Aug 26, 2026 Planning Commission

[I. CALL TO ORDER]

[III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[00:00:38]

MOTION AROUND THEM. OH. MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM JULY 2026. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND, AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NEXT UP IS OUR OPEN FORUM. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, TO COME FORWARD TO THE TO THE PODIUM AND AND PRESENT A FIVE MINUTE OR LESS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. NOW WOULD BE THE

[2. Case No. CD2026-034: Conditional Use Permit request for an Accessory Dwelling Unit at 810 Olive Street West]

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE EXISTING PHOTOS, IT'S ALREADY BEEN FRAMED OUT AND PARTIALLY FINISHED BY A PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CURRENT OWNER IS NOW JUST SEEKING THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO MAKE THIS A FINISHED HABITABLE SPACE. THIS IS PERMITTED IN THE ZONING DISTRICT FOR A PERMISSIBLE USE. IT JUST REQUIRES THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN IS NOT CHANGING FROM ITS EXISTING CONDITION, SO THE SETBACKS IMPERVIOUS SURFACE FOR BOTH ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AND ADUS ARE COMPLIANT. IN THIS PROPERTY, THE LOT SIZE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO ALLOW ADU, WHICH REQUIRES 10,000FT■!S. AND BECAUSE IT'S ON THE SECOND STORY UNDER 800FT■!S, IT IS PERMITTED AS FAR AS ALL STANDARDS FROM CODE, STAFF GENERALLY RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND HAS THE ACTION REQUESTED ON THE SCREEN. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I STAND AVAILABLE. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? DOESN'T APPEAR THAT WE DO. THANK YOU, THE APPLICANT HERE AND HAVE ANYTHING THEY WISH TO ADD TO THAT. YOU CAN COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM IF YOU'D LIKE. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ADD ANYTHING, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT. OKAY. DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION. IF I COULD HAVE YOU THEN COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM. SORRY. YEAH.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A BUTTON ON THERE THAT'LL TURN THAT GREEN SO WE CAN THEN HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. MY NAME IS TIM MONTGOMERY. THANK YOU. SO THE PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS LIKE WALK OUT DOORS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OVER THE GARAGE DOOR. AND I LIKE PATIO DOORS. YES, YES. AND THAT WAS DONE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. AND WOODY INTENTIONED UP THERE WAS BUILT THE FLOOR TRUSSES WERE SUCH A DESIGN FOR THE WEIGHT LOAD OF EQUIPMENT. HE WAS GOING TO BUILD A WOOD SHOP UP THERE. SO I'M ASSUMING HE PUT THOSE DOORS THERE TO GET WOOD IN HIS PRODUCT. IN AND OUT.

THERE'S A STEEL GATE THAT GOES IN FRONT OF THOSE DOORS SO THAT THEY'D BE PINNED SHUT AND NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYDAY USE. OKAY. AND I WAS ASKED, SO DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO. CHANGE THAT OUT OR PUT A LITTLE BALCONY OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OKAY. NO, I THINK IT WOULD COME IN THE STAIRCASE GOING UP. THERE'S A TIGHT TURN AT THE TOP. SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU MOVE FURNITURE IN AND OUT, IT MAY BECOME GOOD FOR ACCESSIBILITY PURPOSES. OKAY.

AND OUR CLERK WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE FOR THE RECORD, AGAIN, TIM MONTGOMERY, IT'S 810 OLIVE STREET WEST. WONDERFUL. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. MONTGOMERY? GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. NOW IS THE TIME TO COME FORWARD TO TESTIFY ON THIS ITEM. BUT SEEING NO ONE, ANYONE AT ALL WISHING TO COME FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COMMISSIONERS, WHAT DO WE THINK ON THIS ONE? WE NEED DISCUSSION OR SOME SORT OF EMOTION. SO I WILL MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN

[00:05:07]

[3. Comprehensive Plan Conversation – Climate and Natural Systems]

GOOD EVENING. AS JASON SAID THIS LIKE THE HOUSING TOPIC THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE. THIS IS MEANT TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING. AND WE'RE GOING TO COVER KIND OF TWO TOPICS. FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WHAT WHAT'S IN THAT PLAN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING TODAY.

AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE MET COUNCIL FOR THE 2050 COMP PLAN UPDATE PROCESS AND THE WAY THEY LOOK AT IT, WHICH IS KIND OF TWO BUCKETS, BUT THAT ARE RELATED NATURAL SYSTEMS AND THEN CLIMATE PLANNING. SO. WHAT WE'RE THINKING, WE WANT THIS TO BE A DISCUSSION. SO THE QUESTION, WE'RE JUST GOING TO THROW THE QUESTIONS OUT THERE AT THE BEGINNING FOR YOU TO THINK OF. AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH KIND OF OUR PRESENTATION AND STOP A COUPLE TIMES AND JUST SEE IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED. SO IN GENERAL, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL, WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND OR THE COMMUNITY. AND THERE'S SOME EXAMPLES THERE. WHAT EXISTING CITY ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING INITIATIVES DO YOU THINK ARE SUCCESSFUL THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF AND SHOULD CONTINUE? AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR KEY DIRECTIONS FOR SETTING THE GOALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, MOVING TOWARDS 2050? SINCE IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE 2040 PLAN. SO WE'LL WE'LL BRING THOSE QUESTIONS BACK. BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GET THOSE INTO YOUR HEAD AS WE TALK ABOUT THINGS. SO FIRST, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND. THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THAT PLAN.

SO THERE'S A NATURAL RESOURCES CHAPTER, WHICH IS PRETTY ROBUST. AND MAYBE MAYBE YOU READ THE COMP PLAN EVERY YEAR AND YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT CHAPTER, BUT MAYBE NOT. SO WE'LL GO OVER THAT REALLY BRIEFLY. THERE'S ALSO ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IN THE COMMUNITY BACKGROUND CHAPTER, WHICH IS KIND OF HIDDEN. SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND THAT THAT CONTENT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY. AND THEN THERE'S A SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK THAT IT REFERS TO, BUT THAT'S IN THE APPENDIX. AND THEN AT THE TIME OF THE 2040 PLAN, THERE WAS ALSO AN EXISTING ENERGY CONDITIONS SURVEY OR REPORT THAT WAS DONE AS WELL. THE IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER HAS CONTENT AS WELL. SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE THREE THINGS. NATURAL RESOURCES CHAPTER. THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT, THERE'S AN INTRODUCTION. THERE'S SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR NATURAL RESOURCES. THEN THERE'S A FULL REVIEW OF ALL THOSE NATURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING WATER, NATURAL AREAS. AND THEN AT THE END THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS. SO IT KIND OF GETS INTO IMPLEMENTATION IN THAT CHAPTER. THERE'S ALSO AN IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER, BUT THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISING THE CITY CODE RELATED TO PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THE NET EXCUSE ME, THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT THE CHAPTER TALKS ABOUT ARE RIVERS, CREEKS AND LAKES. SO SURFACE WATER, WETLANDS, FLOODPLAINS, GROUNDWATER, AND THEN NATURAL AREAS AND COMMUNITIES FOR, YOU KNOW, VEGETATION PROTECTION AND

[00:10:05]

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER RANKING. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE THIS IS WHAT THIS IS BASED ON, BUT ANOTHER RANKING OF QUALITY AREAS VERSUS AREAS THAT ARE NOT NOT HIGH QUALITY AND COULD BE BETTER PROTECTED AND IMPROVED. THE GOALS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN TODAY, AND WE WOULD LOOK AT UPDATING IF NECESSARY FOR 2050. THE FIRST ONE IS CREATE A NATURAL RESOURCE OPEN SPACE SYSTEM THAT PRESERVES, PROTECTS AND RESTORES ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE CITY. USE THE OPEN SPACE SYSTEM TO CONNECT TRAILS, OPEN SPACES, PARKS, ACTIVITY CENTERS, AND NEIGHBORHOODS. PROTECT AND ENHANCE SAINT CROIX RIVER LAKES AND STREAMS, AS WELL AS THEIR SHORELINES AS PART OF THE SYSTEM, AND THEN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENJOYMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES WITHIN ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR GOALS THAT ARE THERE TODAY OPEN TO UPDATING. AND THEN THIS MAP IS IN THERE SHOWING THE GREENWAY CORRIDORS. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT TO SEE IF THAT'S NEEDS ANY UPDATING AS WELL. THEN THERE'S THE COMMUNITY BACKGROUND CHAPTER. AND SO A LITTLE BIT BURIED IN THAT BACKGROUND IS THAT THERE'S SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY WAS TALKED ABOUT AND INCLUDED IN THE PLAN. AND THERE'S A SMALL SECTION ON ENERGY. AND I GUESS THAT'S IT. YEAH. SO I, WE DIDN'T PUT A SLIDE IN HERE, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER DOES INCLUDE STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS AS WELL. SO NOW I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FROM THE MET COUNCIL FOR THAT 2050 UPDATE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THE NATURAL SYSTEMS PLANNING PART OF IT.

AND THEN KENDRA WILL TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE PLANNING REQUIREMENTS. SO FOR NATURAL SYSTEMS AT THE HIGH LEVEL, WHAT'S REQUIRED OF ALL CITIES IN THE TWIN CITIES AS PART OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS IS TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURAL SYSTEM. SO I WOULD SAY WE'RE WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE CITIES THIS TIME AROUND. AND IN THE PAST, I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST NATURAL SYSTEMS CHAPTER ALREADY. I KNOW A LOT OF CITIES THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE A SEPARATE CHAPTER FOR THAT OR IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL. SO, YOU KNOW, STILLWATER IS IN A GOOD SPOT TO MEET ANY REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE ASSESSMENT IS TO MAP AND EVALUATE THOSE NATURAL SYSTEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT CONDITION AND HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED. AND THEN THERE'S REQUIREMENTS ABOUT PROTECTING AND RESTORING THEM. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS INTEGRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION. SO ALIGNING THE OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS WITH LAND USE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THEN AT A MORE DETAILED LEVEL, WE WON'T GO THROUGH THESE AT THIS POINT, BUT THERE'S I THINK WE HAVE. YEAH, SEVEN DETAILED REQUIREMENTS THAT ALL CITIES NEED TO MEET WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR 2050 PLANS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS HELPFUL TO THINK ABOUT THE MANY BENEFITS OF THE NATURAL SYSTEMS OR WHAT THEY CALL ECOSYSTEMS. SO THEY HAVE THIS INTERESTING GRAPHIC ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING VERSUS PROVISIONING BENEFITS, REGULATING AND CULTURAL. SO JUST LOTS OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR NATURAL SYSTEMS. THE MET COUNCIL HAS A, A ROBUST WEBSITE TO HELP ALL, ALL CITIES WITH DOING THESE UPDATES AND RELATING TO THE NATURAL SYSTEMS. THERE'S A MAPPING TOOL CALLED METRO MOSAIC WHERE YOU CAN GO IN, IT'S INTERACTIVE AND YOU CAN ZOOM IN AND OUT OF IT AND SEE ALL THESE LAYERS. AND THE ONES, THE MAIN ONES ARE THE YOU

[00:15:01]

OPPORTUNITY AREAS FOR PROTECTION THAT AREN'T. IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE TODAY. SO THE, YOU KNOW, THE, AT THE HIGH LEVEL, IT'S SHOWING THE WEST SIDE OF LONG LAKE. THERE'S LAND THAT IS HIGH QUALITY AS FAR AS IT'S NATURAL FEATURES, BUT IT'S NOT UNDER IT'S NOT PROTECTED IS WHAT THE WHAT THEY'RE SEEING. AND SO WHEN WE'VE LOOKED AT IT PRELIMINARILY, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LOTS THAT ARE PLATTED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, WHICH YOU ACTUALLY CAN SEE ON THAT MAP THERE THAT THAT'S TRUE OF MOST OF THE LAKES. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING MAP. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT LAND THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED THERE ON LONG LAKE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY, THE THE HOMES ARE BUILT UP NEAR THE STREET, BUT THEY'RE LONG AND DEEP LOTS THAT IT APPEARS THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT THAT LAND ON THOSE ODDS. IT'S NOT PROTECTED IN ANY WAY. SO IF THERE WAS WAYS TO PROTECT THAT WHICH WOULD BENEFIT THE LAKE QUALITY, THAT'D BE AN AREA THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT. AS FAR AS PUTTING INTO THE PLAN. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS UP TO THE NORTH BROWNS CREEK. YOU CAN SEE THAT KIND OF DO I HAVE A I CAN PUSH THIS WORK? YEAH, THIS THAT AREA OF BROWNS CREEK LOOKS LIKE THAT'S ALSO NOT PROTECTED. SO IT'S ON PRIVATE LAND. WHEREAS TO THE WEST UP HERE THAT IT IS MORE PROTECTED. AND THEN SIMILARLY OVER HERE, I MEAN, MOST OF THIS IS NOT IN STILLWATER, BUT THIS AREA HERE SHOWS UP AS BEING HIGH QUALITY, A HIGH QUALITY NATURAL AREA, BUT IT'S NOT PROTECTED. SO THE MAPPING JUST WOULD HELP THE CITY LOOK AT THOSE AREAS AND, AND DECIDE IF, IF THE CITY WANTS TO PRIORITIZE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THOSE COULD BE PROTECTED LONG TERM. AND THEN THERE IS WHAT THEY CALL OR WHAT ARE CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS. THAT IS PART OF THIS PLANNING AS WELL. PRELIMINARILY, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF THOSE EXIST IN STILLWATER, AND WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT MORE. BUT OBVIOUSLY OTHER CITIES WOULD HAVE THOSE AREAS DEFINED. SO AS FAR AS THE MET COUNCIL'S REQUIREMENTS, THEY HAVE, THEY ARE PROVIDING A NATURAL SYSTEMS ACTION TOOLKIT. THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED 18 EXAMPLE STRATEGIES THAT THE CITY COULD, TO HELP THE CITY CONSIDER WHAT STRATEGIES THE CITY WANTS TO SET SO THEY'RE NOT REQUIRING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES. THE REQUIREMENT IS TO THAT. THE CITY DOES HAVE STRATEGIES RELATED TO NATURAL SYSTEMS, SO THAT INCLUDES THE CITY USING STRATEGIES THAT ARE IN THE 2040 PLAN AND EXPANDING ON THOSE OR EXTENDING THOSE INTO THE 2050 PLAN. SOME OF THE EXAMPLE STRATEGIES THAT THE MET COUNCIL'S IDENTIFYING. AND KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME CITIES MAY NOT HAVE ANY STRATEGIES TODAY. SO THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF WHAT CITIES CAN THINK ABOUT. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES RELATING

[00:20:01]

SO ANOTHER LOVELY THING THAT COUNCIL IS DOING IS PROVIDING SOME MORE TOOLS AND DATA POINTS THAT WE CAN USE, AND NOT JUST RELYING ON, YOU KNOW, OTHER DATA. SO WE HAVE LIKE A CORE SOURCE THAT WE CAN USE. AND YOU CAN SEE THE TWO DIAGRAMS THAT WE PULLED. AND THESE ARE REALLY GREAT REPRESENTATION OF WHERE STILLWATER IS AT IN TERMS OF THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY. THIS IS FROM 2022. THIS IS THE MOST RECENT DATA THEY ARE PROVIDING. BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT COMPARISON WITH THE REGION IN, YOU KNOW, AS YOU YOU MIGHT SEE ACROSS OTHER COMMUNITIES, THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT SECTORS THAT HAVE HIGHER GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAN THE REGION. AND THAT JUST VARIES DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S SPECIFIC SECTORS.

WHAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUMPS OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT IT'S REALLY THIS TOOL WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL TO, AGAIN, REACH THOSE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT STRATEGIES TO REALLY FOCUS ON. SO FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION, THERE IS AN EXTREME HEAT MAPPING TOOL AND A LOCALIZED FLOODING MAP. WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED THOSE TODAY. WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE LAYERS, BUT THOSE WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE NATURAL SYSTEMS MAPS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN.

THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY DEFINING WHAT IMPACTS OF HEAT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IMPACTS OF FLOODING, AND THEN IN PROGRESS. THEY ARE STILL COMING OUT WITH A CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT THAT WILL THEN LAYER ON TOP OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES THAT WE WILL NEED TO ASSESS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLIMATE ACTION TOOLKIT, THERE'S OVER 48 EXAMPLES OF STRATEGIES TO CONSIDER ACROSS ALL OF THESE SECTORS. AND, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, STILLWATER NEEDS TO IDENTIFY A MINIMUM OF TEN AND THEY CAN OVERLAP. SO THAT'S WHAT'S

[00:25:01]

YEAH. WELL, ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE A COOLING CENTER COOLING CENTER WHEN THERE'S EXTREME HEAT FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING, THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO, OKAY.

BUT IT CAN BE A BROAD RANGE OF THINGS. IT CAN BE ABOUT FOOD SECURITY, YOU KNOW, IT CAN DIFFER BY CITY. OKAY, BUT SOME BIBLE STAGE. YEAH. HOW TO ADAPT TO THE EXTREME EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. OKAY. WE CAN JUMP INTO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. SO YEAH, WE HAVE JUST KIND OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU OR THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU'VE HEARD. IF THERE'S ANY EXISTING CITY ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING INITIATIVES THAT YOU GUYS CAN THINK OF THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL, OR YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON KEY DIRECTIONS OR THEMES COMING OUT OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING GOALS. ANYONE CAN START. SO I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE CURRENT CHAPTER ACTUALLY WAS PRETTY GOOD. IT COVERED IT, COVERED QUITE A BIT, AND IT, I THOUGHT, PROVIDED A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF WHERE WE WERE AT AT LEAST 1010 YEARS AGO. AND THE MET COUNCIL'S DIRECTIONS, OF COURSE, WILL REQUIRE US TO DO MORE, EVEN MORE. WELL, ONE, I'M JUST GOING TO JUST THROW OUT SOME SUGGESTIONS, WHICH ARE BASED MOSTLY ON. MY PERSONAL IDEAS, NOT THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, NOT THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, BUT ONE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A GOAL OF PROTECTING AND ENHANCING WATER, PRIMARILY WATER FEATURES LAKE STREAMS IN THE SAINT CROIX RIVER. BUT I THINK THAT PARTICULAR GOAL, IF WE'RE GOING TO RETAIN IT, SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO. YOU KNOW, INCLUDE OTHER SYSTEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WETLANDS AND BLUFFS AND SOME OF THE OTHER FEATURES THAT ARE ALL DETAILED IN THE CHAPTER THAT WE HAVE. AND TOWARD THAT END, I GUESS I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE CITY CONSIDER

[00:30:07]

FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE NICE LITTLE WALKS THAT WE'VE GOT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF SOME OF THE BLUFFS, YOU KNOW, HAVE A AND IDENTIFY SOME OTHER AREAS LIKE THAT, WHICH I THINK IN THE MAPS SHOW IS KIND OF BORDERLINE NATURAL AREAS, BUT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE RESTORED AND THE, AND THAT COULD BE A COMMUNITY EFFORT GUIDED BY THE CITY OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD GET SOME OF SOME OF THAT WORK DONE. AND THEN I ALSO, I GUESS, WOULD SUGGEST THAT. THAT WE TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT OUR STEEP, OUR ORDINANCES REGARDING BLUFFS AND, AND PROTECTING THE BLUFF LAND AREAS WITHIN THE CITY. THERE'S A LOT REALLY.

THAT MAP SHOWS. A. YOU KNOW, CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF BLUFFS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST ALONG THE SAINT CROIX, BUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THAT THE EXISTING CITY ORDINANCE, PROTECTING THOSE STEEP BLUFF AREAS IS A LITTLE WEAK AND SHOULD WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I ONE THING I DON'T THINK WE WANT IS, YOU KNOW, TO BECOME ANOTHER MALIBU, IN A SENSE, WITH A LOT OF FUNKY STRUCTURES THAT WOULD HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. YEAH, THOSE ARE MY SUGGESTIONS. I THINK, ON THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHAPTER, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE SHOULD TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT FLOODING. WE OF COURSE, THE SAINT CROIX IS. YOU KNOW, WITH MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS. YOU KNOW, THE SAINT CROIX HAS FLOODED, WILL FLOOD, WILL CONTINUE TO FLOOD. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OUR FLOODPLAIN PLANS AND EMERGENCY PLANS ARE ADEQUATE FOR WHAT PROBABLY WILL BE INCREASED FLOODING IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING. AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ON THE PROTECTION OR THE RESTORATION AND ACCESS. IS THAT SHORELINE, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT? SAY NO, NOT JUST LIMITED JUST TO SHORELINE, BUT TO EXTEND IT TO OTHER, I GUESS WE'RE CALLING THEM SYSTEMS NOW, YOU KNOW, TO OTHER AREAS, WHETHER THEY'RE PRAIRIE OR. YOU KNOW, BLUFFS OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT ARE OF. YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM, OF COURSE, ARE IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. BUT THE CITY, I THINK, OWNS QUITE A BIT OF THOSE AREAS AS WELL. SO ALL OF THEM COULD BE OR, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT I THINK COULD BE ENHANCED TO PROVIDE BETTER HABITAT AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO TO PROVIDE. YOU KNOW, GROUNDWATER, YOU KNOW, BETTER GROUNDWATER IMPACTS AND ALL OF THE OTHER GOOD THINGS, YOU KNOW, ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BECOME RESILIENCE HUBS TOO, I SUPPOSE, WITH, YOU KNOW, GREATER TREE CANOPIES AND HELP, YOU KNOW, HELP PROTECT FROM RISING TEMPERATURES. THANK YOU FOR SHARING. ANYONE ELSE HAVE THOUGHTS OR WANT TO CLARIFY EXPAND ON THESE. ONE THING I'VE NOTICED WHILE BEING ON THE COMMISSION AND CONSISTENT WITH LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY IS OTHER THINGS PEOPLE FEEL MORE OR LESS STRONGLY ABOUT. BUT WATER QUALITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE MAKING HARD DECISIONS SUCH AS WHY? WHY TO GRANT A VARIANCE, WHY NOT TO GRANT A VARIANCE? ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PICK OR HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT THE RUNOFF EFFECT WOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND EVEN WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING AND WE DECIDE AGAINST A HOMEOWNER, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY FUNDAMENTALLY UNIFORMLY UNDERSTAND LIKE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THE RIVER AND THAT THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE IN RIVER VALLEY. SO I THINK THAT THAT SAYING, STAYING CENTRAL TO

[00:35:02]

THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT, I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU GUYS BOTH LED OFF WITH WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK WITH THE RIVER CITY. LIKE, HOW DO I COME UP WITH. RIGHT. SO THE WATER AND THE FLOODING TO THE FLOOD MANAGEMENT IS, IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE PARKLANDS OR THE NEW PARKLANDS WE'VE GOT RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER WILL, I THINK, LEAD INTO SOME OF THAT AS WE GO. SO I WAS THINKING ABOUT UP THE HILL AND NOW THAT WATER IS COMING DOWN. SO I THINK YOU COVERED THAT. WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION IS ALSO SOMETHING I HEAR A LOT ABOUT WILDLIFE BEING THE RIVER VALLEY. AND ARE WE PROTECTED AND WE'RE BIRD CITY AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO RETAIN ENOUGH HABITATS TO KEEP THAT THOSE WILDLIFE COMMUNITIES INTACT? AND IT COMES WITH THE VEGETATION AND THE CANOPIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT. AND I WAS CURIOUS, WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING TO BRING THIS TO THE ENERGY ACTION COMMISSION, YOU GUYS PRESENTING THIS TO THEM? YEAH, THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS TOPIC. SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE TALKED WITH STAFF ON DOING THAT ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM, BECAUSE WE DO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THE ENERGY REPORT AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO YEAH, THAT'S IN THE WORKS. SO FORTHCOMING. YEAH.

OKAY. AWESOME. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY SEE THAT WE CAN AND MAYBE SHOULD BE TRYING TO DO IS SHOWING SOME OF OUR VALUES. I MEAN, WE GET THOUSANDS OF VISITORS COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY YEAR, AND THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN KIND OF SHOW WHAT SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATE WHAT SOME OF OUR VALUES ARE BY PURPOSEFULLY TRYING TO TARGET CERTAIN THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THAT DOWNTOWN AREA. YOU KNOW, A BIG ONE THAT I SEE THAT'S A HUGE MISS FOR THE CITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR A LONG TIME NOW, IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY EV CHARGERS IN DOWNTOWN.

YOU KNOW, EVS ARE BECOMING MORE OF A THING IF A PERSON WHO LIVES IN, YOU KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY DRIVES TO STILLWATER AND CAN KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN BETTER PARKING SPOT BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABLE TO PULL INTO AN EV CHARGING AREA AND CHARGE THEIR CAR WHILE THEY'RE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE A FULL, A FULL TANK OF GAS FOR THEIR RETURN TRIP. YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT AS AN EASY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF SHOWING KIND OF WHAT SOME OF OUR VALUES ARE HERE. AND THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER THINGS SIMILAR TO THAT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN BE WORKING WITH AND SHOWING KIND OF THE VISITORS THAT WE HAVE TO OUR COMMUNITY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY HERE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. SO THE BENEFIT OF SPEAKING LAST, I GET TO SAY YES TO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE SAID. I WOULD JUST AMPLIFY A COUPLE POINTS. ONE IS NUMBER ONE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TREE CANOPY COMMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS A PLANNING COMMISSION. I THINK SOMEONE ELSE ALLUDED TO THIS ALREADY. WE DEAL WITH THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE A LOT. AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE MAYBE WE CAN BE MORE EVEN MORE INTENTIONAL AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT PROCESS WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY, RUNOFF, ETC. THE LAST THING I WOULD JUST SAY IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE LAKES HERE. WE HAVE THE RIVER. BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, AS WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, WATER QUANTITY, WATER SCARCITY IS BECOMING AN ISSUE. AND I THINK AS WE LOOK OUT 20, 30 YEARS, WHICH INDEED THE 2050 PLAN WOULD DO, I THINK WE JUST WANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE SHOULD WATER SCARCITY OR AT LEAST LESS WATER QUANTITY START TO EMERGE. I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO START PLANNING FOR THAT NOW. REALLY GREAT POINTS. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. I, I JUST CAN'T SHUT UP. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE 20 THAT AT OUR CURRENT COMP PLANS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, ONE THING THAT. STRUCK ME WAS THEY ALL SEEMED TO BE ALL. BUT ONE TEAM SEEM TO BE SPECIFICALLY TIED TO PARKS AND REC AND GETTING PEOPLE OUT THERE USING THE NATURAL SYSTEMS. AND THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER. ADDING, YOU KNOW,

[00:40:04]

WAS THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION THE LAST TIME AROUND, AND HOW MUCH TRACTION DID THAT GET BEFORE IT KIND OF RECEDED? ANY BACKGROUND YOU CAN PROVIDE? I, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW. SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS CERTIFIED THAT WE WERE GREEN STEP CITY AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN EVEN KIND OF AFTER OR, YOU KNOW, IT WAS I THINK IT WAS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS KIND OF A THING THAT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW. AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN A, I THINK THAT ORGANIZATION MAYBE HAS KIND OF DEVELOPED INTO THE SUSTAINABLE STILLWATER GROUP THAT HAD KIND OF BEEN THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHING BEHIND THE GREEN STEPS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAD AS FAR AS A PLAN, YOU KNOW, AS KIND OF A LET'S, LET'S TRY AND ACHIEVE THIS. BUT THEN I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT. BUT THAT WAS MY THAT WAS MY REMEMBRANCE IS THAT IT WASN'T QUITE ADOPTED. THEY WERE WORKING ON IT AS THE AS THE 2040 PLAN WAS BEING DEVELOPED. YEAH, I KNOW THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU START, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, STEP ONE, STEP TWO, I THINK UP TO STEP FIVE, I THINK STILLWATER IS MAYBE STALLED AT STEP THREE IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. YEAH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP WITH WHAT OUR COMP PLAN GOALS COULD BE AND THE GREEN STEPS PROGRAM.

SO HOPEFULLY AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND PROCESS, WE CAN KIND OF JUMP START AND KIND OF GET THINGS MOVING AGAIN, BECAUSE A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT THE COMP PLAN COULD PUSH FOR, WHICH WOULD THEN ADVANCE US INTO GREEN STEP. STEP FOUR. STEP FIVE. BUT I WASN'T SURE WHY THAT HAD STALLED, OR IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF HAD BEEN TURNED OVER TO SUSTAINABLE STILLWATER TO KIND OF LEAD. JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY ANY INSIGHT ON THAT. SO IF YOU HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS, AGAIN, I'LL JUST SHOW THE NEXT STEP.

SLIDE. OOPS. SO YEAH, WE'RE KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RIGHT NOW. THE OVER VIEW OF JUST LIKE LAUNCHING THE PROJECT AND GETTING PEOPLE'S JUST INITIAL INSIGHTS ON KIND OF THE VISIONING OF STILLWATER. SO THAT'LL BE, WE'LL LAUNCH THE ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, WE'LL ATTEND POP UPS, AND THEN WE WILL REPORT BACK WHAT WE'VE HEARD. SO THAT'LL BE A FUN FEW WEEKS TO, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THE TURNOUT AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK TO CHAT MORE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANKS. WONDERFUL. WITH THAT ON THE COMMUNICATIONS, THE COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT OR COUNCIL MEMBER IS NOT IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT. SO WE DON'T WE WILL

[5. Staff Updates]

JULIE. JULIE. OKAY. I WON'T CALL IT JUDY. DON'T CALL HER TRUE. YEAH. CONGRATULATIONS. SO.

WHY DON'T YOU COMMENT A BIT ON THE CHANGE IN THE COUNCIL POSITION? OKAY, WELL, I JUST HAVE IT, I THINK. YEAH, WE CAN WE CAN DO THAT PUBLICLY. YEAH, YEAH. BUT BASICALLY THE COUNCIL HAS VOTED THAT THERE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. THEY PUT A COUNCIL MEMBER ONTO THE

[00:45:02]

THANKS. SO WE NEED A LITTLE MORE, MORE, MORE THINGS TO BE LOOKING AT. OKAY. SO WE'VE KIND OF HAD A COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT. YEAH. BUT SEEING NOTHING ELSE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

WE ARE ADJOURNED AT

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.