Commission's regular meeting for August 25th, 2025. At this time, we'll move to roll call. Commissioner Fischer. >> Commissioner Bot is excused tonight. Commissioner Britain >> here. >> Commissioner Fischer here. Chair Frasier >> here. >> Commissioner Canable >> here. >> Commissioner Steman >> here. and Commissioner Woodman. >> He is not present. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Item three is approval of the agenda. Unless there is a motion to amend, I'd look for a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion to approve from Commissioner Britain. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second from Commissioner Fischer. All those in favor say I. >> I. Post say no. >> Motion carries. 5-0. Uh item four is open forum. This is a chance for anyone who is in the audience tonight to speak on something that is not on tonight's agenda. We will have separate uh opportunities to address the commission on the Pineh Hill edition and the Park Grove Library. If you have something other than those two items, you can at this time step to the podium, state your name and address. All right, seeing none, we will close open forum. Item five is chair's explanation of the hearing process. The planning commission is a volunteer advisory group to the city council. One of the commission's functions is to hold public hearings and make recommendations on land use and zoning matters. The purpose of these public hearings is to provide opportunity to for each applicant and citizens to present information, ask questions, and express opinions. Since these proceedings are televised and recorded for the public record, anyone wishing to speak must step up to the podium and give their name and address before addressing the commission. Staff reports are prepared and provided to the applicant and planning commission in advance of the meeting. The first step in the hearing will be for staff to present a summary of the report. The applicant will then have the opportunity to briefly explain the proposal and provide additional information or comment. Anyone wanting to speak in favor or against the proposal will then be heard. Upon completion of the testimony, the hearing will be closed to public comment. The planning commission will then discuss and act on the matter. Two complete agenda packets are available for viewing on the back table. Please do not remove those items, and the city council will act on these items at their meeting on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, starting at 700 p.m. With that, we'll move on to item 6.6 6A is the Pinehill edition cases SP, CUP, and V2025-016 with Sam presenting. >> Do we switch up on that? >> Sorry. >> All right. With Kelly presenting. All right. Perfect. Thank you. >> All right. Good evening, Mr. Chair and members of the commission. Uh before you is a proposal for a conditional use permit, site plan review and variance for Pineh Hill Elementary School. The subject site, Pinehill Elementary School, is 13.62 acres total, comprised of two parcels located at 9015 Hadley Avenue South. The site is surrounded mostly by residential properties as well as Hamlet Park further to the east. and the site topography is primarily flat but does gradually slope down towards the very eastern side of the property. Both parcels are currently zoned residential three and are guided as public semi-public space in the 2040 comprehensive plan. Schools and educational facilities are permitted in the R3 zoning district as a conditional use. The applicant is proposing three additions to the existing school building totaling about 13,300 square ft, including a sixclassroom addition with storm shelter area, a small gymnasium addition and a small enclosed freezer addition on off the existing kitchen area on the south end of the building. Uh, additional interior improvements proposed include renovations to existing special education classrooms, accessibility upgrades, uh, minor renovations to the kitchen, and long-term facility and maintenance work. City code lists educational facilities as being subject to a conditional use permit provided that no building shall be located within 50 ft of any lot line um abuing a residential district. The school was originally constructed in the 1960s and has been expanded onto several times since then, including a conditional use permit and associated site plan review in 2000 for a media center edition. Um, in an effort to ensure clarity with approvals, that resolution will be rescended and replaced with this conditional use permit um, if granted to ensure it remains a properly permitted continued use as a educational facility. The proposed classroom addition on the northeast corner of the building will encroach into that required 50-foot setback with the residential property lines to the north. Uh therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the proposed classroom addition to be about 38 1/2 ft from that north property line. Um it should be noted there is an existing portion of the building housing the special education classrooms um that was added onto the school in 1977 and that is non-conforming to the property line set back at approximately 35 1/2 ft to that north property line. Um as shown the new classroom addition would be no closer to the property line than the existing special education classroom portion of the building. And uh for purposes of functionality and connectivity um as well to as to avoid any disruptions to other improvements on the site, the northeast corner of the property was the only feasible location to put that classroom addition. Um and that said, this variance has uh this variance request has demonstrated practical difficulties uh will not alter the character of the neighborhood and is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Um, city code requires elementary schools to have one parking space for each classroom, plus one space for each 100 student capacity. The current school staff and student count is about 520 students and 80 staff. Uh, with the proposed improvements, the 5-year projected capacity is 634 students and 100 staff. Pineh Hill Elementary School currently has 159 parking spaces on site and is only required to have 42 parking spaces with those additions uh proposed. So the current uh the property is currently exceeding those parking requirements and therefore no additional parking spaces are being proposed at this time. A traffic study uh was completed to evaluate traffic flow and safety on site. Uh although the study did not identify any major concerns, traffic backup issues on Hadley Avenue during peak drop off and pickup times have been observed in the past and are known to be problematic. The school district is aware of these issues and is continuing to work on plans to reduce traffic backups. The site currently has three access points on Hedley Avenue. uh no changes or improvements to site access are proposed and no off-site improvements were required by the study completed. However, new procedures for drop off and pickup in the past year have um included use utilizing the full length of both of those on-site traffic lanes um internally for internal queuing um which has kept traffic off of Hadley Avenue. Some additional solutions may also include other internal traffic stacking options and other internal configurations. The applicant will continue to keep staff in the loop regarding any issues or proposed changes in the upcoming school year and will be required to provide a formalized drop off and pickup plan to be reviewed and approved by city staff. The additions will primarily consist of a matching style brick uh which is a class one material and meets city code requirements for non-residential buildings in residential zoning districts. A secondary style of brick will also be used above and below the windows and will be a lighter color to mimic the white stuckle on the existing portion of the building. Uh, new rooftop mechanical equipment will be screened with materials consistent with the screening of the rooftop equipment on the existing portion of the building as well. And the applicant will provide a material board. Um, I see they have it in the audience tonight here. Uh, once final material selections are made and those um, uh, materials will need to be reviewed and approved by staff prior to the issuance of a building permit. The submitted landscaping plan meets the code standards with 19 overstory uh deciduous trees, 18 coniferous trees and 41 shrubs proposed based on the total amount of site disturbance. A tree inventory was conducted and mitigation is not required with this project as only 10 trees will be be removed from the site uh primarily in that northeast corner where the proposed classroom addition is going to be located. The applicant is proping proposing grading in multiple areas of the site to account for the additions and utility connections. The applicant is working with city staff to address any outstanding comments included in an engineering memo to ensure that all city code standards are met. Um, one change is an infiltration basin is proposed in the northeast corner of the property to handle the newly created imperous area up in that corner. Um, there is also an existing storm sewer easement and associated storm water pipe in the corner of the property. And that storm water uh storm sewer will only be servicing the school and is considered private. So the the city does not need the ability to access that pipe. Um and it will be vacated with this project. The existing trash enclosure is currently screened with a masonry wall and vinyl slided chain link gate um that will remain in its existing place with those existing materials. And uh the applicant had proposed a new 8-ft galvanized chain link fence with tube slats and clear gates around the chiller units and utility locations east of that existing trash enclosure. Um however, per city code, the ground mount mechanical equipment shall be screened from public views with landscaping burm or screenwall. So that proposed fencing is not compliant with the code standards and the applicant will need to work with city staff to submit revised plans for the screening for screening that chiller units and utility locations. Um other than that, no additional fencing or retaining walls are proposed anywhere else on site. Uh city code standard requires less than a halfoot candle to be measured at property lines for uses within residential zoning districts. Exterior lighting is proposed at e exterior egress doors for the new additions and will be directed downward. The applicant has provided a phototric plan indicating new lighting is not intended to cast light into adjacent properties and will align with the requirements of a halfoot candle or less at that property line to the north. And with that, the recommendations are listed on the screen before you. Um there are also representatives from the school district here tonight. um for any questions as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions for staff? >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Oh, actually, I'm sorry. I forgot. I do have a question for you. >> Sure. >> Um so, I did read it in the uh the materials that there was a neighborhood meeting. Um and I know per city code, we send out notices of this hearing. We didn't receive any feedback back. I just want to confirm since the compilation of the report, we still haven't heard anything back about neighborhood uh members or people affected by this within the 500 foot. >> Correct. We have not gotten any additional verbal or written comments. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> Commissioner Fischer. >> Sorry. Um I have a question about the northeast corner with the new infiltration basin. You said right now there's currently drainage. There's a pipe there that goes into the sewer. Are there any concerns with that's going to be vacated um with standing water on a like when it does fill up having standing water on a school grounds? Will it be fenced or is there any consideration for that? >> Uh yes. Uh great question. Uh Mr. Chair, members of the commission, I will defer to uh Crystal Raleigh, assistant city engineer for Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Chair, Commissioner Fischer. Um, that existing pipe will actually remain in place. It would just become part of the school district storm water management system. So, it'll still take the water away from their pond, but um their pond will be on site there with uh with that existing pipe as an emergency overflow, but it is proposed as an infiltration basin, meaning it'll be dry. It won't have water. >> Okay. Yep. >> I must I misunderstood when you said vacated. I thought meant that pipe was going away and it was going to become a >> No, it's currently within an easement. The easement will be vacated. >> Gotcha. Okay. Thank you for clarifying. >> All right. Any further questions for stat? >> All right. Thank you both. At this time, if the applicant would like to add anything additional. >> No, I Kelly covered it very well. So, thank you for the presentation. I don't have anything else to add. The renderings I will say are slightly out of date from what you saw on the screen. So for a more accurate sense of the materials this is this will give you >> All right. Thank you. Um anyone on the commission have a question for you? >> Right. Um at this time we will open public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak for or against the application can step to the podium. Seeing none, we will close public hearing. Any discussion by commission? >> Seems pretty straightforward. >> Commissioner Stman. >> Okay. I was just going to say um I noticed that there was a recommendation to try to encourage the traffic to move further to the north of the drop off area and um there was some talk about the feasibility of that which would be preferable to um like on page 207 there was a recommendation of closing u the southernmost access point um to avoid the closure of that access point. Maybe they could have someone serve as like a traffic marshal to like encourage the people to move forward. Kind of like when you uh are go to the airport to pick up people from their departures, you have the traffic cops moving people forward. That was just my thought. Maybe that would be a recommendation. >> Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Fisher. Oh, I was just saying that I think it's pretty straightforward and I know at our school for drop off the all the teachers are out there like trying to push everybody forward, you know, trying to get people to come in. Um, it's a little like hurting cat sometimes, I think, because >> everyone's in their own little world and doing their own thing and >> but it has gotten better over there, I think, since they've changed the way that it, you know, when they took all the trees out and stuff. So, I think it's good. I I guess I just like to say that I think it's uh it's good for Pine Hill to get this development too. >> Um with since we developed that whole area down there recently, got a lot of stuff going up. It's going to be I think really good for the community down there. >> Yeah. And I guess I'll just say as far as the variance goes, obviously it is within the 50 foot setback. Um, as I think Kelly had on her slides and also in the staff report, there's already a portion of the building that's within the the setback that's required by city code. This is going to be less uh intrusive of that than the part that's already in that building. We haven't had any concerns from the surrounding property owners that this is going to impact their ability to use their property. Um, and I mean it's a school building that pro primarily will be used between 7 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon and so it's unlikely to to change the surrounding neighborhood. So I would agree that there are findings of facts sufficient to um grant a variance in this case. >> Anyone else doesn't have anything else? I would look for a motion then. I will make a motion to approve the conditional use permit, the variance, and the site plan review uh subject to stipulations in the staff report. >> All right, I have a motion from Commissioner Fischer. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Stuckman. Any further discussion on the motion to approve? >> Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. Post say no. >> Motion carries 5-0. We'll move on to item 6B, Park Grove Library, uh, case SP2025-021. And before I hand it off to Sam, I'm going to give the floor to Commissioner Stuckman. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. As you know, I am married to a Washington County Commissioner and uh, so I've given some consideration to this and I think it would be important for me to u recuse myself from any participation in the discussion or the voting on this matter. So, this is out of an abundance of caution so I can avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. So, I'm going to step away just for this agenda item. >> All right. Thank you for making that record and for uh making that decision. Um and so, Commissioner Steman will be recused. We still have four members on the commission here tonight. So, we do still have quorum to decide this. And so, with that, we will give it to Sam. >> Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the commission tonight, Alliance on behalf of Washington County has applied for a site plan review uh for facade improvements, parking lot and landscaping upgrades at Park Grove Library. The library is located at 7900 Hemingway Avenue and is zoned R six highdensity residential where structures and essential services for local, county, state, or federal government purposes are permitted use. Um the property is guided as a mixeduse district on the 2040 land use map where libraries are a conditional use. There the project is intended to meet the Washington County Libraryies 2024 through 2028 strategic plan priorities including improving library service delivery, enhancing physical spaces and technology infrastructure and expanding the reach of the library. The upgrades will allow the library to expand engagement, programs, and services offered there. There will be a second a second story addition constructed over the front entryway solely for mechanical and utility equipment. The exterior uh the front facade will be remodeled to remove awkward angles in favor of straight line walls. And the exterior materials do meet city code by using at least three class one materials and 65% of the exterior being comprised of at le of 65% class one and two materials. Currently at the library uses a um angled parking on site and a one-way traffic pattern. Libraries must have one space per 300 ft of floor area. There are currently 50 spaces on site where 71 are required. By reconfiguring the stalls to 90 degree stalls, there will be 68 stalls on site where 68 stalls are required. Uh the number of stalls required stalls is reducing because by removing those building angles, the uh library building will actually be reducing in square footage. Pedestrian access will also be improved by adding sidewalks and stairs down to Hemingway Avenue with marked pedestrian crossings and pedestrian refuges in the parking lot. The existing parking does not meet the current uh the 30-foot setback requirement. The parking area and drive lane on the north side of the property will be pushed from a 5-ft setback to a 20ft setback. and parking on the east and south sides of the property will remain at a 12- foot setback. By increasing setbacks and remaining at that same non-conforming setback, a variance is not needed for the parking lot. The proposed monument sign, which would be in the northeast corner of the site, will be outside of the clear view triangle, and landscaping in this area must not exceed 30 in in height and must be maintained at that height. Um, the northern parking lot island will also contain low growing plants that will not block views and two trees will be planted there as well, but there's not a concern that those would block any uh views for those drivers entering or exiting the new two-way traffic going through the parking lot. Uh, they will be adding trees and landscaping around the property and within the parking lot. There will be a new children's area with a sitting ring and retaining walls and adding some extra boulders to the existing boulder that is already out there. A black ornamental fence meeting city code will be installed on the south and east side of the children's area for safety. A reading terrace is also planned at the rear of the building with seating and landscaping out there. Existing chain link fencing on the west and north sides of the property will be rem removed after building construction to enhance accessibility from those existing residences on those sides. No tree mitigation is required because under 40% of existing inches are going to be removed and the required landscaping um for the impacted area is very minimal. Um the additional landscaping that they are planning to plant is above and beyond the required amount. Um and they are actually adding enough landscaping to account for if this site was vacant and was being um built from the ground up. It's also proposed that Hemingway Avenue be reconstructed in conjunction with the library project. Um, this is a separate project that would improve the neighborhood as a whole that would improve pedestrian safety and connections to the library. Um, it would also be complimentary to the Blueest Stem project that just wrapped up, the Grove 80 apartments and the Duncan BaskinRobins building really bringing this whole neighborhood together as a collective whole. Um the parking on the library site has been tight in the past and so although spaces will be added during the project and meet city code, uh the rec construction of Hemingway Avenue will also add the opportunity to add on street parking to um alleviate some of those parking issues on site. Uh bumpouts are prop proposed as pedestrian refuges and traffic calming measures and additional landscaping including street trees and plants and planters are proposed within the Hemingway right ofway. With that, the recommendation is on the screen for your consideration and we do have representatives from Washington County who will also be giving a brief presentation when you're ready. >> All right. Thank you. Any questions for staff? All right. Thank you. >> This time, if the applicant would like to add anything additional, >> do you? >> Yes. >> If you could state your name and your business address, please. >> Thank you, commissioners. I appreciate your time today. Um, I'm here today. My name is Mandy Leonard. I'm the project manager representing Washington County on this project. Um, I'm also have Drew Wy. He's our uh deputy director for the library uh with me today. So if there's any questions regarding programming, I can answer those. And really, I just wanted to kind of go through some of the very um kind of the highle things that we were looking at in design on this project. Uh we did an extensive amount of programming design uh meetings with the public. Um online surveys, in-person meetings, um we met with both uh city staff, um county staff, library staff, uh just wanting to get uh feedback from everyone. And so these are some of the kind of inspirational images that were um highlighted throughout that design. It's very important to make sure that this library represents the community that it's in, not just Washington County as a whole. So we really want to make sure that we're here to represent um Cottage Grove. Um nature was very very important to the community and so we're we're bringing that together as part of this plan. And one of the main features was the fact that the confluence which is south of us is an area of kind of meeting, joining and gathering. And that's what we want our library to be. We wanted to be a space for people to meet, gather um and kind of join like communities to join together for us. And so that was really important um in part of our design factors and you'll see that throughout the design. um the library space itself. We uh really wanted to maintain this existing site but be able to in like basically enhance it as much as possible by adding um additional parking. But it's not only about the parking, it's about the safety of the pedestrians coming into our lot, making sure that we have accessible access for everyone around us um and better than what we have now. So we we designed it so that we have both a north and a south access entering in from the sidewalks. making sure we thought about those pedestrian routes so that they're clearly defined and easy um to get people safely to our front door of the building. And then it was very important for community when they talked to us about this that they wanted outdoor spaces and being able to put that ch children's storytime burm in on that south side being able to maintain the existing boulders that are in that space along with the natural trees that already exist there that are really nice are really important. But we also were able to add a west reading terrace and we've lost a lot of trees over the last few years in that west side. We are going to be able to plant back a number of those trees to really enhance that entire space I believe for um not only us but our neighbors. We really want to be good neighbors to the community. Um and that also adds to us bringing the parking off of that 5-ft setback that we currently were. um bringing that off and giving us more of a buffer between us and the neighbors to the north so that they have a nice uh better landscape between us but still have access to our space which would be really nice. We've spent a lot of time looking at the materials on this facility. Um trying to match up bring match up the brick but not necessarily bring the older brick back. We want to make make sure that we're bringing brick in that matches the existing site um has some of the features of it but actually modernizes it. So, we're going to bring in some of the brick to kind of uh ground and and bring the new section matching the older section, but make it a more modern feel. And then they also we we looked at bringing um metal panels to that new second floor mechanical system. The metal is actually a shaker style that they're going to put into a diamond pattern and they're going to um use multiple colors kind of creating a reflection of the light and water almost off the river. You know, when you see the like light sparkling. So, there will be a number of different textures and colors to that to enhance that space. Um, we ended up adding a large window with a a really beautiful light fixture that will have kind of like almost glowing pebbles hanging from it. And we really wanted to look at that as kind of bringing the um uh kind of the beacon of light that people are they're drawn to that front door. They know where to go when they get to our site and it draws them in. It brings in the natural elements of the wood ceiling as well um through that. So, we're really looking at this site as a holist like a whole new holistic approach to this front area um and giving ourselves a really nice area for the customers to come in. We know that Dunkin Donuts is across the street. I think there's like three coffee shops within a um about a mile. Uh so, we know there's going to be people picking up their coffee, walking in, wanting to go sit on the reading terrace, wanting to sit in the garden areas. Um we want to make this a welcoming area for the uh the community to come and join and gather here. Uh we're really excited about the children's burm area bringing in all that natural landscaping but also creating a nice buffer between us and the neighbors to the south. Um but creating this space where people can come in, enter the gate and have this really nice sanctuary to enjoy. Um, and then we also inside the building, I know we're focused a lot on the outside, but on the inside, um, because of the fact that we're adding that second story mezzanine for our mechanical systems, we're gaining a lot of space on that first floor to enhance the spaces and available uses inside. So, some of the areas that we're bringing into this library that we don't have at other existing facilities is a a private teen game gaming area where kids can be a little bit louder, the doors can be closed, but they have their space. Um, we're also looking at the learning lab, which is currently a uh contraption club, but we're looking to expand that because, uh, crafts, um, you know, sewing clubs, uh, the maker spaces are all very, very important to this community. So, we added an expanded learning lab for multiple use. And then we have added a ton of quiet study rooms. So, individual study rooms, medium study rooms, and then even a quiet study hub. So, it gives people the variety of spaces that they're looking for in a variety of different ways. And we're really excited. We have um we're expanding the number of restrooms because of this. We're adding a um family restroom that will be assisted. We'll have assisted um changing tables in it. So, we're adding to the ADA experience as well to help meet more families needs in this community. So, we're very very excited about this entire um plan and uh we're hopeful to move forward with this. Um and then just last but not least, this is an interior rendering of what we want this what this is anticipated to look like. Uh we have some really great spaces in the children's area with um colorful niches, uh windows, seating areas, um and much lower shelving so that you can see across the spaces and kind of uh get a better view of the whole building as a whole. So, All right. Thank you. Any questions for the applicant? Commissioner Britten. Um, >> nice presentation. This all looks great. Um, question I had about the storytime BM in the picture that you had, it shows some wording on the storytime BM that appears to be 3D. >> Is that really going to stick out from the burm or is that just a graphic as you were describing? >> It's just a graphic at this time. So we have to identify what that would be and how they would incorporate it into like whether or not it's going to be carved into the concrete if it's a if it's a statement from a book itself for what that's going to be. Um that's yet to be determined but it is something that we're looking at. >> So are are you look carved in sounds great >> painted sounds great. If it protruded from it is that one of the options that you're considering because that would seem like it >> you know >> it might be a little bit challenging. I think it'd be challenging for maintenance as well. So, we would be looking at something more of a carved in or painted type of applique versus something that expands out that >> children will knock off or a foot will knock off when they're climbing on these areas. >> Okay. Good to hear that you're not >> Yeah. It's not fully developed at this time, but we will be keeping that heavily in mind when we're doing it. >> Okay. Thank you. Nice presentation. >> Follow up to that. >> What does that What is that first word? I could not figure out what that even says. >> The first word >> on the image. Yeah. I can make out goes here. But what is >> Oh, I think it truly is a generic like >> just like like >> chat GPT stuck it in there. >> Yes. I think it just says like a a sentence some kind of graphic goes here. I think it says something about a graphic goes here. >> So I don't think it's been identified yet to >> So what is the phrase that's going to go there? >> We don't know that yet. So we haven't that has not been finalized yet. >> Like a community contest or something. >> That would be very fun to do actually. Okay. >> I was just curious. Sorry. >> Any further questions for the applicant? >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> At this time, we'll open public hearing on the application. Anyone wishing to speak for or against the application can sit this podium, state their name and address for the record. Seeing none, we will close public forum. Any question or any uh further discussion by commission? Commissioner Brandon, >> I'd just like to thank that thank staff for including the sighteline uh graphic in the uh staff report. It helped me better understand the any potential safety issues or lack thereof uh that was going to exist at that intersection. So, thank you. >> You're record. >> Any further discussion? >> Mr. Chair, I have something to add. >> Council member Rosen. >> Thank you. our county commissioner is watching this at home and so she just sent me a message that she wanted me to uh compliment the staff on the presentation and uh let them know how much she appreciates them. >> All right, thank you. I will add my thank you for that for both city staff as well as county staff. Um, I know that the library as it is right now is a big asset to the community and and one that obviously we know has its challenges with the amount of parking we have on spot being um overcome by the amount of people who want to go to that place. Um, I think even with the additions that we're talking about here, it's going to be even more popular than it already is. And so, it's nice to see that we're going to have a more functional space for both um, library staff as well as the community. Um, and that we're also as a city rethinking kind of what we can do on our end um with the uh street parking and and trying to think of how we can kind of make that a a nicer neighborhood to be able to be to walk in um but also just use our our county and city resources. So, very nice uh job by both city and county staff working together on making this presentation. I appreciate it. With that, any other discussion? All right, then I'd look for a motion. Motion to approve. >> I have a motion to approve from Commissioner Britain >> with the conditions stipulated in the staff report. >> Subject to conditions in the staff report. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Canable. Any further discussion on the motion to approve? >> Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. >> Post say no. >> Motion carries 40. While we're waiting for John to come back, do you guys have a timeline on construction, how long it'll be closed? >> We are actively we are actively working on the construction documents right now to finish a design. So, we're going through all that detail. Um the hope is to be bidding um this fall basically um by November be getting everything out to bid and hopefully um February would be starting of like emptying out the library and starting demo on the areas that we can to start work as soon as possible basically. So we'd like to be finished by the follow opening the following February in February of 26. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. We will move on to item seven, which is approval of the minutes. Um, unless there are any additions or corrections, I'd look for a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion to approve from Commissioner Canal. Do I have a second? >> A second. >> Second from Commissioner Fischer. All those in favor say I. I. Post say no. Motion carries. 5-0. >> Item eight is reports. 8A is recap of September 3rd and 17th. >> That is not right. >> Should be the August city council meetings with Emily presenting. >> Mr. chair, members of the commission, my apologies. That should be August uh 6th and August 20th meetings. We're a whole month ahead. Um so, back to August 6th. Um Grove Tobacco and that low potency CUP that you saw before you um was approved by the council. Um we did enter into a professional services agreement with Bolton and Mink who is working on an update to our East Ravine AU. For those of you who have been around for for some time, you know that a large portion of the Easter has developed uh over the years. And so uh this will be an undertaking to ensure uh that we are taking a a good look at uh what that uh potential development is as a large portion of that northern, we call it neighborhood one, um has developed. And so looking at that neighborhood too and making sure that we're covered um for the evaluation of the environmental impacts there and then the Elmar village um that item you did see before you is a variance to expand the parking lot and the parking stalls that was approved by the council um on that August meeting as well. And then jumping to August 20th, just a couple additional items to note is the council did hold their public hearing for the issuance of conduit bond um for the real estate equities project which is down uh we always call it the the the X right um at 100th and Hadley. Um so that apartment project. So those folks were uh approved for uh those the bonding from the state uh and uh so hopefully moving forward there uh towards the end of this year. and then 61 Marine and Sports for their addition to their building was approved. And finally, uh the Cedarhurst project that you saw before you um at your July meeting uh did receive that final approval. So, we're hopeful for a closing date sometime soon and then work to begin. Um but with that, uh Mr. Council Member Olsen is here if he has anything additional to add and I know he's always open for some questions as well. >> As always, I'm here for you. So, if there's any questions you might have, I'd certainly welcome those. Uh, a couple of things that I just want to share with you in case you weren't glued to your television for last week's city council meeting. We did have a pretty robust dialogue about um tobacco and um cannabis paraphernalia. And the question posed to us was, can tobacco shops sell paraphernalia that could potentially be used for cannabis? We did have a couple of applications that came in from tobacco shops asking whether or not that's something that the city would allow. After much review by city staff and the city attorney, the city council was presented with some options and uh we voted unanimously to allow for um that paraphernalia to be sold in both cannabis only shops and tobacco shops. But that does not mean anybody with a tobacco license can sell this paraphernalia. strictly if you are a tobacco shop, which we have a limited number of here in town, uh or a cannabis shop. So, that does tie in a little bit to your low potency thing that you guys talked about here a couple um couple weeks back. Um, we also, uh, as you know, have been working on our budget and, uh, we think we've landed on, uh, what we feel is a is a very fair number for investment back into the community for 2026 that's going to meet all of the expectations our residents have for maintaining or enhancing service delivery. This is that time of year when we're kind of looking to see what everybody else is doing to identify whether we're on the right track. One of the things we take a lot of pride in here in the city of Cottage Grove is um we have a a financial management plan that we try to work very hard to maintain. That financial management plan essentially guides us to uh roughly $100 per year on the average home in the city of Cottage Grove as far as an increase in the levy. And um that that gives us a a pretty narrow lane to drive down. Um with this budget uh if if it stays as it is because it could get lower, it won't go any higher. Um we're at about $103 on the average house uh over the last 3 years in terms of um maintaining our financial management plan, which is pretty dogone good. And the reason that we choose to do that is because we want to maintain our AAA bond rating. That's very important to us. That saves uh millions and millions of dollars to the taxpayers every year when we go out to bond for various projects. So, uh I think we've got a good number. We've figured out what the county's valuations are going to look like. Um that came in very favorable for us and it appears we will continue to be the second lowest tax per capita community in Washington County behind uh the city of St. Paul Park who's last. Uh but the big difference is there's some local government aid that they receive to the tune of about a million and a half dollars that we don't get. So uh we're pretty good uh in terms of squeezing those dimes and I think we uh did a a nice job with it this year. More to come on that uh as the final votes come forth on that budget plan. But like I said, it can't go any higher. It could potentially go lower. So, with that, I'll turn it back to the chair and if there's any questions that any of you have, I'm certainly open to that. I know there's been a lot of rumors floating around about certain developments in the area and uh even as as far as the tanks farm and so on and so forth. So, if you have any questions, I'm I'm open to that. >> All right. Thank you. Any questions for council member Olsson? >> I don't see any. Thank you for being here. >> Perfect. Thank you. Sorry, >> I was just going to ask >> how long has the city of Cottage Grove had a AAA bond rating? >> Uh, we are going on um please don't quote me cuz I I may be wrong, but this is the year 2025 and I believe we achieved that in 2020 or 2021. I have the certificate at home on my wall. I'd have I'd have to look at it. But um it it was something that uh we really strove to achieve and we had to do um a lot of different things as a as a council and as a staff in terms of our budgeting including establishing that financial plan um to ensure that we not only achieved it but more importantly maintained it. Cities of our size rarely if ever get a AAA bond rating. It just doesn't happen. Usually you need to be 60,000 plus to even have a shot at it. But um you know we were very fortunate that we have such a good finance staff and staff overall that uh we were able to make that happen um probably four yearsish back. >> Okay. Thank you for being a good custodian of the public treasury. >> Well, we certainly try. Thank you for that. >> Any further questions for the council member? >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Uh B is response to planning commission inquiries. We didn't have any from last meeting. C planning commission requests. Any requests for staff. Seeing none, we'll move to nine. Adjournment. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Move to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn from Commissioner Steman. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second from Commissioner Fischer. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Post say no. Motion carries 5. We are adjourned.