Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-16-09-WS ~ ~HlLLS Approved: April 13, 2009 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MARCH 16, 2009 5:00 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Stan Harpstead called to order the City Council Work Session meeting at 5:02 p.m. Present: Mayor Stan Harpstead; Council Members David Grant, Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes and Dave McClung. Absent: None. Also present: City Administrator Ron Moorse; Civil Engineer Kristine Giga; Community Development Director James Lehnhoff; and Park and Recreation Manager Michelle Olson, City Engineer Deb Bloom, Deputy Clerk Rebecca Brazys and Finance Director Sue Iverson. Councilmember Fran Holmes requested that the Council move the discussion for Item 1D to follow Item 1A. The council agreed to this change and the agenda was approved as amended. City Administrator Ron Moorse introduced the new Deputy Clerk, Rebecca Brazys. 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. Safe Routes to School Proiect Update City Engineer Deb Bloom explained that the City was awarded a Safe Routes to School Program grant in the amount of $175,000 for the County Road E2/Ramsey ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 2 County Open Space Trail Project. Final plans, specifications and required environmental reviews have been completed. A public informational meeting wase held last September and an open house was conducted in February. The PTRC reviewed this proposal at their February 24th meeting. City Engineer Bloom explained that based on concerns expressed at the public informational meetings, staff met with Mn/DOT and eliminated one crosswalk in the project. Also the school district agreed to budget in 2009/2010 two adult crossing guards for crossings on County Road E2. In addition, the school will provide a kick-off event and walking reward program as well as a bike rodeo to be co-sponsored by the Ramsey County Sheriff s Department. The construction project will include the installation of speed monitoring. Ramsey County has committed $15,000 toward a pedestrian crosswalk warning at the main trail connection. (Staff is considering a different option and will review with Council at a later time.) Ramsey County Sherrif has also committed to increasing the patrols in that area before and after school. Additional Costs City Engineer Bloom further stated that the original proposal was based on 2007 construction prices. Current prices result in an increase of $14,,471 in the construction costs for the pathway. Also to avoid an impact to the wetland and keep the pathway on public right-of-way, a retaining wall will be necessary along the pathway east of the lift station road at an estimated cost of $66,,375. (This wetland boundary was not delineated until last fall after the City had received the grant.) Drainage is another consideration that must be addressed. A portion of this project connects County Road E-2 to Venus Avenue through Ramsey County Open Space. This open space contains DNR protected wetlands as well as a creek. Any modifications to the crossings or wetlands in this area will require a permit from Rice Creek Watershed District and they are requiring that the new creek crossing be sized so it does not impede the flood plain of this natural drainage way. To meet federal guidelines the culvert or crossing must be at least 14 feet wide. Since a bridge would cost between $150,000 to $250,000, staff is recommending a lOx 4 box culvert in this location at an estimated cost of $75,,000. The culvert must be sized to handle a 1 00 year flood at that crossing. Drainage improvements in the amount of $13580 will also be necessary; the first will be just to the east of the easterly Valentine Hills driveway and the other is at the intersection of Chatham and County Road E2. Another addition is erosion and sediment control to protect the wetlands at an estimated cost of$6,,275. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 3 Initially a portion of the engineering costs were anticipated to be funded by the grant. However, after discussing with Mn?DOT the additional approval process necessary to do this, it was suggested that the engineering costs be rolled into reconstruction costs. Environmental Concerns City Engineer Bloom also explained that because federal dollars are involved, we need to make sure we address all environmental concerns. Staff has invested a great deal of time preparing project memorandums, doing wetland delineations, and reviewing checklists working with both the DNR and the Rice Creek Watershed District. Utilities City Engineer Bloom explained that there are private overhead utilities along E-2 between Chatham and New Brighton Road that will need to be relocated to accommodate the pathway. That is the utility company's responsibility. Staff met with the utility company and discussed the possibility of burying the utilities per the request of residents along County Road E-2. If that were done it would be at the City's expense and cost as much as $231,000 for just the electric lines. On top of that there is an individual cost for homeowners for burying their service at a cost of $2,500 to $5,000. Hydrants City Engineer Bloom reported that there are nine hydrants that will need to be relocated as a part of this project. There's a water main that runs along County Road E-2 and the hydrant is located just off the main on a T. In order to meet federal criteria there must be a two foot clear zone on either side of the pathway for any obstruction so those hydrants need to be moved away. Staff has estimated that cost at approximately $36,000. Public Works could do this portion of the project but it would mean a staff commitment of five full-time workers for nine full days. Seasonal workers could not perform this work since it requires OSHA and other training that seasonal workers do not have. Sanitary Sewers City Engineer Bloom explained that Public Works staff inspected the 8" sanitary sewer that runs along the north-south segment of this pathway between County Road E-2 and Venus Avenue. The line between the creek and Venus needs rehabilitation. Staff is exploring alternatives to complete this repair. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 4 Councilmember Brenda Holden pointed out that there are currently issues with the pathway grade and asked if this is a concern. City Engineer Bloom replied that the steepest grade proposed is 9% which meets the ADA requirements. Councilmember Holmes referred to comments on the City's website regarding the safety of the City trails due to ice build-up. Recreation Manager Olson explained once completed, this trail will move up in priority for snow removal and salting because it connects to a school. Councilmember Grant questioned if the City Public Works staff could do the culvert installation; if the culverts can be aluminum; and if two smaller culverts would work rather than one larger, more expensive culvert. City Engineer Bloom will investigate those options and whether or not the City Public Works staffhas the expertise to do this work. City Engineer Bloom stated the PTRC reviewed this proposal at their February 24th meeting and determined this to be a critical link in our regional trail network and would like to see it move forward. The PTRC made a motion to support the Safe Routes to School Project and direct staff to research other funding possibilities to bring forward to the City Council. City Engineer Bloom explained there is a deficit between the grant funding and the engineer's estimate for this project. Staff has identified the following as possible funding sources: . Instead of just a crosswalk signal, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation will provide $15,000 in funds. . Utilize the surface water management fund for drainage improvements, estimated at $94,855. . Delay Perry Park DNR Local Trail Connection Grant Construction until 2010 which could make an additional $32,075 available for this project. However, the DNR Grant Funds for the Perry Park project must be utilized by June 30, 2010 and cannot be extended. . Possibly do the project in two phases; first phase County Road E-2 pathway to be constructed in 2009 and phase two would be the Ramsey County Open Space pathway constructed in 20 10. Mn/DOT is open to the phasing idea. However, the City would need to revise the project memorandum and ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 5 resubmit which would delay the review process with Mn/DOT, but staff believes the project could still be completed within the summer of 2009. Mn/DOT will require that phase two be completed in 2010 and if the City were not able to complete phase two as agreed, the funding received for phase one could be billed back to the City. · Staff has approached Ramsey County Parks and Recreation regarding sharing the cost of the creek crossing funding. Funding assistance could possibly be considered in 2010. They will research this possibility and advise. Next Steps City Engineer Bloom stated that staff feels strongly about the benefits of proceeding with the Safe Routes to School Project. However, since the costs are greater than the grant funding, staff is requesting Council direction on how to proceed. Options include: 1. Direct staff to bring plans and specifications forward for approval at the March 30 Council meeting. 2. Postpone project until 2010 and direct staff to budget appropriately and research additional funding. 3. Proceed with the project in two phases and direct staff to research additional funding. 4. Postpone the project indefinitely. Councilmember Holden questioned if there is any segment of the trail that the City could get away with not doing an effort to reduce the costs. Recreation Manager Olson explained that is not an option because of Mn/DOT requirements. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the grant should be rewritten as she believes this is too broad of a project and the trail on E-2 is problematic. She believes the cost is too high for what is a rather minor impact. Councilmember McClung stated that in his opinion, not doing this project is not an option. The City has the grant and should move forward and investigate options to reduce costs. Mayor Harpstead agreed that the City should proceed and attempt to reduce costs. He was particularly concerned about the $75,000 culvert cost. He suggested we ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 6 explore the option that in a hundred year storm, the trail will be impassable until the waters recede. City Engineer Bloom stated she will value engineer different options for the culvert. The sizing is a Rice Creek Watershed requirement so that is not something that will change. Mayor Harpstead stated that this is a major connection between other trail systems and the City should proceed. He would also like to see the trails done well so they stand the test of time. There was some discussion on reducing the trail width to eight feet as a cost-saving measure. City Engineer Bloom explained that the City received a $175,000 grant for this project. If the trail width is reduced, the amount of the grant could be reduced. But she offered to investigate this possibility. Councilmember Holmes asked if the crosswalk signal could be eliminated. Recreation Manager Olson explained that the grant that was approved included the signal and the crossing guards. The only change she did get Mn/DOT approval on is the elimination of one of the crosswalks for improved safety. The grant was approved based on the proposal submitted so the City cannot now go in and start making changes. Councilmember Holden commented that she does not want to spend $275,000 to get a $175,000 grant. Councilmember Grant questioned if the retaining wall can be built by our City crew. City Engineer Bloom will investigate that option. Councilmember Holmes commented that this project is now way over budget and unless costs come down she would not be in favor of proceeding. Councilmember McClung stated he is in support of moving forward with this project, but he is concerned about costs. He would like us to work with Ramsey County to get a cost-sharing commitment for the culvert, even if the City has to front the money for a period of time until Ramsey County includes this in their budget to then reimburse the City. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 7 City Engineer Bloom stated she would like an opportunity to pull together all the information on options for cost reduction, further evaluate the engineering for the culvert and determine how much work the City crew could potentially do. She will then place this matter on the Council's schedule when she is fully prepared. Councilmember Holden suggested that additional funding could also be pursued from local businesses. The general consensus was three Council members want to move forward with the project with a focus on cost reduction. Two Council members are not in favor of moving forward unless costs are reduced. D. CIP Discussion - 2010 - 2014 City Administrator Moorse explained that over the next couple of months he would like the Council to review the CIP projects by department for 2010 - 2014. Parks and Recreation is the department being reviewed today. Recreation Manager Olson reviewed the projects as follows: 2010 County 'Road E Sidewalk Improvement - $290",000 Councilmember Holden thought that the estimate is low considering that the size of the project and the retaining walls that will be required. She also asked for specifics on the sidewalk location. Councilmembers Grant and Holden both commented that this project should be moved out to 2013. Recreation Manager Olson explained that figure is the original estimate. As the bridge enhancements proceed, this estimate will need to be reanalyzed. The proposal is for a sidewalk on the north side from the bridge all the way to Lindey's Park. Old Hwy 10 Sidewalk Improvements - CP Rail ($214",000) Councilmember Holden questioned the cost if this project were done on both sides of the road. City Engineer Giga responded that construction costs would double. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 8 City Trail Signage ($1 O~OOO) Recreation Manager Olson explained the PTRC will be discussing this at their March meeting and will then bring it to the Council for approval. Valentine Park Improvements ($315~000) Recreation Manager Olson explained that the City has accepted the drainage study. The PTRC will be doing some review and request more public input from the neighbors. The estimate includes the drainage improvements and replacement of the play structure at that park. Councilmember Holmes commented that she thought the drainage issues were going to be a part of the PMP. Recreation Manager Olson responded that the PMP is programmed in 2014 or later. This is a matter that will require more direction from Council. City Engineer Kristine Giga stated that the City can look at doing the drainage at the same time they do the PMP depending upon how that falls into any funding or project schedule. They could also look at doing park improvements early. Credit for any treatments that are done in the park could be banked and appied later to the PMP. Mayor Harpstead agreed that combining the Valentine Park project with the PMP is a good idea which would move that project out to 2014 or later, if Council agrees. Cummings Park Irrigation ($17 ~OOO) Recreation Manager Olson explained that staff believes this will be beneficial because the fields are used extensively by our program, by neighborhood children and by Boston Scientific personnel. Hard court and trail resurfacing ($15~000) Recreation Manager Olson stated it is important to maintain these surfaces to avoid having to reconstruct them. 2011 Hard court and trail resurfacing ($15~000) 2012 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 9 Lexington Avenue Trail Replacement ($50,,000) Recreation Manager Olson stated this project covers the trail extending from Cummings Park Drive south to County Road F. The estimate is for a reconstruct with recycling of the current pavement, which is the most cost effective. The City may consider approaching Boston Scientific to see if they would be interested in contributing to the upgrade of this trail. Hard court and trail resurfacing ($15,,000) 2013 Snelling Avenue Regional Trail (Segment 1) ($309,,000) West Round Lake Trail ($120,,000) Recreation Manager Olson explained there is a .46 mile gap in this trail behind the businesses along Round Lake. This gap is due to the breakdown of negotiations between Nott Companies and the City on a potential easement. She pointed out that completion of this trail would improve access for maintenance of the sanitary sewers in that area. Mayor Harpstead commented that the most common connectors to access this trail have not yet been completed. He believed that we should put off the West Round Lake Trail improvements until connecting trails have been completed. Council directed staff to contact Nott Companies regarding this issue and if Nott remains uninterested in participating, this matter should be delayed. 2014 Hard court and trail resurfacing ($15,,000) Year Undetermined Proiects Hazelnut Outfield Fence ($16,500) Councilmember Holden suggested that staff include a summary page that lists how much is being spent each year on these projects. Councilmember Grant commented that this is a nice wish list but he doesn't think it's realistic from a cost standpoint. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 10 Mayor Harpstead commented that the goal of the trail program is to eliminate barriers and gaps. He believes the projects that do not specifically address those goals are a lower priority. Councilmember McClung thanked staff for compiling and presenting this information as it gives Council the opportunity to discuss the projects and set priorities. He also expressed concern over the number of big-ticket projects proposed for the first couple of years and he believed we should expand the timeline for some of the projects. He would support moving forward either this year or next with the Old 10 CP rail bridge as well as resolving the bottleneck at County Road E across 51 and moving some of the other projects further out. He suggested the City do a project, have a break, then do another project like we do with the PMP. Councilmember Holden commented that she'd rather the $17,000 proposed for Cummings Park irrigation be used on other projects, such as the County Road E bottleneck. Councilmember Grant stated that McDonald's is not going to reconstruct this year and their reconstruction next year may have an impact on the County Road E bridge improvements. He also commented that he feels unsafe between the two guideposts as he goes onto the bridge because of the close proximity to traffic. He recommended that on the trail coming up to the bridge that there be fill put in to raise the level of the approach so the guide rail can be moved back to provide a safety lane for walkers. City Engineer Giga stated that Councilmember's Grant's suggestions will be reviewed as a part of the design phase. C. Planning Case #: 009-002 Walgreen's Arden Plaza PUD Concept Review Community Development Director James Lehnhoff explained that the Arden Plaza property owners are present and would appreciate Council feedback on this proposal which has been revised based on the initial meeting with Council in January. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 11 Pete Keely, project architect, explained that after the last Council work session, the proposal was revised to address some of the concerns and suggestions raised. The following items have been specifically addressed: . The buildings have been located closer to County Road E by over thirty feet. . Parking between the buildings and County Road E has been removed. . Traffic circulation throughout the site has been simplified and improved. . The traffic pattern and movement will be compatible with the future stoplight. . The Arden Hills city sign has been incorporated into the corner of the site. . Pedestrian movement has been improved. . The 'Gathering Area' has been integrated with the buildings to create a 'Main Street' character and a strong definition of the public edge. This is intended to provide a 'Front Door' to the project. This area will be suitable for outdoor eating space as well as movement. . The retail area fronting this gathering area has been provided with additional parking to make restaurant uses possible. . The entire first three phases of the development are being shown. There is a potential fourth phase development at the south end of the site not being shown at this time. . Additional retail has been added facing Lexington Avenue. Councilmember McClung commented that building four includes a loading dock and he asked what is being proposed for that building. Mr. Keely explained that building four is 17,000 square feet and one possible use would be a grocery store, such as an Aldi' s. He further explained building two is planned for a restaurant use, but this will depend upon finding tenants. Councilmember Grant questioned what type of use is proposed for building three. Steve Wellington, one of the property owners, responded they anticipate several small use businesses such as a dry cleaners or a Subway. Mayor Harpstead commented that the proposal before the Council now is much improved over the original. As now proposed, the proximity of the two new buildings to County Road E is on par with the office parks to the west. Councilmember Holmes stated she likes the way the four buildings pull the shopping center together but the location of the Walgreen's entrance is quite a ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 12 distance from the other buildings and questioned if the entrance should be moved or a second entrance provided. Mr. Keely explained that Walgreen's likes a corner location and corner entrance. Councilmember Grant agreed that this proposal is much improved over the previous submission but he would like to have some assurance that the stoplight will actually be built at some point in the future. He would like to see the developer or the City have the actual rights to install the stoplight. Mr. Keely responded that TCF Bank has a long term lease for another four or five years (which includes the site of the stoplight.) However, he suggested the stoplight is something that could be included in the development agreement. Councilmember McClung stated that he continues to be concerned about the access because that will impact the property on the north side of the street. He likes the City's vision for County Road E and, at this point, does not want to veer too much away from that. He would like to see the stoplight put in sooner rather than later. Councilmember Grant explained that he isn't concerned that the stoplight go in sooner rather than later, just that agreements are in place so that we can do the light when it's needed. Community Development Director Lehnhoff offered the following observations on this proposal: He has the least amount of comment as far as the building design as they're not to the point where they have details regarding how the buildings will look. There are strict standards in the code which must be followed and he has had preliminary discussions with the property owners as far as expectations. This proposal is strikingly similar to the conceptual plans in the City's Guiding Plan. One exception is the setback; instead of the 20 foot setback in the City's design standards, this proposal calls for a 30 foot setback. But the current proposed setback is a significant improvement over the initial proposal. He also prefers the current parking configuration because a good portion of the parking will be hidden by the grading and landscaping. Mayor Harpstead noted that the Walgreen's building appears to be at a higher elevation and asked if it had been raised. Mr. Keely explained that there is just a little bit of sloping for drainage. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 13 Councilmember McClung asked about the potential development on the southern half of this site. Mr. Wellington responded that they've had some preliminary discussion with Frattalone's about the possibility of putting in a garden center. Based on Council's concerns about density and traffic, they are currently not planning to proceed with the 10,000 square foot building originally proposed. Also, until the issue of the stoplight is resolved, it doesn't make sense to speculate about additional density. Councilmember McClung stated, "For the foreseeable future, a 10,000 square foot building is probably a no." Mr. Wellington responded, "Correct." Councilmember Holden questioned the grade coming down off of Lexington. Mr. Keely explained that the loading dock is approximately 8 feet below street grade so a good portion of the dock is Mayor Harpstead asked about the access for delivery trucks and garbage trucks to the Walgreen's service area. Mr. Keely assured him that delivery trucks and garbage trucks both will have no difficulty accessing the area. Councilmember McClung expressed concern about the possible types of businesses for building four. Community Development Director Lehnhoff suggested that if the Council members have any questions or concerns about this project they should contact staff members at any time throughout the process. Councilmember Holmes commented that currently there is no agreement for the installation of the stoplight. If the Council is saying that approval of the project is contingent upon an agreement for the stoplight and the developers aren't even close to an agreement, perhaps they shouldn't continue going through the process. Councilmember Grant stated that one possible solution would be to not allow the construction of building four until such time as the stoplight as been installed. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 14 Another "trigger" for requiring the installation of the stoplight could be the level of combined traffic on County Road E. B. Pavement Management Program (PMP) Implementation Plan City Administrator Ron Moorse explained that next month the five year PMP plan will be brought to the Council. He thought it might be helpful to review the implementation plan; how they determine which roads need to be worked on. City Engineer Kristine Giga explained the purpose of this program is to provide and enable the planned repair and improvement of streets in a way that: . Maintains the condition of good quality streets for as long as possible, . Prevents streets from deteriorating from one level of necessary maintenance to another for as long as possible, particularly deteriorating to the point of needing full reconstruction, and . Schedules repair and improvement activities, particularly the reconstruction projects, in a way that matches, as well as possible, the City's funding capabilities. In determining the five year CIP, City Engineer Giga explained that staff drives the streets every year. Pavement conditions are evaluated and projects identified. Staff then reviews performance history of the utilities in each of the identified areas to help determine the type of maintenance applicable as well as project timing. As the streets are reviewed annually, projects are shifted as needed. Staff has not driven the roads yet this year because of the snow and ice so for this meeting they have submitted the five year plan from last year. Councilmember McClung commented that this is good information but he questioned "where do we go next?" He wondered what the Council's philosophy is on the issue ofPMP and how this Council, going forward, plans to deal with it. He believed that the Council needs to get into the financing and some of the "nitty- gritty" as to what level we want to have our streets maintained. Council commented that since the current standards for street design were originally adopted in 2002, they would like staff to revise and update those standards. Also, there should be a statement included indicating that Council is responsible for setting priorities (based on staffs recommendations) and that Council approval is required. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 15 City Administrator Moorse summarized the Council's discussion this evening as follows: · Council accepts that the City needs make sure the less expensive road maintenance is done at the right time to ensure that a complete reconstruction does not become necessary. · The City should do utility and street maintenance together for the most cost effective process. · Criteria should be established to determine which reconstruction projects are the priority. Councilmember Grant suggested that the Council also establish some standards for curbing so there is consistency throughout the City. Councilmember Holmes stated the Council needs to change the assessment policy. Mayor Harpstead suggested this matter be referred to legal counsel for consideration. D. Town Hall Meeting Preparations City Administrator Moorse requested direction from Council to finalize the plans for the Town Hall meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on May 4,2009. After some discussion, the Council suggested the following topics for discussion: . TCAAP Councilmember Holden · B2 Councilmember Grant · Lake Johanna Fire Department/Sherriff Mayor Harpstead Contract Relationships . Investing in Infrastructure . Community Enhancement Councilmember McClung Councilmember Holmes City Administrator Moorse will act as moderator and make a brief presentation on the City's service philosophy. The presentations should be ten minutes each. To keep the meeting moving, the Council will allow two questions after each presentation and then take questions at the end of the presentations. Parking ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 16 To ensure adequate parking, staffwill contact the Army Reserve location to request permission for overflow parking in their lot. City Administrator Moorse will include parking information in the newsletter. Refreshments Staff will provide refreshments (coffee, lemonade, water and cookies.) Bike Rack Recreation Manager Olson will look into having a bike rack available in front of City Hall. E. Review of Pay Levels for Temporary/Seasonal Positions Recreation Manager Olson stated at the December 12, 2008 Council meeting, the 2009 temporary/seasonal pay ranges were approved for positions in Recreation Programs and Parks Maintenance. All pay levels were maintained at the 2008 level with the exception of the following positions: . Playground Leader from $8.00 to $8.25 . Park Attendant from $8.25 to $8.50 . Soccer Officials/Umpires from $13.00 to $14.00 per game Recreation Manager Olson explained that City has had to struggle to find staff for these positions or found that we were below market on the starting wage. Staff recommends the pay ranges for the City's seasonal/temporary positions be maintained at the levels approved for 2009. She further explained there are five steps in each position pay scale but it is not very often that an employee gets past step two or three. Employees are started at step one and remain at that step until they complete a full season. Mayor Harpstead explained that the approval at the December 2009 meeting will remain if the Council takes no action this evening. After some discussion, Council decided to take no further action on this matter and that the 2009 pay rate remain the same as 2008. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS National Guard Property Mayor Harpstead attended a Minnesota National Guard summary session last Friday afternoon regarding their plans for their property north of City Hall. The ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 17 focus of last week's meeting was how they can be more sustainable from an efficiency, energy and water standpoint on the buildings they plan to construct. They still hope to put in, at a minimum, three buildings and possibly five buildings in the next five years. Their functional buildings will be located north of the Ramsey County facility and then have their joint headquarters come in on the other side of the pond north of City Hall. Their plans have been revised to include a green space in the area between the buildings with mounding and water management in the middle. This makes it look less like an industrial facility and more like a functional campus. A high priority is their training and community center. They're also interested in figuring out bus transit to and from this property. This would be a topic of discussion with Met Council regarding bus services for City Hall, the Ramsey County facility and the National Guard property. Community Development Director James Lehnhoff had also attended this meeting and reported that the City should receive a copy of the report being prepared for this proposal which should come out in 60 - 90 days. Friends of the Park Tree Sale Councilmember McClung reported that the deadline is April 17. There's a link to the form on the City's website. Communications Committee Councilmember McClung stated the proposal was sent out to Council members and no feedback was received so they're moving forward. Also they're looking for name suggestions. Heat for Maintenance Facility Councilmember Holden referred to a recent comment In the Administrative Update r~garding heat for the maintenance facility. City Administrator Moorse explained there has been some preliminary discussion regarding sharing space with Mounds View to reduce costs. Councilmember Grant requested a financial analysis be presented to Council so they can review it carefully before any decisions are made. Maintenance Issues for Foreclosed / Vacant Homes Councilmember Grant commented that for the health of the City, we need to stay on top of this issue. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MARCH 16, 2009 18 Mayor Harpstead stated it would be helpful if the Council could receive an update as to how we compare to other cities as far as foreclosed / vacant properties. Mayor Harpstead adjoume~the C~ty Council Work Session meetin/g/ :35 p.m. A- Ronald J. Mo se City Administrator