agreement
with all of staff's recommendation, then we have motions in the staff report tonight too to move
forward. But there may be some other things so that's why I'm saying. You know maybe we
start with some general comments and then make sure we get an understanding of where all of us
are on each of the different items.
Councilman Peterson: I can do some general comments. The balance that I struggled with is
that this is, at the end of the day a business and we want to help businesses succeed within
reason. And if this business is now asking for some changes that are reasonable, which is the
ultimate question, to enhance the success and the viability of the business, then I think we need
to consider that. So that being said, that's what I'm doing. I'm considering their request because
I want to have a successful business in Chanhassen. I don't think anybody wants it to fail. So
you know I'll kind of go through points as presented. The club house I don't think the 6 foot
variance is substantial and you know I think we're getting a much higher quality building than I
think this neighborhood better also so I certainly haven't got a problem with that. The outdoor
seating area seems to be reasonable. The maintenance building seems to be unreasonable. You
know I look at it and I look at the design of it, you know I see, I see a huge building for what
they're talking about but yet if they're taking stuff from outside and putting it inside, and we get
a high quality exterior of the building, then is that better? And that's something I want to hear
more about is, you know I think everybody would agree, much rather have stuff inside stored out
of the view versus having stuff outside stored which they are certainly capable of doing. You
know right now it's designed for 68 by 120. You've got, there's a 40 foot work bench. I kind of
shake my head at that. There's supposed to be 10 golf carts in there. Without the expansion so it
does seem to be over kill and I'm not of course an expert but just logic says that 68 by 120 with a
24 foot addition seems to be an unreasonable request. Now, what I don't know is, should it be
358 and can you accomplish that? I don't want to get into that. I'd rather have staff and the
applicant figure that out but, and that may be having them spend more time presenting a succinct
idea of what's inside and what's outside. Ifwe don't give them any more than the 30 by 60,
where does that mean that's going to be outside? And ultimately the residents around there
prefer it to be a bigger building and have less outside, so I don't think we're going to answer that
tonight. Ball washing building. You know again that seems overly large and I think we can
downsize that. And what we don't want to do is have an outhouse style out there either, so you
want to have something that takes care of their needs but not, not necessarily granting them all
their 30 by 24. The teaching shelter, you know I'll look for other comments on that. I don't
know whether or not 16 by 40 certainly seems to be an awfully large building also. The
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temporary structure. I'll go back to lighting in a second. The temporary structure certainly is
logical to ask for that and grant that. We can probably put in here something that 30 days after
the CO granted on the main building, the other one has to be gone. Or whatever day that would
be but you want to give them a building up until the time that their other one is ready. The
building materials, I don't feel any reason to move away from our building standards on that one,
particularly in the residential area. Hours of operation. I guess if you would have asked me to
interpret sunrise to sunset, there's a meteorological definition to that and then there's a real
definition. Even the FAA has a twilight definition too so, you know I would probably say a half
hour before and after sunset and sunrise. I think that's actually the legal definition from an FAA
standpoint. Defining twilight. I would assume that people would golf until they can't golf
anymore. If sunset was at 8:57 that day, and you can still get a half hour of reasonable light, then
they can be out golfing so, I think there's a reasonable summation that can be made there. To
lighting, clearly don't like the 25 footers. You know I think, I think it would be reasonable to
have some kind of lighting, whether it's low voltage landscape lighting or whether it's the 14
footers. You know I've historically been kind of biased. I don't like a lot of light. I think our
ordinance is probably more than what we need. I was the one that was the champion to turn off
the street lights so I'm coming from the opposite extreme. But I think we can work on that and
give something the residents can live with. The low voltage landscape lighting that can clearly
light the parking lot can be a very attractive amenity and done well, as well as the 14 or 15
footers can look very nice too. If they're down lit and they're not going to be offensive to the
neighborhood, and they'll certainly light the parking lot. You know in closing I think it's been
brought up a couple different times. We can't forget that this is a commercial business going in
a residential area and that's, you know that's the balance that we all respectfully have to take on
tonight and, but we decided that we're going to allow this commercial business in here and we
now we need to have it be successful. We need to have it look good and some of these requests
are clearly reasonable. Some of them I think need some more work. And whether or not that
means tabling it to get a better definition and request of what's inside and outside. What the
lighting is and what it's going to look like. You know I'm certainly open to that. And I'm
obviously open up to listening to what my fellow council people and mayor would have to say
about it.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Other thoughts.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Well I thought about 10 minutes ago was I'd like to see this tabled
also just because Mr. Johnson I think has said he was willing to compromise on some issues.
Kind of a give and take thing to try and give a reasonable proposal going. But if that doesn't
happen I have to say that I kind of took my, what I thought was important, you know I'm going
to start at the top and I, for me it's maybe too simplistic to say that if you don't change your
hours of operation, you keep them where they were originally placed, then you really don't need
additional lighting because there really isn't that much of a safety concern then so, keep the
hours where they're supposed to be then for me there is no lighting issue. Yeah, it is a business
and I want it to be successful but when it first came in it wasn't necessarily built to be a big
business. It was supposed to be just a mom and pop recreational golf course and I think that if
these proposals that are before us now had come in 2 or 3 years ago, they would have been
addressed and probably not, it would have been denied 4 years ago so I really go back to that
time when I was there and I have to respect what we did there and I just always try to think about
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who, you know who was there first. You know the neighbors were there first. You bought your
lots because it's quiet. It's dark. It's private and I have to respect that. If the golf course was
there first and there was development coming in, I'd probably have a different view but that's
kind of where I stand on these issues. I'm sorry but I really don't have a problem with the bigger
maintenance building if it does keep junk from being in sight. I think your neighborhoods are
better off having stuff enclosed. It looks neater. It looks cleaner. There's always an attempt for
crime to come in and steal things or kids come in and drive where they do. So I guess for the
building stuff I just, I don't see it as that big of a deal. The ball machine, I've never seen a ball
washing building so I can not comment as to what it should look like or what it should be. You
know I think if we hold the golf course to architectural standards and make the buildings look
decent, Ijust don't see how you can have a problem with that basically. Making the club house
bigger once again, I think the draft of what I saw, it's an improvement from what there is now.
Someone said it, something you could put your pony up to and go have a beer or something.
You know kind of something out of the wild west and I think we're probably more progressive
in Chanhassen than that so I don't have a problem with making the club house bigger and the
outside seating seems reasonable. We only have 3 months out of the year to enjoy the outside
and I think we should be allowed to do it as much as we can. And the building material once
again I just think we need to hold to those standards we set back 4 years ago and keep it looking
neat and nice. That's what I have.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, thank you.
Councilman Lundquist: I'm kind of probably a unique situation. Mr. Saatzer first proposed this,
he contacted me and so I was, spent several hours talking to, meeting with Mr. Saatzer. Helped
facilitate that with the city staff so I'm very familiar with the original proposal. The vision
behind it and what Ron was trying to do. And Bethany as you just said, I think the key point for
me really is had this proposal that we were looking at now come through 2 years ago, I'm quite
certain I would have voted against it so, that's really where I go back to is you know the
unfortunate thing is that there's been some you know things business wise that have happened
between the current applicant and the previous applicant, and you know things happen and things
happen for reasons. At this point I don't feel obligated to approve any of the changes because
you know those are decisions that are made outside of us and I think to make a decision like that
and then come and say hey, I'm not going to be successful unless you give me these things is you
know, it's really not our issue because we didn't force the change to begin with. I don't want to
see a business fail, but you know we didn't cause the original issues so I don't feel compelled to
get in the middle of that. You know Mr. Shipley made some comments I think, there's a lot of
stuff that goes on. There's a lot of history. There's a lot of things. When I look at this proposal
I'm looking at it on the merits of the proposal, not with the parties that are involved or not
involved. It's not required to be a good neighbor as a business. It's certainly encouraged and
appreciated but it's not in any way required. When we look at the difference between, you know
one thing we fact a lot of times is the who was there first and of course we have the famous not
in my back yard. I mean every time we put an infill development in, you know we get 300 e-
mails and calls from residents that don't want to see the wildlife and everything else destroyed
that was you know living 50 feet down in their front yard before their house was built so, you
know however that said, in this particular piece I'm not concerned with necessarily who was
there first but with what the character of that neighborhood is. And when you look at things like
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large lights or 15 foot, 25 foot, whatever it is, you might have a half a candle, foot candle at the
edge of it but you can't deny when you stand 500 feet away from the edge of that that you're
going to see lights there. You're not going to be able to see the sky and the things the same so,
so overall I keep going back to the major changes. It's not the original vision that was there. To
go down specifically, I think the club house and the veranda is not that big of a deal. I'm okay
with that. The maintenance building, I guess I'm kind of in the same place as Craig. 60 by 30, is
that big enough? Well, you know maybe. Maybe not. 68 by 120. That seems a little bit
excessive so is 1,800 the magic number? Is 2,000 the magic number? You know I don't know.
I think again it all depends on what you're looking at. The ball washing and some of that stuff, I
mean I think is just unreasonable. Unreasonably large for that scale of course. The teaching
shelter I think if tastefully done, it seems to be in a location that's not too intrusive. I can be
convinced. The lighting, I would say I'm either would lean towards ground, low voltage ground
lighting to allow some visibility you know so that you can see if there's a person in there or if
there's a car parked in there rather than pitch black. Just for safety of the people I would prefer
to have I think lights, safety lights around the building and some of that and keep that area as
dark as possible. I think our ordinance Kate as you stated doesn't require, we have maximums
but not minimums and I really want that area to remain kind of dark and secluded and to have
that overall character. But still be sensitive to the fact that you know, there's a business there.
There's a wide open area there. If the deputy drives by or a resident just happens to be walking,
you want to be able to see if there's something that doesn't look out of place there so, if there's a
way to do that, but you know not make it intrusive. Temporary building. I think we want to be
real careful there. Maybe put some stipulations on that building. Has to be on the parking lot or
something so that we don't get into a hassle about you know, the building is there. We've given
a Certificate of Occupancy and now we get into a scuffle about you know when did we come
out? Are we going to have to walk in there with a crane and actually physically remove that or
how that works so, let's be careful and put some conditions maybe to make that beneficial to that
more to pull that out. Building materials, definitely not in favor of that variance. Hours of
operation. Craig, I'm with you there. I think that reasonable, when I think of sunset to sundown,
I think of you know if you can see with the naked eye without lights, that's reasonable to call it
sunset, sun up to sunset. You know again to preserve the neighborhood. The character of the
neighborhood, you know I think leaving it at sunrise to sunset is fine there so, and so just to
summarize again, I think my biggest issue with this as I see it, as a vision of what we started with
and what we're at now are two completely different things and that's where my biggest problem
with the entire proposal is. There's been a change that was not initiated by the City. Was
initiated by a lessee and an owner that's now initiated, you know pushing this change and it's
considerably different than what that was and again had this come in 2 years ago, I would have
voted against it because it just doesn't fit that character of that neighborhood. Those are my
comments.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, we're three comments. Three different sides of the issue here so, maybe
we'll get four and make a box. I think the number, a number of the comments that have been
made already go back to and I think where Councilman Lundquist finished up is the change. It's
different and the question is, is that difference, does it matter where the initial issue is? The City
didn't have an issue? You know I travel to what's a reasonable use here in terms of whether the
requests are meeting our ordinances and our comprehensive plans. Try to go back to that. I
think that there have to be some reason and judgment in that and we'll go down the list and I
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think in some cases there are reasonable requests and other cases there are unreasonable ones. I
was very pleased to hear tonight the applicant's offer to withdraw the lights in the parking lot.
That was an issue that was clearl y a struggle for some of the residents. Perhaps there's some
compromise there that is in the offing now that did not exist at the Planning Commission
meeting, which I think goes back to some of the comments we heard this evening was, some lack
of cooperation between the applicant and the neighbors. And I think we said earlier, there's no
requirement to do that. We have found it successful in the past when that occurs but there's no
requirement to do that and so sometimes when that doesn't happen you get a little more choppy
as you're going through the public process here in terms of the Planning Commission and City
Council and I think we're witnessing that tonight. Overall you know what we're trying to do
here and what I think we're coming with different perspectives and we heard it tonight too is the
property owner, this is a conditional use with the property. A legal use to put a golf course in
this land and they've got a right to operate their business, as most business owners do, and yet
we've got the neighborhood there, the surrounding property owners that want to maintain their
current lifestyle. Their quiet enjoyment and how do we balance that and try to minimize or
eliminate any impacts of the neighbors, while at the same time providing the property owner to
make sure they follow our ordinance and continue forward. That being said I think there's some
judgments on these things that allow us to do some of that balancing. The club house I think is
you know given what is being proposed, it's not significant. The significance there is in the
design that I see and the look of it and I think that will likely be an improvement from a view
standpoint, from a look. The maintenance building, I guess what I heard this evening I just
don't, have not heard the justification for the need. I've heard some statements but I haven't
heard anything that justifies the need for that. Just with the work that the staff has done to try to
evaluate is this a reasonable request or not, which I think is a very good way to go about it, what
do other golf courses have and this one was clearly significantly larger and Ijust can't, I'm not, I
can't see it. Is the 1,800 enough? It was a couple years ago and while there is change, you know
the thought went into and Councilman Lundquist you said, you're personally familiar with a
number of discussions that took place. You know that a lot of thought went into the operation of
a 9 hole executive course. Par what, 29. That's not a Hazeltine. It's not a Town Course. It's
not one at Deer Run. It's not those. It's a different type of offering of golf than what's there.
The ball wash building, I'm not looking for you know a couple of biffy' s next to each other but
from a size standpoint, you know that's what you see. You just don't, I can't get my arms
around any justification for a building that size, nearly 800 square feet if I did my math right, for
a piece of equipment that distributes buckets and balls. You know it's just, it's just not there. So
I'm struggling with that. I agree with staff on that. There should, it should be incorporated. The
shelter building, I mean it's far removed. I'm struggling with the justification for each of these.
Based upon any sort of need. Ijust don't, Ijust can't get there. The temporary building, I agree
with the comments made this evening and you know I think that should be allowed. We do that
with a number of property owners. We did that with Lifetime Fitness for example so they could
start selling memberships before their clubhouse was built. Here, putting some restrictions on it,
I think it was mentioned 30 days after occupancy or I think certain number of months from the
approval makes some sense to require that and to make sure that's done. You know the building
materials I think, I don't see any reason to change there. Hours of operation, we've had some
discussion there. The concern that I heard more from residents there was the lawnmowers going
early in the morning and people sticking around on the patio talking and working after night. It
would seem to me to try to accommodate that by not, and I understand Councilman Peterson
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your thought about a half hour before, half hour after. That's pretty typical. Maybe what I
would suggest for a compromise there is to start at sunrise, rather than half hour before so there's
not lawnmowers out there running around before sunrise, but allow the half hour after sunset
because it is still twilight, especially during the golfing season. You can see the ball and you
keep hitting and you know for a 9 hole course, you're probably going to zip around it pretty
quickly but that will allow somebody starting an hour or so before sunset to continue and finish
up. And so I might throw that out as a potential balance there between the business owners
desire to operate a business, which they should do, and the concern from some of the residents
and neighbors with regard to noise or other problems with regard to that. I think I mentioned the
lighting. It seems to me there can be some compromise there that will work and still provide
some light. Anything I believe would have to be any, well it would have to be designed such
that it's shielded. It'd have to be down lighting. Shielded, which I think was talked about here,
but to find some way to minimize what's going to be seen. It's going to be different. It is, even
lights on a building there is going to be different than what exists now. Lights on a building,
even if they're shielded will generally be shining out. These lights will generally be shining
down so perhaps there's some benefit to down lighting versus up lighting but it looks like there
might be some compromise there, which I'd kind of like to see. So it's, this is a tough one
because it is a change. It's a change in scope in how this business is going to be operated within
their rights to operate a business, not only check that and balance that from a reasonableness
standpoint given the neighbors and their rights to minimize any disruption to their enjoyment of
their property. So I think those are my thoughts. Any follow-up? It seems to me, was I correct
that everybody was generally consistent with the proposed clubhouse as we talked through?
With that. I would keep that. The outdoor seating. Veranda with the patio generally okay with
that as well. Maintenance building, I heard generally not okay but justify it. If we can get some,
if we know what's going in there from a justification standpoint and need, and we've got
documented need to operate a 9 hole golf course, what's there and how they're planning to
operate, I think you know 1,800 square feet may not be appropriate. Something bigger might
work but, I mean is that generally or?
Councilman Lundquist: Yeah.
Mayor Furlong: Are you pretty firm on the 1,800?
Councilman Lundquist: Well no. I mean that's not a magic number but I think my, if it gets
much bigger than 1,800, you're going to get less and less support from me. The farther away
that number gets from 1,800, the less support I'll have.
Mayor Furlong: Kind of like lighting the property. Yep, no and I'm 100% with you on that.
100% with you. You know outside storage, we want to minimize that but to the extent that it's
not visible, it may be prudent to have some things stored outside as well. Ball washing, I didn't
hear a lot of support for that. It's current size, is that correct?
Councilman Lundquist: Absolutely...
Mayor Furlong: Eliminate or coordinate that in with the existing building or different proximity
and significantly reduce. Shelter building. Again, thoughts there. Clarify.
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Councilman Lundquist: I can go either way. I'm just, I mean in the spirit of compromise, I
guess we can allow that. If it wasn't there, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
Mayor Furlong: Sounds like with, it's far enough away or it's far enough towards the interior of
the property that I don't think the residents have a significance about that. Lighting. I think we
had 5 different opinions out of 4 of us on that one so, looking to do something there. It sounds
like the applicant's willing to come up with some compromises and I think we'd like to pursue
those. At the same time look at recognizing that some light, whether it's landscape light, I heard
mentioned I think or something else might be something that might work. Temporary structure,
I think you heard some thoughts and ideas on that. Is everybody generally consistent with that?
Something more limiting than and/or clear as to the length of time, likely shorter than what, the
12 months in the report. Building material I heard general support for what was, for no change
there. And hours of operation, I didn't hear a lot of support for the request of 6:00 to 11:00. We
talked about sunrise to sunset. Half hour before, half hour after. Is there some thoughts there or,
we had 2 or 3 thoughts pulled out?
Councilman Peterson: I'm not indifferent to what your recommendation was to do sunrise and
then.
Mayor Furlong: Half hour after sunset? Is that what, is that the FAA definition for twilight.
Councilman Peterson: Well both. Morning because you can see before sunrise so.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, understand.
Councilman Peterson: It goes back to do we want mowing lawn at 6:00 a.m.? The answer's no.
Mayor Furlong: Yeah, it's one thing to see. It's another thing to be, to hear and.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Do we have us the ordinance that regulates when they can be
mowing or when people can start, commercial businesses can start mowing? I mean do they fall
into that category?
Councilman Lundquist: We let garbage trucks out before 7:00 in the morning.
Kate Aanenson: We have a nuisance ordinance.
Mayor Furlong: So let's take a look at that then and see what.
Kate Aanenson: We'll apply those standards.
Mayor Furlong: Give us some guidance there. Okay.
Councilman Lundquist: Like I say, overall I would tend to be more restrictive on that than less.
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Mayor Furlong: Okay. Any other thoughts or comments? It sounds like here is we're moving
towards a tabling so the staff can work with the applicant on a couple of these things and also
make some modifications to the recommendation. Any other comments or thoughts or questions
you have for clarification?
Kate Aanenson: Point of order before you table. Our next regular meeting, as you just approved
would be in a week.
Mayor Furlong: Yes.
Kate Aanenson: I'm not sure we can, we may be able to turn it around. Tomorrow. But
otherwise.
Mayor Furlong: If we can't, are we running out of time?
Kate Aanenson: Yeah... otherwise it will be pushed to April 10th. I do want to get some
comments from the sheriff's office. ... that's fine, I just want to make sure that the crime
prevention specialist and the sheriff's office comment and a couple other things too.
Mayor Furlong: That's fine.
Kate Aanenson: But I'm just not sure of the turn around in one week so, I'd like to go to April
10th, if that's okay with the applicant.
Mayor Furlong: You know I think a lot of these issues, you know a little more thought is fine
than try to push it through. I guess the question is, do we have the time to do that.
Roger Knutson: I believe, according to the application it says they've waived the time lines.
Maybe we just could have them confirm that they're okay with us taking this up, at this point
until April 10th.
Don Halla: Could we have an approval of the club house building so we could get construction
going on that? The temporary.
Roger Knutson: You really can't piecemeal it.
Sandy Halla: Even when we've had a discussion, we'd be willing to do whatever it is that you
needed.. .do what it is that you wanted us to do...
Mayor Furlong: Ma'am, I'm sorry. Could you come up to the microphone and just give us your
name and address.
Sandy Halla: ... we knew that the house really was what we thought everybody would think
would be the right size and that would be something that people would enjoy being in. And that
wasn't overly done we didn't think... What we really worked on was trying to have a place that
folks... to be able to do that so this particular thing, I don't think that we would change it any
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way whatsoever and it didn't sound like anybody else here would change it. That there wasn't
any reason that... We really wanted this to be something that all the young children, and we
thought... we've got grandchildren here and to go play golf at the age of 16 or whatever... So
that it isn't the dollars that we're trying...and there's so many places that really aren't really
affordable so that we were trying to do that. And as far as what we were talking about now with
the equipment, I think that we felt when we came here, we didn't want a great big thing. We'll
have to...and we wanted it to be so that people could use it...handicap and are getting a little
older and want to have something there... So I think that anything that you think that we
shouldn't be doing now, we're okay with it. If we've gone to no lights, John Kosmas is gone
right now, the architect that was here last time, and...what was okay to do...one person wanted it
there and the next person didn't want it at all and as far as we're concerned, there's soft lights
going down and if nobody gets hurt or killed, you know.. .that's all that really we're talking
about. We don't need people out at night or early morning or whenever else it happens to be, so
that that's not what we're looking for. ...okay, I think that's too big. Fine. I think that we
didn't, I don't know how we got into that, we didn't think that actually... would be as important
as the golf ball situation to be able to get golf balls back out there... If that's all it is.. .so that's
all we are trying to look at it and so it isn't that we have to have anything...we want to do. What
we consider a good place there and not what some people.. .how that would make it work with
what people really wanted and so that's where we're at so we feel, feel free to say we don't want
it or whatever else that would be helpfuL..
Mayor Furlong: Okay. Okay.
Councilman Peterson: What I'm hearing is we can probably get this done by Monday. Kate, the
only thing that seems to be, the struggle might be the police.
Kate Aanenson: Yeah, we'll do our best to get it on there...
Mayor Furlong: Let's see if we can get it done.
Kate Aanenson: ...you might not get it out in Wednesday's packet but we can commit to get it
out and keep it on Monday, that's fine.
Mayor Furlong: Well let's do what we can. It sounds like they want to, they're flexible and
you've heard out comments and unfortunately we have a short turn around here but, which will
put some strain on you but.
Kate Aanenson: Ijust need to make something, say something for the record. We've had 2 or 3
different people working on 2 or 3 different opinions. Just heard another opinion now so I think
it's prudent that we get it in writing as the City Attorney said and button down that it's all
consistent and this is what happened at the Planning Commission. We're late, in the 11th hour so
tabling I think is the prudent thing.
Mayor Furlong: No, and that's where we're going because we want to make sure that we've got
something that's clear that the applicant and the residents and the council know what we're
talking about and what we're voting on so, I think that is important. We'll try to work as quickly
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as we can for the applicant but at the same time we've got to make sure that we're, that we're
getting everything covered and so, if there is a delay we apologize for that but we want to make
sure that we don't have confusion down the road either, which would not be good for anybody
so.
Sandy Halla: ...1 understand that.. .so they're not firing up the golf course carts...
Mayor Furlong: Right, understand. Thank you. Anything else from staff? Any other comments
from council?
Todd Gerhardt: I just wanted to note one thing. The original plan did show the trash enclosures
be screened so.
Kate Aanenson: It is addressed in the staff report. And we'll follow up on those sort of things.
Mayor Furlong: Alright, very good. Then at this point is there a motion to table?
Roger Knutson: If you could just wait a moment.
Kate Aanenson: We need just a signature.
Mayor Furlong: Okay.
Kate Aanenson: While we're waiting too then, when this staff report becomes available, you can
go to the city's web site and download upgraded project and the new staff report will be done
hopefully by the end of the week.
Mayor Furlong: Okay, to the extent possible there might be a new cover memo but if we can red
line the existing.. .so we can see changes.
Kate Aanenson: Will do.
Mayor Furlong: Excellent. I know you usually do but that way residents and the applicant as
well, and the council members.
David Gatto: Can we work as a task force with these folks? I mean as I hear them, when they're
talking to the sheriff and it's going to go. I mean are we going to be able to work with these
folks at all?
Mayor Furlong: Well I think from a process standpoint certainly that's able. There's no
requirement that the property owner work with the neighbors. I think what we heard tonight was
an accommodation to some of the issues that the neighbors were raising.
David Gatto: Well it'd be nice if we could come here and say we support it because otherwise
we'll come back and otherwise you might... what we're considering doing if you pass it.
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Kate Aanenson: Ijust want to be clear, I think we understand they don't want lights. My point
is I want to make sure that if the public safety says something, this council has that information.
I think everybody understands that you don't want lights.
David Gatto: We've said what we're going to say now and I mean I volunteered to be on a task
force. We want to work with you folks. We want to.
Kate Aanenson: Okay, no. We'd be happy to follow up on that. Get that information that we
have prior to.
Mayor Furlong: I mean there's nothing that precludes the applicant and the neighbors getting
together and meeting if they want to. At the same time I think from a staff standpoint, which is
what our objective here is tonight after all the comments we've seen, is to try to keep this process
moving forward in a manner that's consistent with what we've heard and what we're trying to
accomplish here for everybody and balancing that. So.
David Gatto: And we're all in the community together.
Mayor Furlong: Yes sir.
David Gatto: We want to work with you.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Mr. Knutson, we're okay now?
Roger Knutson: Yes we are.
Mayor Furlong: To move forward if there is a desire to table. Is there a motion to table?
Councilman Peterson: So moved.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Tjomhom: Second.
Mayor Furlong: Made and seconded.
Councilman Peterson moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded that the City Council
table the Site Plan Amendment and variances for the construction of a golf course, Halla
Greens, located on the southeast corner of Great Plains Boulevard and Pioneer Trail. All
voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 4 to O.
Mayor Furlong: Thank you and thank you to everybody sticking around tonight and contributing
to the discussion.
COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS: None.
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