HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 08/17/2021 - Workshop
APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2021 CITY CENTER
5:00 – 6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30 – 7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Ron Case, Council Members Kathy Nelson, Mark Freiberg, PG
Narayanan, and Lisa Toomey
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Matt Sackett, Fire Chief Scott Gerber,
Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah, Parks and
Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Administrative Services/HR Director Alecia Rose,
Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City Attorney Maggie Neuville, and Recorder Katie
O’Connor
Workshop - Heritage Rooms I and II (5:30)
I. DEVELOPMENT SITES
Case introduced the topic for the evening. He stated there will also be three public hearings at
the following meeting and for Council to be prepared for their responses during the meeting.
Getschow stated Staff will provide an overview of potential development sites to keep
Council updated on upcoming projects they may see. Some of these sites were reviewed
during the last Comprehensive Plan update. Klima added she will review properties with
current development applications, properties staff is having active conversations with
developers on, and properties identified as infill sites with some or no inquiries from
developers. When observed on a map, there is no true cluster of properties, but they are
scattered throughout the community. Some of the current development applications include
the Holiday Station and Auto Care World and Pioneer Preserve.
Getschow asked for clarification about the specific commercial districts. Klima responded
there are four commercial zoning districts including regional commercial service,
neighborhood commercial, community commercial, and highway commercial. Nelson
inquired what the difference is between neighborhood commercial and community
commercial. Klima responded the zoning ordinance provides special purposes of those
zoning districts. Neighborhood commercial is intended to provide goods and services to
people and residents in the immediate area. There is a size limit of 50,000 square feet.
Community commercial is a step up with providing goods and services to the broader part of
the community. Regional services is beyond our community’s borders. Case inquired
specifically about neighborhood commercial and how a certain use can be justified for the
nearby community. Klima replied some communities will provide different permitted uses
within each of the sub zoning districts, but Eden Prairie’s zoning ordinance is not set up this
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August 17, 2021
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way. Retail services are a permitted use in all of the commercial districts. Case added the
subjectivity may be in the size of operations and services being offered in these sub districts.
Klima stated other current projects include Johnson Ridge and The Ellie. Johnson Ridge is a
single family subdivision coming before Council is September, and the Ellie is an apartment
building. Anticipated applications include Eagle Ridge/Greco which is guided for transit-
oriented development (TOD). The development proposal includes two buildings, and there
are significant amenities proposed with this project. Shutterfly plans to submit an application
to demolish their western building. They have a tenant for the eastern building. Toomey
inquired what they intend to do with the site. Klima responded currently they have stated it
would be an area for native plantings. They would also do some façade remodel to the
entrance. Nelson added in the future they could potentially come back with a different use.
Klima stated another anticipated application is the Menards Site. The current proposal is for a
five story apartment building with about 225 units. Nelson clarified if there would be an
outlet on Topview Road. Klima stated in conversations thus far they have discussed moving
the outlet as far west on Valley View Road. Nelson inquired if there would need to be
adjustments made to the Valley View Road lanes. Klima replied the proposal remains to be
seen and further conversations would need to be had with Hennepin County.
Klima mentioned another anticipated application at 7544 Market Place Drive just north of
CSAH 212 and IH494. Nelson asked if Council could be provided a list of how much vacant
office space there is in the City. Klima made note of the request. Another anticipated
application is 13905 Chestnut Drive subdivision. The property management company will
likely be marketing this property. Case noted there are some wetlands in this location. Klima
added the property may not be 100 percent developable. The third category of the
presentation reviews potential development properties identified as infill properties in Aspire
2040, prime for redevelopment, or with the potential to subdivide. The first of these in the
Marshall Farm Stand. This is currently guided low density residential. Another property,
Eden Heights East, has an approved preliminary plat from 2016. It is guided for Low Density
Residential. This property has never come in for a final plat and Staff routinely fields calls.
The 9614 Crestwood Terrace property is zoned Rural but guided Low Density Residential.
There is development potential at Dvorak Farm, Winter Park, and The Enblom properties.
Dvorak Farm is guided for Industrial Flex Tech. Winter Park is guided Office. The Enblom
properties are guided Industrial Flex Tech. There is a single family home and a cabin on the
Enblom properties. The homeowners have put a Minnesota land trust agreement on the
properties. The land trust agreement has greater restrictions for office, multifamily, and
commercial development. The Super Valu Site, a property with a few inquiries, was
originally looking for a master developer to create a master plan. It is likely there will be
some sort of proposal in the next few years. Freiberg inquired why the lakefront property
wouldn’t have the potential for single family homes. Klima noted access would likely be an
issue for single family. 6216 Baker Road is an older office building zoned and guided Office.
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August 17, 2021
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The have been inquiries about removing the office and building an apartment. Narayanan
inquired what the potential would be for apartment units from all the potential development
sites. Klima replied she has not researched this number. 6385 Old Shady Oak Road is also an
old office building with inquiries to build an apartment building along the east boundary.
Nelson inquired how close it is to the light rail. Klima responded a half mile.
Klima stated Life Church properties are actively for sale and zoned and guided Public. Staff
have received multiple inquiries about multifamily development, which would require a
Comprehensive Plan amendment. John Lassen properties to the east are zoned Rural but
guided Medium Density Residential. The Minnesota Department of Transportation
(MnDOT) Venture Lane Property is infill and guided Mixed Use, and they have had multiple
inquiries about multifamily or senior living. The Martin Property at 6585 Eden Prairie Road
is a five acre parcel zoned RI-22 guided Low Density Residential. Case noted the site would
require brownfield cleanup. Also, one of three 1850s original log cabins in the City is on the
property. There is a six acre parcel at 6591 168th Street owned by Gerald Moot zoned Rural
and guided Low Density Residential. The Former Pauley Property at 17450 78th Street West
is zoned RI-22 and guided Low Density Residential. The property currently continues to be
used as a single family residence. 7924 Eden Prairie Road is zoned RI-13.5 and guided Low
Density Residential. It currently has a single family home on the parcel. There is potential for
redevelopment at the Huber Funeral Home. It is zoned I-2 and guided Commercial.
Narayanan asked for a breakdown sites specific to housing and commercial. Case noted there
may not be a great depiction of these numbers as some properties may not develop for many
years and other properties may become a redevelopment.
Klima stated the Seifert property is an 11 acre parcel at 8390 Hiawatha Avenue zoned Rural
and guided Low Density Residential. The 9500 Flying Cloud Drive property is zoned Rural
and guided Low Density Residential and largely encumbered by wetlands. There are multiple
vacant properties at 9051, 9061, 9125 Flying Cloud Drive. They are all zoned I-2 and guided
Medium Density Residential. Two are under common ownership and the other two properties
are individually owned. Marshall Farm, 30 acres in size, is another large property zoned
Rural and Guided Low Density Residential. There is a creek running through the south
portion of the property, so a portion of the property would not be developable. 17305 and
17325 Pioneer Trail are 5.7 acres total and zoned Rural but guided Medium Density
Residential. The Hennepin County Property at 8928 Preserve Boulevard is zoned RM-6.5
and guided Medium Density Residential. The Kurt Johnson Property, about two acres in size,
is zoned RI-22 and guided Medium High Density Residential. It does not have direct access
but does have easement access. Case noted there is a historic home on this property.
Klima stated there is also an odd-shaped property off Hennepin Town Road zoned Office and
guided Commercial. The Mill Creek Property, on Pioneer Trail was set up to anticipate
townhomes. It is zoned RM-6.5 and guided Medium Density Residential. 10720 Hennepin
Town Road and the Saunders Properties are not served by municipal services but are within
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August 17, 2021
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the urban service boundary. Case noted the flood plains. Klima stated 9900 Spring Road is a
1.5 acre property zoned Rural and guided Low Density Residential. Kline Property at 9700
Eden Prairie Road, Pemtom Property at 9740 Eden Prairie Road, and Bunn Property at 9850
Eden Prairie Road are zoned Rural and guided Low Density Residential. Properties west of
Reeder Ridge off Beverly Drive are all zoned Rural and guided Low Density Residential and
under common ownership. Properties at 10001, 10003, and 10005 Dell Road are all zoned
Rural and guided Low Density Residential above the Metropolitan Urban Service Area
(MUSA) line. South of the line is not developable. The Ingram Property is six acres and
zoned Rural and guided Low Density Residential. 18011 Pioneer Trail property is zoned
Rural and guided Low Density Residential and may not all be developable with wetlands.
18392 and 19108 Twilight Trail is zoned RI-13.5 and guided Low Density Residential as it is
surrounded by single family residential. Case stated he would appreciate annual updates.
II. HOUSING ASSISTANCE UPDATES
Stanley stated the federal eviction moratorium expires in October, but the Minnesota eviction
moratorium supersedes it. Minnesota is in phase three where landlords can terminate leases
and not renew leases behind on rent and ineligible for COVID-19 emergency rental
assistance. Phase four begins September 12, and phase five begins October 12. This is when
landlords can end a lease for any legal reason with appropriate notice under the lease.
Landlords can file evictions for any legal reason except for non-payment of rent evictions for
tenants who have a pending COVID-19 emergency rental assistance application.
RentHelpMN is overseeing rental assistance. By June 1, 2022, protections for tenants with
pending COVID-19 emergency rental assistance applications expire. Staff reached out to a
two organizations to better grasp the number of people seeking housing assistance in Eden
Prairie. In Eden Prairie there were significantly less evictions in 2020 than 2019 and even
less to date in 2021. HomeLine is receiving calls more strictly about breaking leases,
evictions, notice to vacate, financial aid, and rent increases. People Reaching Out to People
(PROP) expects a surge of clients when the moratorium expires. They are directing people to
RentHelpMN, and if they cannot help they are utilizing community development block grant
(CDBG) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Funds. They also
provide mortgage assistance. Many are over the income limit to qualify for these funds. Case
noted with the lull in evictions the fear is there will be a spike once the moratorium expires.
Stanley added 2019 was a typical year for number of evictions. Nelson inquired what types
of households are potentially facing eviction. Stanley stated since the start of the pandemic
PROP has assisted with rental assistance and food service for over 8,200 households. They
do not have enough data on demographics of those receiving assistance.
Open Podium - Council Chamber (6:30)
III. OPEN PODIUM
IV. ADJOURNMENT