[3:09] I'd like to call to order the December 1st, 2025 meeting of the Bayport City Council. Um, let's all uh rise if you'd like for the pledge of allegiance. that comes after. >> I 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. [3:37] >> For all. >> Okay, Matt. Time to call the role. >> Council member Dah present. Council member Gilmar >> here. >> Council member Bliss >> here. >> Council member Hill >> here. [3:52] >> Mayor Hansen >> here. >> All right. Do we have a motion to approve the overall agenda as prepared? >> I move to approve the agenda as presented. >> Okay. Thanks, Katie. [4:09] Anyone want a second? >> Oh, sorry. Second. [laughter] I was distracted by the bells. Okay. >> All in favor say I. I. Okay. Anyone opposed? All right. Um there are no proclamations, etc. So, we'll move on to the open forum. This is a portion of the meeting to address the city council on subjects that are not part of the agenda. City council may take action or reply at the time of the statement or we may give direction to staff regarding investigation of the comments expressed. [4:39] A total of 15 minutes is allotted for public comment during the open forum, not 15 minutes per. Um, and we do have a couple of people that we knew were coming to the open forum. And it starts um with Is it Kent or not Kent? >> I'm Brett. [4:54] >> Yeah, I was going to say it's always got the wrong name. Okay. It's just one of the two. Okay. Brett is here. Uh Brett Doyle from Woodfire Wellness. You want to come up and >> say hi? Okay. >> Yep. So, I'll just uh kind of give everybody an update on what we're doing down at Lakeside Park. So, we're currently operating at this point now, uh, which has been fantastic. And, uh, we have two 28 foot mobile sounding units down by the, uh, St. Croy River there at Lakeside Park. And, uh, we plan to, uh, each outfitted with, uh, you know, changing rooms, indoor cool down space. We've got patio furniture for people to cool down outside and eventually for the brave souls, meander down to the river, and, you know, uh, we'll be cutting a hole in the ice. Uh [5:39] eventually when we get to that point, um we plan to operate Tuesday through Saturday. Uh it's afternoons and evenings on the week nights and then Saturday all day starting at 9:30 a.m. Um there will always be somebody on site, probably myself in most cases. Um when we're operating, so we'll be, you know, guiding people through the process, answering questions, stoking the fire, um observing for safety, things like that. So, uh, we would always too encourage, you know, there will always be somebody there if you want to just stop by. You're curious as to what we're doing, uh, ask any questions. We can kind of walk you through. I know we saw Carl down there this past weekend. We can walk you through, uh, what we do during the [6:25] sessions and things like that. We've also got some, uh, aluminum water bottles that we were giving away this past weekend for our open house, and we still got a bunch of those left, so we'd be happy to hand those out while supplies last. Um, so by all means, if anybody's curious, please stop by and and encourage I encourage you to see what we're doing and um I guess that's about it. Unless we have uh any questions or anything like that for me. [6:51] >> No, you checked it out. >> Yeah, we were on a on a walk and they welcomed us in. >> Yeah. Nice. Yeah, I saw that you were doing it. I was It was a busy weekend, but So, did you have people come and >> We did. Okay, good. I see it online. People are excited about it. [7:07] >> It's a great view through the windows with the snow falling and the river in the background. It's uh Yeah, it's >> it's going to be a fantastic winter season. I'm really looking forward to being here. >> Good. Well, >> so thank you guys for the opportunity. >> See you down there soon. >> Yeah. >> Excellent. [7:22] >> Try it out. >> Look forward to it. >> Thanks [clears throat] for coming again and explaining how it's going and thanks for being in Bayport. I think it's a great addition. and I'll beading to talk it up and share and >> get the word out for you. So hopefully everybody's doing that. So >> fantastic. [7:38] >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thanks everybody. >> Yeah. All right. And we also have here visiting us um Brent Peterson [clears throat] from the Washington County Historical Society. Come on up, Brent. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Council, for allowing me this time to come and chat with you. I just want to get you a little up to date. Maybe you haven't uh seen much of the Washington County Historical Society, but I can tell you that we're here. It was founded in 1934. [8:05] The Washington County Historical Society is a central resource for pre preserving, promoting the heritage of Washington County. It supports education research community collaboration through programs, exhibits, and publications. We collect and protect historical artifacts, documents, and sites, ensuring that Washington County's history remains accessible and celebrated. [8:26] Through our archives, partnerships, and outreach, we fulfill our mission to preserve and share the stories of Washington County for current and future generations. The uh Washington County Historical Society, we operate three sites. One is up in Scandia, the Hay Lake School and Ericson Log House. In Stillwater, we have the Warden's House Museum on North Main Street. And then we also on South Gley Street, we have our Washington County Heritage Center, which uh thankfully the citizens of Bayport uh kindly donated to for that completion. [9:00] Of the uh buildings that we have, the Helix School, the Ericson Log House, and the Warden's House, they're all on the National Register of Historic Places. So there's 45 National Register places. So, we have about 10 uh a little bit 8% of them under our control. [9:17] Uh I'm here today for what we always do. Uh the Washington County Historical Society, we request a donation or a grant from every community in Washington County and that is what I'm here today to do. [9:33] uh historical society operate is a has a budget that made up of operational grants from local foundation earn income from admissions and sales in the bookstore memberships and from donations from individuals, businesses and communities. Washington County Historical Society does not receive any annual assistance from Washington County. We are the only county historical society in the state of Minnesota that receives no annual assistance from their county. So, I make trips to other communities as you see. [10:04] >> So, I'm asking the city of Bayport to help preserve its uh history. Currently, we are the only organization that actually preserves Bayport's history. We have it in our uh collections. We take uh newspaper reports even up to this year, you know, and we put it in the files and so forth. And we'd like to ask for a donation of Washington from the city of Bayport. Now, how much? You know, a couple million would be great, [laughter] but the city of Stillwater has uh donated or granted us 5,000 for next year and Baytown 2150 for next year. Just to give you an idea where things are. And it's really up to you. And I'm thinking somewhere in between because Bayport is a fantastic [10:49] community. And somewhere around the $3,500 mark would be great. One of the things I do like to do when I go to communities, I hope I'm not taking too much time because >> you're good. >> We have a lot of things. Oh, I should also mention some of the events we have planned for next year. We're going to do a a USA 250 about four or five events about the history of the United States. [11:10] And we already have one locked down. Thank you. Uh council member uh your father Rocky is going to come and talk about the US flag and we're going to display all the flags that we have in our collection. We actually have a 26star flag. So from 1840 >> and it was actually from a Lakeland family. So it's going to be great and we just haven't had a a date down yet. [11:31] >> That's why he was hunting down your dad. Okay. Gotcha. >> But some of this we we you might think uh documents, musty old things that we have. And I'm putting I put this on just to make sure things are >> I want to show you what we have. [11:46] >> Suspense is killing me. >> Yeah. What's in the box? Well, although we don't uh we can't do it anymore because of the snow. Did you know that Bayport had a golf course? >> Yeah. One of the It was a golf course in the 1930s. [clears throat] Had sand greens. My grandfather played it. And um >> where was it? [12:07] >> Wow. >> About where uh First Day Bank is. >> Oh, on that. >> That was one of the I think one of the greens where the building is. >> Huh. >> We don't have any photos of it. And if anybody out there has a photo of the course, we would love it. But what we do have, May I approach? >> Yes, >> certainly. [12:22] >> Um, sorry. We have >> I want to see this >> deputy mayor telling them what to do. >> We have a scorecard. >> That is super cool. >> Really? >> Yes. >> What does it say? White Pine Bar. >> White Pine Bar. There's advertising >> under the court golf club. [12:38] >> Put Put the golf my gloves on. I can >> take it out. >> Oh, cuz it opens. Of course it's a scoreard. >> It's a score card. >> Unused. >> Well, no, no, there is nine holes played. >> Really? >> Yeah. The first one, first hole was 357 yards. [12:56] >> And uh poor guy who was keeping score had a 10. >> Is that my card? [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Next hole was 412 par five. >> Good 14. That was >> Is there uh any way to do the overhead thing anymore or does that not work? [13:13] >> But I'm just going to I know we can't do that. I know we have a big schedule. I don't want to take up too much. >> No, I was just kind of things that we have in our collection. >> Okay. >> That uh people might not see. >> Have you ever heard of Hub Miller? >> Hub Miller would he had uh he did fishing really on the on the St. [13:36] Croy. And in the center of the photo is Hub Miller with his crew. You can see the St. Croy in the back. >> Yeah. >> Uhhuh. >> And this photo was taken by Stillwater photographer John RS right there. >> Takes all the pictures. Are you able to stand and show it to so Harrison can zoom in on it kind of and everyone can see it? Like if you stand at the podium, >> is [clears throat] there a way for Harrison to do anything with it or not? [14:00] >> Yeah, I think Harrison can >> Yeah, there you go. Instead of walking around, you can just do that. Okay, let's do that instead. >> Hub is right there in the middle. >> Okay. >> And of course, the Bayport Herald. You've heard of the newspaper. I just want to uh point out something about the Bayport Herald. Bayport Herald was from 1923 until about u 1945 or something like that. And the Washington County Historical Societies worked with the Stillwater Library and another group to raise money. And we were able to get all of the Bayport Herald newspapers up online that you can search in the uh Minnesota Historical Society web page. It's the uh newspaper database. But we have working to get not only Bayports, but we got Forest Lake, [14:47] we got South St. Paul, I mean St. Paul Park, that type of thing. >> We need a link to that on our new website. >> Oh, it is. Oh, the stuff you can get out of there. And [clears throat] then I don't know uh a lot of people from Bayport have been on the board of directors of the Washington County Historical Society and I'm sure you've heard of Char and Ral Robleto. [15:09] >> Oh yeah. >> And when Char passed away at age 100 101 uh we got a lot of her items and this was a a plaque presented to her husband Raul in appreciation for many years of service the city of Bport. [15:24] >> And he actually had a little bag. >> Let's pull it up up there. We can see. Yeah, that works good. >> He had a little badge that's right here, lace badge. It said mayor of Bport. I'm sure mayor, you have one or two of these as well. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. >> Get one from Chief. [laughter] Yeah. Um he Yeah. He was mayor two different times. [15:44] >> Two different times. >> Yeah. >> Total of I think eight or nine years. >> And here's a helmet from uh host 491. >> This helmet belonged to uh Walt Serir actually. And I bring up Waltar because it was just a few years ago that the Washington County Historical Society along with Chris Nelson and Sarah Anderson published through the lens of Walt >> the uh the book that uh gives us 1955, 1960 and 1965 uh photographs color photo. Well, actually they're slides which we had to digitize >> and then print. [16:25] And this is just a fantastic >> it is >> it really captures that time period of Bayport's history. It is something that you can't re uh can never reproduce. I mean you can't and the slides if you want to know are in the collections of the Washington County Historical Society. Great. [16:43] >> So we have the actual slides in the collection. >> I have a quick question for you Brent. >> Yes. So, there are three large scrapbooks at the Bayport Public Library that have a lot of history from different newspapers and all kinds of things that have clipped. I don't know who created these scrapbooks, >> but I'm wondering if you guys could do something like maybe you should work with the library to get some of that online or something with it. Yeah, cuz >> eventually it's just gonna, >> you know, Yeah. somehow. So >> now with digital cameras, you know, you can go through the scrapbook, take good digital >> and then put those up. [17:20] >> That would be great. >> Yeah, this something that we could certainly do, but of course it's operations and it would take more money, so that's why I'm here. >> Oh, I know. Now we have something to like barter, right? >> Something like that. [laughter] >> But uh I want to thank you for your time. I know your time is precious and I really appreciate uh you letting me talk to you and I hope uh that uh I will be hearing from you again and uh we will be continuing uh we always drop off our newsletters at the uh Bayport Library >> and uh we'll make sure that everybody knows when we're having our flag event and other things. [17:56] >> All right. >> Do you have any questions for me before I leave? >> I just without getting in what what's your biggest funding source? Just private donations. >> Oh, foundations. Yes. This uh the uh window thing that you have here in >> Bay, you know, they have they actually have like six foundations. [18:13] >> Yeah. >> And they are just very generous. They're very much into history and uh we thank them every every day. Yeah. >> That because of them we're able to be operational and do the things we do. >> Yeah. Very appreciate. >> Thanks for the presentation. That's >> Yeah. Thanks for coming. [18:29] >> I appreciate it. And let me know if you have any questions or anything. Thanks for having me. >> Thanks. All right. Thank you. >> So cool. >> Okay. Time to move on to the consent agenda. Oh, wait. No. Someone else might want to come. Just because you're not on the list doesn't mean you're not here to come and talk to us. So, if you have something that's not on the agenda tonight, we are um just so Patrick, just so you know, we're going to be um talk pulling the short-term rental out of the consent. So, we will talk about it, but you're welcome to come up and and say your piece now if you want. [19:02] have a chance to talk later, too. That'd be fine. >> Why don't you just come now? Then we don't have to worry about opening it up again. Yeah, let's just do that. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> Uh Patrick Mcan, 19 Road. First of all, I'd like to say thank you to the council and all the staff, too. Uh the property at Twopoint Road and and 18point Road is being remediated in earnest starting this morning. So, it's going to be a wonderful change to the neighborhood and I want to say thank you again for all of your efforts in that regard. [19:36] >> Um, so I sent an email out earlier and uh I was doing my research on this. I was actually looking at the um original language for short-term rentals, >> which to my understanding has been changed um to make it much easier for people to get an STR license. I can't say I agree with it nor fully understand that, but it is [snorts] the way it is. [20:01] So, the um property in question here is 17 Point Road. Uh it was purchased in 2017, so a little over eight years ago. It is owned by Kate's Fine Homes, which is a business, not an individual. Okay. Their primary business is home building and remodeling, not short-term rental, uh or owning homes for short-term rentals. I have never met or even seen any of the owners. Basically, they have made no efforts to my understanding to engage with the homeowners in the neighborhood or build any kind of relationship. There has been a history of very large parties that have resulted in vehicles parked on neighbor lawns, uh garbage left on neighbor lawns, irresponsible driving, which probably means drunk driving, and excessive [20:47] noise. Just this last summer, there were at least two large parties with, I'm guessing, about 150 to 200 people each. Uh, no notice was given to the neighborhood. So, this is a complete surprise to all of us. There were several cars parked on the neighbor's lawn for which the neighbor had to call the police to have the cars moved. What the main point is, the people from Kate's Fine Homes made no effort to remediate the situation themselves. It required police intervention. [21:18] About two years ago, there was a large party where the guests were parking on all of the neighbors lawns. I kept watching the cars creep closer and closer to my yard two houses away until I put out some stakes and rope to keep the cars off. Again, they made no effort to keep their guests from parking on the lawns. And based on the number of guests, they were clearly aware of it, but they just didn't care. [21:42] To my knowledge, nobody has ever actually lived there. I believe some people have stayed there off and on for a couple months or so, but nobody has ever used the house as their primary residence. Fundamentally, I believe that allowing a private company to operate an STR in the city violates the spirit of the ordinance, which is to allow homeowners who use their home as a primary primary residence, generate some extra income, but still re remain invested in the well-being of the neighborhood. Kate's Fine Homes wants to use this property to make money. Period. [22:20] Based on their history, I have zero confidence they will have any interest in the well-being of the neighborhood or its residents or as the city as a whole. And finally, um any of you on the council who may be thinking, well, maybe we just just give them a chance. I would say, well, they've had a chance for eight years and they have blown it. For these reasons, I respectfully request that this application be denied. [22:45] Thank you. >> Thanks, Patrick. >> Could we also add on? >> Yeah, anyone is welcome to come up to for the open forum. Just state your name and address. >> Thank you so much. And I'd like to repeat what um our neighbor said. We are the Bachmann family. We are at Six Point Road. We've lived there since before CO in uh 2019. We love the neighborhood. [23:07] There's nothing like it. We're so grateful because it's very focused on the wildlife and on the river. And that's [clears throat] why this is such an unbelievable issue that has come up that all the neighbors have had to deal with. We don't know when this is going to happen. And it's like since Airbnb came around now, this is an idea that people want to have. And supposedly there's one fellow in our neighborhood that has an Airbnb. So others aren't supposed to be able to do that. So it's it looks like this Cad's Homes is trying to get around that. [23:41] Well, we don't know if we'll go into more detail. >> What I would ask is that the council would change the ordinance. That's what I'm here to say tonight. Change the ordinance so that people like us don't have to deal with this. We bought our house thinking that the use was going to be private and residential. We never would have bought there if we thought that it was going to be commercial. We wanted to have privacy. But now, this is terrible. when you have 200 people showing up for a beer party and a dope party because that's what they're doing. [24:15] It's drugs. It's alcohol. We don't know what they're going to do, when they're going to do it. There's trash left around. We have little grandchildren at our house. Other neighbors have little children. It's it's very very dangerous what they're doing on the river. And also, what are they doing environmentally to the river? We're all as neighbors very conscious of the environmental impact that we have on the river. That's not happening here. So, what we're asking is that you change the ordinances. [24:50] Please change the ordinance so that these short-term rentals in a property like that don't happen. The other thing I'd like to mention is just on the CBD that there's going to be a a CBD a marijuana store here on Main Street and it's it's going to completely change the look of Bayport. Bayport is a simple wonderful town and if you have neon signs for CBD, this is going to be attracting and advertising this especially to young people. The research is overwhelming on the impact of marijuana. And so anyway, we're we're opposed to CBD on Main Street, neon signs, young people are going to be impacted. And it's negative. I mean, it's the kind of thing where we've [25:35] literally had the conversation, should we move? Should we move from this town? Cuz it it seems like the character of Bayport is changing from the most wonderful small town to now external people coming in on these short-term rentals or Airbnbs or whatever you want to call them. They're misusing the river. We pay a lot of taxes. We pay a lot of property tax. And we're there to use the river in the weekend. And then we got to share the neighborhood and the river with dope parties and beer parties with people [clears throat] who shouldn't be there. Come on. We don't want >> I think I think we understand your point and I think we'll help clarify some of those things. So, I hope you stay for the rest of the meeting to hear um the the talk about the short-term rentals and also about the cannabis retailer [26:21] that's coming. He's here and we have some great rules around both of those that I think are going to help both situations for you. >> Well, it sounds like as Patrick said, the rules were changed. >> The rules weren't changed. We um >> the rules are the rules. >> We want you to hear us because this is an extremely important issue to that we consider moving over it. [26:41] >> I hear you and I hope respect what we're saying here today. >> Yeah, we do. and I hope you stay and respect the rules that we made around these things already to try to help. >> Right now, there are no rules for that home. I think you're going to be appreciative that there are short-term rental rules. So, >> hello. [27:00] >> For the record, neither that property is not on VBO or B&B. I just checked. >> No, it isn't right now. So, anyways, let's Yeah. Hi. Hi. Address, please. >> Zach Gates 7point Road. Um, so I'm just here to echo support. Uh, and I feel I have a right to make my voice heard, too, as a new father. Uh, I have a 5-month old baby. And same idea, you know, I look forward to the derby days every summer and the idea of a cannabis shop opening. I'm actually from California. It does not improve a town. [27:29] I don't care if it's legal. It just it's not something that you want kids to be around. Want to make my voice heard on that. Um, and I moved into this town because I wanted my kid to grow up in this type of an environment. Bayport's awesome. I love it. the bridges talk about the Christmas lights on the street. It's a very wholesome town. You don't really get a lot of that nowadays. [27:49] It's kind of a dwindling thing, unfortunately. So, want to make my voice heard there. Um, same thing with the rental uh the short-term rental in the neighborhood. Um, it's a very safe and fun neighborhood to be in, Point Road. And, uh, with what we saw over the last summer, all the events, um, you know, it reminded me of my college town. And it's not why I want to live there. not the environment I want my kid to grow up in. [28:13] So, just wanted to be here and let you all hear what I have to say. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Did you say your name was Kate >> or >> Gates? Gates. >> Oh, Gates. Okay. >> Thank you. >> No, we can't. >> That's the other one. >> That's really confusing. >> That would be very confusing. I see why I Thank you. [28:31] >> Okay. Anyone else that would like to speak on topics not? No. Okay. Scouts are taking notes. You guys picked a good one. >> Yes, this is an exciting meeting. Woo! Good for you. Okay. >> All right. So then, um, consent agenda. [28:48] >> I'd like to move that we pull item number nine out of the consent agenda for discussion. >> Do you do that after or before I read everything? >> No, Madam Mayor, we can do it right now. And then >> where should we put it? >> Um, number one under new business. We'll just move everything else down. And then um also >> just to mention that um adding language to number 14. [29:11] >> Yeah, I'll I'll mention that. >> Perfect. >> Right. Okay. [laughter] >> Okay. So, we're going to consider a resolution adopting items 1 through 14. the no November 3rd um city council workshop and regular meeting minutes. The November payables and receipts, November building, plumbing, mechanical, and zoning permits report. Renewal of the liquor and tobacco licenses for 2026. [29:37] Anyone here to oppose that? I'm just kidding. Renewal of employee health and dental insurance policies. Street name change request for Bay Haven at Bayport. um the pay application number two for Drestle Contracting for the 4th Avenue North Street improvement project. We're moving number nine, which is the short-term rental license application to new business as discussed. And then uh we have acknowledgement of the withdrawal from the MS4, which is the municipal separate storm sewer system program. Uh interfuds for 2025. [30:17] um contract extension with tennis sanitation for residential waste recycling services and recycling services. Um the aerial swivel repair for the fire department ladder one and acknowledgement of um two unit zoning classification for 363 5th Avenue North with the small change to help explain the prior variance as we discussed at our workshop. [30:51] Um, do I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> I'll move to adopt the resolution approving the consent agenda with the changes the mayor specified. >> Thanks, John. Thanks, Ethan. [31:08] [clears throat] All right, roll call, please. >> Council member Bliss, >> I. >> Council member Gilmore, >> I. >> Council member Dah, >> I. >> Council member Hill, >> I. Mayor Hansen >> I Okay, so public hearings. Um we're going to um certify past due utility bills to property taxes. Matt's going to present the item. [31:31] >> Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of council. Uh pursuant to chapter 444 of the Minnesota State Statute, um property owners with past water and sewer charges are afforded due process before the city council. um before their delinquent amounts are certified to their property taxes. Um the purpose of this hearing essentially is to allow for property owners to contest the charges um for certification. Um [clears throat] our office staff, specifically Mary Glette, has been working diligently on trying to uh get ahead of some of these past due charges, calling um sending letters, um trying to coordinate that. [32:13] and we've reduced the list even um to what has been posted on the uh um on the agenda. So um we're happy to say that there's still some outstanding but it's been reduced. So there's no penalty or interest charges that have been added to the amounts but there is a penalty um for being placed um once it's placed on the county um uh certification list or once it makes it to the county. So um [clears throat] they have a couple of more days to um make their payments um but once def um I don't know the exact date but um at the end of the December the uh the amounts [32:59] will be certified. So, city staff recommends city council accept the the attached list with any reductions already made um for people who have paid recently and we'll keep reducing the list um moving forward. Um but essentially any unpaid ones on the list for certification to Washington County. [33:18] >> Okay. Thanks, Matt. Um, so let's open the public hearing and anyone that wants to come forward, state their name and address and comment for the record about this topic. Not here for that. Okay. Do I have a motion to close the public hearing? [33:35] >> I move to close the public hearing. >> Thanks, Carl. >> I second. >> Thanks, Katie. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Um, so now does anyone have discussion or would you like to make a motion to approve certification of the past to utility bills? [33:54] >> I mean, it's a it's pretty normal procedure [laughter] we do every year. Go for it. >> I'll make a motion to approve the certification of the past due utility bills to the property taxes as we've uh been presented. [34:10] >> Thanks, John. I second. Thank you, Katie. Um, let's see. All in favor? >> I >> I. >> All right. Anyone opposed? Okay. So, now we'll move on to new business and we will start with the um consent agenda item that we moved um the application for a short-term rental license from Jennifer Kates at 17point road. Um, Matt, could you please help give a little background on some of the misunderstandings about the short-term rental ordinance and maybe how having this in place as I see it, is it going to be a benefit to the residents around them? Maybe I [34:55] can explain that if you don't want to, but >> Sure, Madam Mayor. I'll first I'll go through kind of like um the process for Kate's uh leading up to this and then maybe discuss a couple of the restrictions um and maybe notification um that was changed. [35:11] >> So Kate's Fine Homes applied for the short-term rental. Um the property was reviewed for zoning compliance by city staff um and then also for building code compliance um multiple times in August and then for fire code also in August. [35:27] Uh the property was also inspected by Washington County which is a requirement um on October 28th. So a full inspection has been completed as far as um public safety um standards. So So based on the application information in the site inspection, property has been deemed eligible for short-term rental license uh subject to um council approval. So for city ordinance, there are actually two kind of two areas that an license can be denied um if they meet all of the requirements. So one, the property owner provides false or misleading statement or documentation on the application form or sub supplemental property [36:13] information. or to the existence of a development contract, excuse me, such as a planned unit development, HOA, neighborhood association, something that doesn't allow for that or restricts rental units. Um, [clears throat] with that said, there are multiple requirements within code um about uh violations and um requirements of uh usage um and amount of people allowed to be at the location, right? Um, do you want me to go in depth on each of those or [clears throat] >> um, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to address the the party um, part of it if [36:59] we can if we know the restrictions on people and parking and noise. >> So, noise restrictions are limited to from 10:00 a.m. to >> I'm sorry, 1000 p.m. >> to 7:00 a.m. Um, I'm just going through the application here. So, um, the property has four bedrooms. We allow a maximum of four guests per bedroom. Um, it appears that the STR guests allowed on the premises is nine as [clears throat] proposed by Kates Vine Homes. Um, there are accessory vehicles allowed on the premises, which is a boat. Um, let's see. [37:40] I think it's good for the neighbors to understand what the rules are around that house so you know when to call and say, you know, they there's obviously more than 16 people there or whatever. Where right now you have not a lot of to >> special >> to help control those special events >> to 16 people. [37:59] >> It will be once this short-term rental is applied, but they there is no rule for a home. Yeah, you could have a party every single day with 100 people, >> but shortterm on our ordinance, it says no special events, allowed parties, camping, fireworks, or discharge of firearms allowed. So, there's straight in there if you were applying, you need to know this rule, but if they don't apply and they just do it, then we can't enforce it. Correct. [38:28] >> Well, we >> there are certain things >> like noise ordinances, the firearms probably we could probably do that, but I don't know if that that was just written in the >> Yeah. So, I think I'm hoping that you'll see this as a benefit that there is a short-term rental application for that house. [38:45] >> So, it's limited to 16 people. >> Well, it says nine on >> Yes. It's limited to 16, but they're applying to only have nine, right? >> Yeah. >> So, they applied for STR guests allowed on premises. Nine. A maximum of 12 guests are allowed on the premises. [39:00] >> Yeah. I don't know why it says that, but >> does that include the yard? Yeah, that's premises would be >> premises. >> So you're saying if the application means you can enforce that limit otherwise if they didn't apply they could have as many people as they want. [39:16] >> Exactly. >> Like what's not a big evil thing short-term rentals are something that are trying to make people's lives miserable. >> Helping you to to put some rules on that especially that home which sounds like it has been a problem in the past. So, >> I think it's going to be a benefit to you guys and I hope you see it that way. [39:36] If you still have questions, I welcome you to come to the >> the previous council put those in place to prevent what you're >> a lot of us were still on this council. You were on the council then, but yeah, >> I can still say the previous. >> You can say the previous cuz you're new. Yeah, >> I have a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter who like to go out and bike and walk in the neighborhood. I've already mentioned previous parties there's been excessive drinking and drug use and I'm concerned about my children being in danger in this environment. [40:06] >> How I just want to understand Patrick how you want us to control for that. I feel like this this short-term rental application approving this will help control for that in some way. Otherwise, I don't know other than calling the police if they're doing something. You know what I Like, so the application, >> but why does denying that help? Cuz they're already doing it without the short-term rental. So, I don't get how denying it helps that they're going to still do it. They're going to still have wild. [40:35] >> Now, you have teeth. You have teeth. You can go after 16 people. You call the police immedately and they have to they'll have to leave. >> Do you see that? Do you see the benefit for you? >> Chris Kringle's property is finally getting cleaned up. >> Yeah. It's been over 20 years. [40:52] >> Yes. >> Okay. If there's an issue, if there's a problem, how long is it going to take for this to get permanently remediated? >> I wish I could explain that to you, but I think you have more >> one of my big concerns. You You can sit there and say, "Hey, we've got rules. [41:09] They have to follow the rules, and if there's a problem, we'll we'll talk to them about the rules." Well, Chris Kangle's had 20 years. >> So Chris Kangle has nothing to do with his short-term. Why did you you were on council when Crangle was some of that stuff was going on. [41:25] >> Well, okay. >> So, it's funny how it switched. >> Yeah. But anyways, just to get back to the point, I want to understand what you are proposing we do. If we deny this short-term application, which we don't have any legal right to do. There's nothing in their application that says they shouldn't have it >> based on our ordinance, which I understand you want us to change the ordinance, which we're not going to do right now. The city council can deny it at their own discretion. Is that right? [41:52] >> Not technically. If they meet all the criteria, >> they would have to meet the two requirements that the property owner provides false or misleading statement or documentation on the application form or supplemental property information or that the existence of a as long as they meet all the requirements from a zoning standpoint and criteria that and [clears throat] that those two are met. or the existence of the development contract or some other document that doesn't allow it um then essentially they are eligible for a short-term rental license. [42:27] >> So you're saying is the city council has no power to deny this. >> Correct. >> Correct. Doesn't sound like >> even on the consent agenda >> because it has to come. >> We still have to review it and >> it's not in an administrative. The reason that I wanted it to come to council, like they we didn't have to do that, but I remember when we wrote all of this up, just so we're aware, so we know where the short-term rentals are. [42:52] Otherwise, things are happening and the council doesn't even know what you know what I mean. Like, you wouldn't even have known because it wouldn't have been on an agenda anywhere. So, it's a it's just helping, I think, with more awareness. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I'm speaking to everybody up here. Would you want this in your neighborhood? [43:09] >> Yes. >> No, I wouldn't. >> Hey, come on. Don't speak for me. What do you think you are? >> I'm concerned. >> What? Don't Don't I was asked a question. I was answering. I'm not interacting. >> No, I'm not going to settle down. >> It's okay. >> It's ridiculous. You guys are being at the I agree. The audience needs to be respectful. Um if you're called to speak at the podium, you can speak, but let's not shout things out from the audience. [43:35] Okay. >> So, I was asked question a hypocrite. I didn't call you a hypocrite. >> You said I was on the council and I council. >> Is that a fact or >> John? I think we've had enough. >> Is that a fact or not? >> You guys, >> I didn't use the word hypocrite. Come up to the podium. I'm not going to put up with this garbage. [43:55] >> This saying drug parties and this you guys at the party then you were part of the problem. How do you know this stuff? >> This is garbage. >> That's >> okay. John, that's enough. Patrick, that's enough. Thank you. Um, what is the definition of a short-term part of rental? Is that like one night or less 30 less than 30 makes it a short-term rental? [44:19] >> So, could they rent it then like for an evening? Is that a short-term rental? >> It depends on the rules of >> That's what we've witnessed. You know, we talk about part they are drug parties. They are booze parties. We see it. >> We've already heard all of that. I'm not going to listen again to how they're parties. We understand they're having parties. Can you help under Can you see that we're trying to help this situation by imposing some more rules on this home? [44:45] >> We're just trying to ask questions. That's it. And so my question, we're trying to give you answers. >> So So usually like an Airbnb that's like a night or two nights or something like that. And it seems like this is trying to get around the Airbnb rule by allowing for like a one night rental. [45:02] cuz I don't understand. When people rent a house, you're renting it for months or a year. That's not what this is. This isn't like renting to a family or a group of people. This is renting for parties. >> No, it's renting for anybody that wants to stay. [45:20] >> We're We're happy to hear that it's Did you say nine people? Only nine people can go. >> The application indicated nine. >> Okay. So then that means like we shouldn't see more than nine people in the yard. There shouldn't be, you know, more than what four cars or so on the in the driveway. [45:37] >> And no parties. I mean it's in the ordinance. So the >> Oh, the ordinance. No parties. >> No events. Special events. >> No special events. >> No special events. >> So like tents like they have big tents and >> no special events, loud parties and all that stuff. So they can't have all that. >> No loud. That wouldn't consider a party. [45:54] I didn't know that. >> See, I'm glad you stayed so you could hear. Well, that's why if we could get a copy of this, it should be online. >> If we could get a copy of it, that'd be very helpful for us. We're not coming here hostile. What you're seeing from us >> is we've lived with this. We've lived with the Chris Kringle thing. We've lived with all this for years. We've been extremely patient in my opinion. [46:20] So, we don't want to see our property values continue to slide. And if this is a party house, this is going to be a terrible thing for our neighborhood. >> Do you understand that alcohol is legal and so is marijuana? Do you understand that? So you can't tell people they can and can't do that >> in a private setting. [46:38] >> But our experience is Patrick, it says, should we get rid of all the liquor lic people? There's been 200 people in that yard. >> And we agree with you that we're trying to eliminate that by passing this. So we actually have teeth in it. So when we call Jay or another officer, they can go out there and be like, "This isn't the ordinance. There can be a maximum of nine people here." That's it. [46:57] >> Yeah. >> And it gets beyond that, then call the police and hopefully get them removed. >> But we're glad that we know that we have that right to be able to do that. That's a big difference. >> But the idea of renting for like one night, how is that not an Airbnb? [47:15] >> It is. That's exactly >> That's what a short-term rental is. Okay. So, we have one guy who is a short-term rental in Airbnb and I thought they couldn't do anymore. >> No, the rules are that every single house on Point Road could be a short-term rental. >> Excuse me. I'll we'll explain the the actual ordinance is that they can't be adjacent to one another, >> but we could also if we decided that the council has some say on, which we did do. Um we approved one on Fifth Avenue North, 6th Avenue North. that is across the street from another one. So, we have the the say in that, but this one isn't. [47:54] It's not adjacent. The the the properties aren't touching. So, there is no reason to have to allow a variance for that. >> So, do you have to approve short-term rentals? Are you require Matt explained earlier, they meet all of the requirements of our short-term rental ordinance. [48:10] They have to have lied on the form basically or you have to have an HOA or some other body that rules over the city's rules and says you can't have them. >> But the other thing is the Bayport City Council could change the ordinance and just not allow >> We could, but we're not going to. I I have no intentions of changing the short-term rental ordinance right now. [48:35] are finally getting some short-term rentals to come to Bayport, which I think is a good thing. We have no hotels in our city. If someone wants to have company come and stay near them in this city, that is one way they can do that. It's another way for people to come here and experience our city and decide if they want to live here or not. There's lots of benefits of a short-term rental. [48:56] I know you've seen horrible things happening at this house. It's not a short-term rental right now. So, you don't even have anything to complain about in terms of it being a short-term rental because it hasn't been one. >> Now, it will not a licensed one. >> Not a licensed one. Exactly. >> They're used. I I use them. I go see my daughter in college and it's a great way for me to go not throw $400 at some expensive hotel, stay in somebody's spare bedroom for a very reasonable fee for two nights or one night. That's that's how some of these work. [49:30] >> As a user, a frequent user of these platforms, it's in my best interest to be a good guest. >> Yes. >> Uh to leave the property in good condition. >> Mhm. >> We're just telling you that's not our experience. >> You have not been experiencing a short-term rental under our ordinance. [49:46] It has not existed at that home and it will now. So, I think it's going to change and you're going to be happier. We hope. >> A couple of items. So, one, there has been a short-term rental as indicated on Point Road. >> That's the Not in this home though. [50:02] >> Not in this home. On one point road for >> couple years. Five years. >> Years. >> Yep. Um and then two, there are some reg other regulations on short-term rentals. One being Well, the biggest being that um you mentioned not allowing them. The city does only allow 10 properties in the whole city to be a shortterm rental. [50:23] Yep. And so currently there are four um with six open licenses remaining. >> One thing. >> So can I just add do does your short-term rental is that Airbnbs too? >> That's exactly what it means. Yes. Airbnbs >> because we had this this is you said it's one point road is the number because last summer they had [cough] two huge events at one point road and it was about at least 200. We had cars going all up and down on Point Road. Now that you're informed, >> events, >> now that you're informed, you may call on those. [50:57] >> So each of those houses can only have nine. Did you say? >> Well, I don't know what the rule is around the one point road, but look into those details and then when you see issues, >> call the police. >> Okay. Matt, one thing on the issue or on the uh ordinance for the short-term rental, if people are violating our conditions, we can revoke their >> absolutely. [51:17] >> Yep. Yeah. So that's in our ordinance. So that gives us >> how many times can they >> which doesn't necessarily help you because then they'll go back to having the bigger parties. So I'm not but anyways >> weird. >> So the occupancy is is limited to four per bedroom with one additional guest per dwelling and in no case shall there be more than 12 guests per premise as right on the Bayport's website. It's very easy to find this stuff. [51:47] >> 12 is the max. Let us move on. We do have to actually approve that application or not. So, we need now since we don't have since it wasn't pulled out, we need to um write our own motion off the top of our heads, which I think we can do. Is anyone ready to do that? [52:07] >> You can read number nine, maybe. >> Yes. >> I'll make a motion uh for the application for a short-term rental license from Jennifer Kates at 17point Road. >> Saying you approve it. Approve. Yeah. All right. Thanks, Ethan and John. Um, I assume we can do we need a roll call for that. We can just Okay. All in favor? I. [52:28] >> Anyone opposed? Okay. All right. Thank you. Thanks for voicing your concerns. I hope this you see that this will be beneficial. All right. Um, now we get to do another exciting topic. [52:45] Um, consider a resolution approving conditional use permit for retail cannabis business at 2433rd Street North. Submitted by applicant Brandon Van Aston. Is that how you say it? Thanks. Um, of My Dealer LLC. And it looks like Brandon's here too if we have questions about this. Um, let's see. Uh, Amanda is gonna present. Thank you. [53:14] >> Okay. I remember last time. >> Oh. >> Oh, lots of different things to I feel like it was this guy. >> Yeah, I feel like it was this guy. >> Awesome. >> Harrison, we have another one at the podium. [54:01] Boy Scouts got their money's worth tonight. >> Yeah, they did. [snorts] >> Yeah. Hope you earned like six badges or something for this one. >> [laughter] [54:18] >> Jeez, [54:26] >> you didn't need to be snarky with Patrick. [clears throat] >> That he was on. >> Well, he was. >> We don't need to be snarky. >> Well, it's interesting. >> I wasn't snarky though about the What do you want to deny though? >> Alcohol. Okay. [54:45] >> My heart was racing. >> Two screens. Amanda. >> Uh, yeah. Let's see. PC screen only. >> That better. >> I see. Now, thank you. >> It really didn't like that. [clears throat] [55:05] >> Okay. >> Something wrong with that TV there. Oh, >> well. Oh, they might. I guess those folks that's their main. >> Well, there's one down here. Maybe they got those on their own. >> Okay. >> Okay. Looks like we got tech working. [55:24] >> It's fine. >> Thank you. >> It's all good. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so there is a cup for retail cannabis at 243rd Street North um for the council's consideration. Uh real quickly, we will do a very quick review of the cannabis uh zoning [clears throat] code just to remind you what your current rules say, the summary of the application, zoning analysis, and what was decided at the planning commission or recommended, excuse me, at the planning commission, and then council discussion and vote. [55:54] >> And just for the record, are we It's the current Heartfeld Silks building if anybody's wondering what that address is. Okay, not the accessory building, but just >> Sorry. So, your B2 and your industrial district do permit some cannabis businesses. They permit uh temporary cannabis events. Hemp, which is the low potency edible retailers are permitted. [56:17] And then uh hemp as an accessory use is permitted in liquor stores. So, that's the THC beverages. As conditional uses in the B2 district, uh you do allow the sale of cannabis uh products. You do not allow growing or harvesting, packaging or uh labeling, manufacturing or testing. Recently you changed um the code to allow delivery services if you recall as a conditional use. In industrial all uh hemp related, excuse me, cannabis related businesses are conditional uses. [56:54] As a reminder, in the city there is a single registration to sell cannabis. So you only have one retail registration. That is the registration that we would register through the office of cannabis management um to allow for the actual selling of cannabis product that can come through either a cannabis retailer, a micro business or a mezzo business. Those are the three business types that are permitted to sell cannabis in the state of Minnesota. The way that the ordinance is set up is it is processed as a first come first serve. So essentially for the first person in line to apply, you hypothetically would be the first person to get that registration provided you can, you know, meet all of the requirements. Um, and that could potentially go to a retailer, like I said, a cannabis micro business or a cannabis mezo business. Those are three [57:40] different types of licenses under the state law. Moving to the property uh at hand, that's 243rd Street. This is zoned B2 central business. It is surrounded by a mix of commercial and residential land uses. Uh just a reminder, this B2 zoning district is designed and intended for intense multifunctional commercial uses. [58:03] Moving to the specific application, My Dealer LLC, he is uh looking to open a cannabis retail dispensary. In other words, he's not looking to do growing or manufacturing on site. He has obtained a preliminary license from the Office of Cannabis Management. His proposed retail buildout will focus on security enhancements and odor mitigation, two things that are required under our ordinance. Signage will follow city code. Importantly, there will be no neon lights. In addition, um it should be noted that under state law, there is really strict rules around what signage they can have. They can't have, you know, like a big cannabis leaf. They can't have um signs that say cannabis sold here in giant letters. Uh so although we do have sign uh sign code that he has to follow, the reality is is [58:49] state law is probably more stringent. Um operating hours proposed are from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. He estimates approximately 10 employees uh will work at this business with two on site during business hours and there is parking in the rear of the building. [59:07] Uh if you see here, this is sort of the layout of the property um uh excuse me of the business. So for um under state law, you do need to have sort of a entrance [clears throat] area, a secured entrance area where people who are interested in purchasing cannabis product would go in, get their ID checked. There is no um product in this room and then you wait and you go into a second room where the product is and that's where you would purchase the product and then leave. [59:38] Zoning analysis. Um so just as a reminder the state issues all cannabis business related licenses. Our review is limited to the following. We will confirm compliance with city zoning code. Uh as said the sale of adult use cannabis flour and products is a conditional use in the B2 zoning district meaning that what he is proposing is permitted. Uh but we can attach reasonable conditions. [1:00:04] Uh confirm compliance with city regulations for cannabis businesses. Uh this would include general regulations as well as the specific regulations that are unique to cannabis businesses, odor mitigation, security, and the like. We need to confirm that the business has a valid state license. Uh right now he has the pre-licens that will turn into a license once he gets frankly the approvals here at the city level. [1:00:29] Uh and we can also conduct a preliminary site inspection to confirm compliance with city code. So that's just to confirm that uh he has in fact the security measures that we may require or in our case as you as you'll see in a minute [clears throat] um we require some modifications to the parking lot things like that that he's completed those items. [1:00:48] So as I mentioned we do have some specific cannabis provisions in our city code hours of operation. We said that they can operate the cannabis business between uh 10:00 a.m. and 1000 p.m. uh 7 days a week. Again, he is proposing 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. So, he's within those hours. Um, he cannot have noise carrying beyond the lot upon which the business is located. Except for normal car and pedestrian activity, there isn't any reason to believe there would be additional noise from this business. Um, the outdoors, excuse me, the the property needs to be ventilated so that if somebody were to be walking by, you're not getting a weed smell. Um, and all of the use needs to happen indoors. [1:01:27] There is no outdoor activity or or storage permitted. As I mentioned as well, we do have rules around signage that they need to follow sign uh our sign code. The exterior uh signs cannot have cannabis flower. It cannot be neon. But again, state law is pretty strict on this as well. So, um he needs to follow both security. There cannot be like the security bars or gates, grills, those kinds of things on the windows. [1:01:58] So staff findings, uh, we found that the proposed hours of operation meet the ordinance, that the building upgrades he is proposing, including the installation of a carbon filtration system to eliminate olders, that restricted access vault for inventory storage and security doors and locks, meet our requirements. [1:02:17] The existing rear gravel parking lot is adequately sized uh to meet the employees and the projected um traffic and it can be supplemented by existing on street parking for customers. Um one item of note uh the proposed conditions of approval do require that he pave and restripe that back parking lot. So that he'll bring that up to code. [1:02:47] So, okay. So, based on that, we are recommending approval um with the 16 conditions listed in the staff report. Um and this came before the planning commission on November 17th. They held the public hearing. There were no uh public comments made on the record at the meeting. However, there were two written comments that were presented as part of the packet prior to the meeting. [1:03:09] Uh the planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the CUP with the conditions listed in the staff report. One item that came up at the planning commission meeting that I would like to address now, so hopefully we don't have to spend 30 minutes talking about here is consumption. Uh so there was a lot of confusion about the idea that people would be consuming this product on site andor right outside the doors, etc., etc. Minnesota statute 342, >> it's like you do with a liquor store, right? You can just walk outside and you >> can't do that either. So Minnesota statute 342.09, this is the law that says where you can consume cannabis. So in other words, if it's not listed here as an area where you can consume cannabis, it's not [1:03:55] permitted. So you can use adult use cannabis flour and adult use cannabis products in the following locations. A private residence, so that would be somebody's yard. um on private property not generally accessible by the public and on premises of an establishment or an event licensed to permit on-site consumption. Again, he is not licensed isn't able to get licensed to do on-site consumption outside of an event permit, which would be a maximum of like a 4-day event um to consume cannabis. So, there will not be cannabis consumed at the site. There will not be people uh if you notice this does not allow public consumption of cannabis. That is not one of the places where you can consume cannabis. So the sidewalks you cannot consume cannabis. Um in the alleys you [1:04:43] cannot consume cannabis. In the park you cannot consume cannabis. So uh consumption is not a part of the business plan and it is not really an issue um in this situation. >> [snorts] >> So, the next steps are for the council to discuss the application. Um, and then there is a proposed motion to approve the cannabis business um to allow the retail cannabis business at 243rd Street North. I know the applicant is here to take questions as well and I'm also available for questions. [1:05:16] >> Thank you, Amanda. I think the number one thing that we need to make sure is clear, and I'm not sure if you said it and I just didn't hear it, but Minnesota law states that quote, "A local unit of government may not prohibit the establishment or operation of a cannabis business." Period. So, we have to allow a cannabis business whether people like it or not. We can put rules around it. [1:05:44] And we have decided as a city of Bayport that we will at at this moment allow one cannabis business. Am I correct in in that statement? So yes, but there's a little bit of nuance to that. Um we there's different types of cannabis businesses, right? So there's businesses that are going going to be growing it because keep in mind uh you cannot transport cannabis across state lines. So whatever is being sold here is being grown and manufactured here. Uh, and I can let the applicant speak to this, but that's actually the largest problem for retailers right now is there isn't enough product to be able to sell. Uh, so, um, all of those are different types of businesses. Yes, we do need to permit those different types of cannabis businesses, but they don't all have to be permitted everywhere. In [1:06:31] other words, we don't have to say that every zoning district is is open to every single type. >> We can have rules around it is what I said, right? And we can limit the retail businesses to one per 12,500 >> residents. [1:06:47] >> Yes. >> Okay. >> All right. So, I just want to make sure that was clear that we didn't go out like searching for this. He knows that he can be here. He's welcome. I welcome him here. I don't know how the rest of the council feels right now, but um yeah. And I also wanted to I wish that the people that got up and complained about a cannabis business coming to town would have stayed to hear this. So they knew that there are rules in place around this as well, including signage. Uh no bright neon lights, all of that are going to happen on our main street. Um so I don't know. I don't know what else we >> I mean we as a council have talked about [1:07:33] this. Obviously, we put together our rules around what we wanted and what we didn't want. So, we've been through all of this and we have all agreed that we um will allow at least one retailer in Bayport and we now have that application and he meets all of the criteria similar to that short-term rental meets all the criteria, right? Um, so I I don't know what there is to discuss, but if there's something on your mind, let me >> I don't know if you guys saw the emails that were sent in to the planning commission, but they were mainly um I think one of them thought it was going to be like a smoking club, like we're all just going to go in there and just smoke >> weed it all the time or something, but it's not. You're going to purchase it. [1:08:19] And then they were worried [clears throat] about >> the parking. they are thinking there's going to be like 100 people going in there. You know what I mean? Where it's the parking for what he's selling is going to be fine with the spots out front. I don't think there's ever going to be really many people going on the side. Um and then them just sitting in their car and smoking. But that could happen now, too. [1:08:42] >> That's true. >> Or leaving the liquor store and going sitting at their property and drinking the 40 they just bought. >> Yeah. and it's and it's not his job to regulate that either. So, >> yeah, I did watch the planning commission meeting and yeah, there were a lot of questions from the planning commission. [1:08:59] >> Um, and think it got all resolved. I did have one um question. Do you have to make an appointment to go to purchase or could you walk in [clears throat] as long as you >> Okay, the response was you can walk in because he's not at the microphone. So, >> would you like to continue? only if anyone has other questions. [1:09:20] >> I think there's a the perception and and fear right now as we see not necessarily cannabis shops or CBD, but you know, neighboring communities with smoke shops with massive blade flags and neon signs. [1:09:37] And I think and this is this is some of the best uh retail locations we have. Oh, this is the probably the best >> Yeah. prime retail location we have in Bayport on Main Street there. >> So, I think that's the that's the fear in from our neighbors and and being a good neighbor >> is the and we have ordinances. [1:09:59] >> Excellent point. Yeah. I mean, there's a, you know, people I think are really mistaken and that they think of, you know, maybe back to their high school days or college days a little bit and smoking weed and quite frankly, those were usually the people that weren't causing a lot of problems in my experience. [laughter] But um >> we do have young ears in here today. [1:10:23] >> It's life. >> If you go, if [clears throat] you go into one, >> they should learn this. They will learn this. it it's not you know there are professional people that use these products now lawyers doctors every walk of life and it's not drug parties and um and I'm sure there are um illicit drugs that are consumed and those are terrible um in in my experience um cannabis even hemp derived things in marijuana aren't in that category so I'm firmly in favor of something like this. [1:11:00] >> Oh, >> we have a question from the audience. What do we do? >> Go up there. >> You do. I will let you come up here. Come on up. >> Is this by the way citizenship in the community merit badge? >> It is uh for communication mirror badge. >> Oh, even better. >> Communication. >> Um I don't know. I've never >> Name and address. [1:11:18] >> Uh my name is Christina Cook. I live at 3545th Street North in Bayport here. Um, I know that a couple years ago there was a proposal for one where Froggies was, I think, and it was denied something based on >> I think close to the school. [1:11:36] >> I think that was all made up, >> wasn't it? >> Was it made up? I don't know. Mayor, members of the council, there was no formal application submitted. >> Okay. Well, was there a rule of something about being too close? Maybe it was gossip on Facebook. Who knows? >> Yes, I think it was on Facebook kind of. But is there a rule with it being too close to a school? [1:11:53] >> That's a really good question. And >> it's not going to matter anyways cuz the school's leaving. >> The school will be gone soon. But just so you know, no, we did because we have such a small business district, it was really difficult to even then where would anybody be if we had one? So we ended up not >> having any restriction around schools. [1:12:14] And then where do you draw that line? Like okay, so is it playgrounds and is it also like churches and like correct? And we didn't do it like the liquor store is literally right there downtown too. So it's like well so we didn't we didn't set that. >> Thanks for >> Yeah. Thanks for asking. That is a good question. [1:12:30] >> Um trying to think if there was anything else that I just wanted to make sure was point I think it would be nice I guess Brandon if you do want to because some people don't watch planning commission meetings but they might want to meet you at least and see that you know what you're talking about. I think it was great to see your bio in our packet. Again, not everyone's going [clears throat] to read that, but just tell us a little bit about your your history and kind of your vision, and I think it would be kind of nice for everyone to hear that. Of >> course, welcome, >> mayor. Council members, great to meet you. Um, I'm Brandon, the applicant here for Across the Street. I'm going to be your neighbor. Be exciting. [laughter] Um, I've been in the industry for about eight years. Uh so there have been two medical operators in the state since [1:13:15] 2014. I am currently employed by one of them but uh am taking the leap into my own entrepreneurial journey uh here. So I'm excited to take that leap. I'm a CPA. [1:13:32] Um, so I'm I'm financially, you know, there and I understand I understand the difficulty of running these businesses. They're it's not it's not a simple business to run. A lot of people think it's kind of a get-richqu thing and everybody's just going to flood the store and and buy your product, but it is really a competitive place to play in. Um, the black market is very strong. It's been around forever and it's been >> really the only place for people to purchase cannabis. There are no rules. [1:14:07] There is no testing of product. There are no taxes. There are no payroll taxes. There are no there's no compliance or hoops to jump through for the black market. And over time, that's what I hope to chip away at. Uh but that's not going to happen overnight. uh people are going to continue purchasing from the illicit market. Um but just like alcohol over over time prohibition ended and people were always consuming alcohol. They were getting it illicitly. Now it's silly to brew your own beer because it's cheaper to buy it legally. Um that will be the future of cannabis someday, but it's going to take [1:14:54] time. >> Mhm. Um, as it relates to community concerns around consumption, cannabis has been legal for over a year now. So, people are consuming cannabis in the community legally. Um, they're just growing it themselves or they're purchasing hemp derived uh cannabis from the far less regulated sources. Um, the hemp shops have through the 2018 Farm Bill, uh, access to hemp, which is by definition currently less than.3% THC by weight. So, you can extract pure THC out [1:15:40] of hemp and have it in a concentrated uh, form, put it in an edible at a dosage which is intoxicating, uh, and sell that as hemp. Um, it's just a way to get around all of the compliance, the testing, and uh, some of the complexities of of real just good oldfashioned natural canvas, which is what what I'm what I'm doing. [1:16:09] >> Just con little context on like where the industry is in Minnesota and and what what this means to the community. Um there will not be it's not like you're the highway store that you see uh with all the neon signs and they're selling weird chemicals from China in addition to their intoxicating hemp. Um that that is a a very unregulated space. [1:16:38] Um, you're not going to see nitrous oxide and weirdratom products and and all that kind of stuff out of the store. This is a cannabis natural cannabis store. >> Okay, great. And I'm just curious, do you know what percentage of the purchases are flour versus gummy versus vape or, you know, all the different, you know, cuz I feel like people picture it just being flour. [1:17:11] >> Yeah. And the majority of it is between flour and pre-rolls about 60% of sales can be assumed in that in that bucket. And that's on the even that's the adult use or is that the medical? >> Um both because medical is a very um >> it's a very liberal medical program, >> right? Yeah. [1:17:32] >> Uh so a lot of the customers that would be adult use customers. At least the the best customer, I guess the the more heavy user is going to already be a medical patient typically. Yeah. >> But yeah, it's it's primarily flour followed by vape vape cartridges. [1:17:50] >> Okay. >> Um and then edibles. >> Okay. >> Topicals and things like that are very very small portion of overall sales. >> Figured you might know. Just >> Thank you. is is there um like like for those of us interested in this and I know you you know what good luck to you and your endeavor here and um if this passes um a a business that we could look at that would sort of give us a feeling a feel of what we're going to have in town. [1:18:21] >> Have you been Have you been to Green Canopy? Have you been to Green Canopy? >> I've not down in Lakeland. >> Green Canopy? No. Oh, >> green canopy. >> Okay. I think that's what it's called. >> Yeah. >> Isn't that what it's called? >> They they actually had a thing where um local leaders could go in there and learn about, you know, how you walk through the vestibule and how they have everything in store. Like we went and learn and then all the rules that they have to follow. So I went to that like a year ago probably. [1:18:46] >> It's really interesting. So >> interesting. >> Yeah. So you haven't heard I mean I think I don't know that they have um a a cannabis license. I don't know. They might be doing that other I don't [laughter] think they do. >> But it was interesting. I mean, they're all set up and they were ready for when they did get their cannibis. I think so. [1:19:03] >> Yeah. So, the on the security thing uh and I for ID checks for the the youth that'll try to sneak in there. Um they're too young. But >> they won't >> the you know the 18 the 17 to to 20 year old. Um this this is an appealing product for some of them. [1:19:24] >> Yeah. >> Uh but their identifications are checked at the security festival and then also at the point of sale. >> So unlike a liquor store, you could I mean you walk right in. Um, so there's no there's no risk of theft from underage people, nor is there a risk of one of my employees maybe letting their friend in because their ID is being checked again by somebody else >> and we will do um spot checks or whatever from our police department will make sure that you are doing that. So >> y >> just like they do with the liquor. So, um, any other comments or questions for Brandon? [1:20:07] >> No. Um, I think it might be, uh, interesting maybe someday folks that are experienced. you have sound like you have a lot of experience in our state and you know have have some sort of a um a learning event at a library or something where those of us that are interested and maybe some of our guests tonight that have left would be interested in learning more and not >> making this stuff out to be the boogeyman that a lot of people think it is. Yeah, I actually wrote um the monthly message from the mayor that was going to be emailed about this topic and then we had some issues with technology and it got delayed. So, I'm hoping to get that out. It'll at least go to the people that get the emails from the city [1:20:54] to give a little more background and clarification about that, you know, the rules that are around it and that it's not going to be exactly how those other people just described it. So, um yeah, you're right. It would be great to have like an education kind of like what green can mean. I learned a lot just from you speaking with us today. [1:21:13] >> Yeah. And you he doesn't even more planning commission is a lot more is kind of fleshed out at the planning commission because he had a lot of questions. >> But um yeah, I only had one. It doesn't Brandon wouldn't be able to answer. So I might need Amanda. You don't have to go back up there though. You can just answer from here. So I think you're free to go sit down again if you want. Thank you so much. Yeah. Um, I was just looking at the conditions. [1:21:40] Um, there's 16 conditions, right? Number three, I just want to make sure that we're not limiting ourselves in the future. It says the cup does not extend to the accessory building, which also exists at the property. So, right now, that's um the connect what's it connect? No, something of dot creator of dots is there. Um, if the accessory building is incorporated for additional retail use at a later date, all zoning, building, and fire codes shall be met, including an amendment to this cup. And then the last sentence says, in no event shall the applicant conduct cultivation or manufacturing operations in the accessory building. And I'm just want to [1:22:29] make sure that right now that's what our ordinance says, but if there's something in the future that changes, I just don't want us kind of pigeon holeing that place to not be able to do that. Do you know what I'm saying? [1:22:44] Um I just I just didn't know if it's necessary to say in no event shall they ever be able to do that basically and and leave it more up to councils of the future to make that decision. I I don't know. I don't know why we're limiting the future. >> There was Wasn't there something about >> retail this district and Right. [1:23:04] >> Yeah. But we came up with the zones that we want. I mean, someone in the future might decide to reszone it or maybe things change. I mean, we don't know what cultivation and manufacturing is going to look like in 50 years or whatever. And I just didn't want to restrict this specific building because we're putting that in there. Am I being too picky? [1:23:26] Yeah. Can I comment? >> Oh, yeah. Thanks. >> So, as a my license is a cannabis retail license. The only activity Well, there's a confusing matrix of different license types as you saw. Um, the only two license types that >> I can get in addition to a retail license is a delivery license or an event license. So I personally can never cultivate, manufacture or extract products with my license type. [1:24:02] >> And does this apply to only him and his business or going forward if there was another cannabis retailer in that building, would this also apply to them? Uh, your honor, council, the way that the conditions are set up is that it is for my deal my dealer LLC. So, if it were to transition to a new uh business, even if they were doing the same thing, there would need to be a cup amendment. [1:24:31] I would recommend that that is how we do it >> because we would want the ability to if there's something that we have discovered about this type of business that we do not know now because we've not had one of these that we could amend any and all of these conditions to reflect whatever our knowledge is at that point. [1:24:50] >> Okay. So it applies to justice business which so it's kind of moved because he's not able to do that anyway. >> Yeah. >> Right. the last sentence of condition number three. But >> yes, I think that's important to keep in there as well. Although it is a bit more moot because of the type of license that he has, but because mezo business and micro businesses technically can do everything. They can manufacture and they can cultivate. Um I think it's important to to clarify that the intent is this is not a location for those types of activities. Generally, you're not going to want to mix those uses with the other uses that you have on this particular retail area. And so, really, it's just a reminder for ourselves that that was the intent. [1:25:38] >> Okay. I just didn't want to restrict us from something in [clears throat] the future. >> Sounds like we should be okay. Okay. >> Can I also comment on condition 15, I think it is. >> Yeah. um or 13 or >> I mean what does it say? [1:25:54] >> Uh it's around the modifications to the conditional use permit. >> I think it might shall be reviewed for compliance on an annual basis. No 16. >> No. 15. Any proposed >> proposed change shall require an amendment approved by the city. [1:26:11] >> Yeah. Yeah. So I just want to clarify because it was presented on the screen too. The floor plan very preliminary draft floor plan. I'm mark working with architects and designers on a final buildout floor plan that will likely vary from what was presented in the presentation. So, I just want to be transparent about that upfront and clear um that that is >> something that is being finalized here. [1:26:38] >> Okay. But in in terms of >> I just want to make sure city staff is like >> members of the council, we had um significant um email correspondence this afternoon and there was a little bit of a misunderstood understanding as far as the interior floor plan and I assured Brandon that that is subject to change. [1:26:56] We have uh requirements surrounding uh the preliminary application including a floor plan and so that is tenative based on other regulations for OCM and architectural and code [clears throat] challenges. >> Sort of what's the vision in order for us to at least get it moving to the next step. [1:27:14] >> So this condition specifically relates to just the overall use of the premises, not the specifics related to the interior of the >> Gotcha. Your Yeah. Your sensitivity to that speaks volumes. So thanks for >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Appreciate that. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Okay. Did you have something? [1:27:30] >> No, Sarah. Thank you, Sarah. >> Okay, great. >> Again, just drawing out everybody's worst case scenarios. Signage, we have regulations for that. Uh odor, uh I shouldn't smell pot walking down Main Street more than I already do. Um like, yeah, we thought through this. [1:27:54] >> Uhhuh. All right. Thanks. Anyone ready to do something? >> I'll move to adopt a resolution approving a conditional use permit for a retail cannabis business at 2433rd Street North subject to findings of fact and conditions of approval recommended by staff. [1:28:14] >> Perfect. Thank you, Ethan. I'm glad you're the one who made the motion. >> Second. >> And thank you, John. Hopefully this could have [clears throat] maybe been your last motion. Darn. Now you're just >> I have it. Sorry, buddy. [laughter] >> All right. Um, let's see. A roll call. [1:28:31] >> Council member Bliss. >> I. >> Council member Gilmore. >> I. >> Council member D. >> I. >> Council member Hill. >> I. >> Mayor Hansen. >> I. Motion [clears throat] is approved. Welcome to Bayport. >> Welcome. >> All right. Our very first cannabis retailer. [1:28:49] Okay. Now, we're going to consider city council regular meeting dates. Oh, it's only not in consent because we had a couple to clarify. So, we're moving July and September to the second Monday. Otherwise, they're all the first Monday. [1:29:04] >> Is that correct, >> Madam Mayor? >> Enough. Like, do we need >> There doesn't have to be a big discussion other than the city annually sets uh city council regular meeting dates for posting. >> And we do have one uh budget meeting that we added in August. >> Yep. [1:29:20] >> Um we discussed this at the workshop. So, Motion to approve the meeting dates. >> I move to adopt the meeting dates as discussed. >> Thanks, Katie. >> Second. >> Thanks, Carl. All in favor? >> I opposed. All right. So, now you guys, you thought you were going to get to go home, but no, there's still more. [1:29:43] >> Now it is the truth and taxation. The best part. >> Let him go. [laughter] Goodness gracious. This is awful. Just give them their [clears throat] patch for [laughter] an >> hour and a half. >> They put their time in. >> Can I find another patch? [1:29:59] >> I'm like, >> seriously, >> it's up to you guys if you guys want to let them go. I'm fine with that. This is This is where we talk about the budget and it's really exciting. >> Super boring. This is actually good stuff. >> But it's not. >> You never know. Looks like we might have people here that want to talk about it. So, it could get it could get interesting. [1:30:16] >> Budget money. >> What's this? >> Oh, yeah. Are you having fun? Does that mean you're enjoying yourselves? A couple of you. No, some of you are like, >> "Okay, >> all right. I'll let you format." >> Madame Mayor, members of the council, um our annual final uh budget for 2026 um is to be presented. Um this is a pretty long and drawn out process with the culmination being um the current um discussion or presentation. Um we start this process in June. um move through department heads, then have a an initial workshop with the city council about where they want to be as far as increases um based on inflation and you know [1:31:02] feelings with from the public and different things where they feel comfortable at. Um uh we also had a second workshop to discuss uh the levy specifically budget and capital improvement projects. And then on uh September 16th, we conducted a special city council meeting to approve the preliminary budget um which is required budget and levy uh which is required to be sent to um Washington County. They use that budget to send out their preliminary tax notice um which everyone should have received um and which maybe some people are here to talk about. Um, so then on September 13th, that's the deadline to certify the preliminary tax levy, which was sent to Washington [1:31:48] County. December 1st brings us here uh for what is called the Truth and Taxation public meeting. Um, it's not a public hearing, but you're allowed to speak from a public standpoint. Um, essentially a discussion on what um what the final budget looks like and what impact it has on the city tax levy. Um, so then December 29th is the dead deadline to file the final tax levy and budget to Washington County. Um, as you all know, as been discussed multiple times, um, city of Bayport has a wide range of city services, right? Uh, not every small city has a police, fire department, public safety, uh, library [1:32:34] system, park amenities that we have. Um but with those services definitely comes a cost. Uh for 2026 um there were multiple factors impacting the budget. Um we completed a financial management plan in 2024 and identified some shortcomings in how we're funding capital improvements such as projects and vehicles. Um a recommendation was made to reestablish what are known as savings funds um for these types of capital improvement projects and vehicles. Um and 2026 budget continues that effort um even moves it even farther for saving more for future improvements. Um there was also salary in imple implications [1:33:22] uh due to a pay equity salary study that was conducted. Um, union employees, uh, wages are not changing. Non-UN employees, there's about an increase of 29,000, um, primarily due, um, to an estimated fire chief increase, um, which was estimated at the highest le hiring level. So, um, the fire chief increase, um, accounted for about 59% of that overall increase. Um overall we were um fairly good on um on our salary distribution for employees. Uh there's also a fairly significant increase in health insurance. Uh 10% roughly 10% increase in insurance premiums, but [1:34:09] overall 37% increase um due to the nature of our um health insurance. Every year that you get older, our health insurance gets more expensive. don't um a [clears throat] couple of other factors that affected revenue. Um there's a 12.2 increase in fiscal disparities distribution, meaning as a collective whole with the metro area, we're receiving more money back based on some of our commercial property. Um it's a shared use scenario that is too complicated to try and um even describe. [1:34:51] Um I did provide a um a definition if anybody's interested. I'm not going to read the whole thing. Uh there's also a very small increase in local government aid, one that definitely does not keep up with inflation. There is potential revenue obviously based on the Bay Haven development that was not factored into the 2026 budget. [1:35:13] So items like zoning that we might see some money from or building inspections that we would likely see um some money from is not uh included in the budget. Um there is an increase um in income from interest. Um over the past couple of years we've seen interest rates fairly high and with what we have um invested in um we're seeing a pretty good return this last couple of years um and that should remain moving forward. [1:35:47] Um there was also a 1.7% increase in residential housing market value. Um that has more of an rather than impact on revenue, it's the distribution of how we're getting money back from them. That's just for Bayport, right? The 1.7 >> just for Bayport. And that doesn't it does definitely have a factor on how much you're paying in. Um certain properties I was able to glance at to some of the tax market or market values recently on um the county website. Um there are some properties who are going down slightly, but then there are some properties um that saw significant increases from reassessments. So that will play a huge role in how much um an [1:36:35] individual property will pay um in taxes. Um for the enterprise fund, there's a couple changes that will be seen um by residents. One is an increase per unit of the storm water fee that we started last year. Um this fee is going from $6 a quarter to $9 a quarter. Um and then the commercial and indust in institutional industrial will increase at that same percentage um for their respective properties. Uh the fund is actually used to decrease the burden on the general fund and cover storm water related costs [clears throat] for storm water infrastructure. Um, one of the primary reasons to set up a storm water fee is that properties such as churches, [1:37:22] schools, um, and even the prison um, don't necessarily pay property taxes. And so having a storm water fee spreads out the cost of some of these services to those entities. So fees are also weighted towards higher impact properties. um leading back to the commercial institution industrial um properties that have significant use um or have parking lots or different things like that pay a higher proportion of these fees. Um then also the sewer base rate is set to increase 5% annual increase to that to the base fees which include the minimum fee and the usage rates. Um a big role in that play is [1:38:09] played by the increases lately to the mech council sewer fees um that we had charged um from them. So as I had indicated um we are saving for the future and this means the capital [clears throat] outlay funding. [1:38:25] Um there are a couple of areas in the budget where we're um increasing these funds. So, um, as you can see on the screen, municipal buildings, we're setting aside $18,500 for next year as a savings, and if we need to use it in certain circumstances, we will. I'm not going to go through all of these, but um, the city is making a concerted effort to make sure that we're in a good spot here in the next couple of years. [1:38:55] Um, [clears throat] what are we paying out next year for capital outlay? So these things we have somewhat saved for um and other items we are actually getting grants for. So um I'll just go through these individually. Um maybe not. [laughter] I I'll hit the highlights. So we are completing a Fifth Avenue North sidewalk construction project along Fifth Avenue from 8th to 8th Street to the um school, not school, the park um to complete the sidewalk there. We received a significant grant for that. Um, the other one, more recently, we received or will be receiving about a million dollar grant from the Met Council to help with inflow and infiltration improvements. [1:39:41] Um, this is kind of related to uh river infiltration when it floods. Um, but we are also able to use it in other spots of the city for such things as um sewer lining and manhole um >> ceiling. manual ceiling [clears throat] specifically. Um, some of those items are covered at 50%, others are covered at 100%. And >> so, we got that grant. [1:40:09] >> We received that grant. Yes. >> So, part of our intention will be actually planning ahead on some of the future projects that were identified over the next five or six years to actually utilize some of this money for sewer lining. So that when those projects are occurring, that's one thing that [clears throat] we've already done. [1:40:30] So, um, that'll be a great use for those funds. >> And I just want to be clear, too, about the the Fifth Avenue North sidewalk project is, uh, we got the SA the SRTS's stands for safe routes, routes. Roads. Safe routes to school. >> School, not Yeah. Not roads, routes. [1:40:45] >> Yes. Yes. >> And so that's why it's connecting that missing gap from Barker's Alps to the actual neighborhood. I don't know if you've ever walked from there and you end up walking out on Fifth Avenue instead of or in the grass in neighbors yards, but um so anyway, so that's great. We got um funding to help with that. So, >> yep. Um we also um potentially will have improvements. Um we haven't heard back on a grant for the land and water legacy property yet. Um but um that would be a significant um occurrence there, too. [1:41:19] Mhm. >> Um >> soon. >> So, going over the 2026 budget revenue summary. Um again, I'm not going to go through every single one. General government is going up about 10%. Um this includes [clears throat] uh uh everything related to administration to um different things like that. Um other significant ones, the street one. So, some of these also have capital improvements in them. And so, if you look at the line item of streets, you'll see that it's going up 371%. [1:41:56] Right? So, part of that is included in there is the 100,000 that the city is going to have to use for their match on the safe routes to school grant. Well, that 100,000 is offset by other revenue that we're getting in from grants. And the 100,000 is also coming from um well it's revenue coming in from the grant and from funding from the street reconstruction fund. So that's why it's some of these can be significantly higher than what we've normally seen. [1:42:33] The same can be said with the budget and expense summary. So um some of these areas will see kind of a eb and flow from year to year because we are incorporating some of those um improvements and vehicle purchases in the year, right? Um but a significant portion of those are offset by revenue section. So overall we're seeing a general fund um increase of 16.86% 86% and a library fund expense increase of 4.22% for an overall increase of 15.87% for expenses. Um so before we get too excited about those numbers um and what [1:43:19] they mean, we'll just do a comparison from year to year. Um, obviously, as I had indicated, we're seeing a fairly big increase um, above about $500,000 yeartoear. Again, there's a lot that goes into that increase. [1:43:37] So, property tax levy, um, the property tax levy is the total amount of money that local governments intend to use or raise through property taxes for a specific year. So when we look at that budget, that doesn't mean that all of that is going to be impacted by property taxes. Again, some of that's grants, some of its different things that we're pulling money in from these other funds. [1:44:00] So that's why it's not [clears throat] um we can't get too excited about what the budget actually is. So this property tax levy is what can impact any uh residential property tax. So um for 2026 we're seeing an 11.6% like 64% increase um from the general fund um about an even um to slight inquiries for a debt service. Our debt service is currently the fireh hall um installation uh from 2015 and then a library seeing about a 4.66% increase. So, as you can see, property tax levy comparison, um, it goes up, um, [1:44:48] at a pretty good, um, level line. Well, not level line, but, um, an increase that, um, is not out of the norm, at least for Bayport. Um, so on [clears throat] a yearly basis, we put this uh slide in there just to co show property tax levies uh, from the previous five years for other institutions. Um, Bayport sits somewhere in the middle. Um, obviously not as low as Afton and not as high as Lake Elmo or West Lakeland. [1:45:22] So, the property tax rate, um, you might see that on your, um, your property tax statement. That's the city's tax rate as a percentage of the overall tax payment. So that takes into account what's the school charging you, what's Washington County charging you, what are some of these other taxables in institutions charging you. So overall the city's portion of that property tax is 32.45%. [1:45:53] Uh so now the [clears throat] question of well what is it really going to cost on a median value house um based on the city's property tax levy. So for median value house um which current market is $390,400. [1:46:12] Um the property tax increase over 2025 is going to be $56.89. Um you can see on the other ones um there's a a a pretty good increase on all of them. So this again this is a median value house. Um and as I talked about earlier based on what I've seen from Washington County, there's a big difference in property values that has occurred in the city of Bayport. [1:46:40] um where certain properties have had seen a zero increase, which might mean that they're not seeing any property tax increase. And there's other ones who have seen like a 10 or even 20% um valuation increase who are going to see uh a significant increase in property taxes at that point. [1:47:03] So, just a final budget summary. just like to thank the city council for working through this again another year. Um there I [clears throat] think we're in a very unique position providing high level of services um with um a fairly decent and modest property tax impact. Right. Um this budget ensures that moving forward we're still saving for the future but still accommodating those services that I have to stand for questions. [1:47:35] Thank you, Matt. Um, yeah. So, we're in a great position. We're saving for the future. I don't know if everyone else saw their tax statement, but mine went down a dollar. So, I overall I was pretty happy with that. I don't if you've looked at yours, but um I'm sure they're not all that that way, though. It all depends on how your home was um uh valuated. So, um yeah I don't know. I mean, we go round and round. We've discussed the budget endlessly. So, I'm sure we if you have questions or comments you want to make, >> I don't have any. [1:48:15] >> Go for it. But otherwise, we could probably just cut to the chase here. And >> it's a good time for their questions. >> Do the Yeah, do the open or what is it called? Truth and taxation. >> Yeah, it's just >> Okay. So, anyone here wishing to address city council to come forward to the podium? [1:48:31] Uh, come on up and state your name and address and then make your comment for the record. You're just here for fun. >> Okay. Awesome. >> Out of curiosity. >> Out of curiosity. Okay. I love it. [1:48:46] >> Good for you guys. >> Yeah, that's how I got reeled into this job. So, be careful. I'm just kidding. [laughter] I came watching a meeting once >> saying anything but as Matt alluded >> name and address >> John Harford 208 Prairieway North Inspiration >> and our neighborhood is getting uh rocked by uh the assessor's office for Washington County. [1:49:13] >> Uh my valuation went up. I'll just talk. >> John, do you know the last time you were reassessed? >> You know, it's funny because I had conversations with the assessor's office last year >> and the year before that >> and my valuation went down last year. [1:49:37] This year it's going up 17%. H >> um >> does he what what recourse does he have for this? >> Well, you can >> you know the only way is for people to have a little more common sense on what they buy, how much they pay for a house. [1:49:58] >> Yeah, [laughter] I hate to say that, Madame Mayor. Yes. So, >> you're right. >> The reassessment is probably pretty easy and inspiration. There's enough houses sold there in any given year that they have a really good idea of, hey, this is what they're really valuing them at. that definitely has a huge impact on that. [1:50:15] >> I'm not sure they did last year and that's why ours went down. Um, I did a comparison since the assessor does the same thing and uh I can't argue about the numbers unfortunately just the market yeah is what >> Harrison we don't have any video just FYI >> um but he might anyway I'm I came here out of curiosity because I wanted to find out how you do it here. Um I do have one question though. [1:50:47] >> Okay. Uh what is the um Bayport's policy on um who pays for extension of sewer and water systems to new development? [1:51:03] >> Great question, John. So, um, any new development, the developer pays for all costs related to that and they also pay what are called, uh, trunk fees to, um, make sure that any impact they might have on the system is accounted for. So, >> okay, that's good to know. [1:51:23] >> Thank you. >> Makes there's a lot of common sense in >> Thanks for having me. >> All right. >> Well, thanks for coming. I'm a >> Yeah, it's >> soon to no longer be an inspiration resident, but and I I'm pretty familiar with, you know, especially the people that got into those homes early on. Their their value has gone up crazy high and and it's great that they got in at that low price and in some ways it's great that they're valued higher, but dang, those those tax bills are pretty hardcore to look at. [1:51:57] >> I understand that. So, thanks for coming tonight. Yeah. Anyone else want to comment? Okay. All right. I guess then it's interesting that it's not technically. Okay. So, now we just want to do some motions maybe. [1:52:19] >> I move to adopt the resolution establishing the levy of 2020 for 2026. >> Thanks, Katie. >> I'll second. Thanks, Ethan. >> Roll call. >> Council member Bliss. >> I. >> Council member Gilmore. >> Hi. [1:52:34] >> Council member Dah. >> Hi. >> Council member Hill. >> I. >> Mayor Hansen. >> I. >> I move to adopt a resolution establishing the budget for 2026. >> Thanks, Carl. >> Second. Yours. >> Thanks, Katie. >> Council member. [1:52:51] >> I. >> Council member Gilmar. >> I. >> Council member Dah. >> I. >> Council member Hill. >> I. >> Mayor Hansen. I >> you got to do this last one, John. >> No, I'm not doing any budget motions. [laughter] >> For those of you who don't This is my last council meeting. I'm going to be moving from Bayport. So, >> well, now you just just stole your own thunder. [1:53:12] >> Budget stuff. So, I defy making a motion. >> All right, I'll do the last one. I move to adopt a resolution establishing the capital improvement plan for 2026. >> Thanks, Ethan. I'll second. Thanks, Katie. >> Thank you, guys. Council [snorts] member Bliss. [1:53:29] >> Hi. >> Council member Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council member D. >> I. >> Council member Hill. >> I. >> Mayor Hans. >> I. All right. Everything passed. Thanks you guys. Um, city council liaison reports. [1:53:46] What's next? Katie, you want to start? >> Uh, so we already I was on the 17th at the planning commission meeting. >> Oh, yeah. We already went through that and we passed it. Um there was if you want to go back and wa watch it. It's a good one to watch. He's hits a lot of points and educates. John, you would like it probably. [1:54:06] >> You probably would. And you can watch it on like double time. >> Yeah. There you go. [clears throat] >> Yep. >> And then I was at BAL on the 20th. Um they voted on no December meeting. >> Hi guys. And then um the last thing is well they were looking for music for already for next year for derby days and then the lighting of the village green. So that starts that's Wednesday of this week 6:30 to 8. Uh lights are up at 7 and Santa comes at 7:15. [1:54:43] >> Um >> choir will be there. Yeah. Sorry to interfere, but um it should be noted that it looks like it's going to be severely cold on Wednesday. >> So, there's probably a good chance that that might be moved to the library. >> Yep. And that library is the backup. So, it might be the same like last year when it was really cold and windy. Is that what it was? Or raining maybe? [1:55:02] >> Yep. >> Um Santa Claus came and sat downstairs and >> Well, but we actually do the lighting outside and Yeah. Okay. So, hopefully they'll be announcing that. So, yeah. The big thing is their Facebook page. Go follow them on Facebook and then it just pops up. [1:55:19] >> Yeah. Otherwise, I'm hoping they're putting stuff on their website cuz not everybody's on Facebook. >> I know. And that's they might they will probably do that, too. >> I would hope so. Okay. >> All right. Thanks. Anything else? That's it. Okay. Great. John, did you get to attend a watershed meeting? [1:55:36] >> There was no meeting in November. There there was a a meeting I needed to report on in October. It was just uh in terms of Bayport related, there's a couple people that got some grants for which is great, people that are um putting in the right plantings to sort of make their yard more um ecologically friendly for our waterways. [1:56:02] >> And that's a good point. You people are eligible to do that. Apply for grants if you have some improvements to do. >> Absolutely. And and some of these I'll I'll uh I won't [clears throat] spend a ton of time because it's getting a little late as it is, but um >> you know the dollar amounts in these, you know, um they're they're very reasonable. So people can do these things for hundreds of dollars, not thousands and thousands of dollars and and and you will get, you know, a lot of them uh $500 back. And you know, they that organization um does great work and So >> yeah, they do and you just have to be careful that you are actually using the correct plants and things otherwise they won't give you the money back. [1:56:45] >> Yes, sir. >> Okay, thank you Ethan Cable Commission. >> We did not meet I have nothing to report. >> You guy Carl >> Lake airport commission met tonight and I had more important things to do. >> Oh, they scheduled it on our council meeting night. [1:57:03] >> Yep. >> Darn it. >> No report there. >> So none of us could go. All right. Thank you. I um as usual had kind of a busy November. Um the regional council of mayors meeting we had at a workshop had talked about um well first governor pimp Tim Tim Palente came and spoke to us. So that was interesting. Former governor um he spoke about leadership and he was very inspiring and that was uh interesting. And then after the meeting, um most of us, most of the mayors stayed um after to discuss um uh gun violence in Minnesota and it was facilitated by um a woman named Kathy Tunheim. [1:57:48] And we had a great discussion and there was a sort of a general feeling of everyone looking towards Mayor Zack Lindstöm from Mountains View as a leader in all of this. I don't we we had a workshop um a while back and we talked a little bit about my personal investment in gun violence and wanting to do something as a mayor and um he I had shared with you guys a letter. He's the one who wrote the letter that said um I never thought guns were the problem in mass shootings. I always thought it was mental health until annunciation happened and he had an epiphany that we really do need to do something about guns. So, um really interesting. So, [1:58:33] he's kind of taking spearheading something for the mayors to all kind of do some push to the state level. I've um let me see what did I want to mention. Um he's he's hosting a um community conversation and this is the way it was described about the aftermath of recent school violence and the steps we can take across Minnesota to support healing, strengthen safety and protect our students. And that's going to be on uh December 6th. So I plan to attend that. [1:59:07] Um especially since we have a school right here in Bayport and I would hate for something to happen here. Um um I I do take this very seriously. It's very personal to me and I've already met with um Senator Seabberger to see what she's doing and she's also motivated to get something done at the state level. [1:59:26] Um trying to work with some other senators and uh across the aisle. I reached out to Senator Hley as well and I have not heard back from her. Hoping to chat with her about what she intends to do. So that was regional council mayors. uh attended the fire relief on November 10th, fire relief association meeting. [1:59:48] Financials are in good standing as always. Um I think kind of one of the main takeaways is that they're looking for an alternative fundraising source. They've been doing this calendar every year trying to get advertisers for it and people don't really use paper calendars that much anymore. And so they're kind of looking for a new funding source um just for some of the extraneous things that they like to have extra money for. [2:00:12] Uh on the 11th I went to the Veterans Day assembly at Anderson Elementary and it was really really nice. If you ever have a chance to go, they do a great job. They make I think it was the fourth graders. Was it fourth graders? >> Everybody had a job to do in this presentation. And it was so great how they included every kid in that grade. [2:00:34] So >> Dor still knows his line from last year. A year later [laughter] still like this is >> so cute. They do such a nice job. Yeah. And they really do a good job of recognizing the veterans that are in the audience and um some of the Legion members were there. So um also went on a visit to Rutherford through the community education program. They invited me to go see the afterchool programming in action which is really interesting because my kids haven't been in adventure club or after school programs for years. So um we watched a little performance from of an excerpt from a play that they had done. You know they'd put on plays in in their after school programs. They kids were making clay creations in another room and then there was kids learning hockey and and [2:01:20] then there was the actual just adventure club kids too. So it's uh it's an amazing thing. I think they were um hoping to get some state funding because they had um other people there too to see all that and what what they're up to. um library board meeting. Jill does as always a great job of kind of summarizing everything in the report that we get. Um plus we also at that meeting discussed the salary study results and how it affects library staff and their budget and all of that. So that was uh it was quite a long discussion about that. Um, on the 19th I went to the Met Council Committee of the Whole at the newly renovated uh, Central Park in Woodbury. I don't know if you've [2:02:06] been there, but it's a beautiful space as well. I went to listen to a couple of uh, panel discussions about water as a shared resource and how water shapes and could shape regional policies. So, it was it was also very interesting. saw our um Washington County Commissioner Bethany Cox there and many other mayors. [2:02:29] So, I love that they were doing that kind of thing. And then I went to a few chamber events as always to make sure that the chamber remembers that Bayport's here. So, um did the chamber 101 at the library. It was nice. It was at the library, so that was easy. So, they just kind of um tell new members what what the chamber's about and their benefits. So, I went to just kind of say welcome to Bayport and then uh went to ribbon cutting at Populus Collective downtown Stillwater. Learned that um Brad Smith's company did the renovation there. So, that's kind of a nice connection. He and Billy Joe were there. [2:03:06] Legion ribbon cutting for their new bar. If you haven't been in, it's beautiful. And they've been have they had live music one weekend and they're really trying to to step it up there at the Legion. Went to the Water Street in ribbon cutting on the 20th. They've been around for 30 years >> with Chuck Dohy as the owner. He and his wife and he is the current mayor of Park Heights as well. So, it's kind of a fun little event. They did a really nice job of uh having some food in a spread and they had a little ribbon cutting. So, that was my fun November. Um and then hopefully hopefully I have not been I usually uh usually the mayor does something at the lighting of the green, but nobody's invited me to do anything yet. So >> I think you have a solo after the choir [2:03:51] sing. >> Oh gosh. >> Yay. >> Second. >> That's when everybody That's when everybody leaves and runs to the library, right? [laughter] >> Okay. Uh Matt, want to hit on >> Yeah. More. I think in the interest of of time, we'll just uh cut it short here. We'll let John talk. Um couple of things if they don't mind me speaking. [2:04:16] Toys for Tots. um will get delivered uh December 12th. So, please drop those off. Um [clears throat] the uh Santa escort for past events from uh the fireh hall um and the Santa escort to the village green. Stay tuned for the exact location for that. Um and with that, we will all stand for questions if you have any. [2:04:42] >> I don't think I did. Does anyone have any questions? Nope. Thank you. >> Oh, actually the uh sorry, I usually wouldn't do this, but uh the snow thing, the parking, can we go remind people of that again? The switching of the days. [2:04:58] >> So, uh odd even parking um for November through April. So, not even during a snow event. Um supposedly when in talking to the public works guys, um everybody did an excellent job. Um Oh. [2:05:14] the night in my hotel. >> Oh, >> apparently remember when you go to bed like it starts at >> my block. Your block your block is >> somewhat exempt because there's regulations on one side. [2:05:31] >> Oh, >> yeah. I suppose those are going to come down when the school moves them or whatever. >> Yeah, we'll figure all that out. >> The twohour parking on my blocks. >> No, they on the other side. Oh, they >> And if you have any questions about the parking regulations, city staff will answer them. Just give them a call. [2:05:47] >> Yes. >> Mary loves those questions. >> Call the main line. [clears throat] >> Call the main line. 3 2 354404. All right. Um >> those pretty good >> cuz I never call city hall. >> Oh, dang. >> Um Bayport Elementary is on schedule. [2:06:03] That's another kind of just quick about [cough] building quick little update. Okay. And then um city council items and announcements. We actually have one today. >> Um I'm officially stepping down as a council member. This is my last meeting. I um by the end of this month, I will no longer be a homeowner in Bayport, which or which, believe it or not, precludes me from being on [laughter] city council in Bayport. So, um I'm not going to say a lot of stuff here. I didn't prepare anything. [2:06:41] >> Oh. >> Um I do want to thank everybody that's in this room. Matt and Sarah are and all the heads of our departments. This city really has its act together and and I'm I'm really proud when I tell people that that I'm on Bayport City Council and um it's been it's been seven years now. I'm I'm going to come up a year short of two full terms, but um thanks to um Mayor Hansen. Um she was a one of the reasons that I chose to run some talks with her and getting to know her a little bit. Um big thanks to Connie Carlson for the same reasons, former former council member. Um [2:07:29] yeah, it's been great. I I will miss it in some ways and in some ways I'm I'm sort of relieved that it's over. Um [laughter] it was it was an interesting night tonight and and um my main reason for running was um uh the short-term rental um situation in Bayport and how and how that was looking at the time. And and I'm proud to say we we've the we've done what I think is clearly the right thing in that regard. Mhm. [2:08:01] >> Um it's something I'm going to hang my hat on as an accomplishment here. Um I'm proud to see us moving forward and and our state moving forward with um these cannabis businesses. Um best of luck to you. Um so yeah, other than that, I just there's there's um four really special people that I will just name by first name for supporting me. Um there's there's been a bigger group that has supported me behind the scenes and gotten me through some of these tough talks. And so I just want to thank Stephanie, Violet, Elsa, and Jennifer. Um they've been amazing [2:08:48] dealing with me, listening to me gripe, advising me. Um, and uh, I I definitely could not have gotten through this the way I did without those four. So, um, that is it. Thanks, guys. I will miss you all, but you will see me and and there's a very good chance that I will be purchasing a house in Bayport again. [2:09:12] So, I'm I'm not going too far away. I'm just going to be living in Lake Elmo for a while here and we'll see what happens from there. >> Okay. Well, >> good luck with the process of choosing somebody else. >> Yeah. Yeah. Which um >> I wish I could just pick. >> Yeah, that's how it should be. Whoever leaves the seat should pick their successor. That Yeah, there you go. [2:09:32] >> Um well, thank you, John, for um all that you said. And you did a nice job for not preparing anything. >> Yeah, I don't >> Yeah, you're good at that. You're good at just speaking off the cuff. No, I I just appreciate all of the contributions you've made in those almost eight years and seven years. Is that what we're saying? Um yeah, it's it's always interesting to hear your perspective and I know you always like fight for what you feel is right and um you should be very proud of yourself. [2:10:03] You did good things on the council. So going to miss having you. >> I will miss it. I'm I'm passionate. My passion came out tonight and it did and I I got to be a little bit I I told myself going in I'm I'm lame duck. I can >> I can let it fly a little bit more than normal. Um >> I think that was pretty normal for you though. [laughter] Um yeah, I you know I the one last thing I wanted to say is um some of these things there's there's a word that I think and and it gets politicized but um there's a word that that I think represents kind of my philosophy on council and it's being progressive and and being open-minded and looking at change is okay. Not [2:10:51] everything was better 50 years ago. It it it's okay to have change. It's okay to have new ideas. It's okay to try things and and so I hope the council and every council from here until eternity >> is takes chances and tries things and and and doesn't get hung up with the good old days all the time. The good old days were great, but these days are pretty great, too. [2:11:17] >> Yeah. That's coming from our longest resident on the council, too. >> Yeah. >> Longest resident on the council. >> The longest Bayport resident on the council. >> Yeah. Yep. Yeah. I've been I've uh been a homeowner in Bayport for over 25 years. And that's going to come to an end. Do you? [2:11:37] >> Well, >> but yeah. >> Homeowner because he grew up. >> I have I have my my youth to tack on. Yes. >> Yeah. Surpasses, Michelle. >> I know. Yeah. Well, and I'm gonna Yeah. I miss that when you are able to say, "Yeah, when I was a kid." So, >> yeah. [2:11:53] >> But we've got Carl >> and who knows who else can talk where a new person might be that might be able to reflect. Carl, you look like you want to say something. No. >> Oh, okay. >> I got to let John have the last word. That was >> Yeah, it was good. I I appreciate what you said. I totally agree. [2:12:11] >> All right. Do you want to make the motion to adjurnn? That would be >> I will make a motion to adjourn my last council meeting. >> Awesome. Thanks, John. >> I'll second. >> Thanks, Ethan. >> Thank you, Ethan. >> All in favor, but not in favor of letting John go. >> [laughter] >> Hi. [2:12:26] >> Hi. >> All right. A I did it without