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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7. Approval of Minutes: January 26, 2004 .... ... ..............."..~....,..,.".,........,~..~.... ......,_...... ..................~....,._...~..~..,~....~._~........... .".......'... . .......... ......_....,..,.........."".. ........... .. ....... . ..' ..... ....,,_..._~."..h..'._~.. ....,........ .. . .........'".,.....",....... .....,...~~.... ........,..... .......~.."... .......-.... OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL ADJ. REG. SESSION SHAKOPEE,MINNESOTA JANUARY 26, 2004 Mayor Schmitt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with Council members Menden, Joos, Lehman and Helkamp present. Also present: Mark McNeill, City Administrator; Judith S. Cox, City Clerk; R. Michael Leek, Community Development Director; Bruce Loney, Public Works Director/City Engineer; Gregg V oxland, Finance Director; Mark Themig (7 :25), Facilities and Recreation Director; Mark McQuillan, Natural Resources Director; Dan Hughes, Chief of Police and Tracy Schaefer, Assistant to the City Administrator. Also present from the Planning Commission were: Steve Clay, Larry Meilleur and Michael Willard. Also present from the Park and Recreation Advisory Board was: Arvid Sornberger (8:00). Also present from Shakopee Public Utilities were: Lou VanHout and Joe Adams. Also present from Scott County was: Michael Sobota and Gina Mitchell. Also present from Prior Lake was Jack Haugen, Mayor and Frank Boyles, City Manager. Mayor Schmitt opened the meeting with a presentation regarding the growth of Shakopee. He noted the challenges for the City of Shako pee were many. A few of the challenges were to provide a sense of character, pride and neighborhood that the City was proud of and that residents were willing to call their home and the challenge for passive (trails) and recreation activities, active parks, as well as a community center that included health and wellness equipment. There were transportation issues, municipal utility issues, and storm water management issues. One way to address some issues was with housing options that were acceptable to the community. The housing issues could be addressed in what kind of housing, where the housing was located, and for whom the housing was addressing. Mayor Schmitt noted the City needed housing for first time buyers, move up housing, singles and seniors. The City needed a combination of detached, attached, condo, homeowner and rental housing. Mayor Schmitt noted that some areas in Shakopee were vacant and served by utilities at both ends yet were not developed at this time. He thought perhaps the City needed to take a look at capitalizing on some of the investments made with utilities to provide the residential neighborhoods that the City would need. He noted the 1 st A venue river area provided additional space for residential housing. This area too needed to be looked at for residential space possibilities but the residents that lived in that area ofthe community needed to be involved with that decision making. Mayor Schmitt noted some of the high density housing in the City and some of the drawbacks of this current housing regarding architectural design, setbacks and landscaping. Mayor Schmitt thought the City needed to take back control of the City with some standards of performance. Regarding retail in a growing community, Mayor Schmitt noted there was a demand for convenience and service. Some of the developments along busy roadways had a combination of housing and retail. Mayor Schmitt was concerned about the big box retailers as well as the auto dealerships and having retail on every major intersection on every heavily traveled road. He felt the downtown I st A venue corridor was a vital part for now and the future of Shakopee because of ....."..",..',.""""... '.,," ....,.,........",,,,, """'",..'" ....,.,J...,..,...',.......... . ..........,.."....,.,..........,,,...!'.-,..... '.,.,., ............,:..... . ............., ..'......., .. . .......,.,.....,. . Official Proceedings of the January 26, 2004 Shakopee City Council Page -2- more traffic using the current river crossing once Hwy 212 was moved up in the bluff area and because of the tourism in the City of Shakopee and the area. The needs and resources ofthe community needed to be identified and promoted, goals needed to be set, and plans needed to be set in place to achieve measurable goals. According to Mayor Schmitt the Business Park was a key point of the community. This Business Park would create jobs and build an asset base. This Business Park needed to be capitalized on. He noted the City of Shakopee has had very limited City involvement with the Industrial Business Park. The City needed to be an active partner in promoting the Industrial Business Parks. The City needed to form more partnerships. Mayor Schmitt also thought the Post Office needed to be rebuilt and a way needed to be figured out to get the higher powers of the Post Office to understand that the City was very concerned about the condition and the service of the Post Office now. Michael Sobota, Scott County Management team and previously in the Community Development Department for the City of Lakeville, approached the podium. The issue for this evening was how to put this growth in the City of Shakopee in a context that was acceptable to the City residents. It was imperative to plan for a growing community (strategic planning); then the community could be successful. The residents could then decide what they wanted their City to look like in the future. There were tools and exercises that a community could use and these would then determine how the City reacted to the growth. The rate of growth and how the City could grow could be determined and this vision for the City by the residents would be incorporated in to the plan. Determining the effects (capital costs and operating costs) of growth was just as important as determining the growth itself. Current ways of doing business (the way services are provided) needed to be evaluated and challenged. Mr. Sobota noted that strategic planning could recommend a consensus on a future direction or end use plan with a vision for the City of Shakopee becoming evident. Mr. Sobota noted that the process for strategic planning was critical. The process included getting the residents of the community involved. A broad base of leadership within the community needed to be identified as part ofthe strategic strategy. Time needed to be allowed for members to get up to speed on what the community concerns were. The inclusion of good ideas from others was also important to a good strategic strategy. Priorities that were broadly supported by the community residents needed to be identified. Mr. Sobota noted what some ofthe benefits were for a time out (moratorium). These benefits were: 1) There was stafftime for information and decision making, 2) A timeout helped to prevent distractions, 3) Staff was able to concentrate on the importance ofthe study and 4) An end-date for when the strategic planning process would be done was evident. Results of a successful strategic planning were: 1) identification of key concerns, 2) increased awareness of community issues and 3) a basis for other future plans was set. _" ,-_" , ., _ _. .. . ': :,".: ." , ,~, :1, ."\1:.,,":;:1.'1:':,",/:\:;-' 1,',:1"\ \1;':,:,:" :..... w, '.' I.' ,..:..\,,:,',N~~1'~:".'" ,,",'.'.,", ,~:., ,..,'IN '.'.<"";'.""",'.'1.,' ""::,', -..'.:, .W,'':;, I~ :'l';'.'_'_-';_:\,;:';1:,,,' ..:.:' "I I','_'.''I'':.;':,~.'.,:'.'''' "ll:.-;" :.;....':W,.,~;..,:'.;:I ::' ,"I~.\:;',' ,'.".'.' ;,,,';:.,~; ,,,:;'C,.;~" ',:, .,......,..,.;:;.~:..,)".,'..".:'_:,,' ,,;, ,I.' ;."C, r. ;".',":'-:1'."'" :;;'~.I;v,'.\I.';i~:;:';:: I'.'.'.'.;'.; ,.....:.. ',:", . . , . .... '. '.' . ''''':.~';''.:'.':'''::''''''':' -....,... Official Proceedings of the January 26, 2004 Shakopee City Council Page -3- Mr. Sobota noted that Shakopee Public Utilities (SPUC) had policy powers as well as the City of Shakopee and this situation was unique. This was how SPUC was originally set-up, perhaps there was a better way for the City of Shakopee and SPUC to be related in these growing times of population. The City really needed to look at their relation with SPUC and decide if that was the way they really wanted to do business with SPUC now. Efficiencies in operations needed to be looked at as well as capital costs and how capital and operations work together. Frank Boyles, City Manager for Prior Lake, approached the podium and talked about the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan for Prior Lake. He noted this was not the first strategic plan for Prior Lake. The first strategic plan was done by staff with no community input. That plan went by the wayside in little time. The successful plan that Prior Lake has now was done with community input, with what the community wanted now and in the future; the community has whole heartedly bought into the strategic plan. He noted staff or the residents would not forget this successful strategic plan and this plan would direct the community to the 2020 vision. Jack Haugen, Mayor of Prior Lake, approached the podium and explained the vision for Prior Lake. He stated this was a long-term plan and perhaps the City of Shakopee could use some of the points Prior Lake used when working on a strategic plan for the City of Shakopee. He felt key to Prior Lakes strategic plan was that the plan was developed by the community for the community. The entire community had been heard in this strategic planning process. Prior Lake was also a big supporter of having an outside consultant come in and help the City. Mayor Haugen noted that the community members that worked on the strategic plan was a very diverse group. He noted that Prior Lake's strategic plan lead to the 2020 vision for Prior Lake. Mr. Haugen truly thought the money for the strategic plan was a long-term investment not an expense. This money would be spent for good decision making now and in the future. One of the keys in the strategic planning process was to include a diverse group of people who would become advocates for the plan. This was critical. It was from the strategic plan that a mission statement would/could come forward. He noted the vision of Prior Lake was not completed; the plan was finished but the full vision had not been totally realized yet. Each day steps needed to be taken to come closer to the vision. Mr. Haugen noted a conscious effort was needed to be made to market the vision. He noted that creating partnerships was also very important. He thought almost as important as identifying the vision elements was the creation of partnerships. He noted some of the opportunities of where partnerships could be formed. He noted with the vision elements there were tactical plans that resulted. These tactical plans defined specific objectives and when these objectives needed to fall in place. The vision strategic plan became the document to follow for the City of Prior Lake. It was extremely important to have this plan and to let the public know what was being done. Letting the public know what was happening paid huge dividends. This made the residents true advocates ofthe vision for the City. ."".... ...........::...,:1 ~.,' ,'f.:i:'n, ',\1'."",',.,..",,\, " .,.'" , , , , '.,;"" ....,~,.;~I<'f(';. ,', "" \''''':'F\'I):.n~''''':'.1~,~':;:','';)rt':!,,'r<~.1i:'.o':~.'i'i'':',. i\' (\\';\;';:'1." ,,~, , "';'~'l' .'."!' ,; :.~,,.:..'~'(',;'~'.t~;,,,, I~":';.,.",~",;;"":";" ,.,~':" ;:';":,lJ r.~.i).':".".'.";,~,,, "'.n':'.1:\:.Q ,'; ;:"',, r;'.fj', , , . '" . , '., '."\' ,,;," , ;',"'.'.';, ;:.,:'1 ,', '.\, ~'!\'I:"::','i:'.'.,;, ;:,,'. ,,">:":'~".':' ,';') '/ ~"'';>., II" ! .....1 ,'I'i 1', ~,,', ,,:,.,....;: ,:", , '.' ,'. ... , ,...;.,.,., ,.. i" .., i ;, ...:~, ... '...., . , ... . Official Proceedings of the January 26, 2004 Shakopee City Council Page -4- Mayor Haugen noted that recently the players who put together the strategic plan reassembled to see if the plan needed to be tweaked in some places because some time had elapsed since the onset of the strategic plan. The only thing that needed changing, according to the makers of the strategic plan. was that the strategic plan needed to be out in front of the public at all times. It truly needed to be marketed. Mr. Boyles stated that he thought the strategic plan fostered a greater degree of understanding of government operations. This degree of understanding fostered inclusiveness and cooperation as well as consistency between the council and the staff (team work) and it fostered greater consistency for City direction (better use of taxpayer dollars). The strategic plan served for justification for certain decisions and expectations. Cities who use a strategic plan received much positive feedback from their residents. Mr. Sobota noted how Lakeville approached the strategic planning strategy. He noted a list of people was generated who were empowered to come back to the City Council with recommendations as to what they wanted the City of Lakeville to look like in the future. This group too was very diverse but did not include an outside facilitator. Their process included goal sessions, information gathering, analyzing scenarios, putting together a vision and looking at various strategies. This process also involved a moratorium that took place while the strategic planning was being done.. Mr. Sobota noted the original strategic planning was done in 1992 and there was an update to the plan in 1998. The update used a similar process as the original strategic plan used. Key values were identified for the community and some of those values are still important to the City of Lakeville today. These values were incorporated in the Comprehensive Plan. The City of Lakeville also defined their vision for 2020. Mr. Sobota noted strategic planning was not new; it was a process where the community could become involved in planning for their City. Mr. Sobota also thought it was important to use an outside facilitator, identify the issues and have dialogue on these issues. Mr. Leek, Community Development Director, noted the annexation of Jackson Township and Louisville Township still needed to be considered. He noted one of the challenges was to get a good development where there were important natural resources. The strategic planning process took time and the City did not have the time unless time was created to do the study. With the growth that was taking place, City planning staff did not have the time to go out into the community to get a sense of the resident's vision for the City of Shako pee. Mr. Leek was of the opinion that some good insight had been given to the council as to what neighboring communities did to control their growth. He stated that he thought the City of Shakopee would benefit from some strategic planning for the long term. He stated he would like some direction as to how the City wanted to proceed. There was discussion on doing strategic planning at the same time as doing day to day work. Mr. Leek noted that a time out (moratorium) did not need to be all-inclusive. Certain types of building could still continue. It would be very helpful if an outside consultant could be hired to ......, ......,...,.. . ." ,... : ~,' .','. , ,.: . .... . .. ':" .., " .- . , ". . . . . _. ,. . - ."..,.... ....:.....,..... ..,..........\.... Official Proceedings of the January 26, 2004 Shakopee City Council Page -s- have an outside viewpoint and to keep things moving along. The City would need to dedicate some real resources to this type project. Mr. Boyles noted that a strategic planning process left staff energized and with this excess energy they would be able to get all things done. He found this to be true in the City of Prior Lake. The methods of getting the public input were discussed. Mr. Sobota noted the City of Lakeville and the City of Prior Lake used different options to get public input. Mr. Leek stated that he thought the key groups of the community needed to be identified and representatives from these key groups needed to be invited to give the groups ideas for what they saw their community becoming. Mr. Leek stated this strategic plan could not be just staff driven residents needed to be involved and when a strategic plan was developed that plan needed to updated regularly. Cncl. Joos questioned how factual infonnation was obtained. It was noted that a consultant could say and do things a council member could not and the consultant understood the strategic planning process. It was pointed out the group would let you know if you had valid information. Cnc1. Joos thought the City of Shakopee had many things that were talked about tonight but they were all individual plans and they needed to be incoIporated into one strategic plan. Some ofthe work had been done already. Mayor Schmitt stated that he whole heartedly supported the City doing a strategic plan that talked about what a mission statement is and talked about each department within the City of Shakopee having a strategic plan that stated the goals and objectives of each department and then stated how the goals and objectives were to be put into practice. Mayor Schmitt noted the strategic plan really was the legwork for a Comprehensive Plan for the City. It was noted that it was the outside facilitator's job to pull the information out of all the comments received from people as to how they wanted to see their community. The overall vision was the first step in the process. But to get this vision the comments from residents as how they saw their City now and in the future needed to be gathered. The facilitator's job was to help the City get the overall vision from the residents' point of view so a strategic plan could be developed that was responsive to the resident's comments. Mayor Schmitt thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. He noted that something has been started that could bear fruit for the future. What happens now will dictate what will be in the future. Mayor Schmitt adjourned the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 9:23 p.m. ~..lvtLd 0/ u ith S. Cox iytty Clerk Carole Hedlund Recording Secretary