The Rochester Planning & Zoning Commission met on August 13, 2026 (note: the official agenda and minutes list the meeting as August 12, 2026; the provided timestamp indicates August 13). The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. with six commissioners present. The commission received one public comment, approved the consent agenda, and forwarded recommendations to the City Council on two items: a major land subdivision and a text amendment to the Unified Development Code.
I would like to call the meeting to order. It is 5 p.m. This is a time in the agenda that allows members of the public to address the commission on items that are not on tonight's agenda as a public hearing. If there is anyone that would like to address the commission, please do so at this time. Please state your name. Commission members, my name is Mike Deggerstrom. I'm reading a letter on behalf of Zumbro Valley Audubon Society. Last month we defined what we mean by a native plant using the white oak versus English oak as an example and explained why most insects can only feed on plants. They evolved alongside. Remembering insects are needed for the rest of our wildlife. So we we asked this commission to treat native plantings as a standing consideration in zoning and site plan review on July 27. KAAL TV reported that Rochester is studying new water uh sources because the Jordan Aquifer is struggling to keep pace with the city's growth. Um Rochester is like other Midwestern cities, then their use doubles in July and August. Um presumably to mostly to keep the turf grass green, and I explained before. There's very little ecological wildlife in turf grass. Once then in August, um the same outlet we also reported that Rochester is aiming for 14,000 new homes by 2035 with around 4,000 acres of land identified for housing. Without any change in policy, that land will offer very little native habitat. By contrast, KTTC reported this summer that the city is converting about four acres in four parks to native habitat. Uh a project it's the article itself called a drop in the bucket for city our size. These those four acres amount to just 0.1% of the 4,000 acres now identified for housing. Um as we've noted before, um entomologist uh Doug Talmway and other ecologists uh argue that reversing ecological decline requires putting up putting roughly half of the combined residential and city land into native habitat at our current pace. We are nowhere close. We assume that uh most residents have little familiarity with native plant uh plantings. As such, our main purpose tonight is to describe what the native habitat could actually look like uh property by property. Whenever the city mows grass along roadsides, we'd like to see that shift to meadow uh with native shrubs and trees mixed in, keeping only a narrow mowed edge where needed for sightliness or site lines or act or act uh access. Roundabouts, medians, and other similar landscape areas should be planted mostly with native species, and landscaping around city buildings should follow the same standard. We don't expect residents to adopt native landscaping quickly, but we hope it grows year over year until roughly half the private property offers native habitat over a span of 15 to 20 years. Presently, native plantings tend to be mostly popular as small pollinator plots, as shade tolerant native flower beds beneath trees and around ponds and within bog gardens. Flower beds under trees carry a practical bonus instead of breaking and hauling the leaves to the compost uh site at the county. Residents can simply leave the leaves, a growing city and national campaign that also improves habitat for overwintering insects. Residents who remove enough or all of the turf grass may find they no longer need to haul grass to the compost site either. The 4,000 acres now identified for housing will be shaped by decisions made in this room. We hope this picture of what native habitat can look like on both public and private land is useful as those decisions are made, and we'd welcome the chance to discuss further regarding Zumbrill Valley Audubon Society. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to speak in the open comment period? Do we have anyone online? In that case, I will uh move on to the next item on the agenda and call meeting to order uh and take roll call. Ummissioner Ross here, Commissioner Klein. Here, Commissioner Krull. Here. Commissioner Boyam. Present. Commissioner Andrist. Here. Uh we are missing Commissioner Ayshen, Commissioner Yoost, and Commission Commissioner Emmett. I'm Commissioner Gupta, also present. Setting the order of the agenda, are there any changes required for tonight's agenda? Commission? Any changes?