SUNFISH LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING - March 6, 2024

SUNFISH LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

First Calvary Baptist Church – 5495 S Robert Trail

7:00 P.M.

 

 

Attendants

Acting Mayor:                 Mike Hovey

Councilmembers:           Present: Ginny Beckett, Steve Bulach, Shannon Nelson

                                           Absent:  Mayor O’Leary

City Attorney:                  Timothy Kuntz

City Forester:                   Jim Nayes

Police Chief:                     Brian Sturgeon

City Engineer:                  Justin Messner

City Planner:                    Lori Johnson

City Clerk:                         Christy Wilcox

City Treasurer:                Char Stark

 

 

  1. Call to Order

 

  1. Approve Agenda

 

Acting Mayor Hovey asked if there were any additions or corrections to the agenda.

             

              Councilmember Nelson moved to adopt the agenda, seconded by Councilmember Bulach.  Motion carried (4-0).

 

  1. Consent Agenda

 

              Councilmember Bulach moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Councilmember Beckett.  Motion carried (4-0).

 

  1. Approve Regular Minutes of February 6, 2024
  2. List of Bills
  3. Monthly Financial Statements
  4. Receive Building Inspection Report
  5. Receive City Forester Report
  6. Receive Public Safety Report

 

  1. Comments from the Public

 

              There were no comments from the public.

  1. Public Hearing/Presentations

              There were no public hearings or presentations.

 

 

 

 

  1. Planner’s Report:

 

  • 389 Salem Church Road: The property owner withdrew the application for a variance and major site plan approval that was scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission in February.  The property owner indicated he would start a new process with a new revised plan sometime in the future. 
  • 2570 Delaware: The homeowners are pursuing the installation of a pool, bocce ball court and putting greens, as well as entry monuments/gates and a tree house.  The contractor has submitted an application for major site plan approval, a conditional use permit and variances related to this project.  Plans were also submitted recently, and staff is still reviewing the plans at the time of writing this report.  If it is determined that the application is complete, the project would be placed on the April Planning Commission agenda.  If the application is determined to be incomplete, the Planning Commission date would be determined by the date of any resubmittals.  The application is for:

 

  • Major Site Plan Approval for the project which is over 1,000 square feet in size.
  • Conditional Use Permit for more than one accessory structure and for the location of accessory structure in the front yard.
  • Variance for the location of entrance monuments in the side yard setback, and a variance for the 120 square foot proposed tree house for its location within the side yard setback. (The tree house is considered an accessory structure.)

 

  • 5960 Zehnder Road: The property owner has applied for a variance to install a new septic system within the required 150-foot setback from the ordinary high-water mark.  Staff’s initial review of the submittal has resulted in an incomplete letter to the applicant.  Much information was missing from the submittal, including a grading and drainage plan, which is critical for this project on this site.  Staff is waiting for the resubmittal of requested information.
  • 205 Salem Church Road: The landscaping/grading project at this address has been fully inspected and approved. 
  • Ordinance Updates: Several chapters have been redlined and the Mayor and I will be meeting to discuss the proposed ordinance changes.
  • HF4009-0: This is the number of a proposed bill that is working its way through the state legislature currently, and it is known as the “Missing Middle Housing” bill.  Based on information that has been circling in our professional organizations, we know this might have legs in the legislature.  It is essentially a bill to combat the affordable housing crisis in the state of Minnesota.  It has major implications for cities of all sizes.  The League of Minnesota Cities is lobbying against this proposal.  The impacts may not be as great for Sunfish Lake because of its size, but I have yet to find out what cities of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th class are defined as.  But here are some key points listed in this bill:

 

  • A city must authorize at least six types of “middle housing” other than single-family. The list of “middle housing” includes a variety of multi-family, cottage housing and “courtyard apartments”.
  • For smaller cities, required residential densities. (Probably at least two units per lot for SFL)
  • Residential development requirements for locations close to a “major transit stop” – basically bus stops or light rail stops.
  • Cities cannot use zoning/performance standards to eliminate the higher density units.
  • If a city does not have a major stop, it must designate the boundaries of at least one commercial district in the city, and the boundaries of that district have to be treated as a major stop for the purpose of meeting the requirement above about major stops.
  • Mandates ADU’s (at least one per lot).
  • The minimum lot size for smaller cities cannot be more than 4,000 square feet for most of the “middle housing” or 1,200 square feet for townhomes and cottage housing.
  • It expressly limits the dimensional elements that can be imposed by a city. Cities cannot impose architectural features, minimum square footage, garage square footage, or floor area ratios and must not create practical difficulties in the placement of residential units on any lot.
  • Certain dimensional elements must be increased by 10% for certain types of dwellings.
  • Administrative review (essentially building permits) of certain subdivisions and a mandate that cities create a review process for those subdivisions.
  • A model ordinance will be coming.

 

  • Met Council Forecasts: Minnesota Statutes 473.146 and 473.859 assign the Metropolitan Council responsibility for developing long-range forecasts and using forecasts as a foundation for coordinated planning. The forecasts describe likely and reasoned expectations of regional growth based on an understanding and modeling of regional dynamics.  Tables have been presented for Sunfish Lake’s projects. There is an opportunity to provide comments on this round of forecasts and I will be making the following comments to the Met Council:
  1. What is “employment” defined as? Does it include City Contract staff or employees of the churches within the city?
  2. Please provide the number being used for household size.
  3. Can you explain how the population of Sunfish Lake goes down and the number of households goes up?

It is important to pay attention to these numbers now as they will guide what is being called “Imagine 2050”, the process for the next round of required comprehensive plan updates by 2030.  I do not see anything alarming about these numbers, and there will be other opportunities for input.

Metropolitan Council uses UrbanSim, a real estate market simulation model, to develop the local forecast set. The local forecast set describes the geographic pattern of expected future growth. The logic of UrbanSim is the market sorting of real estate demand and creation of new supply in locations that are the most preferred and available. The main determinants of local forecasts are location characteristics and amenities, activity patterns and accessibility.

 

  1. Engineer’s Report:

 

  • Engineering Activities Undertaken in the Month of February

 

  1. Dakota County CIP Meeting: Staff attended a meeting for the Dakota County 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Program on February 16, 2024.
    • Dakota County discussed conducting a study to evaluate construction of a pedestrian trail along Delaware Avenue from the I-494 overpass to TH 62. The study to be completed in 2028 will determine the feasibility and location of the future pedestrian trail.
    • Dakota County will be leading a study for the future design and construction of a new interchange at I-494 and Delaware Avenue. Staff will be a part of the Project Management Team to provide representation for the City of Sunfish Lake

 

  • Building and Site Reviews in the Month of February

 

  1. Staff conducted reviews for the following properties this past month:

 

  • 2570 Delaware Avenue – Staff is reviewing the latest submittal for this property for a Major Site Plan Review
  • 205 Salem Church Road – Staff met with the applicants to conduct a re-review of the final site improvements. The final as-built for the site improvements was received and verified in the filed to be compliant with the approved plan.

 

  • Public Works Activities Undertaken in the Month of October

 

  • The post for the fire sign that was knocked down at 2 Salem Lane has been replaced.
  • The City of Sunfish Lake follows MnDot’s timelines set for placing spring load limit restrictions. Road restrictions went into effect on SFL city streets on February 26, 2024.  City staff posted the necessary street signage. It is anticipated that road restrictions will come off sometime in April or May (dictated by MnDOT).

 

  • Anticipated Engineering/Public Work Activities for the Month of March

 

  • 2024 Met Council Citizen’s Assisted Monitoring Program (CAMP) – Staff is requesting the City Council’s consideration and approval to participate in the 2024 CAMP program.

 

Moved by Councilmember Nelson to approve the participation in the 2024 CAMP program for water quality monitoring for Sunfish, Horseshoe and Hornbeam Lakes at a cost of $760 for each lake seconded by Councilmember Beckett.  Motion carried (4-0).

 

  • 2024 City Parcel Map – Staff will be updating the City Parcel Map based upon updated GIS information on-file with Dakota County

 

  • 2024 Pavement Management Work Plan

 

Moved by Councilmember Bulach to approve the 2024 Pavement Management Work Plan as submitted by WSB for a total cost not to exceed $8,559.00, seconded by Councilmember Hovey.  Motion carried (4-0)

 

 

 

  1. 8. NEW/OTHER MATTERS:

 

              There were no new matters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Adjournment

              Acting Mayor Hovey adjourned the meeting at 7:41 p.m.

 

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________                     ___________________________________

Christy Wilcox, City Clerk                                                        Mike Hovey, Acting Mayor