CCP 03-27-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - MARCH 13,2006 10 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS . A. Resolution No. 06-27: Approvin!! Plans and Specifications for the Hi!!hway 96 Landscapin!! Improvement Proiect B. Resolution #06-27: Authorizin!! Advertisement of Bids for the Hi!!hway 96 Landscapin!! Improvement Proiect Ms. Giga stated URS has completed the plans and specifications for the landscape and irrigation improvements along CSAH 96 from Lexington Avenue to Trunk Highway 10. Key items in the project inelude the planting of 3,632 plants, 186 trees and sod along the boulevard and medians. An irrigation system will also bc installed in the median planting areas. The landscaped areas in the medians will be slightly raised to aid in reducing the amount of salt and sand reaching the planting beds. Ramsey County is also a partIcIpant in the landscape improvement project. Tree removal occurred as a result of the construction of CSAH 96; the trees included in the plan are the County's tree replacement plan. Ms. Giga reviewed the financial implications and recommended Council adopts the Resolution. Councilmember Holden stated she was not comfortable putting almost $200,000 into this when there were more important needs in the City. . Councilmember Grant stated something needed to be done on Highway 96 and the concept of delaying the plants has some merit worth discussing. He asked how much money they would save by not doing the plantings, but just putting in the trees. Ms. Wolfe stated the County would need to proceed with the trees in finishing up their portion of this project. She stated the County was paying for the trees and not the Ci ty. Couucilmember Larson stated he supported the project. He noted they had talked about this for a long time and had agreed to go forward with it. He stated Highway 96 was an important street in the City, and a street that other cities along Highway 96 have invested a lot of money to make an attractive street. He acknowledged this was a significant amount of money, but to just put trees up, he did not believe would do what they wanted to do initially. He stated he would rather have them spend money on this than thc gatcway signs. Couucilmember Holden notcd the other cities funding sources were different than Arden Hills. She believed this was a poor business decision to do this at this time and she would rather have other problems dealt with first. Mayor Aplikowski stated she was originally opposed to plantings along Highway 96, but she agreed with Councilmember Larson that this was a major strect in the City and they had agreed to put in the plantings previously. She stated her question was if staff should look at MSA funding. She noted, to backtrack at this point and say they were not doing this, she believed would be a .