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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 11, 2026 City Council Workshop Agenda PacketCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS City Council Workshop City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA Wednesday, February 11, 2026 6:00 P.M. A.CALL TO ORDER: B. ROLL CALL:GUSTAFSON__X__ MAY_X__ MIELKE__X_ MOGEN __X_ WASSENBERG_X__ STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN_X__ C.POLICY ITEMS: 1.Les Bolstad Golf Course – Master Plan Process & Update 2. 2026 Legislative Priorities 3.Future Workshop Agenda Topics – Request for Special Workshop D.ADJOURNMENT: DISCLAIMER: City Council Workshops are held monthly as an opportunity for Council Members to discuss policy topics in greater detail prior to a formal meeting where a public hearing may be held and/or action may be taken. Members of the public that would like to make a comment or ask questions about an item on the agenda for an upcoming workshop should send them to mail@falconheights.org prior to the meeting. Alternatively, time is regularly allotted for public comment during Regular City Council Meetings (typically 2nd and 4th Wednesdays) during the Community Forum. 6:03 PM 6:58 PM BLANK PAGE  REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION (RCA) City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Les Bolstad Golf Course – Master Plan Process & Update Description As the University of Minnesota moves forward with interviewing potential developer candidates for the Les Bolstad Golf Course sale, it is prudent that the City of Falcon Heights begin laying out a process and timeline for developing a master plan for the redevelopment. After meeting with Bolton & Menk consultant Andrew Dresdner to discuss this, the City should consider forming two committees: a Technical Advisory Committee and a Community Advisory Committee. The Technical Advisory Committee will be made up of individuals from organizations such as Ramsey County, the MetCouncil, St. Paul Regional Water, Rice Creek Watershed District, Capitol Region Watershed District, Falcon Heights staff, and any other appropriate parties. For the Community Advisory Committee, City Council should decide on the process for choosing committee members. The responsibility of this committee will be to serve as community experts and liaisons, and the plan would be for them to meet roughly once per month. The group should be made of +/- 7 members and potentially also include one representative each from the City of Roseville, City of St. Paul, and City of Lauderdale. For the Falcon Heights members of the Community Advisory Committee, one option could be to have a member from each commission (Planning, Community Engagement, Environment, and Parks & Recreation). These members have been pre-vetted through the interview process and already represent the City’s interest in key area of the city. Additional notes from Andrew Dresdner, Consultant from Bolton & Menk: In general, it will be important to build a “big tent” of partners (community, county, watersheds, state, etc.) to improve the end product and expedite matters. It is also important to remember this will not be a quick, 3-4 month process. Finally, the developer will take the lead on the master plan and AUAR. The City/consultant will review and shepherd the process. If things Meeting Date February 11, 2026 Agenda Item Policy C1 Attachment See below. Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community Development Coordinator Jack Linehan, City Administrator change, we will be capable of leading, but the current assumption is the developer is production and we will be reviewing. Andrew will be at the meeting to discuss the next steps. Budget Impact N/A Attachment(s) - Master Plan Process – Submitted by Andrew Dresdner, Bolton & Menk Action(s) Requested Council should discuss moving forward with creating a Technical Advisory Committee and Community Advisory Committee for the development of a master plan for the Les Bolstad Golf Course redevelopment and the makeup of the Community Advisory Committee. Developer and Master Plan Team CIty of Falcon Heights Staff and BMI Consultants Regents Athletics Academics Research Ramsey County Surrounding communities Met Council State: MPCA, EQB University of Minnesota - Real Estate General Public and Stakeholders Community Advisory Committee Technical Advisory Committee Build a bigger tent Community Advisory Committee Facilitated by City via BMI Con-sultant Team +/-7 members (4 from FH com-mittees) Roseville, St. Paul and Lauder-dale (elected/appointed) Responsibility: to serve as com-munity experts and liaisons Public Outreach Engagement Plan created by developer and coordinated with City... City Communication Networks (Social, newsletters, etc) Open Houses (3) Stakeholders/Neighbors: the U, others? City Boards and Commissions Council Worksessions and Final Approval of the Master Plan Planning Commission (Approval and forwarded to Council?) Environment Commission Community Engagement Com- mission Park and Rec Technical Advisory Committee 10-15 members Facilitated by City via BMI Con-sultant Team Falcon Height Planning, Engi-neering, and Parks Saint Paul Water? Watershed Districts (Rice Creek, Cap Region) County Transportation and Economic Development (?) and Parks (?)Met Council Planning Met Transit (?) Consultant team Keep Informed Saint Paul Pub WorksMWMO Adjacent communities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Organize Master Plan Zoning AUAR (by developer) AUAR (City Review) Comp Plan Am. CAC Mtgs TAC Mtgs General Public Boards/Comm Developer selected Analysis Alternatives Plan Development Scoping Doc Draft AUAR Final AUAR Review, submit to EQB, 30 day review Review, submit to EQB, 30 day review TBD Scoping Master Plan Approved Zoning in place Comp Plan Amendment Zoning PC PC PCPCPCCCCC CCCCCC 2 Strong Alts triggers Scoping Initial DRAFT Schedule for Master Plan, AUAR, ZOning, and Comp Plan Ammendment : Les Bolstad Redevelopment BLANK PAGE  REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION (RCA) City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Legislative Priorities for 2026 Description The Minnesota State Legislature is in session, and numerous bills may be coming that could impact Falcon Heights. Staff has collaborated with the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC), Metro Cities, and our legislators to identify areas where the Council may want to take official positions. The LMC has scheduled “City Day on the Hill” for Thursday, March 11, 2026. We plan to coordinate meetings with our District 66 legislators to discuss our legislative priorities. Item the City of Falcon Heights has advocated or could advocate for at the State level include: • Maintain Local Government Aid (LGA): In 2026, the City of Falcon Heights will receive $863,846 disbursed to LGA. Approximately $760,000 (88%) of this is disbursed into the general fund, with $100 thousand dedicated to capital. LGA was significantly increased in 2023, and our goal is to request the legislature maintain this higher level of aid to help keep property taxes sustainable. • Gun Control: On September 2, following the August 27 shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis and in response to rising gun violence, legislative leaders began meeting to discuss a special session, which would include policies on banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, banning a binary trigger, eliminating the ghost gun loophole, strengthening Extreme Risk Protection Orders, expanding school safety funding and increasing funding for mental health treatment. On October 22nd, Saint Paul introduced an ordinance, requesting that other cities join and advocate for similar ordinances. City Council discussed this request during a workshop on October 22, considering the potential legal risks and costs associated with adopting such an ordinance. Ultimately, they decided to gather additional information on actions taken by other cities before moving forward. Future discussions are expected during the 2026 legislative session that begins February 17. Meeting Date February 11, 2026 Agenda Item Policy C2 Attachment(s) Draft Legislative Priorities Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator • “Just Cause” Eviction Support: The Minnesota Legislature is actively considering "Just Cause" eviction protections (SF1671/HF997) to prevent arbitrary or retaliatory lease non-renewals, and ensuring landlords can only evict for specific reasons. Following 2023 reforms, new 2025 laws mandate a 14- day pre-filing notice for non-payment. While some cities like St. Paul have implemented specific, localized “Just Cause” ordinances (S.A.F.E. Housing Tenant protections), proposals like SF1671/HF997 aim to establish these protections statewide. Falcon Heights City Council discussed “Just Cause” Evictions during its November 4, 2025 Workshop, with a representative from HOME Line present. While councilmembers generally expressed support for stronger tenant protections, several expressed caution about moving forward on state legislation that has not yet advanced through the committee. • State Fair-Related Bills HF 3097, HF 3098, HF 3099, SF 3068, SF 3203 These proposed bills are all related to taxation and local government aid, specifically focused on establishing public safety and municipal services aid for state fairgrounds, including an annual inflation adjustment. The reimbursable expenses include costs for public safety, traffic management, sanitation, and neighborhood clean-up related to events on the fairgrounds. In summary, the commissions of revenue must make aid payments to the city of Falcon Heights and the city of St. Paul as compensation for costs attributable to events at the State Fairgrounds. For 2026, this equals $75,000 for Falcon Heights; for years thereafter, the amount equals the aid payable to each city in the previous year multiplied by the inflation adjustment. Proposed bill HF3098 would establish a 30 cent surcharge instituted on State Agricultural Society admission tickets for the public safety account. • Law Enforcement Assistance for Traffic Management and Community Public Safety During the Minnesota State Fair: This item stems from the State Fair Task Force. On average, the City of Falcon Heights has approximately five police calls per day. During the Minnesota State Fair, this escalates to nearly 50 calls per day. Data from a multi-year analysis shows an increase in traffic accidents and pedestrian accidents during the Minnesota State Fair. The City of Falcon Heights does not receive tax support or regular law enforcement support outside of the gates of the Fair, despite this increase in demand that the event draws. We would propose to continue seeking assistance from the State, whether financially or in State Patrol resources, to ensure that we can provide safe pedestrian crossings to visitors and the burden of increased traffic enforcement isn’t born entirely by the Falcon Heights taxpayers. • Equal Access to Broadband (added 2/9/26): The Equal Access to Broadband Bill, HF 4182/SF 4262, was introduced in both chambers in 2024 and re- introduced as HF 974 in 2025. The bill authorizes cities to franchise broadband providers, which will allow cities to ensure all its residents will receive the same broadband quality of service resulting in all residents having equal access to broadband. Franchising will also allow cities to receive other public benefits such as efforts to promote digital equity. The Equal Access to Broadband Act received multiple hearings in the House of Representatives. It was included in the House Commerce Policy Omnibus Bill, HF 4077 (Article 4, Sections 1-11), which passed out of committee to the House floor where it received its Second Reading on April 4, 2024. On April 5, 2024, the bill was heard by the State and Local Government Committee in the House and laid over for possible inclusion in the State and Local Government Omnibus Bill, but it did not become law in 2024. It was again supported by NineNorth and the League of MN Cities in 2025, but did not become law in 2025 so consideration continues in to 2026. • Support for Local Control: Maintaining municipal authority over land use, zoning, and governance issues. • Infrastructure Investments: Advocacy for transportation and public works funding to support city infrastructure needs. • Public Safety Funding: Ensuring continued state support for local law enforcement and emergency services. Council members are asked to review the LMC and Metro Cities legislative priorities, as well as priorities they would like staff to focus on, and to provide direction on advocacy efforts. The City Council may consider whether to support, oppose, or remain neutral on various issues. Budget Impact N/A Attachment(s) • LMC Priorities • Metro Cities Priorities Action(s) Requested The City Council is requested to discuss and provide guidance on Falcon Heights' legislative priorities for 2026. BLANK PAGE  REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION (RCA) City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Future Agenda Items – Request for Special Workshop Description Two items from the January 7, 2026 retreat were tabled for the future. With additional workshop discussion needed for time-sensitive issues, these items have been pushed out and there is has been a request for a special workshop to take more time on these items and in a more informal setting as a continuation of the retreat. The items are: Standing Rules Each year, at the annual meeting, the City Council reviews the operating procedures it intends to use and decides if changes are warranted. During the January 7, 2026 City Council Workshop meeting, proposed revisions to the standing rules were tabled due to time constraints and more time-sensitive issues taking priority. Then, with more pressing issues taking the majority of time during Workshop meetings since, the Council has not yet had an opportunity to return to this discussion. Goal Setting Council and the City Administrator participated in a goal-setting process facilitated by DDR HR, Inc. in March of 2025 and adopted the report as final on May 14, 2025. Similarly, goal setting was to be a topic on the January 7, 2026 Workshop in which the City Administrator could update the Council on the progress of priorities, but time did not allow for discussion then or since. And, because two new council members have been elected since the final goals report was adopted, reviewing goals now would allow for revisions and updates to be made by current Council. Next Steps City Council should determine whether these topics warrant scheduling a special workshop meeting. And, if so, if Council favors meeting on an upcoming weekend, on Wednesday, February 18th, or on Wednesday, March 4th, to continue thoughtful discussions and in order to move the items forward at an upcoming City Council Regular Meeting. Meeting Date February 11, 2026 Agenda Item C3 Attachment(s) Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator This is an opportunity to suggest future agenda items the City Council would like to discuss. And, to provide direction as to whether Council supports adding a workshop session to discuss them more urgently. Budget Impact N/A Attachment(s) Action(s) Requested The City Council is requested to provide direction to the City Administrator on future items of discussion and determining their time-sensitivity.