HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 10/07/2014 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP
& OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS: John Kirk, Jon Stoltz, Travis Wuttke, Steven
Frank, Ann Higgins, Mary Egan, Charles Weber, Andrew Pieper
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, City Planner Julie Klima, Senior Planner Regina Rojas, and Recorder Lorene
McWaters
Council Member Butcher Wickstrom was absent. Planning Commission Members Stoltz,
Wuttke, Kirk and Weber were also absent.
I. FLYING RED HORSE SIGN
Parks and Recreation Director Lotthammer provided an update on the Flying Red Horse
sign. The sign was located atop the Mobil station on Flying Cloud Drive until the station
was sold several years ago. The daughter of the original station owner donated the sign
to the City, and it has since been in storage in Northfield. The sign is approximately 17
feet tall by 12 feet wide by 3 feet thick, and it is double-sided. Lotthammer said the City
has several options for the sign, including:
1) Preserve it in its current condition, and keep it in storage
2) Restore it and display it in a public area.
Lotthammer said restoring the sign so it can be lit up again would cost$35,000-$40,000.
Installation would cost another$15,000.
Council Member Case said perhaps the sign could be displayed in its current condition
without being lit up, assuming a suitable location is available. He said the sign is
historical and tells a story,but he does not think it necessarily needs to be restored.
Mayor Tyra-Lukens said she would be hesitant to use taxpayer money to restore what is
basically a trademark item. There was general agreement that the sign should be brought
back to Eden Prairie, and a suitable place for storage will be determined.
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 7, 2014
Page 2
II. TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPLENT (TOD) ORDINANCE
Senior Planner Regina Rojas kicked off the presentation, with the assistance of Brad Scheib of
HKGi. Rojas said the City received a grant from the Met Council in 2012 for development of
zoning policies related to the proposed Southwest Light Rail line, which includes five stations
in Eden Prairie. The City contracted with HKGi to assist in the drafting of a transit oriented
development(TOD) ordinance. The goal of the ordinance is to establish a new transit-oriented
development zoning district for the five SWLRT station areas. The TOD ordinance will:
1. Make LRT stations central,prominent and easily accessible
2. Encourage a complementary mix of land uses
3. Allow for higher density development
4. Include buildings that are oriented to public spaces
5. Support economically and environmentally sustainable development
6. Create strong connections to transit stations
7. Create land-efficient parking strategies
8. Provide guidance for utility corridors and facilities
A project kick-off meeting included the City Council and City Commissions. The Planning
Commission participated in a visual preferences survey, and will review the draft ordinance.
The project was also presented at a Chamber of Commerce Government Committee meeting.
The draft ordinance includes a series of sub-districts that recognize different conditions
within different station areas (employment, residential and mixed-use). There is an emphasis
on building form and minimum(rather than maximum) density thresholds.
The area covered by the TOD zoning district is the 10-minute walkshed surrounding each
station. Each district will be zoned to align with the anticipated primary use of the district
(employment,residential, mized-used).
Application of the TOD zoning will enable development that achieves the TOD vision for
future station areas, and create opportunities for existing properties to redevelop as higher
density and higher value projects.
Scheib presented examples of how mixed use, residential and employment districts might be
developed, including building types, layouts, public spaces, and street orientation. Six main
types of buildings are envisioned for the TOD areas: attached, stacked, mixed use,
commercial, workplace flex and parking structure. Building standards for the TOD areas
seek to orient buildings to the street and create active, safe and pleasant pedestrian
environments.
Next steps in the process are:
1. Review of the draft ordinance by the Planning Commission
2. Meetings with building owners in each station area
3. Completion of the official public hearing process
4. Formal adoption of the final TOD ordinance by the City Council
City Council Workshop Minutes
October 7, 2014
Page 3
Council Member Nelson said she would like to see clean light industry considered for the
station areas. Planning Commission Member Frank said how the City wants Eden Prairie to
look will drive building types. Community Development Director Jeremiah said design
standards, which have been a topic of two workshops and will be discussed again on October
21, will play into TOD standards. Council Members Aho and Nelson said they would like to
see natural green elements that are visible from the street and sidewalk.
Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked if the TOD ordinance will go into effect only if SW LRT moves
forward. Jeremiah said it will be beneficial to have the ordinance in place when seeking out
federal funding and grants.
II. OPEN PODIUM
A. MATT LINDON—WATERSHED DISTRICT RULES
Lindon said many of Eden Prairie's lakes have marginal water quality. He has
been involved with the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District, and he
believes the proposed rules are reasonable and well thought out. He said he does
not think it is to the City's benefit to marginalize the rules. He said all parties
need to do their part. He encouraged the City Council to think about the long term
beneficial effect of the rules.
B. MARILYN TORKELSON
Torkelson said her property is next to a wetland near Cedar Ridge. She loves to
be in the water,but has to swim elsewhere because of the water quality. She said
she has three rain gardens and has worked to make her yard inviting to butterflies
and bees.
III. ADJOURNMENT