11-23-20 CC WS Mtg MinutesCITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2020 6:00 P.M.
MINUTES
1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
Mayor Zerby called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
A. Roll Call
Present. Mayor Zerby; Councilmembers Johnson, Labadie, Siakel, and Sundberg; City
Administrator Lerud; Planning Director Darling; Director of Public Works Brown;
City Engineer Budde, and Nate Sparks, Northwest Associated Consultants (NAC)
Absent: None
B. Review and Adopt Agenda
Johnson moved, Siakel seconded, approving the agenda as presented. Roll Call Vote:
Ayes — all. Motion passed 5/0.
2. Comprehensive Plan Discussion
Planning Director Darling explained that the City's consultants have finalized the revisions needed
in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. She stated that most of the changes are relatively minor. She
stated that staff wanted to have one more informal meeting to discuss the more substantive
changes needed in the Land Use map. She stated that the Met Council had sent back the
Comprehensive Plan to the City stating that there needed to be more opportunities to produce
one hundred fifty-five more dwelling units including more opportunities to provide forty-eight more
units of affordable housing. She noted that the City already held public hearings on the
Comprehensive Plan, however there will be changes made to the Land Use map, which infers
some property rights. She stated that she feels it may be appropriate to notify property owners
within five hundred feet of the properties proposed as changes and staff will also meet individually
with the property owners. She noted that staff is looking for direction from Council on whether
they would like them to hold a full public hearing at the Planning Commission or if bringing the
changes to the December 14, 2020 Council meeting would be adequate.
Nate Sparks, NAC, gave an overview of the information included in the Comprehensive Plan and
explained how the City made the calculations. He gave a brief explanation of the staging plan
and noted the possibility of certain areas being designated as mixed use in order to come up to
the numbers determined by the Met Council. He stated that some of these areas could be
included but the likelihood of them actually being developed is questionable because some of
them are fairly successful business areas where the economic incentive for this is not necessarily
present. He reviewed the proposed changes in the Comprehensive Plan surrounding affordable
housing.
CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 23, 2020
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Councilmember Johnson noted that he is inclined to include parcels seven and forty-one as mixed
use. He stated that he would support taking out the Shorewood Yacht Club property as well as
the ones across Smithtown.
Planning Director Darling noted that the parcel shown is the dredging company.
Councilmember Siakel stated that she thinks it makes the most sense to put the most density
along corridors. She asked about the businesses off of Vine Hill Road and asked if that was
considered mixed use.
Councilmember Johnson stated that he believes that this is mixed use and would consider from
Valvoline to Holiday as potential mixed use.
Mayor Zerby stated that he would go further to the self -storage facilities.
The Council discussed the issues related to access for the dredging company.
Councilmember Johnson stated that he would like to clear up the border issues with Excelsior
and then revisit this topic.
Councilmember Labadie stated that she would agree with Councilmember Johnson and asked
Planning Director Darling for her opinion.
Planning Director Darling stated that the reason the dredging company was originally included
was because the property owner is interested in redeveloping it for residential uses and have
been softly marketing the property.
Councilmember Labadie asked if that would cause issues with the neighboring property that is
divided between two cities.
Planning Director Darling explained that the complication would be more of a social complication
rather than a land use complication.
Mayor Zerby noted that this is a long-range plan and not for the next year or two. He stated that
he thinks this is a City-wide topic and deserves public input. He stated that he would propose a
public hearing at the Planning Commission and invite residents to give their input.
Councilmember Sundberg stated that she agreed and asked if the resident comments would be
shared with the Met Council.
Planning Director Darling stated that her understanding is that if it is a public meeting, the
comments have to be shared with Met Council.
Councilmember Sundberg stated that she thinks it would be good for the Met Council to get the
public comments.
Councilmember Siakel stated that she disagreed about holding a public hearing, because this has
already been provided to the public and there has not been much feedback surrounding
redevelopment. She stated that the City rarely has anybody give feedback and the
Comprehensive Plan is usually used as a reference to prevent change or as opposition to a
CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 23, 2020
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development. She stated that she thinks a public hearing at the Planning Commission will create
more work for staff with the ultimate result being the same as if they had not held the public
hearing. She stated that she is comfortable moving forward at a Council meeting.
Mayor Zerby stated that he disagreed because the information being reviewed tonight is new and
the public has not seen this yet.
Councilmember Siakel reiterated that she does not think the results will be any different.
Councilmember Labadie stated that she agreed with both Mayor Zerby and Councilmember
Siakel. She stated that she does not think the result will be any different, but feels the right thing
to do is to make the process transparent and give people the opportunity to give feedback.
Councilmember Sundberg stated that she does not see any harm in proceeding with a public
hearing.
Councilmember Johnson suggested that Planning Director Darling put a blurb in the newsletter.
He asked if the Council wants to consider adding the adjacent parcels along the Highway 7
corridor and noted that including these properties may get the City where they need to be
according to the Met Council.
Mayor Zerby stated that he does not like the phrase "need to be" and noted that the City has
spoken with the Met Council who indicated that it would be all right if the City submitted a proposal
that did not meet all of their requirements. He stated that he thinks the numbers are a bit arbitrary
and thinks the City does not need to strive to get where it "needs to be", but just to do the right
thing.
Councilmember Johnson stated that when he drives by that area, he thinks it would be a great
place for a restaurant with some apartments above.
Mayor Zerby stated that he would agree, but feels the intersections need to be examined more
thoroughly.
Planning Director Darling asked if the Council would like staff to add a `Mixed Use' category and
include them on the map or just continue keeping them in the text of the document.
Mr. Sparks stated that if the City created something that allowed mixed use in commercial areas,
it would meet what the Met Council says the parameters are for the City. He stated that they
would also define what the City considers mixed use and could potentially reject sites that don't
work because of transportation or access issues. He noted that there are both vertical and
horizontal options for mixed use and gave examples of horizontal mixed -use projects in the City
of Mound.
Councilmember Johnson stated that he would support that idea.
Mayor Zerby stated that he likes the idea of adding a percentage to the amount of commercial
and residential allowed as suggested by Mr. Sparks.
Councilmember Johnson asked if there was a conclusion around including the dredging company.
CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 23, 2020
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There was Consensus from the Council to include the dredging company.
Planning Director Darling asked if the Council was comfortable including the Garden Patch site
and the small storage building.
There was Consensus of the Council to include those locations.
3. ADJOURN
Johnson moved, Sundberg seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session Meeting
of November 23, 2020, at 6:36 P.M. Roll Call Vote: Ayes — all. Motion passed 5/0.
ATTEST:
Sc Zerby, t
or
Sandie Thone, ity Clerk