Rochester City Council Meeting Summary: July 20, 2026

The Rochester City Council held a regularly scheduled meeting on July 20, 2026, with Mayor Norton and all council members present. The meeting included public comments, multiple public hearings, reports, and recommendations. Key topics included a traffic study for Elton Hills Drive, an appeal for a development project, a senior housing cooperative, and various land subdivisions. The council made decisions on each item, with some votes passing with majorities and others failing or being postponed.

Consent Calendar

• Approved items F1, F3, and F5 through F23 as a block. Items F2 and F4 were pulled for separate consideration by Councilmembers Palmer and Wall, respectively.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jared Lucker: Resident and mayoral candidate, speaking as a concerned citizen. Expressed concern about speeding cars in the Fallwell neighborhood, citing a near-miss crash into a home and a personal tragedy (his sister was killed by a drunk driver). Urged increased enforcement and thinking outside the box to address public safety.
• Matt Hempel: Resident of Hadley Valley, opposed the Hadley Valley annexation. Argued that the high-density development (275 units on ~70 acres) would create safety hazards by funneling traffic onto a narrow bottleneck road (Hadley Valley Road). Criticized the developer for skipping a direct connection to 48th Street to avoid wetland costs and questioned the timing of the traffic analysis (December, when the golf course is closed). Expressed concern about stormwater runoff and flooding, and said residents have been shut out of the decision-making process.
• Bill Dunn: Resident of Haverhill Township, representing the Hadley Valley Community Task Force. Acknowledged that annexation may be inevitable but urged orderly transition as outlined in the 2005 agreement. Noted that the R2 area density is maximally squashed into 140 acres and that earth moving is already happening. Criticized modification of street connectivity score targets.
• Troy Pullman: Resident on Elton Hills Drive for two years. Commented on faded lane markings and difficulty seeing them in rain. Suggested option four (or three): keep four lanes but add designated bike markers to outside lanes and curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances, as cost-effective alternatives.
• Craig Ugland: Former 40-year resident of Elton Hills, led the "Take Back Our Streets" fight to keep four lanes in 2020. Argued that the two deaths on Elton Hills Drive (one decades ago from a drunk driver, one recent) would not have been prevented by the current design. Noted only six car-pedestrian incidents in the study period, five at Broadway (already addressed) and one at 9th Avenue. Criticized the city for not implementing 2020 short-term recommendations in six years. Said the city's complete streets and green steps policies are guidelines, not laws, and that Elton Hills Drive is unique and requires common sense.
• Brenda Quay: Owner of Venstar LLC and majority owner of The Climpt (80-unit workforce housing under construction in downtown Rochester). Spoke about the Civic Center North Project, offering a plan B if Sherman Associates cannot proceed: 200 units of workforce housing on two-thirds of the site, leaving one-third for future affordable developer, with their team (Venstar as developer, Weiss Builders as GC, Think Bank as lender).
• Jennifer Den Higgeny: Mother of three young children (ages 2, 4, 6), who uses a cargo bike to transport them. Said on Elton Hills Drive, they do not feel safe. Urged the council to choose the option with protected bike lanes, noting the corridor serves three schools and is a key east-west connection. Cited recent cyclist injuries and deaths, and car crashes onto sidewalks near schools. Argued that parking is a convenience with alternatives, but there is no alternative route for safety past the three schools.
• Molly Dennis: Resident and former council member. Expressed distrust in city leadership, alleging private meetings and preset agendas to silence residents and control legislation. Criticized the Elton Hills traffic study being presented as a report and recommendation rather than a public hearing. Expressed concern about destruction of emails after six months and limited data from FOIA requests. Said the city prioritizes image over truth and self-interest over transparency.
• April Suter: Resident (1538 King Court Southeast), speaking on her appointment to the Park Board. Said she views parks, trails, and recreational amenities as critical to quality of life and looks forward to guiding work around these resources.
• Taki Garcia: Recapped previous comments on the North Loop Mayowood bike/pedestrian path. Said the path behind the stone fence has been completed successfully, confirming a continuous north side path is viable. Noted that GCUBE confirmed engineering is not in yet, and public works is still working with them. Said the community does not consent to quit claim the data back and that liability and maintenance should remain with the developer.
• Luke Doskey: Resident of Ward 5, in the walk zone for Elton Hills and John Adams. Noted that with the three-lane configuration with parking on both sides, if no cars are parked, there's no visual narrowing to reduce speeds. Said narrower roads reduce speeds, and one lane of parking with a cycling path would help.
• Vivian Yip: Working mom, eye doctor, and daily bike commuter on Elton Hills. Urged the council to ask staff which design option is safest for all users and to choose a protected bike lane. Noted that her daughter is a capable bicyclist but she does not feel safe letting her ride on Elton Hills. Said protected bike infrastructure would narrow the roadway, slow traffic, and make streets safer for everyone, including drivers. As an optometrist, she noted that visually impaired individuals cannot drive, and street designs focused solely on vehicles alienate the 30% of the population that cannot drive.

Discussion Items

Elton Hills Drive NW Traffic Study and Alternative Selection (H1)

• Presented by Sam Boudzina, City Traffic Engineer. Reviewed 14 options, narrowed to three: Option 1 (three lanes, parking both sides, no bike facility), Option 2 (three lanes, parking one side, two-way cycle track), Option 3 (four lanes, parking both sides, no bike facility).
• Key data: Average speed on Elton Hills is 32 mph; 85th percentile is 38 mph. Crash reduction from three-lane conversions is 19-47%, with speed reductions of 3-5 mph.
• Staff recommendation: Option 1 (three lanes with parking on both sides) for ease of implementation, maintenance, and survey feedback (115 of 177 preferred four or five lanes; 108 of 175 said no to bike lanes).
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC) : Supported Option 2 (fully separated cycle track).
• Citizens Advisory on Transit (CAT) : Supported project goals but did not select a preferred alternative.
• Rochester Public Schools: Supported either three-lane option (Option 1 or 2).
• Budget: Total project budget ~$2 million. $500,000 state aid for intersection improvements paired with $1.5 million for mill and overlay. Separated bike facility would be difficult to fund fully.
• Council debated options, with the Mayor and Councilmembers Miller and Doring supporting Option 2 (protected bike lane) as aligning with existing policies (Complete Streets, Active Transportation Plan). Others, including Councilmember Palmer, Wall, Fredericks, and Keene, supported Option 1 or 3, citing resident preference (survey data) and cost concerns.
• Motion to approve Option 2 (by Councilmember Doring) failed (3-4).
• Motion to approve Option 1 (three lanes, parking both sides) passed (6-1), with an earlier amendment to require curb extensions at all corners failing.

Broadway Enterprises LLC Appeal (G2)

• Appeal of Zoning Board of Appeals decision to deny a variance for a previously approved two-phase development (1605 Broadway Avenue North). Applicant argued the project was a continuation of a 2020-approved plan, delayed by COVID and Broadway reconstruction.
• Applicant sought to finish a 22-foot-tall building per original plans, while current UDC requires minimum 40 feet for that corridor.
• Staff recommended denial, stating the site plan expired in one year (per LDM) and the new UDC standards apply.
• Council debate focused on whether to allow expired approvals to be resurrected. Councilmember Keene argued such approvals should not live in perpetuity; others (Palmer, Fredericks) were sympathetic to the developer's delays.
• Motion to deny appeal passed (5-2).

Home Ownership Creation Program: American Cooperative of Rochester (H3)

• Request for $1.9 million in funding for a 95-unit senior cooperative at 18th Ave NW and 55th St NW. All units priced between $188,500 and $439,000, affordable to households earning ≤150% of AMI.
• Developer (Mick Conlin, Grand Mercy Companies) explained the cooperative model: residents purchase shares, HUD loan limits equity appreciation to 4.5% annually, and the building is age-restricted (62+).
• Sales cycle: ~15 sales so far, target 60% presale (threshold for HUD loan funds) by Q1 2027. City funds would not be disbursed until 60% threshold is met.
• Council supported the project as meeting housing priorities (homeownership and senior housing).
• Motion to approve funding passed unanimously.

Home Ownership Creation Program: Westbury First (G3) and Century Valley Fifth (G4)

• Both subdivisions for single-family residential lots were approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Elton Hills Drive: Option 1 (three lanes, parking both sides) approved for final design, with construction to begin after school ends in spring 2027.
• Broadway Enterprises Appeal: Denied (5-2), upholding Zoning Board of Appeals decision.
• American Cooperative of Rochester: $1.9 million approved for 95-unit senior cooperative.
• Housing Code Ordinance Revision (K1) : Approved on second reading.
• Parking Restriction Changes (H6) : Approved, but Prosper Avenue NW was removed from the resolution after concerns from a resident.
• Park Board Appointment: April Suter (Ward 4) appointed to a four-year term ending June 30, 2030, after a motion to delay failed and a substitute motion passed.
• Microcontracts Policy (H4) : Effective date amended to January 1, 2027, at the mayor's request.
• Red Owl and Time Theater Presentation: Council initiated action passed (5-2) to invite Judge Lund to present on the history of these city-owned buildings at a future study session (without staff update or funding discussion).
• Councilmember Doring Rileminder: Reminded the public that dogs must be leashed on city trails (maximum 10 feet), citing a personal incident where a friendly dog caused a crash and broken knee.