City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council Regular Meeting Mayor Steve Washburn Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters Dan Schuette 10/12/2021 - Minutes 1. Call To Order And Roll Call Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the Watertown City Council was called to order in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 6:34 p.m. Tuesday, October 12, 2021, by Mayor Steve Washburn. Council Members present: Washburn, Mike Walters, Adam Pawelk, and Lindsay Guetzkow. City Staff present: Administrative Services Director Lynn Tschudi, City Engineer Andrew Budde, City Planner Mark Kaltsas, and Public Services Superintendent Mike Dressel. Those who signed in: Roger Roy, Michael Debnar, May Debnar, Delmer Jensen, Julie Hertzog 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval PAWELK MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 3.A. Regular Minutes From September 28, 2021 3.B. Work Session Minutes From September 28, 2021 3.C. Revised Employment Start Date 3.D. Use Of Streets For Halloween Event 3.E. Law Enforcement Contract Renewal 4. Open Forum  3.D. Use Of Streets For Halloween Event 3.E. Law Enforcement Contract Renewal 4. Open Forum 5. New/Old Business 5.A. Public Services Pressure Washer Quotes Public Services Superintendent Mike Dressel explained the current pressure washer to wash equipment and vehicles is failing due to age. Dressel would like to replace the pressure washer with a natural gas burning pressure washer that is vented to the outside of the building. The equipment would be used by all departments and therefore funded from all department operating budgets. Dressel is seeking authorizing for quotes. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-113, AUTHORIZING THE SOLICITATION OF QUOTES FOR PRESSURE WASHER. MOTION CARRIED 4- 0. 5.B. Authorize Mill & Overlay Plans & Specs City Engineer Andrew Budde said council reviewed parts of the Mill and Overlay project during the work session. Item CI#030 has budgeted $249,000 and includes the mill and overlay of Lilium Circle, Geranium Drive, Mondarda Way, Vernica Place, and Iris Drive in the Wildflower Development. Budde said CIP item UC#015 has been budgeted for the adjustments of utilities that is no longer anticipated being it was completed during the 2021 mill and overlay project. Budde showed a map of the City parking lots that are proposed to be milled and overlayed for a total of $350,000. He said at the least he would like to see the City Hall parking lot completed to include dumpster pad upgrades and removal of the asphalt replaced with concrete behind City Hall to mitigate the library moisture issue. The City Hall items are budgeted to be about $47,000 with the City Hall parking lot mill and overlay costing about $75,000. The entire package also included improvements at the Luce Line Trail connection at Angel Avenue. Budde recapped council decisions from the work session. He said the Luce Line trail connection improvement at Angel Avenue will be removed, along with all the parking lots along Lewis Avenue except for City Hall which will be kept as an alternate. Washburn confirmed the entire project would be the Wildflower streets with alternates which include the City Hall improvements for $47,000 as well as the City Hall parking lot mill and overlay. Pawelk would like to see the City Hall drainage improvements included as alternates if it may help with the library moisture. Budde confirmed that the $47,000 would include the asphalt repair, drain tile work and dumpster pad improvements. Guetzkow agreed with Pawelk. WALTERS MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-114, AUTHORIZING PLANS AND SPECIFICATION FOR THE 2022 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT AS MODIFIED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 5.C. Newton Lot Rezoning & Lot Combination City Planner Mark Kaltsas said applicant, Roger Roy and owner, May Debner, requested the City consider annexation, rezoning and minor subdivision for the property located at 2855 Newton Ave SE, Watertown, MN 55388. Kaltsas said the property is currently zoned A1-Agriculture and is 6.23 acres. The comprehensive plan shows the property as R-1 and is part of the City’s orderly annexation area. 5.C. Newton Lot Rezoning & Lot Combination City Planner Mark Kaltsas said applicant, Roger Roy and owner, May Debner, requested the City consider annexation, rezoning and minor subdivision for the property located at 2855 Newton Ave SE, Watertown, MN 55388. Kaltsas said the property is currently zoned A1-Agriculture and is 6.23 acres. The comprehensive plan shows the property as R-1 and is part of the City’s orderly annexation area. The applicant has followed the process provided by the City for annexation and the property will need to be rezoned to R-1 Low Density in order to all a subdivision of the property into two parcels so the home parcel can be sold. Kaltsas said the City is working with the applicant on how to connect the existing home to City utilities. Kaltsas showed maps of a ghost plat and how the utilities could connect to a potential subdivision. Kaltsas explained the development of this property requires dedication of park land of which will be captured in a development agreement between the City and applicant. The water connection will be made to the City’s existing water system currently located on the west side of Newton Avenue. Kaltsas explained the process for constructing the public and private sewer lines. A formal calculation of park dedication fees shows this property may be required to pay $22,905, however Kaltsas explained that in the past the City has deferred that portion of the fees where the land is not developed. Kaltsas said this would leave the applicant responsible for $7,559 but asked council for direction on this. The existing right of way for Newton Avenue would require the City to request an addition 7-feet of right of way along the entirety of the property. The Planning Commission held a public hearing where seven neighboring property owners spoke. There were concerns from these neighbors about the potential impact to the surrounding property values, impact to the wetlands, drainage, and natural resources. Overall, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the requested annexation, rezoning and minor subdivision subject to the findings and conditions contained within the attached resolution. Kaltsas said there is two resolutions for approval and one ordinance for consideration. Pawelk asked about the connection to utilities and if it would be a city cost or applicant cost. Kaltsas explained it would be the property owner’s cost. The water service could be directionally bored across Newton. Walters asked about driveway configurations for the future lots. Kaltsas said they would likely exit onto Newtown Avenue. Mayor Washburn said the park dedication fees should be addressed for Kaltsas to move forward. Washburn said when the Tufte property was annexed into the City, part of the park dedication fees were deferred. Pawelk said he does not have an issue deferring the remainder of the park dedication fees. Guetzkow and Walters agreed. GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-110, IN THE MATTER OF THE ORDERLY ANNEXATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATERTOWN AND TOWNSHIP OF WATERTOWN PURSUANT TO 2008 ORDERLY ANNEXATION AGREEMENT. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 427, AMENDING THE CITY OF WATERTOWN ZONING CODE, INCLUDING ZONING MAPS. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-111, APPROVING A MINOR SUBDIVISION TO ALLOW A LOT SPLIT OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT  AMENDING THE CITY OF WATERTOWN ZONING CODE, INCLUDING ZONING MAPS. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-111, APPROVING A MINOR SUBDIVISION TO ALLOW A LOT SPLIT OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2855 NEWTON AVENUE SE. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 5.D. Orderly Annexation Agreement Amendment Administrative Services Director Tschudi said she was contacted by Watertown Township with a request to amend the orderly annexation agreement to increase the per acre fee charge in section 13 from $500 to $650. When the agreement was developed, the base fee was set at $500 which the valuation adjustment will never fall below. Tschudi said the City is looking for confirmation that all fees have been paid to Watertown Township prior to beginning the annexation process with the City of Watertown and they are not interested in continually amending the agreement based on the Township’s fee schedule. Tschudi read the proposed language change for council. Pawelk asked if there are other cities that follow the language presented and if the City is at a disadvantage for removing the dollar value from the agreement. Kaltsas said that it is a complicated situation. The fee is a fee the Township charges its own taxpayers. Originally when the agreement was drafted, the City wanted nothing to do with charging a fee because it has been seen as unconstitutional. Kaltsas said it is best to reference the Township’s fee ordinance. PAWELK MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2021-108, THE THIRD AMENDMENT TO JOINT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AN ORDERLY ANNEXATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATERTOWN AND WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 6. Other Reports Budde updated on the 2021 construction projects. Pawelk updated the Park Board will meet on October 20. Guetzkow updated she met with the school district marketing committee. 7. Claims PAWELK MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2021 CLAIMS AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 7.A. Claims For October 12, 2021 8. Adjournment GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWLEK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:37 PM. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 ________________________________________________________ Steve Washburn, Mayor ATTEST:__________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Steve Washburn, Mayor ATTEST:__________________________________________________ Lynn Tschudi, Admin. Services Director