Brookings City Council Meeting - June 11, 2024: Child Care Funding, Economic Development, and Zoning Decisions
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Brookings City Council Meeting - June 11, 2024
The Brookings City Council met on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 5:30 PM for a study session and 6:00 PM for the regular meeting. The study session focused on a proposal to transfer city funds from the Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) to the Brookings Community Child Care Collaborative (BCCC) to support child care. The regular meeting covered consent agenda items, public hearings, contracts, and resolutions. Key actions included approval of a real estate transfer for a national retailer, an amendment to a TIF district developer agreement, and several zoning and land use approvals.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda as amended.
- Approved consent agenda items (with item 6E removed and 6F amended to include dates for the South Dakota Art Museum Anderson Plaza performance series). Items included:
- Approval of City Council meeting minutes from May 28 and May 31, 2024.
- Renewal of on-sale wine operating agreement for Commonwealth Gaming (Deuces Casino).
- Renewal of on-sale liquor operating agreements for Pints & Quarts and Jacks Hospitality (Bank Saloon and Vault).
- Temporary alcohol/special event licenses for existing license holders on publicly owned property.
- Resolution 24-055 authorizing the City Manager to sign the South Dakota Department of Public Safety Wildland Cooperative Fire Agreement.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dean Bartles (DJ Z family corporation) requested trimming rather than removing two 30-foot blue spruce trees at 3rd and McGarry for visibility; staff encouraged working with them on a compromise.
- Robert Geary (Melk Point, SD) expressed concerns about drainage from the proposed parking lot for the Campanile Flats development, fearing water runoff onto his property.
- Jay Larson (1347 5th Street) raised concerns about parking lot encroachment on 5th Street and the precedent of variances in the commercial corridor.
- Keith Rounds (President, Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity) spoke in favor of raising the price point cap for TIF District #8 homes from $245,000 to 80% of the first-time homebuyer program (currently $385,000), suggesting 85% would be better due to rising construction costs.
- Hermila (Design Art Group) addressed parking concerns for the mixed-use development at Hill Park, explaining shared parking with neighboring lots and proposed boulevard parking.
- Sean Storhaugh (developer, Campanile Flats) clarified that a drainage study is being conducted, and they are working with the city and neighbors on alley access and drainage.
Discussion Items
Study Session: Child Care Funding Transfer
- Senator Tim Reed (BEDC Director) and Dr. Summer Schultz (School Superintendent) and Amber Collars (Boys & Girls Club Executive Director) presented a proposal to transfer $563,826 from the BEDC to the BCCC to support child care expansion.
- The presentation highlighted a 2019 workforce survey and a 2020 child care survey identifying a need for 495 zero-to-five-year-old slots in Brookings (over 900 county-wide).
- The collaborative aims to provide continuous care (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for approximately 360 children, with the Boys & Girls Club adding 130 zero-to-three slots and the school district providing early learning.
- Total startup costs are $8.6 million, with $8.2 million already identified from grants, facilities, and city funds. The city had previously set aside $580,000 for child care.
- Dr. Schultz emphasized quality early learning with a literacy component and trained instructors. Amber Collars stressed affordability ($25/year for club membership, $750/month for early learning) and a sliding scale for families.
- Council members asked about staffing, the need for a new 501(c)(3), and the status of a coordinator position funded by ARPA. Councilmember Doran requested a sustainability plan before the funding vote.
- The city manager confirmed a resolution will come forward at the next regular meeting to commit the funds, directed through the Boys & Girls Club as the 501(c)(3).
8A: Transfer of Real Property to BEDC (Resolution 24-059)
- City Manager Paul Briseno presented: Ryan Company requested an additional 8.53 acres of the Marketplace (north of 6th Street, east of I-29). Total 18.53 acres at $1.40/sq ft ($1,130,033.52). The land includes a national big-box retailer (125,000 sq ft) not currently in Brookings, with an NDA protecting the name. Aldi development is unaffected. Unanimously approved.
8B: Amendment to TIF District #8 Developer Agreement
- Community Development Director Mike Struck presented: The original agreement capped lot and home prices at $245,000. Rising costs made it difficult for affordable housing partners. The amendment raises the cap to 80% of the first-time homebuyer program (currently $385,000). Councilmember Keith Rounds requested 85%. Council approved at 80% with the understanding it can be revisited.
10A: Temporary Alcohol License for Wooden Legs Brewing Co.
- Approved for Comedy at the Park event on July 25 at Pioneer Park. Staff recommended approval; no public comment.
10B: Conditional Use for Apartment at 124 & 130 9th Street (Ordinance 24-018)
- Four-unit apartment building (4 bedrooms each) with attached garages. Approved with conditions (drainage measures). Planning commission recommended 8-1.
10C: Conditional Use for Telecommunications Tower (Ordinance 24-019)
- BMU to construct a tower on 1461 6th Street to relocate antennas from the water tower, allowing its removal. Unanimous planning commission recommendation.
10D: Commercial Corridor Design Review – Hill Park Addition (Lots 1-8, Block 4)
- Mixed-use project with commercial space and three stories of residential. Requests for 10 fewer parking stalls and balcony encroachment (3 ft 7 in) into setback. Planning commission recommended 7-1. Approved with discussion on parking and crosswalk.
10E: Rezoning to Planned Development (Ordinance 24-017)
- Rezoning five parcels on Campanile Avenue and one on 7th Street from R2 to Planned Development with R3 underlying. Planning commission 8-1. Approved as a rezoning only; initial development plan to follow.
11A: Initial Development Plan for Campanile Flats
- Four-story apartment building with ground-floor commercial, parking on west side of Campanile Avenue. Exceptions: 10 fewer parking stalls, reduced landscaping. Planning commission 7-1. Approved with discussion on drainage, crosswalk, and traffic.
11B: Medical Cannabis Dispensary License – Genesis Farms (Resolution 24-056)
- Location: 2035 Orcher Drive. Operators: Justin Johnson, Marlin Erickson, Troy Erickson. Products pre-packaged off-site to control odor. Staff recommended approval. Unanimously approved.
11C & 11D: Railroad Authority Dissolution and City Joining County Authority
- City Attorney Steve Britzman explained: Resolution 24-054 dissolves the Brookings Regional Railroad Safety Authority (established for coal train safety, now obsolete). Resolution 24-058 allows the city to join the Brookings County Regional Railroad Authority. Both approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Child Care Funding: The council will receive a sustainability plan before voting on the $563,826 transfer at the next regular meeting.
- Real Estate Transfer: Resolution 24-059 approved, allowing Ryan Company to purchase 18.53 acres for a national retailer (opening 2026).
- TIF Amendment: Approved, raising the price cap to 80% of first-time homebuyer program (~$385,000).
- All public hearings and ordinances (10A-10E, 11A) were approved as presented.
- Medical Cannabis Dispensary: Genesis Farms licensed for Brookings.
- Railroad Authorities: Dissolved safety authority; city joined county authority.
- Deputy Mayor: Nick Wendell reappointed for another term.
- Future Agenda: Study session on June 25, 2024, on downtown safety. Regular meeting at 6:00 PM with child care funding allocation and progress report. Councilmember Avery requested revisiting no-mow regulations; Councilmember Doran requested sustainability plan for child care funding.
Next Meeting: Study session June 25, 2024, 5:30 PM; Regular meeting June 25, 2024, 6:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I call this meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay. Will the clerk please take attendance? All council members are present, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Item three is approval agenda. Entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So moved. Second. Please call the roll. Hi, Neemeyer. Hi. Rasmussen. Specker. Hi. Tilton Byrne. Hi. Wendell. Hi. Avery. All right. All right. Item four, community child care collaborative efforts. Presentation and recommendation recommendation to transfer city funds from the Brookings Economic Development Corporation to the Brookings Community Child Care Collaborative to support child care. Presenting this item will be Senator Tim Reed, also known as the director of the Brookings Economic Development. CEO and Boys Girl Club of the Northern Plains. She's the executive director for our local boys and girls club, the facility that you have here. Talk about the uh initiatives itself and the values that it brings to the or the values that the support organizations partnerships together bring. And then we'll talk a little bit about the timeline, what we have going on there. And then we'll talk more about the partnerships. And that's the value or the assets that the collaboratives, two primary partners bring to the table. This started with a 2019 workforce survey report that reported how the child care crisis was impacting businesses. The Brookings Child Care Survey was then done in 2020, and that identified the current care services that are available. This led to the formation of the Brookings Early Care and Education Collaboratives, sometimes referred to as a BECEC, to guide the efforts in determining actual child care needs and shortages, and then it also put together the supply plan, and that supply plan identified the need for 495 zero to five-year-old slots in Brookings specifically. And that's over 900 child care slots that were needed in the county. At that time, Brookings City Council set aside $580,000 for child care capacity expansion opportunities. The following year, BDC proposed an 80-slot child care facility that included renovating an existing business space and establishing an unidentified entrepreneur to manage the care facility. It was also during this time the Brookings School District initiated plans to include early learning classrooms to the elementary school building projects. It was during this time the Brookings Child Care Collaborative formed in the early fall of 2023 to explore solutions that can leverage our community's unique opportunities. Through continued conversations, the BCC identified a community-based solution where both the school district and the boys and girls club will offer continuous care. And we'll talk a little bit more about that. It's gonna be pretty important as we go through this. Continuous care for approximately 360 children in the zero to five-year-old range. That continuous care will be offered to parents from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Specifically, the Boys and Girls Club of Brookings will add 130 zero to three child slots. And if you remember originally, we thought that we could do 80 child care slots, and so this does increase the capacity. So now we'll talk just a little bit about the objectives, and we're gonna get into more detail.
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