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. . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JANUARY 10,2000 13 With regard to the concern that the City Council was not invited to the neighborhood meeting, Ms. Biggs stated that this was not an effort to oppose the CounciL She indicated that the residents were not given enough time to put together a proposal during the holiday season. The residents found another City that had recently been through a similar process and was successful in its results. This was the reason the Mayor of Mounds View had been invited to the neighborhood meeting. This was not an attempt on the part of the Mounds View Mayor to one- up the City of Arden Hills' CounciL The Mayor of Mounds View was very helpful and was instrumental in the residents being well prepared for this public hearing. Ms. Biggs stated that the neighborhood wanted to work with the City to determine the best way to move forward with the improvement project without harming the properties. Ms. Biggs stated that she was extremely concerned about the speed on Ingerson Avenue. She indicated that the residents requested that a study be done by the Sheriff Department. She was convinced that if her street was widened, and the portion of Hamline A venue was closed off, the tramc between Snelling Avenue and Lexington Avenue will definitely increase. Mayor Probst stated that setting the speed limits required a study of the current average speed. The City has received requests from other neighborhoods to reduce speed limits. When the speed limit is studied, the speed limit is set at 85 percent of the average speed of traffic on the street. Often times this results in the speed limits being increased rather than decreased. An audience member asked if this was based on a law. Mayor Probst stated that this was a required process to evaluate speed limits. Ms. Evonne Wilken, 1225 Ingerson Avenue, stated that the neighborhood representatives prepared a survey which was distributed to 97 residents in the neighborhood that would be affected by the proposed road construction. She noted that, due to the time limit, only 45 percent of the surveys had been collected. She presented the results ofthis survey, a copy of which was provided to the City Council. Ms. Wilken stated that the final survey results would be presented to the City Council once they have all been received. She asked that the City Council slow down this process in order for the residents to learn more about the project. She did not want to see her neighborhood drastically changed. Mayor Probst asked if the objections to curbs and gutters were based upon the cost to construct them. Ms. Wilken stated that the majority ofthe objections to curbs and gutters were based on the fact that the aesthetics and feel of the neighborhood would be changed. Although the neighborhood was concerned about the cost of the project, the majority do not want the rural atmosphere of the neighborhood to change. Mr. Howard Hoss, 1138 Ingerson Avenue, stated that the residents were hoping to work with the City cooperatively for the development of the neighborhood. He indicated that there were many people in the neighborhood who serve on City committees and the Association has joined with the City Council and is anxious to be involved with the City Council on this important project.