Eagan City Council Meeting – March 18, 2025
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Eagan City Council Meeting – March 18, 2025
This brief meeting (approximately 6 minutes) opened with the promotion of a police sergeant, followed by a public hearing on a solar panel variance, and a code amendment regarding department appointments. No public comments were made. All consent agenda items were approved as a block.
Consent Calendar
- Items A–S (Item K was pulled) were approved on a single motion, including: approval of March 4, 2025 meeting minutes; personnel items; check registers; multiple contracts; a resolution proclaiming Arbor Day (April 25, 2025 and April 24, 2026) and Arbor Month (May 2025 and 2026); amendment to the 2025–2029 General Facilities R&R Capital Improvement Plan and award of contract for Eagan Community Center roof improvements; scheduling a public hearing for April 15, 2025 to certify delinquent nuisance abatement bills; Change Order No. 3 for 2022 street improvements; award of Contract 25-01 and 25-02 for 2025 street improvements; a resolution for Minnesota Department of Transportation State Aid Bond Payment; receipt of a petition to vacate a drainage and utility easement; amendment to the 2025–2029 Water Quality Improvements CIP; approval of Local Affordable Housing Aid Agreement with Dakota County CDA; declaration of miscellaneous city property as surplus; approval of a change of manager for an off-sale liquor license; Change Order No. 10 for the Eagan Art House; and cancellation of the March 25, 2025 Advisory Planning Commission meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke on any item, including during the public hearing or the open comment period.
Discussion Items
- Recognition and Presentation: Police Chief New administered the oath of office to newly promoted Eagan Police Sergeant David Streefland. Chief New highlighted Sergeant Streefland’s service on the SWAT team, as a field training officer, and involvement in youth safety classes and active shooter drills. He also noted that police and firefighters saved a three-year-old child’s life the previous afternoon.
- Public Hearing – Variance for Pilot Knob Animal Hospital: Director of Planning Mike Schultz presented a variance request by All Energy Solar (representative Danielle Damar) for a 5.5-foot setback reduction (from the required 10 feet) to allow rooftop solar panels at 4145 Knob Drive. The state building code requires a 4-foot setback, while the city’s zoning code mandates 10 feet. With the 10-foot setback, only 17% of roof area could be used for solar panels; with a 4-foot setback, 54% could be used. The applicant stated the system would offset roughly 40% of the site’s energy consumption. Councilmember Backer noted that the proposed layout did not include a required 4-foot interior pathway to a standpipe as per state admin rules; the applicant agreed this would be addressed during the building permit process. Mayor asked about aligning the city’s commercial setback with the state’s; staff indicated they could review the ordinance. No public testimony was given.
- Old Business – Code Amendment: City Attorney Miller explained that the amendment to Chapter 2, Section 2.30 transfers authority for hiring, promoting, resignations, and retirements of non-department-head employees to the city administrator, while the council retains authority over the city administrator, department directors, and terminations. The draft had been posted since March 7, 2025. Council adopted the amendment without further discussion.
Key Outcomes
- Adoption of Agenda: Approved (voice vote, all in favor).
- Consent Agenda: Approved as presented (voice vote, all in favor).
- Variance Approval: Motion by Councilmember Fields to approve the variance of 5.5 feet from the 10-foot rooftop setback, subject to five conditions, carried (voice vote, all in favor).
- Ordinance Amendment: Motion by Councilmember[unknown] to approve the amendments to Chapter 2, Section 2.30 regarding department control and appointments, carried (voice vote, all in favor).
- Adjournment: Motion carried unanimously; meeting adjourned after approximately 6 minutes at 6:36 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Uh we have a fairly brief agenda tonight. Um Diane, apparently the uh administrative changes that you're asking for in terms of department control are very controversial. Um kind of full room here tonight. Actually we have the promotion of an officer to sergeant today, so uh we're looking forward to that. Otherwise, uh very brief agenda. Ms. No, any changes the agenda. No, Miss Mayor. Uh council any changes the agenda. No sir. I'll take a motion. Motion to adopt the agenda is presented. Second. That's moved and seconded. Uh any further discussion on the agenda. Seeing none, all those gonna say I oppose nay. That motion carries and we have an agenda. Um I'll move right to uh recognitions and presentations. Uh and the administration of the oath of office to newly promoted Egan police sergeant David Strefland. Chief New, how are you? All right, Chief Mayor, how you doing? I'm doing well. That's good. Good to see you. Good to see you as well. Uh Mayor and Council. Uh I would like to uh begin by saying thank you for giving us the opportunity tonight to uh promote our newly appointed uh Sergeant Dave Streflin. I know Dave has some special guests here joining this evening. Uh his wife Aaron and his son Maxwell and uh Winston are here joining us. As well as his mother Deb and Tom. So um I want to extend a heart fill uh thank you for each of you being here this evening, um to recognize uh Dave and more importantly I want you each to know who I am because of probably gonna be some moments in time where Dave comes home complaining about the G I want you to know who he's referring to. So you assume that doesn't act happening. But in all seriousness, I would like to thank each of you uh for being here and more importantly for making the sacrifice um by allowing Dave to be part of uh this thing called policy. Um I know there's many days and often times where you probably wonder what he's doing at work and I simply want you to know he's making a difference each and every day. Um mayor council. Um I will simply say to all of you that uh you know the difference that's being made in the community. I look in the back of the room and I see a number of police officers that are here and I wish we had a number of firefighters that were here. I I Chief Surro is going to blame me for this because I didn't tell him there was a swearing in tonight. But when you think about the amazing work that takes place, we saw that firsthand yesterday afternoon. And we heard a call go out with involving a three-year-old child. And many of the people you see back in the back of the room, and a number of our firefighters here in this community responded, and they saved a young man's life. And he's doing much better, David. And they gave him a chance. And we are fortunate to have people like Dave Streflin take the reins of leadership here in the community and lead uh our group of staff members. But these folks in the back of the room, along with our firefighters uh in our community, saved a young man's life, and that's the amazing work that these folks do, and that's what your dad, your son, and your husband do each and every day. So thank you for sharing them with us. Now, a little bit about Dave. Um Dave is a member of our SWAT team. Um, he's also served as a field training officer and a useful force instructor, and he continues to help lead our youth safety uh uh classes here in um the use use firearm safety courses here in the city. Uh Dave has also helped countless businesses, churches, and schools with active shooter drills.
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