The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSeptember 23, 2026 City Council Workshop Agenda PacketCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS City Council Workshop City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA September 23, 2026 6:00 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: B. ROLL CALL: GUSTAFSON____ MAY___ MIELKE___ MOGEN ___ WASSENBERG___ STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN___ C. POLICY ITEMS: 1. Visioning Exercise – 1407 Larpenteur – Get Pressed Redevelopment Goals 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. BLANK PAGE REQUEST FOR ACTION City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________ Item Visioning Exercise for Future Redevelopment of 1407 Larpenteur Avenue West (Get Pressed) Description The purpose of this second workshop is to build on the July 22, 2026 visioning session by further discussing redevelopment priorities for the recently acquired property at 1407 Larpenteur Avenue West. This session will help the City Council evaluate potential future uses, clarify redevelopment goals, and consider next steps toward preparing an eventual Request for Proposals (RFP). Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) program will again facilitate the conversation Background: The City of Falcon Heights acquired 1407 Larpenteur Avenue West to address long‑standing concerns regarding the property’s condition, environmental uncertainty, and redevelopment potential. The site meets the definition of a brownfield, meaning its reuse may be complicated by the actual or potential presence of contaminants. Environmental due diligence conducted through the MPCA’s Targeted Brownfield Assessment Grant in 2024 identified the following contaminants on the site, confirming the need for cleanup planning prior to redevelopment: During the July 22 work session, the Council reviewed environmental conditions, redevelopment constraints, and three initial reuse concepts: park, commercial, and residential. The site qualifies as a brownfield, and prior assessments have identified contaminants including PCE, TCE, lead, GRO, and DRO, which will require cleanup planning and a site-specific Response Action Plan (RAP) as redevelopment advances. The September 23 workshop will continue this discussion with a focus on identifying which priorities should drive redevelopment decisions. These priorities will help guide concept refinement, community engagement planning, and developer recruitment strategy. Budget Impact N/A Meeting Date September 23, 2026 Agenda Item C1 Attachment Presentation Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator Attachment(s) - Presentation from TAB Action(s) Requested No formal action is requested at this time. Staff requests Council discussion and feedback to clarify redevelopment priorities and guide next steps for the 1407 Larpenteur property. Work Session - September 23, 2026 Kristin Prososki, Assistant Regional Director Technical Assistance to Brownfields – Kansas State University 1407 Larpenteur Avenue West (Get Pressed) Redevelopment ksutab.org Recap and goals •July 22, 2026 work session focused on: o Site status and redevelopment process o Three potential future use discussed: ▪Park ▪Commercial ▪Residential •Tonight's work session: o Further discuss priorities for site o Discuss next steps based on priorities Ranking Priorities •Meets a community need •Provides housing •Is compatible with the neighborhood •Provides commercial space •Creates jobs •Provides green space •Allows City to recover some or all of costs •Contributes to the tax base •Others priorities? Park Reuse Considerations •Adds an amenity in an area lacking city park space •City could choose to proceed along their desired timeline (don't need to find a developer) •Public cost o Initial investment o Cost to develop park o Ongoing operations/maintenance •Fewer options for cleanup grants Commercial Reuse Considerations •Fits Comp Plan and Corridor Plan o Including for survey feedback noting support for small/neighborhood businesses •Tax base increase •Potential for new jobs •Fits most cleanup grant opportunities •Uncertainty of exact type of commercial use •Finding the right development partner may take time Residential Reuse Considerations •Potentially easier to find development partner •Fits some cleanup grant opportunities •Smaller tax base increase (compared to commercial) Suggested Community Engagement •Depends on direction and may be a combination of one or more of the following: o Informational meeting with Q&A o Seek feedback on possible future use o Provide reuse concepts for feedback o Open house for proposals o Meeting after developer is selected o Information shared in newsletter, on website, etc. Discussion Check In •Does their seem to be clarity in the direction based on the site priorities? •Is more information or discussion needed before a decision can be made? Contact Info Kristin Prososki Assistant Regional Director KSU Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program kp3@ksu.edu 507-340-5799 ksutab.orgThis project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement (41-84066501) to Kansas State University. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document. Activities (if time allows / if helpful for decisions) Activity 1 “Five years from now, what would make us say that we made a really good decision about this property?” Activity 1 – Individual reflection •Individually answer these questions. One answer per sticky note. (3 minutes) •“What is the most important thing this property could accomplish for the community?” •“Who should benefit most from the reuse of the site?” •“What is one thing we should not lose sight of when making this decision?” Activity 1 – Find themes •Everyone shares their responses •Group sticky notes by theme Activity 2 – Evaluation each option Priority Park Commercial Residential #1 #2 #3 #4 *Priorities filled in based on previous activity Activity 2 – Discuss each option •For each potential use, consider: •What does this option accomplish particularly well? •What concerns or challenges does it create? •What would have to be true for this to be successful? •What would the community gain or give up? •Note advantages, concerns, and assumptions Activity 2 – Scoring and discussion •Individually score each option against the priorities (5 minutes) 3 = Strong Fit 2 = Moderate Fit 1 = Poor Fit •Discuss: •What is surprising about these results? •Where is the greatest agreement? Activity 3 – Discuss direction •Each individual states which option best fits the priorities and can briefly state why •Discuss: •Are we ready for a preferred direction or is more information needed before a decision can be made? •Next steps Contact Info Kristin Prososki Assistant Regional Director KSU Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program kp3@ksu.edu 507-340-5799 ksutab.orgThis project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement (41-84066501) to Kansas State University. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.