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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWS 03-21-2005 ~ . ~~HILLS Approved: April 11, 2005 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2005, 5:00 P.M. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 Call To Order Mayor Aplikowski called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM. Present: Mayor Aplikowski, Councilmembers: Gregg Larson, David Grant, Brenda Holden, Lois Rem Absent: None Staff present: City Administrator, Michelle Wolfe; Community Development Director, Scott Clark; Finance Director, Murtuza Siddiqui; Assistant to the City Administrator, Schawn Johnson; Operations and Maintenance Director, Tom Moore; City Engineer, Greg Brown . Ramsev Center for Arts Mr. Robert Meyer (Executive Director of the Ranlsey Center for Arts) gave a brief presentation to the City Council regarding the mission of the Ramsey Center for Arts. He is interested in displaying art at City Hall. City Hall would be used as a venue to display the art of local talent. Mr. Meyer asked the City Council if they had any questions or comments regarding his organization. Councilmember Larson is very supportive of this idea. His only request is that the art work not be displayed in the City Council Chambers. Councilmember Rem asked if access would be allowed on the third floor. Mr. Meyer stated that his organization is willing to work with the City and will adhere to any guidelines that the City sets for displaying art at City Hall. The lower level of City Hall will also work very well for displaying art work. Councilmember Holden asked when the art shows would occur and who would provide the security? Mr. Meyer said that all of the painters are insured and that the art show would occur during normal business hours. . Councilmember Grant asked how long of a lease agreement the RCF A would like to use the City Hall facility. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 2 . Mr. Meyer noted that the lease agreement can be for any duration of time that the City Council believes is appropriate. Councilmember Grant asked how are the pictures hung. Mr. Robert Meyer said that there is minimal damage to the walls. The pictures are hung using fishing lines, chains, and hooks. Once the hooks are set on the walls, they can be readjusted at anytime. Mayor Aplikowski asked Mr. Meyer if other locations in Arden Hills are participating in this program. Mr. Meyer stated that there are no other sites at this time. Councilmember Grant asked if the RCFA has approached the Ramsey County Public Works facility if they would be interested in displaying art. Mr. Meyer believes that the Ramsey County Public Works Facility would be a good location, but they would like to utilize City Hall. . Mayor Aplikowski asked what are the requirements for hosting this event? Mr. Meyer said that the City would be asked to provide space, accessible doors, and advertisement on the City's web site. Councilmembcr Rem stated that Bethel University and/or Vines and Branches may also be interested in using wall space at City Hall. She asked if other art agencies would be allowed to use the space at City Hall. Mr. Meyer stated that the City would have to address that issue. The City could allow single or multiple agencies to use the City Hall facility for art displays. Mayor Applikowski asked if the pictures will have a price listed on them? Mr. Robert Meyer said that a catalog, with the listed price, would be available at the art show. The artist and potential buyer would have to work out an agreement to purchase the piece of art. Mayor Aplikowski asked if the City Council would be interested in displaying art at City Hall? Councilmember Grant requested that access not be allowed to the upstairs portion of City Hall. Mr. Meyer stated that the RCF A is willing to follow the wishes of the City Council. . Mayor Aplikowski asked if outdoor art would also be displayed at City Hall? 2 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 3 . Mr. Meyer said that outdoor art could be included in this project. Councilmember Rem requested to review the agreements between the RCF A and other local goverrunent agencies. Members of the City Council will take this request undcr advisement and discuss the proposal at a later date. 2005 Red Fox/Grev Fox PMP Proiect The City Engineer provided the City Council with a brief overview of the 2005 (Red Fox/Grey Fox) PMP project: . Reconstruction of Dunlap Street; . Overlay of North woods Drive; . Overlay of Grey Fox Road (full width mill, 2.5" overlay full width); . Overlay of Red Fox Road (full width mill, 2.5" overlay full width). Mr. Brown requested direction from the City Council regarding the consolidation of the TH51 service road. The following options were presented to the City Council for review: . Option I-removal of frontage road, cul-de-sac on Red Fox Road, realign Grey Fox Road . for new TH 51 access, construct ponding area in old roadway space; . Option 2-reconstruct frontage road generally in same aligument, widen to 32 feet (no ponding area with this option). . Other options included in the feasibility report showed a one way frontage road and access to Red Fox Road. This has been dropped from further consideration due to discussions with area property owners, MnDOT staff, and safety concerns. A number of safety issues were raised pertaining to the redesigu of the Grey Fox Road regarding the rail road crossing, slow trains, and limited emergency vehicle access for this area. Members of the City Council agreed that option number I was the most feasible for the City to pursue. Councilmember GraIlt said that the East Side Beverage Company parks larger trucks on the street. It makes it very difficult for on-coming motorists to see on-coming traffic. Mayor Applikowski suggested that the City create a plan to alleviate the parking problem along Grey Fox Road. City Engineer Brown noted that the owners of the Smith Building have raised concerns regarding the minimized access and sightlines due to the number of vehicles parked along the Grey Fox Road. . Councilmember Larson asked if East Side Beverage has enough existing space to add future parking spots. 3 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 4 . Mr. Dale Beckman (East Side Beverage) said that his company is willing to work with the City to add more parking spots at their location. Due to the increased size of the company, parking spots will have to be added in the future to avoid on street parking by their employees. Mayor Applikowski asked what would happen if East Side Beverage does not obtain enough parking spots? City Engineer Greg Brown said that traffic volume will increase on Grey Fox Road. The roadway could be widened by 4 to 6 feet to allow for on street parking. The project cost would be assessed back to East Side Beverage. In Mr. Brown's opinion, the City should avoid on-street parking for this location. It is a much cleaner operation if on-street parking is not allowed. City Engineer Greg Brown reported that a survey was sent out to the business owners in the Red Fox/Grey Fox area regarding the need for sidewalks. A majority ofthe business owners believed that sidewalks were not necessary in this area. The Health Partners medical clinic was the only company that expressed an interest in having sidewalks included in this project. City Council agreed to not include sidewalks in this project. City Engineer Greg Brown provided a brief overview to the City Council of the unit assessment . rate policy. City staff has defined a unit in the Red Fox/Grey Fox neighborhood as one acre. For example, a 6.7 acre lot would be assessed based upon 7 one-acre units. Properties on comers with reconstruction and overlay have their units split by 50% for each frontage. The proposed assessment rates are: . Dunlap Reconstruction- $13,218/Unit . Overlay (TH I) - $4,1 94/Unit A total of$674,122 would be assessed to the property owners under Option 1. City Engineer Brown noted that the project could be funded by using assessment dollars, city street funds, city general funds, state aid dollars, and enterprise funds. The CIP and feasibility report include the different funding options available for this project. City Council will review these funding options at a future meeting. Gatewav Sil!ns-Undate Operations and Maintenance Director Tom Moore reported that the Gateway Sign Task Force Committee met on February II th to discuss and review different gateway sign options for the City. The task force reviewed different locations, sizes, styles, composition, lighting, and landscaping options for potential gateway sigus. The task force recommended that a gateway sign be installed on County Road D and ClevelaIld Avenue. The PTRC and Planning Commission will review the Gateway Sign issue at their next meeting. . Councilmember Holden asked which sign the committee rccommended. 4 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 5 . Operations and Maintenance Director Moore stated that option #4 is the preferred sign option. Option #4 is not constructed with Kasota Stone. Councilmember Larson recommends that Kasota Stone be used since the City has already paid for the materials. City Administrator Michelle Wolfe stated that the City budgeted $30,000 for two signs. The budget was based on the idea of purchasing two signs using Kasota Stone. Councilmember Larson recommended that option #4 be price quoted with Kasota Stone. Mayor Aplikowski asked how many gateway signs are scheduled to be added in the future? Operations and Maintenance Director Moore stated that five signs are scheduled for the following locations: 1. Cleveland Avenue and County Road D 2. Highway 96 and Holiday Gas Station 3. Edgewater Neighborhood 4. County Road E2 5. Lake Johanna-New Brighton Road (Triangle) . Councilmember Holden asked ifthe signs would be the same dimensions. Mr. Moore stated that the dimensions will vary based upon the location and size of the street corner. Mayor Aplikowski recommended that the Kasota Stone option be explored further and that cost estimates be brought to the City Council for further review. Closed Meetinl!-Rel!ardinl! TCAAP Property Sale City Council was in closed session from 6:30 PM to 7: 15 PM TCAAP Framework Vision Councilmember Rem left the meeting at 8:00 PM. Community Development Director Scott Clark provided a brief presentation and overview of the Phase IV portion of the TCAAP process. A number of questions and concerns have been raised by the City Council and residents regarding the costs associated with this project and the need for public financing at an acceptable level. The second concern that needs to be addressed pertains to how the TCAAP process will occur in the future. The TCAAP Framework Vision is the first of many key steps that must be accomplished before the project can proceed forward. The purpose of this vision is to create a foundation or starting . point for this project. 5 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 6 . The next step after adoption of the TCAAP Framework Vision and Public Financing Policies would be to enter into a new interim agreement with CRR, Inc. The purpose of the agreement would be to bridge the gap between the present interim agreement and the adoption of a Master Development Agreement. A critical element of a new interim agreement is the ability of the City to fund additional steps that are necessary for this project to move forward. The City needs additional revenue to pay for legal fees, creation of a local resource plall, and negotiations of a Master Development Agreement, and other costs associated with the Phase IV portion of this proj ect. Mr. Clark stated that City Attorney Jerry Filla has reviewed the public financing policy. In his legal opinion, the public financing policy is not legally binding for the City. Changes can be made to this policy at any time. There was some discussion regarding two 60,000 square foot retail sites in the framework vision. Mr. Clark stated that the retail development sites are a place holder for future developments and can be changed by the City Council at anytime. A question was asked about financing options other than TIF, such as tax abatement. The concern that was raised was whether or not Ramsey County would agree to financial abatement of the TCAAP site. Ramsey County has not participated in this process in the past and is not sure if they would be interested in this option. . Mr. Clark mentioned that negotiation meetings are scheduled for April 14th and 15th. An informational meeting is being proposed for April 13th (7:00 to 9:00 PM) at City Hall. Michael Comedeca (City's TCAAP Environmental Attorney) will be on hand to address any questions or concerns that the City Councilor residents may have regarding insurance, indemnification, and environmental concerns regarding the TCAAP site. Meeting information will be posted on the City's web site, local cable access Channel 16, newspaper press releases, and the TCAAP list serve group. Community Development Director Clark asked the City Council if they had any additional questions or concerns regarding the TCAAP Framework Vision. Councilmember Holden stated that she is comfortable with the framework vision, but she is still concerned about the public financing policy. She asked what is the City's definition of a big box development. Community Development Director Clark said that the current vision calls for two 60,000 square foot retail sites. The existing vision does not call for a lot ofretajl development at this time. The City can divide the 60,000 square foot development anyway that it sees fit. Mayor Aplikowski said that in her opinion big box developments are large building-construction stores that have outdoor storage areas. . Councilmember Grant believes that Cub Foods could be considered a big box development. 6 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 7 . City Administrator Wolfe said that the City could restrict certain retail uses for this area. Mayor Aplikowski said that Arden Hills does not want to compete with Roseville or New Brighton for larger retail development projects. Councilmember Rem said that developmental guidelines need to be addressed before we can make these types of decisions. City Administrator Wolfe said that she has typically heard big box store developments characterized as projects over 100,000 square feet. If this is a significant concern of the City Council, it could be addressed in the resolution. Councilmember Larson believes that it would be a waste of the City Council's time to minimize building sizes at this time. We don't know the make-up or the marketability of the TCAAP area at this time. The TCAAP plan will continue to change and evolve over time. We cannot predict what the final project will look like at this time. Councilmember Grant suggested that the City Council state their preferences for usage of the two 60,000 square foot sites. For example, the City Council could say that they prefer four . 30,000 square foot commercial buildings. Community Development Director Clark said that the design guidelines will be discussed in Phase IV ofthis project. Councilmember Holden asked if the Planning Commission would be reviewing this information and making a final recommendation to the City Council. Mr. Clark said that he envisioned a joint meeting between the City Council and Planning Commission as a starting point to address some of these concerns and get everybody on the same page. Councilmember Larson said that he reserves the right to change his mind during this process. He is not sure if a 60,000 square foot store will be necessary or not. Community Development Director Clark suggested to the City Council that clarifying language could be inserted into the resolution. Councilmember Grant noted that approximately I, I 00 condos are planned for the TCAAP site. Is this the direction that Council wants to proceed with? Councilmember Holden asked if this is the framework vision that the City wants to pursue. . Councilmember Grant asked if showroom space is needed in this framework vision. 7 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 8 . Councilmember Holden said that the City should consider eliminating or moving the show room space represented on the plan in the southeast corner. Mayor Applikowski asked if these issues would be addresscd in Phase IV of the project. Community Development Director Clark said that the City needs to cost out this project, before we should make any changes. Changes to this plan can be done over time. His concem is that some areas of the TCAAP project are more polluted and may not be the best fit for a particular type of development. City Administrator Wolfe said that certain areas may need more clean-up and may be more conducive for a commercial or light industrial development. Councilmember Larson compared the TCAAP project to building a new home. The home owner sits down with the developer and reviews the plans. If the proj ect costs are too high, modifications to the plans are needed to make the project more affordable. Councilmember Holden asked what the deadline is for Phase IV. Community Development Director Clark said that Phase IV would have to start in June or July. . Councilmember Larson said that the original plan is going to change over time and we have to adjust. Mayor Aplikowski reiterated that the proposed project costs are only an estimate. The project costs are going to change over time. It is only a begimling step. Councilmember Grant said that two advisory groups created the vision and financing plan. In his opinion, the two documents do not always mesh. There appears to be a different cost structure for cach phase of the proj ect. Mayor Aplikowski said that the vision and financing policy are needed to create a big picture of the project. In order to create a cost estimate for the Phase IV portion of this project, it is necessary to go through these two steps. Councilmember Larson said that the value of the TCAAP Vision is that the required amenities are being addressed (roads, utilities, residential, commercial, etc). Specific locations and details are not as important at this time. Councilmember Grant is satisfied with the general plan, but he would like to have revisions or changes placed on the table. Mr. Clark asked Councilmember Grant if he would like to have the number of condos reduced . on the plan? The final plan will be based upon local needs and the market. 8 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 9 . Councilmember Grant stated that office and retail space are valued much higher than condos. Councilmember Holden asked why Building #101 is being left on the plans. Community Development Director Clark said that Building #101 is a place holder. Some cities like to use an existing building on the site as an historical marker. This item can be removed from the plans. City Administrator Wolfe said that the Resolution could state Building #101 and the athletic fields will be addressed by the City Council at a later date. Mr. Jeff Knutson (Rehbein Attorney) suggested that the City create a list of their concems regarding the vision. The contractor would be flexible in addressing these concerns. Also, the City would be able to create a record of the items and the issues that need to be addressed in Phase 4. We are beginning to move away from the Vento Plan and beginning to create a new version of the plan, and it is important that both sides continue to work together and have similar goals in the end. Councilmember Holden asked when the City Council will address Phase IV. . Community Development Director Clark suggested that a group meeting with the Planning Commission and City Council be scheduled to set the ground rules for Phase IV. Mayor Applikowski asked when the development team will come back with financial projections. Mr. Clark said that a market and cost analysis study would have to be completed before the financial projections can be completed. City Administrator Wolfe stated that the joint City Council and Planning Commission meeting would discuss project density and projected costs. Councilmember Holden asked when does the City need to decide which projects it will or will not pay for. Community Development Director Clark said the contractor will review the plans and come back to the City with an estimated project cost. The City Council would have the opportunity to review or change the plans as they see fit. Councilmember Holden said that she is still concerned about the City's legal liability if Building #101 remains in the plans. Community Development Director Clark said that an indemnification letter would protect the . City's interests on lands that are designated for public usages. 9 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 10 . City Administrator Wolfe said that if the City Council does not want to keep Building #101, then the building could be removed from the plans now or in the future. Councilmember Larson stated that the intention of uti lizing Building #101 was to keep a piece of history. This location does have some historical value for the City and is a memorial to those that participated in the war effort during World War II. Mayor Applikowski asked the City Council if they would like to have Building #101 removed. It was agreed upon by the City Council that Building #101 would be removed from the framework vision. Councilmember Grant asked who would be funding the transportation hub? Councilmember Larson said that he agrees with the transportation hub concept and believes that it is good for the community, whether this site is utilized for buses, light rail, or other future usages. Community Development Director Clark said that it may be important for the City to have a transit hub location identified on the plan in order to apply for future grarts. . After a lengthy discussion, changes that were recommended by the City Council were incorporated into the TCAAP Vision Resolution. Councilmember Holden asked which phase the transportation hub would be included in and why is the transportation hub on ten acres of land. Community Development Director Clark stated that the transportation hub could be many years away. It wi11likely be in a later phase. City Administrator Wolfe noted that one of the intentions for the transit hub would be to incorporate future light rail or commuter lines. Mayor Aplikowski asked the City Council if they would agree to the framework vision. Councilmember Holden requested that a flow chart be created to document future steps for this proj ect. Councilmember Grant said that a flow chart is not necessary for him, but he would like to review a copy of the flow chart. He would like to see a description of the proposed Phase IV projects. Councilmember Holden asked what is the role of the Platming Commission? . 10 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 11 . Mr. Clark said that the Planning Commission role will be reviewing planning guidelines, land- use issues, land density, and product types. City Council is responsible for creating the design guidelines. Councilmember Holden asked how does the Planning Commission understalld the cost of this project? Mr. Clark said that the preliminary cost of the project will determine how flexible the Planning Commission can be with the project design guidelines. Councilmember Larson noted that the City Council cannot answer all of these questions tonight. The City Council has to make decisions all the time with minimal information. This is a messy process and there are no bright lines. Councilmember Holden said that she wants to know what the process is. Councilmember Larson said that the process is very broad based. The location of the fire station or water tower cannot be answered tonight. We have talked for three hours and have not talked about anything of real substance. Councilmember Holden recommended that guiding principals be addressed by the City Council. . Councilmember Larson asked if the City Council would agree to support the framework vision and financing policy. Members of the City Council appeared to be in agreement regarding the TCAAP Vision, but not the financing plan. Councilmember Grant stated that our questions need to be addressed. This is the most important project in the history of Arden Hills. Council Members should be allowed to ask questions. Councilmember Holden asked if the water tower would be a part ofthe TCAAP business terms. Mr. Clark said that the proposed water tower would be discussed under business terms. It was suggested that the TCAAP Framework Vision be brought forth to the City Council at the March 28th meeting. TCAAP Public Financine: Community Development Director Scott Clark stated that the intent of the public financing policy is to reach a good faith agreement with the developers. Mr. Clark asked the City Council when they would like to discuss this item at a City Council . meeting. II , ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 12 . Councilmember Holden asked if it is the intention of the City Council to have a public financing policy. Why can't the City Council pass a resolution supporting public financing of the TCAAP project? She suggested that the public financing policy be a supporting document and not a City policy. Community Development Director Clark said that the intent of the policy is to commit the City to this project and to the need for public financing. Mr. Knutson stated that all of these safe guards are being instituted to protect the different parties. This policy ensures that all parties are committed to negotiate in good faith and lets the developer know the expectations of this project. Mayor Aplikowski said that City Council and City staff needs to be on the same page. What is the next step? After the discussion, it was agreed that the City Council and City staff members will continue to review this document at the March 28th Work Session. TCAAP Interim Al!reement #2-Discussion This item was postponed until the March 2Sth Work Session meeting. . Cable TV/Commission Update City Administrator Michelle Wolfe noted that Craig Wilson (City of Arden Hills Cable Commission Member) would like to meet with the City Council at a future meeting to address any of their questions or concerns. Ms. Wolfe also mentioned that the City has access to technology that could web cast City Council and Planning Commission meetings over the internet. The cost to the City is $163.00 per month and could be paid for using the Cable Fund. City Administrator Wolfe asked the City Council if they would be interested in web casting meetings and have Craig Wilson attend a future City Council meeting. Members of the City Council agreed that the City should pursue the idea of web casting meetings and have Craig Wilson provide the City with a Cable Commission update at a future meeting. Mayor Aplikowski requested that a schedule of the Cable Commission meetings be posted on the City's web site. Councilmember Grant stated that meeting web casts would be a good way to archive future meetings. Council Reports Brenda Holden . . No council reports were given at this meeting. 12 , ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES MARCH 21, 2005 13 . Lois Rem . Not present David Grant . No council reports were given at this meeting. Gregg Larson . No council reports were given at this meeting. Beverly Aplikowski . No council reports were given at this meeting. The meeting adjourned at 11 :30 PM Respectfully submitted by Schawn P. Johuson . , . . 13