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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-09-10-R ,,.-ARZEN I H LL Approved: August 3 0, 2010 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS,MINNESOTA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 9,2010 7:00 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 regular City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. Present: Mayor Stan Harpstead, Council Members Fran Holmes, Brenda Holden, David Grant, and Dave McClung Absent: None. Also present: City Administrator Patrick Klaers; City Attorney Jerry Filla; Finance Director/Treasurer Sue Iverson; City Planner Meagan Beekman; Parks and Recreation Manager Michelle Olson; Civil Engineer Kristine Giga; Public Works Director Terry Maurer; and Recording Secretary, Tina Borg PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE L APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Harpstead requested Item 7C. Set a Date to Call a Meeting for the Board of Canvas Following the Primary be added to the agenda. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember McClung seconded a motion to Approve the Agenda as amended. The motion carried unanimously 5-0 . 2. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL PUBLIC Mayor Harpstead stated the City had received additional letters from residents that will be passed to Staff and these included: a letter of complaint regarding the water sewer rate increase from Ms. Mangle and a letter requesting the assessment process be modified from Ms. Smith. Mayor Harpstead opened the Public Inquiries/Informational at 7:03 p.m. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL--August 9, 2010 2 2. Public Inquiries (continued) Ms. Barb Goodwin, Columbia Heights, introduced herself to the Council and stated she was running for State Senator and the primary is on Tuesday. She encouraged people to vote. Mr. Foroozan, 1403 Colleen Av., Arden Hills, stated there was an article about Shoreview offering low interest Home Energy Improvement loans through the city. He stated there were several other Metro area cities that were providing similar loans to their residents. He requested the City of Arden Hills look into these types of loans with the possibility of being able to offer them to the residents of Arden Hills. Mayor Harpstead directed Staff to look into this and bring information back to the Council at a future work session. Mayor Harpstead closed the Public Inquiries/Informational at 7:09 p.m. A. TCAAP Reuse and Public Sale Update City Planner Meagan Beekman stated the GSA is continuing the process of completing their Environmental Assessment (EA), which is a community-oriented document that discusses the history of TCAAP, the previous planning process, the public sale, and general remediation processes. This document is anticipated to be completed in September. Mr. Legare has advised the City that the Invitation for Bid (IFB) is almost complete and is currently being reviewed by the Army. Once the Army approves the document, it will be released to the public. Mr. Legare also indicated that the Terms of Sale within the IFB were being reviewed by the MPCA. The final IFB will include the full auction timeline, a minimum bid, and the Army's remediation requirements. Based on the current timeline for the release of the IFB, the auction is not anticipated to occur until the end of September at the earliest. Greg Mack is continuing to work with the GSA to obtain an access agreement to the TCAAP site for further environmental investigation. The County has recently received a license agreement from the GSA that will allow them to access the proposed transfer properties and undertake their due diligence to identify the scope of required remediation. The license agreement will now have to go to the County Board for approval. Once the license agreement is approved the County will contract with an environmental consultant and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup (VIC) program. According to Mr. Legare the land transfer would not take place until after any required remediation is complete. The remediation and land transfer does not yet have a specific timeline, but it will not occur before the current auction process is complete. Mayor Harpstead clarified that once the IFB was finalized the auction would be 60 days later. City Planner Beekman stated the auction would be at least 60 days after the IFB was finalized and posted. This would put the auction at the end of September at the earliest. Councilmember Holden stated the City had sent a letter to the GSA outlining several concerns and issues. She asked if the City had gotten any response to this letter. City Planner Beekman stated the GSA had provided a verbal response that the letter had been received but the City had not received anything in writing. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL--August 9, 2010 3 2. A. TCAAP Reuse and Public Sale Update (continued) Councilmember Holden stated the City should request something in writing from the GSA acknowledging the letter and the issues. Councilmember Grant stated the request could also include a response from the GSA regarding g g the issues and concerns raised by the City. - Councilmember Holmes stated the City should set a deadline for the GSA to respond to this letter because the City needs to have answers before the sale takes place. Councilmember McClung agreed the City had legitimate questions and concerns and the sale of this property impacts the City of Arden Hills, the residents, and the region. It is incumbent upon them to answer these questions and the City could go to their Congressional Representatives and let them know the GSA is stonewalling the City. Mayor Harpstead stated the City could ask for a response to the concerns and questions brought forward but the City would not be able to stop the process of the public sale even if the GSA chose not to respond. He requested City Planner Beekman follow up with the GSA and request a written response from them regarding the receipt of the letter and the questions and concerns outlined in that letter. B. 2009 City Financial Statements Finance Director Sue Iverson stated the City's 2009 Financial Statements have been completed and submitted to both the State Auditor and the GFOA. The auditors have issued an unqualified, "clean", opinion of the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009. Mr. Aaron Neilson, Malloy, Montague, Karnowski, Radosevich & Co. P.A., stated the reports that were reviewed by the auditor included the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), the Special Purpose Report, and the Management Report. Mr. Neilson began to review the Audit summary including the total general fund balance, the City's total net assets, the combined ending fund balances for governmental funds, and the combined ending working capital balance for enterprise funds. As a note of information, the changes to Auditing Standards are increasing and changing. With these changes the City may see increased findings. This does not mean that the City has done anything wrong compared to previous years, only that the reporting requirements have become much stricter. Many cities are experiencing these findings, and the findings are expected to increase for all cities as these standards become stricter. The City continues to have the finding related to "Segregation of Duties". The "Segregation of Duties" finding is common to organizations the size of Arden Hills. Staff continues to review and make improvements to its internal control structure on an ongoing basis and attempts to maximize the segregation of duties in all areas within the limits of the staff available. The City received a comment on "Payroll Declarations", this comment results from the increased use of electronic funds transfers, specifically"direct deposit". ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL--August 9, 2010 4 2. B. 2009 City Financial Statements (continued) Finance Director Iverson stated the City has a declaration on the time slips and previously the second declaration was on the checks when an employee endorsed the check, but now the City has instituted a declaration to approve the payroll for payment as the second declaration for 2010. Mr. Neilson continued to review the financial statements including property tax graphs, the average tax rate for Arden Hills and the utility operations enterprise fund, which includes the water, sewer, surface water management fund, and recycling operations fund. -- Councilmember Holden asked if the revenue from the recycling that was received after 2009 would go against the 2009 budget or the 2010 budget. Finance Director Iverson stated these funds were accrued against 2009. Councilmember Holden asked how the City had met the requirements for timely reconciliation. Finance Director Iverson stated the City has employed two finance interns that have assisted in helping the City meet these requirements. Mayor Harpstead asked where these documents would be available for the public to review. Finance Director Iverson stated these documents would be on the City's website, at City Hall, and also at the Library. 3, APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. July 12,2010, City Council Worksession Meeting B. July 12, 2010, Regular City Council Meeting Councilmember Holden requested that the Also Present section only contain the names of City Staff. Councilmember Holden stated on page 10, the second paragraph. The final sentence should end with"at this time". Councilmember Holden stated on page 11, the eighth paragraph, the word "stated" should be removed. Also on page 11, the eleventh paragraph, the word"a/n" should be replaced with"an". C. July 26,2010 City Council Worksession Meeting Councilmember Holden requested on page 4, the last paragraph, the first line should be changed to "The Council discussed that some work goals and priorities may include..." D. July 26, 2010 Regular City Council Meeting ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 5 3. Approval of Minutes (continued) MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Mayor Harpstead seconded a motion to approve the July 12, 2010, City Council Worksession Meeting minutes as presented, the July 12, 2010, Regular Council Meetiniz minutes the July 26 2010, City Council Worksession Meeting minutes as amended, and the July 261 20101, Regular City Council Meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 4. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Claims and Payroll B. Appointment of Thomas Mikacevich to the position of Public Works Maintenance Worker C. First and Second Quarter Financial Reports MOTION: Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember McClung seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as presented and to authorize execution of all necessary documents contained therein. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 5. PULLED CONSENT ITEMS None. 6., PUBLIC HEARINGS A. 2010 Pavement Management Program Special Assessment Public Hearing Civil Engineer Kristine Giga stated on June 28, 2010, the City Council set August 9, 2010, as the date to hold public hearings for the purpose of establishing special assessments for the 2010 PMP Improvements. The project is proposed to be assessed consistent with the City's assessment policy, which states that 50% of the costs for roadway improvements will be assessed in residential areas, with the remaining portion financed by various City funds. Financing for the project is consistent with past City policy and practices. The per unit assessment for the reconstruction of Valentine Avenue, Valentine Crest Road and Valentine Court is $8,268.46 and the per unit assessment for the mill and overlay of Katie Lane and Katie Court is $1,476.67. At the June 28, 2010, City Council meeting, the City Council directed Staff to set the payment period of the assessment to 10 years for the reconstruction portion of the project and 5 years for the mill and overlay portion of the project, as written in the assessment policy. The interest rate was set at 4.5%, which is 2% over the current annualized rate of return on the City's portfolio. Staff also received direction from the City Council on how to proceed with assessments on several parcels within the project. 1645 Valentine Avenue and 4093 Valentine Crest Road were identified as sub- dividable, according to current City Code; therefore being counted as two residential equivalent units (REU). The City Council directed Staff to move forward an agreement, signed by both the City and the property owner, which would be recorded against the property, indicating the second assessment would not be charged until such time as the property was subdivided. At the City ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 6 6.A. 2010 Pavement Management Program Special Assessment Public Hearing(continued) Council's direction,the agreement was revised to include that if subdivision does not occur within 30 years, the agreement becomes null and void. The City has received a signed copy of the agreement from the property owner at 4093 Valentine Crest Road. The property owner at 1645 Valentine Avenue has requested some minor changes; Staff is working with the City Attorney to review and incorporate these changes. 3317 Katie Lane is a vacant lot owned by the residents living on the adjacent lot. This vacant lot is an approved platted lot and is considered buildable. The City Council directed Staff to proceed with this lot in the assessment roll. The property owners provided a letter requesting reconsideration of the assessment for the vacant parcel. The City Attorney reviewed the letter. To date, five property owners have submitted objections in writing to City Staff. As stated in Minnesota State Statute, no appeal may be taken as to the amount of any assessment adopted unless a written objection signed by the affected property owners is filed with the City at or prior to the assessment hearing. After the adoption of the assessment roll,property owners have 30 days to serve notice of an appeal to the City, and 10 days after serving notice to file with the district court. Councilmember Holden stated a couple of the letters received from residents stated a new sewer line had not been installed. She asked Civil Engineer Giga where the new sewer lines had been installed. Civil Engineer Giga stated the sanitary sewer was replaced in its entirety on Valentine Court and several sections of Valentine Avenue from manhole to manhole. On Valentine Crest Road there were spot replacements where sags had been identified and other sections of Valentine Crest Road have been identified as a future sanitary sewer-lining project. Mayor Harpstead asked if the two properties in the reconstruction area had signed the agreement with the City in regards to the assessment for their second lots. City Attorney Jerry Filla stated the residents at 1645 Valentine Avenue had requested some minor changes and he was working with them. At this time the agreement has not been signed. He recommended that the City wait until this agreement has been signed before approving the assessment roll. He stated there may also be other objections presented tonight that the Council would like to provide Staff with time to respond to before the assessment roll is adopted. Councilmember Holmes asked if the Council had addressed the double lot located at 3314/3317 Katie Lane. Civil Engineer Giga stated Staff had requested direction from Council regarding this property when the preliminary assessment roll was set and the Council had decided that because it is two platted parcels to assess them as two parcels. Councilmember Holden stated these properties are two separate parcels not one that can be subdivided into two like the other lots being considered. Mayor Harpstead opened the public hearing at 7:44 p.m. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 7 6. A. 2010 Pavement Management Program Special Assessment Public Hearing(continued) Mr. Scott Scheunemann, 4075 Valentine Crest Road, Arden Hills, stated he had provided the City with his letter of objection. He also suggested for future projects the City request that contractors notify the neighborhood when a gas line has been hit. He stated that the gas line had been hit three times during this project in his neighborhood. Ms. Gail Weber, 4112 Valentine Crest Road, Arden Hills, asked if the rain gardens, curbs, and other drainage measures put in place had changed the flow of the water from what it was before the reconstruction. She stated that the contractors were having difficulties with Valentine Avenue because it sinks and the soil is awful. She also asked if the catch basins were still effective. Civil Engineer Giga stated the drainage measures used did not change the natural flow of the water. The rain gardens are installed in addition to the natural flow of the water. The street is being reconstructed with additional catch basins and drain the so that the water is going in the same direction that it went before the reconstruction. She would look into Ms. Weber's concerns. Mayor Harpstead stated Staff would respond to Ms. Weber's technical design questions outside of the public forum. This public hearing is for the assessment roll and an opportunity for residents to bring their questions and concerns regarding this topic to the Council. Ms. Weber stated the residents are being assessed for a road that the Feasibility Report based on a twenty-eight foot road width and the street is now narrower and this has changed the whole block. Councilmember Holden asked whose property the rain garden was located on. Civil Engineer Giga stated there was one property that had agreed and has since backed out. There are several infiltration areas and rain gardens on City property. Mr. Dan Christiansen, 3 314/3 317 Katie Lane, Arden Hills, asked to have the Council reconsider the second assessment on his property. Although the second lot is platted it would be difficult to sell as a buildable lot because a new home would be so close to his home. There is a large easement on this property, which makes it difficult to build on this property. They use the second lot as an extension of there own lawn and have it landscaped as such. They have no intention of selling this property and would like to have the assessment for this property deferred if possible. Civil Engineer Giga clarified at the time Mn Christiansen purchased the property there had been an easement for a natural gas line on this property but this has since been vacated. Mr. John Albert, 4090 Valentine Crest Road, Arden Hills, stated the project would not be completed until early September. He asked if this would delay the City's payments to the contractor and if so by how much. He stated residents should not be asked to pay interest on their ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 8 6. A. 2010 Pavement Management Program Special Assessment Public Hearing(continued) assessments until after the project has been completed. He stated that he had also heard that there would not be a second overlay on Valentine Crest Road immediately. He asked if this was the case. He also stated objections to the recent change that residents are charged per lot and not based on how many feet of frontage they have. The amount of the assessment seems high when compared to other areas doing similar projects. He also asked for an explanation for the special assessments calculations because if the assessment if paid before November 15 then interest is accrued only until December 31, 2010 but if it is paid after this date then interest is accrued - through December 31, 2011. Finance Director Iverson stated the City pays the contractor throughout the project. The interest accrual is something that is setup within State Statutes and the County. She also stated that the thirty days to pay the assessment with no interest does not start until the City has adopted the assessment roll. Councilmember Holden stated the assessment policy was changed about seven years ago. There was a team of about fifteen residents who worked on this project. Ms. Karen Albert, 4090 Valentine Crest Road, Arden Hills, stated there were at least two homes in her neighborhood that have multiple families living in them and this does not fit the City's calculation for number of units. She also suggested the assessment be based on the average amount of frontage a property has rather than on a per unit basis. Mayor Harpstead closed the public hearing at 8:01 p.m. Civil Engineer Giga stated the Council could choose to take action at this time or wait until later in the agenda when the item is presented for a decision. Councilmember Holden stated the property owner at 3 314/3 317 Katie Lane is utilizing the second lot as an extension of their lawn and not as a buildable lot. This particular lot is complicated by the fact that it is its own parcel and it could be divided with the property owner on the other side. Unlike the other parcels being looked at, this one is already two separate parcels. She stated she would consider other suggestions Council or Staff may have regarding the assessments for these properties. Mayor Harpstead asked if Councilmember Holden was considering an action similar to that taken for 4093 Valentine Crest Road and 1645 Valentine Avenue. Councilmember Holden stated this could be an option but she would not like to pass the assessment roll until this has been considered. Mayor Harpstead pointed out that any exceptions made would set a precedent for future assessment rolls. Councilmember Grant stated there had been a similar situation in the past on Ingerson. He asked Staff to look into how this parcel's assessment was handled. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL--August 9, 2010 9 6. A. 2010 Pavement Management Program Special Assessment Public Hearing(continued) Councilmember Holmes stated residents with any questions regarding the rain gardens or drainage are encouraged to contact Civil Engineer Giga. She asked if this area was part of the R1 District. If this is a single family housing district she asked that Staff look into the homes in this area to be sure they are single family homes and do not have additional families living in them. Councilmember McClung suggested the Council follow the advice of the City Attorney and postpone adopting the assessment roll until all the agreements have been signed and received by the City. Councilmember Holden stated the property owner at 1665 Valentine Avenue was granted a permit to build a second home on their property. It was suggested by one of the residents that this property be assessed as two properties even though it is not subdivided into two properties. She asked for clarification on why this property was not considered two lots. Civil Engineer Giga explained the property is large enough to be subdivided, however there is not sufficient frontage on Valentine Avenue for that parcel to have an address fronting on Valentine Avenue. A street would need to be built on this parcel in order to subdivide it and the cost of that street would be the responsibility of the developer. City Attorney Filla stated there are obj ections or appeals from Mr. and Mrs. Scheunemann, Mr. and Mrs. Weber, Mr. and Mrs. Albert, Mr. and Mrs. Christiansen, Ms. Madison, and Mr. and Mrs. Van Buren that would be addressed by Staff before the Council would take action on the adoption of the assessment roll. He clarified that if there were other residents that wished to appeal the assessment they would need to do this in writing at the meeting. Mayor Harpstead stated the residents of Arden Hills developed the assessment policy during the previous administration. The City has chosen not to assess all residents all year long through their taxes but rather to assess street costs to those residents affected. He stated residents could request the City revisit the assessment policy. MOTION: Councilmember McClung moved and Councilmember Grant seconded a motion to advance Item 7A in the Agenda and to Table Item 7A: Resolution 2010-039. Adopting Proposed Special Assessment Roll for the 2010 Pavement Management Program Until the August 30, 2010, City Council Meeting. The motion carried (4-1). Ayes: Mayor Harpstead, Councilmembers,Holmes, Grant, and McClung Nays: Councilmember Holden Councilmember Holden asked if this would provide Staff with enough time to answer all the questions and concerns that were brought forward by the Council and residents. Civil Engineer Giga stated Staff would have enough time to get this information. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 10 Be Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project--Public Hearing Civil Engineer Giga stated at the City Council work session on July 19, 2010, the City Council identified concerns about the project, as well as additional information that would be needed prior to making a decision on Municipal Consent. A letter was sent to Mn/DOT, dated July 29, 2010, which incorporated the City Council's concerns, as well as some of the City's consultant's (Bolton & Menk) comments on the layout. The City of Shoreview also sent a letter to Mn/DOT regarding the proposed project layout. Mn/DOT provided a response on August 5, 2010. Following the public hearing the City has 90 days, or until November 7, 2010, to approve/disapprove the layout. The last regularly scheduled City Council meeting before this deadline is Monday, October 25, 2010. The City has three options when voting on Municipal Consent: 1.Approve Municipal Consent, 2.Approve Municipal Consent with conditions, or 3.Deny Municipal Consent. Mr. Mark Lindeberg, North Area Engineer with Mn/DOT, stated Mn/DOT is proposing an improvement project for the interchange of Interstate 694, Highway 10, Snelling Avenue and Hamline Avenue in Arden Hills. In June, Mn/DOT submitted a Mn/DOT approved layout to the City, requesting City approval (Municipal Consent) of the layout. This project was initiated because there are nine bridges in this area that are in need of replacement. It was clear to - Mn/DOT that this would be an opportunity to improve the safety and lane continuity in this area, as wells as provide for future expansion and eliminate the mainline weaves. He reviewed the process that has been followed to date including the formation of the Noise Advisory Committee (NAC). He stated the project benefits included increased safety, regional transportation improvement, local business benefits, smoother commutes and a more efficient local roadway system. Councilmember Holden asked how the local businesses would benefit from this road design. Mr. Lindeberg stated businesses are going to want to locate where they can get access and flowing conditions to and from their locations. There will be less stopped traffic when trying to get to their businesses. He went on to review the project benefits to the Northern Pointe (TCAAP) area and better access to this area will be a benefit to the City of Arden Hills. The improved roadway will also pull traffic off local streets such as County Road E, County Road F, County Road 96 and Lexington. Councilmember Holden stated the,local businesses would not be located right on I694 so people will need to get off the Interstate. She asked how this made for more effective local roadway systems. She asked if this was done in the Mn/DOT modeling. The only way to get onto Snelling Avenue will be County Road E or Lydia with this design. Mr. Lindeberg stated business at the TCAAP site would benefit because traffic will be able to flow to Highway 10 or Highway 3 5 easier. Councilmember Holden clarified this was more of a regional improvement than a local improvement. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 11 6. B. Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project—Public Hearing (continued) Mr. Lindeberg stated businesses such as Boston Scientific or Deluxe Checks would also benefit from the improved flow of traffic on I694. Councilmember Holden asked for clarification on the efficiencies for local roadways and if this was also modeled. Mr. Lindeberg stated through traffic modeling and traffic projections. An improved I694 will -- pull traffic off the local roads because the roadway will not be stopped like it is currently. Councilmember Holden asked if this modeling included the closure of I694 going east and the impacts all the way back up to Lydia. Mr. Lindeberg stated these items were taken into consideration in the modeling. Councilmember Grant stated noise and noise abatement was important to the City, the residents and the Council. He asked what Mn/DOT was going to do to mitigate noise. Mr. Lindeberg stated no noise mitigation was deemed to be cost effective and Mn/DOT does not have any plans for noise mitigation at this time. Councilmember Grant stated a lot of the circulation would be putting more stress on the City and County roads. As a Council they need to be aware of the needs of the City. This design is putting additional burden on Lexington Avenue and other County Roads. He asked Mr. Lindeberg to explain the pedestrian safe options that were brought into this design. Mr. Lindeberg stated this current design does not provide for a safe pedestrian crossing at Interstate 694. Mn/DOT had looked at crossing Interstate 694 at Hamline or at Snelling Avenue but these were not safe situations. The only safe pedestrian crossing would be the construction of a separate pedestrian bridge and when viewing the City and County's future trail plans, the City had a trail on their plans but the County did not. when the County plans do not match the City plans Mn/DOT needs to work with both entities to find a design that will work for both. He clarified that there was no safe option in the plan because there is not an option that meets a County plan or there is a City plan but there is no connection on the south end of the trail and Mn/DOT wants to look at the whole pedestrian flow and not put a crossing into one area. Councilmember McClung stated it may not be on the County's plan but it is on the City's plan. The City's plan should have some weight since Mn/DOT is looking for Municipal Consent from the City. He asked what capacity for future pedestrian crossings are being built into the plan so that something could be added at a future date. According to the design being presented there is no capacity for this type of future development. He also clarified Mn/DOT will not be doing anything in regards to noise mitigation for the residents of Arden Hills. Mn/DOT is asking Arden Hills to carry all these burdens but there are no benefits for the residents. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 12 6. B. Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project—Public Hearing(continued) Councilmember Holmes stated the trail crossing being proposed is reasonable and goes into County Road E where the City has plans to make a trail. She asked Mr. Lindeberg to respond to the trail proposed by Gene and Steve QJerdingen. Mr. Lindeberg stated a trail that ran parallel to Trunk Highway 51 would need to go under the railroad bridge and there is presently not enough width under this bridge or this trail would need to go up and over the railroad bridge, which the railroad may not be in favor of. -- Councilmember Holmes stated Mn/DOT is not trying to accommodate a pedestrian crossing. The US Secretary of Transportation stated that when a road project is being looked at, non- _ motorized traffic should be taken into account. Mr. Lindeberg stated Mn/DOT looked at having a pedestrian crossing but it was found to be unsafe unless a separate pedestrian bridge was constructed. Mayor Harpstead stated the project design and information being presented is incomplete. The whole concept of being unable to connect to existing County and City plans is a problem because this is a fast design. Clearly the whole opportunity to have those landing spots developed in parallel to Mn/DOT's project is an impossible opportunity. The City has been explicit in that they would like to be able to get pedestrians through here. Mn/DOT should pay attention to the fact that bikes do currently travel Hamline Avenue and Trunk Highway 51 and they are not prohibited from doing this. Bikes currently travel these roads and currently have the safety concerns that Mn/DOT has outlined and the design being proposed will increase the jeopardy for these people rather than reduce it if the margins are not increased to accommodate for them. The analysis on the benefits to local businesses is incomplete as well. The ramp traffic flows are not complete and it is not possible to compare "apples to apples". Mr. Lindeberg pointed out that local streets would benefit by having less traffic because it will move to I694 but the 2009 Traffic Counts state southbound Hamline Avenue is at 3,370 and in 2030 this is increased to 8,960. Clearly traffic has been added to this area from southbound Hamline rather than reducing it. He pointed out this analysis was not possible for northbound Hamline Avenue because the figures were not provided. The traffic figures also show that the traffic count through this area in 2009 is in the 16,000 range for northbound Trunk Highway 10 and the westbound I694 counts in the 43,000 range. When the project is finished these traffic counts are expected to be 36,000 on northbound Trunk Highway 10 and 43,000 on westbound I694. The redesign is shifting everything onto Trunk Highway 10, which impacts the City of Arden Hills and its residents directly and this is an area of concern. The traffic counts for north and south Lexington Avenue are not available for analysis. He asked if Bolton&Menk had these figures available. Mr. Lindeberg stated he would leave a copy of the layout that had the figures that Mayor Harpstead was requesting. Mr. Chris Chromy, Bolton & Menk, Inc., stated the layout that was reviewed by Bolton& Menk did not have the 2030 traffic figures and so these figures have not been analyzed. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 13 6. B. Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project—Public Hearing (continued) Councilmember Holden stated the accident ratio in the area that will be redesigned is currently 5.6%. She asked if this figure would increase during construction. Mr. Wayne Norris, North Area Manager with Mn/DOT, stated due to the limited access during the construction phase the number of accidents is expected to reduce but there are no studies that have been done by Mn/DOT in this respect. Mayor Harpstead opened the public hearing at 8:45 p.m. Mr. Gene Gjerdingen, 2553 Fisk Street, Roseville, stated he is a bike commuter. He provided _ the Council with information from Mn/DOT's bicycle design manual. He stated that according to this information Mn/DOT has the responsibility to provide a safe pedestrian or bicycle crossing and this should have been part of the planning and design of this project. Mr. Maurice Gieske, 1817 Janet Court, Arden Hills, stated he had participated in the NAC and understands that Mn/DOT will not be providing a noise wall. He suggested alternatives that have not been considered, such as utilizing the large amounts of dirt that will be removed to build a berm which will help reduce noise levels for neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are already above the maximum decibel level set by the State and having the increase in traffic will only make this worse without some sort of noise barrier in place. Mn/DOT should be able to provide some compromise for these neighborhoods. Ms. Chris Lustig, 1901 Todd Drive, Arden Hills, encouraged the Council to deny Municipal Consent at this time because, as the Mayor pointed out, the plans are not complete and Mn/DOT has not been able to provide answers to the questions that have been brought up by the residents and the Council. Ms. Linda Hansohn, 1124 Amble Drive, Arden Hills, stated she is happy that Mn/DOT is looking at redesigning this section of the system because this area needs to be made safer for people to travel on. She encouraged the Council not to shut down the project even though it is not perfect because something needs to be done in this section of the highway. Mr. Tom Valind, 1463 Arden View Drive, Arden Hills, stated concerns about the noise and the need for some sort of noise abatement. He also stated that a stop sign at County Road F would cause problems in the future as the traffic count increases. Ms. Toni Morgan, 1565 Briarknoll Drive, Arden Hills, moved to Arden Hills in 1987 and at that time there was no noise. Each project has brought changes to the noise levels but Mn/DOT continues to say that this change will not be significant. All these changes over time add up and something needs to be done about the noise levels. Mr. Steve Gjerdingen, 2553 Fisk Street, Roseville, agreed that the project is incomplete and the main reason is because it lacks a bicycle and pedestrian crossing. He asked if there had been any contact with the railroad regarding the possibility of a bridge or underpass. He stated Mn/DOT could make a better design. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 14 6.B. Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project—Public Hearing(continued) Mr. George Winiecki, 4175 Highway 10, Arden Hills, stated he had participated in the NAC and does not believe that in twenty years the noise levels will not be any more than they are today. He has lived at this location for 62 years and has seen the changes. He has to deal with looking at the highway in his backyard and the pollution. He has to pick up the litter from the highway from his backyard. He stated he is upset about this project and does not agree with the highway moving closer to his home. He stated that anything that could be done to hide the sight and sounds from the highway would be appreciated. Ms. Marcia Droege, 1200 West County Road F, Arden Hills, representing Land O'Lakes, stated Land O'Lakes has over 1500 employees at the headquarters location and 900 of these are in Arden Hills and 600 in Shoreview. Several of these employees have expressed concerns about safety on County Road F and Lexington Avenue. She stated these problems would only get worse with the increased traffic that will occur on County Road F. Ms. Jean Day, 4250 Hamline Avenue N, Arden Hills, stated she has lived in her neighborhood for 31 years and watched the traffic increase on Hamline Avenue. The traffic is such that it is dangerous for her to get her mail. She disagrees with Mn/DOT's assessment on what will happen on I694 when the north access to Hamline Avenue is removed. They are proposing a new light and less traffic but this will not be the case. Mr. Russell Bertsch, 4419 Amble Circle, Arden Hills, stated Lexington Avenue is already a busy street and it will only get busier with the removal of the accesses for Hamline Avenue. The demands on Lexington Avenue will increase and this needs to be addressed before moving forward with this project. Mr. David Boldt, 1555 Briarknoll Circle, Arden Hills, stated he supports everything that has been said by the Council and the residents and agreed that something needs to be done with the roads to increase safety. The road being proposed is a bad choice. They could provide a better design that would include a pedestrian crossing and noise mitigation for Arden Hills. The plan being proposed will destroy the north part of the City. Mr. Rich Straumann, 4380 Arden View Court, Arden Hills, stated the Resolution dated July 14, 2010, from the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department places priority on pedestrian crossings. A possible pedestrian crossing has been proposed and he thinks this should be looked into more. Even though a trail may not have been in the County's plans, they did pass a resolution last month making pedestrian crossings a priority. Mr. Chris Vosbeek, 1553 Briarknoll Drive, Arden Hills, expressed concerns about the noise in his neighborhood and would like to see noise mitigation for this area. He also expressed concerns regarding impairment of local roadways with this design. Mayor Harpstead closed the public hearing at 9:14 p.m. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL--August 9, 2010 15 6.B. Mn/DOT Interstate 694 Improvement Project—Public Hearing (continued) Civil Engineer Giga stated after the public hearing the City has 90 days to decide about Municipal Consent. Council may direct Staff to obtain additional information, or the Council may defer discussion to a future meeting or work session. Councilmember Holden stated another meeting would not be needed. The Council and residents have expressed several concerns and issues that need to be resolved before Municipal Consent is given. Mayor Harpstead suggested allowing Mn/DOT time to answer the questions and concerns that were raised and have this brought back to the Council's August 3 oth meeting. Councilmember Holmes stated this should be further discussed in a work session because there is still the potential that a design could be worked out that would be beneficial to the City of Arden Hills. Another work session with Mn/DOT may be helpful in finding a resolution. Councilmember Holden asked Mr. Lindeberg if the input from tonight's meeting would impact the design Mn/DOT has for this project. Mr. Lindeberg stated if the Council did not vote on this proposal tonight then Mn/DOT would go back and look at the design again to determine if anything can be done to meet the needs of the City. He clarified that the design may not change based on this information but he could not answer this at this time. Councilmember Holden stated if Mn/DOT had something new to bring forward then another meeting could be scheduled. Councilmember Holmes stated Mn/DOT heard good input from the Council and the residents of Arden Hills and it would be better to try and work with Mn/DOT at this time rather than just saying no. Mayor Harpstead stated the county and Shoreview have not had a chance to participate in these discussions. Another worksession involving these interested parties could be arranged. Councilmember Holden stated another meeting should be scheduled only if Mn/DOT has something new to present to the City. It was the consensus of the Council to allow Staff to work with Mn/DOT to determine if this should be brought back to a work session or the next Council meeting for a vote. 7. NEW BUSINESS ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 16 B. Resolution 2010-040: Electing to Continue Participating in the Local Housing Incentives Account Program Under the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act City Planner Beekman stated in 1995, the City opted to participate in the Metropolitan Livable Community Act Local Housing Incentives Account (LCA/LHIA). Participating in this program is voluntary. However, it provides an opportunity for the City to compete for grants and loans to support activities that help the City in meet housing goals; remediate environmental contaminated sites; and support projects that link jobs, housing, and transit. Through this program, the City received $200,000 in 2006 to remediate contamination at the Traverse Business Center property and $75,000 for Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) property reuse planning in 2002. All cities that participate in the LCA/LHIA program are required to establish affordable and life _ cycle housing goals for the next decade (2011 —2020). As part of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the City already acknowledged that the City's share of the regional affordable housing need was 288 new affordable housing units. In recognition of many cities' limited resources to create new affordable housing, the Metropolitan Council has shifted from one target affordable housing number to a target range for affordable housing and life-cycle housing. The new target of affordable housing units in Arden Hills is 187 to 288 new units over ten years. The life-cycle housing target range for Arden Hills is 285 to 800 new units. Both of these ranges are in line with the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations provided the TCAAP property redevelops in accordance with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. If the TCAAP property does not redevelop by 2020 and/or if the property redevelops in a manner substantially different than what has been envisioned, these ranges will need to be re-evaluated. If a city is not able to meet the affordable housing goals by 2020, there are no repercussions. However, if a city does not participate in the program, the city is not eligible for certain grant programs, including the Livable Communities Demonstration Account (LCDA), Local Housing Incentive Account (LHIA), and Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA). The LCDA and TBRA grants in particular could be useful on the old City Hall/Public Works property, in the B2 District, and for TCAAP. MOTION: Councilmember Grant moved and Councilmember Holden seconded a motion to approve Resolution 2010-040: Electing to Continue Participating in the Local Housing Incentives Account Program under the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act. Councilmember Holmes asked if these funds are for livable communities why the City was able to get a grant for the Traverse Business Center. City Planner Beekman stated the primary goal of this program is affordable housing but other types of grants are available that the City can apply for. One of these programs is for brown field cleanup and redevelopment. If the City had not been participating in the program they would not have been eligible for this grant. Councilmember Holmes stated if the City did not participate then the City would not have to meet the goals for affordable housing and life-cycle housing. City Planner Beekman stated the Metropolitan Council establishes these goals. The City has already acknowledged and set these goals in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. There are no ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 17 7. B. Resolution 2010-040: Electing to Continue Participating in the Local Housing Incentives Account Program Under to Metropolitan Livable Communities Act(continued) repercussions if the City is not able to meet the affordable housing by 2020. If the City does not participate in this program then in the future the City will not have the opportunity to participate in these types of grants. In order to participate the City has to take two steps: adopt a resolution acknowledging the affordable housing and life-cycle housing goals and the next step would be to adopt a housing action plan which talks about how the City would try to meet those goals. Mayor Harpstead clarified even if the City does not participate in this program the goals for affordable housing and life-cycle housing are still part of the City's goals in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Councilmember Holmes asked why the City was participating in this program. Mayor Harpstead stated this program affords the community the benefit of being eligible for grants that would otherwise not have been available. Councilmember McClung clarified by not participating in this program the City would not be eligible for other grants that may be used for cleanup on the TCAAP site, similar to the grant received for the cleanup at the Traverse Business Center. City Planner Beekman stated by not participating in the program the City would not be eligible for those grants offered through the program. Councilmember Holmes stated she thought it was illogical that the Metropolitan Council set goals for affordable housing and life-cycle housing and then offered grants for cleanup of business sites. Councilmember Holden stated the City was only acknowledging the goals that already part of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Councilmember Grant clarified if TCAAP did not develop then the City would not be able to meet the affordable housing and life-cycle housing goals. The goals can be changed based on what happens at TCAAP. At this time taking part in this program would not disadvantage the City. City Planner Beekman stated the Resolution specifically states these goals are based on the assumption that the former TCAAP site will redevelop in accordance with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and if TCAAP does not redevelop by 2020 or develops in a manner different than contemplated in the Comprehensive Plan, the housing goals will need to be re-evaluated. The motion was called to a vote. The motion carried unanimously(5-0). ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—August 9, 2010 18 C. Set a Date to Call a Meeting for the Board of Canvas Following the Primary City Administrator Patrick Klaers stated the Council needed to set a meeting time after the primary election on Tuesday to canvas the returns. He requested the Council call a Special Meeting on Friday, August 13, 2010. Finance Director Iverson clarified a reading of the state election law and noted that Arden Hills did not have a City primary on August 10 so they would not have to canvas any returns. T Mayor Harpstead stated no action was required for Item 7C. 8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Mayor Harpstead welcomed Terry Maurer as the City's Public Works Director. Councilmember Grant reminded Staff to look into the low interest Home Energy Improvement loans that were being offered by surrounding communities. He thanked City Attorney Filla for clearing the way for the trail construction to be completed. He stated he would like to see this trail connection completed before school started so that it could be utilized. Councilmember McClung reminded the Council he would be out of town for about ten days in late August. Councilmember Holden stated she would like to see the age of those homes not in compliance on the I&I report. Night to Unit was held on Tuesday, August 3 and one of the complaints she heard often was in regards to the Library moving and the County spending so much in improvements to the Roseville Library when they could have spent some of those funds on the Arden Hills Library. She also requested an update in the Admin Report on the signage for the Elmer L. Anderson Trail. Councilmember Holden stated in the past, the City of Arden Hills has not posted the names of candidates until after the primary closes. She requested that the list on the City's website be removed until after the primary closes. ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember McClung moved and Councilmember Holden seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). Mayor Harpstead adjourned the Regular City Cou it Meeting at 9:4 .m. Patrick Klaers Stanley Ha st d City Administrator Mayor