City Council

Minutes Woodbury City Council Wednesday, January 22, 2025 6A2 Pursuant to the due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting was duly held virtually and at the Woodbury City Hall, 8301 Valley Creek Road, on the 22nd day of January 2025. Call to Order Mayor Anne Burt called the meeting to order at 7:39 p.m., and she welcomed those attending the meeting both in person and virtually. Mayor Burt explained that members of the public may attend the meeting in person and may also join the meeting using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. She stated public comments will be accepted during the meeting both in person and virtually. Virtual questions should be submitted via the online Q&A feature within the virtual meeting link. Questions regarding the meeting will also be taken between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. via email at council@woodburymn.gov or at 651-714-3524. Questions received after 4:30 p.m. will be responded to in the next three to seven business days. Pledge to Flag Audience, staff, and Council pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Roll Call Upon roll call the following were present: Mayor Anne Burt, Councilmembers: Kim Wilson, Donna Stafford, Steve Morris, and Jennifer Santini. Absent: None Others Present: Ashleigh Sullivan, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk; Kevin Sandstrom, City Attorney; Clinton Gridley, City Administrator; Janelle Schmitz, Community Development Director; Eric Searles, Assistant Community Development Director/City Planner; and Tony Knutz, City Engineer Special Order of Business A. Swearing in of New Police Officer Simon Garcia Rocha and New Firefighter/EMS Personnel Jake Brown, Emily Mahon, Michael Mitsuda, and Connor O’Sullivan 1. Introduction – Public Safety Director Jason Posel Public Safety Director/Police Chief Jason Posel explained that they would be swearing in one new police officer and four new EMS/Firefighters. He noted the mission of the Woodbury Public Safety is to serve all people with compassion and courage. It is possible to achieve the mission by hiring people who uphold the same values. He noted that the new hires are fulfilling noble positions. 2. Meaning of Police Officer Badge – Asst. Public Safety Director Omar Maklad Assistant Public Safety Director Omar Maklad noted that Simon Garcia Rocha has been a volunteer police reserve for many years and served in the military for 22 years. Assistant Public Safety Director Maklad shared the meaning of the badge and called Simon Garcia Rocha forward. 3. Oath (Police)– Mayor and New Officer Simon Garcia Rocha Mayor Burt presided over the swearing-in of Police Officer Simon Garcia Rocha after which he had his badge pinned on by a family member or other important person in their life. 4. Meaning of Firefighter/EMS Badge – Assistant Public Safety Director Chris Klein Assistant Public Safety Director Chris Klein noted that the Fire Department introduced a formal EMS and Fire Academy with the group of new firefighters. He added that PT was included in the program. He shared the meaning of the badge and called Jake Brown, Emily Mahon, Michael Mitsuda, and Connor O’Sullivan forward. 5. Oath (Fire) – Mayor and New Firefighter/EMS Personnel Jake Brown, Emily Mahon, Michael Mitsuda, and Connor O’Sullivan  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Mayor Burt presided over the swearing-in of Firefighter/EMS Personnel Jake Brown, Emily Mahon, Michael Mitsuda, and Connor O’Sullivan after which they had their badges pinned on by a family member or other important person in their life. Open Forum The Open Forum is a portion of the Council meeting where a maximum of three persons will be allowed to address the Council on subjects, which are not a part of the meeting agenda. Persons wishing to speak must complete a sign-up sheet prior to the start of the meeting. Give the sign-up sheet to any staff person. Speakers are limited to three minutes each. The Council will listen attentively to comments but, in most instances, will not respond at the meeting. Typically, replies to the concerns expressed will be made via letter or phone call within a week. Consent Agenda All items listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and an affirmative vote by roll call of a majority of the members present. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Councilmember or citizen so requests, in which event, the items will be removed from the consent agenda and considered a separate subject of discussion by the Council. Item A Approval of Minutes – January 08, 2025 1. January 08, 2025 City Council Workshop Meeting 2. January 08, 2025 City Council Meeting Item B To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-07 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the Budget Amendment and Award of Contract to Carl Bolander & Sons LLC for an amount not to exceed $96,000 for Demolition of 4301 Radio Drive authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to sign said contract. Item C To adopt a motion to renew eighteen (18) interim conditional use permits as listed in Council letter 25-15. Item D Pioneer Drive and Water Treatment Plant Connection Pipelines Project; Award Contract, Amend Budget, Consultant Selection for Construction Administration Services. This item was removed the Consent Agenda and moved to the Discussion portion of the meeting. Item E To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-09 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing execution of a professional services agreement with WSB in the amount of $357,903 and authorizing the use of the Trunk Water and Sanitary Sewer Fund for the CSAH 13 Improvement Project (Hargis Parkway to Military Road). Item F To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-10 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing application to the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program. Item G To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-11 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the Cooperative Agreement between the City of Woodbury and Washington County for Construction Cost of Woodbury Water Treatment Plant and Pipelines Project. Item H This item was removed from the agenda prior to the meeting. Item I This item was removed from the agenda prior to the meeting. Item J To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-14 Page 2 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the Criminal Justice Interagency Agreement between Washington County Emergency Communications Center and the City of Woodbury. Item K To adopt a motion approving issuing a Tobacco Sales License to Epic Tobacco, for their location at 6445 Lake Rd Terrace. Item L To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-15 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing execution of an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Revenue for collection of a local sales and use tax and local lodging tax Item M The abstract of bills includes payments made from the operating or project budgets for expenses of the city. The expenditures are from all funds of the city. Any purchased contracts requiring signature of the mayor and City Administrator is hereby approved. Staff recommends approval of the abstract of bills for January 3, 2025 in the amount of $1,492,603.45 and January 10, 2025 in the amount of $1,664,679.33. Mayor Burt noted that items 6H and 6I were removed prior to the meeting due to technical issues and would be brought back for Council action at a future meeting. Councilmember Santini moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to approve the Consent Agenda items with the exception of items 6D, 6H, and 6I. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Public Hearings Mayor Burt reviewed the City’s Public Hearing process and stated that in order to allow for a full airing of all speaker comments, individual remarks may not exceed 10 minutes each. If a speaker determines that more time is necessary, they are advised to make a request in writing to the Mayor at least three days prior to the hearing. If there are more than three (3) green sheets submitted to make comments at a public hearing, the Mayor may reduce the individual time allotted to each speaker so that all interested parties have the opportunity to provide their comments within the aggregate thirty-minute (30) public comment period of the public hearing process. Remarks or points already made by someone else should not be repeated, unless simply to state that they are “opposed” to, or “favor” the issue. Remarks should be limited to the subject at hand only. Speakers are encouraged to coordinate presentations to the extent possible. Those in attendance at the Public Hearing will refrain from applause, or other expressions of emotion, whether in favor of, or opposition to, any particular application or argument. Inappropriate language, outbursts or criticisms aimed at individuals or groups are not allowed. A. Math and Science Academy Upper School; Comprehensive Plan Amendment; Rezoning; Planned Unit Development; Conditional Use Permit; Preliminary Plat; and Site and Building Plan, Project No. 27-2024- 00563 Mayor Burt declared the public hearing open. Assistant Community Development Director/City Planner Eric Searles explained Math and Science Academy has submitted an application for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning, Planned Unit Development, Conditional Use Permit, Preliminary Plat and Site and Building Plan for a new charter school serving grades 6-12. The new school would serve approximately 1,525 students and includes the construction of a traffic signal at Bailey Road and Fairway Drive and a sporting field on the south side of the site. The property is currently zoned R-2 Single-family Estate District and is currently guided as Rural Estate on the Land Use Plan. Mr. Searles noted Math and Science Academy (MSA) is a public charter school that serves grades 6-12 and opened their existing Woodbury location in 1999. In 2024, the school was named the Best High School in Minnesota by US News. The current school serves approximately 730 students in grades 6-12 with an extensive waiting list. MSA plans to relocate their 6-12 grade students to the new location with expanded enrollment and convert their existing facility to serve students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Mr. Searles stated the Applicant is requesting a change to the Comprehensive Plan Land Use from Rural Estate to Public/Semi-Public. The City has historically required one of the following findings of fact to be made to support a change to the land use of a property via a Page 3 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Comprehensive Plan Amendment: A mistake was made in designating the property Rural Estate in the Comprehensive Plan or, times and conditions have changed to warrant a change in the plan. Mr. Searles mentioned staff identifies that the times and conditions have changed to warrant a change in the plan. Prior to the development of the properties to the south, the subject property had uncertainty on how much of the site could be served by municipal utilities and therefore was guided as rural estate in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Properties that do not have access to city services have historically been guided as rural estate or urban reserve and zoned R-1 or R-2 to prevent premature development. Times and conditions have changed as there is now an understanding that the utilities from the Bailey Lake subdivision to the south can serve this subject property. With the ability to provide this property municipal services, it is appropriate for the land use to be amended to represent the proposed use. Mr. Searles stated the existing zoning for the property is R-2, Single-family estate district. The application requests a modification of the site zoning to R-4, Urban Residential District to allow for the proposed school use as a conditional use. The proposed zoning change is appropriate based on the recommended land use change to Public/Semi-Public as State law requires a city to rezone properties consistent with their land use. Mr. Searles explained that the Applicant requested Planned Unit Development (PUD), Conditional Use Permit, and Preliminary Plat approval for the development site. The Planned Unit Development (PUD) application requests flexibility to the Zoning Ordinance for the following requirements. The architectural design requirements include 65% Class I materials and 35% Class II materials for schools. The applicant is proposing 40% Class I and 50% Class II materials for school use. The Applicant is requesting flexibility to the architectural ordinance to allow for the expanded use of architectural precast with a thin brick finish combined with glass to be equivalent to 90 percent of the Class I and II materials for the site. The City has allowed flexibility for this type of material at the Leadership Academy site and found the materials deliver a similar aesthetic to traditional masonry brick while providing significant benefits related to constructability. The other proposed buff-colored precast materials will be provided in a similar method that was used on the City-owned sports center. Mr. Searles mentioned in exchange for flexibility to the standards identified, the Applicant shall establish shared use agreements for the new field space, Math and Science-owned gym space, and new parking areas to support Parks and Recreation programming for the entire community. The parking spaces are intended to replace the existing overflow parking issue that is currently occurring on Mile Drive and Bailey Road. The construction and ability to utilize gym and field space will also be a benefit to the public as there is currently more demand than space available. Furthermore, the Applicant will fully fund and construct the removal of Mile Drive and replacement with seeding and a 10-foot bituminous trail. Mr. Searles noted due to the size of the proposed school and the anticipated peak vehicle trips generated by school uses, a traffic study was required. The objective of the study was to review existing operations within the study area, evaluate transportation impacts to the adjacent roadway network based on the new school, and recommend any necessary improvements to provide safe and efficient operations for all modes of transportation. The following improvements are required for the project based on the study: - Bailey Road and Fairway Drive traffic signal - Reconstruction of Fairway Drive to the north of the intersection to align roadway geometrics for the traffic signal. - Right turn lane into the site. - Removal of Mile Drive curb cut and gravel roadway as it does not meet minimum intersection spacing. - Vehicle stacking lane at least 1,950 feet long in order to accommodate drop-off and pickup queues onsite without vehicles backing up onto Bailey Road. - Signal synchronization improvements for the proposed signal and the signal and Bailey Road and Pioneer Drive. Mr. Searles stated the Applicant is proposing to complete all of the improvements listed with the construction of their project, including 3,200 feet of vehicle stacking onsite which equates to approximately 120 vehicles. Mr. Searles explained the Applicant has elected to design the site off of a single, signalized access point. The traffic study identifies with the volume of parent pick-up, student drivers, buses, signal timing, and length of the vehicle queue it will take a minimum of 30 minutes to clear the vehicle queue daily. The Applicant has committed to providing staff to direct traffic and ensure the vehicles exit the site in a safe and orderly fashion. Vehicles shall not be permitted to stack/queue onto Bailey Road for any reason. As a condition of approval, the Applicant shall provide, and the City shall approve, an internal traffic management plan that identifies policies, strategies, and actions for managing on-site traffic. Said plan shall include requirements for maximum vehicle idling and stacking times in advance of pickup. Mr. Searles noted the proposed pedestrian network is designed to connect to the broader trail and sidewalk network surrounding the site. The Applicant is proposing to construct a trail on the south side of Bailey Road, convert Mile Drive to a 10-foot public trail, and construct a private trail system for pedestrians entering the site and sidewalks surrounding the building and athletic field. A condition of approval for the project includes a trail connection from the parking lot to the existing trail serving the athletic fields to the west. Mr. Searles mentioned the Applicant has submitted a detailed landscaping plan that provides plantings throughout the development site. Trees have been added as a screening measure adjacent to Bailey Road, the proposed Boston Road cul-de-sac and the Brockton Page 4 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Drive cul-de-sac. As a condition of approval, the final landscape plan shall be reviewed and approved by staff including the addition of landscape beds for shrubs, grasses, and perennials. Mr. Searles stated the architectural ordinance requires schools to be constructed of 65 percent Class I materials and 35 percent Class II materials. The Applicant is proposing to construct the building of 40 percent glass which is a Class I material and 50 percent of a variety of precast materials which is a Class II material for a total of 90 percent Class I and II. The Applicant is requesting PUD flexibility, as identified above, for this ordinance deviation. One of the materials, identified as pre-cast-1 within the plans, is a thin brick cast into the precast. The City has used this type of material historically to mimic the timeless design of Class I materials on projects such as Leadership Academy. The Applicant is using the other precast materials with reveals to mimic stone with sandblasting details similar to materials found in the sports center. Mr. Searles noted a neighborhood meeting was held on December 12, 2024, with 16 residents in attendance and three others reaching out to staff with questions as well. Questions at the meeting centered on traffic, Mile Drive, building height, athletic field lighting and speakers, landscaping, and potential for playground amenities. Planning Commission liaison John Kollm provided the Council with the Planning Commission report. He noted that the Planning Commission had questions regarding the impact of the change of use and re-zoning and how it aligns with the strategic plan and Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission spent significant time discussing the traffic management plan and understanding how cars would move on and off of Bailey Road. He added that they discussed how the community would benefit against the potential loss of property tax revenue. The Planning Commission confirmed that the security measures that are being built into the building design align with the school safety standards. There were a couple of updates to the conditions which included the enhancement of the landscaping plan for better screening for residents in the area and adjusting the speakers to the athletic field to point west which points away from the residential area. Overall, the commissioners were pleased with the project. Mayor Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to close the public hearing. Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Absent: None Mayor Burt opened an opportunity for discussion and questions from the Council. Councilmember Stafford asked if staff are assuming that people will alternate in the stacking parking area. Mr. Searles replied that they are not and that in the conditions of approval, it identifies a traffic management plan. In the plan, staff is anticipating that there will be an area where staff will be present to ensure parking goes smoothly. Councilmember Stafford asked if there would be signage. Mr. Searles replied that there would bestaff and signage. Councilmember Morris asked Mr. Searles if he could explain the other area that staff was going to be suggested in the traffic management plan. Mr. Searles replied that the other area where there will be traffic coming in will likely be gated, but it will be helpful to have a staff member in case of an emergency to gain access to the parking area for guest parking. He noted that their existing facility has several staff that facilitate their p.m. pickup. Mayor Burt asked where student drivers would park. Mr. Searles pointed out on the graphic where students would park. He mentioned that the school has several post-secondary education students who arrive at different times than other schools. The a.m. peak is less intense than the p.m. peak. Student drivers would come through the queue just like parents do when dropping off students. Mayor Burt mentioned that she could see student drivers skipping the queue. Mr. Searles replied that the purpose of the gate is to ensure students do not skip the queue. Councilmember Morris asked why the staff and student parking was not switched. Mr. Searles replied that staff looked at that and noted that there were some operational benefits. He invited the applicant to explain more. The applicant, Ashley Bisner explained that she is with the development management group for MSA. She explained that they did a traffic analysis study as well as reviewed the operations of the building. She noted that the buses would leave first and the release of students or parent pickups would happen after the buses left. The bottom parking section is designated as the student parking because the door into the building would be close by. The area would be managed by a staff member to ensure that students are leaving at the appropriate time. The reason they decided to put the student parking to the south instead of the west was that students were going to be exiting that way, and they wanted to have the west side designated for parent pickup and drop-off and for visitors. They ultimately decided to keep all three operational uses separate. Mr. Searles added that the west side will include staff parking. Staff will be arriving in advance of the peak times. Councilmember Santini asked to explain the bus flow. Ms. Bisner pointed out the section where buses can turn around and all of the buses would exit in a sequential order. There will be a gate that separates the area from the student parking area. Staff are required to stay later so they will not be congesting the exiting of the area. Page 5 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Councilmember Morris mentioned that if there is a tardy student, it would be a long way for the student to drive to get to parking; especially if there is some congestion. He asked what it would mean for staff to review a change in parking between the staff and student parking areas. Mr. Searles replied that from a staff perspective, he did not anticipate that there would be a change in the parking plan, instead it would be a change to the operational plan. He mentioned that something that could be evaluated is having a staff member present to manually operate the gate for tardy students in order for those students to enter the site quicker. Councilmember Morris asked if the traffic management plan does not need to come before Council because it could be reviewed by staff. Mr. Searles agreed. Councilmember Wilson asked if it was correct that there was one parking spot per two teachers. Mr. Searles replied that it is one space per two employees. Councilmember Wilson mentioned that there is a parking issue with the current MSA location where cars are overflowing into the neighborhood. She added that the Council had discussed conditional use for a traffic study on the existing MSA site. Mr. Searles explained that staff are aware of the existing concerns and added a number of conditions. He pointed out condition number 31 which mentions that there are requirements for appropriate stacking within the site and that the school must actively ensure that parking is not occurring on City-owned property. The existing facility is proposed to be changed to an elementary school which will hopefully remove some of the student parking. Councilmember Wilson noted that by making it an elementary school it would increase the traffic flow. Mr. Searles explained that through the transition plan, there are discussions on how they would manage the increased traffic flow. One way to manage the traffic flow is to now allow parents and guardians to idle and park when dropping off students. He explained that they see parents come to the p.m. pick-up time a half hour or two hours in advance and start to stack. There have been discussions with elementary schools about implementing management approaches by not allowing parents and guardians to park. He added that it is a new school so there are opportunities to do staggard drop off times by age group or alphabetically. He mentioned that the tactics should help with parking in the neighborhood, but staff anticipate that there will be more traffic during pick up and drop off. Councilmember Morris asked if the traffic flow plan would come back to the Council. Mr. Searles replied that he would need to review the conditional use permit to see how it was authorized. He noted condition 11 which notes “actively enforce and ensure student parking does not occur within adjacent neighborhoods and City-owned parking lots.” Councilmember Santini mentioned that traffic could get backed up to Bailey Road if parents cannot leave until the buses leave. She added that it could be helpful to have traffic management on the northeast corner. Councilmember Morris suggested an amendment to condition 11 to say “School shall actively enforce and ensure student parking idling and queuing does not occur within adjacent neighborhoods, public roadways, and City-owned parking lots. Mr. Searles suggested adding drop-off as well. Councilmember Wilson asked if the condition could apply to the existing MSA site. Councilmember Morris replied that it could not since it was a different project. Councilmember Wilson noted that it is a conditional-use permit and added that she made a request during a workshop meeting for a traffic study to be conducted on the site. Councilmember Wilson expressed her concern about having two-to-one staff parking ratio. She added her concern about parking spots on the left that would have cars backing into waiting cars. She asked to see the sidewalk path from Fairway Drive to the entrance of the school. Mr. Searles noted that pedestrians would cross at the intersection and there is a sidewalk on the east side of the road. City Engineer Tony Kutzke mentioned that there could be a traffic signal installed at Bailey Road and Fairway Drive which would allow for pedestrian crossing on all four legs of the intersection. Councilmember Wilson noted the cul-de-sac in the Salem Meadows neighborhood and asked if it was technically on MSA property. Mr. Searles replied that it was. She asked what students in the Salem Meadows neighborhood would do if they wanted to walk to school. Mr. Searles replied that they wrestled with the same question. There are two options that could occur, either students could cut across, or they would have to walk around to get to the school. Staff had discussed adding pedestrian connectivity to the area but agreed that it would add issues and would have to include more policing further down. Councilmember Morris asked if there was a way to include signage in the area that says no school parking is allowed. Mr. Searles replied that signs could be included. Mayor Burt asked what time school would start. Ms. Bisner replied school would be from 9:20 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Mayor Burt asked how the installation of the lights would be coordinated with the water main pipes that would be coming down Bailey Road. Mr. Kutzke replied that they are seeing about a ten-month delay in getting traffic signal components. The City will be coordinating the products accordingly depending on how the approval goes. They do not see any issue with coordinating the projects. Mayor Burt asked when the school was expected to be opened. Ms. Bisner replied construction would begin in April and be completed before the 2026 school year. The renovation of the current school will happen next summer. Page 6 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Councilmember Santini asked if the traffic signals could be owned by the County. Mr. Kutzke replied that in the long term, it would be owned by the County since it is on a County roadway. Councilmember Morris asked what would happen in the meantime since the school would be operating before the traffic signal was installed. Mayor Burt replied that the school would not be operating yet but they would be under construction. Mayor Burt asked if the building would have mirrored glass or if it was glass. Ms. Searles replied that it was glass. Councilmember Wilson asked how many acres MSA owns. Mr. Searles replied 40 acres. Councilmember Wilson asked if it would be used as fields or open space. Ms. Bisner replied that it would be open space and there are no plans for any expansions. Councilmember Morris asked how snow removal would be handled in a way that would not reduce parking spaces. Mr. Searles replied there are areas that could reduce sight lines if snow is piled up. There are a fair amount of open areas that will allow snow to be stored. Councilmember Morris asked if there would be construction traffic not allowed signs through Selem Meadows. Mr. Searles replied that they could. Since the school is addressed as Bailey Road, they do not anticipate that Google Maps will reroute people through the neighborhood since the streets do not connect. Councilmember Morris asked how the left turn lane into the school would be impacted since the County is converting the road from a two to a four-way roadway. Mr. Knutz replied that there is no plan drawn up on what Bailey Road would look like as a four-way divided section. It is likely that there would be a median put in. The expansion of the roadway on Bailey Road is not currently in the County’s five-year plan. Councilmember Morris mentioned that there was a discussion during the Planning Commission meeting regarding the expansion of the entrance. He asked to explain the pros and cons of expanding the entrance. Mr. Knutz explained that the buses would quickly separate from the queue drop-off. They do not see issues with vehicles coming into the site. Councilmember Wilson asked if there was only one exit lane out of the school. Mr. Searles explained that there are two lanes exiting the site and one lane entering the site. Councilmember Wilson asked if there was proof of parking when they found out that staff were not carpooling with people and they were driving their own cars. Mr. Searles replied that there are opportunities for proof of parking. Councilmember Wilson asked Mr. Searles to show her where that would be. Mr. Searles showed on the graphic that a majority of the parking would be on the north side with proof of parking opportunities where there could be expansion. The school expects 88 staff members and the parking area is significantly larger. Councilmember Morris asked if the plan included some sustainability goals in order to achieve the environmental sustainability goals the Council has. Councilmember Santini pointed out that there are a few initiatives that are included in the plan. Councilmember Santini asked if there would be any EV chargers in the parking lot. Mr. Searles replied that they have not seen a significant need for EV chargers in high school areas. He added that the architect could provide a high-level summary of the initiative. Councilmember Morris replied that staff have worked hard on sustainability and would like to see how construction could bring the plans to life. Mr. Searles mentioned there are parking calculations based on classroom and students. For instance, there are three spaces per classroom, plus one per student. Mayor Burt wondered if the land that is not being used would be sold off someday. She asked what else could happen with it. Mr. Searles replied that the land use being requested is semi-public. Any application that would be received under a current land use would have to be either a school or a place of worship if a modification and a different land use was proposed. The Council would have significant discretion on the request. Mayor Burt asked if the City could use it and add a field. Mr. Searles replied that it is something that could be evaluated. Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, to approve the Comprehensive Plan Amendment from Rural Estate to Public/Semi-Public. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Page 7 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, to approve the Ordinance rezoning certain property from R-2, Single-Family Estate District to R-4, Urban Residential District. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, to approve the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) via the Resolution adopting findings of fact with the change to item 11 to read Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall provide all required Public Safety radio repeater equipment and the like within the building plans. The school shall actively enforce and ensure student parking, drop off, idling and queueing does not occur within adjacent neighborhoods and City-owned parking lots. City approved signs stating “no school parking” shall be installed by the Applicant in the cul-de-sacs of Boston Road and Brockton Drive. To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-16 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota adopting Findings of Fact for Math and Science Academy Upper School, Project No. 27- 2024-00563 Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, to approve the Math and Science Academy Upper School Planned Unit Development (PUD), Preliminary Plat and Site and Building Plan, Project No. 27-2024-00563, all subject to the conditions outlined in Council Letter 25-25 as amended and discussed. 1. The PUD and CUP approval shall expire one year from the date of City Council approval unless a building permit has been requested or a time extension has been granted. 2. The Applicant shall obtain Metropolitan Council approval for the Comprehensive Plan Amendment prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit. 3. The Final Plat shall be approved by the City Council and released for recording prior to the issuance of a building permit. 4. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, a traffic management plan shall be reviewed and approved by the City. The plan shall identify policies, strategies and actions for managing on-site traffic. Said plan shall include requirements for maximum vehicle idling and stacking times in advance of pickup. 5. Math and Science Academy Upper School shall be required to maintain a staggered start and end time with the adjacent East Ridge High School. If an occasion arises to change the start or end times, an Amended Conditional Use Permit shall be required. 6. Any future building additions exceeding 10% of the square footage of the proposed building, would require a new traffic study to be conducted with a potential for a secondary access to the site being required. 7. All proposed and future fencing materials shall be vinyl coated chain link or better. Fabric and privacy slats shall not be permitted for use. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, the City shall review and approve locations and specifications for fencing adjacent to the stormwater management basins. 8. Any proposed and future retaining wall materials shall be complementary to the building materials and shall be approved in writing by the Planning Department prior to issuance of a building permit. Retaining walls greater than four (4) feet in height shall be engineered and detailed calculations shall be submitted to the City. Said retaining walls shall include fencing when directed by the City. 9. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, the Applicant shall work with staff to finalize the locations of the proof of parking areas. The Applicant shall be required to provide adequate onsite parking for all student drivers. 10. Prior to the issuance of a Land Disturbance Permit, a revised landscaping plan shall be provided to add shrubs, grasses and perennials adjacent to the school building. Furthermore, additional evergreen trees shall be added adjacent to Boston Road and to screen the proposed track and bleachers. Finally, additional hardwood overstory trees shall be added to supplement the existing vegetation in the east and southeast portions of the site. The final landscaping plan shall meet all Page 8 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 landscaping ordinance requirements including canopy coverage and tree and species diversification, and staff shall approve the final landscaping plan in writing. 11. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall provide all required Public Safety radio repeater equipment and the like within the building plans. The school shall actively enforce and ensure student parking does not occur within adjacent neighborhoods and City-owned parking lots. 12. Any impacted landscaping or fencing along Fairway Drive shall be replaced in kind by the Applicant at their cost. 13. Prior to the release of the Final Plat for recording, the Applicant shall enter into a Development Agreement. 14. The Applicant shall remove the Mile Drive access point and gravel roadway section. This section shall be graded, seeded, and replaced with a 10-foot bituminous trail to meet City specifications. 15. The Applicant shall wholly fund and construct the traffic signal, roadway alignment at the signal for Fairway Drive, and right turn lane on Bailey Road. All improvements shall be publicly designed to full City standards as approved by the City Engineer. 16. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall submit a materials board. All proposed materials shall be approved by the Planning staff. 17. Prior to the application of the building material, the Applicant shall construct sample material mock-ups on site for all of the buildings. 18. Prior to the release of the building permit, a landscape financial security shall be submitted for at least 150 percent of the estimated cost of landscaping including sod. 19. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall provide a snow storage and maintenance plan on the landscape plan for Planning staff review and approval. The property owner shall complete snow removal, maintenance and replacement of all proposed sidewalks and private trails unless a written agreement between the City and owner establishes a different requirement. 20. All building and site lighting shall be of a consistent style and color throughout the Planned Unit Development. All parking lot light poles, including base, shall be a maximum of 25 feet in height and shall be shoebox style, downward directed, with high-pressure sodium lamps or LED and flush lenses. Other than wash or architectural lighting, attached security lighting shall be shoebox style, downward directed with flush lenses. In addition, the lighting for the athletic field shall be limited to 50 feet in height and must be downward directed and shielded from adjacent residential uses where feasible. Athletic field lighting shall be turned off when the field is not actively being programmed by the school or City of Woodbury. 21. All areas of the site shall be sodded or seeded and maintained. The property owner shall mow and maintain all site boulevards to the curb line of all public and private streets. 22. All HVAC and other roof- or ground-mounted equipment shall be hidden from view with materials that match materials and colors used on the building. 23. Any trash enclosure shall utilize wood or composite gates and be constructed on three sides using the same materials and patterns used on the building. 24. An accessory structure adjacent to the athletic field shall be permitted and must be constructed on all sides with materials and/or colors to match the principal structure. Any future accessory structures shall be reviewed and approved by Planning staff. 25. No exterior storage shall be permitted. 26. All drive aisles onsite shall be 25 feet in width. 27. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, the Applicant shall provide a trail connection from the existing east- west trail on the City property to the west and the parking lot. 28. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, Planning staff shall review and approve the final parking lot and vehicle stacking design including striping, adding gates, extending medians and the like to ensure efficient vehicle and pedestrian movements. 29. Prior to the issuance of building permit, Math and Science Academy shall fully execute shared use agreements for the parks and recreation amenities and parking lot onsite with the City of Woodbury Parks and Recreation staff. 30. Any noise generating system including loudspeakers, music systems and the like installed for the athletic field shall be required to be installed on the east side of the field facing west and shall be turned off when not actively programmed by the school. 31. The Applicant shall install proof of parking stalls if directed by the City. The Applicant shall be required to provide sufficient parking onsite for student drivers to prevent the practice of parking in adjacent neighborhoods and walking to the school. Engineering Conditions: 32. Concurrent with the recording of the Final Plat, the Applicant shall dedicate all onsite rights-of-way, including all City and County required ROW for Bailey Road, drainage and utility easements and trail easements to the City of Woodbury at no cost, without encumbrances or restrictions. 33. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, plans shall be updated to reflect the reconstruction necessary to Fairway Drive for the traffic signal improvement and Bailey Road grading shall be completed to be consistent with the ultimate section. 34. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, final stormwater designs shall be reviewed and approved by the City which includes future Bailey Road impervious surface, track and field, and any conversion of artificial turf for the athletic field. Page 9 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 35. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, final utility plans shall be approved by the Engineering Division including providing water and sanitary utility stubs to the east side of the property. 36. Prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit, the Applicant shall submit an operation and maintenance plan for the long-term care of all on-site stormwater BMPs, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water main and roadway systems components to the City for review and approval. The property owner will be responsible to carry out these operation and maintenance activities and to submit the appropriate documentation to the City as specified. 37. The Applicant shall be financially responsible for all applicable water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer area and connection charges. Rates applied shall be those in effect at the time of Final Plat approval and shall be memorialized in the Development Agreement. 38. All lateral utility and street improvements required for the development area shall be improved at 100% Applicant cost. Lateral benefit charges for trunk utility improvements shall be based on the rates in effect for the year the Developers Agreement is executed. 39. The Applicant shall be responsible for obtaining any necessary right-of-way permits from the City’s Engineering Division prior to commencement of any site activities. The Applicant will also be responsible for obtaining any other permits necessary from other applicable agencies, such as, MPCA, MnDOT, Watershed District, Washington County, etc. prior to commencing any site activities. 40. The Applicant shall be responsible for compliance with the City’s Land Disturbance and Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance and must obtain a land disturbance permit along with any necessary right-of-way permits from the City’s Engineering Division prior to the commencement of any site activities or site disturbance. The Applicant will also be responsible for obtaining any other permits necessary from other applicable agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency NPDES Permit for construction activities. 41. Emergency overflows (EOF) shall be shown for all catch basins, ponds, basins, rain gardens, swales, etc. proposed with the project. All emergency overflows shall be a minimum of 1.5 feet lower than the lowest ground elevation of adjacent buildings and 1.5 feet of separation from EOF to 100-year HWL. EOF route, stabilization method and elevation shall be shown on the plans. 42. All public utility improvements and connections to the public systems shall be designed by the City in accordance with all City standard specifications, standard detail plates and standard plans. Easements necessary to accommodate public utility improvements will be determined by the final design and shall be shown on the Final Plat. Responsibility for construction of public utility improvements will be determined at the time of Final Plat approval. 43. All rights-of-way, easements and outlots shall be kept free of plantings, retaining walls, signage, etc. that would affect their intended purpose. 44. The Applicant shall be financially responsible for any cost incurred for removal and/or relocation of existing small utilities, utility poles, undergrounding existing overhead electric utilities and other associated private utilities adjacent to and within the development and/or related to the public improvements needed to service the development. 45. Street lights shall be required to be installed by the Applicant, at their cost, as directed by the City. 46. The location of landscaping irrigation lines shall be shown on the utility plan for irrigation of medians or at locations where irrigation lines cross public streets. 47. All irrigation systems shall meet the design standards established by the Environmental Division including, but not limited to, the following standards: 1. All systems shall have an irrigation audit completed by a certified landscape irrigation auditor and submitted to the City. Audit results, including auditor, date, time, issues identified and recommended improvements shall be submitted to the City as identified in the Operations and Maintenance Plan. 2. All systems, including pumps, controllers, connections and irrigation line placement shall be submitted for review and approval by City Staff. 3. Private irrigation wells as a back-up irrigation source shall not be permitted. 4. Irrigation heads shall be placed a minimum of 6” from back of curb, trail, sidewalk, or other hard surface to avoid damage. 5. Irrigation mainlines must be placed outside of right-of-way to avoid damage. 6. EPA Watersense approved smart controllers shall be used. The controller shall be approved by Engineering Staff in writing. 7. Drip irrigation, high efficiency rotating nozzles, pressure regulated spray and rotors, and other efficiency components shall be used on all systems. Councilmember Wilson asked if it was possible to include a traffic study for the other MSA site. City Attorney Kevin Sandstrom replied that he did not think it was appropriate to impose a condition on this development related to a completely different parcel property that already has a conditional use permit on it. If there are concerns about the existing conditional use permit, they should be addressed via any other problem the City would have with a conditional use permit. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Page 10 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Wilson, to adopt a motion to direct staff to review the CUP for the existing Math and Science Academy parking and vehicle use and bring findings back to the Council by 90 days. Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Absent: None Councilmember Santini asked when the lottery for admission would open for K-5th graders. Executive Director of Math and Science Academy Kate Hinton replied that there is currently an interest sign-up and expects the lottery will be in February 2026. Enrollment will open for applications in September 2025. Discussion Consent Agenda Item 6D. Pioneer Drive and Water Treatment Plant Connection Pipelines Project; Award Contract, Amend Budget, Consultant Selection for Construction Administration Services Councilmember Wilson pulled this item for discussion and expressed her concern about the road assessments. She mentioned that there are no assessments for the homeowners along the road because every other homeowner has had an assessment when they got their roads redone. Pioneer Drive has been on the Capital Improvement Plan. By not assessing homeowners on this, the City is not creating an environment where people can rely on the policies. She noted there are only a few homes on the road. When a new home is built on an existing road, they are not having to pay for the road. She explained that she is excited about the water treatment project but does not like assessments on the road assessment. She mentioned that this was the year the policy was supposed to be reviewed. She added that it is not fair to the other homeowners who have had their roads done and assessed next year. Mayor Burt asked if there was formal action take that some of the homes would not be assessed. Mr. Knutz replied that a workshop item was held and it was a recommendation from staff to not go through the State Statute 429 process which would involve the assessments of properties. City staff received direction from the Council not to include it. The reason for the exception for the project is due to the urgency of delivering the project. State Statute 429 takes a number of hearings and significant staff effort to deliver. Staff are at capacity for delivering the project. Adding the assessment process was not recommended because of the timeline of the project. Councilmember Wilson explained that she does not agree with road assessment policies and does not agree that the City is not using the policy while others are going through assessments. She added that she approves of the water treatment project. Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-08 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota awarding the construction contract to A-1 Excavating LLC, in the amount of $35,726,224.55 for the Pioneer Drive and Water Treatment Plant Connection Pipelines Project and authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to sign said contract, amending the 2025 budget within the MSA Roadway Construction Fund and Water and Sewer Utility Fund, and authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute a professional engineering services agreement with Bolton & Menk, Inc., in the amount of $2,342,314 for construction administration services for the Pioneer Drive and Water Treatment Plant Connection Pipelines Project. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – no Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye A. Amending CD-ADMIN-1.1 Authorizations and Procedures for Personnel Management City Administrator Clinton Gridley stated at the City Council budget workshop meeting of January 8, 2025, the City Council reviewed and discussed the proposed policy amendment. The changes to the policy provide hiring authorization for sworn Police and EMS Fire personnel within the established staffing ratio metrics; and organizationally, for the hiring of temporary “term employees”. Mr. Gridley explained per the City Council’s direction, an indexing component was added to the EMS Fire call metric that allows the policy to take into consideration past growth averages as a basis for future projections. With this modification, the majority of the City Council directed that this policy amendment proceeds to a future Council meeting for adoption consideration. Page 11 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Mr. Gridley noted a last change that recently has come to the fore and was not part of the workshop conversation, is regarding the ability to waive an employee’s annual 192 hours vacation carryover cap for an established period of time, due to a state or city declared state of emergency, a special project or incident responsibilities that limit an employee's ability to take time off. This situation occurred during the COVID emergency. Moreover, extraordinary time demands to fulfill a special project or incident can inhibit an employee’s ability to take sufficient vacation to stay under the cap and meet our work needs. This language would allow for this consideration. Mr. Gridley mentioned the sworn police officer hiring metric is a relatively straight forward consideration. While nationwide, the rate of sworn officers is 2.4 per 1,000 inhabitants1 , Woodbury’s historic budgetary allocation has been closer to 1 sworn officer per 1,000 population. In more recent years due to population growth and the competition for property tax levy dollars, Woodbury’s budgeted staffing level has fallen below that standard. Compounding this, there have been declining officer candidates pools and shorter police careers (recruitment and retention). This led to separating the budgeting level from the staffing authorization proposal. 2025 budgets for 75 sworn personnel, and authorizes hiring up to 77 officers. The policy proposal of 1 officer per 1,000 population would allow hiring up to 81 officers. Councilmember Santini moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-17 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota amending Council Directive CD- ADMIN-1.1 Authorizations and Procedures for Personnel Management. Councilmember Wilson mentioned that the item was discussed at length during a Council workshop meeting. She urged the Council to consider the powers that have already been given to the City Administrator that are outside of what they typically have. The City Administrator has been given powers for bonus or incentive pay to keep an employee and to hire positions. She noted that she is not in agreement with the “term” appointment authorization. She noted that while the Council has given the City Administrator power to do hires, it has gone further than what the Council intended. She added that hiring term positions can have a significant impact on the budget. She stated she was against the policy. Mr. Gridley noted that there is a prohibition section of the policy. The authority shall exclude term appointments that contribute to exceeding the annual budget appropriation of the City Council. Councilmember Wilson gave a hypothetical of having a difficult position to fill and the City Administrator fills it as a term position. The term employee takes up the budget for the position. When the term position ends, a new position needs to be filled in order to fill the term position. City Administrator Gridley noted that all new positions are approved by the Council, and that there has not been a situation where a person is brought in on a temporary basis and automatically a new position is created without the Council’s knowledge. He added that he is sensitive to the Council being the authorizer of the budget. He explained that the positions are filled for critical needs for a temporary amount of time. He added that it is for non-benefited, hourly-paid employees which is a small part of the budget. He added that he wants to ensure that there is clarity. Councilmember Morris mentioned that in the policy, item 4 gives the City Administrator the ability to approve term appointments of a period not more than two years. Under the exclude section, Item 3 notes that the creation of full-time and regular part-time positions is not authorized in the adopted annual budget. He explained that he did not know how the two items worked together. Councilmember Santini explained that the Council would know if a position was thought to become a full-time position, then it would come back from a budget amendment or through the full budgeting process. Mr. Gridley added if it were to add to the budget. Councilmember Wilson noted that a two-year term position could be in the budget cycle for two years. She added she would hope that it would come before the Council in a budget amendment. Mayor Burt mentioned that the budget is flexible with positions changing. Mr. Gridley explained that the budget has consistently been delivered below appropriation. Councilmember Morris stated that he liked 90% of the policy but would be voting no. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – no Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – no Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Transportation Report (2nd meeting of the month, May-October) No items scheduled Page 12 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 22, 2025 City Administrator’s Report Mr. Gridley gave a verbal update of upcoming City meetings. • January 28, 2025 – Economic Development Commission, 7:30 a.m., Ash North and South Conference • January 29, 2025 – Audit and Investment Commission, 7:30 a.m., Ash North and South Conference • January 30, 2025 – Council Advisor Commission Kick-off Event, 6:00 p.m., Ash North and South Conference Rooms, City Hall • February 4, 2025 – Parks and Natural Resources Commission, 7:00 p.m., M Health Fairview Sports Center • February 12, 2025 – Council Workshop Councilmember Morris mentioned that the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce Community Gala would be on Friday where a number of community members would be highlighted. He added that the Mayor would be presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Gridley for his service to the community. Adjournment Mayor Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Absent: None Respectfully submitted, _________________________________________ Ashleigh Sullivan, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Approved by the Woodbury City Council on February 12, 2025. Page 13 of 13