4.1 DRAFT MINUTES (1 SET) 04-05-2021
Meeting of the Elk River City Council
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Monday, March 15, 2021
Members Present: Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson, Mike
Beyer, Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner, Planning Manager Zack Carlton,
Finance Director Lori Ziemer, City Attorney Peter Beck, and Deputy
Clerk Jessica Miller
1. Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council
was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by Mayor Dietz.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. Consider Agenda
Mayor Dietz added two items to the agenda:
8. COVID Update Concerning ERYHA at Furniture and Things Community
Event Center
8.4. Staff Recognition
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0.
4. Consent Agenda
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Beyer
to approve:
4.1 Minutes
March 1, 2021, Closed
March 1, 2021, Regular
4.2 Check register as outlined in the staff report.
4.3 Pay estimates as outlined in the staff report.
4.4 Ordinance 21-5 assigning a new street address for PID #75-112-1103.
4.5 Master Labor Agreement Between the City of Elk River and Law
Enforcement Labor Services Local #231 for January 1, 2021, to
December 31, 2022.
City Council Minutes Page 2
March 15, 2021
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4.6 Letter of support for Federal INFRA Grant Funding for U.S. Highway
169 and CSAH 4 intersection improvements.
4.7 Hire Trudie Falk as part-time human resources assistant effective
March 16, 2021.
4.8 Hire Cole Hansen as park maintenance worker effective March 22,
2021.
Motion carried 5-0.
5. Open Forum
No one appeared for Open Forum.
6.1 City of Elk River Volunteer of the Month
Mayor Dietz presented the March Volunteer of the Month award to Jim Hecker. He
highlighted the following:
Group leader for woodcarving group at the Senior Activity Center
Member of the Furniture and Things Event Center Advisory Commission
Former board member for Three Rivers Community Foundation
Plymouth Woodcarvers Club President and Leader with Plymouth Parks and
Recreation Department
Steering Committee and Building Committee member at Elk River Lutheran
Church
Past member of the Anoka Technical College General Advisory Committee
th
7.1 Conditional Use Permit: Expand Light Manufacturing Use, 10752 168
Circle
Mr. Carlton presented the staff report.
Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak to this issue,
Mayor Dietz closed the public hearing.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Christianson to approve the Conditional Use Permit upon the condition that
the applicant records and ingress/egress easement providing access for PID
75-011-3400, in order to satisfy the standards set forth in Section 30-654.
Motion carried 5-0.
7.2 Preliminary Plat: Reserve at Woodland Hills, 19675 Elk Lake Road
7.2B Final Plat and Development Agreement: Reserve at Woodland Hills
Mr. Carlton presented the staff reports.
City Council Minutes Page 3
March 15, 2021
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Mayor Dietz opened the public hearings for items 7.2 and 7.2B. There being no one
to speak to these issues, Mayor Dietz closed the public hearings.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to approve the Preliminary Plat for Reserve at Woodland Hills upon
the condition that all comments included in the staff comment letter dated
January 8, 2021, are addressed. Motion carried 5-0.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Christianson to adopt resolution 21-22 approving the final plat of Reserve at
Woodland Hills with the following conditions:
1. A Development Agreement must be signed by the city and developer prior
to releasing the final plat for recording.
2. Park Dedication shall be paid in the amount required by the city when the
final plat is released for recording (currently $1,425.93/lot).
3. Water Availability Charge shall be paid in the amount required by the city
when the final plat is released for recording (currently $383/plumbing
unit).
4. A Letter of Credit shall be provided to the city in the amount of 100% of
the costs of the public improvements.
5. Upon completion of all improvements and acceptance by the city, a
security or warranty in a form acceptable to the city engineer must be
secured.
6. Development Plan shall be approved by the city engineer prior to issuance
of building permits.
7. Staff approval of all updated site and engineering plans.
8. Any item or condition found that indicates the site is likely to yield
information important to pre history or history shall be reported to the city
immediately. Further, the city reserves the right to stop work authorized in
its approval until the site is appropriately investigated and work is
authorized.
Motion carried 5-0.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to approve the development agreement for Reserve at Woodland
Hills. Motion carried 5-0.
7.3 Riverwalk Apartment – Stonewood Development LLC
Zone Change: FAST to Planned Unit Development
Conditional Use Permit: Establish Residential PUD
Easement Vacation: Zane Street Right-of-Way and Drainage and
Utility Easements
Final Plat: Delta Addition
Mr. Carlton presented the staff report.
City Council Minutes Page 4
March 15, 2021
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Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing.
Pat Briggs, Sun Rae Apartments, LLC, introduced Brendan Muldoon, Stonewood
Development, LLC. Mr. Briggs stated it is his understanding a final determination
has not been made on the elevation and that it will be either the one presented this
evening or the previously presented elevation.
Mr. Carlton confirmed the elevation has not been finalized. He indicated the final
elevation will be included in the Planned Unit Development Agreement when it
comes before Council for approval.
There being no one else to speak to this issue, Mayor Dietz closed the public
hearing.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Christianson to adopt ordinance 21-6 changing the zoning from FAST (A) to
Planned Unit Development, with the condition that the Conditional Use
Permit (CUP) is also approved and recorded. Motion carried 5-0.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Christianson to approve the Conditional Use Permit establishing the Planned
Unit Development for Riverwalk Apartments with the following conditions to
satisfy the standards set forth in Section 30-654:
1. Council approval of the associated applications - Zone Change (ZC 21-01),
Easement Vacation (EV 21-02) and Platted Exemption (PE 21-01)
2. The CUP will not be recorded until a PUD agreement has been approved
by the City Council.
3. All comments from the comment letter dated February 26, 2021, be
addressed.
4. Comments from outside agencies, MnDOT and the DNR are addressed.
5. Staff approval of all site, civil, and architectural plans.
6. Park dedication shall be paid in accordance with city ordinances and fee
schedule at the time of building permit release.
Motion carried 5-0.
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Beyer
to adopt resolution 21-18 vacating certain portions of the right-of-way for Zane
Street and existing drainage and utility easements upon condition that the
associated plat, The Delta, is approved by the City Council. Motion carried 5-
0.
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Beyer
to adopt resolution 21-19 approving the plat of The Delta upon condition that
the plat will not be recorded until all conditions of approval for the associated
CUP (CU 21-03) have been satisfied. Motion carried 5-0.
City Council Minutes Page 5
March 15, 2021
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8. COVID Update Concerning ERYHA at Furniture and Things
Community Event Center
Mayor Dietz indicated he spoke with Mike Westgaard, Elk River Youth Hockey
representative on the Furniture and Things Community Event Center Advisory
Commission in length about the ongoing issues with youth hockey and COVID
protocols at the facility. He stated they believe it would be best to have a meeting
with Elk River Youth Hockey representatives after the season to review the matter
and clarify rental obligations. He stated Mr. Westgaard offered to provide a list of
people he believes should attend the meeting. Mayor Dietz added the facility has
been turned in to the state for not following COVID protocol and staff is not trying
to penalize youth hockey but trying to get them to adhere to state standards.
Mr. Portner explained he spoke with the President of the Youth Hockey Association
on Friday and was assured the message would get out to players, parents, and
coaches. Mr. Portner stated there was improvement over the weekend.
The Council concurred it would be good to meet with Elk River Youth Hockey to
review what is expected of them as a user group. The meeting will be scheduled for
late spring.
8.1 Approve Issuance of General Obligation Capital Improvement Plan
and Equipment Bonds, Series 2021A and Electric Revenue Bonds,
Series 2021B
Ms. Ziemer presented the staff report.
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Beyer
to adopt resolution 21-20 providing for the competitive negotiated sale of
$5,225,000 General Obligation Capital Improvement Plan and Equipment
Bonds, Series 2021A. Motion carried 5-0.
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to adopt resolution 21-21 approving the issuance of $14,460,000
Electric Revenue Bonds, Series 2021B. Motion carried 5-0.
8.3 Emergency Sick Leave Use Extension
Mr. Portner presented the staff report.
Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember
Beyer to extend the emergency sick leave use until June 30, 2021. Motion
carried 5-0.
8.2 Downtown Small Area Study
Mr. Carlton presented the staff report.
City Council Minutes Page 6
March 15, 2021
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Councilmember Wagner indicated she is not in favor of this study due to the
unknowns about Highway 10. She suggested having the Housing and
Redevelopment Authority continue the discussion as they could explore other areas
of interest such as increasing access and use of the river.
The Council is not in favor of paying nearly $80,000 for a study. They concurred the
area is small, and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority could discuss and come
up with ideas. The Council felt members of the Housing and Redevelopment
Authority are very familiar with the downtown and this would be an appropriate
group to continue the discussion.
8.4 Council Recognition of City Staff
Mayor Dietz indicated normally a council-sponsored picnic is held in the summer for
employee recognition, but the Council wasn’t able to do that in 2020 due to COVID.
He suggested the Council purchase donuts for every city employee as a small token
of their appreciation. He asked Mr. Portner to provide him with an estimated
number of employees.
Consensus of the Council was to move forward with purchasing donuts.
Mr. Portner indicated the Council received an email from All Aboard Minnesota, a
passenger rail service asking for Council support. He asked the Council to review the
information and let him know if they would like to consider a resolution of support.
9. Work Session
There are no work session items.
10. Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk
River City Council at 7:10 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Jessica Miller.
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John J. Dietz, Mayor
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Tina Allard, City Clerk