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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-1986 PTRC Meeting Minutes Minutes of Regular Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting Village of Arden Hills January 28, 1986 Village Hall Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Acting Chair Anderson. Roll Call Present: A. Anderson, K. Enrooth, D. Messerly, J. Mishek, A. Montgomery, T. Mulcahy, J. Otto, M. Peterson, K. Rauenhorst Absent: D. Sand, G. Dreyling, M. Gillies Also Present: Councilman T. Sather Parks Director J. T. Buckley City Planner Orlyn Miller Oaths cf Office The oath of office was administered to those present by Councilman Sather. Approval of Minutes Motion was made by Mulcahy, seconded by Rauenhorst, that the minutes of November 26 be approved as submitted. Motion carried unanimously. Hamline Avenue Development Proposal - Orlyn Miller Miller evaluated with the committee the potentials for landscaping along Hamline Avenue relative to different road widths and burying of overhead lines. To do this, he presented cross-sectional drawings of Hamline utilizing all possible combinations of road widths and right-of-ways, with lines buried and with lines overhead. The major deterrents to landscaping, as pointed out at an earlier meeting, are width of right-of-way and preponderance of overhead lines. He noted that 92% of the roadway is impacted by overhead lines; the clearance of the lowest line is 15 to 20 feet. He added that there had been some discussion of having turn lanes only at intersections, rather than a continuous turn lane. Approximately 900 feet is required to construct a turn lane (tapering out, providing for stacking of cars, tapering in); allowing for 800 feet, if turn lanes were constructed at each intersection as an alternative to a continuous turn lane, 95% of the road would be impacted by turn lanes. If, as an alternative, turn lanes were constructed at selected intersections (for discussion purposes, he mentioned Colleen, Floral, Wyncrest, Arden View, Nursery Hill Lane, and STH 96), 57% would be impacted. Miller said he is not aware of standards set up to justify turn lanes (i.e. volume of traffic, number of rear end accidents). Miller's conclusions were: The alternative with the greatest landscaping potential has the nar- rowest roadway and buried electric and telephone lines. The widest roadway combined with overhead wires on both sides of the ROW creates the greatest limitations. eAlthough roadway width obviously impacts landscaping potential, this study confirms that the greatest deterrent to landscaping is the overhead wires at the right-of-way edges. Minutes of Regular Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting Page two . Assuming a pedestrian/bike path is provided along the west side of a 46' wide road, any planting on that side of the street must be beyond the ROW, even if the electrical is buried. Burial of overhead wires with a 36' roadway actually restricts plant- ing with the ROW on the west side because an electrical easement is required. In discussion, Mishek asked if the City would be allowed (by higher govern- mental agencies) to build a 32 foot road if it so desired. Miller replied that Hamline is a city, state-aid, road; City can do as it wishes, but a 32' road would result in loss of MSA funding, and would require an amend- ment to the Comprehensive Plan, which states that collector streets must be at least 38' wide. Committee asked approximate costs of burying NSP lines. Miller stated that NSP would probably not give an estimate without doing a preliminary study. Cost of burying lines on County Road E, in 1981, was about $71 per lineal foot; using this as a basis, he would estimate $370,000 as bottom price at 1981 prices, more realistically would estimate $500,000. Again using costs on County Road E as a basis, his "guesstimate" for cost of decorative lighting would be $90,000 to $100,000, or more. Committee asked status of State's upgrading of I-694 - Hamline intersection. Sather stated it is planned to coordinate with City's upgrading of Hamline. • Committee asked if State might delay this reconstruction if City does not upgrade Hamline. Sather stated his belief that they would proceed with this reconstruction regardless of what action Arden Hills takes. Otto asked status of stop lights for Hamline Avenue and STH 96. Sather replied that traffic warrants have been met; State has placed the intersection on the "waiting" list, will be installed when funds are available. Wiring for the lights will hopefully be done at the time of the proposed road reconstruction. Peterson stated his support of a 46' roadway with center turn lane; said he lives on Hamline Avenue, feels it would be unsafe with anything less; feels there needs to be some way to cross the street, but "turn lane is essential for safety of Hamline Avenue motorists". Anderson replied that turn lanes address safety of motorists; we have an obligation also to look to safety of joggers and bikers; .a 36' roadway could allow for two pathways, one on each side of the road. ' Montgomery stated his observations from his own use of the road, that there seems to be little choice but to have a three lane road; the road is very dangerous without a turn lane. Mulcahy noted that a 36' road would give a better chance of reducing the speed limit, felt State would be more amenable to a lower speed limit • with that width road); sees this as a major reason for going.- to a 36' road. Minutes of Regular Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting • Page three Rauenhorst moved that the Parks and Recreation Committee recommend to Council the selected turn lane alternative presented by Miller, location of turn lanes to be determined by a separate study of mos -used intersections, with a 36' roadway, widening to 44' where turn lanes are installed. Motion was seconded by Mulcahy. In discussion, Mishek stated he did not see that this wou d slow traffic. Miller noted that not having a continuous turn lane would mean that no individual homes along Hamline would have a turn lane. Buckley stated he sees the main areas of concern that sho ld be addressed as vehicle safety and access to Cummings and Floral parks (and a way to get between the two); this motion does not address this problem. Otto stated his belief that a 36' road would not reduce traffic; road is in "pathetic" condition now, but is still being heavily used by through traffic as well as local. Anderson asked that the motion be amended to include pathways on both sides of Hamline. Amendment was accepted by Rauenhorst. Montgomery stated his belief that the inconsistency of intermittent turn lanes (as the motion before the floor suggests) would only make the street . more dangerous. Motion failed (Mulcahy, Rauenhorst, Anderson in favor, En ooth, Mishek, Montgomery, Peterson, Otto opposed, Messerly abstaining). Motion was made by Peterson, seconded by Otto, that Parks and Recreation Committee recommend construction of 46' roadway with continuous turn lane and sidewalk. In discussion, Mishek asked if there were any way to install sidewalk on east side of the road with 46' wide road. It was determined that easements existed to make it possible to construct a walkway on the east side from Karth Lake Circle to Wyncrest. Mishek asked the motion be amended to include construction of this walkway. Amendment was accepted by Peterson. Motion carried, (Enrooth, Mishek, Montgomery, Peterson, Otto in favor, Mulcahy, Anderson, Rauenhorst opposed, Messerly abstaining). Council Report Sather suggested the Parks Committee discuss the possibility of buried utility lines along Hamline. Otto noted that quoted costs make this seem prohibitive. Sather noted that it is probable that NSP will have to move most of the poles anyway; is not convinced that burial of lines would be that much more expensive or labor-intensive. Motion was made by Mishek, seconded by Peterson, that Parks and Recreation Committee recommend to Council a feasibility study on burying power lines and/or having power lines moved to only one side of the roadway. Motion carried unanimously. Minutes of Regular Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting • Page four Sather reported on Council activities of interest to this committee, including feasibility report for proposed additional water tower, and status of labor negotiations. He stated that income from the pull-tab operation at the Blue Fox in the month of December was $10,600; these monies will go into the Park Fund for use in development and equipment (cannot be used for land acquisition). Sather charged the committee with objectives for this and coming years, including: - looking seriously at additional land_acguisition,� be it at the Arsenal or elserwhere; stated hat the community survey recently completed indi- cates the need for a complex of ball fields, and additional recreational areas. - Working with its Finance Committee liaisons and/or a subcommittee of this committee to develop financing plans for future park land acquisi- tion, development, and maintenance. - Pursuing aggressively providing more playground facilities and more programming for residents; "think aggressively in financial matters and in programs". . .feels Arden Hills' residents should not have to go outside the community for so many of their recreational activities. • Village Undeveloped Land Update Buckley reviewed with the committee future park dedication possibilities; noted Committee could conceivably receive an additional $478,100 to $600,000 in park dedication monies. Tax Forfeited Land Buckley discussed with the committee whether Parks Department would be interested in acquiring two pieces of tax forfeited land, one parcel adjacent to Valentine Hills School along Chatham Avenue, and the other on the north side of County Road E-2. Committee concurred to not accept this land; sees no use for it. Joint Parks Board Meeting, Tuesday, February 11, 1986 The New Brighton Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a joint meeting of the Arden Hills, Shoreview, Mounds View and New Brighton park committees }} on February 11, 7:30 p.m. at the New Brighton Golf Course. Buckley urged +•! all members to attend. Peterson and Enrooth will attend; Montgomery and Y Anderson are possibles; Buckley will contact those members absent tonight to determine their intentions. 1986 Projects for Committee Consideration Cummings Park - Rink, Shelter, Lights Buckley will include with these minutes a list of places to view the various types of lighting available for hockey rinks. Members can then visit these rinks at their convenience. A lighting expert from Muska will visit the February meeting of this committee to further disQu51S_ " ---- 1_igh_tin A meetingwith the_Ctlmmin¢ �__ Win_ ;Qhhnrhoo w ll probabIy be held d in_March, and hopefully plans made to go forward with construction of the Cummi�nggs Park rink, hockey lights and shelter. Minutes of Regular Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting • Page five Hazelnut Park Shelter Buckley reported that the "Aid Association for Lutherans" has offered to donate $2,500 for construction of a picnic shelter at Hazelnut Park. Committee discussed briefly whether it would be well to add monies from the Park Fund to construct a more elaborate shelter, i.e. wood rather than metal; concluded that more vandalism is experienced with wooden shelters and the one selected by Buckley and the Association would be the best choice. The concrete base for the shelter will be provided by the Parks Department (funds from Park Fund - $1,000 estimate) con- struction by the Association. Committee concurred to recommend Council approval of this donation. Trails Buckley stated that easements have been obtained for trail from the Village Hall down to Colleen Avenue, and he plans to establish this trail this summer. Peterson asked if it would be hard-surface; felt that in view of high community interest in trails, as evidenced in results of community survey, even higher priority should be given to trails and consideration given to hard surfaces on the more highly visible trails. Subcommittee - Future Park Funding Subcommittee gf. Messerly, Peterson-and-Mulcahy was formed to work with Finance Committee liaisons to explore options for future funding of park • acquisition, development and maintenance. Spring Program Proposal Motion was made by Otto, seconded by Enrooth, that the Spring Program Proposal be recommended to Council for approval as proposed by Buckley. Motion carried unanimously. Adjournment Motion was made by Otto, seconded by Enrooth, that the meeting adjourn at 10:20 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Submitted by Shirley Marshall, THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 25, 1986, 7:30 P.M. VILLAGE HALL. • Hockey Lights Shoreview Hockey Facilities - Bobby Theisen Park (County Road E and Vivian) - ten 1,500 metal halide lamps with glare shields - 19A Ir 50' poles Wilson Park (815 County Road F) - ten 1500 metal halide lamps with glare shields, two 30' poles Arden Hills Hockey Facilities - Hazelnut Park - Eight 1500 metal halide lamps with glare shields. Two 30' poles