City Council Meeting

Mayor CITY COUNCIL MEETING Amáda Márquez Simula Councilmembers City Hall—Council Chambers, 3989 Central Ave NE Connie Buesgens Monday, July 28, 2025 Rachel James 6:00 PM Justice Spriggs Laurel Deneen City Manager AGENDA Aaron Chirpich ATTENDANCE INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC Members of the public who wish to attend may do so in-person, or by using Microsoft Teams Meeting at columbiaheightsmn.gov/joinameeting ID 221 852 033 166 Passcode HD9W8xR6. Additionally, members of the public may view the meeting live at columbiaheightsmn.gov/watch. For questions, please contact Administration at 763-706-3610. Auxiliary aids or other accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request when the request is made at least 72 hours in advance. Please contact Administration at 763-706-3610 to make arrangements. WELCOME/CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL MISSION STATEMENT Columbia Heights is a vibrant, healthy and connected City. We are here to actively support the community, deliver equitable services, build and strengthen connections, improve upon our past, and uphold our successes. We strive to be better and ensure Columbia Heights is a great place for everyone, today and in the future. Columbia Heights City Council and Staff Norms. While we are accountable to each other for these norms, the Mayor and City Manager will help us adhere to them with respectful reminders and reinforcement as needed. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." APPROVAL OF AGENDA (The Council, upon majority vote of its members, may make additions and deletions to the agenda. These may be items submitted after the agenda preparation deadline.) PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITION, ANNOUNCEMENTS, GUESTS A. Heights Bakery Day Proclamation. Accepting Proclamation: Heights Bakery. B. Assistance Dog Day Proclamation. Accepting Proclamation: Christine Okerstrom, Columbia Heights Police Department. City of Columbia Heights AGENDA July 28, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 2 C. National Night Out Proclamation. Accepting Proclamation: Officer Tabitha Wood, Columbia Heights Police Department. D. Consideration of Resolution 2025-063, Being a Resolution Calling for the Presidential Administration to End Its Campaign of Mass Deportations and Family Separation. Accepting Resolution: COPAL (Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina) Representative. MOTION: Move to adopt Resolution 2025-06 being a resolution calling for the Presidential administration to end its campaign of mass deportation and family separation. CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS Report of the City Council Report of the City Manager / Response to Previous Community Forum COMMUNITY FORUM The Community Forum is an opportunity to address the City Council about items not scheduled for a public hearing. All speakers must provide their name and connection to Columbia Heights. In-person speakers should complete a form for the City Clerk and introduce themselves at the podium. Virtual speakers should send their information to the moderator via chat and turn on their camera when called. Comments are limited to five minutes. Disrespectful language is not allowed. The Council may ask questions or refer items for follow-up but typically does not take action during the forum. The City Manager will respond to questions raised during Community Forum at the next meeting. CONSENT AGENDA These items are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted as part of the Consent Agenda by one motion. Items removed from consent agenda approval will be taken up as the next order of business. (The City Council will make motion to approve the Consent Agenda following the statement of all items.) 1. Approval of July 14, 2025, City Council Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Approve July 14, 2025, City Council meeting minutes. 2. Accept June 2, 2025, EDA Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Accept June 2, 2025, Regular EDA Meeting Minutes. 3. License Agenda. MOTION: Move to approve the items listed on the business license agenda for July 28, 2025, as presented. City of Columbia Heights AGENDA July 28, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 3 4. Rental Occupancy Licenses for Approval. MOTION: Move to approve the items listed for rental housing license applications for July 28, 2025, in that they have met the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code. 5. Review of Bills. MOTION: Move that in accordance with Minnesota Statute 412.271, subd. 8 the City Council has reviewed the enclosed list to claims paid by check and by electronic funds transfer in the amount of $1,616,820.23. PUBLIC HEARINGS This is the public’s opportunity to speak regarding this matter. Speakers that are in-person are asked to complete a Speaker Form and submit it to the City Clerk. Speakers attending virtually should send a request to speak with this information to the moderator using the chat function and wait to be called on to speak. When speaking, virtual attendees should turn their camera on. Speakers should limit their comments to five (5) minutes. Any comments made after the public hearing is closed will not be considered by the City Council and will not be included as part of the formal record for this matter as the item will have been voted on and the item formally closed by the Council. 6. Consideration of Resolution 2025-63, 800 53rd Ave NE EAW Findings of Fact and Record of Decision. MOTION: Move to close the public hearing and waive the reading of Resolution 2025-065, there being ample copies available to the public. MOTION: Move to approve Resolution 2025-065, being a resolution approving the findings of fact, record of decision, and the negative declaration of need for an environmental impact statement for the 800 53rd Ave NE redevelopment project. 7. Preliminary Plat; Planned Unit Development; Easement Vacations; and a Shoreland Variance to Allow for the Construction of a Multi-Phased Redevelopment at 800 53rd Avenue NE Including Two 6-story, 132-Unit Affordable Multifamily Buildings, a Mixed- Use Building with 12,000 sq. ft. of Commercial Space and a Range of 150-175 Market- Rate Apartments, 58 Townhomes, and Associated Park and Infrastructure Improvements. MOTION: Move to close the public hearing and waive the readings of Ordinance No. 1716, PUD District #2025-01, Rezoning of Property; draft Resolution No. 2025-043 PUD District Plan for #2025-01; draft Resolution No 2025-044, Preliminary and final Plat Approval; draft Resolutions No 2025-045 Easement Vacations; and Resolution 2025-058 there being ample copies available to the public. MOTION: Move to set the second reading of Ordinance No. 1716, PUD District #2025-01, for August 11, 2025, at approximately 6:00 P.M. MOTION: Move to approve the PUD District Plan Resolution No. 2025-043 as presented, subject to the conditions of approval. MOTION: Move to approve the Preliminary Plat Resolution No. 2025-044 as presented, subject to the conditions of approval. City of Columbia Heights AGENDA July 28, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 4 MOTION: Move to approve the Easement Vacations Resolution No. 2025-045 as presented, subject to the conditions of approval. MOTION: Move to approve the Shoreland Overlay Variance Resolution 2025-058, as presented, subject to the conditions of approval. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION Ordinances and Resolutions 8. First Reading of Ordinance 1718, Amending Alcohol Ordinance Restrictions in Silver Lake Beach Park. MOTION: Move to waive the reading of Ordinance No. 1718, there being ample copies available to the public. MOTION: Move to set the second reading of Ordinance No. 1718, being an ordinance amending chapter 10.201 of the Columbia Heights City Code to allow, upon council approval, alcohol at events within Silver Lake Beach Park, for August 11, 2025, at approximately 6:00 P.M. 9. Consideration of Resolutions 2025-061 and 2025-062, Resolutions of the City Council for the City of Columbia Heights Identifying the Need for Livable Communities Funding and Authorizing Application for Grant Funds. MOTION: Move to waive the reading of Resolution 2025-061 and 2025-62, there being ample copies available to the public. MOTION: Move to approve Resolution 2025-061, a resolution of the City Council for the City of Columbia Heights identifying the need for Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding and authorizing application for Pre-Development grant funds. MOTION: Move to approve Resolution 2025-062, a resolution of the City Council for the City of Columbia Heights identifying the need for Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding and authorizing application for Development grant funds. 10. Consideration of Resolution 2025-064: Safe Streets for All Transportation Safety Action Plan. MOTION: Move to waive the reading of Resolution 2025-64, there being ample copies available to the public. MOTION: Move to adopt Resolution 2025-64 approving the City of Columbia Heights Safety Action Plan and establishing a goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on all City streets by 2040. Bid Considerations No Bid Considerations. New Business and Reports City of Columbia Heights AGENDA July 28, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 5 No New Business or Reports. ADJOURNMENT Auxiliary aids or other accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request when the request is made at least 72 hours in advance. Please contact Administration at 763-706-3610 to make arrangements.