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05 06 2025 City Council MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, was held at 7:00 p.m, at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Levine called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Councilors Lorberbaum, Maczko, Mazzitello, and Paper, were also present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council, the audience, and staff recited the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ADOPTION Mayor Levine presented the agenda for adoption. Councilor Lorberbaum moved adoption of the agenda. Councilor Mazzitello seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 PUBLIC COMMENTS City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson commented on an art project that was completed earlier in the day, noting that turtles were painted, along with slow -down cautionary words, in areas where turtles are often crossing the roads. Liz Petschel, 645 Quail Ridge Circle, commented that she came across the paintings today and found them very meaningful. She commented that the residents in the Copperfield area protect the turtles and assist them in a safe crossing to the pond. She believed that the City should publicize these efforts and share them with others, as this is a low-cost, creative solution. She recognized and thanked the Police and Fire Departments for their efforts Sunday night related to an issue with a power pole at Dodge Nature Center. Tom Bonnett, 2145 Aztec Lane, spoke about his desire to protect the turtles, noting that they are often crossing the roads to lay their eggs. He stated that the number of injured and dead turtles seems to increase each year and appreciated the pilot program of the City, intending to make drivers more attentive to the turtles. He recognized that Police Chief Kelly McCarthy is funding the project, noting that his family is donating to the cause, and encouraged others to donate as well. He asked that drivers be cautious and on alert for turtles crossing the roads. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Levine presented the consent agenda and explained the procedure for discussion and approval. Councilor Mazzitello moved approval of the consent agenda as presented, pulling items C, J, K, and L. a. Approval of April 15, 2025, City Counci] Minutes b. Approval of April 15, 2025, Council Work Session Minutes e Approve Resolution -2025 21 Aeeept: a Denation to the Mendota LT.,igh4., n,f. sie iii the n...a_ Series d. Approve Resolution No. 2025-25 Approving an Administrative MRCCA Minor Development Permit to 1125 Orchard Circle (Planning Case No. 2025-05) e. Approve Out of Metro Travel Request — Fire Marshal f. Approve Contract to Install LED Streetlight Fixtures g. Approve Massage Therapist License Renewals and a Massage Business License Renewal h. Approve Liquor License Renewals i. Approve a Change Order to the Fire Station Roof Replacement Project Approve an Amendment to the Lease AgreefnefA with Vpri�z.Rn Wifs'eqs for SFaall Cell k. Aeeept the Retirement Notice ofv bl rxl 1 M manse L ate• - �� 1 Aee pt the Resignation e f Mendota Heights Firefighter G h Gefifie m. Acknowledge the January 2025 Fire Synopsis n. Approval of Claims List Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 PULLED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS C) APPROVE RESOLUTION 2025-21 ACCEPTING A DONATION TO THE MENDOTA HEIGHTS MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES Mayor Levine thanked the Mendota Heights Community Foundation for its donation of $1,600 to the City summer concerts. Councilor Mazzitello moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 2025-21 ACCEPTING A DONATION TO THE MENDOTA HEIGHTS MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES. Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 May 6, 2025, Mendota Heiglus City Council Page 2 of IO T) APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON WIRELESS FOR SMALL CELL Councilor Maczko commented that he appreciates Verizon improving its cell service in this area and asked if that has also been considered for the northern portion of the community. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that there are three small cell facilities in the industrial park, and this will improve one of those towers. He commented that staff have been in contact with a cellular provider to expand coverage where there is currently a gap in the community. Councilor Maczko appreciated that effort and hoped that the City could help to encourage those efforts. Councilor Lorberbaum hoped that the effort would be duplicated by other carriers as well. Mayor Levine stated that there were changes to the City Code to make it easier for cellular providers to come into the community. Councilor Mazzitello moved to approve AN AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON WIRELESS FOR SMALL CELL. Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 K) Accept the Retirement Notice of Public Works Maintenance Lead Tim Oster Councilor Maczko recognized the work that is done by staff to improve the lives of residents in the community. He stated that he has known Tim Oster for a long time, and he is an exceptional Public Works employee. He also recognized him for his 16 years of service to the Fire Department. He wished him luck in his retirement. Councilor Maczko moved to accept the RETIREMENT NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE LEAD TIM OSIER. Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Further discussion: Councilor Mazzitello stated that he worked with Tim Oster for eight years in the Public Works Deparhnent and echoed the comments about his skilled and dedicated service. He recognized that this is the latest in a list of retirements of long-term employees. He recognized that the City is a great place to work, which is why employees stay for that length of time. Mayor Levine echoed the comments and thanked Mr. Oster for his service. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Page 3 of IO L) ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS FIREFIGHTER GRETCHEN CONNER Councilor Maczko commented that while he hoped that Firefighter Conner would have stayed with the department longer, he is encouraged by the applications the department has received and thanked Ms. Conner for her service. Councilor Maczko moved to accept the RESIGNATION OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS FIREFIGHTER GRETCHEN CONNER, Councilor Mazzitello seconded the motion. Further discussion: Mayor Levine echoed the comments of thanks to Ms. Conner and all the Mendota Heights Firefighters for their service to the community. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 PRESENTATIONS A) 2024 DAKOTA COUNTY HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT Community Development Manager Sarah Madden introduced the guest Tony Schertler, Executive Director of Dakota County CDA, commented that every five years, the County completes a housing needs analysis county -wide and stated that this year it was broken down per community as well. He introduced the consultant who was present to review the information specific to Mendota Heights. Patrick Bowen, Bowen National Research, presented an overview of the 2024 Dakota County Housing Needs Assessment and discussed the City of Mendota Heights addendum to the report. Councilor Maczko asked if a city can ever be 100 percent occupied. He stated that the housing stock is low because people want to live in the community. He recognized that more people want to live in the community, but they could also destroy the magic of the community by overdeveloping. Mr. Bowen replied that the city does not have a lot of housing available for people to rent or buy. He stated that there are times when the circumstances of residents change and they want to stay in the community, but there are no available housing opportunities. He stated that housing can also impact local businesses in their ability to attract and retain workers. Councilor Lorberbaum thanked Mr. Bowen for the information and commented that she enjoyed reading the report, which provided data and informative charts. She believed that they needed to further understand the impact and how they could take action. She recognized that the data shows a need for affordable housing, but noted that the challenge is that they lack the available space to build it. Mr. Bowen stated that there was a similar comment from Inver Grove Heights, and their takeaway was that they would use this data to begin discussions on priorities and who they want to be as a community. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Page 4 oj10 He stated that the study did not include available land or redevelopment opportunities. He noted that senior housing, such as condos, allows seniors to downsize and remain in the community, which also frees up additional housing stock for others to move into the community. He stated that there are great resources out there to help a city encourage and pursue the type of development it would like to attract. Councilor Maczko recognized the trend that more people want to work remotely and asked if there have been trends in that since COVID. Mr. Bowen commented that the overall study does include the number of people who work from home, although that was not in this specific chapter. He agreed that the number has increased, noting that 25 percent of his own employees work remotely. Mayor Levine commented that 22.7 percent of Mendota Heights residents work from home. Mr. Bowen commented that it is a high percentage for a community. Councilor Paper referenced the number of 12,000 people commuting into the City to work and asked for more clarification. Mr. Bowen commented that those are people commuting into the community to work in the city, but do not live in the community. Councilor Paper asked for more information on the low-income tax credit unit. Mr. Bowen stated it was a Federal program managed by the State and provided information on the financial information for the affordable or attainable housing program using the low-income tax credit. Councilor Paper referenced the statement that one in five renters are paying 50 percent or more of their income on rent and asked how that person would qualify for an apartment. Mr. Bowen replied that it would be a decision of the management for the apartment and noted that sometimes that is dipping into the lower -level rentals. Councilor Paper commented that the population dropped during COVID while the housing stock increased and asked for more information. Mr. Bowen stated that it is not unusual to have a decline in population but an increase in households, as some younger people are not having children. He noted that other households have children who move from their parents' home to an apartment, and therefore, the household number increases, but the population does not. Councilor Mazzitello stated that there are housing shortages across the board at every level and recognized the demand for senior housing. He commented that the current generation of seniors is twice as large as the next generation and asked what will happen to the senior housing when the gap appears. Mr. Bowen agreed that the population will decline at some point because there will be more deaths than births. He was unsure what the impact would be on senior housing at that time. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Page 5 of 10 Mayor Levine stated that Mendota Heights is unique, recognizing the large portion of the population that is over 75. She stated that group of people may also be lower -income residents in the data but noted that she would not typically consider that group to be house stressed. Mr. Bowen stated that they used 65 and older for the senior population but noted that he did not distinguish the seniors in the lower -income data. He agreed that seniors can fall into that lower income range and can endure a higher cost burden as they are no longer raising children and have fewer expenses. Mayor Levine commented that they have talked a lot about household projections. She stated that Mendota Heights is part of a larger Dakota County community. She stated that residents move around throughout the county during their lifetime. She stated that they can look outside of the city to solve some of the issues, noting that West Saint Paul attracts young people with its apartments, and Lilydale has attracted some seniors with its new senior development. Mr. Bowen agreed that the cities are interdependent in that way. He also recognized that each community may have its limitations as to what it can accommodate. Councilor Maczko recognized the size difference of different communities and therefore agreed that looking at it region -wide makes sense because each community can offer something different. Mr. Schertler agreed with the comments about the region, noting redevelopment opportunities within Dakota County, which will provide senior and workforce housing. He commented that there is room within the county to grow, but they would not expect that to occur in Mendota Heights, which is a built" out community. He also recognized that many of the seniors within senior housing in Mendota Heights only have Social Security as their income. He explained how the County will activate the data from the study to add housing in other areas. He stated that when the senior housing bubble pops, they could remove the age restriction, and it could become open to all ages for rental. He commented that the housing options that will be developed may not be in Mendota Heights, but would be close in proximity. Councilor Maczko agreed that a greater approach does show the need within the region that would attract a developer. Mayor Levine recognized the great work that CDA does and was thankful for the partnership they continue to have. PUBLIC HEARING A) RESOLUTION 2025-26 ORDERING OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE KENSINGTON EAST STREET IMPROVEMENTS Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie explained that the Council was being asked to approve Resolution 2025-26 ordering of improvements for the Kensington East Street Improvements. Councilor Maczko asked if ten years is the typical assessment period. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights Ciry Council Page 6 of I o Finance Director Kristen Schabacker replied that a full reconstruction of the road would have a term of 20 years, while the rehab projects would have a term of ten years. Councilor Mazzitello commended staff, noting that the last several road projects and presentations have been very thorough and well thought out. Councilor Maczko stated that perhaps when the trail is added to the north side of Mendota Heights Road, they could go into the roadway a bit rather than the right-of-way to narrow the road and help to slow traffic speeds. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that parking along Mendota Heights Road is very valuable for the park, and therefore, they would not want to go into the road. Councilor Maczko agreed that parking is valuable near the park. He noted that his comment was simply a consideration for the future. Councilor Mazzitello moved to open the public hearing. Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 There being no one coming forward to speak, Councilor Paper moved to close the public hearing. Councilor Mazzitello seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Councilor Maczko asked if there were any written comments received related to this project. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie replied that he has not received any comments. Councilor Mazzitello moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO.2025-26 ORDERING OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE KENSINGTON EAST STREET IMPROVEMENTS (PROJECT #202506), Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS A) RESOLUTION 2025-24 APPROVING THE FINAL PLAT OF CAMPION ESTATES (PLANNING CASE 2025-01) Community Development Manager Sarah Madden explained that the Council was being asked to approve Resolution 2025-24 approving the Final Plat of Campion Estates and for the property located at 772 and 790 Ridge Place (Planning Case No. 2025-01). Councilor Maczko asked for clarification on the land to be dedicated and whether that aligns with the needs for the future trail crossing. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Page 7 oj10 Community Development Manager Sarah Madden provided additional information on the calculation that was completed for the land dedication. She noted that if the County does need more land, it would need to follow its typical land acquisition process, as this amount of land does equate to the ten percent dedication the City can request. Councilor Maczko commented that he wanted to ensure that the needs and desires are clearly communicated, as there is a priority for the pedestrian crossing. He did not want there to be any surprises later for the property owner. Councilor Mazzitello identified and received confirmation on the public right -of --way that now runs along Dodd. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that the County would need to acquire additional right- of-way for a tunnel if the northern alignment is chosen. He stated that this plat will provide the ability to provide a connection from Ridge Place to Dodd Road, which was a priority for the neighborhood. Councilor Mazzitello stated that Mr. Campion is the applicant, but there are actually two property owners, and the second property owner is a part of this plat. Councilor Mazzitello moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 2025-24 APPROVING A FINAL PLAT OF CAMPION ESTATES AT 772 AND 790 RIDGE PLACE (PLANNING CASE NO, 2025-01). Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 B) RESOLUTION 2025-22 SANITARY SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENT Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek provided a brief background on this item. The Council was being asked to consider Resolution 2025-22, providing a new sanitary sewer utility billing rate for 2025. Councilor Mazzitello commented that the increase was identified in the rate study completed a few years agoI Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek confirmed that they changed the utility billing structure two or three years ago to provide more fair and equitable rates for users. Councilor Mazzitello stated that the 31 percent increase is from the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services is the largest he has seen and asked if there is a large project anticipated above the increase in precipitation and infiltration that drove the increase. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that the City is trying to be more proactive and provided more information. Councilor Maczko commented that the 31 percent is the increased flow rate and not the cost increase. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights Ciry Council page 8 of 10 Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek confirmed that there was a 31 percent increase in the flow rate and a 30.9 percent increase in the rate. Councilor Lorberbaum moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO, 2025-22 AUTHORIZING SANITARY SEWER USAGE RATES BEGINNING IN 2025, Councilor Mazzitello seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 C) RESOLUTION 2025-23 STORM SEWER UTILITY RATE ADJUSTMENT Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek provided a brief background on this item. The Council was being asked to consider Resolution 2025-23, providing a new storm sewer utility billing rate for 2025. Councilor Lorberbaum asked what the definition was for institution. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that it would be the schools and public properties Councilor Maczko asked if there is additional credit for pervious property. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that at this time, the City does not have a credit for BMPs, noting that the City is the one installing the curb cut rain gardens, and the ponds are typically regional ponds. Councilor Maczko stated that perhaps the incentive program is something that could be considered in the future, as that could help not only the benefiting properties but other properties as well. Councilor Mazzitello moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO, 2025-23 AUTHORIZING STORM WATER UTILITY RATES BEGINNING IN 2025, Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson announced upcoming community events and activities. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilor Mazzitello recognized recent events, including National Firefighter Appreciation Day, Cinco de Mayo, and the 80'h anniversary of the end of the Second World War. He commented that May is the month when military families are recognized. Councilor Lorberbaum thanked Dakota County CDA for the presentation and information provided through the study. She also echoed the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights Ciry Council Page 9 of 10 Councilor Maczko stated that as they go forward into warmer temperatures, there is also a risk of severe weather and encouraged residents to be prepared. He asked drivers to slow down and be aware, as more pedestrians and animals are crossing the road. He commented that MnDOT recently increased the speed limit on Highway 62 and would like MnDOT to make a presentation on its vision for Highway 62. He stated that the speed limit should be reduced to 50, as it separates the community, and increasing the speed only increases that divide. He noted that the increased truck traffic also increases noise for residents. Councilor Paper thanked Tim Oster for his 30 years of service to the community. He also wished a happy birthday to Levi Paper. Mayor Levine commented that she had a great time at pickleball with public safety the previous week. ADJOURN Councilor Mazzitello moved to adjourn. Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Mayor Levine adjourned the meeting at 9:14 p.m. el it v Step anie 19. Levine Mayor ATTEST: roco e4— ancy tsauer ity Clerk May 6, 2025, Mendota Heights City Ccemci/ Page 10 of 10