[1:04] It is 6:00. We'll call the Sartell City
[1:06] Council meeting for August 24th to
[1:07] order. Please rise for Pledge of
[1:09] Allegiance.
[1:12] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[1:14] United States of America
[1:16] and to the republic for which it stands,
[1:19] one nation under God, indivisible, with
[1:22] liberty and justice for all.
[1:28] » Council, next on our agenda is the
[1:30] adoption of the agenda.
[1:32] I would take a motion.
[1:34] to approve.
[1:36] Is there a second?
[1:38] >> Second.
[1:39] >> Motion and a second. All those in favor
[1:41] signify by saying aye.
[1:43] >> Aye.
[1:43] >> Opposed?
[1:45] That carries.
[1:46] We then have the approval of our minutes
[1:49] from July 27th regular council meeting.
[1:52] Is there a motion to approve those?
[1:55] >> I'll make a motion to approve.
[1:56] >> Motion to approve. Is there a second?
[1:58] >> I second it.
[1:59] >> Motion and a second. Any discussion?
[2:03] Seeing none, all those in favor signify
[2:04] by saying aye.
[2:06] >> Aye.
[2:06] >> Opposed?
[2:08] That carries as well.
[2:10] Uh next up we have community comment.
[2:15] Uh we have two people registered
[2:18] tonight.
[2:21] Um I'd ask you to come to the podium,
[2:24] state your name and address,
[2:26] and you have 3 minutes.
[2:29] We have
[2:30] 3 minutes to uh share your thoughts or
[2:33] concerns with council.
[2:39] First up, Mark.
[2:44] Uh Sven and Mark. Go ahead.
[2:46] >> Okay.
[2:47] >> Floor is yours.
[2:48] >> All right.
[2:50] Uh
[2:52] Greetings, Sartell City Council, mayor,
[2:55] and staff.
[2:57] I'm here to talk about this uh
[3:00] water main extension project. Oh, yeah.
[3:04] I'm Glenn Lauer.
[3:05] >> Thank you.
[3:06] >> I reside at 33100
[3:09] County Road 133,
[3:11] Saint Joseph, Minnesota,
[3:14] and I reside uh very near the southwest
[3:17] water plant.
[3:19] Actually, the water plant and the
[3:21] acreage used to be part of my farm.
[3:24] So, I'm here to speak on the water main
[3:26] extension project. I own parcels number
[3:30] one and number two.
[3:32] Uh number one is 70 acres, and it's just
[3:35] east of the water plant.
[3:38] Parcel number two is 22 acres, and
[3:41] that's just north of the water plant.
[3:45] And I guess I've been losing sleep
[3:46] because of the assessment on the 70
[3:49] acres.
[3:50] You know, and I found out tonight it's
[3:53] just an estimate. More of the
[3:56] finality stuff will come in about a
[3:59] year.
[4:00] So, anyway, it's been a my assessment
[4:03] for this project is going to be like
[4:06] $455,000.
[4:09] So, I did some number crunching and it
[4:11] appears
[4:13] they're using a number $6,500
[4:16] per acre
[4:18] you know, for parcels. And there's
[4:20] differences
[4:22] in what some pay. I'm not sure what what
[4:25] it is.
[4:26] Uh the one of the big things for me,
[4:29] there's a parcel 19.
[4:32] You know, even though I've got a 70-acre
[4:35] parcel
[4:37] being
[4:39] you know, assessed for $455,000,
[4:42] there's a parcel at 118 acres
[4:46] that's closer into the city and they're
[4:47] only being assessed $107,000.
[4:51] So, I guess I'd like to know why there's
[4:53] such a difference.
[4:55] Uh getting away from the numbers,
[4:58] I understand the purpose of this project
[5:01] is to loop the water into the city.
[5:04] So, if the south pipe from the water
[5:07] plant would break,
[5:08] they could isolate it and still get
[5:10] water into the city.
[5:13] So,
[5:14] you know, uh typically when development
[5:16] happens, as you move out of the city,
[5:20] you bring utilities and developer
[5:22] usually pays for it. And then it goes
[5:25] into the cost of the development. Here,
[5:27] it's it's almost like it's backwards.
[5:30] And so, we're being assessed for for
[5:34] something that I think is more of a
[5:35] benefit to the city.
[5:38] Cuz they need water. There's only two
[5:40] water plants now instead of three.
[5:43] So, I would like to see the city
[5:45] basically cover the cost and us Sartell
[5:49] taxpayers, which I'm one of,
[5:52] been paying it for 20 years, but I
[5:54] haven't had any benefit because it's by
[5:56] a county road. But, I'd like to just see
[5:59] that the project
[6:01] covered by the city, let the citizens,
[6:05] you know, be taxed for it. Be taxed for
[6:08] it because it's just more of a benefit
[6:11] for the city so that they have water in
[6:13] case something happens.
[6:15] So, thank you.
[6:17] >> Thank you, Glenn. I know you have uh
[6:20] made connection with our city staff, and
[6:22] so I'd encourage you to keep
[6:24] >> Yes.
[6:24] >> uh conversing there, and as it moves
[6:26] along, certainly your testimony will be
[6:29] heard by council.
[6:30] >> Okay.
[6:31] Thank you.
[6:31] >> Thank you, sir.
[6:33] Uh council, I'll bump back up. I uh
[6:36] I omitted the commissions and committee
[6:38] updates.
[6:40] Um
[6:42] Anna, do we have any of those, or
[6:45] >> Um
[6:46] none scheduled at this time. I think it
[6:48] will be in the September before we will
[6:51] see the first from actual commission
[6:53] members.
[6:53] >> Okay. Thank you.
[6:55] Uh then moving on to community linkage,
[6:58] uh we have a preliminary final plat for
[7:02] Clean Trust Partners Plat 1 tonight.
[7:32] » Good evening, Mayor and members of the
[7:34] council. Before you for review this
[7:36] evening is the preliminary and final
[7:38] plat for Clean Trust Partners Plat 1. I
[7:41] did print off the plat um and place it
[7:44] in front of each of you as well for
[7:47] further review.
[7:48] So, some background to this project. If
[7:51] you recall, this is part of a larger
[7:53] solar garden project. This is it has an
[7:57] approved interim use permit or IUP,
[8:00] which I may refer to um for the
[8:02] construction and operation of a 5 MW
[8:05] solar garden. I understand this is hard
[8:08] to see up there um from this screen. It
[8:10] is in your packet as well and for the
[8:13] public to view as well. So, in red is
[8:15] what we're reviewing this evening.
[8:18] This IUP is not to exceed 35 years um
[8:22] from the approval date back in 2024.
[8:26] And uh key item of this as well is this
[8:29] brings our total amount of MW for solar
[8:32] gardens within the city to 10, which is
[8:35] our limit.
[8:36] Um this property was annexed and zoned
[8:40] R1 single family in 2023. Again, it has
[8:43] an interim use permit approval back to
[8:47] 2024. It was further extended um to meet
[8:51] all the requirements as part of that
[8:53] permit um back in 2025. So, part of
[8:56] those requirements and why we're here
[8:58] this evening is the property is required
[9:00] to be platted. That triggers development
[9:03] fees, which the city then takes in.
[9:05] There's other other requirements
[9:08] um such as site and building permits
[9:10] required decommissioning plan, which has
[9:12] been submitted. Um revocation, continued
[9:15] use, and all those limitations still
[9:17] remain.
[9:18] This picture just shows that um the red
[9:21] is the property this evening. There's uh
[9:24] two parcels to the south that have solar
[9:26] gardens on them.
[9:28] And then to the north is a 3 MW solar
[9:31] garden that is our entire limit
[9:35] for the city. And then in orange is the
[9:36] distribution line that runs along Pine
[9:39] Cone Road.
[9:40] So, for actual And there's a spelling
[9:43] error I see there. For actual review and
[9:45] approval,
[9:47] um hopeful approval this evening or
[9:48] recommended approval from staff is a
[9:50] preliminary and final plat. Again, I did
[9:52] print it in front of you and it runs the
[9:54] long way um if it's in front of you. So,
[9:57] lot one, block one is 37 acres. This is
[10:00] roughly part of an 80-acre entire
[10:03] parcel. It will create one lot and one
[10:07] larger outlot. This is consistent with
[10:09] the preliminary plat aligned with the
[10:12] IUP or interim use permit, as I've
[10:14] discussed. And then once if this is
[10:17] approved by council this evening, those
[10:19] development fees would become due prior
[10:21] to releasing that plat for recording
[10:23] with the county.
[10:26] Some remaining project requirements,
[10:28] again, those development fees, they
[10:29] total just under $600,000, which include
[10:32] trunk, water, sewer, storm, and park
[10:34] dedication fees.
[10:36] And then further fees would be
[10:40] paid if that outlot or if and when that
[10:42] outlot is further developed and what
[10:44] that development looks like in the
[10:46] future. Again, we would need building
[10:48] permit and site plan review, which would
[10:50] be forthcoming as well.
[10:54] Council actions and next steps, this was
[10:55] reviewed at the Planning Commission on
[10:58] August 3rd, 2026. We discussed some
[11:01] items related to the interim use permit
[11:02] because some of those members were not
[11:04] on the Planning Commission when this
[11:06] went through them for review and
[11:08] recommended approval. And then we
[11:10] discussed the access, which is provided
[11:12] along 17th Street North.
[11:15] Again, preliminary and final plat
[11:17] approval would allow the developer to
[11:20] further on the solar garden development,
[11:22] submit the building and site plan
[11:24] permits,
[11:25] and then city staff would just ensure
[11:26] compliance with the overall permit,
[11:28] platting requirements, development fees.
[11:31] Um just noting that this aligns with our
[11:33] city ordinances and requirements, and
[11:36] the site plan must meet the specific
[11:38] solar garden requirements such as
[11:39] setback requirements, fencing,
[11:41] landscaping, all those requirements are
[11:43] reviewed at the city staff level.
[11:46] Um, before I get to opening or asking
[11:50] you to open the public hearing, I just
[11:51] want to reiterate that this is for the
[11:53] preliminary and final plat. The interim
[11:56] use permit has been approved. That had a
[11:58] public hearing, but this is just for the
[12:00] preliminary and final plat this evening.
[12:02] Although I have talked about the overall
[12:05] IUP, this is just regarding the plat and
[12:08] that's part of the requirements of that
[12:09] IUP. So, just to reiterate that,
[12:13] what I'd ask from the council this
[12:14] evening is to open that public hearing,
[12:17] and then recommended actions is to
[12:19] approve the preliminary and final plat
[12:21] contingent upon making sure they're
[12:23] still
[12:25] adhering to that approved interim use
[12:27] permit, which has timing requirements.
[12:31] Thank you.
[12:32] >> Thank you.
[12:33] Uh, Council, we will open the public
[12:35] hearing.
[12:37] Anyone wishing to testify
[12:39] on the preliminary and final plat for
[12:42] Clean Trust Partners Plat 1, please step
[12:44] forward.
[12:50] Floor is yours, sir.
[12:51] >> Okay.
[12:52] >> State your name and address once again
[12:54] for the record.
[12:54] >> Okay, I'm Glenn Lawler. Address is 33100
[12:58] County Road 133 St. Joe.
[13:01] Just finding about out about that this
[13:04] evening.
[13:05] Uh, I believe isn't there a future plan
[13:08] to put 17th Street
[13:11] down that area?
[13:14] And if not, or if so, you know, are the
[13:18] solar farms far enough to get the street
[13:21] through?
[13:22] So, that's that's my question.
[13:24] >> I can take that. We do the 17th Street
[13:27] North is a township roadway right now on
[13:29] minimum maintenance roadway. If and when
[13:31] that ever does go through, we do have
[13:34] the dedicated right of way we would need
[13:36] for that roadway between the solar
[13:38] gardens.
[13:39] >> So, is that space available right now?
[13:42] >> Correct. Yes.
[13:44] >> Through this process, we're obtaining
[13:45] it.
[13:49] » Anyone else wishing to testify?
[13:52] >> I'm Evan Carlson. I'm the developer
[13:54] here.
[13:55] I recognize a lot of you. I've been
[13:57] coming here a long time. Um
[13:59] I imagine the big question is when.
[14:02] Um our CUP expires January. So, we are
[14:06] intending to
[14:08] comply with this plat requirements and
[14:11] which we have to do to get our building
[14:12] permit. Once we get the building permit,
[14:14] we lock in
[14:15] the the the permits and then we start
[14:17] ground shortly thereafter. So,
[14:19] everything has been done that needs to
[14:20] be done for this. It has It's
[14:23] uh its state approvals. It is an
[14:24] approved community solar garden that's
[14:26] accepted into the program. It has um
[14:30] technically begun construction because
[14:32] we've ordered the equipment for it.
[14:34] Um and um
[14:36] we're merely merely waiting to recycle
[14:38] debt on other projects that we have in
[14:40] construction to actually break ground.
[14:42] So,
[14:43] everything is in place except for this
[14:46] and the the other city requirements
[14:48] we meet by the
[14:50] groundbreaking.
[14:52] If you have any questions, I'm here to
[14:52] answer them.
[14:54] >> Thank you.
[14:58] Anyone else wishing to testify?
[15:03] Third and final call, anyone wishing to
[15:04] testify on the preliminary and final
[15:06] plat of Clean Trust Partners Plat 1?
[15:11] Seeing none, we will close the public
[15:12] hearing.
[15:14] Uh Council, any questions
[15:17] on the preliminary and final plat in
[15:19] front of us?
[15:25] » Seeing none,
[15:27] I would look for a motion.
[15:30] Staff is requesting
[15:31] uh approval of preliminary and final
[15:33] plat as presented.
[15:37] With the contingent that they adhere to
[15:40] the approved IUP.
[15:45] » So moved.
[15:46] >> We have a motion to approve that. Is
[15:48] there a second?
[15:50] >> Second.
[15:51] >> Motion and a second. Any further
[15:53] discussion?
[15:57] Seeing none, all those in favor signify
[15:59] by saying aye.
[16:01] >> Aye.
[16:01] >> Opposed?
[16:02] That carries.
[16:06] Uh we are on the consent agenda tonight.
[16:08] We have
[16:10] um eight items on consent agenda.
[16:15] I would uh look for a motion on those
[16:17] eight or if anyone has a question on
[16:19] them.
[16:25] » Motion to approve.
[16:26] all eight. Is there a
[16:28] second?
[16:30] >> Second.
[16:31] >> Motion and a second.
[16:33] Any discussion?
[16:36] Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
[16:40] >> Aye.
[16:40] >> Opposed?
[16:42] Those carry as well.
[16:43] And we have city and department reports.
[16:47] First up is admin report uh July 31st,
[16:50] August 7th, and August 21st.
[16:53] >> Mayor and members of the council, happy
[16:54] to answer any questions on those reports
[16:56] and then you'll notice um every
[16:57] department tonight for monthly reports
[17:00] due to the August 10th meeting uh being
[17:02] rescheduled to uh tonight, so happy to
[17:05] answer any questions on mine and then
[17:06] we'll go through each department after
[17:08] that.
[17:09] >> Any questions for admin?
[17:16] Seeing none, thank you.
[17:18] Uh public works engineering.
[17:20] >> Good evening, Mayor and members of
[17:21] Council. Uh we are getting close to
[17:24] wrapping up projects for the summer.
[17:27] Um
[17:28] and we'll be
[17:29] quickly entering into a couple of new
[17:31] projects that were approved this
[17:32] evening.
[17:33] And uh one big thing I'd like to just
[17:36] kind of point out is uh we'll be sending
[17:38] out an email to all of Council. Uh we'll
[17:41] be looking for a couple of volunteers to
[17:42] help us. We do have a vacant parks
[17:44] commission uh seat that we want to get
[17:46] filled and would love some help with the
[17:48] interview process and getting that seat
[17:50] filled. So, just be on the lookout for
[17:52] an email from me looking for a couple of
[17:53] volunteers. Um other than that, uh
[17:56] April and I'd be happy to answer any
[17:57] questions if you have any.
[17:59] >> Any questions for public works
[18:01] engineering?
[18:04] Thank you.
[18:06] Uh public safety.
[18:08] >> Mayor and members of Council, you have
[18:09] my report. Stand for any questions if
[18:10] you have any.
[18:12] >> Any questions for public safety?
[18:16] All right, engagement and experiences.
[18:20] >> Mayor and members of Council, um you
[18:21] have my report in front of you. One
[18:24] thing I wanted to point out was um our
[18:26] Little Learners Storytime program. Um we
[18:30] the last about 3 years we've partnered
[18:32] with St. Cloud Financial Credit Union um
[18:35] to create a garden in the back of the
[18:36] Community Center and um it's just it's
[18:40] so fun this time of year because it's
[18:41] just it's blossoming so much and the
[18:43] kids are so excited to go pick the
[18:44] cucumbers and all the all the fun
[18:46] veggies. Um so, just wanted to publicly
[18:49] state a thank you to St. Cloud Financial
[18:50] Credit Union for that partnership. Um
[18:53] it's it gets more fun every year. If you
[18:55] have any questions, please let me know.
[18:57] >> Awesome. Any questions for Nikki?
[19:03] Thank you. And thank you, St. Cloud
[19:05] Financial.
[19:07] Uh finance and operations.
[19:09] >> Uh good evening, Mayor and members of
[19:10] Council. You have my report. Be happy to
[19:12] answer any questions that you may have.
[19:14] Council, any questions for um
[19:19] I think we're saving all those for the
[19:20] uh workshop.
[19:21] >> Yeah, I've decided to dive in.
[19:23] >> Absolutely.
[19:25] Thank you. And uh community economic
[19:27] development.
[19:28] >> Mayor and members of the council, you
[19:30] have my monthly report. One item I'd
[19:32] like to highlight is that we have now 26
[19:35] homes that have qualified for the
[19:37] Growing Sartell Together program. I know
[19:39] this is not a huge number, but it's
[19:43] already exceeded our permit um permits
[19:46] as of last year, um and hopefully we'll
[19:49] get into the 30s again uh for home new
[19:52] home permits, which is generally um our
[19:56] 5-year average, but we dipped below
[19:58] that. Uh we only had 21 last year, so
[20:01] we've already added um just from permit
[20:03] valuations 12 million in just
[20:05] single-family homes.
[20:08] >> Fantastic. Um this weekend, for the
[20:10] first time, it might have been there a
[20:12] while, but I saw a realtor actually
[20:14] marketing said ask us about uh
[20:17] Growing Sartell Together. So.
[20:20] It's catching and it's moving.
[20:21] >> It's good.
[20:22] >> Any questions
[20:24] for economic community development?
[20:29] Seeing none, thank you.
[20:30] Council round tables, uh Tim.
[20:34] >> Um I
[20:37] We haven't had a meeting since the
[20:38] National Night Out, but I think uh to
[20:40] just touch on that, I think it was a
[20:42] wonderful evening um from public safety
[20:44] and
[20:46] community center and all that stuff was
[20:47] set up. I think um
[20:49] it's important to keep that engagement
[20:51] with the public, especially as we go out
[20:53] and visit neighborhoods and such like
[20:55] that. Uh just the value of it
[20:58] seeing those people smiling and getting
[21:00] out and in meeting them at their
[21:02] neighborhood and they just
[21:04] tons of questions and tons of
[21:05] engagement, so
[21:07] um I think it was a a win
[21:09] um on every angle of it, so.
[21:12] >> Yeah, Tim, one thing I wanted to add to
[21:14] that. Uh thank you for pointing that
[21:16] out. Um I it's the most stops that I
[21:19] since I've been here that we've had for
[21:20] National Night Out um as far as in
[21:22] neighborhood, so I think that's pretty
[21:24] cool.
[21:27] » That's it. Thanks.
[21:28] >> Awesome.
[21:28] >> Pat.
[21:29] >> I have nothing.
[21:30] >> Rusty.
[21:31] >> Um yeah, just to echo what Tim said.
[21:34] I've had several people come up to me
[21:36] saying they had the best hot dogs
[21:38] they've ever tasted before at National
[21:40] Night Out. And the grill station was amazing.
[21:45] >> What was the name
[21:46] >> Yeah, they were a little slow coming off
[21:48] the grill.
[21:49] >> What was the name of
[21:49] >> We were we were singing.
[21:51] >> What was the name of the grill station
[21:53] again?
[21:54] >> Something Dreams.
[21:55] >> It is Something in Dreams, yeah.
[21:56] >> [laughter]
[21:58] » Other than that, nothing.
[22:01] >> Jed.
[22:02] >> Nothing today.
[22:02] >> Melton. Top five.
[22:05] >> [clears throat]
[22:06] >> Who donated the brats or hot dogs?
[22:10] » Uh I have nothing further. I will look
[22:13] for a motion to adjourn.
[22:15] >> So moved.
[22:16] >> Is there a second?
[22:17] >> Second.
[22:18] >> We're adjourned at 6:21.
[22:25] » It was the two people that were watching us.
[22:28] >> Huh?
[22:28] >> Yeah.
[22:29] >> [laughter]
[22:29] >> Just sat there.
[22:31] Hello to the two people.
[22:34] Weird.