City Council Workshop

WORKSHOP MINUTES OAKDALE CITY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 12, 2024 The City Council held a workshop on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale, Minnesota. The meeting began at 5:00 PM. Present: Mayor Kevin Zabel Council Members: Jake Ingebrigtson Andy Morcomb Susan Willenbring City Staff Members: Christina Volkers, City Administrator Sara Ludwig, City Clerk Brian Bachmeier, Consulting City Engineer Jake Foster, Assistant City Administrator Andy Gitzlaff, Community Development Director Max Lohse, Community Development Specialist Luke McClanahan, City Planner Nick Newton, Police Chief Lori Pulkrabek, Communications Manager Kyle Stasica, Finance Director Cory Tietz, Public Works Director Kevin Wold, Fire Chief Others Present: Keegan Anderson, Oakdale Resident Jeff Miller, Associate, HKGi Kari Moore, Council-elect Beth Richmond, Planner, HKGi Gary Severson, Council-elect ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE UPDATE PROJECT City Planner Luke McClanahan explained that the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance update process started earlier in the year with a Code diagnosis, which has since been completed. The focus has now shifted to drafting and revising various sections of the ordinance with the aim of making it more streamlined and user-friendly. Mr. McClanahan stated that the team from HKGi is seeking Council input on several topics related to the updates. Jeff Miller, Associate with HKGi, mentioned that the team will cover four main topics – zoning districts, uses table and use specific standards, lot, building, and site dimensional standards, and development standards. Mr. Miller went over the project approach including the phases and timeline, and the community engagement that has taken place as part of this project. WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE TWO Beth Richmond, Planner with HKGi, stated that the focus of this part of the discussion is on updating the zoning districts within the City. It was indicated that the City likely has more zoning districts than necessary, and the goal is to streamline these districts while aligning them more closely with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Richmond explained that the project team is suggesting to reduce the number of base zoning districts from 14 to 10 by consolidating R-2 and R-3 into one district, consolidating C- 1 and C-2 into one district, and merging Limited Business (LB) and Gateway into one district. Other changes to the Wetland District, Tower District, and a new Mixed-Use District were proposed. Mr. McClanahan noted that the Planning Commission was generally supportive of these zoning district changes. In response to Mayor Zabel’s question about the rationale behind combining R-2 and R-3, Ms. Richmond stated that the R-2 and R-3 districts both allow low-density residential uses and have similarities in lot sizes and the types of development allowed. Next, Ms. Richmond went over the proposed table that outlines the principal and accessory uses by district. One notable change is adding a “permitted with standards” category for some uses. This change is aimed at making the Code clearer and more consistent so stakeholders can easily determine where certain uses are permitted across the districts. In terms of the proposed permitted use – single-unit detached dwellings – for R-1, the district with the largest lot sizes, Mayor Zabel inquired why these larger lots (e.g., 2-acre lots) should not be allowed to have a duplex or more flexible housing types. He added that given the growing housing demand and the availability of land, cities could be more flexible in allowing different housing types, such as duplexes, on large lots in R-1 zones. Mr. Miller indicated that other cities have begun permitting more flexible housing types in low- density areas, and the City could do the same, but this was not one of the goals heard during the community engagement process. Council Member Morcomb clarified that a current resident with a lot in R-1 could go through the planning process to build a multi-family dwelling. He added that the City could revisit this issue in the future as housing demand and needs evolve. Community Development Director Andy Gitzlaff suggested they assess the impact on the overall housing strategy, and bring back those findings to a future workshop. He added that the proposed revisions to R-2 and R-3 would reduce some of the dimensional standards (e.g., lot size, setbacks) to allow more flexible housing options like duplexes and townhomes in those districts. Mayor Zabel requested data on the number of R-1 parcels within the City. Mr. Miller confirmed that this data is available and could be brought to the next workshop, if needed. WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE THREE In response to Council Member Willenbring’s question about an example of “permitted with standards”, Mr. McClanahan said that a residential garage on a property is permitted up to 1,000 square feet by right, but if the property owner wants to exceed this size, they would need to go through an additional approval process, such as obtaining a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Mr. Miller provided an overview of proposed changes to dimensional standards across the zoning districts, particularly focusing on the lot size, lot area, lot width, and building standards (setbacks, height, etc.). The new Zoning Code proposes that minimum lot sizes for different housing types (single-family detached, duplexes, townhomes) vary by housing type, rather than having a single minimum for an entire district. Mr. Miller added that there are also proposed changes to setbacks, maximum building heights, and impervious surface coverage to better suit modern development and to encourage more efficient land use. For example, there would be a reduction of minimum lot sizes in R-3 and R-4, a maximum standard for impervious surface coverage, and an increase in maximum building heights in R-4, but only with a CUP. Mayor Zabel raised concerns about the proposed building height in the Mixed-Use District, asking if the maximum height of 60 feet (five 12-foot stories) with a CUP would be too restrictive for encouraging mixed-use development, particularly given that such developments typically require multiple stories of housing above commercial space to be financially viable. Community Development Specialist Max Lohse confirmed that the current height limit for mixed-use districts is 40 feet, with the possibility of reaching 60 feet with a CUP. Council Member Morcomb pointed out that many developers have already requested variances for building height in recent proposals. Mayor Zabel noted that the Mixed-Use District may require different standards from other residential districts like R-4 due to the nature of such developments. Mr. McClanahan noted that the Planning Commission expressed concerns that adjusting the zoning standards (especially regarding lot size, lot width, etc.) might result in legal nonconforming properties; however, the project team maintains that the changes aim to reduce existing standards, meaning that many properties will actually fall into conformance with the new rules, improving overall alignment with current development trends. Ms. Richmond discussed the work being done to revise the general development standards, specifically around parking, landscaping, and exterior design. The project team proposed to reduce the number of required parking spaces and make the calculation process simpler. In response to Mayor Zabel’s question about the overall objective of parking standards, Ms. Richmond explained that some cities are moving away from minimum parking requirements, but the concern remains that without these requirements, cities might face issues with on- street parking congestion. Additionally, there is a concern that developers might not provide enough parking. WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE FOUR Regarding concerns about winter parking and congestion, Mayor Zabel pointed out that the City already has winter parking restrictions, which could mitigate some of the issues related to on-street parking during certain times of the year. He added that developers may know the market and consumer demands better than the City as it relates to needed parking. Council Member Morcomb was concerned that winter parking restrictions might not solve the problem long-term, as it could result in over-taxed ticketing and parking overflow onto other streets. He was supportive of tailoring the parking requirement to the specific development. Ms. Richmond touched on how the landscaping standards are currently scattered throughout the City’s Code, and how the goal is to consolidate them into one section for better clarity and ease of use. One of the key components being addressed is the minimum number of trees required for new developments or redevelopments. In response to Mayor Zabel’s question about the City’s tree replacement requirements, Ms. Richmond noted that this can be part of the tree preservation section in the Code, or it could fall under the landscaping section, depending on the specifics of the development. Mr. McClanahan added that financial guarantees are typically included in development agreements to ensure that trees planted as part of the development will survive for at least two growing seasons. If the trees die within this time frame, the developer is required to replace them. Mr. Miller went over the current exterior design standards and questions for consideration. Mr. Lohse commented on the feedback from the Planning Commission which included a general interest in maintaining high standards for materials, but a desire for more flexibility for parts of the building that are not easily visible from the street; an openness to increasing the use of metal materials, given their appearance in recent developments like the Enclave development; and support for defining superior metals more clearly and updating a list of acceptable materials as the market evolves. Mayor Zabel suggested visual examples of buildings that either meet or do not meet the proposed standards would be helpful to guide the Council’s decision-making process. It was agreed that this discussion would continue at the December 10, 2024 Workshop. GOLD LINE BRT OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS Consulting City Engineer Brian Bachmeier explained that he and Mr. Gitzlaff have been meeting with Metropolitan Council representatives to discuss future ownership and maintenance agreements related to the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Mr. Bachmeier outlined several significant infrastructure improvements from the 2017 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in the southern part of the City, including street reconstructions, trail developments, surface water management, bridge building, and traffic signals. The Gold Line BRT project resulted in the construction of many of these planned WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE FIVE improvements, including roads, trails, bridges, and traffic signals, some of which were not part of the City's original CIP. Mr. Bachmeier indicated that staff’s negotiating position is that the Met Council should own and maintain transit-related infrastructure, such as transit stations, dedicated transit lanes, and shoulder-running lanes, while the City would own and maintain typical City infrastructure, including roads, trails, and surface water ponds. Regarding unresolved items that remain unresolved, Mr. Bachmeier indicated that the Met Council should own and maintain certain public infrastructure that would not have been required “but for” the transit improvements, such as added retaining walls, additional curbing along the center guideway, and signals at noncritical intersections. Mr. Bachmeier went over the Met Council’s proposed cost split for signalized intersections and offered a different approach that would lessen the overall number of intersections that the City would be responsible for, but move the cost share closer to a 50/50 split. As it stands as of the last negotiation meeting, the City would be responsible for $24,600 and the Met Council would be responsible for $50,300. Mayor Zabel pointed out that a large number of the projects within the 2017 CIP were added to show the full scope of potential costs for the BRT project, not to indicate that all those projects would necessarily move forward or be fully funded by the City. The Council was supportive of staff’s negotiation position on the cost share for the traffic signals, with the City being responsible for two of the seven, in some capacity (table showed some part of a 3rd signal as well). Additionally, the Council agreed that the City should not be responsible for any cost for the retaining walls, but are supportive of the costs associated with maintaining the outer curbs of the two outermost lanes only. Council Member Ingebrigtson applauded City staff for their work on these negotiations thus far. POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY REVIEW – TRANSITION TO LEXIPOL Police Chief Nick Newton thanked the Council for their support for this important policy initiative. He explained that he has been working on this policy update for almost a year in collaboration with Lexipol, aiming to roll out policies over the next six months. The plan is to have a supplemental manual created in addition to these policies by 2026, which will offer extra safeguards for staff. Chief Newton noted that the policies being reviewed by Council tonight are in draft form and include some elements that will not appear on the final version. Additionally, these policies will be constantly evolving and updated to keep up with changes in Federal and State laws. WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE SIX In response to Mayor Zabel’s question about Lexipol’s recommended policy language accurately reflecting the Oakdale Police Department, Chief Newton said he aligns the policies with Lexipol's recommendations because they provide legally vetted policies and best practice; however, he will make adjustments where necessary to fit the unique needs of Oakdale and Washington County. Chief Newton emphasized that he will make changes in areas that are particularly important to him, based on his experience and what he believes best suits the Department's philosophy. Mayor Zabel expressed his hesitation for an elected body to weigh in on department-specific policy decisions, noting the Chief should be entrusted with making these decisions. City Administrator Chris Volkers added that in most City policies and ordinances the term “or designee” is used; however, for clarity, certain police policies must specify the exact individual or position responsible, which can vary depending on the specific task or situation. Council Member Morcomb requested that if there are policies or actions that might directly impact how the Council should act in an emergency, it would be useful to review and update those expectations early next year with the new Council. Mayor Zabel added that it would be helpful to have an overview of the emergency management plan to understand how the City would respond in crises. Council Member Ingebrigtson praised past and current City staff for their crisis management in 2020. Ms. Volkers indicated that the emergency management plan is updated and part of the work plan to ensure that the Council is properly informed. In response to Council Member Willenbring’s question, Chief Newton confirmed that more complex topics will be forthcoming in future policies. Regarding the more complex topics, Mayor Zabel asked about the level of discretion that is afforded at the local level. Chief Newton explained that while there are State and Federal guidelines that regulate many aspects of police work, such as Minnesota POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training), local agencies can go beyond the minimum standards if they wish to implement additional safeguards or more stringent policies, but they have to remain substantially similar. Council-elect Gary Severson asked if the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) or the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) weigh in on these policies. Chief Newton stated that the MCPA will weigh in on legislative agendas and the LMC will provide guidelines for certain policies. Council-elect Severson added that he has worked with Lexipol in the past and had a positive experience. WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE SEVEN PROPOSED 2025 PROPERTY TAX LEVY UPDATE Ms. Volkers stated that the final tax levy of 5.9% will be before the Council at the December 10, 2024 regular meeting for approval. Finance Director Kyle Stasica noted the only change from the last budget discussion is a $42,000 decrease in the estimated debt service requirement which directly lowers the debt service levy due to our recent successful bond sale securing a lower than expected interest rate. In response to Council Member Morcomb’s question about how Oakdale’s tax levy compares to surrounding cities, Ms. Volkers said neighboring and metro area cities are seeing tax increases closer to 10% on average. Washington County is expected to be similar to ours. Mr. Stasica offered to send final numbers once they are known. In reference to the property tax rate and effects on median valued residential property, Mr. Stasica explained that the Homestead Market Value Exclusion is a key factor affecting Oakdale's tax base, and while the overall market value of homes has increased, the taxable market value has decreased due to this program. Council Member Ingebrigtson praised Mr. Stasica for the work he has done on the budget. Mayor Zabel asked if the 2025 Parks CIP needs to be revisited given the Park System Plan results and discussions especially if staff needs direction on whether to pause or revise these projects. Council Member Morcomb added that three years’ worth of projects have previously been put on hold due to the Park System Plan update. It was determined that projects already in motion will continue and most others will be put on hold. Council Member Willenbring proposed the idea of creating a set of criteria to help prioritize projects based on factors like accessibility or other key values. This could allow for clearer decision-making about which projects should go forward and when. Mayor Zabel agreed, adding that cost, priorities, population, infrastructure condition, and other factors all help inform the Parks CIP project prioritization. Mayor Zabel confirmed that the new projects in the 2025 Parks CIP should be put on hold, but the budget is not to change, except Willowbrooke parks. 2024 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS The Council discussed the 2024 Volunteer of the Year award nominations. COUNCIL TOPICS Council Member Ingebrigtson brought up a past discussion about rebranding the current logo and stated that he would be supportive of minor modifications, but would prefer to keep the WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE EIGHT oak tree. Council Member Willenbring agreed, noting that the oak tree holds historical significance. Mayor Zabel raised the question of whether a more modernized version of the oak tree logo could still maintain the City's identity, to which Council Member Willenbring expressed concerns about the cost of reproducing a more complex design (e.g., on merchandise or other materials), suggesting that a simpler version might be more practical. Council Member Morcomb stated that the rebranding of the logo is part of a larger conversation that came out of strategic planning. Mayor Zabel was supportive of exploring the cost and timeline associated with hiring a consultant to assist in the City’s rebranding. Regarding input from the public, Council Members Ingebrigtson and Willenbring were hesitant citing it would lead to conflicting ideas and no clear direction. Ms. Volkers confirmed that staff will bring back proposals for Council consideration. Council Member Willenbring pointed out that a consultant was not budgeted for in 2025. Council Member Morcomb asked for an update on the integration of a social worker within the Police Department. Ms. Volkers said that unfortunately the City was not awarded the federal grant they applied for, but there are other opportunities for future funding. She noted that if the City decides to fund the position itself, then it becomes ineligible for other grant opportunities. Council Member Morcomb and Mayor Zabel expressed concern about waiting for external funding before moving forward, noting that while grants are important, the City should not delay addressing the real needs in the community, especially given the delays in grant response times (typically 6 months or more). Chief Newton confirmed that Washington County has committed to covering 75% of the social worker’s salary in the first year, and contributing 50% of the cost every year thereafter. In response to Council Member Willenbring’s question about the effectiveness of this initiative, Chief Newton stated that there are a lot of variation in models across the country, and it is too early to tell if the model works universally, as results are still inconclusive. Ms. Volkers offered to send the latest information from staff, and the Council could discuss it further at a future Workshop, if desired. Council Member Willenbring advocated for everyone to get an annual skin cancer screening. Regarding agenda creation, Council Member Willenbring asked about the process and if any members of the Council provide input. Ms. Volkers responded that the agenda is primarily WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2024 PAGE NINE shaped by the City Code, which places responsibility on staff to create it. She explained that the agenda is built with input from the departments that propose items, but it is carefully planned with many moving parts. It was Council Member Ingebrigtson’s opinion that there is currently not enough scheduled Workshop time, but he did compliment Mayor Zabel on his efforts to keep everyone on task during the meetings. Ms. Volkers added that as the City grows, so does the number of items to discuss, hence the need for longer meetings. Mayor Zabel noted that a Council Member can influence the agenda in two ways – sharing items during Council Topics and through the approval of the agenda. Mayor Zabel brought up that the current MN House Tax Committee Chair is pushing for reform of the local option sales tax (LOST) process in regards to how cities can use these funds as well as how they access them. He asked if the Council would support he and Ms. Volkers writing a letter talking about Oakdale’s experience and challenges with the LOST process. Council Member Ingebrigtson requested that all Council Members sign the letter. The Council was supportive of the letter. Council Member Ingebrigtson applauded the City on the approval of the two City ballot questions. ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE Ms. Volkers stated that the canvassing of the votes will take place tonight at the regular meeting and the abstract of the votes cast is on the dais for Council review. ADJOURNMENT The workshop was adjourned at 6:50 PM. Respectfully submitted, Sara Ludwig, City Clerk