City Council

ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING – NOVEMBER 23, 2021 MINUTES The Workshop Meeting of the Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Sheri Bukkila, November 23, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Councilmembers present: Valerie Holthus, Jamie Barthel, Ted Butler (left the meeting at 6:08 p.m. and returned at 6:25 p.m.), and Randy Nelson Councilmember absent: None Open Space Commissioners: Chairperson Kim Kovach, Ryan Ingebritson, and Jim Olson Also present: City Administrator, Jim Dickinson City Engineer/Public Works Director, David Berkowitz City Planner, Joe Janish Natural Resources Technician, Kameron Kytonen Others DISCUSSION WITH OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMISSION (OSAC) The City Council is requested to meet with the Open Space Advisory Commission and provide feedback on discussion items.  Dalske Woodlands Boardwalk Mr. Kytonen provided a brief background of the site and stated they are looking at constructing 150 feet of boardwalk. Currently, there is only access to half of the property due to difficulty crossing the wetland. The boardwalk has been in the plan for several years and OSAC would like the City to implement the plan. The Council was shown examples of boardwalks in the metro area. Some of the projects were contracted and some were installed by staff and volunteers. Mayor Bukkila asked what type of soil would be under the boardwalk because that would impact the cost of the project. Mr. Kytonen said there would need to be a study to Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 2 determine the soil and product needed. Mr. Berkowitz stated it would be around $20,000 for a complete study. Mr. Berkowitz referring to the old Woodland Creek Golf Course area stated the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BOWSR) created a boardwalk plan for the City. He explained BOWSR built the boardwalk, and it has since settled and created additional maintenance. He stated this experience has caused the City to look at these projects more critically. Mr. Berkowitz stated it is important to have a study done to install the right type of boardwalk. The Council reached consensus to explore a study and the feasibility of constructing a boardwalk. Mr. Berkowitz asked for OSAC Commissioners to attend a kickoff meeting and provide input to the contractor. Mr. Dickinson stated the City did a liability check and the insurance provider would like the City to go through a detailed process. He supports the study and would like to look at a good, better, and best option. Mr. Kytonen stated there is a grant through the Federal Government that the City can apply for.  OSAC involvement in plan review OSAC would like to be involved in plan review. They were not in favor of roads being constructed right next to the open space in Martins Meadows. OSAC feels they can give some suggestions and feedback to protect the open space sites and accommodate development. Mayor Bukkila thinks it is a good idea and suggested OSAC Commissioners review the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and provide input. Mr. Dickinson stated an informal review process is an option and suggested having the OSAC review a sketch plan and provide input prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. If there isn’t a sketch plan, OSAC can review the preliminary plat at a special meeting. The Council reached consensus to have OSAC review plans in the suggested method.  Management of the preserves and future initiatives of OSAC OSAC is looking at getting schools involved in the preserves. Mr. Dickinson stated the Open Space Bonds will end in 2022 and there will be some funds available to maintain the open space properties. DISCUSSION WITH POTENTIAL SENIOR MULTI-HOUSING DEVELOPER The City Council is requested to discuss a senior multi-housing development and provide comments on the potential development. Mr. Janish stated the City has been approached by the developer to build a senior complex on the Holasek property. Mr. Janish stated a Comprehensive Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 3 Plan Amendment would be needed. The Comprehensive Plan has identified the property to be part commercial and part residential at 4-8 units per acre. The senior complex would be around 20 units per acre. Jack Collins, Executive Vice President of SilverCrest Properties, and Peter Pfister, Pfister Architects, came forward to present the proposal. Mr. Collins provided information about SilverCrest and they have identified Andover as a great location for a new development. Mr. Collins played a video demonstrating their Maple Grove community, services, and amenities. Mr. Collins stated they have high occupancy rates, terrific employees, and they put their residents first. Mr. Collins noted the wellness center has a warm water pool and they have trained chefs in the dining hall. Mr. Dickinson stated he toured the Maple Grove community. He suggested Council should discuss the four-story component because the senior assisted living facility is proposed at 4 stories. He stated the amenities and finishes would be similar to Maple Grove which he felt would meet Andover requirements. Mr. Collins stated the complex would have 120 independent living apartments, 40-50 assisted living apartments, and 20 memory care units. They are also proposing an enhanced assisted living, an option between memory care and assisted living where the resident needs a higher level of care. Mr. Pfister said they are bound with one access point into the property, with right in, right out. He pointed out where the buildings would be located on the property and the height of each building. He stated they have met with the Fire Department and made some changes to the layout. Mr. Collins stated they can only go 3 stories high on the assisted living facility while the independent living building can be 4 stories. He stated 4 stories allow for shorter hallways and easier access. The independent living facility will have underground parking. Mr. Collins stated they employ 75-85 staff primarily caregivers and dining staff. Mr. Dickinson asked Council if they interested in a four-story senior apartment complex. Councilmember Holthus asked what the density would be. Mr. Janish stated it depends on how much ponding is needed and expects it to be around 19-20 units per acre. Councilmember Barthel asked if this project moved forward, how many other areas of the City could be moved from medium density to low density. He asked if it was going to be a dramatic change to the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Janish stated the City may be able to make some changes, but the City is at 2.8 units per acre and getting closer to 3 units per acre as required by the Met Council. Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 4 Mayor Bukkila stated the SilverCrest product is a good product and is run well. She stated she has not envisioned a senior facility in this area. She stated there is so little commercial property in the City that she does not want to give it up. Councilmember Nelson stated it is a beautiful facility and since commercial property is limited, he does not believe this is the right location for a senior apartment building. Councilmember Butler has concerns about going away from commercial and asked how they would buffer the development from single-family neighborhoods. Mr. Collins stated there is transitional housing in buffering the single-family neighborhood in Maple Grove. He stated they work with the City and neighborhoods to make it work and can change the orientation of buildings and plant two-story trees. Councilmember Holthus asked if the roofline could be variated and not square. She asked if the City has received any interest from commercial buyers. Mr. Dickinson stated the property has been vacant since he has worked for Andover which is 22 years. Councilmember Holthus stated the access is not good for commercial and she is not against senior housing at that location. Councilmember Barthel likes the concept of senior housing, but the height of the building is not acceptable to him. He does not want to go over two stories. Mr. Dickinson stated commercial interest in this site has been minimal as access is difficult. He stated the main interest over the years has been from multi-family developers. Mayor Bukkila believes the price of the land is too high. Mr. Dickinson stated the property owners have reduced the price and they are now in the market range. Councilmember Barthel stated commercial developers want rooftops and there aren’t enough rooftops to support the commercial. He stated this proposal would give them rooftops but then there would be no place for commercial. Mr. Collins stated they would look at the commercial concern and possibly hold a neighborhood informational meeting. RECESS & RECONVENE Mayor Bukkila recessed the meeting at 7:05 p.m. The meeting was reconvened at 7:10 p.m. 2022 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT/2022 PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX LEVY REVIEW The City Council is requested to review the proposed 2022 General Fund Budget and proposed Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 5 property tax levy. Mr. Dickinson stated the City will host the Truth in Taxation Hearing on December 7, 2021. He noted that property tax statements have been sent to residents and the County Assessor is showing a 7.47% increase in the taxable market value which impacts a homeowner’s tax. Mr. Dickinson updated the Council on the progress of the 2022 Budget Development Guidelines as written in the staff report. He explained the City needs to hire due to recent retirements. Councilmember Butler stated he would like to see the City hire a leader who can focus on park planning, be aware of park issues regionally, and nationally to lead and guide the Park and Recreation Commission. Mayor Bukkila agreed with Councilmember Butler and would like to see a staff member be more recreation focused and make the best use of what you have. The rest of the Council agreed. Mr. Dickinson reviewed personnel and contractual department changes and expenses as written in the staff report. He noted that $2,500 was added for the Andover Senior Center from the General Fund. He stated there are many activities for seniors at the YMCA. Mr. Dickinson reviewed the budget spreadsheets and tables in the staff report. Mr. Dickinson provided an update on the Fire Department duty crew proposal. He indicated they changed the proposal to 14 hours of duty crew per month per firefighter and kept the 25% responding to calls and 75% training/station maintenance. Mr. Dickinson stated soft implementation will begin January 1, 2022 and they are asking the membership to make a good faith effort to achieve 14 hours of duty crew time. He stated leadership will perform a review quarterly and adjust as needed. Mr. Dickinson indicated they have already seen an increase in duty crew sign ups. Mr. Dickinson reviewed feedback from firefighters. He stated they held a meeting and got good questions. He said the good news is that the membership has improved signing up for duty crew shifts. Mayor Bukkila stated it would be nice to have them pull together as a team and not have to mandate hours. Councilmember Butler asked how the model changed due to firefighter feedback. Mr. Dickinson stated they will have a soft implementation beginning January 1, 2022 and they reduced the duty crew time to 14 hours, reduced from 18 hours in the original proposal. Councilmember Butler noted there is no flexibility in responding to calls versus duty crew time. Mr. Dickinson stated he heard from the membership there should be requirements holding members harmless for not showing up is not helping. Councilmember Butler said he has spoken with a few of the members, and they appreciated Mr. Dickinson being present at the meeting. Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 6 Mr. Dickinson stated a few asked what was in it for them if they do this and that they wanted money put in their retirement. Mr. Dickinson said if the City did that, funds would likely be incentive based on meeting goals and put into an individual 457 rather than to the Relief Association. Councilmember Butler stated he likes that incentive. Mr. Dickinson stated he will probably attend Fire Department meetings once or twice a year, to gather and present information. Mayor Bukkila stated there is a perception that fire operates in a silo and the City Administration and Council are not in control. Mr. Dickinson reiterated the proposal’s goal is to help reduce response time and provide a reliable response when someone calls 911. OCTOBER 2021 COMMUNITY CENTER UPDATE The City Council is requested to review the October 2021 Community Center update. Mr. Dickinson reviewed the budget summary year to date. He noted that staffing continues to be a challenge and full-time staff are adjusting their hours to cover. He is concerned about burnout with the full-time staff. Mr. Dickinson stated the Community Center will be very busy in November and December with rentals and programs. He indicated the Community Center will not offer winter ice skating lessons because they do not have instructors. Mayor Bukkila asked if they needed to be 18 to be an instructor. Mr. Dickinson stated they would like the lead instructor to be 18 or older. Mayor Bukkila asked how they recruit. Mr. Dickinson stated they place advertisements, send out emails, social media posts and talk to coaches. Mr. Dickinson updated the Council on the concession operations and stated no one is able to commit due to staffing and there is too much unknown due to COVID. Staff have added vending machines and are restocking them more often. Councilmember Holthus asked if they have thought about hiring a full-time person. Mr. Dickinson said they would love to, but it would significantly impact the budget, we hope the hiring crisis is short term. Councilmember Butler stated the long-term part-time staff at the Community Center are very good and do great work. DISCUSS COVID POLICY The City Council is requested to discuss and review the City’s Mandatory Vaccination and Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 7 Testing Policy. Mr. Dickinson stated OSHA announced its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to address mandatory COVID- 19 vaccination and testing for the workplace. He said one part of this ETS requires employers to establish written policies to implement the mandate. Mr. Dickinson stated the mandate is currently under appeal, however, it is recommended to develop a policy while it is being litigated. Mr. Dickinson stated the policy in the workshop packet is a template from OSHA. Councilmember Butler asked if the City had any contracts with the Federal Government that would mandate them to be vaccinated. Mr. Dickinson said the City does not. Mayor Bukkila stated she looked at other countries and their vaccination mandates. She stated it appears to be a global effort to vaccinate. Mayor Bukkila said her research has shown that the requirements in other countries are proof of vaccination plus a negative PCR test by an approved vendor. She believes there is an issue with the Federal Government putting the expense of the enforcement cost onto employers for a Federal mandate. Mr. Dickinson stated the policy is ready to go and the dates may change depending on the outcome of the litigation. The Council is in support of having the policy ready. CLOSED SESSION – CITY ADMINISTRATOR PERFORMANCE REVIEW RECESS Motion by Barthel, Seconded by Butler to recess the work session at 8:00 p.m. to a Closed Session of the City Council to discuss the City Administrator’s performance review. Motion carried unanimously. RECONVENE The Council reconvened at 8:25 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Barthel, Seconded by Nelson, to adjourn the meeting at 8:26 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Shari Kunza, Recording Secretary Andover City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes – November 23, 2021 Page 8 TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.