The Rochester City Council held its regular session on September 9, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Government Center Council Chamber. The meeting included public comments, a consent agenda with 27 items, three public hearings, and reports on the Chateau Theater partnership and the Reimagining 6th Avenue West project. Key decisions included denial of an appeal regarding Silver Lake Park alterations and approval of two residential subdivisions.
Open Comment Period:
Public Hearing G1 – Silver Lake Dam Appeal:
Public Hearing G2 – Century Valley Fifth Final Plat:
Public Hearing G3 – Cassidy Heights Major Subdivision:
G1 – Appeal of HPC Approval for Silver Lake Park Alterations Staff (Irene Woodward) recommended denying the appeal, stating the HPC followed UDC procedure by allowing public comment at the meeting, and National Register eligibility was not part of local review. The council had a quasi-judicial role. Councilmember Keene moved to deny, noting the project has been in development for years. Councilmember Wall asked about lake size; staff confirmed approximately 8% of the lake (5 acres) would be converted to rock arch rapids, but the lake and trail would remain. Mayor Norton emphasized that the decision to move ahead was made previously and the lake would persist. The motion passed 5-1 (Councilmember Fredericks voted nay; Councilmember Palmer recused).
G2 – Century Valley Fifth Final Plat Staff (Desmond McGill) presented a 17.62-acre site subdivided into 16 residential lots. The applicant (Connor Burke) acknowledged one condition regarding civil plan review. After public hearing, council approved unanimously.
G3 – Cassidy Heights Major Subdivision Staff presented a 12.77-acre site for 18 single-family lots and one outlot, with a mix of R1 and R2 zoning. The applicant (Dan Horsch) noted a temporary cul-de-sac with future road extension. Council approved unanimously.
H1 – Chateau Theater Operating Partnership Ryan Yetzer presented a framework with Experience Rochester, proposing a mix of uses: 30% community/public, 30% private events, 20% ticketed performances, 20% seasonal/destination. An additional $300,000 annual investment (funded by lodging tax) would support community access and operations. Councilmembers emphasized community access, especially on prime nights. The resolution directs staff to engage with Experience Rochester, the DMC Board, and community stakeholders. Council approved unanimously.
H2 – Reimagining 6th Avenue West Project Update Steve Sampson Brown and Cindy Zerger presented the 30% design for a 7-block corridor from Civic Center Drive to 2nd Street SW, funded by $11 million in DMC funds and $4-5 million from Mayo clinic infrastructure reimbursements. Features include a two-way protected bikeway, wider sidewalks, traffic calming, underground power, and amenities like swings and seating. Public engagement involved over 20 events. Council approved the geometric layout and authorized design advancement.
Please rise as you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the clock of the United States of America. Welcome everybody to our uh September 9th, 2026 uh city council meeting. Uh as we begin every city council meeting, we uh start with an open comment period. This is an opportunity for members of the public to speak on items that we will not be taking public testimony during a public hearing later in the agenda. Each person has up to two minutes to speak for a total of 20 minutes. Uh I will be keeping track of time through two methods. One, the uh the stop light here at the dais, and then the uh red digital clock uh to my left. Uh so please please know that I may need to cut you off after two minutes. Because of the limited time, we also ask uh people to uh to keep their uh comments concise and speak to the scope and jurisdiction of the council's ability to affect policy. Council members and staff do not respond to your comments during public comment, but will instead follow up on any specific requests that you have separately. If you have materials to share with the council, you may give them to the city clerk who is to my right here, uh, and she will distribute them to uh the council. With that, I will invite folks up as they signed in. And first is Mr. West Lund. And Mr. Lund, you may have to you you have to push the button that says push up. There you go. It's on already on. Yep, it is. So go ahead. Thank you. Uh winter is coming, and I'm uh saddened by the number of homeless people that I see on the streets of Rochester under the trees and in the bushes. And multiple times I've been in this room, and I've heard uh Heidi Walsh explain why our county needs increased funding for programs. I've listened to city administrator Allison Zelms argue for increased budgets. Uh sometimes I've been the only person attending those meetings from the community. Um I've heard Aaron Parrish argue for increased budgets and spending. And uh it's time to plan for winter as Minnesotans normally do. A lot of people have come to Rochester in quest of these uh fictitious small tiny homes that were much touted. Um we need to do something to plan ahead to get these folks housed before the snow flies, perhaps in as little as a month. Weather reports say that it may be a tough winter this year. I encounter homeless people regularly, and I'm grieved that some of them from Southern California, some of them from Missouri, they don't understand our weather, and a second storm that last blizzard hit, and I was explaining to someone how our spring works. There could be another storm. He it was a false spring we had this year. Um I'm regularly handing out these booklets to homeless people and trying to help them find resources in Rochester. I know we have a program for, and this is horrible, but we we emulate people at a cost of 2,158 dollars. That's an olmstead county program for paying for unknown bodies or destitute people who can't afford their own funeral expenses. Is that the time already? Or is that no, no, you're okay. That's one of my council members who had did not silence their phone. So in any case, um uh it's a six-seven moment for me. Go ahead. Um, I'm just saying that let's do something to help the homeless and put some of our tax dollars. We were told, you know, the tax the we always we had radicals in the room chanting and and saying we need our taxes to go up. The we always we had radicals in the room chanting and and saying we need our taxes to go up. Our property taxes go up. It makes our homes less affordable. But let's put some of that money, let's give 20,000 to the Salvation Army that was denied last time around by a certain someone. Let's support the landing. Let's get these folks housed before the snow flies.