City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council T Regular Meeting Mayor Steve Washburn Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk F Michael Walters Dan Schuette A 3/8/2022 - 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 R order in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 6:31 p.m. Tuesday, March 08, 2022, by Acting Mayor Mike Walters. Council Members present: Walters, Adam Pawelk, Dan Schuette, and Lindsay Guetzkow. D City Staff present: City Administrator Jake Foster, Public Services Director Mike Dressel, City Planner Mark Kaltsas, and City Engineer Andrew Budde. Those who signed in: Jeffrey Muonio, Rylan Roselund, Dan Kurth, Wayne Hubin, and Jim Deidrick. 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, SCHUETTE SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval SCHUETTE MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 3.A. Approve City Council Work Session Minutes From February 22, 2022 3.B. Approve City Council Regular Meeting Minutes From February 22, 2022 3.C. Adopt The 2022-2025 Strategic Plan 4. Open Forum 5. New/Old Business  3.C. Adopt The 2022-2025 Strategic Plan 4. Open Forum 5. New/Old Business 5.A. Adopt Resolution #2022-16, Award Of 2022 Mill & Overlay City Engineer Andrew Budde said the bids were open on February 22 for the 2022 Mill and Overlay project. The project covers streets in Wildflower Development as well as the City Hall parking lot. The T low bidder was WM Mueller and Sons with a bid of $359,468.80. Budde said the total cost of the project will be $414,000 with the soft costs. GUETZKOW MOVED, SCHUETTE SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-16, APPROVING THE LOW BID AND AWARD OF PROJECT CONTRACT TO WM MUELLER AND F SONS. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 5.B. Adopt Resolution #2022-17, Award Bid Of Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion A City Engineer Andrew Budde said the wastewater expansion has been in the works for over a decade. There were five bidders on the project with the low bidder being Gridor Construction with a bid of $20,789,000. The total project is estimated to cost $23,907,350 which includes engineering fees. Budde said the City will be receiving $6.9M in Point Source Implementation Grant Funds. The City will have to bond for the remaining $17 million by using PFA loans. R Pawelk asked for clarification on bridging the gap on the funding of the project. City Administrator Jake Foster said there is some room to borrow more through the PFA and the City’s lobbyists are still working to get the City additional appropriated funds from the state. PAWELK MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-17, D APPROVING THE LOW BID AND AWARD OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION PROJECT CONTRACT TO GRIDOR CONSTRUCTION, INC. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 5.C. Approve Professional Services Agreement With Abdo Financial Solutions City Administrator Jake Foster said the Administrative Services Director Tschudi has resigned and the City will need to fill the finance part of her job until a new person is hired. Foster said the auditors, Abdo Financial, offers a financial services support for these circumstances. Foster said they have quoted 20 hours per month at a rate of $5,900. SCHUETTE MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ABDO FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 5.D. Adopt Resolution #2022-19 Approving Sign Permit For Watertown Evangelical Free Church City Planner Mark Kaltsas said Watertown Evangelical Free Church is requesting approval for an electronic changeable message sign at 509 Jefferson Avenue SW. Kaltsas reviewed the requirements for signs in this zoning district. The applicant is proposing to install a two-sided 31 square foot monument sign that generally complies with the provisions of the City’s sign ordinance. Changeable copy signs are required to be reviewed by the City due to the potential impacts to adjacent residential properties and passing motorists. The City established new standards associated with changeable copy signs several years ago to accommodate the technology while ensuring that potential impacts relating to the signs are adequately mitigated. Kaltsas explained the requirements for the changeable copy signs. He explained that there was discussion at the planning commission level regarding the base width of the sign. Kaltsas said the sign is taller due to the road grade, thus requiring a wider base.  copy signs are required to be reviewed by the City due to the potential impacts to adjacent residential properties and passing motorists. The City established new standards associated with changeable copy signs several years ago to accommodate the technology while ensuring that potential impacts relating to the signs are adequately mitigated. Kaltsas explained the requirements for the changeable copy signs. He explained that there was discussion at the planning commission level regarding the base width of the sign. Kaltsas said the sign is taller due to the road grade, thus requiring a wider base. Pawelk asked what the difference in price was for the church to widen the base of the sign. Wayne Hubin approached council to explain the need for the new sign after the Highway 25 construction. Council agreed to allow the applicant to construct the sign with a base down to 48 inches. T SCHUETTE MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-19, APPROVING A CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN AS REQUESTED BY WATERTOWN EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 509 JEFFERSON AVE. SW. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. F 5.E. Spring Mill Subdivision City Planner Mark Kaltsas said Elk Development LLC is asking the City to consider both annexation as well as rezoning from A-1 to PUD-SM (Planned Unit Development Spring Mill). Kaltsas explained the A subject property is located at the northwest intersection of CSAH 24 and Paul Avenue. The property is currently located within Watertown Township and is within the boundary of the orderly annexation agreement. The applicant is interested in building homes similar to those in Tuscany Village; small lots with villa style homes. There are challenges with the property being the County Road 24 on one side and the Luce Line Trail on the other. Kaltsas said the applicant is looking at one access road down Paul Avenue with a cul-de-sac at the end. R Kaltsas said this development came forward to the Planning Commission twice with many discussions related to buffers, screening, access road, drainage, and future County Road 24 road construction. Kaltsas explained all the restrictions that were discussed. The applicant has worked with Carver County and the County has agreed to provide an urban section on the north side of CSAH 24 along this property. The County also agreed to allow a portion of the right of way being acquired to be used for a D landscape berm. Kaltsas said the cul-de-sac is longer than allowed in the City Ordinance, however there are no other options for a second entrance at this time. Kaltsas reviewed the applicants landscape plan and said it could use improvement and has some deficiencies. Other deficiencies include a couple lots that have small rear yards as well as no percentage of stone/brick being proposed on the building plans. Council Member Schuette asked if the many variations to the R-1 are an improvement. Kaltsas said the variations are what works with the land. Schuette said the meaning of a PUD is an improvement and he feels this is a reduction to the R-1 zoning. Munio approached council and explained the housing product he would like to build. His builder, Dan Kurth, approached council to give options of different things that could be done with the setbacks to fit different styles of homes on the property. Guetzkow explained that if they would like to go with any of those ideas, the plans would need to go back to the Planning Commission. The applicant said they would like to proceed as is. Pawelk said he understands the challenges this property poses. He would like the builder and owner to communicate to the buyers that if certain lots are not equipped to have a deck that it is communicated from the beginning. Pawelk also would like to make sure the road can be plowed, and fire trucks can maneuver the cul-de-sac. Schuette feels that the plan laid out is a degradation of zoning requirement and does not fit the City of Watertown. GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-20, IN THE MATTER OF THE ORDERLY ANNEXATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATERTOWN AND TOWNSHIP OF WATERTOWN PURSUANT TO 2008 ORDERLY ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.  Watertown. GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-20, 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. PAWELK MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2022-21, APPROVING REZONING, PRELIMINARY PLAT AND SITE PLAN REVIEW TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS PID NO. 100091610 AND GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF PAUL AVE. AND COUNTY ROAD 24. MOTION CARRIED 3-1, SCHUETTE VOTING NEY. T GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION APPROVING ORDINANCE 430. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. F 6. Other Reports City Engineer Budde updated on county road projects in the area. A 7. Claims 7.A. Approve March 8, 2022 Claims Roster GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS ROSTER FOR 2022. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. R 8. Adjournment SCHUETTE MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:36 PM. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. D 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 ________________________________________________________ ATTEST:__________________________________________________ Steve Washburn, Mayor