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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 05-21-2001 . . . MEETING MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2001 4:45 P.M. - CITY HALL, 4364 WEST ROUND LAKE ROAD CALL TO ORDER Mayor Probst called the meeting to order at 4:50 p.m. Councilmembers present were Beverly Aplikowski and Gregg Larson. Councilmember Lois Rem arrived at 4:53 p.m. Councilmember David Grant arrived at 5:05 p.m. Staff present included City Administrator, Joe Lynch; City Accountant, Terry Post; Parks & Recreation and Interim Public Works Director, Tom Moore; and Recording Secretary, Sheila Stowell. City Engineer, Greg Brown, was also present. PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION, 2000 EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORT Steve McDonald of Abdo, Eick & Meyers gave a brief review of the recently completed 2000 external audit report. Mr. McDonald made reference to the upcoming Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 34 requirements and their implications to the City's recordkeeping responsibilities. Councilmember Larson complimented Mr. Post and the City's Finance staff on their recordkeeping efficiencies. Councilmember Larson requested input regarding the format currently being used, and the new requirements of GASB 34, and how they compared. Mr. McDonald suggested that this summer would be a good opportunity to begin implementing the new requirements prior to their full implementation. The City Council has options regarding their pending policy decision as to whether to restate to the 1980's or begin moving forward from implementation for GASB 34 reporting requirements. MNDOTIRAMSEY COUNTY PRESENTATION, HIGHWAYS 96/10 AND I-35W INTERSECTION UPDATE Robert Benke, Project Manager for the North Metro 1-35W Corridor Coalition, gave a brief overview and update of the transportation design project to-date and how it related to the entire 1-35W corridor. Steve Wilson of SRF Consulting, gave a visual presentation that included an overall regional picture and demographic growth assumptions; 2000 congested hours and projected 2025 congested hours; types of land use and their impact on vehicular traffic; current daily volume compared to 2025 base and T.R. 10 flyover ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 2 . volumes; politics and policy issues regarding right-of-way costs and other considerations. Mr. Wilson, working on the project design with MnDOT, distributed a bench handout addressing demographic growth; regional highway assumptions; 1-35W Corridor assumptions/analysis; and the T.H. 10 "diagonal" analysis. Mr. Post referred to the recent Planning Case of CPI Guidant and their planned expansion and future additional employees. Mr. Benke noted that additional follow-up would be necessary to consider this source of additional traffic volumes. Carol Swensen, Senior Research Fellow with the University of Minnesota's Design Center for Architecture and Landscape Architecture, provided several observations from research compiled to-date. Councilmember Larson requested clarification on how the three scenarios under discussion had been created and the number of housing units per acre and how accurate the scenarios were in the TCAAP planning information being used. Jim Tolaas, Ramsey County Public Works, clarified for Mr. Wilson that the TCAAPlHighway 96 intersection was planned as a grade-separated interchange. . Mayor Probst asked for clarification that the planned regional transportation development plan would not impact the residential streets in Arden Hills, a point of concern with the City Council from the beginning of the design process for the proposed plan. Councilmember Larson expressed further concerns that the section of Highway 10 between Highway 96 and 1-35W doesn't need to serve as a shortcut between 1- 694 and 1-35W. Councilmember Larson stated that he couldn't support an overpass on Highway 96, thereby developing an isolated island in Arden Hills. He again requested a model design of what implications there would be if traffic were diverted, eliminating ramps connecting 1-35W and the downgrading of Highway 10. The City's Consulting Engineer, Greg Brown, further clarified Councilmember Larson's request. Mr. Benke expressed the limitations due to working with existing roadways, rather than working from their inception. Mr. Benke left a preliminary copy of the TCAAP study provided by University of Minnesota students for the City Council's review. . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 3 MILLS COMPANY - TCAAP DEVELOPMENT . Elizabeth Link, Group Vice President with the Mills Corporation, was in attendance to review their company's interest in the retail, office and/or residential portions of the TCAAP development. Discussion items included infrastructure development; traffic demographics; master plan development; marketing; the federal government's environmental clean up of the TCAAP property to-date to industrial standards rather than residential standards; and her estimate of$500,000 to develop a master plan and incorporate design, engineering and additional related studies. Army Reserve Center, Request for Expansion of Property On a related note, Mayor Probst addressed three (3) issues regarding the Army Reserve's request, through the National Guard, for additional property adjacent to the new City Hall. Those issues included expansion to the north, compliance with zoning, and the westerly expansion. It was the consensus of the Councilmembers that the City was in agreement with the north expansion, but not the westerly expansion. Concern was expressed regarding zoning compliance; and notification to Colonel Lord. . Further discussion including the upcoming tour of the TCAAP property by Congresswoman McCollum, and the need to emphasize to her the value of the City controlling the property for future development in order to maintain standards. Councilmembers determined they would give consideration and further review to the Mills proposal and potential legislation at their TCAAP discussion Worksession scheduled immediately prior to the May 29, 2001 regular City Council meeting. STAFF DISCUSSION ITEMS Finance Department 2002 Bud~et Discussion City Treasurer Post reviewed his May 17, 2001 memorandum to the City Council regarding preliminary budget planning boundaries and potential priorities. Parks and Recreation and Interim Public Works Director, Tom Moore, expressed concerns regarding the declining fund balance in the Community Services Fund, as this charitable gambling contribution is the current funding source for Recreation Fund operating deficits. Mr. Moore was also concerned with future maintenance requirements for the new City Hall facility. . Mr. Post commented that the City Council had yet to determine a policy regarding ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 4 future building use, which would impact maintenance requirements. . Mr. Post further noted forthcoming recommendations contained in the long-range Parks, Trails and Recreation plan, such as additional trail maintenance standards that may impact the baseline levy. After further discussion, it was the consensus of the Councilmembers to direct staffto continue at a zero to three- percent (0 - 3%) levy increase range for the 2002 Budget. Further discussion items included self-financing of the proposed joint maintenance facility and a planned spend-down ofthe Park Fund. Mr. Post reminded Councilmembers that the preliminary levy to be approved by September could not be increased, only remain status quo or be reduced prior to adoption of the final levy in December for certification. Parks & Recreation Department . A brief discussion was held regarding the recently completed community survey as part of the Parks, Trails & Recreation Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Moore provided a brief summary, and stated that a fifteen percent (15%) response rate on the survey had been achieved. Further discussion items included the changing community demographics; use of GIS for trends; and upcoming neighborhood meetings scheduled for the City's four polling places. Mr. Lynch indicated that the survey results seem to indicate a difference of opinion with regard to the existing mission statement. Councilmembers will await a formal presentation from the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee with a summary of the committee recommendations, funding plans, and timelines. Planning Department City Administrator Lynch briefly reviewed former Planner Chaput's Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance memorandum, which will be an action item on the June 11,2001 regular City Council agenda. Mr. Lynch also informed the City Council of Interim Planning Consultant services arranged with Mike Cronin and Associates. Fiftieth Anniversary/Day in the Park Event . As Council Liaison to the City Events Task Force, Councilmember Aplikowski presented a revised anniversary event financial budget as a Bench Handout for Council review. The revised budget will be part of the May 29,2001 regular city ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 5 Council agenda on the consent calendar. . Discussion was held regarding recognition of in-kind contributions from area businesses and volunteers (i.e., Holiday Inn's use of their facility for the February kick-off event). Public Works Department Pavement Mana2ement Plan (PMP) Each Councilmember made comments regarding the City's existing PMP and potential revisions. Councilmember Aplikowski was of the opinion that we should go forward with the City's current PMP and was not opposed to returning to a partial project in the Ingerson neighborhood. She suggested that, in the future, the Council might wish to publicly inform a respective neighborhood two (2) years in advance of the actual project. She stated that she was not in favor of raingardens with the City's soil structure; preferred curb and gutter installations, and would prefer a surmountable curb rather than no curb at all. She mentioned Hamline Avenue North and Carlton Drive as priorities for reconstruction. . Councilmember Larson stated the Council needed to determine whether to perform street maintenance and reconstruction in small segments, or in a more comprehensive way, particularly in older portions of the community. He stated that, while it meant more intense work, the Council needed to be committed, no matter what public sentiment, to the overall benefit to the community, and define that commitment in its Assessment Policy. . Councilmember Grant reiterated Councilmember Aplikowski's comments on the need for advance notification and discussion with the residents regarding any potential project and the need for the Council to establish the amount of flexibility prior to initiating the project. He also stated that the Council needed to establish thresholds for the pavement management index; publish those indexes; and put the entire package together prior to meeting with the public. Councilmember Grant stated he is against premature removal of road surfaces. Councilmember Grant stated that there were some roads in the community that were very bad, but we tended to turn a blind eye to them due to lack of assessment potential. Councilmember Grant suggested that the consulting engineer present several options (i.e., neighborhood A and/or B) rather than staff being the driving force in recommendations. Councilmember Grant was not in favor of Siems Court reconstruction, and didn't feel the necessity to go back into the Ingerson neighborhood to prove we were right and they were wrong. He further agreed that the Council needed to be of one mind prior to the initiation of any project, and perhaps should consider a two (2) year program, and preferred a "worst first" scenarIO . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 6 . Councilmember Rem suggested that the City do those areas of the Ingerson neighborhood that needed it most, and in future projects, also agreed with a "worst first" plan. She further stated that the City had already invested engineering resources, but needed to provide more public information prior to a project. She stated that it was important for the Council to be sold on the project, and then the public. Councilmember Rem referenced a series of public information brochures prepared by the City of Golden Valley prior to their road projects, rather than using in-house information only. She mentioned the need for flexibility; problems of the public receiving mixed signals from staff and Councilmembers; and the need to determine our rationale for a public document (i.e., at the first meeting, this is what we think would be good and what do you as a resident think). She also stated the need to have accurate property owner information and to provide the public with more information and a sense of more cooperation. . Mayor Probst stated that he thought the City's process and fundamental principles were correct. He stated that he thought the City should establish a standard street width, but where it made sense for the street width to be less than 32' it was negotiable. He further stated that where there were no sidewalks and for safety purposes, wider streets needed to be adhered to. He was in favor ofthe formula for comer lot assessments being revised. Mayor Probst stated that it was the City Council's fiduciary responsibility to maintain an active PMP, as an obligation to the community at large. He stated that the "worst first" scenario only be considered by neighborhood or area, due to financial resource constraints. He agreed with other Councilmembers regarding more public information at the beginning of the process, but expressed concerns regarding difficulties to be expected with the next project because of apparent indecision with the past project. Councilmember Aplikowski commended Mayor Probst on the overall philosophy expressed, and suggested similar wording is used in informing the public of the reasons for a PMP. She suggested a PMP checklist, and what is and is not agreed upon. She stated that the City Council needed to sell their vision and stewardship responsibilities to and for the City. After further discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that they continue to meet in W orksession immediately prior to regular City Council meetings. Mayor Probst appointed City Administrator Lynch to serve as moderator and the exercise be based on two topics. The first session would discuss "standards" (i.e., agree on curb and gutter usage; base line street width of 32'; etc.). He stated that once that was accomplished, a subsequent session should establish a process to be followed (i.e., choosing a project scope; public information; timetable, etc.), in completing a project. . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 21, 2001 7 STAFF COMMENTS . None. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Grant stated that he was impressed with the presentation by the Mills Corporation, and asked staff for clarification on the status of joint maintenance facility and its relationship to the TCAAP process. Mr. Lynch responded that he had a meeting scheduled with Ramsey County representatives later in the week. Councilmember Larson stated that he was submitting two (2) names to Mr. Moore of women willing to serve on the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee. Councilmember Larson stated that, in the future, staff make Councilmembers aware of how appointments are representing both genders, and that should be more of a priority that the number of members on each committee. . Councilmember Larson also stated that he had held discussions with one of the residents concerned about enforcing ordinance language on Lake Johanna, and stated that the Council either needed to provide buoys or repeal the wording of the existing ordinance in order to avoid potential liability issues. Staff was directed to schedule a public informational meeting to be held at the June 11,2001 regular City Council meeting. Councilmember Aplikowski requested that Councilmember Rem serve as the City's representative at the next AMM policy meeting. Mayor Probst requested that staff research address issues, as recently pointed out to him by a resident concerned about medical emergencies. ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember Aplikowski moved and Councilmember Larson seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). .