Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 08-29-1994 I Ie ft I I I I I I. .. I I I I I I I. .. I MINUTES CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA REGULAR. CITY COUNell. MEETING AUGUST 29, 1994 7:30 P.M. - city Hall CAT.L TO ORDRRfROLL CAT.T. Pursuant to due ca1I and notice thereof, Acting Mayor Aplikowski ca1Ied to order the regu1ar City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. Present: Acting Mayor Beverly Aplikowski; Councilmembers Dale Hicks and Paul Malone. Mayor Dennis Probst was absent. Also present were: City Administrator, Dorothy Person; Public Works Superintendent, Dan Winkel; City Accountant, Terry Post; and Recording Secretary, Deanne Gueblaoui. ADOPT AGENDA MOTION: Malone moved and Hicks seconded a motion to adopt the agenda for the August 29, 1994 City Council meeting as presented. The motion canied nnlllumously (3-0). APPROVAL OF COTINCll. MTNTJTR.~ Acting Mayor Aplikowski made one correction to the minutes of August 8, 1994: Page 7: In the third-to-the-last paragraph, the last line should read ...that a worksession agenda include a review of the cmrent newsletter. MOTION: Hicks moved and Malone seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the August 8, 1994 regular City Council meeting as amend""'. The motion carried nnanimnusly (3-0). CONSRNT CAT .ENDAR Person noted that the resolutions should refer to the Mayor as Mayor Probst, not Interim Mayor. I Ie f' I I I I I I. .. I I I I I I I. .. I ARDEN BILLS CITY COUNCll. - AUGUST 29, 1994 2 MOTION: Hicks moved and Malone seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as amended, and authorize execution of all n~sary documents contained therein. The motion carried nnll1limonsly (3-0). Plmuc COMMRNTS Mr. Tom M1Jlcahy, 3530 Siems Court, requested an opportunity to read a resolution for Council consideration regarding the closing of Old Snelling Avenue crossOver on Trunk Highway 51. He read the resolution as follows: "The Council expresses its continuing and renewed opposition to the closing and requests that it be reopened. ~1J"" of the burden placed on residential streets in the city from. diverted traffic, particularly County Road E, Lydia Avenue and Lake Johanna Boulevard. ~'lse of the added danger of 50 mph rear-end accidents to northbound standing vehicles waiting for the left turn signal at Lydia-arguably a far higher risk than that to left-turning moving vehicles at the closed intersection. ~l1se the dRndm'li warrants for closing the crossover were never demonstrated or applied and were ignored in the decision making process. RPrlm.... the rationale adopted of avoiding any accident whatever at this site is unreasonable and lacking in due process. The impiOpei decisional basis for the closing should not be allowed to stand as a model for administrative action. It could again result, as it did in this case, in closing an intersection at lIdmitrimative whim and under political or personal pressure on a government official. lW-m."" the closing '-4l..,nb were not consistently applied and are, therefore, defaulted. If applied consistently on Highway 51, the southbound crossover at this same location and the crossover at Glenhill Road would both be closed. The identical traffic flow is involved. Because the ongoing repairs to the County Road E bridge over Highway 51 and the added traffic diverted to this exit again draw our attention to the iwpmJ>.iety of the closing of the crossover. Accordingly, we respectfully request the reopening of the northbound Snelling Avenue crossover on Highway 51 as soon as practicable. I Ie re I I I I I I. .. I I I I I I I. Ie I ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNen. - AUGUST 29, 1994 3 Hicks expressed appreciation for the number of good points made in Mr. Mulcahy's resolution and stated tbat perhaps the Council should reconsider tbis issue. He said he though it had been a political decision on the part of MNIDOT to close the northbound crossover on Highway 51. He also said he believed that engineers from MN!DOT did not have good rationale for closing the crossover other than that the current candidAte for County Attorney at the time wanted it closed on the basis of one accident resulting in a death. However, he said, drivers have since not respected or abided by the closing and have driven over tea.pUJ"'Y flags in the mem:m. If that turning Jane is going to be closed, he contim1f'il, the southbound Jane on Nmnline Avenue should also be closed. He would support a request to MNIDOT to reconsider opening tbis intersection, but felt it may be a waste of time. However, he didn't think the City should not try. Malone stated that there had been a lot of pressure on the City to close the intersection. He noted that there tends to be the feeling among the public that whenever something negative happens, then a law should be passed to avoid that possibility in the future. In reality, though, living in the world carries personal accountability and risk. There were injuries and accidents at tbis intersection, but it's bard to determine if the number warranted closing it. Mr. Mulcahy points out tbat the warrants for closing the intersection were not consistently applied, but tbis is not clear. Legislation cannot make the world perfectly safe. He has noticed with some interest that after the intersection was closed, there have been tire tnlcks cutting around the stakes, but he is not aware of any other accident in a year's time. It may be an lInn....~ exercise in paperwork to pass tbis proposed resolution because the City does not have jurisdiction over the intersection so he is not sure what can be accomplished. Acting Mayor Aplikowski noted that the intersection was closed without the agreement of the Council. She SlIggested the issue be revisited on a future worksession agenda. She agreed that the southbound tIaffic lane is almost as dangerous as the northbound lane and directed staff to gather as much information as possible on tbis issue. Ms. Pauline Bass, 1420 W. County Road E, stated that she would advocate reopening the intersection safely. The intersection was never intended to be reopened in its present condition. It is a dead issue for political reasons. She has investigated the legalities involved, and it is not possible to sue the state. The City has settl~ for the idea that the intersection is the way it is. She requested that the Council lake positive action to review the tIaffic patterns of two major intersections in the City: the downtown intersection and at the Highway 51 bridge. She said tbat the community has more traffic than ever and it will only get worse, so it is time to review tIaffic patterns and address what can be done to a11eviate them. The Twin Cities Federal Bank area is a disaster. Traffic cannot get in or out between the video store and the bank. Since the closing of the T.H. 51 crossover intersection. there have been over 14 accidents on the exit ramp off of County Road E. Should action be delayed until someone dies? Citizens want the COlDll1uaity to be known as a safe place to raise children. At tbis time there are lakes and parks that cannot be used ber..n~e of current tIaffic patterns. She understands the Council does not have the power to open the intersection, but she requested that the whole issue of safety in the COmmqnlty be reviewed, I Ie f' I I I I I I~ Ie I I I I I I I. I- I ARDEN RD.IJI CITY COUNCIL - AUGUST 29. 1994 perhaps by setting up a task force to study current traffic patterns and present recommendations. 4 Mr. Ed Kosse, stated that he lives on Stowe Avenue, which is in horrible condition and bas been for the last three to five years. Ramsey County did some work when they took it over and tried to repair it. But it is beyond repair, and residents feel they should have a better street. His understanding is that if the City does the work, it will be 1996 before it can be done. He suggested it be turned back to Ramsey Co~ to let them do the work. The street they originally put in bas lasted 25 years. Malone stated that there are a number of roads, including Stowe Avenue, that are in process of being turned back to the City. The estimated cost to rebuild Stowe Avenue is $250,000. The Council will be discussing this issue at the next worksession on Wednesday, August 30, 1994. Hicks agreed that the matter is serious and stated that the Council is considering how to tinanr.e the improvements that are needed. The County proposal is to do cold recycling which does not change the substructure of the road and does not include curbs and gu!.tla.,. The life ~19Rcy of the cold recycling process is 10 to 15 years. Council believes that for the money, it may be better to have it reconstructed. These issues will be discussed at the upcoming worksession. He stated that all Council worksessions are open to the public, and he gave Mr. Kosse directions to the meeting. There being no further comments, Acting Mayor Aplikowski closed the public comments section of the Council meeting. UNFlNlSRRl) AND NEW BUSINBSS APPROVE gPSOLlmON 94-42 TO APPROVE A GRANT RP.mmST THROUGH TAR CABI.R COMMlS.~(ON Person stated that staff is requesting approval to submit a grant application to the Cable Commission to produce an informational video re: TCAAP and related issues. The video will be the result of condensing the public informational TCAAP meetings of 1994. MOTION: Malone moved and Hicks seconded a motion to approve pIeparation and submittal of a grant application to the Cable Commi~on to produce an informational video re: TCAAP. The motion was unanimously approved (3-0). I Ie ~ I I I I I 1- Iti I I I I I I I. I- I ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - AUGUST 29. 1994 ADMINISTRATOR COMMRNTS s Person noted that the following evening there will be a meeting at TCAAP with Representative Vento, in Building 105, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the future of TCAAP. Hicks asked about the savings to the City with the new law enforcement contract. Person said that the new contracts with the Sheriff's Group Insurance should save the Cities appro,nmately $2,000 per month. There are seven cities participating in the program. Malone asked the origin of the new insurance plan. Person stated that the group itself reviewed costs and discussed this alternative. Malone commended Mr. Brian Fritsinger, Community Development Planner, for fmwarding the i.w.p.essive article in the planning magazine on conducting a public hearing and other topics. He suggested that Planning Commi~on members receive this magazine. Malone noted that a new law will require random drug testing of employees with commercial drivers' licenses starting in 1996, which will be another mAndlltM expense. Acting Mayor Aplikowski noted that some City street signs off T.H. 96 are very difficult to see. Person stated that she bas discussed a plan to review signs overall within the City with Mr. Winkel. Acting Mayor Aplikowski stated that the Human Rights Committee or some form of such is being discussed. Any input from Council is appreciated. MOTION: Malone moved and Hicks seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 p.m. The motion was unanimously approved (3-0). . A'~~',~. ~ Acting yor erly Apl& Dorothy A. City A NOTICE OF MBETINGS The next regular Council meeting will be held September 12, 1994, at 7:30 p.m., at TCAAP, Building 105.