2007-09-26 CC WS - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City Council 2007-09-26, 6:00 p.m. Minutes of Work Session Present were Mayor Capra, Council members Tom Lee, Linda Broussard-Vickers, Jeff Paar, and Michelle Lakso. Also present were City Attorney Kurt Glaser, Jeff McDonald & Mark Statz of Bonestroo & Assoc., Public Works Director Paul Palzer and Suzanne Seeley. Mark Statz went through a written letter dated September 26, 2007, detailing outstanding issues and their proposed solutions. The contractor, Veit Construction, will take care of all of the items on the list except for the shoreline restoration. The firm of Bonestroo and Associates will take over and complete the shoreline restoration at its expense. Bonestroo will make interim measures this fall to control erosion and will implement permanent solutions next spring. Mark Statz pointed out that Rice Creek Watershed District has inspected both the raingarden and the shoreline restoration. Their letter dated September 12, 2007, indicated that they are satisfied with the raingarden provided that the repairs that were agreed to on September 10, are completed. Raingarden plants need to be replaced. There was concurrence that the replacement of the plants could be delayed to spring 2008, since the growing season is over and plants put in now would not root in. The other items (except shoreline and raingarden plantings) on the “issues to be addressed’ will be completed by Veit Construction in the next two or three weeks. The work session was recessed for the regular council meeting at 6:40 p.m. and reconvened at 8:15 p.m. Following the Council meeting the work session continued with discussion of downtown redevelopment issues. Administrator Larson reviewed a meeting held by staff with representatives of Beard Group earlier this week to review downtown improvement costs. The engineer now estimates downtown infrastructure costs to be about $4million. The increase is attributed to new drainage standards and an upward revision in the estimated cost for streetscape improvements. Beard Group has been asked for a substantial commitment in order to keep the planning of improvements moving forward. The Council discussed issues related to the CSAH 14 project. It was noted that the relocation of the Main Street utilities around the downtown have been delayed because one of the property owners south of Heritage is not willing to allow trimming or removal of trees to permit installation of the line. Attempts will continue to be made to resolve the property owner’s concerns, but the issue may ultimately need to be resolved by acquiring an easement through eminent domain. Tree removal from the County right of way has proceeded quickly and has resulted in many calls to the City. The County is removing every tree from its right of way. The City has had a minor dispute already with Anoka County and its contractor over whether the temporary water service to Mound Trail residents is an incidental cost or whether it should be an extra cost. While the City engineer has told the County that