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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-11-11-R�fl DEN HILLS Approved: August 8, 2011 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING JULY 11, 2011 7:00 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor David Grant called to order the regular City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Fran Holmes, Brenda Holden, Ed Werner and Nicholas Tamble. Absent: None. Also present: City Administrator Patrick Klaers; Director of Finance and Administrative Services Sue Iverson; Public Works Director Terry Maurer; and Recording Secretary Tina Borg. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Councilmember Holmes moved and Councilmember Holden seconded a motion to Approve the Agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5 -0). 2. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL A. TCAAP and Stadium Proposal Update City Administrator Patrick Klaers stated legislative discussions regarding the stadium proposal appear to have been suspended during the State government shutdown. It is assumed that discussions will resume once a special legislative session is called. At this time, the City has no knowledge of when that might occur. The City and Ramsey County will jointly host an open house to present information to Arden Hills' residents on the proposal to develop a stadium on the TCAAP property. The open house will be held on Thursday, August 4, 2011, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., in the Marsden Conference Room at the Ramsey County Public Works Facility. Information will be provided related to traffic and transportation, the environment, land use and site plan, financing, and the roles of the City and County during project approvals and development. Councilmembers and Staff will be available to answer questions. St. Paul passed a Resolution that opposed the financing portion of the Vikings Stadium proposal. They are requesting that ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 2.A. TCAAP and Stadium Proposal Update (continued) financing portion of the Vikings Stadium proposal. They are requesting surrounding cities to pass similar resolutions. Mr. Tony Bennett, Ramsey County Commissioner, stated in a recent email that the County is in support of the stadium proposal and there has been a "fact versus myth" sheet compiled. Mayor Grant stated Representative Kate Knuth is sponsoring a listening session on July 13. This will be at the Marsden Room at the Ramsey County Public Works Facility, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The topics to be discussed include the State budget, the stadium proposal and the TCAAP property. He also clarified that the City hosted open house on August 4 would include the City, the County, and the Vikings and the most current information will be available to residents. The fact versus myth sheet regarding the Vikings Stadium that Commissioner Bennett referred to was distributed to other Ramsey County City Councils and Councilmembers. He requested this information be posted on the City's website. Councilmember Holden stated there had been a quote in the newspaper from Representative Knuth that she had been discussing with Arden Hills elected officials holding a public meeting in regards to the stadium proposal. Councilmember Holden stated she had not talked to Representative Knuth and asked which elected officials Representative Knuth had been talking to. Councilmember Werner stated he had received an e -mail last week which was his first contact with Representative Knuth. Mayor Grant stated he had a phone conversation with her the day she had announced her July 13th listening session. City Administrator Klaers stated Staff has not been in discussions with Representative Knuth in regards to this either. Councilmember Holden stated she was not happy that Representative Knuth had stated she had talked to Arden Hills elected officials when this was not the case. Councilmember Holden stated she had received an email from St. Paul Council President Kathy Lantry in regards to the opposition to the half cent tax increase. She thinks it would be a good idea for the whole State to pay a tax for the Vikings. However, she had not received a statement from her with concerns for Hennepin County and the Twins Stadium. The Legislature is not looking at new taxes to balance the budget so this proposal does not seem to be worthwhile at this time. She clarified that she is not looking at the St. Paul Resolution at this time. Mayor Grant agreed with Councilmember Holden and is not interested in looking at a resolution at this time. B. GFOA Financial Awards and Presentation Mr. Darrin Nelson, State Representative on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Government Finance Officers Association (MnGFOA), stated the Government Finance Offices Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has three award programs, which promote best practices in ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 2.B. GFOA Financial Awards and Presentation (continued) Budget and Financial reporting. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting or CAFR award is for entities whose Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) achieves the highest standards in government accounting and financial reporting. This is Arden Hills' financial statement. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting, or PAFR, is given to entities who publish a Popular Annual Report (PAFR), whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, presentation, understandability and reader appeal. This report is primarily for the "non- finance" person in an easy to understand format. The City sends this report out annually in its newsletter. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operating guide, and a communications device. Arden Hills has received all three awards from the GFOA. These awards are for: CAFR -2009, PAFR -2009, and Budget 2010. The City has received both the CAFR and PAFR awards since 2006 and the Budget award since 2009. Staff has submitted the 2011 Budget and the 2010 financial reports to the awards program and they are confident that they fulfill the program requirements and will be receiving the awards in the future. He presented the CAFR, PAFR and the Budget Awards to Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson and the City. Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated much work goes into producing these documents and each member of the Finance Staff takes a lead role in preparing the documents. The members of the Finance Staff are: Kyle Howard, Finance Analyst who works on the Budget Document; Ashley Bertrand, Accounting Analyst who works on the Financial Report; and Pang Silseth, Accounting Clerk who prepares the Popular Financial Report. She would like these awards presented to these staff members in recognition of their work on these documents. Mayor Grant congratulated Staff on their achievements. PUBLIC Mayor Grant opened the Public Inquiries /Informational at 7:15 p.m. Mr. Gregg Larson, 3377 N Snelling Avenue, Arden Hills, congratulated Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson on the awards received. He stated there had been a recent article in the paper that referenced stadium secrecy at the legislature. He stated this was the same thing that was happening at the City level. He stated there has not been any open house or public hearing hosted by Arden Hills since the "closed door" discussion started a year ago. He stated the City scheduled an open house for August 4 in the hopes the legislature would have acted on the stadium bill by this time and the City would be able to wash their hands of any responsibility regarding this development. He also stated that an open house was being hosted so there would not be any comments on record. St. Paul passed a resolution opposing a tax increase for the stadium but the City has not done this. He asked if the City Council was expecting the residents of Arden Hills to pay for a stadium. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 2. Public Inquiries (continued) Mayor Grant closed the Public Inquiries /Informational at 7:20 p.m. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. June 13, 2011, City Council Work Session Councilmember Holden stated on page 2, the fifth paragraph, the word "ANDE" should be changed to "and ". Councilmember Holden stated on page 4, the sixth paragraph, the word "this" in the last sentence should be changed to "these." The tenth paragraph the word "Bethel" should be inserted before "University." Councilmember Holden stated on page 5, the sixth paragraph, the word "City" should be changed to "Council." MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to Approve the June 13, 2011, City Council Work Session minutes as amended. The motion carried unanimously (5 -0). 4. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Motion to Approve Consent Agenda Item — Claims and Payroll. B. Motion to Adopt the 2011 City Council Goals as amended in the Guiding Document during the work session held prior to the City Council meeting. C. Motion to Approve Resolution 2011 -032; Appointing Angela Hames to fill Liz Modesette's vacated Planning Commission seat until December 31, 2011. D. Motion to Approve the 2011/2012 Cable Services Agreement with the City of New Brighton. MOTION: Councilmember Holmes moved and Councilmember Werner seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as presented and to authorize execution of all necessary documents contained therein. The motion carried unanimously (5 -0). 5. PULLED CONSENT ITEMS None. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing Public Works Director Terry Maurer stated Ramsey County is the lead agency for the proposed interchange improvement at the intersection of Hwy 96 /TH 10. Previously, Mn/DOT submitted to ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 5 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) the City a copy of the approved layout for the proposed improvement. According to the Mn/DOT Municipal Consent guide, the City must hold a public hearing on the final layout for the purpose of considering granting Municipal Consent. State Statute requires Municipal Consent because the project alters access. After the conclusion of the public hearing, the Council has 90 days to take action on the request for Municipal consent. The Council has three options: approve Municipal Consent, disapprove Municipal Consent, or disapprove Municipal Consent with conditions. If the Council takes no action within 90 days after the public hearing, Municipal Consent is deemed to be granted. Mr. Jim Tolaas, Director and County Engineer, Ramsey County Department of Public Works, explained that the volume of traffic per day entering the Highway 10 /Highway 96 intersection area was 58,600 vehicles in 2006 and is projected to be over 80,000 by 2030. He outlined the major features of the project including Highway 96 will be lowered and will be routed under Highway 10, temporary ramps on the north side of Highway 96 will provide access to and from the north, Highway 96 will be reconstructed as a four -lane roadway, Prior Avenue will be realigned to line up with Round Lake Boulevard, new traffic signals will be installed at Round Lake Boulevard /Prior Avenue and at the southbound Highway 10 ramp at Highway 96, a multi -use trail will be built on the south side of Highway 96, a sidewalk will be built on the north side of Highway 96, existing accesses along Highway 10 will remain in place, and there is flexibility in the road design to accommodate a variety of uses when TCAAP redevelops. He clarified that the project is being coordinated with the improvements that are being planned for I -694 west of Lexington Avenue. He added that even though the surface of Highway 10 will change, it is not a long -term noise abatement solution. Councilmember Holmes stated that it would be safe for people riding their bikes to cross at the light on Highway 96 and the trail and sidewalk would be safe. Mr. Tolaas, stated the intersection would be equipped with the newest ADA equipment for pedestrian access. There will be bituminous surface trail on the south side of Highway 96 that will go to the regional trail in White Bear Lake, and a concrete sidewalk on the north side. Bicycles can travel along the sidewalk but at a slower speed than they would be able to on a trail. Councilmember Holden asked if there were any trails planned from Round Lake Road to I -3 5 W. Mr. Tolaas stated the structure at I -3 5 W is not adequate to allow for the extension of the trail from Highway 96 to Round Lake Road. If a new structure is put in place, the trail will likely be extended. At this time there are plans for redecking this structure and aligning the lanes to make them narrower to allow for one additional east bound lane. Councilmember Holden stated the addition of a lane and not widening the bridge would put more pressure on pedestrians trying to cross at this location. Mr. Tolaas clarified the realignment of the lanes would not change the outside lanes where the pedestrians currently cross. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) Councilmember Holden asked what made Mr. Tolaas think the City would get funding to finish the trail. Mr. Tolaas stated funding would be for replacement of the interchange itself. Ramsey County is assuming in today's environment this project would score well for funding. The maximum that could be received is $7.3 million and the County would approach Mn/DOT for a portion of the costs and additional State funds. He assured the Council that if this structure is replaced there would be a trail or sidewalk included. Councilmember Holden asked why Highway 10 was not going under Highway 96. If Highway 10 went under Highway 96 there would be less of a noise impact than the current proposal. Mr. Tolaas stated this road design had been looked into but the cost for this type of reconstruction was too great. Mayor Grant opened the public hearing at 7:47 p.m. Ms. Joan Dosedel, 4633 Highway 10, Arden Hills, stated she would like to know more about the noise problem because she understood that it was going to be a temporary road that was going in, there would be six or seven homes taken at that location, and that there is no noise abatement going in. She asked if this was still going to be temporary or if there would be something done about those homes because the noise, which is already bad, will increase considerably. Mr. Tolaas stated the service road that comes down in front of the homes along Highway 10 would remain in place. There will be a cul -de -sac that will allow for turning around and there will be no through movements and no direct connection to the Highway. The ramp area will get slightly closer. When the noise analysis was done, the home sites in this area did not meet the Federal criteria for the installation of sound walls. Even though the noise may exceed the State or Federal levels, this area does not meet the cost effectiveness guidelines. The road will not be shifting a great deal so the decibel increase is not significant. Councilmember Holden stated that residents have been talking about this for years. She asked Mr. Tolaas if this was the case. Mr. Tolaas stated he had not heard this with this project. When the Ryan Group's proposal for redevelopment of the TCAAP property was an option, there were a number of transportation improvements that had been looked at including a new interchange in the area of the Big 10 Bar. The purchase of these properties had never been a part of the Highway 10 /Highway 96 grade separation project. Mn/DOT has never had any proposals that would require the taking of these homes either. The temporary ramp that is being put in place may or may not stay depending on how TCAAP is developed. Ms. Jolene Poucher, 1548 Briarknoll Drive, stated that going northbound on Highway 10 to turn east off of Highway 10 onto Highway 96 was talked about, however the Hamline Avenue exit ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 7 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) was not. She asked how this closure would affect the traffic on Highway 10 and Highway 96. She also stated that over the years the residents had been led to believe that if the roadway were resurfaced with a bituminous material this would reduce the amount of noise on the road. Mr. Tolaas had stated in his presentation that this would not be the case. She asked for clarification regarding this point. She stated that Highway 10 and Highway 96 was being reconstructed to meet the State's needs and the residents were not getting any noise abatement. She wanted to know if the City could look into limiting or eliminating truck traffic on that stretch of highway. She asked if the City could look at the truck traffic on this road and have this traffic directed to the I -694 and I -35W interchange. She also asked if the money that was being saved by not having Highway 10 go under Highway 96 was being used for the reconstruction of I- 694/I -35 project. She stated the residents of the Briarknoll neighborhood are disappointed they are not receiving sound walls. Ms. Christine Winiecki, 4175 Old TH 10, Arden Hills, asked about the ramping coming off of southbound Highway 10 and if this would be a north and south intersection. She expressed concern that if this was only southbound then this will increase the traffic on Old TH 10. She stated she had heard that the Vikings were planning for a four -lane ramp coming off of I -3 5, in the area of Scherer Brothers. She asked if anyone on the Council had heard about Scherer Brothers being bought out. Councilmember Holmes stated the ramp Ms. Winiecki was asking about is for southbound traffic only. Mr. Alan Johnson, Highway 10, Arden Hills, stated his road was being closed. He asked if a sidewalk would be put in from Highway 96 to Lake Shore Place. Mr. Mike Loosbrock, 4535 Lake Shore Place, Arden Hills, stated noise is a problem in his neighborhood. Dave Cmiel had contested the noise findings and he asked if there had been any follow -up on this. Currently there are trees in the area that provide some noise mitigation and these will be removed. He asked if something would be put in to replace these trees that would provide some noise mitigation. He stated he would also like to see a sidewalk installed in this area. Mr. John Wrobel, 1565 Royal Hills Drive, Arden Hills, expressed concerns about lowering Highway 96 and the potential for flooding especially in years similar to this year where there is an excessive amount of rain. He stated he would be in favor of lowering the overall speed limit for Highway 10 through the City. Mr. Russell Bertsch, 4419 Amble Circle, Arden Hills, expressed concerns about the amount of traffic that will be generated with the east bound being shut off. He also stated that St. Paul has been able to reduce the speed limit and the gross weight limit on I -3 5E through their community. He suggested Arden Hills look into these options for the community. He also questioned the reasons were for shutting off Highway 10 north but maintaining westbound 96. Changing this traffic flow could be a cost savings for the project. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 8 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) Mr. Pat Haik, 1550 Briarknoll Circle, Arden Hills, stated he hoped the City would be able to do a better job of getting what the residents wanted than it had with the I- 694/I -3 5 W project. He asked if there was going to be any coordination between the two projects to minimize the impact on the residents as much as possible. He requested clarification on how they County could do a study and prove a negative in regards to not needing an eastbound Highway 96 exit. He suggested Ramsey County put in a temporary ramp in this area to see if the traffic would warrant keeping it there permanently. He also stated that Briarknoll needs noise abatement because this will be turned into a freeway and the noise levels will increase significantly. Mr. Robert Alberg, 1857 Todd Drive, Arden Hills, stated his home is located right at the proposed entrance to the trailer park on Highway 96. There will be a significant noise increase for him once this entrance is completed and he would like to discuss relocating and having the County purchase his property. The County is purchasing one of the homes next to him and he feels his home should be included in this transaction due to the noise increase he will experience. Mr. Tolaas stated there would be two entrances and one would be realigned with Prior Avenue. Mayor Grant suggested he talk with the County in regards to his willingness to relocate and his proximity to the proposed entrance. Ms. Jeanne Breske, 4659 Highway 10, Arden Hills, asked how she would get to her home if the entrance to the trailer park at the Big 10 Bar were closed. She stated there had been talk about buying out the homes in this area to widen the road but she has not heard anything more about this. She stated she would not like to see Highway 10 made wider and a sound wall installed but would rather be relocated in this event. Mr. Bertsch expressed concerns that the County was doing all these temporary improvements that may change with the development of TCAAP. The stadium development of TCAAP will affect these improvements and may make it a waste of time and money to move forward at this time. He suggested these improvements be postponed until after the development of the TCAAP property had been determined. Mr. Gary Babcock, 1915 Todd Court asked if there was a City ordinance restricting trucks from jake-braking in residential areas. He suggested if this was not a City ordinance the City look into making it one. Mayor Grant asked Mr. Tolaas how the County determined a ramp or intersection was needed in a given location when there was not currently one there. Mr. Tolaas stated staff is determining where cars are coming from and going to based on the number of cars on the road at any given point. The current traffic studies have provided the information that Ramsey County is using to determine what intersections need to be improved and if there are intersections or movements that need to be added or removed. This is a process that had been refined through several years of research and study. There are additional road improvements that will be done in the future, including County Road F, that will affect the future ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 9 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) traffic movements and the need for certain intersections. The current project has looked at the environmental impacts as well as costs in preparing the design for the project. If there is a large development that occurs on the TCAAP property, this will impact traffic and warrant an additional traffic study. Mayor Grant asked Mr. Tolaas to explain the difference in noise levels if a bituminous surface was used versus a concrete surface. Mr. Tolaas stated the bituminous overlay of Highway 10 would occur as soon as the reconstruction project is completed. The bituminous surface will sound differently than the concrete surface and may provide less noise in the beginning. The noise levels will change as the road surface changes. He also stated that Ramsey County is coordinating this project with Mn/DOT and the I- 694/I -3 5 W project. Mayor Grant asked if it would be possible to restrict the truck traffic, jake-braking, or introduce weight restrictions on Highway 10 that would be similar to those on I -3 5E. He also asked if it would be possible to restrict trucks to the I- 694/I -3 5 W interchange since this would be a more suitable interchange for this type of traffic. Mr. Tolaas stated Highway 10 is a US Highway and by definition it has to allow truck traffic. This is in order to reduce the truck traffic that occurs on neighborhoods. In St. Paul, it took 25 years and special legislation to get the restrictions on 1-35E. These restrictions have not necessarily proven to provide a positive impact because the restrictions are not always followed and they are difficult to enforce. He explained the interchange at I -694 and I -3 5 W would not be able to accommodate the increase in traffic that would occur with redirecting all truck traffic to this interchange. Ramsey County is not suggesting the current speed limits change on Highway 10 through Arden Hills. The speed for a road is not something that is dictated by the County but rather by MnDOT based on a traffic study that would look at the speed of traffic currently in the area and what the road would be able to accommodate. Mayor Grant asked if there were any funds from this project being diverted to the I-6944-35W project. Mr. Tolaas stated the Highway 10 /Highway 96 project is mostly funded by Surface Transportation Program funds and these funds could not be diverted to other projects. If these funds are not used for this project they would be returned to be redistributed. Mayor Grant asked about the rumor of a four lane ramp being installed at Scherer Brothers as part of the Vikings Stadium proposal. Mr. Tolaas stated as part of the Vikings Stadium proposal there have been several different traffic plans. One of the early proposals did have a four lane ramp in the same location as Scherer Brothers but, due to the costs involved, this plan was dismissed. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 10 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) Councilmember Holden stated she had been trying to get transportation information for the Vikings Stadium and this was now in the hands of Mn/DOT. Mr. Tolaas stated there was a lot of controversy regarding the traffic for the stadium project and there had not been any information publically released at this time. Mayor Grant asked if there would be a sidewalk or trails planned for Lake Shore Drive. Mr. Tolaas stated a trail was not part of this project. There was limited space in this area. The City can request this be considered in the project but he was not sure it would be feasible. The City would own and maintain the sidewalk and up to 25% of the costs of construction may need to be covered by the City. The County is a strong proponent for trails and sidewalks. Mayor Grant stated there had been questions raised about the sound levels at Lake Shore Place and how Dave Cmiel has contested these. He asked if there were any plans to replace the trees removed to provide potential sound mitigation. Mr. Tolaas stated the grading removes all the vegetation in the area but efforts can be made to reduce impacts by other means such as a fence. This would not be a sound wall but more of a visual barrier. The Briarknoll area has been requesting noise walls but this area does not meet the Federal criteria for sound walls. Mn/DOT had made an offer to pay a portion of sound walls with the I -694 project and the City would also pay a portion of the costs. The City had determined that it would not be cost effective for them to pay a portion of the sound walls so they will not be installed as part of that project. Other areas that will be impacted by the project were studied and there were areas that were found to be eligible for sound walls because the number of homes affected is greater. If the City is interested in having a fence installed along Lake Shore, they could work with the County in getting this accomplished. He also clarified that Ramsey County will work with Mn/DOT and coordinate the projects. Councilmember Tamble stated there would be a stretch of wall to the west. He asked if this would tie into the walls being constructed by Mn/DOT. Mr. Tolaas stated Mn/DOT will construct the final wall and the two walls will be tied in together. He clarified that Ramsey County and Mn/DOT will not take property beyond what is required for projects. If the project alters a person's property to a point that it cannot meet the City's Zoning Codes, then they would look at relocating the person. Ramsey County would talk with Mr. Alberg to see if his property would meet the criteria. Mayor Grant asked how the City would go about requesting the installation of fencing or trees along Shoreline Drive. Mr. Tolaas stated the City could work with Ramsey County during the final design stages to have these elements installed. This request could be a part of Municipal Consent. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 11 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) Mayor Grant stated there had been concerns expressed about potential flooding on Highway 96 once the road was lowered. He asked how the water would be handled in this area. Mr. Tolaas explained how the water would flow in this area and the water retention areas. Mayor Grant questioned the number of entrances for Arden Manor. Mr. Tolaas stated the entrance to the north will remain the same and the entrance on Prior Avenue will shift to the west to align with Round Lake Boulevard. Mayor Grant stated Mr. Alberg had expressed concerns about the impact the new entrance would have on his home and he would like to talk to the County about relocating. Councilmember Holden stated all the residents along Highway 10 have the same concerns and they should talk to Ramsey County. Mr. Tolaas stated the current purchases and relocating that have taken place have to do with future development as well as the current project. The homes affected by this project were looked at and it was determined that there was not sufficient impact for those that are remaining. The roads are not changing enough to impact these homes. Mr. Alberg has a legitimate concern and the County will look at his property and work with him. Mayor Grant asked that the City be kept informed of this situation. Mayor Grant stated jake-braking in residential neighborhoods is an issue that needs to be addressed by the City, but this is still a US Highway and the City may not be able to restrict this. The City had looked into this previously and it is something that would be difficult to enforce. Councilmember Tamble stated the construction of the overpass will eliminate the number of lights on this road and this will reduce the amount of jake- braking. Mayor Grant stated the City could look into restricting jake- braking. He stated communities have not been successful with enforcing this. Councilmember Holden requested a sign be put on Highway 96 eastbound near the Keithson neighborhood that warned drivers to watch for the intersection. Mr. Tolaas stated Ramsey County could look at this area to see if there was an effective way to address this intersection. Councilmember Holmes stated the flyover would need to happen regardless of what is developed on the TCAAP property. This development could impact the side roads and some of the ramps may change based on the development of TCAAP. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 12 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) Mr. Tolaas stated Ramsey County had looked at alternatives for Highway 10 and Highway 96 and this was the best alternative. The temporary components of this design may or may not change based on what is developed on TCAAP and the transportation plans involved with that development. Councilmember Holden asked why an exit road going north Highway 10 to east Highway 96 could not be moved to the south of the wetlands. Mr. Tolaas stated these wetlands go all the way back. Ramsey County had looked at this but it could not get it to work. This corner is challenging due to the wetlands and the environmental impacts. Mr. Haik stated the pond at this corner is a man made structure and could be moved. North Heights Church is using this pond to meet their green space requirements for the City but the City could grant a variance so that this structure can be moved. He expressed frustration that the road could not be moved and the residents would not benefit because of this pond. Mr. Tolaas had stated one of the main reasons for this reconstruction was due to safety. He stated safety may have been a reason five years ago, but since the dual left turn lanes were installed on Highway 10 the safety on this road has improved. He stated that the real reason for these improvements was to push more traffic through Arden Hills and turn this road into a freeway. The City should be in a better position to negotiate for the needs of the residents because the County and the State are saving money with this plan. Ms. Claire Palmer, 4409 Royal Hills Drive, asked how kids would get to Mounds View High School from the east going west. She also asked who would maintain the new trails and sidewalks that were being installed. Mayor Grant stated the City would maintain the trails and sidewalks. Ms. Poucher, asked what the alternatives were for sound mitigation in the Briarknoll neighborhood, the homes along west Highway 10, and the homes along east Highway 10, since there would not be sound walls constructed. Ramsey County has stated these homes will not be impacted due to the construction but the increased traffic will impact these homes. She stated people follow the signs and she would like to see signs installed that reduce speed and noise and divert traffic to I -694 and I -3 5 W. She also stated Highway 96 is going to be dropped 22 -feet and this will increase the amount of j ake- braking. Mr. Johnson stated motorcycles also create a lot of noise and they should be restricted as well. He would like to see signs posted restricting the noise and enforcing this by giving tickets to those vehicles that are too loud. He stated slowing the speed on this section of the road would help in reducing the noise levels from trucks and motorcycles. Mr. Tolaas explained the route that could be taken to get to Mounds View High School from Highway 96 by using the same connections that are in place today. He also explained a bituminous surface will be smooth at first and will reduce the noise initially, but the surface will ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 13 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) change with age and wear and the noise level will change as well. He explained the noise levels for this project were looked at for all the neighborhoods. These highways need to be improved to accommodate the traffic levels they are currently experiencing and for future capacity. Safety is the biggest reason for these improvements because this is a dangerous intersection. The traffic on these roads could not be diverted to other roads because there are no other roads that will accommodate this amount of traffic added to it. He also clarified that the highways were in place before the homes were, especially the Briarknoll neighborhood, and the State and County have invested in this corridor for roadways. Councilmember Holden asked why the I- 694/I -3 5 W and the Highway 10 /Highway 96 projects were separate other than funding sources. Mr. Tolaas stated a project is generally scoped pertinent to the facts being considered. What happens on I -694 and Highway 10 will happen regardless of whether a grade separation is done on Highway 10 and Highway 96 or not. I -694 was looked at and evaluated as to the facts and issues presented on that particular roadway. He clarified that the man made pond that was built by the County. This is next to the natural wetlands and environmental restrictions prevent the County from constructing a road or a pond in the wetlands. If the pond were moved it would need to be moved to a location that water would be able to get to it and out of it. The County did look at this intersection and considered if there was a way to move this road, but it was not possible. Also the intersection could not be graded to allow for moving this ramp. This ramp could be put on a structure in the future but this will depend on the factors that are driving the need for the movement. Councilmember Tamble asked questioned the estimated amount of resources required to determine the costs to relocate the pond and where the ramp would be located. Mr. Tolaas stated the required geometrics for the ramp would need to be reviewed and the appropriate acceleration lanes would need to be included. The complicated thing is to relocate the pond and meet all the environmental laws and neither the State nor the County could justify the cost. The trigger for something different to happen in this location will be development of TCAAP. Once transportation improvements have been identified and a study has been done this will determine if this area provides a critical movement. The State and the County invest in projects that will make improvements for the broader public. Councilmember Holden questioned the rating of Lexington Avenue. An unidentified person in the audience provided the answer. Mayor Grant asked what was being done to provide noise mitigation other than a sound wall. Mr. Tolaas stated nothing was being done post construction. The amount of starting and stopping will be reduced and this will address some of the noise concerns presented. Noise walls are the type of noise abatement that is used. They are constructed when the federal criteria is met, ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 14 6.A. Highway 96 /TH 10 Interstate Project — Public Hearing (continued) when they are warranted, and cost effective. Along Lake Shore Drive they will be loosing a visual buffer that can be replaced using a fence and vegetation. Mayor Grant closed the public hearing at 9:31 p.m. Mayor Grant stated the items brought up that are City related include: the Lake Shore walkway, a fence or trees along Lake Shore Drive, a blind intersection sign for the Keithson neighborhood, and looking at jake- braking in residential neighborhoods. Other issues that were brought forward include: the property at 1857 Todd Drive. The City is not in a position to provide or deny Municipal Consent at this time. Public Works Director Maurer clarified Staff was looking for direction. Councilmember Holden stated she would like to have the right off northbound Highway 10 to Highway 96, the roadway surface, noise ordinance enforcement, and a discussion on the speed limit for this section of Highway 10 added to the list of items that need to be resolved. It was the consensus of the City Council to continue discussions of the Highway 10 /Highway 96 Project at a work session. City Administrator Klaers stated the City has 90 days to approve or disapprove Municipal Consent now that the public hearing has been completed. 7. NEW BUSINESS None. 8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Consider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers Public Works Director Maurer stated the City's commercial /industrial water meters and readers were replaced in 1997/1998 and the residential water meters were replaced in 2001. They were replaced with Badger water meters and Trace readers. The meters were expected to have a 20 to 30 year life and are still functioning well. The readers were expected to have a 10 to 11 year life, which is currently at its end. The Trace reader is no longer produced having been discontinued in 2005. New Trace readers are not available and replacement parts are very difficult to locate. As the original batteries begin to fail, replacement batteries can be found but replacement batteries have had a severely shortened life and many of the actual readers have started to fail. The City has 230 commercial /industrial meters and 2,422 residential meters. Currently there are 20 commercial /industrial meters and 8 residential meters that are read manually due to failed readers. That number is expected to continue to grow. The current system is remote reading, meaning a Public Works staff member simply drives the street with an electronic reader, which remotely reads the meters. Once the meters are read, a disc of information is provided to the Finance Department for billing purposes. One other issue that has come to Staffs attention is the FCC has ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 15 7.A. Consider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers (continued) changed their rules regarding systems in the Trace operating frequency. The FCC has stated that by January 1, 2013, all systems operating in the Trace range must use a narrow band defined as 12.5 KHz or less. The Trace system uses a 25 KHz radio frequency, so it will no longer be compliant with the FCC rules. The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) has an item starting 2011 and running through 2014 to replace all meter readers. Staff went through a review process to look at systems that are compatible with our current meters, which should have 15 -20 years of life left. The Staff recommended system is a Badger Galaxy System that is a fixed network Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). When the change out of meter readers is complete, meters will be read from a computer in the Finance Department. There will no longer be a need for a Public Works staff to spend 2 -3 days a month reading meters. Closeout of accounts can be done from City Hall without sending a staff member to the property to do a final reading. Staff is recommending purchase of the Badger Galaxy Fixed Network Collector Package, which consists of an antenna to locate on the water tower, computer software and installation, technical support, cellular backhaul, and 50 meters. In addition, staff recommends the purchase of enough commercial /industrial meter readers to change out all of those in 2011 with City staff. With the remaining funds staff would purchase approximately 50 residential meter readers. These would be used to change out failed meter readers and /or combine sump pump inspections with meter reader change outs. This system has an annual fee of $2,450 for technical support, software updates, and maintenance of the cellular backhaul. This fee will be included in future operating budgets for Water Utility. Mayor Grant asked for clarification on the KHz that the proposed equipment would operate at compared to the current system and the new FCC regulations. Public Works Director Maurer stated the current Trace system operates at 25 KHz and the Badger system operates at 20 KHz but it is at a different bandwidth than the Trace system operates at so it is not subject to the same regulations. The Badger system also uses technology where it can use different bandwidths as needed. Mayor Grant stated the type of batteries that are in the proposed system are different than those that are currently used and will require them to be disposed of differently. He asked if the Fire Department had been contacted to find out if there were any concerns they may have with these types of batteries. Public Works Director Maurer stated the battery couldn't be changed because they are sealed. Once the battery fails, the unit will need to be changed. The batteries have an estimated life expectancy of 15 -20 years. He stated that Staff had not consulted the fire department regarding the type of batteries. Mayor Grant stated according to the documents provided for the proposed system it would transmit the data only four times a day versus every hour. He asked why this was different than what Staff was showing. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 16 7.A. Consider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers (continued) Public Works Director Maurer stated the data would be transmitted hourly from the unit to the receiver on the water tower. The data collected will be transmitted to City Hall every six hours or four times a day. Mayor Grant asked how reliable the Galaxy System was since there did not seem to be too many of them operating in the Midwest area. Public Works Director Maurer stated many of the larger cities are choosing to stay with the Orion System so there are more of these systems in use. Smaller communities that have limited staff hours available are using the Galaxy System. Lexington has installed the Galaxy System and Public Works Superintendent Joe Mooney has been asked to contact them for additional information. He stated that he is convinced the Galaxy System provides the right technology for the City. Mayor Grant expressed concern that Arden Hills would be spending more money than would be necessary for this type of system. Shoreview had invested $600,000 for their system and this city is over two- and -a -half times the size of Arden Hills, and Arden Hills has $400,000 budgeted. He asked Public Works Director Maurer to talk to the surrounding communities and find out what systems they are using and why they chose the systems they did. Public Works Director Maurer stated when he started at the City, the decision had been made to stay with the Badger products to ensure it would work with the City's other equipment. He clarified that Staff could send this item out for competitive bids. Mayor Grant asked how the information would be transmitted to City Hall. Public Works Director Maurer stated the system would transmit using a cellular transmission. Cellular technology is not expected to become obsolete any time in the near future. Councilmember Holden asked if there would be enough space available on the server to accommodate the amount of data this system would transmit. She also asked if this data could be transferred into the Springbrook accounting software the City uses so that the data did not have to be reentered. Public Works Director Maurer explained that Badger is recommending the City have a dedicated computer for the data transmission. There would not be a need for additional space on the server because this information can be stored in different formats such as backups or hard discs. The length of time the City would have to retain this information would need to be established and follow the same guidelines the City has for other types of similar data. He stated he did not believe there was a software update that would enable this software to be transferred into the City's accounting software. Councilmember Holden asked if there would be an alert system that could be set when there are unexpected or unusual changes in the water usage in a short -term usage situation. She gave the example of a washing machine hose breaking. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 17 7.A. Consider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers (continued) Public Works Director Maurer stated the City could set these types of benchmarks and set the alarms accordingly. He stated the City would need to determine a policy on how to deal with the alarms. Councilmember Tamble asked when the best time of year would be to change the units. Public Works Director Maurer explained the fall would be the best time because this is a time when there is less of a demand on the Public Works Staff. There is not a rush to decide on a system at this time. The longer the City waits the more man power the City will use in reading the meters that the City is unable to get readings on while driving through the City. Currently Staff is spending three days a month in gathering the water meter readings but this will increase as more and more readers fail. Councilmember Werner asked what type of warranty there was on these readers. Public Works Director Maurer stated there is a 20-year warranty; 10 -year full warranty and 10- year prorated warranty. Councilmember Holmes asked if the Council would be interested in looking at different types of systems, not just the Badger System. Public Works Director Maurer stated he had been told when he started at the City that the decision was made to stay with a Badger System to ensure the readers were compatible with the meters the City currently has. He had worked with the Finance Department to determine if the Orion or Galaxy System would better meet the City's needs. He stated it is clear the Council is not comfortable in making a decision at this meeting. He stated he would start the process over, look at different types of systems, and provide this information to the Council for additional direction. Councilmember Holden stated that the City's current process is good, but she would like to see an interface for the Springbrook accounting system. Councilmember Holmes suggested Staff talk to Lexington and other communities to gather additional information. Councilmember Holden stated she would like to see some kind of agreement that if the equipment becomes obsolete in ten years, the City's maintenance costs would be reimbursed. City Administrator Klaers stated this would be a legal issue that may need to be negotiated. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to Table the Expenditure of Up to $60,000 to Start the Conversion of Water Meter Readers Until Public Works Director Maurer Provides Additional Information. The motion carried unanimously (5 -0). ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 18 9. COUNCIL COMMENTS & STAFF UPDATES Councilmember Tamble stated the Red Cross was still accepting blood donors and he encouraged residents to contact them. Councilmember Werner stated June 21 had been the Parks and Trails Tour and he had been unable to attend at that time. He has since then toured all the City's parks and trails and found them to be in generally good condition. Councilmember Holden stated she was perplexed by Mr. Larson's comments earlier in the meeting. Mr. Larson has continued to accuse the Council of wrong doing in regards to the Vikings Stadium proposal, but the Council has provided everything that Mr. Larson has requested including the public meeting that is scheduled for August 4. This public meeting was scheduled as soon as it could be because there are several other entities involved that need to be coordinated. She clarified the GSA has not moved forward with the public sale of the land yet. The City has had different visions for the TCAAP property in the past, but even when the market was good it had been determined these visions would not work. Councilmember Holmes stated there was an opening for a Commissioner and an alternate on the Planning Commission. Mayor Grant stated the open house meeting for the Vikings stadium was scheduled as early as it could have been. The state government shut down has delayed when participants could attend and the City has critical Staff members on vacation. He also clarified his comment about hoping the budget was approved by the August 4 meeting had nothing to do with the City "wanting to wash their hands" of the stadium but rather out of compassion for those people that were being affected by the state government shutdown. City Administrator Klaers stated August 2, 2011 was the "Night to Unite" for the City. He provided the Councilmembers with additional information. City Administrator Klaers stated there are five Mondays in the month of August. He suggested the City consider moving the second Regular Council Meeting from August 29 to August 22 and schedule a budget work session for August 29. The discussion for Highway 10 /Highway 96 will be scheduled for the August 15 work session. City Administrator Klaers stated due to the late time, the closed session on tonight's agenda could be postponed to a later date. Councilmember Holmes stated she was not able to stay for the closed session but if the other Councilmembers wanted to stay they could still have the meeting. Councilmember Tamble suggested moving this discussion to another time. It was the consensus of the Council to reschedule the closed meeting discussions to another meeting. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — July, 11, 2011 19 ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously (5 -0). Mayor Grant adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 10:26 p.m. Patrick Klaers City Administrator Da 1 . Grant Mayor