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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council - 04/07/2026Eden Prairie City Council Meeting Approved Minutes 7 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 7, 2026 City Center Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES City Council Members: Mayor Ron Case, Council Members Kathy Nelson, Mark Freiberg, PG Narayanan, and Lisa Toomey City Staﬀ: City Manager Rick Getschow, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Julie Klima, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Markle, Police Chief Matt Sackett, Fire Chief Scott Gerber, Administrative Services/HR Director Alecia Rose, and City Attorney Maggie Neuville MEETING AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order Mayor Case called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. All Council Members were present. II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Open Podium Invitation IV. Proclamations and Presentations A. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-028 accepting anonymous donation of $50,000 toward Eden Prairie Arts Center Internship Program Getschow introduced Parks and Recreation Director Amy Markle to summarize this item. Markle explained the Eden Prairie Arts Center is a community-focused hub that offers creative programs for all ages and skill levels, from toddlers to seniors. The building was generously donated to the City in 2008, and continues to grow in programs, camps, events, and artist visits. To foster its commitment to careers and leadership in the arts, an Arts Internship Program has been developed, and an anonymous donation of $50,000 committed to support the program for two years. The position will be a year-round internship that will offer a wide breadth of experience in visual and performing arts, programming, events, marketing, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 center management, and creative storytelling to help foster a bridge between the center and the diverse community it serves. Getschow noted that the City cannot thank this anonymous donor enough for supporting the City in such a generous way. MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Nelson to adopt Resolution No. 2026- 028 accepting an anonymous donations of $50,000 to the Eden Prairie Arts Center Internship Program. Motion carried 5-0. B. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-029 accepting 2026 winter donations to Parks and Recreation Ms. Markle explained that these donations, totaling $4,275, will help Eden Prairie's mission to provide quality special events, programs, and educational activities at little or no cost to residents. Case noted that these donations help the City’s programs go the extra step, and the City is very appreciative to all of the different groups that donated. MOTION: Toomey moved, seconded by Narayanan to adopt Resolution No. 2026-029 accepting multiple winter quarter 2026 donations to Parks and Recreation. Motion carried 5-0. V. Approval of Agenda and Other Items of Business Getschow explained that an item was brought earlier this week to be added to the Consent Agenda, item T. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-032 supporting the Project Beam application to the Forward Fund program. This item is a Resolution of support for a business to come to Eden Prairie and potentially bring in 450 jobs. This Resolution is required by the State. MOTION: Freiberg moved, seconded by Toomey to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 5-0. VI. Minutes A. City Council Workshop held Tuesday, March 3, 2026 B. City Council Meeting held Tuesday, March 3, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 MOTION: Freiberg moved, seconded by Toomey, to approve the minutes of the Council workshop held Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and the City Council meeting held Tuesday, March 3, 2026, as published. Motion carried 5-0. VII. Consent Calendar A. Clerk’s List B. Prairie Village SE Building by Kimley Horn. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-30 for Site Plan Review on 0.23 acres, approve Development Agreement C. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-031 and authorize entry into a labor agreement with the International Association of Fireﬁghters (IAFF) D. Costco Development Agreement Amendment by Costco. Approve the Development Agreement amendment E. Approve 2025 unbudgeted fund transfers F. Approve standard construction contract for Dorenkemper House Improvements with Hamburg Builders Group G. Award contract for the 2026 Riley Lake Jacques Barn parking lot reconstruction to Minnesota Roadways, Co. H. Approve professional services agreement for 2026 Lake Monitoring Program with Blue Water Science I. Approve professional services agreement for 2050 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Chapter with SRF Consulting J. Award contract for 2026 Surface Seal Project to Corrective Asphalt Materials, LLC K. Approve professional services agreement for Purgatory Creek Bridge design with Bolton & Menk, Inc. L. Award contract for 2026 Pavement Rehab Project to Bituminous Roadways, Inc. M. Approve professional services agreement for 2026 pavement rehab construction material testing with Braun Intertec Corporation N. Award contract for 2026 curb and gutter replacement to JL Theis, Inc. O. Award contract for 2026 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Pedestrian Ramp Improvement Project to Concrete Idea, Inc. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 P. Approve construction contract for city manhole rehabilitation with Summit Infrastructure Q. Approve professional services agreement for Geothermal HVAC Project with Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC. R. Approve Juvenile Liaison Oﬃcer Agreement with Independent School District No. 272 S. Approve towing services agreement renewal between City of Eden Prairie and Allen’s Service Inc, DBA Matt’s Auto Service T. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-032 supporting the Project Beam application to the Forward Fund program MOTION: Nelson moved, seconded by Narayanan to approve Items A-T on the Consent Calendar. Motion carried 5-0. VIII. Public Hearings and Meetings A. Chestnut Townhomes by Red Tail Residential. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-033 for Comprehensive Plan amendment from Medium High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential on 5.72 acres, and adopt Resolution No. 2026-034 in support of park dedication fees Getschow explained Red Tail Residential is proposing to build 53 townhome units on the two properties located at the intersection of Chestnut Drive, Carmody Drive, and Windsong Drive. The total acreage of the project is 5.72 acres. The developer is requesting a site plan review and a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. The Planning Commission voted 8 to 0 to recommend approval of the project at its Monday, March 9 meeting. The Applicant is present to provide a presentation, as well as a presentation from City Staﬀ. Dugan Garrison, Project Manager, Red Tail Residential, noted the development team has extensive nationwide experience in acquisition, development, construction, and property management. Their focus is on high-quality workforce housing with long-term management. The project includes townhouse development of 53 units with one, two, and three-story units with up to three bedrooms at or below 30 percent AMI, with 9,000 square feet of open space. The project has been designed to match existing neighborhoods and integrate well with a private internal drive, distributed building placement, and extensive landscaping per the Planning Commission's feedback and ongoing coordination with the HOA. Garrison noted he would answer any of the Council's questions before or after City Staﬀ’s presentation. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 Freiberg noted that the renderings show a lot of landscaping, but in reality the developer is clear-cutting the property for development. With seven older heritage trees going down, it is a sensitive spot for Eden Prairie residents, and virtually every tree is signiﬁcant. The property being clear-cut is problematic for residents since the replacement trees will be sticks in comparison and take 20 years to develop into mature trees. Garrison stated the development team has investigated the area of the site where most of the large heritage trees are. There is a signiﬁcant grade on that portion of the site that must be leveled for viability. Iterations of the site plan have been reviewed to best conﬁgure the site to eliminate retaining walls and save landscaping and trees. This was the best site plan that development could come up with. Freiberg noted a previous project on Lincoln Drive cleared the property for an apartment complex, and he received a lot of complaints from residents who were unhappy that 90 percent of the trees were cut down on that site. He wanted to make the same point regarding this development. Case said any further questions could be answered after the City Staﬀ presentation. Community Development Director Julie Klima explained that City code allows tree removal, but requires replacement based on tree size, either through new plantings or a payment-in-lieu option introduced to help redevelopment sites that cannot fully accommodate replacement trees. For this project, a total of 60 signiﬁcant and heritage trees will be removed, mostly along the northern edge near the wetland. To meet code requirements, the developer will plant some trees on-site and pay for the remainder, resulting in over 161 new trees, 300 shrubs, and additional perennial plantings across the site. The full landscaping plan exceeds the City’s minimum requirements. The developer has also opted to add more trees along the southern border of the development and is coordinating with the nearby HOA, including planting more trees that will be oﬀ- site in the neighboring community. Public Works Director Robert Ellis noted the proposed development will generate moderate and manageable traﬃc, signiﬁcantly less than a previous plan, with only small increases during peak hours. Nearby roads like Anderson Lakes Parkway, Chestnut, and Carmody Drive have suﬃcient remaining capacity, and accident history shows no major safety concerns. Minor issues include limited visibility at one intersection on Chestnut Drive, which may require stricter tree removal or trimming for better visibility, possibly year-round restrictions for street parking, and additional pedestrian crossing safety upgrades at crosswalks. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 Case asked what would happen on a bad snow day if the townhomes need their parking lots plowed, and the residents could not move their cars to street parking. Mr. Ellis stated that a coordinated eﬀort and sequence would have to take place where people on the northside of the Chestnut would vacate their lot, and in the afternoon, the southside might vacate their lot so the rest of the lot could be plowed. Conversations are ongoing with their management company to develop a plan. Narayanan pointed out that a ﬁre truck would not ﬁt through Chestnut Drive when there is street parking on both sides of the street. Mr. Ellis agreed that it is problematic. Mr. Ellis continued that construction noise is regulated by existing rules allowing work from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with no work on Sundays or holidays. While the City could try to negotiate reduced hours with the developer, enforcing stricter limits would be diﬃcult, as enforcement would rely on police responding to complaints, and there are limited tools once permits are issued for work. Tighter restrictions would need to be part of a development agreement, but may still be challenging to monitor. This project involves standard construction activity, not unusually loud or intense noise, so the noise level would be typical of most developments. Narayanan asked if, due to this development, the City has to put up a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) for pedestrian crossings. Mr. Ellis noted that the City does not have to put up an RRFB, but it would be a good idea to install one, due to the added traﬃc. Narayanan asked if the developer would pay for the RRFB. Mr. Ellis stated that the installation and payment for an RRFB would be part of the City's proposal within the development agreement. Narayanan asked who would handle snow removal for the internal road within the development. Garrison noted snow removal would be handled by the property management group. Don Uram, Pinebrook HOA President, 13600 Carmody Drive, thanked the Staﬀ for their work, as the HOA submitted concerns regarding traﬃc and parking, which Staﬀ addressed. The HOA has more concerns about landscaping, which the developer has yet to address. On the north-south boundary of the development, there are a number of proposed trees that the developer would need to get Pinebrook's permission to plant, since it is on Pinebrook's property. The HOA has several questions about the sizes of trees, restoration with irrigation, and warranties regarding trees in the event they die, that have not been answered. Mr. Uram requested that the Council continue to work on this project, to give the HOA and the developer time to follow through on providing information and come to an agreement on the additional tree plantings. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 MOTION: Toomey moved, seconded by Nelson to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried 5-0. Freiberg stated he got the answers he was looking for regarding the trees after hearing Staﬀ’s presentation. Nelson noted the perennials and shrubs sound like a good idea, provided they are maintained. She asked what kind of long-term plan is in place for keeping the playground in the development updated and safe. Garrison conﬁrmed the playground would be part of the development, and maintenance will be part of the property management group's upkeep. Case pointed out that these are rental properties, so a property management company would handle that. Narayanan asked about guest parking. Garrison said there are four guest parking spaces on either side of Carmody Drive. Narayanan asked what the parking ratio would be. Mr. Garrison added that there are eight parking spots on Carmody, and there are four parking spaces per unit, two in the garage and two in the driveway. There will be 221 parking spaces in total. Narayanan asked if parking would be allowed on the private internal road. Garrison noted that parking would not be allowed there. Narayanan asked if the development would run out of parking on Christmas or during an event when there could be extra guests. Garrison noted that if a lot of guests come over, there would not be enough parking; there are four spaces in addition to the parking on Carmody. Narayanan asked if there was any provisioning for EV charging in the units’ garages. Garrison noted that the developer has not gotten that far in terms of what the unit would be providing, but that would be considered. Narayanan asked if EV charging could be put in the City's development agreement. Klima noted that for this project, there are no PUDs or waivers that are being requested. This project is code-compliant in terms of all of the standard performance standards, such as parking and building materials. Utilizing a PUD would trigger the application of the sustainability building standard. Case added that his hope would be that the developer includes the pre-wiring so that an EV charger could be installed later by the resident. Narayanan noted that he was not happy with the developer's answer, because in the future, residents may want to buy an EV vehicle and would not have the option to readily charge at home. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 Case added it is important to remember if the Council wants a policy mandated down the road, the Council has to do that up front and cannot make policy in the moment. This issue could be studied over the next year, and when the project is outside of a PUD, the Council loses a lot of control and power to mandate that. Toomey thanked Mr. Garrison for the presentation and is glad that this project does not have any waivers. She noted she is glad that an RRFB is being put in and asked what streets it would be put on. Mr. Ellis responded that Chestnut and Carmody would both get an RRFB. Toomey asked if the developers would be working on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Garrison noted that he does not know any contractors who are willing to work on Saturdays, so he does not anticipate any work being done on Saturdays. Case noted if the Council was concerned about construction occurring on Saturdays, then the Council would want to deal with that in a policy revision. Toomey stated that the reason she asked is due to the emails the Council has received. Case added that he understands her concerns, but from a Council perspective, if they want to change and respond to those emails, they cannot make policy in the moment. The policy regarding allowing construction on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. has been in place for 50 years. Freiberg asked how many units are in the larger three-bedroom units. Garrison stated he was not sure, but estimated there would be 30 of those units. Freiberg stated the reason he asked is that there is a real void in Eden Prairie for three- bedroom rentals. Klima stated that two-thirds of the units are three bedrooms, and one-third are two bedrooms. For the inclusionary housing units that are being provided, two of those will be three-bedroom, and one of them will be two-bedroom. Freiberg added that it is a compliment that the developer is including three-bedroom units, because Eden Prairie does not have a lot of them. Case added of three units that are aﬀordable, two of those are three-bedroom, and one of them is a two-bedroom and will rent at 30 percent AMI. Klima conﬁrmed that Case was correct. Case stated he was not comfortable postponing this project due to Mr. Uram’s concerns because those issues can be solved through conversation. He directed City Staﬀ to meet with Mr. Uram and the HOA to get any remaining issues resolved. He pointed out that this land is 90 percent open, so the developer would not be clear-cutting the property, and a lot of trees are going back in. Any development project in the City takes trees down, and he can go back to projects CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 that he approved back in 1995 that are almost overly treed, with no available room for replacement trees. Thirty years is a long time to wait for trees to mature, but it goes by fast. He continued that by law, the Council has to approve projects that are waiver-free, and there are policies the City has put in place to replace trees that are taken down, and all plantings and playgrounds will be maintained by property management due to the property being rentals. The EV charging port makes sense today for tenants, and to give that opportunity to rent to those tenants, and pre-wiring for an EV charger is inexpensive. Nelson stated she would like to underline the importance of providing pre-wiring for EV charging, because it is cheap and gives the developer something to sell to people for a long time. MOTION: Toomey moved, seconded by Narayanan to adopt Resolution No. 2026- 033 for a Comprehensive Guide Plan Change from Medium High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential on 5.72 acres; and adopt Resolution No. 2026-034 in support of park dedication fees; and direct Staﬀ to prepare a Development Agreement incorporating Staﬀ and Commission recommendations and Council conditions. Motion carried 5-0. B. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-035 approving the use of 2026 CDBG funds as recommended by the Eden Prairie Human Services Review Committee Getschow explained this Public Hearing is held every year and is related to adopting a Resolution approving the acceptance and distribution of the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. These funds are federal funds that can only be used to serve low to moderate-income residents in Eden Prairie. In the past, a small amount of the funds were passed on to the local Social Service agencies to provide services that the City cannot provide. These funds were used for items such as housing support, services, and emergency vehicle repair. Funds were also used for the Senior Community Services Home Program for household outside maintenance for the elderly. In total, the City provided $50,000 in funding for those programs. For many years, the City has provided $200,000 in funding for many of the City's own housing programs, and $80,000 to the West Hennepin Land Trust program. Prior to the Council approving the acceptance of distribution of those funds, the Council needs to hold a Public Hearing before passing the Resolution. Case noted that previously, there have been speakers from the various agencies that have beneﬁted from the CDBG funds who have chosen to speak during the Public Hearing, and assumed tonight would be no diﬀerent. Brenda Lano-Wolke, Executive Director of Homes Within Reach, thanked the Council for allowing her to speak and noted the importance of the long-standing CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 partnership between her organization and the City of Eden Prairie. The broader impact of the collaboration remains clear and measurable, so she wanted to highlight some of the previous work they have accomplished together. Since 2005, Homes within Reach has invested over $4.1 million to create permanently aﬀordable homes in Eden Prairie, acquired and rehabbed 23 homes through subsequent resales, and helped four families achieve home ownership. Over the past 21 years, Eden Prairie has awarded Homes within Reach approximately $1.2 million, and they have leveraged that investment to secure an additional $3 million from county, regional, and state funding, bringing signiﬁcant outside resources into the community. The funding percentages for these projects include 29 percent of investments from the City, and 71 percent of investments coming from other leveraged sources that the organization writes grants for. The families the organization typically works with are four-person households with an average income of 58 percent AMI and are hard-working residents who contribute to the vitality of Eden Prairie but face increasing barriers to home ownership. The organization is committed to working in the community to ensure that homes remain aﬀordable. She thanked the Council for its continued support. Jenifer Loon, Executive Director of People Reaching out to People (PROP), thanked the City for their continued support, but most speciﬁcally through the CDBG grants that they have received. This funding helps provide food, a variety of ﬁnancial and counseling services, and housing or rental assistance to the residents of Eden Prairie who need assistance. Over the past three years, PROP has received $49,000 from the City, most of which was devoted to housing and the emergency car repair program, which has provided great assistance to many households. PROP also uses this money to prevent eviction and keep people stably housed, and typically, the organization runs out of the money from CDBG by January, and the need for housing is extremely high this year and will continue to grow. For the ﬁscal year ending on June 30, 2025, PROP served 91 households through its homelessness prevention program, and while that is the highest on record, PROP has already served 80 households in three quarters of this year. The CDBG funds have been crucial in the past to help PROP meet that growing need. Last year, a single mother had fallen behind on rent after paying for car repairs, and PROP was able to help this family with CDBG funds to help pay for her rent, so no eviction proceedings started. That is just one success story that PROP has. She thanked the Council for all their continued support and the City’s partnership. Jon Burkhow, Senior Community Services Director of HOME Programs and Technology Services at Senior Community Services, has a mission to empower people as they age and to help older adults remain independent in their homes. The organization provides a variety of services, including minor repairs, cleaning, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 snow removal, lawn mowing, painting, and yard work. The organization also does free safety checks to help with fall prevention. The tech program was established six years ago at Eden Prairie Senior Center, and meets twice a month there and twice a month at the Eden Prairie Library. The organization oﬀers in- home tech support for senior citizens to help with their computers or network issues. One of the residents this organization helped is an 86-year-old woman who lives in her own home and enjoys having volunteers help with yard work, gardening, housekeeping, and the tech service helped her with her iPad. The tech service also does scam and fraud presentations to senior citizens to aid in prevention. Mr. Burkhow added that the program implements older volunteers as workers, especially in the tech program, to help other older adults and always has a live person who answers phone calls for customer service. He thanked the Council for its continued support. MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Nelson to close the Public Hearing; and adopt Resolution No. 2026-035 approving the acceptance and distribution of 2026 CDBG funds as recommended by the Eden Prairie Human Services Review Committee. Motion carried 5-0. IX. Payment of Claims MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Freiberg, to approve the payment of claims as submitted. Motion was approved on a roll call vote, with Freiberg, Narayanan, Toomey, Nelson, and Case voting “aye.” X. Ordinances and Resolutions XI. Petitions, Requests, and Communications XII. Appointments XIII. Reports A. Report of Council Members 1. Summary of City Manager Performance Review Case read aloud the summary of the City Manager Performance Review. The City Manager’s contract provides for an annual performance review by the City Council in conjunction with a salary review. On March 3, 2026, the Council met in closed session to evaluate the City Manager’s performance for the prior year. During the session, Mr. Getschow highlighted the City’s 2025 accomplishments, including maintaining one CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 of the lowest metro tax rates, strong Quality of Life Survey results, and City departments securing over $7 million in grants. He also noted challenges related to federal immigration enforcement and provided updates on major projects, including the City Center remodel, which remains on time and on budget. The Council gave overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising his leadership, communication, and management skills, as well as his success in hiring and retaining high- quality staff. They also commended his responsiveness to the Council and community and the positive work environment he fosters. The Council then discussed Mr. Getschow’s salary, considering his excellent performance review. The Council determined to increase Mr. Getschow’s base salary by 5.78 percent, which results in a base salary of approximately $253,864, and to provide $22,136 in employee health insurance premiums and deferred compensation. Case added the City is very fortunate to have Getschow as the City Manager, and he hears frequently positive responses from other leaders in the community, residents, and Staﬀ about what a great job Getschow is doing in his role. He thanked Getschow for all of his work. Freiberg noted he has worked with Getschow for 13 years through various Commissions and has always noticed the respect shown to Getschow by his staﬀ, which indicates a good leader. He added this is probably why Getschow was recognized as the number one City Manager in the state of Minnesota two years ago, because his work is impressive and Eden Prairie is lucky to have him. Toomey stated that this performance review reﬂects what the Council sees every day in steady, eﬀective leadership, with a strong commitment to the organization. She added Getschow leads with integrity, professionalism, and a clear sense of purpose that shows not only in the outcomes that are achieved, but in the way that work gets done. Eden Prairie is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work, and that does not happen by accident. This speaks to a positive, supportive culture where employees feel valued, which starts with leadership. She added the City is so fortunate to have Getschow as the City Manager. Narayanan added he did not write anything and would say from his heart that Getschow’s leadership and the way he works with Staﬀ and peers is great, and is a good City Manager. Nelson thanked Getschow for all the work that he is doing for the Staﬀ and residents of the City. CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA April 7, 2026 Getschow stated he is very lucky to work in Eden Prairie, and it is a pleasure. MOTION: Case moved, seconded by Narayanan to approve a 5.78 percent increase in the City Manager’s salary for 2026 and provide an additional $22,136 in employee health insurance premiums and deferred compensation. Motion carried 5-0. B. Report of City Manager C. Report of Community Development Director D. Report of Parks and Recreation Director E. Report of Public Works Director F. Report of Police Chief G. Report of Fire Chief H. Report of City Attorney XIV. Other Business XV. Adjournment MOTION: Narayanan moved, seconded by Nelson to adjourn the meeting at 8:28 PM. Motion carried 5-0. Respectfully Submitted, ___________________________ Sara Potter, Administrative Support Specialist