City Council

REGULAR ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING – AUGUST 17, 2021 MINUTES The Regular Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Sheri Bukkila, August 17, 2021, 7:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Councilmembers present: Valerie Holthus, Jamie Barthel, Ted Butler, and Randy Nelson Councilmember absent: None Also present: Public Works Director/City Engineer, Dave Berkowitz Community Development Director, Joe Janish City Attorney, Scott Baumgartner Others PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FIREFIGHTER PINNING CEREMONY Fire Chief Jones came forward and introduced 6 new firefighters. He explained the new recruits have trained for the past year to become firefighters. Chief Jones thanked the firefighters, family members, Council, and community for supporting the firefighters during their journey. Chief Jones introduced each firefighter and the family member that is placing the pin on them. Mayor Bukkila conducted the swearing in ceremony for the firefighters and congratulated them on their achievement. PROCLAMATION – CONSTITUTION WEEK Mayor Bukkila proclaimed September 17-23, 2021 as Constitution Week. RESIDENT FORUM No one appeared before the Council. AGENDA APPROVAL Motion by Barthel, Seconded by Nelson, to approve the Agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES August 2, 2021 Regular Meeting Motion by Barthel, Seconded by Nelson, to approve the August 2, 2021 Regular Meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried 4 ayes, 1 present (Bukkila). CONSENT ITEMS Item 2 Approve Payment of Claims Item 3 Accept Petition/Waive Public Hearing/Order & Adopt Assessment Roll/21-46/14452 Round Lake Blvd. NW/WM (See Resolution R059-21) Item 4 Approve Natural Resource Improvement Grant/21-44/Installation of a Cedar Tree Revetment/Timber Rivers Park Item 5 Approve Corrected Ordinance Rezoning Andover Village (See Ordinance 521) Item 6 Approve Fee Schedule (See Ordinance 522) Item 7 Receive July 2021 City Investment Reports Item 8 Receive July 2021 General Fund Budget Progress Report Item 9 Accept Planning & Zoning Commissioner Resignation Item 10 Approve Extension of Liquor License/Beef O' Brady's Item 11 Approve FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (See Resolution R060-21) Motion by Barthel, Seconded by Nelson, to approve the Consent Agenda as read. Motion carried unanimously. ANOKA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE MONTHLY REPORT Commander Lenzmeier provided a monthly report for July 2021, reporting 1,117 calls for service. He reported 4 burglaries and 18 thefts. Commander Lenzmeier stated there were 4 felony arrests, 8 misdemeanor arrests, and 8 DWIs. He noted there has been an increase in arrests when compared to 2020. Commander Lenzmeier stated three of the DWIs consisted of drivers speeding 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. He stated Deputies made 114 traffic stops issuing 76 citations. Commander Lenzmeier explained Anoka County is making stops for minor traffic violations. He stated a Deputy pulled over a vehicle for expired tabs and discovered the car did not have insurance and found 13 grams of meth and .6 grams of fentanyl. Councilmember Butler asked if the numbers in 2020 were lower due to COVID and if 2021 reflects normal activity or if the Council should be concerned about the increase. Commander Lenzmeier stated 2021 is consistent with 2019 and there is not a reason to be concerned at this time. Mayor Bukkila asked Commander Lenzmeier to provide a comparison with 2019 and email it to the Council. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 3 SKETCH PLAN/PUD CONCEPT PLAN REVIEW – ANDOVER CROSSINGS SKETCH PLAN – PID# 30-32-24-43-0001 – LGA, ANDOVER LLC (APPLICANT) The City Council is requested to review a sketch plan for a commercial and multifamily Planned Unit Development (PUD) known as Andover Crossings for the undeveloped site at the northeast corner of 7th Avenue NW and Bunker Lake Boulevard. Community Development Director Janish reviewed the purpose of a PUD and the requirements of the Met Council for density and affordability. He stated the area is guided residential 12-20 units per acre and includes commercial lots. Mr. Janish stated the development is proposing market rate apartments, assisted living, and commercial uses which have yet to be identified. Mr. Janish pointed out the access points, including a new signal on 7th Avenue, access on 7th Avenue, and the potential access on Bunker Lake Boulevard. Mr. Janish identified the utility and wetland locations. Mr. Janish explained the developer is requesting deviations for lot area, front yard setbacks, side yard setbacks, width of parking stalls, the number of underground parking stalls, shared access for commercial properties, parking setbacks, and the averaging of density. Mr. Janish explained the lot area required by current City Code and stated the developer is proposing to reduce the lot area from 4,000 – 5,000 square feet per bedroom to 2,022-2,786 square feet per bedroom. Mr. Janish stated the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing and received comments from residents. The comments included traffic concerns regarding congestion, speed, and safety. Residents also brought up density concerns, environmental concerns, and the number of PUDs the City is approving. Mr. Janish stated the website agenda did not indicate the Planning and Zoning Commission was conducting a public hearing, but all other notification requirements were met. Mr. Janish listed other comments received by the public as written in the staff report. Mr. Janish summarized questions and concerns raised by the Planning and Zoning Commission primarily around traffic, pedestrians, and safety. Mr. Janish explained the height of the building will exceed the City Code maximum of 35 feet. He stated the height elevation can exceed 35 feet through a Conditional Use Permit if the development meets certain conditions. Blaine Waters, LGA Andover, LLC, came forward and stated they chose this site for the favorable location and mixed usage. Mr. Waters said the site includes 6 acres of commercial property, a 150-unit apartment building, and a 32-unit assisted living facility. Mr. Waters displayed photos of other projects his company has completed to give the Council an idea of what the Andover site will look like. Councilmember Barthel noted one of the commercial buildings was shown as two stories. Mr. Waters stated there are no specified uses for the commercial buildings and the buildings that are Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 4 shown are for conceptual purposes. Mr. Waters believes most of the businesses will be retail and one story. Councilmember Nelson asked about the area being pedestrian friendly with sidewalks throughout. Mr. Waters stated the intent is to do a sidewalk along the road that connects Bunker Lake Boulevard and 7th Avenue. Councilmember Butler asked what the plan is for bike and pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Bunker Lake Boulevard and 7th Avenue. Mr. Janish stated there is a signal at 7th Avenue and Bunker and the expected crossing is at that intersection with existing trails. Councilmember Butler asked if there would be a crossing at the new signal on 7th Avenue. Mr. Janish stated that was correct. Mayor Bukkila asked if there would be pedestrian access from Bunker and 7th Avenue to the commercial area. Mr. Janish stated they have not discussed a short cut to the commercial area, however, there are connections at the internal intersections. Mayor Bukkila said kids will cut through green space and a trail may as well be built. Della Kolpin, developer of the apartment building, came forward and spoke about the trail segments. She said the assisted living facility will have a trail and the apartment complex will connect to it. She stated there will be sidewalks along the residential side to ensure pedestrians can get around safely. Councilmember Nelson stated the goal is to make it pedestrian friendly and safe. Ms. Kolpin noted the site is 6.73 acres and they are proposing a 3-story building with 150 units and a below grade parking garage with two entrances. She explained how the building was oriented to maximize sunlight. She addressed the fire lane on each side of the building connected by a walking path behind the building. Ms. Kolpin identified the amenities of the building including a playground, community room, community patio, fitness center, dog wash, dog park, and business center. Ms. Kolpin explained the formula they used to determine parking: 1 stall per studio unit, 1.5 stalls per 1 bedroom unit, and 2 stalls per 2-bedroom units. She noted the apartment building grounds has 44% green space. Ms. Kolpin explained they are focusing on office space in each unit and an expanded business center. She showed an example of a three- story building with a gabled roof at a height of 40 feet. She showed examples of interior photos. Councilmember Holthus asked about the fire lane access on the east side and if the emergency vehicle can go on the trail. Ms. Kolpin stated the fire vehicles can go as far as the fire lane and will not go on the trail. Ms. Kolpin stated the fire lanes are built to accommodate the truck and length of the hose. Councilmember Holthus asked if there would be a property manager on site and if they would be available 24 hours a day. Ms. Kolpin stated it is yet to be determined. She said there will be a manager, assistant manager, and maintenance. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 5 Councilmember Barthel asked why the underground parking stalls are 9 feet instead of 10 feet wide. Ms. Kolpin stated the 9-foot width gets them as close to the desired number of parking stalls and gives them a good layout with the building’s structure. She said the spaces on the surface will be 10 feet wide. Councilmember Nelson asked how much above ground the garage would be. Ms. Kolpin stated the garage is below grade. Councilmember Nelson asked why the City Code is set at 35 feet. Mr. Janish does not know why it is set at 35 feet but says City Code does allow the height to exceed 35 feet if conditions are met. He explained the main reason to ensure the Fire Department can fight a fire at the height of the building. Councilmember Holthus asked for the timeline of the reconstruction of 7th Avenue and recommended a trail along the road. Public Works Director/City Engineer Berkowitz stated the City is working with the County on Federal Aid Applications to redo 7th Avenue going north. He said there is not a timeline at this point and any project will be driven by the funding. Mr. Berkowitz noted a trail along 7th Avenue is in the city trail plan. Councilmember Holthus asked if the trail proposed in the development will connect to the City of Anoka trails at the new signal. Mr. Berkowitz believes there is a connection to the City of Anoka trail and if there is not, the City will look at building a trail connection with the signal improvements. Mayor Bukkila said the development has come a long way since it was first discussed. She stated the project is a first of its kind in Andover and it creates anxiety in residents. Mayor Bukkila likes the layout of the current concept plan. She is concerned with the parking and would like as much indoor parking as possible to reduce opportunities for theft. Mayor Bukkila noted the assisted living facility may be converted to another usage in the future, so the limited parking is concerning. Mayor Bukkila would like to see pedestrian crossing in the development due to the fact that kids will not go out of their way to cross at an intersection to get to the commercial area. Mayor Bukkila stated she is open to a flat roof as long as it works with the development. Councilmember Holthus stated a gabled roof adds class. Councilmember Butler agreed the gabled roof looks nicer. Councilmember Butler encouraged the developer to work on a natural flow of pedestrian access to ensure safety. Councilmember Barthel would be open to a flat roof because a gabled roof adds a lot of height. Mayor Bukkila said a flat roof can be used for an amenity. Councilmember Nelson is open to both and is concerned about the height. Mayor Bukkila asked about the stormwater pond on the east side if they are installing safety precautions since it is close to the playground. Ms. Kolpin said it is a filtration pond and there won’t be water in it most of the time. She said they are moving one of the ponds. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 6 Wade Tollefson, with the assistant living facility, came forward and said they are out of Anoka and have done projects in Andover. Mr. Tollefson explained the senior building will consist of 32 units on one level. They will be the contractor, owner, and operator of the building. Mr. Tollefson displayed a rendering of the building and described the exterior. He stated there will be a fenced in patio and a walking path that connects to the development’s trails. Mr. Tollefson displayed photos of a similar building using high end finishes with eating and activity areas. The facility will have a commercial kitchen and salon. Mr. Tollefson said the building has two wings: one assisted living and one memory care. He described the amount and type of staffing including aides, nurses, chef, activities director, and building manager. Mr. Tollefson addressed the parking and said they are looking to have 20 parking stalls which is similar to their other facilities. Councilmember Nelson asked if the memory care unit will be locked down. Mr. Tollefson said the entire building is locked and a code or access card is needed to come and go. Councilmember Nelson asked if there would be a medical director. Mr. Tollefson said they have an Executive Director license and all the other licenses that a care center needs. He said a registered nurse is on site during the week and a doctor comes in as needed. Fire Chief Jones came forward and said he has reviewed the plan. He said the building is sufficiently protected by sprinklers. His biggest concern is access for the fire trucks. Chief Jones requested the fire lanes be longer. He said with sprinklers, fires are statistically contained to the unit involved. Mayor Bukkila asked if the Fire Department would review the landscape plan. Mr. Janish said the plans go through the Andover Review Committee which includes every department for their comments. Mayor Bukkila asked what the timeline is for the project. Mr. Janish stated it depends on when they apply. He believes they are looking at a spring 2022 start. Mr. Janish said staff and the developer work on the plan several times before bringing it to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mr. Janish explained there will be several opportunities for public comment regarding the project. Councilmember Barthel stated he is fine with 9-foot stalls in the underground garage. He wants more than 16 stalls for the assisted living facility and with 10-foot stalls outdoors. He stated if there are any two-story commercial buildings, he would prefer them located on Bunker Lake Boulevard. The Council reached consensus for as much indoor parking with 9-foot stalls as possible and outdoor stalls remaining at 10 feet. Mayor Bukkila referring to the assisted living facility said the Council has to look at the future of Andover and how this development can change. She said they are willing to concede some items, but they want to be as close to the Code as they can. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 7 PUBLIC HEARING/PRIVATE KENNEL LICENSE/3300 153RD AVENUE – APPLICATION WITHDRAWN RESCHEDULE NOVEMBER 2, 2021 COUNCIL MEETING Motion by Holthus, Seconded by Barthel, to reschedule the November 2, 2021 Regular Council Meeting to Monday, November 1, 2021. Motion carried unanimously. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT City Staff updated the Council on the administration and city department activities, legislative updates, updates on development/CIP projects, and meeting reminders/community events. (Public Works/Engineering) – Mr. Berkowitz stated the City has issued 86 new home starts. He updated the Council on development projects under construction and under review. He stated the Lift Station 11 project has begun. (Community Development) – Mr. Janish stated the Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on August 24th for public hearings on the Fields at Winslow Cove and the Meadows at Nightingale. Mr. Janish noted the asphalt will be replaced at one of the four-plexes owned by the EDA. (Fire Department) – Chief Jones stated the Fire Department requested a grant through FEMA for communications. He explained the purpose and benefits of improving communications. The Fire Department received a $189,000 grant and the City contributed $17,000. Mayor Bukkila said she appreciates the efforts of the Fire Department to pursue outside funds and improving the Fire Department processes. MAYOR/COUNCIL INPUT Nothing was reported. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Holthus, Seconded by Barthel, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:51 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Shari Kunza, Recording Secretary TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2021 Page 8 REGULAR ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES – AUGUST 17, 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE..........................................................................................................1 FIREFIGHTER PINNING CEREMONY.......................................................................................1 PROCLAMATION – CONSTITUTION WEEK............................................................................1 RESIDENT FORUM.......................................................................................................................1 AGENDA APPROVAL.................................................................................................................. 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES........................................................................................................... 2 CONSENT ITEMS..........................................................................................................................2 Item 2 Approve Payment of Claims.............................................................................................2 Item 3 Accept Petition/Waive Public Hearing/Order & Adopt Assessment Roll/21-46/14452 Round Lake Blvd. NW/WM (R059-21)........................................................................... 2 Item 4 Approve Natural Resource Improvement Grant/21-44/Installation of a Cedar Tree Revetment/Timber Rivers Park........................................................................................ 2 Item 5 Approve Corrected Ordinance Rezoning Andover Village (Ord. 521)............................ 2 Item 6 Approve Fee Schedule (Ord. 522).................................................................................... 2 Item 7 Receive July 2021 City Investment Reports.....................................................................2 Item 8 Receive July 2021 General Fund Budget Progress Report...............................................2 Item 9 Accept Planning & Zoning Commissioner Resignation...................................................2 Item 10 Approve Extension of Liquor License/Beef O' Brady's................................................... 2 Item 11 Approve FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (R060-21)...........................................2 SKETCH PLAN/PUD CONCEPT PLAN REVIEW – ANDOVER CROSSINGS SKETCH PLAN – PID# 30-32-24-43-0001 – LGA, ANDOVER LLC (APPLICANT)................ 2 PUBLIC HEARING/PRIVATE KENNEL LICENSE/3300 153RD AVENUE – APPLICATION WITHDRAWN.................................................................................................................6 RESCHEDULE NOVEMBER 2, 2021 COUNCIL MEETING..................................................... 7 ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT.................................................................................................... 7 (Public Works/Engineering)............................................................................................................ 7 (Community Development)............................................................................................................. 7 (Fire Department)............................................................................................................................ 7 MAYOR/COUNCIL INPUT...........................................................................................................7 ADJOURNMENT........................................................................................................................... 7