City Council - 05/15/2012 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012 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
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, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION: Caryl Hansen, Jeffrey Larsen—
Chair, Benjamin McQuillan, John Pratten, Joseph Sutila, Keith Tschohl—Vice Chair, Jeff
Nawrocki, John Bowman, Kevin Gadel
Workshop - Heritage Room H
Council Member Butcher Wickstrom and Commissioner John Pratten were absent.
I. FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION UPDATE
Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission Chair Jeff Larsen presented a report of the
commission's 2011 activities and its 2012 work plan. During 2011, the commission
continued to focus on providing education and information about the airport, monitoring the
Final Agreement, working with MAC to reduce nighttime noise and improve the appearance
of the airport.
In July, the commission toured the airport. They visited several operators and viewed new
landscaping.
Residents who had lodged noise complaints were invited to the commission's September
meeting to share their perspectives with the City and representatives of MAC. A number of
concerns were voiced about frequency and location of helicopter flights. Those concerns
were passed along to the operator, which in turn made efforts to alleviate the issues.
In June, several commissioners also attended an informational meeting presented by MSP
Police Department and Eden Prairie Police Department regarding airport security. As a
result, a program similar to MSP's Airport Watch program is now being implemented at
Flying Cloud Airport. Commissioner Keith Tschohl is coordinating the program, which
enlists individuals who already spend time at the airport—enthusiasts, photographers, etc. —
as "extra sets of eyes." So far, 12 individuals have been trained and completed background
checks at to qualify for the Airport Watch program Flying Cloud Airport.
The commission's proposed goals for 2012 are similar to those of 2011, including focusing
on education and communication, monitoring the Final Agreement, and reduction of
City Council Workshop Minutes
May 15, 2012
Page 2
nighttime noise. The commission will also monitor proposed non-aeronautical development
at the airport, and continue to expand the new Airport Watch program.
II. FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT SITES
City Attorney Ric Rosow and City Planner Michael Franzen presented a PowerPoint
outlining a proposed guide plan and zoning amendment process for non-aeronautical
development at Flying Cloud Airport.
In 2010, Metropolitan Airports Commission informed the City of Eden Prairie of their
intent to develop eight Flying Cloud Airport with non-aeronautical, commercial uses.
MAC has since reduced the number of parcels they plan to develop to six. City Attorney
Ric Rosow outlined the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the City and
MAC as of December 10, 2010, establishing a site development process that creates two
new zoning districts (airport office and airport commercial), provides for public hearings,
and outlines a process for MAC to follow seeking approval for each site. Under the
MOU, Chapter 11 site plan and architectural review processes would be followed for
development of each parcel. The City and MAC would also cooperate on infrastructure
improvements with MAC paying a fair share. The MOU provides for a dispute
resolution process similar to the 2002 MOU with MAC.
The proposed process involves three steps, and would take approximately a year to
complete. The first step would be a guide plan change text amendment and Chapter 11
text amendments to create the Airport Office and Airport Commercial zoning districts
and standards. This process includes public hearings at both Planning Commission and
City Council meetings as well as notification of property owners within 1,000 feet of
each development parcel. Step 2 —rezoning— also involves Planning Commission and
City Council public hearings, mailing of notices, and submittal of concept plans for each
parcel. Step 3 — site plan approval—again involves public hearings at Planning and City
Council meetings, mailing of notices, and submittal of specific site plans. City Planner
Mike Franzen showed examples of gas/retail and office sites that have been approved as
acceptable at other locations.
Council Member Case said it is possible that MAC may go ahead with or without the
City's approval. Rosow said the proposed MOU provides a public hearing process similar
to the regular development process. If the City does not approve the text amendments,
the rezoning and/or the site plans, it can choose to just let development happen without
City approval or engage in a dispute about the legality of developing non-aeronautical
uses on airport property. Case said he is concerned about being brought into an approval
process that"will involve sharing the pain but not the gain." Aho said he thinks the City
ultimately "wants a seat at the table," and the process outlined in the MOU is a way of
achieving that.
Open Podium - Council Chamber
II. OPEN PODIUM
III. ADJOURNMENT