Mhm. Second. Hello everybody and welcome. I'll call to order this special city council meeting today, Thursday, October 2nd, 2025. If you can all please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I
>> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, thank you. Roll call. >> Brian Wmergerson >> here.
>> Kari Miller >> here. >> Tom Berg >> here. >> Jamesa >> here. and Scott Palavo >> here. >> Tonight's only agenda item is 9A. Is there any deletions, additions, or corrections to the agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Miller.
>> Second. >> Second by Palava. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. All right. There are no minutes and there are no public hearings. On to presentation of citizens petitions and comments. Comments limited
to two minutes. Anything on or off the agenda you can discuss. Just clearly state your name and address for the record. >> Is this on 98? >> No, this is just uh public comment. So, we're taking anything from the public right now.
>> But but you can comment on the agenda. >> Yes, you can comment on the agenda for that 9A. >> Yeah. I was just wanting to comment on the apartment building. >> Yep. Now's your time to speak if you want to. >> My name is Audrey Johnson, 610 Elm
Street Northeast. And I guess what I read in the paper, I was not sure what really the feelings were. It sounded more negative than positive. Having served on councils or on planning commissions in the past, I
would see that that piece of property would be an ideal buffer for homes and for businesses. There's a lot of uh commercial space that's available on the west side of Ratamachers and the things,
but I think that space uh in front of the nursing home or in front of the villages would be the ideal spot to put an apartment and to I see that it's also for single family homes, but I would question if with the need in this town
for uh single family or small living um an apartment living if we want our kids to come back and stay in this town. I think we need to provide them with a place to go and we need to provide those who are empty nesters with a place to go
when they want to sell their home and I think we need to have the place for the seniors. Um there's no place that to really find to live. I if I'm ready to sell my home near future, there's not really a place for me to go in this town.
So I think that that would be an ideal spot. And I think that rather than having single family homes, it would also be a good buffer if you had in put in town homes or quad, you know, some quad quadlexes, something that would be
a multif family type space, but not >> um a tall apartment building. It would just be a nice buffer >> for >> um those that are living in the homes around it um to give them um they won't
hear the traffic of the uh business district, but they also uh the business district will benefit from the number of people that will be brought in. And I think it's it's just with two-bedroom apartments, you're not going to get a
mass of people in any one apartment. It's not a 10 family or 10 person family that's going to move in. You've got young singles or young marrieds, one with couple of kids. You've got,
like I said, the uh empty neester, and then you've got the aged. And it does give time and a place for them to go and stay within this unit because if we don't have a place for the young kids to move into when they come back from college, they're not going to stick
around. Chances are they're going to have a place a job someplace else. But if we provide them with a spot to live and a space to go, I think that it would be much better to maintain our population.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks, Audrey. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? >> Okay, we're going to move on. There's nothing on the consent agenda, so on to old business. Consider approval of
resolution 2025-44, a resolution amending the city's comprehensive plan to reszone the property located at 900 Ash Street Northeast from B3 Central Business District to a planned unit development to allow for an apartment facility and
single family lots. Joel Ericson, city administrator. >> All right. Thank you, mayor, and members of the council. Uh, this has been talked about at the last several meetings. Um, we've heard concerns from residents about the property being section 8, their concerns on crime, traffic, the
effect on, uh, property values. Uh, we've also heard, um, as Miss Johnson just said, uh, support for it and the need. Um, we've heard from, uh, residents that say that the apartment complex will support local businesses.
Uh what's being proposed is a 58 unit apartment complex at 900 Ash Street Northeast. The request in front of the council tonight is considering a comprehensive plan amendment and reszoning the property at 900 Ash Street Northeast from uh central business
district B3 to uh planned unit development. Um, I guess really at this point in time, it's really up to the council to make a decision on how you guys want to proceed with this. >> All right. Thank you, Joel. Brian, do you want to come up here real quick? I'm
going to throw this around council. Uh, you're talking to me. >> I know. >> Go on, Brian. >> So, I'm going to throw this around council one time. Um, in case there's additional questions that we have to ask. Brian, I promise I'm not going to have you stand up here for two hours
again. Thank you for doing that last time. Um, so I'm going to kick this off with you, Brian Worm, Miss Gersian. Um, if you have any questions since you weren't here the uh September 11th council meeting, >> right? Um, yeah. So, I apologize for not being
here at that meeting. Um, it was a trip that we had planned long before this ever became a thing. So, um, one of the questions that I've been asked by multiple residents to bring up is consideration of 55 plus. Is that
something that could be considered? I know one thing I think you know before I let you respond, I think one thing, and Joel, please correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is the vote tonight does not mean that this is a done deal
by any stretch of the imagination. Correct. >> Uh correct. It's just amending a comprehensive plan and res. >> So just reszoning the property which in in essence opens up the possibility of a
conversation on is this going to happen? Because I'm sure you've got things that you want to come to us with. We've got things that we would like to see and there's still the potential that we can say no or you could say no and we can
all walk away or either side can walk away. That's correct. Right. That's that's my understanding. I want to make sure that I fully understand what's in front of us tonight. >> That is correct. But both sides have invested thousands of dollars to get just to this point. >> I understand. Yep. I understand that. I
understand that there's investments on both sides. But I think that's the piece that from my watching of the the meetings, the playbacks, that I don't think that was necessarily clear from the questions and the feedback and the conversations I've had throughout the
community. So regardless of if this passes tonight, it's absolutely not a done deal and there won't be shovels in the ground anytime soon from what I understand. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, um, and I think that would be part of that conversation if this does
pass. You know, I I've had a lot of people come to me and say, you know, we've got a we've got a problem for our older community members if they want to downsize, if they want maintenance-free living, there's nowhere to go. So, that
was one of the questions that I've been asked to ask is, is that something that you would be open to a conversation about? You know, I from from my my perspective, I don't think you'd have to change anything as far as what you want to build, what you want to charge for rent, anything like that. It's just a
matter of saying 55 plus, >> right? So, that's not something I'd specifically be interested in. Just anecdotally, listening to Miss Johnson's feedback, sounds like there's definitely a need for younger population as well. Looking at our demographics for some of
our other buildings, I'd say it's kind of a biodal demographic where you've got the seniors who are looking to maybe just do carefree living. Um don't necessarily want to mow a lawn, take care of a house anymore, but we also do have a lot of young professionals, so there's teachers or nurses. Um we've got
we in Anandale, I've actually got uh three police officers, you know, younger police officers who live in the facility. So, I think we're just limiting the ability to market the property quite a bit. And the you basically have to slash the market study in half, I think, in order to for that
to be feasible. And >> you're talking price-wise, you feel like you'd have to be >> number of units. >> Oh, number of units. >> Yeah. You're just you're cutting the demand in half essentially by telling anybody under 55 that they couldn't live in the property. >> Would uh and I don't know if this is
even a thing. um you know uh dedicating a certain amount to 55 plus. >> I don't think that that's something that we would want to do. Um it's I don't know the legalities of it. You typically
age restricted living. Um I think you would have to apply for the entire facility. So, we'd have to probably look at some sort of maybe condo and have almost two separate, you know, technical buildings, but that gets a little complex and convoluted. And I I
think it's probably more of a I think it's probably less of an issue than it needs to be. I think if people want to move into the building that are over 55, they're going to be more than welcome. It could potentially free up space in the facility next door for other people who want to move into that facility, but
we don't really have an intention of making it this age restricted development. >> Okay. Yeah. Like I said, I just that's a question that's come up um as I've talked to people throughout the community. So, thank you for your answers. >> That's all you? >> Yeah, I'm sure something else will
probably come up, but >> Okay. Yeah. Gary, you got anything? >> Um I know we've talked section 8 at end before. Uh but just to clarify for people um that have asked me recently, let's say you aren't able to like fill
the apartment building as you want to in a plan. Would you then accept section 8 to help fill it? >> Uh I I don't know if we would or wouldn't. Right now we have the ability not to. Uh there is legislation that's potentially going to change that. Um I
know in the city of Minneapolis, you have to accept it and they're talking about that statewide. >> I don't think it's something that we're going to bump into. But I think section 8 also has a a negative connotation that maybe isn't fully deserved um and that
they're not criminals. They're fully vetted by the housing revelopment authority of Chaza or Rice. >> Yeah, sorry. Rice County. Um and so just because someone lives in section 8 housing doesn't mean they're a criminal or a
a bad person. they might just be following the hard times or but they're they're all vetted by the the county as well. So, I think it's just something that needs to be thought of and um we don't want to have any sort of criminals in our building either that doesn't help our marketability and doesn't help us
protect our asset. >> Exactly. And I also want to touch on that point. There's been a lot of negative stereotyping done uh throughout the community about apartments and about section 8. And I've lived in apartments. I'm not a bad person. You know, I know a
lot of people who've lived in apartments and um it doesn't it shouldn't be a stereotype and it doesn't matter if you live in an apartment, a home, or a town home. You could have a bad neighbor regardless of where you're at. So um >> and living in an apartment doesn't necessarily mean it's a fallback
situation. It's a choice by many people. Exactly. To live in an apartment building. >> Um we've got a council member who is moving into our building and he's an upstanding citizen as well. Mhm. And I think a lot of people when I was campaigning um the elderly population
brought that concern to me a lot like we have nowhere to go if we downsize. We don't want to leave Longdale. So that's been a really big hot topic for a long time. So I think um this would be a great opportunity for them to have a place like Audrey talked about earlier too. So
>> yeah, I mentioned in I think it was the September 11th meeting that we actually had the neighbors over. It's a 55 devel plus development next door anal project. So they came over for a kind of coffee and tour of the facility and a couple of them even commented that they might want to move into it after touring it. So it
it is an opportunity for some lateral movements as well. >> Definitely. That's all I have for now. >> All right. Thank you. Jamie, >> are you interested in letting the local businesses bid on it if we proceed? >> Say can you say that again? Are you interested in letting some of the local businesses bid on stuff for the
>> We do. Um, so our my GC is uh Amcon Development. The superintendent actually lives near the community here, so it's pretty tied into the community. We would seek to source local businesses. A lot of it, to be honest, is just over what a lot of local um tradesmen can do.
There's kind of two like electrical subs that do all this work. Large framers do all this work. Um but when it comes to things like the concrete um the asphalt um landscaping those are typically uh irrigation systems a lot of those meet local groups and like things for
landscaping irrigation want them to be local because there's routine maintenance associated with those and it's good to have the person who installed them originally be it'll be contracted kind of perpetuity so to say. >> All right that's all I got. All right. Thank you Scott. um not to uh beat the f
uh the section 8 uh aspect, but uh you said that there's potential legislation to make it so that you can't uh deny it. Uh but once again, not all legislation goes through. >> Correct. >> Um I know it was addressed at the first
meeting we had. uh would you be willing to if if it is currently legal to enter into agreement that you would not accept the the section 8 uh for a period um and if the if the legislation didn't go through
it would still be enforced. >> Yeah, I'm not adantly opposed to it. I don't think we have any intentions of needing or to have section 8 vouchers accepted. So obviously we need to check the legalities of it and >> I don't think we can do that. >> Okay. I know I know it was brought up
before but it >> okay >> at the first meeting but I wasn't sure. >> How else are you going to exclude >> what's Well, okay. I just was asking that question. I I hadn't been able to find any information about it specifically. >> Okay. >> So Okay. Um I guess the other every all
the questions I had were already covered. So thank you. >> All right. Thanks Scott. Brian, you got anything more you got to add? >> I've got an hour and a half time still scheduled here. So, >> um, no. I mean, I I watched the meeting. You know, I've heard I've talked to a
lot of people. Um, you know, I think again the biggest thing for me and and I don't know why all of a sudden just kind of the light bulb clicked for me today on the the fact that we I think we're getting a bit ahead of
ourselves to a degree by um making this seem like it's it's the end of the road. Um because you know I' I've seen the drawings, I've seen the proposal. I've also heard people talk about move this here, move that there, you know, and and
at the end of the day, I I don't know. I mean, cuz it's it's we we have to have it zoned to even be able to have the conversation, which is the biggest piece that, you know, there's a lot of upside and there's some downside, right? You know, on both. Um,
but I don't know what you're asking for from the city. I guess I don't know if we've had a conversation about what we want exactly. I mean, at the end of the day, if this was just already zoned, it'd be
somebody owns the land, somebody develops it, and you pay your taxes, and that's it. Um, the PUD is the only safeguard in a reszone that I can think of because I know it's been
brought up to to do a uh what if we just reszoned it? What if we just reszoned a residential? Well, then we lose any sort of bargaining, any sort of protection that we can put in place. Um, you know, your your buffers go out the
window, your your single family homes go out the window in those situations. Um, so that's, you know, that's what I'm afraid of either way, you know, because I I think it was brought up at the last meeting where as it's zoned right now, if somebody wanted to come in and put New
York style um retail on the bottom and apartments on top, we can't stop that. There's nothing we can do to stop it because it's a permitted use. Um, I feel like there's there's a
responsibility to safeguard what can go there and in some ways we don't have that right now. That's what I'm a little concerned about after after having those conversations or after hearing those conversations at the last minute meeting. Um, it does concern me that
without a tight control like this, this reszone, we don't have any say on what can potentially happen there. Those are my thoughts. >> Yeah, that's why I like the PUB versus
just the zoning for the B3 because you get it. You got kind of >> But would B3 have control? >> I don't even think B3 would this would have to be a B4 if we're talking about an apartment. >> No, I know. right now or >> not. I'm sorry, not I'm sorry. I'm thinking R4. Excuse me. I got my zonings confused.
>> Sorry, Jamie. >> I didn't read your thousandpage packet on zoning. >> Yeah. And all all the red lines. >> All right. >> Well, council, what do we want to do? >> I'll make the motion. All right. Motion
by Palava. >> Second. >> Second by Vikica. Any further discussion to motion to move to move forward with the result >> in comp plan amendment. Right. And comp plan change. Yes. >> Resolution 2025-44.
>> Yeah. So, I'll make a motion to approve resolution 202544 to amend uh the city's comprehensive plan uh at 900 Ash Street from B3 Central Business District to planned unit development to allow for a
potential apartment facility and mixed single family lots. >> All right. Thank you, Scott. You still second that, Jamie? >> Yep. >> All right. First and seconded. Any further discussion? The way you made that noise, it sounded like you wanted to say something, right? >> Well,
>> I mean, what would be the next step? >> I guess >> negotiating the PUD. >> When Yeah. When would that start if >> tomorrow? >> Yeah. Right. Tomorrow. >> Time is of the essence. He's on the clock for >> having to land under contract,
>> right? Well, I mean, the main time getting bids and starting in the spring. >> Mhm. >> Okay. His timeline is 6 months in advance. >> All right. Any further discussion? >> All in favor?
>> I. >> All opposed. All right. Motion carries. All right. Thank you, Brian. >> Thanks. >> You're welcome. >> There is no new business. There's no other business. So, I'll be entertaining a motion to adjourn. >> Motion.
>> Motion by Miller. >> Second. >> Second by Palava. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I. >> All opposed. All right.