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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 15, 2026 City Council Joint Workshop with the Community Advisory Committee Meeting MinutesCity of Falcon Heights Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment Community Advisory Committee Joint Workshop Meeting with City Council This nteeting zuill be teleaised by NineNorth Fnlcott Ileipltts, lv'IirLtu:sottt - CTV' \iortlt SuLnLrhs Prodw:ed Video Cottte tt City Hall 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West MINUTES Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:30 p.m. A. CALL TO ORDER: 7:30 p.m. B. ROLLCALL: Committee Members:. Chair (Planning Commission Representative) - Jake Anderson -X-. Vice Chair (Grove Neighborhood Representative) - Colleen Wilson -X-. Falcon Heights At-Large - Emma Bollig -X-o Environment Commission Representative - Adam Keester -X-. Parks & Recreation Commission Representative - Naomi Loud-Heinsch-A- . Community Engagement Commission Representative - Merrissa Mclean-X- . Lauderdale Representative - Geoff Kramer -X-. Roseville Representative - Jewelie Grape -X-. St. Anthony Park Representative -Eliza Swedenborg -A- City Council: . Mayor Randy Gustafson-X-. Georgiana May -X-. Tim Mosen XJO. Paula Mielke _X_o Jim Wassenberg _X_ Staff Liaisons:. Jack Linehan, City Administrator -X-. Hannah Myhren, Community Development Coordinator/Planner -X- Consultant Team Representatives: r Bolton & Menk - Andrew Dresdner X - Karl Keel -A-r Barr Engineering _A_ 14 Braun Intertec -A- C. NEW BUSINESS 1,. Les Bolstad Golf Course Redevelopment - Introduction from Rachel Development & Preliminary Overview of RFP Submission Concept Plans City Administrator lack Linehan proaided introductory remarks, including a project background and timeline, and outlined the format and expectations for the eaening's meeting. Administrator Linehan summarized the key milestones leading to the meeting: the City's adoption of the Snelling and Latpenteur Coridor Study in Nouember 2024; the Uniaersity of Minnesota's Announcement in lune 2025 of its intent to dispose of the Les Bolstad Golf Course; city-hosted openhouse in September 2025 to gather community feedback; the Uniaersity' s release of its RFP in October 2025, roith purchase price as the pimary weighted criterion; RFP responses due in December 2025; tfu City Council's assembly of the CAC in April2026; and the Uniaersity's announcement in lune 2026 thnt Rachel Deuelopment had ruon th! RFP. Administrator Linehnn explained that no questions or comments would be taken from council members, CAC members, or the public duing the presentation, as this was the first opportunity for most attendees to uiew the RFP submission plans. He noted thnt the presentation, a aideo recording of the meeting, and additional information rnould be published to the city's zuebsite on Thursday morning, along zutth an email notificahon to newsletter sr.tbscribers. Administrator Linehan also clarified that this presentation did not constitute an official submission to the city and thnt the plans would be subject to modification through the ongoing collaboratiae process. Paul Robinson, Deaelopment Director for Rachel Deuelopment, introducedhimself and his colleagues. He described his background, which included nine years working for municipalities - including six years as City Administrator of Edina - before transitioning to the piaate deaelopment sector otser the past 24 years. He highlighted the Woodland Coae deaelopment in Minnetista as a comparable project inaobing mixed product types, commercial uses, and complex multt-agency coordination. Daaid Stradtman, Vice President of Deaelopment for Rachel Deaelopment, prouided background on Rachel Deuelopment and its related company, Rachel Contracting, a St. Michael-based specialty contractor zuith expertise in earthroork, utilities, demolition, and enaironmental remediation of golf course properties. Mr. Stradtman noted his 30 years of experience in deuelopment, including zoork in retail and land acquisition. Paul Heuer, representing Pulte Homes, described his background as a former consulting city engineer andhis 24 years of experience creating residential neighborhoods across the Tuin Cities, including seaeral redeuelopment projects and a pior golf course redeuelopment. 15 Stephanie Grffin, Vice President of Land Acquisihon for MI Homes, described her background as a third-generation female deaeloper in the Tzuin Afies market. She noted thnt MI Homes, a national homebuilder based in Columbus, Ohio, had deep local roots throughits predecessor cotnpnny, Hans Hagen Homes. She highlighted thnt Pulte, MI Homes, and Rachel Deaelopment had preutously collaborated on projects, including Woodland Coae and a deaelopment inWaconia. Mr. Robinson presented an oaeraiezu of the approximately 140-acre site, coaeing topograpLry, drainage, stormwater management, wetlands, and utility infrastructure. He described an eleaation change of approximately 70 feet across the site, with drainage split betzoeen the Rice Creek Watershed District to the north and the Capitol Region Watershed Distict to the south. He noted that modern deaelopment standards zuould require dedicating approximately 7-10 percent of the gross land area to stormwater treatment, and that existing open zoater zoetlands would likely be incorporated into the s t ormw ater m anageme nt sy s tem. Regarding wetlands, Mr. Robinson indicated thnt preliminary analysis identified approximately 3 acres of wetlands across 10-11 locahons, with an estimated three- quarters of an acre potentially subject to impact and requiing wetland credit replacement through established mitigation prlgrams. He noted that formal zuetland delineation had not yet been completed. On uhlihes, Mr. Robinson identified potential sanitary seruer connection points on Roselaun to the northeast and along Larpenteur to the south, and noted possible connections in the neighboing cities of Lauderdale and Roseuille pending capacity \ analysis. He stated that the primary zoater source was anticipated to be the trunk zuater main along Larpenteur, per correspondence f'rom St. PauI RegionalWater Sentices, with pressure and capacity studies to follozo. Mr. Robinson also reuiewed the surrounding neighborhood context, noting a general pattern of more suburban character to the north transitioning to greater density approaching Larpenteur to the south, which informed the oaerall organization of the proposed site plan. Mr. Robinson explained thnt the site plan ruas prepared in response to the Uniuersity of Minnesota's RFP and zoas intended to establishaalue and demonstrate an implementable concept rather thnn represent a finalized plan. He emphasized that the plan closely follozoed the City's uisioning committee goals and guiding pnnciples, as well as the extrapolatedlanduse plan thathad grozon out of the 2024 corridor study. He presented the plan in the context of the six uisioning committee goals: Connectiaity: The plan proposes connecting to four or fiae streets in both Lauderdale and Roseaille, all releaant connections ui.thin Falcon Heigltts, and s trails and sidezoalk networklinking sub-neighborhoods to adjacent par*s, Gibbs Farm, the BelI Museum, and other smenities. Only one cul-de-sac is included in the entire deaelopment. Mr. Robinson 16 described a more gid-like street pattern along site edges adjacent to existing neighborhoods, transitioning to a more curailinear interior pattern uhere natural features such as wetlands and greenways require it. Green Space: The plan dedicates approximately 17.2 upland acres (about 12 percent of the site) and roughly 30 total acres (approximately 20 percent) to open space, ruhich Mr. Robinson indicated would exceed the open space proportion of the Hillcrest deuelopment A pttblic trail system would run through all open space areas. A notable feature is a southern greenLzay corridor approximately 100 feet zuide running east-roest along the south property line, prouiding a trail connection between parks and preseraing mature trees. Mr. Robinson also described a " greenruay parktoay" expeience along Cofftnan, zuith a series of open space oiezus and buffers encountered when traaeling through the site. He acknowledged that while tree preseruation would be limited giuen the distribution of trees across the golf course, hundreds of neu trees would be planted thr oughout the deuelopment. Self-Sustaining: Mr. Robinson expressed confidence that the derselopment's assessed ualues - anticipated to meet or exceed the current Falcon Heights aaerage Lnme aalue range of approximately $385,000-$420,000 -would generate sufficient property tax reuenLte to sustain city seruices zoithoutplacing additionalburden on existing infrastructure. AII public infrastructure within the deoelopment would be constructed at the deaeloper's expense using modern, durable materials. Housing Mix: The plan incotyorates ten distinct product $pes, including rear-load alley single-family homes, S}-foot-ruide ailla-style single-family homes for empty nesters with HOA maintenance, tuo-story cariage tozonhomes, three-story urban tozonhomes, market-rnte apartments, a combined independent and assisted liaing/memory care senior facility, and a commercial component. All single-family lots are proposed to be smaller thnn 10,000 square feet. Higher density uses are concentrated along Larpenteur, consistent zoith the aisioning goals. The plan contemplates a range of approximately L,400 to 1,800 total units depending on density scenaio, equating to approximately 13- 1-6 units per acre across the site. Ms. Grffin presented MI Homes' product ffirings, and Mr. Heuer presented Pulte Homes' ffirings, each emphasizing the complementary nature of their respectiae home types and the diaersity of buyers eachprodttct zoould attract. Mr. Stradtman described Rachel Deaelopment's multifamily component, noting planned market-rate apartments along Larenteur and a senior liaing complex combining memoty care, assisted liaing, and independent liaing in a campus format. He also described a commercial area of approximately 4.75 acres along Larpenteur that could nLpport seraice retail, standalone commercial, or mixed-use deuelopment zoith residential aboae, depending on market conditions and further discussions zuith the city and Met Council regarding density re quirements. %tstainability: Mr. Robinson referenced the significant improaement in home energy efficiency standards since 2006, noting that aaerage HERS ratings hnd improaed from 17 awroximately L00 to the mid-4}s. He noted thnt Pulte and MI Homes ffir solar-ready options and electic aehicle chnrger options for single-family products. For multifamily buildings, the deaelopment would meet the Enterpise Green Communihes and ASHRAE 700 standards. Heat island mitigation throughlandscaped parking lot islands zoas also identified as part of the sustainability approach. Commercial: The commercial area is proposed along Larpenteur, connected to the neighborhoodby sidewalk and trail. Mr. Stradtman and Mr. Robinsonboth acknowledged that commercial uiability zoould need to be assessed through market analysis and that tlte city and deaeloper shnred an interest in ensuring any commercial uses would be successfully occupied. Mr. Robinson noted that the deaelopment team and city staff had not yet fully synchronized their respectiae timelines and process frameworks, but expressed commitment to zuorking collaboratiaely to align the CAC's community engngement prlcess with the deueloper's project adaancement schedule. Regarding next steps, Mr. Robinson outlined the team's immed:iate piorities, including outreach to stakeholder agencies such as the two zuatershed districts, Ramsey County, Met Council, St. Psul RegionalWnter Seraices, and neighboing cities; sanitary sewer and water capacity analyses; trffic analysis; geotechnical inuestigations; zuetland delineation; and initial enuironmental contaminant testing appropiate for an older golf course property. 2. Community Engagement Recap / Next Steps Administrator Linehan recapped the 6:30 PM CAC meeting that had taken place prior to the joint session, describing it ns a produchae 41-minute discussion focused on ptLblic participation strategies andhozo the community cotLld prouide meaningful input into the redeaelopment process. He noted thnt zuhile specific engagement opportunihes had not been fully formalized, the CAC hari tdenttJted initiai approaches ior broader public inaolaement. He confirmed that the presentahon materials and a aideo recording of the eaening's meeting uottld be posted to the city's project webpage at falconheightsmn.gou by Thursday morning, and that newsletter subscribers would receiae an email notification zoith releuant links. Administrator Linehan reiterated that the CAC's next regular meeting was scheduled for August 19,2026, at 6:30 PM at Falcon Heights City Hall. At that meeting, CAC members would be asked to bring forward ideas for community engagement, including methods they had seen zuork ffictiaely in their respectiae communities. He also ffirmed that Rachel Druelopment zuould continue to be part of the process, withfuture opportunities for the Gty Cotmcil, CAC, and public to ask questions and proaide feedback on the eaolaingplans. D. ADJOURN - Chalr Anderson expressed appreciation to Rachel Deaelopment for the presentation qnd noted thnt the CAC looked forward to further engagement. Mayor Gustafson echoed those remarks on behnlf of the City Council, stating that the proposal appeared to explain why the Uniuersity of Minnesotahad selected Rachel Deuelopment, and thnt the City looked 18 forward to working with tht team in the coming months and years. Mayor Gustafson made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was adjourned by consent at 8:32 PM. Next Meeting:Wednesday, August L9 at 6:30 PM - FalconHeights City HaII Dated this 26th day of August, 2026 Randatt C stafson, Mayor nehan, City Administrator 19