Eagan City Council Meeting - November 4, 2024
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Eagan City Council Meeting – November 4, 2024
The Eagan City Council met on Monday, November 4, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eagan Municipal Center. Key actions included the approval of four public hearing items (nuisance abatement and three easement vacations), adoption of cannabis and hemp business regulations, and a postponement of the Thomson Reuters campus redevelopment application to November 19, 2024. A new police officer was sworn in, and the consent agenda was approved with several routine items.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approved: Regular meeting minutes of October 15, 2024, and special meeting minutes of October 29, 2024.
- Personnel Items: Approved resolution for personnel actions.
- Check Registers: Approved check registers for weeks ending October 11, 18, and 25, 2024.
- Contracts: Approved contracts as listed.
- Donations: Adopted resolution to accept donations, including a donation from the Eagan Hockey Association for a Zamboni and board replacements at Goat Hill.
- Surplus Property: Declared miscellaneous city property as surplus.
- Change Order No. 6: Approved for the Eagan Art House (Project 1558).
- Trail Easement: Approved a trail easement with Dakota County for the Veteran’s Memorial Trail.
- 3rd Quarter 2024 Financial Report: Approved.
- 3-Year Audit Engagement Contract: Approved.
- Public Hearing Scheduled: Scheduled a public hearing for December 3, 2024, to consider the 2025 Fee Schedule.
- Dakota County CIP: Adopted a resolution in support of Dakota County’s 5-Year Transportation Capital Improvement Program (2025–2029).
- Wetland Replacement Plan: Approved the wetland replacement plan decision for the Thomson-Reuters Redevelopment Project.
- Petition to Vacate Easements: Received petition to vacate drainage and utility easements at West Publishing Company properties.
- Great Oaks Academy Revenue Bonds: Approved a resolution to schedule a public hearing for issuance of revenue bonds on behalf of Great Oaks Academy.
- Reject Bids: Rejected work scope bids for Eagan Community Center Improvements (Project 1576).
- Waivers of Hearing: Approved waivers of hearing for Project 1552 (O’Neill Dr/Lone Oak Pkwy/Vikings Pkwy/Lone Oak Dr/Waters Annex) requested by Minnesota Vikings Football LLC, MVE Residential II LLC, MVE West LLC, MV Ventures Properties LLC, and MVE Residential LLC.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Thomson Reuters Redevelopment (New Business B): Joseph Bourne, a resident at 3772 Ridgewood Drive, expressed concern that Project Nova’s expanded footprint and height (120 feet) would dominate the skyline and potentially impact the use and enjoyment of Westcott Station Park and nearby residential neighborhoods. He asked whether the building could be lower or smaller.
Discussion Items
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Cannabis and Hemp Ordinance Amendments (Old Business): City Planner Schultz presented ordinance amendments to Chapters 6, 10, and 11 of the Eagan City Code to regulate cannabis and low-potency hemp retail businesses and events, following state legalization on May 30, 2023. Key provisions include:
- Allowing up to five standalone retail cannabis businesses in commercial zones, plus three additional retail endorsements for micro, meso, and medical combination businesses in industrial zones (total eight).
- Requiring a 350-foot separation between cannabis retail establishments.
- No buffers from schools, daycares, park attractions, or residential treatment facilities, consistent with city policy for alcohol and tobacco.
- Permitting temporary cannabis events in commercial and industrial districts with a 200-foot separation from residential uses; outdoor consumption areas limited to I-1 and I-2 zones.
- Outdoor commercial cultivation allowed in agricultural zones by right and in I-1/I-2 zones via conditional use permit, with security and fencing standards.
- Separate registration requirements for hemp retailers (not counted in the cap).
- An additional language update (highlighted in a memo) regarding registration of those under 21 was added to the motion.
- The council approved the ordinances with the additional language.
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Thomson Reuters Campus Redevelopment (New Business B): The applicant (Ryan Companies) proposed a Comprehensive Guide Plan Amendment, Preliminary Planned Development, and Preliminary Subdivision on approximately 179 acres at 610 Opperman Drive. The plan includes:
- Phase 1 (Project Nova): a 650,000 sq ft footprint multi-story warehouse/logistics facility (3.6 million sq ft total floor area) with outdoor storage of trucks/trailers, plus townhomes on Outlot E.
- Phase 2: future industrial (South Industrial) on Outlot A and single-family homes on Outlot C.
- Land use changes from Major Office to Low Density, Medium Density, and Limited Industrial.
- A 9.9-acre park dedication (Outlot F) and a 7.2-acre conservation easement (Outlot B) preserving wetlands and trees.
- Tree mitigation: 199 Class B trees to be planted; cash payment of approximately $600,000 for remaining mitigation.
- Deviations requested include building height up to 120 feet (vs. 40 ft allowed), reduced parking ratios (1 per 2,000 sq ft vs. 1 per 1,000), 9×18 ft parking stalls, outdoor storage in the front yard, and signage.
- Opperman Drive to be reconstructed as a public street connecting to Yankee Doodle Road via an easement over Gopher Resources property.
- The Metropolitan Council’s review of the Comprehensive Guide Plan Amendment is pending, so the council postponed final action to the November 19 meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
- Public Hearing A (Delinquent Nuisance Abatement Bill): Motion by Councilmember Hansen to close the hearing and approve the assessment for 2700 Pilot Knob Road; passed unanimously.
- Public Hearing B (Rocky Lane Road Easement Vacation): Motion by Councilmember Fields to approve the vacation; passed unanimously.
- Public Hearing C (953 Trillium Court Easement Vacation): Motion by Councilmember Backen to approve; passed unanimously.
- Public Hearing D (1000 Blue Gentian Road Easement Vacation): Motion by Councilmember Backen to approve; passed unanimously.
- Cannabis Ordinances: Motion by Councilmember (not named) to approve the three ordinance amendments with the additional memo language; seconded and passed unanimously.
- Thomson Reuters Redevelopment (Postponement): Motion by Councilmember (not named) to postpone consideration of the Comprehensive Guide Plan Amendment, Preliminary Planned Development, and Preliminary Subdivision to the November 19, 2024, regular meeting; passed unanimously. Public comment was received and noted.
- New Business Item A (Rich Product Corp Variance/CUP): Continued to November 19, 2024, at the applicant’s request.
Other Business
- Legislative/Intergovernmental Affairs Update: None.
- Economic Development Authority: None.
- Administrative Agenda: City Attorney, Council Comments, City Administrator, Director of Public Works, Director of Community Development all reported nothing.
- Visitors to be Heard: None.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Should Cade Otten or Travis Kels get into the end zone tonight. I didn't even know who those people were. They're tight ends. Ms. Miller, any changes the agenda tonight. Yes, Mr. Mayor, we would request continuance of new business item A, which is the variance and conditional use permit for a rich product corporation. The applicant has requested a continuation to the November 19th meeting. November 19th. Correct. And we can just do that continuation of the adoption of the agenda. Yes, sir. Is that right? That's correct, Mr. Okay, sounds good. I'll move adoption of the agenda as amended. Second. Saying none, all in favor saying I. And opposed nay. That motion uh carries. We have an agenda tonight and a continuation to November 19th. Um with that, uh, I'll go to um recognition and presentations tonight. Uh first up is the administering of the oath of office for our newly appointed Egan police officer Blake Desmond. Chief New. Well, mayor, before I begin, um, I need to correct you. It's Travis Kelsey. I need him to get in the end zone. So very bad for you, right? Well, mayor council again, once again, thank you. This is becoming somewhat of uh common occurrence with these uh oath of offices and promotional ceremonies, but truly it's a way for us to uh introduce our staff members to the council and the rest of the community um and and uh really acknowledge their family. Um tonight um we'll be introducing Officer Blake Desman. Um and uh Blake has his parents here, his mother Stacy and uh Dad Mike, uh sister Hannah and uh his girlfriend Marissa are here, and I think he has a number of friends uh here joining him this evening. Um to his family, I I will just simply say to you uh once aga uh thank you for being here. Um you in the you know, coming months, years, uh uh ahead, you will share in long work shifts. Um pleasant uh demeanor after long work shows and uh the uncertainty that goes along in the police profession, and just please know uh we are grateful to have Blake on Team Egan and uh appreciate for you being here to uh support him today tonight and in the coming days. Um before I do the oath of office, uh, I would like to give a little bit of background on Blake. Uh Blake grew up in the Duluth area. Um he went on to complete his bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin Superior in legal studies and a minor in philosophy. Um he graduated uh Magna cum laudy. Um he was also a relief pitcher for the Red Sox. Yes. Blake started his professional career working in the law firm in Washington before moving back to Duluth, where he worked at another law firm. And then after that, he spent a short time in the military before realizing that he wanted to work as a police officer. And he and the city of Egan found one another. And he joined the police department back in the spring of the year. It's been working as a cadet for the police department. And truly, the last few months have been a culmination of works uh Blake's hard work and effort to uh become a sworn police officer for the city of EGA. So at this point, I'm gonna ask Blake to step up so we can do the uh oath of office, but before doing so, and she doesn't know this yet because I asked Blake who's gonna pin your badge on tonight. He asked for his sister Hannah to come up front with him to do his uh pin his badge uh so Hannah, please step up and uh like come on. I don't know if Hannah will get up, Blake.
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