[1:03] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: All good. Hey, good evening everyone. We'll call this meeting to order for the December 1st or December 1st, December 11th, 2025 Apple Valley City Council meeting. Uh welcome everyone. Uh if as your item is uh called if you wish to speak please come to the podium to address the council. The first item on our agenda is the pledge of allegiance and I would ask everyone to rise and join me in the pledge. [1:26] Council and Audience: Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [1:44] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Second item on our agenda is to approve the agenda. And Tom, do we have any changes this evening? [1:44] Tom: Mayor, members of the council, good evening. No, we have no changes to tonight's agenda. [1:44] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Great. Thank you. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda? [1:44] Council Member Mander: Second. [1:44] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Have a motion from council member Grenle, a second from council member Mander. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [2:02] Council Members: I. [2:02] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed. And the agenda carries. The next item is our audience participation portion of the meeting. This is for items not on the agenda. We have a total of 10 minutes for this section and uh I'll just uh kick us off. I We're good. Okay. I don't the the frantic thumbs just make me nervous over there. So, uh um I I will go ahead and kick us off and I'd just like to welcome uh Jason Vienna to come up. I saw you drift in uh executive director for the open door. We've got a a food drive going on out here in our lobby through the end of the year and uh thought this would be a great chance to talk about that, but also have you come tell us a few minutes about what's going on with hunger in Dakota County. [2:43] Jason Vienna: Thank you so much for having me, Mr. Mayor. Council members, yes, I'm not sure what do, but are very important. Um my name is Jason Vienn. I'm the executive director of the Open Door. Um so grateful for the food drive that you're hosting. Um if you're not familiar with our work, we're a hunger relief organization right here in Dakota County. We're based in Egan. On any given month, uh we help more than 25,000 individuals in Dakota County, half of whom come to us in Egan. Half of whom we go to. Uh we have eight different locations in Apple Valley where we make fresh and healthy food available, including just across the street here at Apple Valley Villa where we uh service multiple senior living communities. Um Echo Park, I know it's not in Apple Valley, but it's pretty close. We were in Cedar Nolles today doing a distribution in a neighborhood. So yeah, we get food into the hands of anyone in our community that needs it. Um, and the food that you raise in your lobby through your efforts will go directly into making the lives better for countless folks that you won't get the chance to meet. [3:45] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Two quick questions, right, that we get. How do we help? And how do we get help? [3:45] Jason Vienna: Well, yeah, if you're listening to this uh or watching online and you're wondering how to get help, you can just go to the openpantry.org. org. Um there's a phone number that you can call. Most of our stuff's online, but we never say no to anyone that needs food, no matter when you're or how you come and get to us. If you're looking to help, uh we need three things just like all food shelves do. We need um time, we need volunteers, uh we need food, which you're collecting for us, and we need financial resources. So, however it moves you to be engaged, uh we will take the support in whatever method it's got. And I just would like to note um council member Heert Mayor Hoopa both actively took a role in helping us create special Saturday shutdown support during the recent loss of help for the community. Um and with their help and over 300 volunteers uh we did create 3,000 additional opportunities for folks that were suffering during that time and those opportunities would not have existed without your help. So thank you very much. [3:45] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: say for those who want to volunteer, you guys do a great job of uh welcome them, make them comfortable. You're never lost. You know what you're doing. There's always somebody kind of right by the side to make sure that uh that experience is good, but uh but the work is good, too. So, great, Jason. Thank you. Thank for what you're doing. Uh anything else for our audience participation portion? Anyone else who would like to speak? If not, we will close this portion of the meeting and we'll move on to our consent agenda. These items are considered routine and will be enacted with a single motion unless a council member or citizen request to pull an item. And I know Lisa, you'd asked to pull item 4F and talk about that separately. So, we can certainly do that. Uh council members, are there any other items you'd like to pull this evening? Seeing none, audience members, any items to pull? All right, we will move ahead with a a motion for approval of the consent agenda minus item 4F. [5:36] Council Member Heert: Second. [5:36] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from council member Grenall, second from council member Heert. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [5:52] Council Members: I. [5:52] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed. Right. That item carries. Should we just take 4F first so we can uh get that one kind of out of the way before we jump into the rest of our business? And so Lisa, go ahead. [5:52] Council Member Lisa Grenle: Uh yes. I just would like to kind of point out the the resolution to authorize the transfers from the liquor fund. And I think that this is again something unique uh with Apple Valley about our municipal liquor stores and and what it goes to fund and support. So when people are purchasing um at our liquor store, our three different liquor stores here, um how it's helping and benefiting our community. So I I just thought that this would be a great education piece and point to share with the public. [6:33] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Great. Thank you, Council Member Grenle. [6:33] Council Member Lisa Grenle: Mr. Mayor, this is what I've said in the past. I'm hoping that Right. [6:33] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: So, we would take a motion to approve item 4F, which is the resolution authorizing the transfers from the liquor fund from council member Grenle. [6:53] Council Member Heert: Second [6:53] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: from council member Heert. All those in favor indicate by saying I [6:53] Council Members: I [6:53] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: opposed. That item carries. Let's move to our regular agenda. We will start with 5A and that is to proclaim February 7th, 2026 as Apple Valley Midwinterfest. And who's going to take that? There we go. Nate's here. [7:09] Nate Stackhouse: Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor and council members. So, yes, uh, February 7th, we do have our annual Midwinter Fest going on over at Johnny Cake Ridge Park West. And so, we got just a quick little preview for you here on this. Again, there's the date, there's the time. Um, from early in the morning there, we are doing a Might's Hockey Jamberee. It's on schedule, weather permitting. So, it looks like this year we might actually have good skatable ice as long as this weather holds around. For the actual part of Midwin for itself, it is 4 to 7:15 this year. Um, we did shorten it by an hour. So, that is some of the comments that we got back. It maybe was a little too long. Hey, for families, if we're going to be there, especially for bringing our little ones, can we tighten that up a little bit? So, that falls in line with historical use patterns for a bunch of other city events, not even just ours. So, most activities are outdoors. So dress appropriately and then keep warm with the fire pits warming house and the warming bus that we have on there donated by MVTA. Here is a list of different things. I'm not going to go through all of them. Please note that all of these are subject to change based on weather, staff availability, um, and a few other things that might that might cause something not to occur on there. But this is a list of things that should potentially be at that event. Again, we've got uh some food trucks. We've got Klondike and mascot friends. So, the last few years we've been able to have quite a few of the mascot friends with us. So, we're looking forward to them returning again this year. We do have the horserawn rides. I can tell you that those are booked and ready to go already. So, as long as they show up here, we should have a good time for that. And then the garden cart rides again that the police department helps put on. There is the annual medallion hunt. So, this is what that medallion will look like. That medallion hunt itself became in 1981. So, it'll be nice to have this part of that uh event going on going on and continuing. And then 7 7:15ish somewhere in that time frame depending on whether again fireworks will will go on it as well. So, please come out there and enjoy that at that time too. This is a general layout of what's going to happen on here. Again, weather dependent on where the horse rides go, where some of these events might go, but the shooting area for the fireworks be off to the south. the predom predominantly everything will occur right there at the Johnny Cake Activity Center and in with that parking lot as well. We do close off that whole finger lot if you will into the back lot there where you see the warming buses and stage with help from the fire department. So thank you for that police department as well just to kind of keep it safe and have a lot of space for the numerous people that tend to come to this event. So join us for some outdoor fun on uh February 7th. Are there any questions? Otherwise, we'll go for the proclamation. [10:14] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Questions for Nate? Yeah, I don't I don't I think we've done this before and we're excited to do it again. We have uh historically either had right spring weather or thermal or right arctic blast. So, maybe we'll land somewhere in the middle of this year with a nice 21 degree day and some sun, right? Be great. Be perfect. Why don't you go ahead with proclamation or you want me to go ahead with proclamation? [10:14] Nate Stackhouse: You tell me. [10:14] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Well, I can uh I'm sure I have a copy here somewhere. Right. Do we have a proclamation here? Perfect. There's a copy. Thank you. Got to bust out my cheaters for this one. City of Apple Valley proclamation. Whereas the city council feels strongly that winters are here to stay in Apple Valley. And whereas we are not going to hide from winter, rather we're going to go out and celebrate winter at Midwinter Festival. And whereas there's no better place to celebrate winter than right here in Apple Valley. And whereas the activities proposed will foster a sense of individual and community pride within the city. And whereas the Apple Valley civic organizations, business community, police, fire, and parks and recreation departments, and midwinterfest volunteers have joined together to support a wide variety of activities and civic celebration. And so now, therefore, be it resolved by the city council of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota, that Saturday, February 7th, 2026 is hereby proclaimed to be Apple Valley Mid Winterfest 2026. Okay. Do we have a second? [11:35] Council Member Mander: Second. [11:35] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: A motion by council Grendall, second by council member Mander. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [11:35] Council Members: I. [11:35] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Oppos. Item carries. Nate. Thank you. We look forward to Well, we'll see you before, but we certainly look forward to seeing you in February. [11:53] Nate Stackhouse: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and council members. [11:53] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Bet. Take care. All right. Our next item is 5B and that is the renewal of our on sale liquor, wine, and 3.2% malt liquor licenses for 2026. and Christina is going to explain what's happening here. [12:10] Christina: Good evening, Mayor and City Council. This is our annual renewal of our existing on sale alcohol licenses, so liquor, wine, and beer. Um, we have 21 on sale liquor licenses, one on sale liquor concessionire license, that's at the zoo. We have seven on sale wine and beer or 3.2 if you want to call it that. Um, and then one 3.2 um license only. Uh we have reviewed all of the renewal applications um and had police, fire, and finance take a look at them. We have found no issues um with the renewals in order to renew them for 2026. Um the public hearing has been properly noticed and so we ask tonight that the council hold the public hearing and assuming no concerns are found um that they adopt the resolution to renew the licenses for 2026. And I'm available for any questions. [13:03] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Wonderful. Thank you, council members. Before we start the public hearing, are there any questions for Christina? All right, we'll go ahead and open the public hearing on the renewal of our on sale liquor, wine, and malt liquor licenses. Anyone who would like to speak to the public hearing? Anyone who would like to speak to the public hearing. One last opportunity. We will close our public hearing and we will look for a motion to adopt the resolution renewing the renewing the licenses. [13:03] Council Member Lisa Grenle: Second. [13:03] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Council Member Mander, second from Council Member Grenall. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [13:28] Council Members: I. [13:28] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: And opposed. Uh, that item carries. Thank you. Um, and item 5C is the Christ Church sign setback variance. And Sydney's got this one. [13:52] Sydney: Thank you, mayor and council members. Tonight, I will be presenting to you the request for a sign setback variance at Christ Church. Specifically, you are asked to consider a variance to reduce the ground sign step setback from the required 13 feet to 18 to 8 feet for the installation of a new sign in the same location as the existing sign at Christ Church. Property is located at the southwest corner of McAdrews Road and Johnny Ridge Road, which is the existing site of Christ Church. The property is zoned P institutional. Um, in this zoning district, each property is allowed one ground sign. The existing sign highlighted in red is located 8 ft from the east property line adjacent to Johnny Cake Ridge Road where that 13 feet is actually required. The sign is also within a 40ft drainage and utility easement which is there for the uh storm utility pipe running along the east property line. The existing sign shown on the left was permitted in 1994. Under that sign permit, u the site plan showed the sign 30 or 20 ft away from the property line where the sign was actually installed only 8 ft away. We don't have any record or correspondence as to why. So in order to install the new sign at the same location, a variance is required. Here you can see the new sign overlaid in green um on top of the existing sign. So it's actually slightly further away from the property line than currently for this sign variance. Uh staff in the planning commission reviewed based on requirements in the sign chapter of city code as well as in the zoning chapter. Um a summary of those requirements are that there are special conditions that exist that do not result from the actions of the applicant. A literal interpretation of the requirements would deprive the applicant of rights commonly enjoyed by other properties. The variance would not offer on the applicant any spe special privilege. Um the use of the property will not have adverse impacts on adjacent properties. Uh the variance is necessary to alleviate practical difficulties. And then lastly, it is the minimum variance necessary. A summary of the planning commission's findings based on the previously listed requirements is that there is an existing easement and storm utility pipe uh running along the east property line adjacent to Johnny Cake Ridge Road and the sign is within that drainage and utility easement. If the city were to require the standard 13t setback, the sign would either need to be placed directly on top of that storm utility pipe, which staff would not recommend, or it would need to be placed much further back from the roadway than where the existing sign is. Um, additionally, the existing sign has been there for over 30 years. So, uh, replacing the sign in the same location would have little to no effect on adjacent properties. With that, the planning commission also recommended these five conditions for the variance, which are that the sign permit needs to be issued within one year. An electrical permit needs to be approved prior to the installation of the sign. An encroachment agreement in order to install that sign within the drainage and utility easement needs to be signed, approved by city council, and then recorded. The utilities need to be located prior to performing any work. And then lastly, the installation of the sign should be consistent with the approved sign plans. The public hearing for the item was held at the November 19th planning commission meeting. There were no public comments or questions and the planning commission unanimously recommended approval of the variance. With that, staff is recommending that the council adopts the resolution to approve the setback variance for the sign as well as approve the approach and agreement to allow the sign within the drainage and utility easement for tonight. We do have the applicant here tonight and I can also answer any questions. Thank you, [17:20] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Sydney. Thank you. Uh, council members, do we have any questions for Sydney or the applicant? If not, we'll go ahead and just take action on the item. And our first item is to adopt a resolution approving a 5-ft setback variance for a ground sign located at Christ Church. [17:20] Council Member Lisa Grenle: Second. [17:20] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Council Member Mander. Second from Council Member Gindle. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [18:15] Council Members: I. [18:15] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed. And our next item carries. And our next item is to approve a an encroachment agreement to allow a ground sign within a drainage and utility easement at Christ Church. Do we have a motion? [18:15] Council Member Heert: So moved. [18:15] Council Member Mander: Second [18:15] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: from council member Heert. Second from council member Milander. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [18:34] Council Members: I. [18:34] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Oppos. That item carries as well. Sydney, thank you. And you guys, thanks for coming in tonight. Just in case there were questions. Um, appreciate working with staff to get this done. All right, we will move on to staff and council communications. Any time anything from staff this evening, Mr. Mayor? None tonight. Uh, council members, any items? Um, yeah, I said this in our informal. I'll just give a shout out again to our public works and our park staff and everybody else who has been on the business end of some sort of snow removal equipment here with our very snowy start to the year. So, thank you all for getting the streets cleaned and the sidewalks and the trails and uh and all of those good things. The work's appreciated. We know it always comes over the dinner hour or the weekend or the holiday. So, thank you guys. Uh, with that, we'll move to our calendar of events. Our next regular city council meeting is Tuesday, December 23rd at 7 p.m. Uh, do we have a motion to approve the calendar of upcoming events? [19:19] Council Member Heert: Second. [19:19] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from council member Grenall, second from council member Heert. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [19:38] Council Members: I. [19:38] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: And opposed. Calendar is approved. Our next item is to convene in close session under the labor negotiations exception to the open meeting law to discuss the ask me and LEALS union negotiations. Do we have a motion to go into close session? [19:54] Council Member Lisa Grenle: Motion [19:54] Council Member Mander: Second [19:54] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: from council member Grenal, second from council member Bander. All those in favor indicate by saying I. [19:54] Council Members: I. [19:54] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed. We'll reconvene in a few minutes across the hall in close session and we will adjourn from over there. Thanks everyone.