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2026-07-07 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes (no agenda or video on file). Meeting adjourned at 8:03 PM.

  • All eight members present (Soehl, Spellerberg, Thomason, Basye, Brown, Merkouris by telecom, Sigette and Mayor TenHaken). A moment of silence was held for Councilor David Barranco, who died on the Monday before the meeting, of cancer.
  • Award: Cathedral Historic District Award, presented with Soehl.
  • Consent agenda approved 7-0 (Sigette, Spellerberg). It included the minutes of the June 16 informational and council meetings and the 2026-06-26 - Special City Council Meeting, contracts over $100K (memorandum of July 2), three requests to consume (not sell) alcohol at city or church venues, and a series of one-day liquor licenses. Regular agenda approved 7-0 (Brown, Basye).
  • Appeals of two conditional use permits for off-premises signs over 288 square feet at 6100 E. Hein Pl. both failed 3-3, with the Mayor breaking each tie by voting no. Thomason was excused under City Ordinance 30.017.
  • Second readings adopted 7-0: rezoning at 2901 E. 26th St. (Ordinance 48-26), rezoning at 412 W. McClellan St. (49-26) and a rezoning south of E. 10th St. and east of S. Six Mile Rd. (50-26).
  • First readings set for second reading July 14, each 7-0: Dow Rummel Village refunding bonds (up to $55,000,000), a wastewater revenue bond (up to $51,900,000), the contract signature authority amendment, public safety records fees, and the Carmon Family Glen gifting and naming agreement. A lease of City real property was set for second reading July 21 (6-0, Soehl not present).
  • Resolutions adopted: 71-26 placing three public art sculptures on City property (6-0, Merkouris not present), 72-26 Board of Health reappointments (7-0), 73-26 angle parking on West 21st Street (7-0) and 74-26 annexing the Great Dakota Kith tract (7-0).
  • General public input covered safety cameras near the Gemini Data Center, data sharing, consumer privacy laws, the need for a public surveillance policy, fireworks, and enforcement of city ordinances.

Hein Place Off-Premises Sign Permit

  • Items 28 and 29, appeals of CU-022603-2026 and CU-022604-2026 (applicant Book Your Billboard, Zach Neugebauer). The Planning Commission had recommended approval 0-3 as recorded. Soehl moved approval, Spellerberg seconded each. Each vote 3 yes (Soehl, Spellerberg, Merkouris), 3 no (Basye, Brown, Sigette); Mayor TenHaken voted no to break the tie. Both motions failed.

East 26th Street Institutional Rezoning

  • Item 33, Ordinance 48-26 rezoning 2901 E. 26th St. from RD-1, O, C-2 and Streetcar districts to S-1 General Institutional (case 022951-2026; applicant Architecture Incorporated). Planning Commission recommended approval 4-0. Sigette, Spellerberg; 7-0.

McClellan Street Duplex Rezoning

  • Item 34, Ordinance 49-26 rezoning 412 W. McClellan St. from RT-1 to RD-1 (case 022330-2026). Planning Commission recommended approval 4-0. Basye, Spellerberg; 7-0.

Six Mile Road Conservation Rezoning

  • Item 35, Ordinance 50-26 (case 022968-2026, applicant Allen Development). Basye, Sigette; 7-0.

Dow Rummel Village Revenue Bonds

  • Item 36, first reading of the Series 2026 Health Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds ordinance, not to exceed $55,000,000. Brown, Sigette; 7-0 to set second reading for July 14.

Wastewater System Revenue Bond

  • Item 37, first reading, bond to the South Dakota Conservancy District not to exceed $51,900,000. Spellerberg, Basye; 7-0 to set second reading for July 14.

Contract Signature Authority Amendment

  • Item 38, first reading of the amendment to Chapter 36, Section 36.020. Sigette, Brown; 7-0 to set second reading for July 14.

Public Safety Records Fees

  • Item 39, first reading of the Chapter 41 fee revisions. Spellerberg, Sigette; 7-0 to set second reading for July 14.

Carmon Family Glen Naming Agreement

  • Item 40, first reading. Spellerberg, Brown; 7-0 to set second reading for July 14.

Phillips Addition City Property Lease

  • Item 41, first reading of an ordinance approving a lease of City real property; Item 26 on the notice of hearings set a July 21 hearing on the resolution of intent. Sigette, Spellerberg; 6-0 to set second reading for July 21 (Soehl not present for the vote). The minutes do not identify the property; the July 21 second reading appears to be the Phillips Addition lease.

Public Art Sculpture Placements

  • Item 42, Resolution 71-26 approving three sculptures: Oculus (Jeffrey Satter) at Lions Centennial Park, Liten Bronshund (Rick Haugan) at Winona Park, and Tetra Totem in Azul Imperial (Lauren Thompson) at the front entrance of City Center. Sigette, Soehl; 6-0 (Merkouris not present).

Citizen Board Appointments

  • Item 43, Resolution 72-26 reappointing Michael "Mick" Gibbs and Andrea Polkinghorn to the Board of Health, June 2026 to June 2029. Basye, Brown; 7-0.

West 21st Street Angle Parking

  • Item 44, Resolution 73-26 establishing angle parking on the south side of West 21st Street between South Spring Avenue and South Minnesota Avenue, at a property owner's request. Sigette, Spellerberg; 7-0.

Great Dakota Kith Annexation

  • Item 45, Resolution 74-26 annexing the Great Dakota Kith tract on 265th St. (SD Highway 42), annexation 023092-2026. Sigette, Basye; 7-0.

Flock Cameras

  • Public input raised safety cameras near the Gemini Data Center and a call for a public surveillance policy. No Council action.

Other business

  • Items 30 to 32 (a new wine and malt beverage license for Zest, a seven-day Sanford International liquor license for the PGA Tour in September, and a malt beverage license for a September 20 marathon) approved together 7-0 (Basye, Brown).
  • Hearings set for July 21 on package liquor and malt beverage license transfers (Casey's at 3300 S. Minnesota Ave., Commonwealth Gaming and Holdings, Walter's Hi-Ho) and on two special one-day licenses.
  • Notice of transfer of appropriations on the memorandum dated May 31, 2026 received.
  • Minutes signed by Denise D. Tucker, Assistant City Clerk.

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