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Center City Council approves annexation, grants lakeshore variance and adopts consultant contract
Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Center City Council approved an annexation petition and a variance for a South Center Lake property (the mayor abstained on the variance), adopted a Municipal Development Group contract adding remote planning‑commission attendance, and passed routine items.
The Center City Council on Jan. 6 approved an annexation petition and a variance for a lakeshore property, adopted a consultant contract that permits remote attendance for planning‑commission meetings and cleared a set of routine agenda items.
Mayor Jill Behnke called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. and the council moved quickly through a consent agenda that included the January agenda and December minutes. Councilmember Garrett Boulineau moved approval of the consent agenda, and Councilmember Mark Wolcott seconded; the motion carried on the recorded vote.
The council considered Resolution 2026‑01‑06‑A, a variance request to reduce a riparian rear‑yard setback for a South Center Lake riparian lot from 50 feet to 42 feet and to reduce a bluff setback from 30 feet to 14.1 feet to allow an addition to an existing single‑family home. Mayor Behnke summarized the Planning Commission recommendation to approve the variance. Councilmember Sally Swanson moved approval; Councilmember Lloyd Vetter seconded. The motion passed with four ayes (Boulineau, Swanson, Wolcott, Vetter). Mayor Behnke recorded an abstention.
The council also approved Resolution 2026‑01‑06‑B to accept Annexation Petition 13840 Lake Boulevard; Clerk Dana Miron reported Lindstrom had signed the detachment petition. The council voted 5‑0 to approve the annexation resolution. The body approved the Municipal Development Group (MDG) 2026 contract — which includes an explicit option for remote attendance at Planning Commission meetings — and made limited changes to committee assignments, including adding the Chisago County Collaborative Initiative.
Staff and committee reports were brief. No public comments were offered during the open forum.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Votes at a glance • Consent agenda: motion carried (mover: Garrett Boulineau; seconder: Mark Wolcott). Recorded ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Behnke, Wolcott; vote count recorded as 4‑0 in the minutes. • Resolution 2026‑01‑06‑A (variance): motion carried (mover: Sally Swanson; seconder: Lloyd Vetter). Ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Wolcott, Vetter. Abstained: Mayor Jill Behnke. • Resolution 2026‑01‑06‑B (annexation 13840 Lake Blvd): motion carried (mover: Mark Wolcott; seconder: Lloyd Vetter). Ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Behnke, Wolcott, Vetter. • MDG 2026 contract: motion carried (mover: Sally Swanson; seconder: Garrett Boulineau). Ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Behnke, Wolcott, Vetter. • Committee assignments 2026: motion carried (mover: Mark Wolcott; seconder: Garrett Boulineau). Ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Behnke, Wolcott, Vetter. • Adjournment: motion carried (mover: Garrett Boulineau; seconder: Sally Swanson). Ayes: Boulineau, Swanson, Behnke, Wolcott, Vetter.
