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<br /> . DRAFT <br /> ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - NOVEMBER 30, 1998 17 <br /> \ <br /> e Mayor Probst indicated he was still struggling with the idea of whether or not there was a piece <br /> ofland at the intersection ofI35W and Highway 96 which the City will still own after expending <br /> all of the bond proceeds. Mr. Post indicated this would only occur in a full taking. He indicated <br /> it was not known what the fmal cost of the taking. Mayor Probst asked if the cost of the <br /> acquisition was expected to be known by the end of the year. Mr, Post indicated it should be. <br /> Mayor Probst indicated the action requested by Staff was to reschedule the public hearing. He <br /> noted that the City did choose to invest money to upgrade the last three buildings on the street in <br /> order to set the stage for higher level development on the comer, He continues to be concerned <br /> that more money was being spent to facilitate the higher level of development on the comer. <br /> Mr. Fritsinger suggested one option may be to delay the project to the future in order to see how <br /> some of the issues work out. This would mean an indefinite postponement, The City could save <br /> up the proceeds from 1999 and wait until the year 2000 for Phase II. He pointed out, while <br /> reconstructing the roadway was necessary for further development in the area, the most critical <br /> portion of the project was the intersection. <br /> Mayor Probst asked, if the road were built only to the first assessable property, how would this <br /> affect the assessments. Mr. Post indicated this would not necessarily affect the assessment <br /> program. <br /> e Councilmember Larson indicated his concern for delaying the project is, if the road was <br /> instrumental in gaining the type of development the City wants for the comer, delaying the road <br /> project will also delay these development opportunities, He stated that the development of the <br /> comer should be a priority, Mr, Fritsinger stated, according to the brokers handling the vacant <br /> buildings, the intersection has been very detrimental to the marketability ofthe property. <br /> Additionally, the property owners along the road have expressed their desire to have the road <br /> upgraded as soon as possible. <br /> Councilmember Malone agreed that the intersection must be built now. He suggested an option <br /> to simply recycle the remaining roadway. This could be done by widening the road and re- <br /> surfacing. The current road has held up remarkably well considering the heavy traffic and it <br /> could be built up to be made stronger. Councilmember Malone suggested another alternative <br /> could be to include a less extensive design element in the middle of the roadway which visually <br /> separates the roads but was not a median. <br /> Mayor Probst asked how far the new roadway would extend to, Mr. Brown explained it will <br /> extend to the railroad tracks. Mayor Probst suggested there may be a way to do a temporary <br /> rebuilding of the road and, if the City was able to promote a higher level project at the comer, <br /> this could produce additional revenue for further road reconstruction. <br /> Mr. Fritsinger indicated he would agree with these suggestions, however, the project was <br /> e competing with other projects within fue community which need to be accomplished. <br /> Mr. Brown suggested one option to reducing the cost may be to narrow the median and end it at <br /> the turn lane. <br />