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Home My WebLink About11-20-19-SWS lt �-AEN HILLS RD,�- Request for Special City Council Work Session A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers. Reason for meeting: la. MVHS Traffic Study Discussion lb. Union Negotiations Update (Closed per M.S. 13D.03, Subd. 1(b)and 179A.01 to 179A.25) Requested Date: 11/20/19 Requested time: 6:00 pm Open meeting X Closed meeting Signature of person(s)making request: C.(, Mayo or Council Member Date Council Member Date -This section to be completed by City staff- Date received: / f`fj I / Date meeting to be held: 11/20/19 Time of meeting: 6:00 pm Location: Cily Hall All necessary posting and notices have been completed. n*_ & """4-, (( / IYl l � Sig I re of City Clerk Date City of Arden Hills•1245 West Highway 96•Arden Hills Minnesota 55112 Phone 651.792.7800•Fax 651.634.5137•www.cityofardenhills.org 'It ,ARQN HILLS Approved: December 9, 2019 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 20,2019 6:00 P.M. -ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the Special City Council Work Session at 6:00 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Dave McClung and Steve Scott Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Interim Public Works Director/City Engineer Todd Blomstrom; Community Development Manager/City Planner Mike Mrosla; Associate Planner Joe Hartmann; City Clerk Julie Hanson; Sean Delmore and Erik Seiberlich, WSB &Associates; Mike Schwartz and John Ward, Mounds View School District 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. MVHS Traffic Study Discussion Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated at their September 23, 2019 meeting, the City Council approved WSB's professional services agreement to study school related traffic on Lake Valentine Road adjacent to Mounds View High School. At that meeting, the City Council requested a meeting with WSB to provide input prior to compiling the information and making a formal recommendation. WSB has completed its initial data collection and will be presenting the following information to Council: • Background of the study • Our data collection efforts • Findings from our data and field observation • Issues and constraints • Potential opportunities(alternatives) for improving the circulation and safe Sean Delmore, Director of Traffic Engineering for WSB, stated he was working to get information to the Council from the Mounds View High School traffic study. He discussed the ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 20, 2019 2 background that led to the study and the data that has been collected by WSB. He explained the number of pedestrians crossing this street was a concern. He reported lighting could be improved to increase safety. Mike Schwartz, Mounds View High School, asked when WSB would have a recommendation for the City. Erik Seiberlich, Project Engineer for WSB, anticipated a draft recommendation would come before the City Council in January of February of 2020. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla anticipated the City would have construction plans ready for the summer of 2020 in order to have this matter wrapped by prior the beginning of the next school year. Councilmember Holmes encouraged staff and WSB to speed this process along if at all possible. Mayor Grant agreed stating he would like to see this project moved along. Mr. Seiberlich described the data collection activities that were conducted by WSB. He commented on the turning movement information that was collected and showed the Council a short video. He discussed how the entrances were controlled during school drop-off and pick-up times and noted where staff/police officers were located to assist with pedestrian crossings. Councilmember Holden questioned what the AM and PM peaks hours were. Mr. Seiberlich stated the AM peak hour was from 7:40 to 8:40 a.m. and the PM peak hour was from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. He commented on how closing the west entrance has improved safety. He reported at this time there were too many pedestrian conflict areas. Councilmember Holmes expressed concern with the fact the school had changed the bus drop of plans. Mr. Seiberlich discussed how parents doing u-turns after dropping a child off at school was aggravating the traffic concerns on Lake Valentine Road. He commented further the pedestrian concerns along Lake Valentine Road noting each of the conflict points. Further discussion ensued regarding the findings from WSB. Councilmember Holden questioned when this corridor would be changed or improved. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated he was uncertain when the area would be improved. Councilmember Holmes questioned if a pedestrian bridge had to be ADA compliant given the fact all handicap parking would be located adjacent to the school. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 20, 2019 3 Mr. Seiberlich commented a pedestrian bridge would have to provide opportunities for all people to use the facilities. He stated he could investigate this further but noted it was his understanding the bridge would have to be ADA complaint. He did not recommend the City consider pursuing a tunnel given the security measures that would have to be put in place. Councilmember Holden inquired how much an ADA compliant bridge would cost. Mr. Delmore estimated the bridge would cost$1.8 million. Councilmember Holden asked how far the backups occurred during AM and PM peak times. Mr. Delmore discussed how far the backups can be in the morning and afternoons. Councilmember Holden questioned what the City could do in the short-term to address the safety concerns given the number of near misses that were occurring at the school. Mr. Delmore stated this is a very good question. He commented on the safety measures the school has already taken, such as closing one of the entrance points and having staff and a school resource officer assisting with directing traffic. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla reported additional street lighting would be installed to assist with pedestrian safety. He estimated the lights would be installed in the next three weeks. Councilmember Holden inquired if a no u-turn sign could be installed. Councilmember Holmes supported the installation of a no u-turn sign. Mr. Delmore commented parents may still complete a u-turn and this would now become an enforcement issue. He discussed how a school speed zone sign would assist with slowing traffic around the school. Councilmember Holden asked if having another Sheriff Deputy would assist with calming traffic during peak hours. Mr. Delmore stated this could assist with addressing the situation, but noted it would be even better for a good process to be created for student drop off and pick up. Councilmember Holmes commented she believed the only option that viable was the middle option with the light. Mr. Schwartz indicated he supported this recommendation as well so long as there was a single crossing, potentially shifted further to the east. Councilmember Holden explained a pedestrian bridge would cost too much and have a tunnel would create other safety concerns. For this reason, she supported having a traffic signal along ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 20, 2019 4 with the school district looking into purchasing the State property to assist with addressing the stacking issues. Mr. Delmore stated this would assist with addressing some of the traffic and access concerns. Councilmember McClung commented another thing to consider would be to create a median to assist with directing traffic and to improve pedestrian safety. Mayor Grant indicated his main concern was that the City was receiving maximum safety for the students and pedestrians crossing the roadway. He supported the combination of the State property and having a single pedestrian crossing. Interim Public Works Directory/City Engineer Blomstrom questioned what the minimum separation was for a lighted pedestrian crossing from an adjacent intersection. Mr. Delmore stated he did not know the number off the top of his head. He commented there was a certain amount of separation that was required. He indicated it would be a real improvement to eliminate the offset intersection. Mayor Grant commented further on how he liked the design that included the State property. Councilmember Holden stated she wanted to be assured the solution addressed traffic flow and pedestrian concerns. She recommended the State property be considered in the solution along with a single pedestrian crossing. She requested the school district consider implementing short- term solutions as well. Mr. Delmore indicated he would be speaking with school district officials and City staff and thanked the Council for their input. Mayor Grant recessed the Council worksession meeting to a Closed Session at 7:47 p.m. B. Union Negotiations Update (Closed Per M.S. 13D.03, Subd. 1(13) and 179A.01 to 179A.25) City Administrator Perrault explained the Council would be meeting in Closed Session to receive an update on Union Negotiations. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES None. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 20, 2019 5 ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council Work Session meeting at 8:48 p.m. vte,� J Z"A4e A J e Hanson David rant y Clerk Mayor