Good evening. Uh, thank you for joining us. I would like to call to order the March 23rd, 2026 Cottage Grove Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to order. Uh, for roll call tonight, I'm going to hand that off to our community development director, Emily Schmidtz. Madam Chair, commissioners, uh, Commissioner Bot. >> Yeah. Commissioner Britain >> here. >> Commissioner Fischer or Chair Fischer, excuse me. >> Oh boy. Here. I'm here. >> Commissioner Canaval >> here. >> Commissioner Steman >> here. >> Commissioner Madison >> here. >> All right. Thank you. Um, I now need to have somebody approve our agenda for this evening. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion has been made to approve by Commissioner Britain. Second. >> Second by Commissioner Steman. All those in favor signify signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed say no. All right. Passes 6. Uh now we will open the open forum. This is for anybody in the audience who would like to speak on anything that is not already on our agenda for the night. So with that I will invite anybody up to speak for open forum. Seeing none I will close the open forum. Um, now we are headed to the 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 an opportunity 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, 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 comments. 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 the 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 these items. The city council will act on agenda item 6B at their meeting on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026, which starts at 7 p.m. and agenda items 6A, Riverbend preliminary plat and 6C, zoning code updates at their meeting on Wednesday, April 15th, which starts at 700 p.m. All right, moving on to item number six. Uh we'll start with the first uh application 6A Riverbend Preliminary Plat PP 2026-00008 uh with our senior planner Samantha Puret presenting. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the commission. Betsy Depel has applied for a preliminary plat to split an existing 9.09 acre parcel into four parcels. The property is on Greatcloud Trail along the backwaters of the Mississippi River. The property is zoned R1 rural residential along the river and egg2 agriculture across Greycloud Trail. The property is guided transition planning in the 2040 comprehensive plan. Transition planning areas are areas of the community that require future additional planning efforts in order to establish future land use designations. The property is also within the Mississippi River critical corridor critical area or Murka, the river neighborhood and separated from river classifications. The applicant proposes to split the property into four parcels and dedicate the right of way for Greycloud Trail. There will be four parcels because land across rights of way cannot be combined into a single parcel and the each lot must meet the minimum lot size standards for the R1 district of 3 acres. To meet the minimum lot size standards, the outlots across Greycloud Trail must be commonly owned by their respective owners in block one along the river. Lot one will be commonly owned without lot A and lot two will be commonly owned with outlot B. Deed restrictions are required to be recorded upon recording of the plat to memorialize this requirement. 80 ft of rightway will be dedicated for a greycloud trail because it is anticipated the road will be upgraded to a minor collector and once the area is master planned. 80 ft of rightway was dedicated and platted for gridcloud trail in the Mississippi landing development further to the east. For that same reason, the applicant plans to use lot 2 as a future buildable lot, which is permissible as long as the structure can meet setbacks from property lines, rights of way, the river, and bluffs. The applicant surveyor did depict on the preliminary plat approximately 1/2 acre of buildable area meeting all of these standards. The dwelling would have a private well and septic system, which are permitted by Washington County. Prior to recording the plat septic locations and an alternate septic location must be identified by a professional and approved by Washington County. Accessory buildings may be constructed on the outlots across Greycloud Trail as long as setbacks can be met and the properties meet the number and size of accessory building restrictions. The storm water and park dedication fees must be paid prior to issuance of any building permit for lot 2 or out lot B. There is an existing gate that functions as a second access for the existing property. The area between Greycloud Trail through the gate into an existing gravel driveway is currently grass. The grass area is shown approximately in green on the screen. If a residence is constructed on lot two, the new dwelling may use that gated access as a future driveway. The owner of lot one will access the gravel driveway from lot one instead of through that gate. Future owners of lot two may wish to use that gravel driveway to the river by crossing over the property line between lots one and two. If the existing grass area over the property line is covered with a hard surface or gravel in the future, an encroachment agreement will be required because drainage and utility easements will be platted but on the property line. A zoning permit will be required for future installation of any hard or gravel surface driveways. Maintaining the existing access to the river for use by both lots will avoid negative impacts to the bluffs and woodlands on lot two by avoiding the creation of another river access. Since the property is within the Murka, minimal vegetation removal is allowed. Bluff impacts are strictly regulated and views from the water shall be screened from driveways and structures. With that, the recommendation is on the screen before you. I am happy to stand for questions and the applicant is available tonight as well. >> Thank you. Does the applicant want to add anything? >> I'd like to read something tonight. >> Okay. Why don't you come on up to the podium here and state your name and address please? I'm Betsy Depel. I'm the owner of the property with my husband and uh we've been there for 42 years since 1984. And um the reason we're doing this is to help the property move forward to the next generation. And thank you for being here tonight. So Kaylee um wrote something up and give me a second here to pull it up. Um and I'm just going to read it for you. and okay, thank you for your time and reviewing our application. We understand that the city has established policies and fee structures tied to subdivision and future development and we do appreciate that some of the fees are deferred until a building permit is applied for. We also appreciate that the staff has already worked with us to reduce portions of the application related costs. I wanted to share our perspective as longtime residents of Cottage Grove. We have owned who who yes, we have owned and main this maintained this property for 42 years and have contributed through property taxes and passed assessments including approximately $10,000 toward the road improvement adjacent to our property. I can't remember the year. um maybe 19 16 or 2016 I mean about 10 years ago and so yeah 10 we were assessed $10,000 at that time for the road improvement and um as part of this process we understand that the land beneath that road will now be dedicated as public right away. What is difficult for us is that this represents both a prior f financial investment and now a loss of land value without a clear understanding of how that is accounted for in the overall process. In addition, this request is not part of a border or broader development project. We are simply trying to divide the property to support family use with the possibility of one additional home in the future. Because of that, the combination of required land dedication and future fees, especially as they are implied per lot, feels significant relative to the limited impact this change would have on the property and surrounding area. We are not here to challenge the city's policies, but to better an understand how situations like ours are evaluated and whether there is any flexibility or consideration when there has already been a substantial prior contribution tied to the same area of land. We want to work collaboratively and respectfully with the city as we move forward. Thank you again for your time and consideration. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> With that, um I will open it up to the commissioners. Do you have any questions for the applicant or for staff? Seeing none, we will move to uh opening the public hearing. If there's anybody in the audience who would like to speak for or against the application, now is your time to do so. Please step to the podium and state your name and address for the record. All right, seeing none, I will close the public hearing as well. Are there any other questions, discussion from the commission? Commissioner >> Yeah, Steman. Sorry, I blanked there for a second. I was gonna say Commissioner John, but I knew that wasn't right. >> That's fine. That's fine. No. Um, no, I appreciate this. Um, I appreciate the comments from Miss Depel. Um, I also did see the numbers when it comes to the uh, park dedication fee and the connection fees and what have you and and they're not insignificant and I appreciate your comments, but um, I think that those are fixed by municipal um, ordinance and uh, other regulations uh, pertaining to the city of Cottage Grove. So, I don't know if there's any wiggle room or something along those lines, but I do understand um, the comments that you make. Um, I see myself voting in favor of this. >> Thank you very much. Does anybody else have any comments? >> Do we need to have someone from staff address the questions that were brought up by the applicant or >> Madam Chair, commissioners, I'm happy to simply add that in uh circumstances uh where we have these larger uh lots that are being created. Um perhaps some of you have been around long enough for some of those lot splits where we've created a new buildable lot on Kimbro kind of in that area where they're larger 3acre parcels. Um we do use what we consider to be our rural friendly calculation where we look at it as a whole and we say as development continues to grow eventually there will be multiple lots right we'll see more of that low density that you typically see in these developed areas. Um, so we make sure that we're not using these acreagebased fees uh for these larger lots um for that three acres. Um, we're we're doing a calculation to say in the future there will be multiple lots potentially, right, created. Um, and so we want to make sure we're recognizing these larger lots um don't necess aren't necessarily considered uh development, right? Rather creating another opportunity for a single family home. So hopefully that helps add a little bit of context and detail to where those fees and Commissioner Steman, you hit the nail on the head. These are fees that are uh uh adopted by the city and our fee table on an annual basis. Um and we hold true to those throughout the year. >> Thank you. >> Can I speak again or is it too late? >> It's this is my first meeting so you're testing me. I'm sorry. We've already opened and closed the public hearing. All right. So, um, is there any further discussion from the planning commission before we talk about a motion? Okay, with that, I would look for commissioner to move on the application in front of us. >> A motion for approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. >> Okay, we have a motion from Commissioner Britain. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Canal. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed say no. Okay. Motion carries six to zero. Our next application is 6B on our agenda. That's the Ravar Trails Comp plan amendment file CP 2026-00003 uh with our senior planner Samantha Puret presenting again. >> Okay. Thank you madam chair, members of the commission. A preliminary plat PUD minor subdivision and zoning amendment for the proposed 575 unit Rivera trails development by Twin Cities Land Development were recommended for approval by the planning commission February 23rd, 2026 and subsequently approved by council on March 18th. The subdivision will consist of a mixture of single family lots and town homes. Oops. The the Rivera Trails area is guided low, medium, and highdensity residential and parks and open space. The proposed subdivision clustered town homes in the medium density area and single family lots in the low density area as guided in the comprehensive plan. Density was averaged in the Rivera Trails development over the entire development with 4 and a half units per acre which fell between the low and medium density classifications. When the applicant submitted a sewer connection permit to the Met Council, Met Coun Met Council contacted staff stating that density can no longer be averaged over an entire development and that density must match the areas mapped in the city's comprehensive plan. Staff is working with the Met Council on this density averaging policy. However, so the applicant can continue work and working on the final plant, a comprehensive plan amendment has been applied for to reguide the high density area to medium density residential. The comprehensive plan guides the actions of the community by presenting a vision for the future. The future land use map for density often does not follow property lines or form 90° angles. These configurations are used by the city to guide the amount of density within an area which then guides other development needs such as utilities, parks, and roads. The future land use map is not intended to design development or designate specific parcels or acreages for a particular land use type, but rather provide a guide and a target for the community. Communities also rely on willing land owners who are ready to sell for development. Mapping future land use classifications without strict adherence to property lines means development may occur on properties of willing sellers at a density and scale planned for and desired by the community. To calculate the current anticipated density of Rivera trails, the acreage of each density area and minus major rights of way is multiplied by the midpoint of that density range. The 9.3 acres guided high density in Rivera trails with is proposed to have 54 40 foot wide single family lots. Therefore, it did not meet the high density guidance with a 6.23 units per acre where 14 to 30 units per acre is guided. Reguiding the high density area to medium density residential would result in a new medium density area with a proposed density of 8.26 26 units per acre, which is in compliance with the medium density classification. The medium density area would have town homes and some 40 foot wide single family lots. The proposed ree guidance is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan by providing a diverse mix of housing types implementing trails and sidewalks proposed in consistent with the comprehensive plan and city codes. The proposed density meets m medium density regulations with 8.26 units per acre. With that, the recommendation is on the screen before you. I'm happy to stand for questions and the applicant is available as well. Thank you very much. Would the applicant like to add anything to the presentation? >> Thank you. Nothing to add from the applicant in the audience. So, are there any questions for staff from the commission? Commissioner Canal, >> sorry. Thank you. Um, so Met Council said no to the sewer connection until we did a comprehensive plan amendment. >> Uh, Commissioner Oh, >> sorry. >> Uh, Commissioner Canal. Um, that is correct. They have put a pause on that sewer connection permit um until the area is reggguided to match our proposed density in the 2040 plan. Therefore, we are reguing it to match that density at the request of the Met council >> and they will relook at it again once it gets through us and city council. >> Um, Commissioner Canal. So what will happen is after it goes through city council, staff will submit the proposed reidance to the Met Council where they have 15 business days to determine whether it can be administratively approved by the Met Council or if it needs to go to the full Met Council. Um if it needs to go to the full Met Council, it could take up to 60 days for the full Met Council to act on this. >> Thank you. That's what I was I just want to know if it had to go like to a different aspect of the Met Council. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> We are not sure yet. >> All right. Any other questions from the commission? >> All right. Seeing none, I will open the public hearing. If there's anybody in the audience that would like to speak for or against the application, now is your time to do so. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing on this application. Uh, any other discussion, questions from the commission before we talk about a motion? No. All right. With that, I would look for a motion. >> Motion for approval of the CP 20263. >> Okay. Commissioner Canal has made a motion to approve the comprehensive plan amendment. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. Commissioner Madison has seconded that. Uh, any further discussion on the motion? Commissioner Britain? >> Um, just a clarifying, does that include the subject the conditions stipulated in the staff report? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. It has been uh clarified that the motion by Commissioner Canable is subject to stipulations in the staff report. Do you still second, Commissioner Madison? >> All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed say no. Okay. Carries six to zero. All right. Item 6 C, 2026, zoning code updates. This is case TA 2026-00009. And Samantha is presenting this one as well. >> Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the commission. Uh tonight we are considering some zoning code amendments. Uh since the 2023 comprehensive zoning code update, staff has been intentional about updating the code annually to avoid a major code overhaul in the future. First for consideration is a proposal to move the definitions from for brew pub micro distillery and cocktail room from the historic cup or HCU section of the code to the definition section. It is also proposed to add a definition for breweries and tap rooms in the code and all of these terms would be based on the state statute definitions. Breweries and micro distilleries are businesses engaged in the production of malt liquor or liquor products and would be allowed as a conditional use in the planned business and industrial districts. Brew pubs, tap rooms, and cocktail rooms are a tasting or have a restaurant component within them and are proposed as permitted uses in the planned business district where restaurants are already a permitted use and in conditional use in the I1 district where restaurants are a conditional use currently. Next, uh temporary accessory outdoor sales was a term used in the code. However, it was not defined. Um, and it has been used interchangeably with outdoor sales displays up against buildings. It's proposed to add performance standards for the temporary accessory outdoor sales such as fireworks or garden centers in the parking lots of businesses. And uh, the use would be permitted with an administrative conditional use permit as it currently is. And the ACUP will run with the land and not have to be reapplied for annually. Staff will and annually review a building permit for the proposed uses to ensure conformance with the code. Uh next is currently accessory buildings in the residential districts must be the same height as the principal building. They're not allowed to be taller than the principal building. In the Thompson's Grove neighborhood, dwellings were built to about 13 to 14 feet high, which makes it difficult for property owners to construct an accessory building that's tall enough to accommodate a tall vehicle, a boat, an RV, or unfinished loft storage. It's proposed to allow accessory buildings to be no more than 2 feet taller than the principal building to allow a building tall enough to store these items or have that unfinished loft storage. The images on the screen show a couple of existing examples of accessory buildings in the city that are about 2 feet taller than the principal building and do not detract from the view of the of the principal building, the accessory building, or the neighborhood. Currently, the clear view triangle language is only found in the fence and the sign sections of our code. It's proposed to include this language in the landscaping section as well to be clear that no plant materials, fences, or structures over 30 in tall are allowed in the clear view triangle. The clear view triangle is the point at the intersection of front and corner property lines measured back 10 ft and connecting those points with a straight line. The proposed language would give the city authority to order removal of vision obstructions. However, it should be noted that this section will not be um proactively enforced. It will be enforced on a complaint basis. Staff has worked with new developments to ensure that they adhere to Clear View Triangle regulations when planning their developments. On this slide, you can see a couple of examples of clear view triangle um obstructions perhaps and or non-obstructions with the fence that is angled outside of the clear view triangle. So, you can see the trail and the street. The red triangles in the image on the upper right show all of the areas that would need to remain clear from obstructions over 30 in tall. The R4 transitional residential district is intended to allow for a higher density and narrower lots than the R3 district. As density requirements increase per the Met Council, narrower lots will be needed to accommodate this additional density. Multiple developments in Cottage Grove have been approved with the 40 foot wide lots, including Mississippi Landing, Settler's Bluff, and Rivera Trails. Reducing the minimum sideyard setback to five feet for 40 to 44 foot lots is also recommended as this has also been approved via the PUD process in the past for those developments that I just mentioned. Lastly, it is proposed to reduce parking lot setbacks within business districts along side or front property lines to 10 ft. Currently, all parking lots must be 20 feet from all rights of way. On corner lots, a 10-ft sideyard setback on one of the right-of-way sides is appropriate while maintaining a 20ft setback on the other right-of-way side. Um, this will help to meet parking needs and maintain um access to drainage and utility easements. The areas within that 10 or 20 foot area will be required to be landscaped or sided as they are currently. With that, those were just some of the highlights. There were a couple more um minor amendments that were in your packets. Uh the recommendation is on the screen for you and staff is happy to stand for questions. >> Thank you very much. Does anybody have any questions? Go ahead, Commissioner Britain. >> First, I'd like to commend you on your implementation of the Clear View Triangle. I know that we've been talking about it for a while. Um and it's been a complex issue and and I think that you've come up with an elegant solution um that doesn't make it too complicated to enforce. Uh the question that I do have is will the clear view triangle on plat plats going forward be visible on the plat like other uh easements are. >> Uh Commissioner Britain. So currently it's not a requirement in our subdivision code that the clear view triangle be delineated. Um staff is just reviewing the development applications preliminary plat as they come in and we're being very clear with developers and applicants saying make sure the clear view triangle is kept clear. We're considering where people may put a fence or something like that. Um, one thing I will mention is we are working on updating our subdivision code here in 2026. So perhaps that's an item for discussion at that time, too. >> Okay. I I just bring that up because having the homeowner of a a new lot with that information embedded within the plat that they get when they build the lot, I think would help go a long way to confusion of whether they it'd be their first indicator of, hey, there's this line under here I don't understand. Um, so they could ask about it instead of coming back later. So, if that's something that we could do in the subdivision ordinance, you know, if we could consider that, that'd be great. But, uh, with respect to what you're talking about here, I fully support it and and I I appreciate all your hard work and getting that implemented. >> All right. Any other questions? >> Go ahead, Commissioner Bod. >> So, this is regarding the same clear view triangle. Um, I'm uncertain as to how moving uh the definition or the description from one section to the other section will help in enforcing it. >> Sure. Uh, Commissioner Bot. So, moving the language, um, it's just adding it to another section of our code where you would more readily expect to see the requirements for no obstructions in the clear view triangle, especially when it comes to landscaping. That landscaping has been kind of less clear because it's not in the landscaping part of the code. It's found in our fence section and in our sign section. So adding it to the landscaping section will just add it to a part of the code where you'd be more readily to be looking for clear view triangle regulations in the landscaping section. Um the last thing I'll say is that we are adding that provision that the city can order the removal of um obstructions from the clear view triangle. That's not currently in our code. So right now it's not currently in the code that the city can order the removal of a fence or tall vegetation. So that's also going to clear things up. >> Thank you. Just one more question. Um is there any benefit in having this language in both sections as in instead of removing from one section and moving to the other could we keep it where it is and also add it to the landscaping section? Uh, Commissioner B, it's proposed to just add it to the landscaping section and keep it with the fences and the signs as well. So, three different places in the code so everybody can see it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. I believe we have another question. Commissioner Stegman. >> Yeah, quick question. So, um, does the identity of the complainant remain private or confidential or does that become public data? >> Um, Commissioner Segman, that is a good idea. I will toss over to the community development director, former code enforcement officer. Madame Chair, Commissioner Stackman, uh it certainly can be anonymous. If you submit a complaint to the city, you do not have to provide your name and or address or contact information for that matter obviously if it comes in email, etc. So, could remain anonymous. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Okay. Any other questions? Commissioner Canal. um on the outdoor sales display. >> So stores that keep product on their sidewalks in front of their stores, >> is that going to be a permit required to have that? Now, >> uh Commissioner Canel, uh no, a permit will not be required. It's considered an accessory use. Um we are just clearing up that those are a permitted accessory use and they just need to be kept in a well-maintained condition. um preferably not selling, you know, mulch around Christmas time or something like that. >> Okay. But so when they open up a a garden center, >> that will need to get renewed if if it hasn't been renewed for whatever. What's the time frame for that? >> Uh Commissioner Camp. So for the garden center in a separate tent in the parking lot, once they get an administrative conditional use permit, that is valid as long as that business is operational. Um so it's a one-time thing. We're checking the building permit every year that's required for the tent um to make sure they're meeting setbacks and things like that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Any other questions? >> Okay. I have one to finish off the list here. So um with the sideyard setbacks, uh you spoke about the density that the Met Council has been pushing for. Is this something that the Met Council specifically asked for in the five yard five footy yard setbacks or sideyard, excuse me, or is this something that we're wanting to kind of preemptively change >> because you see that's where the Met Council is going? >> Uh, Madam Chair, um, so with the 40 foot wide lots, um, part of the PUDS that we've approved in the past has also been 40 foot wide lots and 5-ft sideyard setbacks. So, the developers have been telling us that this is what works on these 40 foot wide lots are these lesser setbacks. Um, I'll just add that I know the developers have been telling us that these are very popular a lot sizes. Um, they are very popular within the city of Cottage Grove and across the Twin Cities. Um, and as you mentioned, the Met Council is requiring additional density. So reducing those setbacks, being proactive about these 40 foot wide lots that we are getting regular requests for is just helping us be kind of I'll say ahead of the game with the Met Council as we go into our 2050 comprehensive plan process. >> Sure. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions before I open public hearing? All right. With that, I will open the public hearing. If anyone in the audience wishes to speak for or against any of the zoning text amendments, please speak now. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Is there any further discussion or questions from the commission before we look for a motion? >> All right, with that, I will look for someone to move on the application, please. >> I motion to approve the zoning tech amendments to the city's zoning code. All right, we have a motion from Commissioner Britain. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Steman. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. Opposed, say no. Motion carries six to zero. All right, moving on to item number seven is the approval of the minutes. If there are no additions or corrections to the minutes, we'll look for a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve. >> Okay. Motion has been made by Commissioner Canable. Is there a second? I second. >> All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed say no. >> Motion carries. Six to zero. Just to clarify, the second was from Commissioner Bot. I don't think I said that out loud. Uh moving on to number eight, reports. I will kick this over to our community development director for uh the recap of the city council meetings. >> Madam Chair, commissioners. Um looking back at March, as you recall, we had a large agenda in February. So, a handful um of items that the council did review. So, um at their March 4th meeting, they did approve the the Panera project, which we are hopeful to see a building permit here soon for their work in transitioning that uh old gas station location into Panera. Um they also approved New Life Church down south on Highway 61 for their addition to their building as well. Again, they are hopeful to get going as soon as spring decides to stick around. That second meeting in March was heavy with preliminary plats if you recall. Um and obviously this evening we talked about the comp plan amendment but Rivera Trails um for the 269 single family 306 town home units. So that preliminary plat was approved. Um Talcott Glenn which is the LAR project kind of on the uh other side of the highway over there uh 177 single family lots. So they're looking to get to get moving uh of course this spring. And then finally, Matty Landing, that preliminary plan with those 85 lots uh at uh Jamaica and uh Ravine Parkway over there again hopeful to get moving uh this spring. And finally, what I will note uh to kind of uh keep going on the comp plan amendment is staff is meeting with Met Council staff uh to talk more in detail about their uh new interpretation of a policy uh for lack of a better way to put it. Um, some of you have been around long enough, but we've used density averaging for projects in the past. Um, regularly when we put our land use map together as a part of our comp plan updates. We typically, as Sam had mentioned, don't use, uh, straight lines. Sometimes we're just trying to get that different feel for a neighborhood, but that doesn't always mean that it's practical when you start to put it into implementation. Sometimes those land uses cross over property lines and you don't have two property owners that are navigating development at the same time. You don't necessarily have an area of a land use that can support a a development on its own, right? Um and so we've navigated this way, for lack of a better way to put it, for decades. Um so this is a new interpretation for us that we're going to continue to try to better understand. um and hopeful that we can uh still be efficient in our development in Cottage Grove as we continue to grow. So, please know that those conversations will continue to happen um as we want to make sure we have what's best for our community as we continue to move forward. So, with that, Mr. Council Member Olsen is here as well. Um if he has anything to add. >> Thank you. Uh if I could ask you to please meet me down in front, I would very much appreciate it. We have a special guest that we're going to honor this evening. And I'd like to have the planning commission down in front to join me. >> Turn off for you. >> It doesn't want to turn on for me. He's calling. >> You've got a strong voice. >> I do. You do. >> Normally, I would use a microphone, but doesn't want to work. >> Oh, it's just fine. I will speak loudly. Please join me if you would please, Mr. Frasier. Uh the reason I asked all of you down here this evening is one of the things that happens every year at the end of February is uh we have turnover at our various commission levels. the terms for commissioners expire at the end of February and in many cases those commissioners are reappointed to continue their service with the city but on occasion uh they've reached the end of their uh term limit and so what we do in those circumstances is we ask those folks to step down and if they choose to uh come back and serve again as a commissioner uh they have to wait 12 months before they're able to do that. So, this evening, you'll know that it's March, so we have some new faces in the uh group here tonight. We've got a new chair. Uh so, let's congratulate uh Commissioner Fiser uh on her chair. And for those of you referring to her, it would be Madame Chair. Uh and then uh to my left over here at the end um we've got our brand new planning commissioner Brad Madison. So let's congratulate Brad. And for those of you who don't know Brad and his wife Louise are the owners of the Madison in Old Cottage Grove. Um a beautiful venue uh that they've really done some amazing things with. So, if you haven't had a chance to check it out, I would strongly encourage you to do so. But, of course, in order for those new positions to occur, we have to have somebody or somebody's um who step away from the commission for a period of time. And in this case, it's uh Commissioner Evan Frasier. Evan, thanks for being here tonight. I appreciate it. Evan has served on the planning commission since 2017 here in the city of Cottage Grove. So, nine years. And the reason he got that extra year is because he was one of the co babies, right? And so all the co kids got an extra year on the commission and we were grateful that that occurred. Of those nine years, Evan was chair of the commission for 5 years. So if I think back to when he started in 2017 as a commissioner, the city of Cottage Grove's population was approximately 36,000 people. Today it's approximately 44,000 people. All 8,000 of those people came because of Evan. There's no doubt about it. Absolutely true. Um so we'll hope that people will continue to move here even though Evan's not sitting here. But uh one of the things that we like to do when somebody does uh take a step away from from the commission is we like to honor them with a little bit of a plaque. It's nothing super special. Uh, I'm going to read it and then I'm going to ask Evan if he has any words he'd like to share. Uh, he's probably got stories till the cows come home over nine years. Uh, because there's been an awful lot that's gone on in the city in that time. Uh, the city of Cottage Grove would love to just present this plaque to Evan in appreciation of dedicated service to the city and to our planning commission. And again, it's got the dates of service here, 2017 through 2026. a small token of our deep appreciation for the job that you did, not just as a commissioner, but as a chair. You were phenomenal in that role. Um, I I was lucky enough to have coffee with Jessica on uh Saturday and all she could say was, "Oh my god, you know, what are people going to think because I'm not. But she'll be great. She'll do just fine." Um, that being said, you left some big shoes to fill. So, I want to present this to you on behalf of the city. How about a round of applause for HAVING any words you'd like to share with the millions watching at home? Well, I just want to thank everyone first off who's in this room um for doing the work you're doing. Um in my day job, I'm also in public service and so I know um that the people who do things like this, who volunteer on boards, who work for the city, don't get thanked enough um on a normal basis. So, thank you all for what you do um and the hard work you do for the city because some days it is very hard. We get people in here who are not happy with the decisions that have to be made. Um but the job is to make the right decision based on the rules and the laws that we have to live by. So, thank you all. I know probably most of you have heard my speech before about this is the closest government gets to people's lives here in the city. Um and that it is a better system and it's a better process when people show up and and are motivated to work together on this. Um, so again, thank you all for doing what you do. >> Thank you, SIR. >> SO, we put a little picture for the yearbook if you guys don't mind. >> You got to remember your time, Evan. >> Yes. >> One, two, three. We're going to take a couple because we want them to be good. >> Excellent. Everybody say spring. >> Spring. >> And let's thank Evan for sitting through the entire meeting. >> Yeah. We weren't going to let him off easy. So, uh, we're grateful that he was here for for one last go around and we hope to see you again up at the day here soon. Okay. >> All right. Thank you, sir. Enjoy. All right. One more round. >> Thank you everybody at back to work. >> Yeah. >> Thank you all for joining me uh to recognize Evan. And again, congratulations to um Commissioner Fischer for now becoming Chair Fischer and to our newest Commissioner, Brad Madison. Uh you're in good hands sitting next to John. He'll take good care of you, so you'll be just fine. Um and if there are any questions that the commission has for me, as always, I'm here to answer those. Uh so feel free. >> All right. Thank you, council member. Um I did say I have big shoes to fill, just for the record. He wasn't making that up. So >> no, that was true. >> Yep. So thank you. It's good to see Evan again. And thank you and I will do my best to be like you, sir. So, does anybody have any questions or requests of our city councilman? >> Nope. >> That's just the way I like it. Thank you. >> All right. Okay. Then you may turn off your microphone, sir. All right. So, 8B, response to planning commission inquiries. I don't believe we had any. Uh 8 C, are there any planning commission requests? I know I kind of just asked that question, but okay, seeing none, we're going to move on to item nine. This is our annual organizational meeting. Um, we need to accept the 2026 planning commission rules. So, before we do that, um, does anybody on the commission have any questions, comments, proposed changes to these rules? If not, I would I'm reading this for the first time. Sorry. Uh, I would look for a motion to accept the rules for 2026. >> Madame Chair, I move to accept the 2026 planning commission rules. >> Thank you, Commissioner Steman. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Britain. Uh, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed say no. >> All right, we have our rules set for 2026. Item 9B is the election of the officers. Uh, first we need to nominate somebody for the vice chair position. Uh, Emily, do we need to talk about what their jobs are as the vice chair >> or do we just do that? >> I am happy to just give an overview. So, the vice chair will step in in any instance where the chair might be absent uh for any reason that might be and the secretary is responsible for uh maintaining the role um on an uh on a meeting basis. So making sure that they're calling that role. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh with that, are there any nominations for vice chair? You can also nominate yourself. I hear the rumor is true. >> Mhm. >> Any nominations for vice chair? >> Is there anybody that wants to do it? >> All right. I'd be more than willing to step in if Jessica's not around, but if somebody wants to do it, I'm more than willing to to not. >> Okay. So, there is a nomination for Commissioner Britain to be the vice chair. Are there any other nominations? It says here, I have to ask three times. Are there any nominations for vice chair? If not, then we will vote for Commissioner Britain to be voted in as the vice chair. >> I can just vote it, right? I don't need a motion. >> Madam Chair, if I may. >> Yes. If uh Commissioner Britain is the only nominee, then he would be approved by unanimous consent. So there's no need to vote. >> Thank you for the clarification. Okay. So Commissioner Britain is officially the vice chair for 2026. Moving on to secretary. Are there any nominations for the secretary position? >> I can be secretary. >> Okay. Commissioner Bot has nominated himself to be secretary. Are there any other nominations for secretary? One last time. Any other nominations for secretary? If not, then Commissioner Bot by unanimous consent will be our new secretary. Is that it? Oh my gosh. Okay. With that, uh, we are moving on to the last item on our agenda, which is adjournment. I'm looking for a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. Commissioner Canable motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Second. >> Commissioner Madison is our second. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. No. We are adjourned. Thank you very much.