06-26-2023 CC - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council June 26, 2023 Regular Meeting Page 5 Acting Mayor Meehlhause reconvened the City Council meeting at 6:55 p.m. 7. PUBLIC COMMENT Robert Jones, 5428 Erickson Road, explained he grew up in an enriched environment with woods and fields to play in and he appreciated nature. He did not believe he was more important than all of the different birds or butterflies that live in Ardan Park. He urged the City Council to protect the Ardan Park area and that it not be developed into townhomes and tiny homes. He was of the opinion the woodlands and wetlands were more valuable than the proposed additional housing units. Christian Abraham, resident of Arden Hills, noted he managed a group home on Fairchild. He explained the clients he cares for has a hard time integrating into the community and society. One of the ways they do integrate was to visit the parks and be in nature. He feared that removal of Ardan would be a detriment to people who are developmentally disabled. He reported his father was an environmental architect who did a lot of work for the State of Minnesota. He was taught by his father that removing wetlands was easy to do, but it was not easy to get them back. He commented on how the wildlife within the ecosystem would be removed and would no longer have a home if the wetlands were developed. He encouraged the Council to keep this in mind as they make decisions regarding the Ardan property. Rene Johnson, 7385 Pleasant View Drive, explained she served in the Air Force as a crew chief for C-130’s and she has an appreciation for following processes. She reported none of her aircrafts ever missed a flight as she followed protocols. She indicated she was trying to understand the processes for local government, which included the charter, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the code of ethics. She reviewed the Mounds View Statement of Values in further detail. She encouraged the City Council to review these statements and to show they care about the comments and values of the Mounds View residents. She commented on the plans for the community center, which had a rendering from an architect which then led to a State bonding request and after that the Leatherman survey was conducted. She questioned why the survey was not conducted first. Heather Schuchard, 7984 Woodlawn Drive, noted she had a degree in science along with an MBA. She noted she was concerned with the lack of competition and innovation that would occur in the City if Mounds View were to pursue organized trash collection. She reported she was also opposed to the Ardan development. She encouraged the Council to dig deeper into the school district numbers. She reported only 37% of the children at Pinewood Elementary were meeting the grade level reading requirements. She stated across the freeway at Turtle Elementary 73% were meeting grade level reading requirements. She indicated this was a huge difference. She commented on how the City needed a greater balance in the community when it came to its schools. She explained she was concerned with how the environment would be impacted by the proposed Ardan project. She reported there was no going back once the forest and wetlands were removed. She stated she moved to Mounds View for the larger lots and country feeling. Dennis From, 7840 Bona Road, discussed the waste hauling issue. He encouraged City Council to hear the comments made by the haulers themselves noting each of them were against organized