City Council

Minutes Woodbury City Council Wednesday, May 28, 2025 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 28th day of May 2025. Call to Order Mayor Anne Burt called the meeting to order at 7:30 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. Mayor Burt stated that meetings are recorded through True Lens Community Media and are broadcast live and replayed on cable channel 799. Meetings are also available on the City of Woodbury’s YouTube channel. Members of the public are welcome to join and have an opportunity to speak in person, or can watch virtually. Virtual questions can be submitted online, and the City Clerk will monitor them throughout the meeting. 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; Doug Novak, Engineering Project Coordinator; Janelle Schmitz, Community Development Director; Chris Hartzell, Engineering Director. Special Order of Business No items scheduled 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. Samantha Wolf, 2101 Cameron Drive, stated she was in support of backyard chickens in the City. She mentioned that she lives in Royal Oaks on a quarter-acre lot and moved to the property due to the large backyard. She explained that she lived in South Minneapolis, where many small lots had chickens in their backyard, and was surprised when she discovered that Woodbury’s City Code did not allow residents to own chickens. Ownership of chickens is allowed in most communities in the Twin Cities. She expressed her appreciation that chickens are allowed in rural zoning districts. She noted she lives in an R-4 zoning district and is hoping to keep chickens on her property in the future. According to the USDA Wildlife Services Program, it is unlikely that backyard chickens will attract any more wildlife to a residential area than is already present. Chickens do not smell, but animal waste smells. No odors emanate from properly managed backyard coops. Chicken manure is a highly sought-after fertilizer. Chickens eat leftover food scraps, which reduces food waste. She thanked the Council for working with the community to allow chickens in rural zones. Nicole Mitchell, 3033 Leyland Trail, stated she would be interested in having chickens on her property. She explained that chickens eat insects such as ticks and Japanese beetles. She expressed her understanding that there was a survey done about chickens, and there were mixed reviews. She mentioned that many people do not understand that when chickens are mentioned, it is not about roosters. Many people assume that they would be woken up at 4:00 a.m. by a rooster. Out of the top 10 cities in the area, Woodbury is one of two cities that have a restrictive chicken ordinance. St. Paul allows chickens in small residential lots. Chicken waste tends to occur in the coop. If the coop is not cleaned, chickens can get diseases and not produce eggs. Chicken owners tend to be pretty responsible, so their chickens do not get sick. Chickens tend to stay close to the coop, whereas a dog can get out and cause harm to a person or another pet.  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 She stated that most concerns that people have about chickens may be based on not fully understanding what raising chickens entails and how it impacts neighbors. 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 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 1. Approval of City Council Workshop Minutes – April 16, 2025 2. Approval of City Council Minutes – April 16, 2025 3. Approval of City Council Quarterly Workshop Minutes – April 30, 2025 Item B Pioneer Park Playground and Carver Lake Park Beach Playground Replacements; Contract Awards. This item was removed from the Consent Agenda and moved to the Discussion portion of the meeting. Item C To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-93 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute a Joint Use Agreement with Math and Science Academy for priority access to school facilities, including gymnasiums, parking lots and athletic field use. Item D To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-94 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of the Geothermal Energy Grant and approve the associated budget amendment to recognize $144,598 in grant revenue and related expenses for the geothermal energy review and authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to enter into a contract with the Department of Commerce specific to the grant agreement. Item E To adopt a motion approving Woodbury Spine and Wellness Site and Building Plan, Project No. 04-2025-00578 subject to the conditions listed in Council letter 25-132. Item F To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-95 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Implementation Grants for Community Resilience and execution of the grant agreement for Battery Energy Storage System at Fleet Services and approving the associated budget amendment. Item G To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-96 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota awarding the contract for the 2025 Rejuvenator Project to Corrective Asphalt Materials, LLC., and authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute the construction contract. Item H To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-97 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota amending the Street Reconstruction/Maintenance Fund and Parks and Trails Replacement Fund budgets for the 2025 Roadway Rehabilitation Project. Item I To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-98 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota establishing a public improvement hearing date of June 11, 2025, for the 2026 Roadway Rehabilitation Project. Item J To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-99 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the use of the Public Safety Expansion Project Fund to proceed with the Design Development, Construction Documents, Page 2 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 and Bidding Phase services under the existing agreement with Wold Architects and Engineers, and additional Pre-Construction Costs. Item K To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-100 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota prohibiting the parking of motor vehicles on both sides of Pioneer Drive, from Dale Road to 0.2 miles south of Lighthouse Lane for submittal to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Item L To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-101 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota establishing a public improvement hearing date of June 11, 2025, for the Woodlane Drive (Bailey Road to Wooddale Drive) Pavement Rehabilitation Project. Item M To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-102 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute an engineering consulting services contract with WSB for engineering construction administration services for the Westwind 3rd Addition Utility and Street Improvements Project (Private Construction) contingent upon receiving cash escrow and securities. Item N To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-103 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the Memorandum of Understanding between the Washington County Cooperative Weed Management Area partners and the City of Woodbury Item O To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-104 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Metropolitan Council to participate in the Citizen-Assisted Monitoring Program. Item P To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-105 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing execution of the Memorandum of Understanding between Washington County and the City of Woodbury for native vegetation restoration in conservation easements. Item Q To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-106 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota awarding the construction contract to Kurilla Contracting in the amount of $507,254.02 for the Pioneer Park and Wedgewood Park Stormwater Best Management project. Item R 1. To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-107 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of Coordinated Capital Improvement Program Grant from South Washington Watershed District for purchase of a stormwater lift station generator and authorizing use of Central District Trunk Storm Sewer Fund 2. To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-108 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of Coordinated Capital Improvement Program Grant from South Washington Watershed District for Seasons Park Vegetation Management, approving associated budget adjustment, and authorizing use of Central District Trunk Storm Sewer Fund 3. To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-109 Page 3 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of Coordinated Capital Improvement Program Grant from South Washington Watershed District for Eagle Valley Golf Course Pond Vegetation Management and authorizing use of Central District Trunk Storm Sewer Fund 4. To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-110 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of Coordinated Capital Improvement Program Grant from South Washington Watershed District for purchase of a brush cutter to support vegetation maintenance efforts. Item S To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-111 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing acceptance of City of Woodbury Administrative Grant Amendment No. 2, Contract #217017 from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency extending its termination date through June 2027. Item T To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-112 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the Public Works Director to execute assessment agreements for the City of Woodbury private ash tree assessment program. Item U To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-113 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the purchase of City-wide laptops due for replacement in 2025. Item V To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-114 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing to participate in the Performance Measurement Program established by the State of Minnesota and the Council on Local Results and Innovation. Item W To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-115 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota amending the Records Retention Schedule. Item X To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-116 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving application for Minnesota Lawful Gambling LG214 Premises Permit and Minnesota Lawful Gambling LG215 Lease for Lawful Gambling Activity for Woodbury Area Hockey Club at Acapulco Mexican Restaurant located at 1795 Radio Drive, Suite A, Woodbury, MN. Item Y To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-117 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving Council Directive CD- COUNCIL-2.14 Consideration of Proclamations. Item Z 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 April 11, 2025 in the amount of $1,903,417.93, April 18, 2025 in the amount of $5,295,223.85, April 25, 2025 in the amount of $2,323,800.58, May 2, 2025 in the amount of $820,346.97 and May 9, 2025 in the amount of $1,625,231.37. Councilmember Santini moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, to approve the Consent Agenda items with the exception of item 6B. Voting via voice: Page 4 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Discussion Consent Agenda Item B. Pioneer Park Playground and Carver Lake Park Beach Playground Replacements; Contract Awards Councilmember Wilson pulled this item for discussion and stated she would vote differently. She added that she is not against parks and park replacements. She expressed her concern that what is being taken down and replaced with is not the same. She mentioned that the park is in her neighborhood and has photos of what the park currently looks like. She encouraged the Council to figure out how the park replacements could be the same or better than what was currently there. She wondered if it was a financial issue or the vendor that was being used. The proposed park went through the Parks and Natural Resources Commission, but it was presented to them 10 days before the Council meeting. Parks and Recreation Director Michelle Okada stated that staff followed a process to review the proposed park. Playgrounds have a container setting the boundaries and guidelines on what can be put in the area. Safety standards have changed, which means the number of items that can be placed in the area has changed. The current park is about 23 years old and needs replacement. Playgrounds are very subjective. Staff believe they have followed the process to get appropriate feedback. While all playground replacements will garner feedback, staff want to conduct a process that both staff and Council can stand behind. As it relates to budgets, staff are budgeting for what can properly fit within the area. Staff consider other factors when looking at replacement, such as what is diverse, what can fit in the area, and what other playgrounds in the area look like and provide. Staff desire to elevate the inclusivity of the proposed park. All playgrounds are ADA-accessible. The City worked with a designer where elevating inclusivity without taking away from possible amenities. The process this year was adjusted from the process last year where they replaced a playground very closely to what was previously there, the comments received centered on the lack of change and desire for something different. She mentioned that if there is a different process, the Council would like to do moving forward then let her know. Mayor Burt asked to clarify the financial aspect of the process and how staff determine how much money can go into a project. Ms. Okada replied that each playground is categorized by size. Every couple of years, staff look at how much is being spent on each playground that is approximately the same size. Staff also consider how old the playground is and when it was implemented. She added they look at various factors, such as needing drain tile, or if curbing needs replacement. When developing the budget, staff look at how many playgrounds need replacement or updates and then see how much the budget can handle. She stated that staff believe the budget is sufficient to be able to handle the proposed project. The maintenance crew has helped determine a vendor, and they consider how durable the playground would be and how accessible it would be to get replacement parts if something breaks. Mayor Burt asked Ms. Okada to explain the engagement process for the proposed park. Ms. Okada replied that during the month of April, they hosted an open house, sent letters to 295 property owners who live near the park, and had a QR code at the park that users could provide feedback. She added that they did a few social media campaigns. Staff worked with the playground designer to design the base playground and determine what amenities community members desired and how to implement them in the proposed playground. She mentioned that the proposed park would have aspects for toddlers and older kids. Councilmember Santini expressed her support for having a park where both toddlers and older kids could play since toddlers would eventually grow up and would still be able to play at the playground. Councilmember Wilson agreed but noted that she feels like the proposed park is losing some of the larger structures that older children would play on. She mentioned that the proposed playground would go from four swings to two, with one of the swings being a toddler swing. If someone has two kids, only one kid would be able to swing at a time. She mentioned that there is an active group of parents who utilize many of the City’s parks and would love to get together and figure out what to do with the park systems. The parents could go out and get community feedback, which could help take the burden off of staff. City Administrator Clinton Gridley mentioned that there is an opportunity for the Council to think about how they want the park replacement process to go moving forward. He mentioned that the three aspects to consider are the financial, the design, and the community engagement process. He noted that the citizen advisory group reviewed the design and confirmed the design. He added that staff did an engagement process. He wondered what kind of involvement the Council desired to have. He noted that many communities do not have the Council involved in the design process of a park. Councilmember Wilson explained that the City being involved in the design process is what makes Woodbury unique. She added that the community is very engaged and involved and that there are many citizen advisory boards and people lined up to be a part of them, and this conversation is nothing against staff, they are doing what they are supposed to do. She explained that it is detrimental in a neighborhood to replace a park with something that is not the same or better. She added that the City has a policy that says they want everybody to be within walking distance of a park. Councilmember Morris explained that everyone is going to have a different opinion on what they want to see at the park. Community engagement was completed, and it was approved by the volunteer commission, and Page 5 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 feedback was provided. He stated that he is comfortable with the process in place and added that he does not want the Council to be involved in the design process because then it is only up to five Councilmembers to come up with the design instead of getting other voices included. Councilmember Wilson clarified that it was not her suggestion that the Council determine the design for the park. Councilmember Morris asked Councilmember Wilson what her suggestion was. Councilmember Wilson replied that there are community members who are interested in participating and taking design leads. Councilmember Morris noted that their feedback is welcome anytime during the Parks and Natural Resources Commission, and they can interact with staff. He stated that they do not need another commission. Councilmember Wilson mentioned that there were only four photos shown to the commission regarding swings, and did not show the full play structure. Mayor Burt explained that it sounds like there are limitations with space, finances, and safety regulations. She mentioned that staff are following the budget that is put in place and added that in the future, the Council could decide if they would like to levy more money to do bigger parks. Based on what exists, there are parameters, and staff following the process. Ms. Okada explained that staff looked into expanding the container to consider a four-bank swing, but there is a tree consideration and a stormwater swale that limits the area. Staff can consider increasing budget, while staying to the spirit if the replacement fund. If the Council desires, staff can do the next park replacement as a community-type build. Councilmember Morris suggested that the Council provide direction to staff to include more specificity with the Parks and Natural Resource Commission and to allow the commission to provide staff direction to bring alternative design options. He added that there could be more leeway for the commission so they can give more feedback. He noted that the commission may be a little restricted in what they think their latitude is. He asked the Council if they would consider his suggestion. Councilmember Wilson agreed and noted that the Parks and Natural Resources Commission had asked staff to present projects sooner so that they have enough time to provide feedback before it goes to the Council. Councilmember Morris asked the Council if they would consider directing staff to advance the process in order to give the Parks and Natural Resources Commission more time. Councilmember Wilson replied that the commission needs more time to provide feedback and allow for changes. She stated that this is not reflective of staff time, staff has put in a lot of time, it feels rushed from the perspective of the public. Councilmember Stafford asked Councilmember Wilson what she would like to see at the park. Councilmember Wilson replied that she would like to see more swings and more amenities for older kids. Mayor Burt pointed out that there is a space limitation. Mr. Gridley mentioned that the item is on the agenda because it is required that the Council approve public bids. The item is not on the agenda to approve the design. It is on the agenda to approve the public bid. If the Council would like to clarify roles, then the Council could direct staff to have the Parks and Natural Resources Commission Ordinance reflect that they would be included in the design process. Councilmember Wilson noted that the reason she would be voting no is because it is approving the project. She added that the Council is not doing its job if they are not looking into what they are approving and how it would affect the community. Mayor Burt mentioned that the Council delegates tasks to the staff and the commission. Councilmember Morris asked the Council to consider discussing the design process and the role of the Parks and Natural Resources Commission during a future Council workshop. Councilmember Santini added that it would be helpful to identify the structure of decision-making. Ms. Okada replied that staff were following the engagement spectrum but noted that she was hearing that the Council would like to increase the level of engagement. Councilmember Morris stated that he would like to consider the option but was not ready to give direction yet. Ms. Okada stated that staff would put together a memo to affirm what they are hearing from the Council. If additional discussion is needed, staff can come to a workshop to engage in further conversation and direction. Mr. Gridley explained that the workshop meeting would not be to determine the design but to determine the roles of those who would make the decisions. Ms. Okada asked if the Council would like staff to move forward with a new process with the current playground project. Mayor Burt suggested that the Council vote on the current item so that staff can move forward with it. Councilmember Santini moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-92 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota awarding the contracts for Replacement of the Pioneer Park Playground and the Carver Lake Park Beach Playground to Landscape Structures Inc. (LSI) and Flagship Recreation for a combined amount not to exceed $345,000 and authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to sign said contracts upon approval by the City Attorney. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – no Page 6 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 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 m ake 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. Restaurant 3 LLC dba Liliana, 10060 City Walk Dr Suite 102, On Sale Intoxicating Liquor License including Sunday and Patio Sales Mayor Burt declared the public hearing open. Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Ashleigh Sullivan stated Restaurant 3 LLC dba Liliana has submitted an application for an On Sale Intoxicating Liquor License, including Sunday and Patio sales for their restaurant located at 10060 City Walk Drive, Suite 102. The two owners are Peter Sebastian (50%) and Jason Hansen (50%). As required by City Code, a criminal history check as it pertains to liquor licensing was conducted on each corporate officer and individuals with financial interest, and no violations that would preclude the corporation from obtaining a liquor license were found. City staff will provide the applicant with a copy of our City ordinance and alcohol violation policy, which is included in our Protect Your Business manual. The applicant has submitted the license fee and background investigation fee. The City Attorney has reviewed the application and has found it to be in order. 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 opportunity for discussion and questions from the Council. Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, to approve an On Sale Intoxicating Liquor License including Sunday and Patio Sales to Restaurant 3 LLC dba Liliana located at 10060 City Walk Drive Suite 102. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Mayor Burt asked when the restaurant would open. Ms. Sullivan replied that they are hoping to open on June 1 st. B. Wagyu Hot Pot & BBQ LLC dba Feast Buffet & Banquet, 1690 Woodlane Drive, On Sale Wine and Beer Liquor License including Sunday and Patio Sales Mayor Burt declared the public hearing open. Ms. Sullivan stated Wagyu Hot Pot & BBQ LLC dba Feast Buffet & Banquet has submitted an application for an On Sale Wine and Beer Liquor License, including Sunday and Patio Sales for their restaurant located at 1690 Woodlane Drive. There are eleven owners with at least 5% interest in Feast Buffet & Banquet: • ZeGui Qui 15% • Zedong Qui 10% • Yong Ping Liu 10% Page 7 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 • Xunyu Liu 10% • Xin Chen 5% • Shung Sun 7.5% • Qin Chen 5% • NaiHui Lin 5% • Kong Ping Ni 5% • Kevin Ni 15% • HongLi Yi 10% Ms. Sullivan stated as required by City Code, a criminal history check as it pertains to liquor licensing was conducted on each corporate officer and individuals with financial interest, and no violations that would preclude the corporation from obtaining a liquor license were found. City staff will provide the applicant with a copy of our City ordinance and alcohol violation policy, which is included in our Protect Your Business manual. The applicant has submitted the license fee and background investigation fee. The City Attorney has reviewed the application and has found it to be in order. Mayor Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to close the public hearing. Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Absent: None Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, to approve an On Sale Wine and Beer Liquor License including Sunday and Patio Sales to Wagyu Hot Pot & BBQ LLC dba Feast Buffet & Banquet located at 1690 Woodlane Drive. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Mayor Burt asked when the restaurant would open. Ms. Sullivan replied that the owners have not told the City when it would open yet. Community Development Director Janelle Schmitz mentioned that the Council had asked for the DMO manager to include a list of all the restaurants in the City on the website. There are now about 130 places to eat in the City. C. Adoption of Special Assessments for Tamarack Road: Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project Mayor Burt declared the public hearing open. Mayor Burt stated that anyone who wishes to object to the special assessments and reserves the right to appeal in the district court should provide their name and address in writing prior to the Council's action to close the hearing. She noted that Larkin Hoffman is representing client Woodbook, LLC., with properties identified as PID 04-028-21—31-0012, and the Council has a letter that was submitted objecting to the assessment. Engineering Project Coordinator Doug Novak stated that the purpose of the meeting is to hold the assessment hearing, accept any written objections, and approve the resolutions. The project runs from Weir Drive to Radio Drive and includes the streets north and south. The project scope includes pavement milling and overlay, spot curb replacement, pedestrian ramp replacement, trail rehabilitation, and new trail construction. There has been a substantial public process which has included and public improvement hearing, multiple open houses, and individual meetings with property owners. The proposed schedule would be to award the construction contract and amend the 2025 budget in May 2025, begin construction in June 2025, and complete the project in October 2025. Funding for the project is roughly $1.5 million in special assessments, with 77 properties being assessed. There is a $1.5 million State grant for the project, and the rest is funded by the City. Mr. Novak explained that a special assessment is a charge imposed on properties for a certain improvement. The assessment ben efits the owners of those selected properties. It is a levy the City uses to finance or partially finance a certain public improvement. Staff followed the assessment policy and did a benefit appraisal. The assessments were calculated based on the policy and then compared with the benefit appraisal, and then the lower of the two was selected. An assessment hearing will be held prior to the project being awarded. There is a 30-day no-interest payment period, with payments being allowed to be made over 15 years for assessments. The first payment would be due with the first half property tax payment in 2026. The interest rate will be 4.1%. Mayor Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to close the public hearing. Page 8 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Absent: None Mayor Burt opened opportunity for discussion and questions from the Council. Mayor Burt asked if there was a list of what each property was being assessed. Mr. Novak replied that there is an assessment roll. Mr. Gridley added that typically, the Council sees a list of commercial properties that may be paying more in assessments. Mayor Burt noted that in the past, the Council was able to see the numbers and was curious to see what the properties were paying for assessments. Engineer Director Chris Hartzell noted that the numbers can be found in the feasibility report, which is prepared by the finance team, and it is different from the content that the engineering team prepares for the assessment hearing. Mr. Gridley stated that staff could share the information with the Council as a follow-up document. Mayor Burt requested to see the document and, in the future, to provide the Council with the information so that they can answer resident questions. Mr. Hartzell explained that the assessment roll is available for public viewing at City or upon request. Typically, staff has this information available, but not included in the packet. With this project there are approximately 70 plus unique individual assessments and the adoption of the assessment roll, not the assessment roll itself is included in the packet. Councilmember Stafford moved, seconded by Councilmember Santini, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-118 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota approving the special assessments for the Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – no Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye D. Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project; Award Contract; Consultant Selection for Construction Administration Services; Budget Amendment (Item is not a Public Hearing. Council action needed after close of the Special Assessment hearing for Tamarack Road: Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project.) Mayor Burt explained that item D is a procedural item and does not need to have a public hearing opened since it was a part of item C. Councilmember Santini asked if the project would start after Valley Creek Road is opened. Mr. Novak replied that construction is supposed to start at the beginning of June in the commercial areas, which would not require any road closures. The construction on Tamarack Road would not happen until after Valley Creek Road is opened. Councilmember Santini noted that there is a private road off of Seasons Parkway and asked if staff have contacted the property owner to see if they are thinking of updating their portion of the road. Mr. Novak replied that staff had not reached out to the property owner. Mr. Hartzell added that it is typical for a property owner to request improvements to take advantage of the economy of scale. However, the the contractor decides if they would like to add to the work through a separate contract with the property owner. Mayor Burt asked where the $1.5 million grant came from. Mr. Hartzell replied that it is a local road improvement program that is a grant set aside by the State. Only a certain amount is available, and it is very competitive. It is not often that a single city will get the grant within a few years of each other. The State recognizes the importance of Tamarack Road relative to the region. Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-119 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota awarding the construction contract to Bituminous Roadways, Inc., in the amount of $ 4,474,559.55 for the Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project and authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to sign said contract. Voting via voice: Page 9 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-120 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute an engineering consulting services contract with WSB, LLC., in the amount of $377,218 for construction administration services for the Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Councilmember Morris moved, seconded by Councilmember Stafford, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-121 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota amending the Municipal State Aid Roadway Construction Fund, the Storm Water Utility Fund, the Water and Sewer Utility Fund, and the Parks and Trails Replacement Fund budgets based on the low bid for the Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive Pavement Rehabilitation Project. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Discussion (continued) A. Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A); Adoption of the Action Plan and the Safety-First Council Directive Mr. Hartzell stated that in July 2023, the City applied for and received 100 percent grant funding to complete a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action Plan from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Matching Funds. The SS4A Action Plan and Safety-First Council Directive have been developed and approved by all parties and are now ready for adoption and implementation. The SS4A discretionary program supports three safety objectives, which include planning, demonstration projects, and implementation of projects. The City was fortunate enough to receive one of the maximum grant awards for the planning and demonstration projects. $100 million was set aside by the Minnesota legislature called the IIJA match program. They paid the match for the City, which was required for the federal aid. The total project cost for the City was $375,000, which was fully funded. Mr. Hartzell explained that the Safe Systems approach is a collaborative effort with all of the departments in the City. It includes safer people, vehicles, speeds, roads, and post-crash care. He provided the Council with a graphic of the Swiss cheese analogy that illustrated the five safe system elements that create redundancy and layers of protection when it comes to safe roads and speeds. The City works to control what it can control. The project management team includes almost everyone across all the departments. There have been 12 months of engagement with the project management team. He added that there were pop-up events at stores, and online participation to determine what needs to happen for the systems to become safer. Mayor Burt asked when the engagement process began. Mr. Hartzell replied at the beginning of 2024. He added that the City received a grant in 2023. He mentioned that the process has taken a while because there is a lot of data collection and analysis that is needed. The Page 10 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 data that was used was intersection data, roadway segments, equity areas, safe streets priority network, City of Woodbury, Washington County, the State of Minnesota, and nationwide. Mr. Hartzell reviewed the Council workshop discussions. On March 20, 2024, the Council received an overview, the schedule, the engagement, and the goals of the Action Plan. On September 24, 2024, the SS4A Action Plan was discussed, and the Council provided direction. Staff also discussed the demonstration projects with the Council. On October 23, 2024, staff recommended the Action Plan, and the Council reviewed it and provided input. The Council provided direction on sidewalk and retrofit trails in existing neighborhoods. The Council directive is the required leadership commitment for SS4A, and it formalizes many existing operational practices and departmental collaboration. Some new items that came from the Council directive were reporting metrics to the Council, communication to the Council, a transportation needs list, and the establishment of demonstration projects. Councilmember Stafford moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, To adopt the following resolution Resolution 25-122 Resolution of the City of Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota adopting the Woodbury Safe Streets and Roads for All Action Plan and Safety-First Council Directive. Councilmember Wilson asked if the Action Plan would take away the ability for the Council to speak about projects that are included in the plan. Mr. Hartzell replied that it would not. Voting via voice: Kim Wilson – aye Donna Stafford – aye Steve Morris – aye Jennifer Santini – aye Anne Burt – aye Transportation Report (2nd meeting of the month, May-October) Mr. Hartzell stated that the active construction projects in the City are the Water Treatment pipeline project, the Dale Road Project, the 2025 Roadway Rehabilitation Project, and the Bailey Road Water Tower. The City website has a list of weekly road closures and detours. He explained that it is too complex to list off all of the road closures and detours, but mentioned that the pipeline staff have done an amazing job trying to time every project to ensure that impacts are minimized. He noted that the water treatment pipeline project on Interlachen Parkway is on time and on target for milestones. If there is any disruption in material distribution of the 36” ductile iron pipes, it would cause an impact and delay to the project. He displayed photos of the water treatment pipeline. The East Wellfield Manifold Pipe Project is underway. Construction is underway on Dale Road between Radio Drive and Copper Ridge Drive. The storm sewer work for the project is going to go through June. In early July, construction on the water main will begin. In the meantime, a roundabout will be put in at Chestnut Drive. Mr. Hartzell noted that phases one, two, and three are underway for the Roadway Rehabilitation Project. Phase four at East View Road will be under construction starting in July. He displayed photos of the 2025 Roadway Rehabilitation Project. The Bailey Road Water Tower will require a portion of Bailey Road to be closed for a short amount of time. Tower foundation work will begin in early July. Mr. Hartzell reviewed the upcoming projects, which include Tamarack Road from Weir Drive to Radio Drive, and the Woodlane Drive Trail from Valley Creek Road to Guider Drive. He encouraged community members to sign up for InTouch at woodburymn.gov/intouch to receive project updates. City Administrator’s Report Mr. Gridley recognized the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. He mentioned that it is the highest form of recognition in government and budgeting. Metro Transit has informed staff that the park and ride for Routes 323 and 355 will be relocated from the Queens Drive movie theater site to the Woodlane Park and Ride. The change will be effective on Saturday, May 17, for Route 323, and on Monday, May 19, for Route 355, since this is the express bus to Minneapolis, and doesn’t run on weekends. Mayor Burt asked if there are any more park-and-ride services at the movie theater site. Ms. Schmitz replied that there was not. Mr. Gridley explained that it is more efficient this way and allows the movie theater spot to become something else. Mr. Gridley stated that the curbside Food Scraps Pick Up Program became available to Woodbury residents in April 2024. In one year, 4,045 Woodbury households, or 13.8 percent, signed up to participate in the program, exceeding the one-year participation rate goal of 10 percent. The city is a promotional partner for the program, which is offered and managed by a Ramsey and Washington County partnership. Page 11 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Mr. Gridley noted that this past month, Mayor Anne Burt and Woodbury’s Community Relations Manager, Shelly Schafer, visited our Minnesota Congressional delegation to advocate for federal funding for Woodbury projects. Following the visit, the City submitted three congressionally directed spending requests for our Emergency Operations Center, a public safety records management system, and for a construction project on Weir Drive to mitigate flooding concerns. While in D.C., they also met with representatives from U.S. government agencies to learn about resources available to support the work we do in our community. He thanked Mayor Burt for her work. Mr. Gridley stated that the Woodbury Community Garden has grown in 2025, welcoming 95 more households or organizations into the gardening program. In addition to the original 48 in-ground plots, the expansion included 48 new in-ground garden plots, 35 new raised-bed gardens, and 12 new wheelchair-accessible garden beds. The Woodbury Community Garden is a partnership with Woodbury Thrives and is supported by Washington County Master Gardeners. A garden committee supports the program alongside Parks and Recreation staff. Mr. Gridley explained that Woodbury Police’s Community Impact Unit coordinated with twenty retailers and spearheaded a day of focused, proactive efforts aimed at stopping criminal activity in retail areas. This coordinated effort included dedicated police officers proactively patrolling near these retail areas, community service officers and reserves assisting with the patrol efforts, and Woodbury’s crime analyst diligently supporting with investigations and actionable intelligence. Through our team’s proactive efforts, 15 arrests were made over an eight-hour period. Coordinated efforts like this demonstrate our department’s top priority of a safe community, the proactive skills and dedication of our officers, and the value of the relationships built between Woodbury officers and retailers. Mr. Gridley shared that Fleet Services has been ranked #34 in the 2025 “100 Best Fleets in the Americas” contest, a significant rise from our previous ranking of #60 over the past two years. He noted that Dan Solheid is retiring. Mr. Gridley mentioned the Tree Replacement Rebate Program was created with the intent to combat the city’s canopy loss caused by the emerald ash borer by providing residents who apply for the program a rebate of $199 per tree for replacing dead or diseased trees, of any species, that were removed. The program launched on April 24 and has been wildly successful! So far in the first 12 days, over 60 applications have been processed, with more waiting, and only about one-fifth of the $30,000 budget remaining. Mr. Gridley gave a verbal update on upcoming City meetings. • June 02, 2025 – Planning Commission Meeting • June 03, 2025 – Parks and Natural Resources Commission Meeting • June 11, 2025 – Council Workshop • June 11, 2025 – Public Hearing Mr. Gridley stated that it was his last Administrator report and his last meeting. He explained that he started working for the local government in 1983 as a part-time intern with the city of Lake Forest, Illinois. He added that even when his role did not have to do with Council meetings, he would attend the meetings for his career development. His first important role at a Council meeting was Assistant to the City Manager in Highland Park. He added that he was responsible for getting the food for the Council workshop meetings. He expressed his love for local government and Council meetings because it is true democracy and action by doing the work of the people in harmony with the intentions and purposes of our founding fathers. He explained that the reason the local form of representative democracy works well is because the Council and staff are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Councilmembers represent the whole City and not just a portion of it. There are no closed political caucus meetings, the meetings are open and accessible at City Hall in the evenings so the public can easily attend. Council meetings are available online, with the ability to ask questions online. Agenda items are handled as single issues, not log rolled into large Christmas tree omnibus bills. Any item on the Consent Agenda can be pulled for discussion without question by the public, Councilmembers, or staff. The budgets are passed on time with revenues balanced against expenditures and are annually audited to meet the highest professional financial standards. Any gifts with a resale value exceeding $5 are prohibited. All purchasing is competitive, and no family members of the Council or the City leadership team can be hired. The non-personnel and non-litigation documents are available to the public. Mr. Gridley expressed his gratitude for being a part of the “great American experiment” of self-governing based on the principles of liberty, equality, and consent of the governed. It is a society where they actively participate in the shaping of their government. The City is a shining example of this ideal. The City has had excellent elected leaders. He reviewed the past Mayors, City Administrators, and the previous staff he has had the privilege of working with. He thanked the City for allowing him to serve. Mayor Burt stated that she looks forward to celebrating Mr. Gridley on June 5 th from 4:30-6:300 p.m. at Eagle Valley Golf Course. She added that the City has been blessed by his leadership over the last 21 years. Adjournment Mayor Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Morris, to adjourn the meeting at 9:17 p.m. Voting in Favor: Wilson, Stafford, Morris, Santini, Burt Page 12 of 13  City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Absent: None Respectfully submitted, _________________________________________ Ashleigh Sullivan, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Approved by the Woodbury City Council on June 11, 2025. Page 13 of 13