Meeting record · Richfield, Minnesota
City Council — Tuesday, March 28, 2023
14 items on the record
Read this day's brief Official records (city portal)
Items on the record
Item 1Discussedinformational or procedural item — no vote taken
Proclamation Celebrating Ruthann Clay
Mayor Mary Supple was scheduled to present a proclamation honoring Ruthann Clay, a longtime Richfield community member who graduated from Richfield High School in 1962 and began volunteering with the Richfield Historical Society in 1979. Clay's decades of civic involvement span numerous organizations including Richfield Visions, the Boy Scouts, Parent Teacher Associations, the Richfield Amateur Radio Club, and the American Cancer Society. The proclamation was intended to celebrate her tireless advocacy for Richfield's historical heritage, including her work supporting the Bartholomew House.
Item 2Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Approval of the Agenda
The City Council approved the meeting agenda as presented.
Item 3Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Consent Calendar
The City Council approved the consent calendar, which included: (A) approval of a release of claims agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., and acceptance of $18,551.01 reimbursement for construction costs incurred by the City due to a mistake on the 65th St Reconstruction Project construction plans; (B) approval of two utility occupancy license agreements with Soo Line Railroad Company at the railroad crossing at 65th St and Pleasant Ave as part of the 65th Street Reconstruction Project.
Item 4Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Consideration of Items Removed from Consent Calendar
No items were removed from the consent calendar for separate consideration.
Item 5Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Second Reading of Ordinance Amendment to Eliminate Minimum Lot Size Requirement for Planned Unit Development
The City Council was scheduled to consider the second reading of an ordinance that would eliminate the current one-acre minimum lot size requirement for properties seeking a Planned Unit Development (PUD) designation in Richfield. The one-acre minimum was adopted in the early 1980s; under the proposed change, any sized parcel could apply for PUD zoning, which allows flexibility from standard zoning rules in exchange for innovative or community-beneficial development. Staff recommended approval, noting that smaller parcels should not be automatically excluded since the full public hearing and vetting process would still apply to every PUD application.
Item history
- Mar 14, 2023 · City Council
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
Item 6Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Approval of Resolution to Opt-In to New Opioid Settlements
The City Council was scheduled to consider a resolution authorizing staff to opt Richfield into new multistate opioid settlements with Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, with a firm opt-in deadline of April 18, 2023. Richfield had previously participated in a 2021 round of national opioid settlements approved by the Council in December 2021; this resolution would extend that participation to newly negotiated agreements. The city's specific allocation from this new round of settlement funds had not yet been determined at the time the agenda was published.
Item 7Discussedinformational or procedural item — no vote taken
City Manager Report
City Manager Katie Rodriguez delivered the City Manager's Report, a standing agenda item providing the Council with updates on city operations, ongoing projects, and administrative matters. The supporting documents did not include detailed content from this report. This item served as a routine informational update.
Item history
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
- Apr 11, 2023 · Special Meeting · Informational
- May 23, 2023 · City Council · Informational
Item 8Discussedinformational or procedural item — no vote taken
Claims and Payroll
The City Council was scheduled to approve routine claims and payroll totaling approximately $2 million for the period ending March 28, 2023, covering accounts payable checks of $1,243,113.76 and city employee payroll of $761,732.20. Approval of claims and payroll is a standard recurring agenda item at each City Council meeting that authorizes payment of vendor invoices and employee compensation. No unusual or discretionary expenditures were highlighted in the agenda materials for this item.
Item 9Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Hats Off to Hometown Hits
Council members recognized community events, organizations, and individuals for their contributions, including the League of Women Voters Ecofair, public works staff for winning an infrastructure grant, and the Richfield Chamber of Commerce Circle of Excellence Awards.
Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Approval of CDC Infrastructure Grant
Approval of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Infrastructure Grant was on the consent calendar for the March 28, 2023 meeting (Staff Report No. 33). Limited detail about the grant's specific scope, dollar amount, or intended use was available in the agenda materials. If approved as part of the consent calendar, this grant would bring outside federal funding to support city infrastructure needs.
Item history
- Mar 14, 2023 · City Council
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
- Apr 9, 2024 · City Council
Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Awarding American Rescue Plan Act Funding Grants to Non-Profit Organizations
A resolution to award American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding grants to non-profit organizations serving Richfield community members negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic was scheduled for consideration at this meeting (Staff Report No. 35). This item was expected to direct federal pandemic relief dollars to local organizations supporting community recovery efforts. The specific recipient organizations and individual award amounts were addressed in the staff report but were not enumerated in the available agenda summary.
Item history
- Mar 14, 2023 · City Council
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
- Oct 22, 2024 · City Council · Under Review
Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
First Reading of Ordinance Amendment to Eliminate Minimum Lot Size Requirement for Planned Unit Development
The second reading of an ordinance amendment to eliminate the existing one-acre minimum lot size requirement for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) was scheduled for consideration at this meeting (Staff Report No. 37). The proposed change would allow any size parcel to apply for PUD designation, while keeping the full public hearing and rezoning process in place. City staff recommended approval, finding no sound basis for restricting PUD access to larger parcels.
Item history
- Mar 14, 2023 · City Council
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Work Session: Best Buy Request to Terminate Minimum Assessment Agreement
At a March 6, 2023 joint City Council and HRA work session — the minutes of which were on the March 28 agenda for approval — Best Buy Corporation requested termination of its Minimum Assessment Agreement (MAA) with Richfield once the associated Tax Increment Financing bonds are paid off in February 2024. Best Buy cited a changing office market and the need to competitively attract tenants to its Richfield corporate campus, where half the space was occupied by Best Buy itself at the time of the discussion. Council members expressed openness to a solution provided the HRA is not financially harmed and the broader community does not end up subsidizing Best Buy.
Item history
- Mar 6, 2023 · Work Session
- Mar 28, 2023 · City Council · This item
- May 23, 2023 · City Council · Under Review
Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Approval of Minutes
The City Council approved the minutes of the Joint City Council and HRA Work Session of March 6, 2023, and the Regular City Council Meeting of March 14, 2023.
Official documents
Last updated Wednesday, April 8, 2026 · AI-assisted summaries — the official documents above are authoritative.