Rochester City Council Regular Session - September 8, 2025
Rochester City Council Regular Session - September 8, 2025
The Rochester City Council met on September 8, 2025, at the RPU Community Room due to renovations at City Hall. The meeting included public comments, a consent agenda, six public hearings, and several reports and recommendations. Key actions included approval of a major land subdivision, a vacation petition, growth management and comprehensive plan amendments accompanied by an annexation petition for a 120-acre Pulte Homes development, adoption of the P2S Comprehensive Plan update, adoption of a new City Action Plan, and approval of $20,000 in start-up funding for the International Relations Committee.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the consent agenda as presented, which included minutes from August 11 and August 18, 2025; accounts payable totaling $74,255,428.91; appointments to boards and commissions; approval of the 2025 Latino Fest as a community festival; parking restriction changes; grant acceptances; budget amendments for electric utility; opioid settlement agreements; various contracts for public improvements; and other routine items. The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Andrew Wong (Bamberwood resident) opposed opening a full traffic connection from the Ponderosa Pine Development to 14th Avenue SW, citing decades-old roadway deficiencies and a missing record of neighborhood objections. He requested a safety study, interim pedestrian/bicycle-only access, and safety improvements before allowing vehicle traffic.
- Craig Martins requested a public hearing on the sports complex, arguing that the current plan ($65 million, half-cent sales tax) does not meet community needs and has lost support from various groups. He called for a presentation of the business plan and financing.
- John Eckerman (co-chair of Xi Hung City, South Korea sister city group) spoke in favor of start-up funds for the International Relations Committee, emphasizing the value of cultural exchanges and past hospitality.
- Stephen Cosse shared a personal account of being assaulted by a bouncer at a Rochester venue and not receiving adequate police response. He urged accountability and public safety improvements.
- Kathy Coleman (Bamberwood resident) echoed concerns about the Ponderosa Pine connection, stating that safety data and previous findings were ignored and that proper notification was not provided.
- Laurie Campbell (treasurer, International Relations Committee) supported the $20,000 start-up funds.
- Stephen Fisher (Bamberwood parent) raised concerns about increased traffic near a bus stop and lack of planned improvements, asking for a halt to the connection.
- Jesse Loomis and Samanda Loomis opposed the right-of-entry for environmental surveys for the Willow Creek Regional Trail, citing alternative routes and privacy/safety concerns. They expressed fear of eminent domain.
Discussion Items
- Major Land Subdivision (CD2025-025PLAT) by SCS Rochester LLC (Savannah Rochester): Staff presented the plat for a 196-unit rental townhome community at 50th Ave NW and Badger Hills Dr NW. Conditions required elimination of two outlots. The applicant, Tim Kavanaugh (Stonely Companies), stated similar developments have been successful. Approved unanimously.
- Vacation Petition (CD2024-006VAC) by Rochester School District: Request to vacate two alleyways at the Northrop Education Center to allow future flexibility. John Carlson (RPS CAO) confirmed no changes to access. Approved unanimously.
- Growth Management Map Amendment (CD2025-002GMMA), Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CD2025-003CPA), Annexation Petition (CD2025-004ANX) by Pulte Homes of Minnesota LLC: These three related items were combined into one hearing. The proposal would reclassify 175 acres from Urban Reserve to Near-Term Urban Expansion, change land use to Low Density Residential, and annex 120 acres for a Del Webb age-restricted (55+) community with an amenity center, trails, and floodplain mitigation. Public testimony raised concerns about flooding (photos from July 7, 2019), traffic impacts on Berkshire and 8th Street, wildlife displacement, and lack of workforce housing. Dean Lauder (Pulte) noted the project includes a traffic study, compensatory storage for stormwater, and would free up existing homes for families. Staff confirmed additional reviews (EAW, traffic study, floodplain permit) would occur later. Council members expressed hesitation but noted future checkpoints. All three items passed: G3 and G4 required supermajority (5 votes); G5 passed unanimously.
- P2S Comprehensive Plan Five-Year Update: Staff presented the technical update, which includes adding industrial land, updating data, and aligning with emerging trends. Council adopted the update unanimously.
- 2025 Olmsted County Housing Needs Analysis Presentation: JoAnn Marie Morris (Coalition for Rochester Area Housing) presented findings showing a 26% decrease in demand for affordable housing over five years, over 2,500 units in the pipeline, and a need for senior housing (1/3 of demand), entry-level homeownership, and deeply subsidized rentals. She noted construction costs have risen 50%. Council discussed messaging and the need for a continuum of housing. No action required.
- Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreements: Tim McCullough (RPU) presented plans to secure up to 245 MW of wind power from three projects (Adams County, Dodge Center, and a 180 MW project in Iowa) to meet 100% net renewable goals by 2030. He noted tariff and tax credit uncertainties and short-term rate exposure but long-term hedge. Council will consider approval at a future meeting (target September 22). Informational.
- Adoption of the New City Action Plan: The plan outlines priorities for economic resilience, housing, inclusive growth, environmental stewardship, and capital projects. Approved unanimously.
- Start-Up Funds for International Relations Committee: Mayor Norton requested $20,000 from 2025 contingency to seed the committee for hosting international delegations and cultural events. Council approved unanimously, with the expectation that future funding would come from other sources.
- First Reading of Zone Change (CD2025-004ZC) by Veldco: Rezoning 5.48 acres from MXS to MXC at Bandel Rd NW and Overland Dr NW. Received and filed for second reading at a later meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Approved (unanimous): Consent agenda; Major Land Subdivision CD2025-025PLAT; Vacation Petition CD2024-006VAC; P2S Comprehensive Plan Update; City Action Plan; $20,000 for International Relations Committee.
- Approved (supermajority): Growth Management Map Amendment CD2025-002GMMA (5-0).
- Approved (supermajority): Comprehensive Plan Amendment CD2025-003CPA (5-0).
- Approved (unanimous): Annexation Petition CD2025-004ANX with direction to prepare ordinance for first reading.
- First Reading received and filed for Zone Change CD2025-004ZC.
- Direction given to RPU staff to continue negotiations and bring final power purchase agreements to council on September 22, 2025.
- No action taken on the Housing Needs Analysis presentation; it was for information only.
Meeting Transcript
Heather, will I get a cue for uh recording? What we're ready to go. Thank you. Good. Please rise as you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance. Yes. One nation under God. Liberty. Thank you. And welcome to our September 8th City Council meeting. Welcome to our temporary chambers here in uh the uh RPU offices. We'll be here for, I believe, maybe the next six weeks or so uh as the chambers at City Hall are renovated and uh brought to state of the art uh equipment. So uh starting off our council meeting, we begin every meeting with our open comment period. This is an opportunity for anyone from the public to speak on items that are that we will not be taking public testimony on during a public hearing later in the agenda. Each person has up to two minutes to speak for a total of 20 minutes. I will be keeping track of time through a couple methods, the uh clock in the back of which I can see, and then at the end of the table by the mayor, you'll see the stop light, and it will turn yellow at I believe it's uh 30 seconds. Is that right, Ann? 30 seconds? A minute. So you get the yellow, you that's half your time is up. So um and uh uh we'd also ask you to uh be concise uh to allow more people to speak during the designated time. Uh participants are further encouraged to limit your comments generally to topics which are within the scope of uh the city council and uh uh and if you have any materials to share with the council, you may give them to the city clerk and Casey over there at that desk, and she will distribute them. And uh the city council does not respond directly to your comments, but uh either we or staff will get back to you if you have requests. Um with that, I am going to start with Andris Wong. Andrew, thank you. I'm sorry. Sounds good. Well, good evening, council members. My name is Andrew Wong. I live in the Bamberwood neighborhood. I'm here tonight because our neighborhood is being asked to absorb new traffic from Ponderosa Pine Development on streets that your own staff has admitted, don't meet today's engineering standards. This admission is not new. As far back as 2002, public works memos and council discussions identified Bamboad Roads as substandard. Too narrow, too steep, and unsafe for added traffic. In 2007, the same conclusion was reaffirmed. In 2016, 15th Avenue Southwest underwent roadway improvements before connecting. Yet today, with the same roads now 20 years older, the city is allowing a full traffic connection with no improvements and no traffic study. At the 2023 neighborhood information meeting, residents also raised concerns about this road connection. The minutes submitted to the city by the applicant, emitted both our objections and the developer's statement that no connection would be made. The city has since said no objections were on record, but that's only because the record was incomplete. Our voices were silenced. This is a break in due process, and it undermines trust when applicant prepared notes are treated as official record. We understand the city values connectivity, but connectivity cannot come at the expense of safety, fairness, and trust. Right now, the city is applying modern traffic standards to 50-year-old roads and knows are already deficient. This is inconsistent. It is unsafe and it erodes confidence uh in the process. Given this history, our ask are straightforward and reasonable. Do not open this connection to vehicles until a proper safety traffic study is completed and mitigations are in place in the interim, allow only pedestrian and bicycle access. Implement safety measures for our neighborhood before vehicle traffic is introduced, traffic calming, signage, lighting, and pedestrian protections. Publicly acknowledged that residence concerns and developer response in 2023 were admitted from the record.
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