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Home My WebLink AboutPC Packet 1.27.2026City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission City Hall 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West AGENDA Tuesday, January 27, 2026 7:00 p.m. A.CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Mike Tracy ____ Laura Paynter ____ Jacob Brooks ____ Jeremy Hallowanger ____ Rick Seifert ____ VACANT ___ Jake Anderson ____ Staff Liaison – Hannah Lynch ____ Council Liaison – Jim Mogen ____ C.APPROVAL OF AGENDA D.APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. October 28, 2025 E.PUBLIC HEARING – None. F. NEW BUSINESS 1. 2026 Officer Nominations 2.Adoption of Standing Rules 3. 2026 Schedule 4. Discussion of 2026 Projects G.INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Staff Liaison Report 2.Council Liaison Report H. ADJOURN Next regular meeting date: February 24, 2026 CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Planning Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES October 28, 2025 at 7:00 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 P.M. B. ROLL CALL: Mike Tracy _X_ Laura Paynter _A_ Jacob Brooks _X_ Rick Seifert _X_ Jim Mogen _X_ Jeremy Hallowanger _X_ Jake Anderson _X_ Staff Liaison Lynch _X_ Council Liaison Meyer _X_ C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Commissioner Brooks to approve the agenda. Agenda was approved by consent. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. September 23, 2025 – Joint Meeting with City Council A motion was made by Commissioner Seifert to approve minutes from September 23, 2025. Minutes were approved by consent. E. PUBLIC HEARING 1. Planning Application 25-02 – Conditional Use Permit – Falcon Heights Town Square, Child Daycare Center Staff Liaison Lynch presented the Conditional Use Permit application for a daycare in a 4,388-square-foot space in Falcon Town Square. The daycare proposes hours of 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and would serve up to 95 children. State daycare licensing and a city business license are required. Applicant Dan Kennedy spoke on behalf of owner Nasro Nassib, noting compliance with state regulations and regular inspections. One resident, Mark Bourne, spoke during public comment and expressed concerns about unsafe traffic flow and low-hanging trees. Staff stated that concerns will be addressed through code enforcement. After asking for speakers twice more, Commissioner Mogen made a motion to close the public hearing. Public hearing was closed by consent. F. NEW BUSINESS 1. Planning Application 25-02 – Conditional Use Permit – Falcon Heights Town Square, Child Daycare Center After discussion, the Planning Commission agreed the proposal was consistent with zoning requirements. A motion was made by Commissioner Anderson to recommend approval of the Conditional Use Permit to City Council, contingent upon receiving state daycare licensing and a city business license. Motion was approved by consent. 2. Les Bolstad Golf Course Sale Updates Staff Liaison Lynch provided an update on the University of Minnesota’s sale of the Les Bolstad Golf Course. The University has issued an RFP, with submittals due December 18, 2025, followed by interviews early next year. The City may hire a consultant to assist with review and planning. Discussion included zoning implications, a potential interim ordinance, and long-term planning. 3. 2050 Comprehensive Plan – 2025 System Statement for the City of Falcon Heights Staff Liaison Lynch introduced the Metropolitan Council's 2025 System Statement, triggering the City’s obligation to update the 2050 Comprehensive Plan by 2028. Population, housing, climate policies, and infrastructure guidelines were noted. Redevelopment of the golf course would likely require revised forecasts. G. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Staff Liaison Report – Staff Liaison Lynch noted that Planning Commission meetings in November and December may be canceled unless applications are received. 2. Council Liaison Report – Council Liaison Meyer stated appreciation for the Commission’s work and noted the Council approved the Lions Club Christmas tree sale at City Hall. He also announced he would be stepping down from the City Council. H. ADJOURN A motion was made by Commissioner Mogen to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was adjourned by consent at 8:10 PM. ITEM FOR DISCUSSION City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item 2026 Officer Nominations Description The Commission must nominate and elect officers for 2026. Historically, most Commissions consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Brief descriptions of these positions are as follows: Chair – Conducts the meeting, opens/closes public hearings, calls for votes, consults with staff regarding agenda topics Vice Chair – Fills duties in the Chair’s absence Secretary – Takes official minutes during meetings and sends to staff for review and approval at next meeting. Budget Impact None. Attachment(s) None. Action(s) Requested Staff recommends nominating and electing officers for 2026. Meeting Date January 27, 2026 Agenda Item F1 Attachment None. Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community Development Coordinator / Planner ITEM FOR DISCUSSION City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Adoption of Standing Rules for 2026 Description Introduction to the current Planning Commission Standing Rules: In the belief that the best decisions are made by the best informed decision makers and that the public decision process is best served when the public has every opportunity to present views, the following rules are established to govern regular and special commission meetings as well as formal public hearings. There are several goals behind these rules. 1. In general, free and open discussion by all interested parties should be an essential part of the decision making process. 2. The commission process should have as little procedural overhead as possible. 3. Time is better spent on substantial matters rather than pro forma matters. Budget Impact None. Attachment(s) • Sec. 2-118 – Planning Commission from City Code • City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Standing Rules • Admin Manual on City Commissioners • Sikkink’s Seven Motion System Action(s) Requested Staff recommends approval of the standing rules for 2026. Meeting Date January 27, 2026 Agenda Item F2 Attachment See below. Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community Development Coordinator / Planner FALCON HEIGHTS PLANNING COMMISSION PLANNING COMMISSION STANDING RULES January 27, 2026 INTRODUCTION In the belief that the best decisions are made by the best informed decision makers and that the public decision process is best served when the public has every opportunity to present views, the following rules are established to govern regular and special commission meetings as well as formal public hearings. There are several goals behind these rules. 1. In general, free and open discussion by all interested parties should be an essential part of the decision making process. 2. The commission process should have as little procedural overhead as possible. 3. Time is better spent on substantial matters rather than proforma matters. MEMBERSHIP The formal commission membership consists of seven commissioners. All seven have one vote each and all can introduce motions. For purposes of leading the meeting, the chair, or in the absence of the chair, the vice-chair will be considered the chairperson. In the absence of the chair and vice-chair, the Commission shall name an acting chair for the duration of the meeting. RULES Agenda 1. To be considered, an item must be on the agenda and the agenda must be distributed to all the commission members and any other persons having responsibility for an item at least three working days prior to the meeting. Distribution may be made by electronic media, including the city website. An agenda can be modified with addenda by a majority vote but this should be used only for minor items or items with extreme time constraints. 2. Since there will be audience and possibly cable TV viewers not familiar with each item, the chair, or person appointed by the chair, will give a brief explanation of each item as it is addressed. 3. The order of items on the agenda need not be followed absolutely. The chair may adjust the order in the interest of: a. Filling in time before a scheduled item, i.e., a public hearing. Page 2 Planning Commission Standing Rules City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Standing Rules, Adopted January 27, 2026 b. Grouping several items to best make use of consultant time. c. Accommodating individuals who have attended the meeting specifically to provide input on an item. Process - Regular and Special Planning Commission Meetings 1. For these proceedings the commission will use the 'open discussion' procedure. That is, discussion is open to any member before or after a motion is made. This privilege is also extended to the Staff Liaison and any of the consultants who may have an interest in or can contribute to the item at hand. 2. At the discretion of the chair, this privilege is also extended to those members of the audience who wish to provide input. The chair may also rule out of order any input felt to be redundant, superfluous or irrelevant. 3. The chair can make liberal use of the "unanimous consent" procedure. That is, items that in the judgment of the chair are likely to be unanimously approved, can be introduced for approval with the statement "If there are no objections, ... stands approved (or denied)." If any commissioner has an objection, then the item reverts to the standard motion procedure. This "unanimous consent" procedure cannot be used for items requiring formal votes, i.e. resolutions. 4. The standard motion procedure is changed to not require a second. A motion need only be made to be considered. This also applies to amendments. 5. To eliminate confusion, only one amendment will be considered at a time and that amendment must be germane to the motion. An amendment cannot itself be amended. If a change to an amendment is deemed appropriate, the amendment should be withdrawn and reintroduced accordingly. 6. The general mode of voting will be by acclamation but with enough clarity that the individual votes can be recorded in the minutes. If in doubt, the secretary can request a clarification. 7. If the commission action is the result of a resident request and that request is denied in whole or in part, reasons of fact supporting the denial will be made part of the public record. 8. No commission meeting will extend beyond 10:00 P.M. except by unanimous vote. This rule is not subject to the modification or suspension provisions of the Standing Rules. Page 3 Planning Commission Standing Rules City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Standing Rules, Adopted January 27, 2026 Process - Public Hearings Since a public hearing is a more formal procedure and often requires certain procedures and actions to be legal, the meeting rules are changed accordingly. 1. The primary aim of a public hearing is to take input from the public. To accomplish this in the most effective manner the chair will introduce the hearing with an explanation of the issues. This explanation will be given by the chair or a person designated by the chair. The use of explanatory visual aids is encouraged. 2. Following the explanation, input from the public will be taken. Prior to accepting input, though, the chair will state the areas where input will be appropriate, the maximum time of FIVE MINUTES to be allotted to any individual presenter and any other procedural rules deemed appropriate to guarantee that all concerned parties have a fair and adequate opportunity to be heard. 3. At the discretion of the chair, all individuals wishing to speak must fill out and submit an identification form and speak into a recording microphone. Individuals not wishing to speak in public may provide a written statement. The commission may take up to 15 minutes to review written statements presented at the meeting. If the commission decides to not act on the issue at the public hearing meeting, it may by majority vote extend the time where written input will be taken to a day no later than 1 week before the next meeting where a deciding vote is planned. 4. All speakers are expected to be business-like, to-the-point and courteous. Anyone not abiding by these rules will be considered out-of-order. 5. The commission will refrain from initiating a discussion during the public input phase of the hearing except to clarify points brought up. These 'point of information' requests should be held to a minimum. 6. Once the public testimony phase is complete the chair will announce the public hearing to be closed and the commission will revert back to its open discussion mode of operation. From this point on, public input will only be appropriate when solicited by the commission. 7. Voting on any motion that results from a public hearing must be by roll call. 8. It shall be the intent of the commission to vote on the issue at the same meeting as the public hearing and as close in time to the public hearing as possible. Should it be necessary to defer voting until a later date, that procedure will be clearly explained to the audience. 9. No public hearing will extend beyond 9:30 p.m. Page 4 Planning Commission Standing Rules City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Standing Rules, Adopted January 27, 2026 10. If the motion contains conditions, as may occur in conditional use or variance requests, those conditions will be conveyed in writing to the requestor. 11. If the public hearing is the result of a resident request and that request is denied in whole or in part, reasons of fact supporting the denial will be made part of the public record. ADOPTION/MODIFICATION/SUSPENSION These rules, with the exception of the mandatory 10:00 P.M. adjournment, can be adopted, modified or suspended in whole or in part by a 3/4 vote of the commission. If suspended, they are automatically reinstated at the next meeting. Should they be suspended or a situation occurs that is not covered by the standing rules, Sikkink's Seven Motion System (attached) will apply. ANNUAL REVIEW These rules will be reviewed annually in January. INTERPRETATION The chair will interpret the rules. However, the chair's interpretation can be appealed by any commission member and can be overruled by a majority vote. Falcon Heights City Code Sec. 2-118. Planning commission. (a) The commission shall be the city planning agency authorized by Minn. Stats. § 462.354, subd. 1. (b) The duties of the planning commission are: (1) To guide future development of land, services, and facilities; (2) To ensure a safe, pleasant and economical environment for residential, commercial, and public activities; and (3) To promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community. (c) These duties are to be carried out by: (1) Establishing community objectives and policy; (2) Making recommendations to the council regarding petitions and applications for rezoning, special use permits, etc.; (3) Reviewing and making recommendations on all matters relating to or affecting the physical development of the city. (Code 1993, § 2-4.05; Ord. No. 98-02, § 3, 4-8-1998) City of Falcon Heights Administrative Manual Section II Commissions Appointments, Membership, and Operations I. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to formalize the procedures and expectations for appointment, participation, and conduct of members serving on city commissions. Commissions serve as advisory bodies to the city council and are integral to public engagement and effective municipal governance. II. General Policy The City of Falcon Heights seeks to promote open and equitable access to public service through commissions, reflecting the city’s diversity and encouraging citizen participation in governance. Commissioners provide insight, review policies, and make recommendations to the city council. III. Commission Structure A. Standing Commissions The City Council has established the following standing commissions: • Planning Commission • Parks and Recreation Commission • Community Engagement Commission • Environment Commission Additional ad-hoc committees may be created by the council as needed but are not covered under this section. B. Membership Each commission may consist of up to seven (7) members, including one optional Youth Commissioner (excluding the Planning Commission). A majority of members must be Falcon Heights residents unless otherwise specified. IV. Appointment Process A. Recruitment and Application 1. Vacancy notice: All vacancies are advertised for a period of at least 30 days with a post and end date stated. Vacancies are advertised through the city website, e-newsletter, and may also be advertised on social media. Applications received after the stated end date shall not be considered. 2. Term vacancies: Openings can be advertised starting 30 days prior to the end of a commissioner’s second term. 3. Resignation vacancies: vacancies due to resignation or removal are announced following formal acceptance by the council. New commissioners appointed following a resignation or removal vacancy would be eligible to serve full terms as outlined in Section IV C. 4. Application: All applicants must submit a completed application including contact information, interest statement, relevant experience, and availability. Applications will not be saved for future consideration. B. Appointment 1. Applications for a city commission are collected by staff when a vacancy occurs as outlined in Section IV A. 2. Applications will be reviewed in a reasonable time frame by an interview committee consisting of the Staff Liaison, Commission Chair or senior ranking officer, and City Council Liaison to that commission. The interview committee will interview applicants and make a recommendation for appointment based on the applicant’s application and interview to select the most qualified candidate for the commission. The criteria for determining the most qualified applicant is their ability to reflect the General Purpose as outlined in Section II. 3. The Mayor has the opportunity to review the recommendation of the selected applicant and reach out directly to the applicant if additional information is requested. 4. Appointments are made by majority vote of the City Council as a consent agenda item following a recommendation from the interviewing committee. 5. Commissioners may be reappointed up to a maximum of two consecutive terms, unless otherwise approved by the Council. C. Term 1. Regular commissioners serve three-year terms, with up to one reappointment allowed consecutively. Upon completion of service on one commission, commissioners are eligible for appointment to another commission, or after a period of at least one year, for appointment to the same commission on which they termed out of one year prior. 2. Youth Commissioners serve one-year terms and may be reappointed up to two times. 3. Terms begin on the date of appointment by the City Council, not a fixed annual schedule. D. Resignation and Removal 1. Resignations must be submitted in writing and formally accepted by the Council before a vacancy is filled. 2. Commissioners may be removed by a majority vote of the Council for any reason, including but not limited to poor attendance. V. Youth Commissioners A. Role and Eligibility 1. Youth Commissioners are full voting members and count toward quorum. 2. Must be residents of Falcon Heights and between ages 16–18. *If a youth commissioner would turn 19 years of age during their appointed term and seek reappointment, they must then be appointed as a regular commissioner, as vacancy allows. 3. Enrolled in high school or equivalent education program. B. Appointment and Term • Appointed through the standard process. • Serve one-year terms from date of appointment. • May serve up to three total terms. The maximum term shall not exceed six years total, as a mixture of youth and regular commission years served consecutively. VI. Stipends and Compensation 1. All commissioners, including youth members and officers, receive a $50 stipend per formally noticed meeting attended, provided they are present for the majority of the meeting. 2. Stipends are paid through a sign-in record and processed as employee W-2 income. 3. Commissioners may decline compensation and serve voluntarily. 4. Commissioners receive stipends even if a meeting is canceled for lack of quorum, as long as attendance is pre-communicated with Staff Liaison (see VIII). VII. Orientation and Onboarding 1. The Staff Liaison will provide new member orientation before or shortly after appointment, including overview of commission duties, policies, and open meeting laws. 2. Officers and continuing commissioners are encouraged to assist with recruitment and mentorship of new members. VIII. Attendance and Participation 1. Regular attendance is expected. Missing more than 25% of scheduled meetings or three consecutive absences may result in removal. 2. Members should notify the Staff Liaison in advance of absences. If an absence is not communicated to the Staff Liaison by 3:00 PM the day of the meeting and the absence results in a meeting being held with a lack of quorum, this Member shall not receive their monthly stipend due to a non-communicated absence resulting in lack of quorum. 3. Members may be asked, on occasion to lead a project and/or to volunteer their time at events. IX. Meeting Procedures and Reporting 1. Commissions meet at least quarterly and follow the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. 2. Each commission shall: o Elect officers annually. o Keep public records of actions. o Submit formal reports or requests to the City Council regarding policies or recommendations pursuant to their purpose as defined in City Code. X. Staff and Council Liaisons 1. Each commission is assigned a Staff Liaison to assist with agendas, provide policy guidance, ensure communication with city departments. 2. A Council Liaison may be assigned annually to foster communication between the council and commission. XI. Conflicts and Communications 1. Members must distinguish between personal opinions and official commission recommendations when speaking publicly. 2. Recommendations requiring City Council action must be submitted through the Staff Liaison to the City Administrator for agenda placement. SIKKINK’S SEVEN MOTION SYSTEM General Rules for a Simplified System of Parliamentary Procedure 1. The purpose of this decision making system is to allow efficient decision making that represents a majority position. Any motion, request, discussion or proposal, which seems to have as its purpose unreasonable delay, manipulation, or the goal of serving individual ends rather than group ends, can be ruled out of order by the chair. Such a ruling by the chair will be subject to the motion called appeal. 2. Free and open discussions are valued in this decision making system. For that reason, most motions are discussable and the motion to restrict discussion requires a 2/3 vote in order to pass. In recognizing persons for discussion, the chair first recognizes the person who made the motion, next recognizes other persons and always recognizes a person who has not spoken over a person who has already participated in the discussion. As far as possible, the chair should try to alternately recognize persons representing different viewpoints. 3. In examining the chart on the following page, you will note that five of the seven motions are amendable. However, only one amendment at a time may be considered. As soon as that amendment is passed or defeated, another amendment may be proposed. 4. The number in front of the motion listed indicates the rank of each motion. Thus, #1 – General motions are lowest in rank, and #7 – Restrict Debate motions are highest in rank. Two rules apply: (1) You usually cannot consider two motions of the same rank at the same time, and (2) If a motion of one rank is being considered, a motion of the same rank or lower rank is usually out of order, but a motion of higher rank is in order. While these rules generally apply, the chair may allow some flexibility in certain circumstances. These situations almost always occur with motions #5, 6 and 7. For example, if #7 - “Restrict Discussion” is being discussed and a member wants a secret ballot vote on the matter, Request, while lower in rank, could be used to accomplish this purpose. The chair is allowed to make all decisions on exceptions, but all such decisions are subject to appeal. Ty p e o f M o t i o n / R a n k P u r p o s e Ap p l i e s T o W h a t Si t u a t i o n s Ne e d s Ne e d s Ca n B e Am e n d a b l e Vo t e 7. R e s t r i c t D i s c u s s i o n (h i g h e s t r a n k ) To s t o p o r l i m i t di s c u s s i o n Al l d i s c u s s a b l e mo t i o n s Ye s Y e s Y e s Y e s 2 / 3 6. A p p e a l T o l e t t h e g r o u p v o t e o n a c h a i r ’ s d e c i s i o n To d e c i s i o n o f t h e ch a i r p e r s o n No Y e s Y e s N o M a j o r i t y 5. R e q u e s t N o t a m o t i o n b u t a w a y to q u e s t i o n , c h a l l e n g e , or s e e k h e l p An y a p p r o p r i a t e si t u a t i o n No N o N o N o Ch a i r d e c i d e s su b j e c t t o ap p e a l 4. P o s t p o n e T o d e l a y a c t i o n o n a n y ge n e r a l m o t i o n t o a fu t u r e t i m e Ge n e r a l m o t i o n s Ye s Y e s Y e s Y e s M a j o r i t y 3. R e f e r T o h a v e a g e n e r a l mo t i o n s t u d i e d b y a co m m i t t e e Ge n e r a l m o t i o n s Ye s Ye s Y e s Y e s M a j o r i t y 2. M e e t i n g T e r m i n a t i o n T o r e c e s s d u r i n g a me e t i n g o r t o e n d a me e t i n g Ma d e t o r e c e s s o r ad j o u r n Y e s Y e s Y e s Y e s M a j o r i t y 1. G e n e r a l ( l o w e s t r a n k ) T o b r i n g u p b u s i n e s s f o r ma j o r i t y d e c i s i o n s b y t h e gr o u p Fo r d o i n g bu s i n e s s Y e s Y e s Y e s Y e s M a j o r i t y ITEM FOR DISCUSSION City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Review of 2026 Planning Commission Schedule Description City Staff created a Planning Schedule to lay out the timeline for Planning Commission and City Council hearings for projects. This schedule will be used for all planning applications that require a public hearing, such as variances, conditional use permits, and code amendments. Budget Impact None Attachment(s) 2026 Planning Commission Schedule Action(s) Requested No action necessary. Meeting Date January 27, 2026 Agenda Item F3 Attachment 2026 Planning Commission Schedule Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community Development Coordinator / Planner Planning Commission Meeting Date (4th Tuesday of the Month) Planning Application Due (22 days prior, Monday, by 4:30 PM) Legal Notice Newspaper Submission Deadline (12 days prior, Thursday) Notice of Public Hearing Mailed (12 days prior, Thursday) Legal Notice Newspaper Publication (10 days prior, Saturday) City Council Review (2nd Wednesday of next month) January 27, 2026 January 5, 2026 January 15, 2026 January 15, 2026 January 17, 2026 February 11, 2026 February 24, 2026 February 2, 2026 February 12, 2026 February 12, 2026 February 14, 2026 March 11, 2026 March 24, 2026 March 2, 2026 March 12, 2026 March 12, 2026 March 14, 2026 April 8, 2026 April 28, 2026 April 6, 2026 April 16, 2026 April 16, 2026 April 18, 2026 May 13, 2026 May 26, 2026 May 4, 2026 May 14, 2026 May 14, 2026 May 16, 2026 June 10, 2026 June 23, 2026 June 1, 2026 June 11, 2026 June 11, 2026 June 13, 2026 July 8, 2026 July 28, 2026 July 6, 2026 July 16, 2026 July 16, 2026 July 18, 2026 August 12, 2026 August 25, 2026 August 3, 2026 August 13, 2026 August 13, 2026 August 15, 2026 September 9, 2026 September 22, 2026 August 31, 2026 September 10, 2026 September 10, 2026 September 12, 2026 October 14, 2026 October 27, 2026 October 5, 2026 October 15, 2026 October 15, 2026 October 17, 2026 November 11, 2026 November 24, 2026 November 2, 2026 November 12, 2026 November 12, 2026 November 14, 2026 December 9, 2026 December 22, 2026 November 30, 2026 December 10, 2026 December 10, 2026 December 12, 2026 January 13, 2027 January 26, 2027 January 4, 2027 January 14, 2027 January 14, 2027 January 16, 2027 February 10, 2027 **If the planning application deadline falls on a holiday, the deadline will move to 4:30 PM on the next working day. City of Falcon Heights 2026 Planning Commission Schedule ITEM FOR DISCUSSION City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Discussion of 2026 Projects Description In its normal business, the Planning Commission handles conditional use permits, zoning variances, and zoning amendments (including planned unit developments). In 2026, there may also be opportunity for input related to the redevelopment of the Les Bolstad Golf Course. This is to be a discussion of that project as well as other potential upcoming projects. Budget Impact None. Attachment(s) None. Action(s) Requested No action requested. Meeting Date January 27, 2026 Agenda Item F4 Attachment None. Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community Development Coordinator / Planner