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Regular City Council Meeting Monday,August 25,2014 Page 3 Councilmember Laliberte reported on her recent attendance at a joint Arden Hills, Shore- view and Roseville Chamber of Commerce meeting, where Metropolitan Transit's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) representatives unveiled projected plans for possible routes and pre- liminary information as part of a future expansion into the TCAAP redevelopment area. However, Councilmember Laliberte advised that Metro Transit had no definite timeframe in mind, and that it was not on their current list of priorities. Councilmember Laliberte stated that a number of good questions were raised by members of the business community and municipal representative; including the potential for construction of a park and ride to support a BRT since it was not considered sustainable as an urban BRT and requiring other modes of transportation to connect to other lines. Councilmember Laliberte noted that the next BRT slated was the West Seventh Street line, but at the re- quest of Ramsey County and the City of St. Paul, the Metro Transit had put that project on hold for completion of the Ramsey County Transportation Study. When asked about available funding for that proposed BRT line, Metro Transit representatives advised that those funds had been diverted to the Penn Avenue BRT line as part of their criteria was for a "shovel ready" project. Therefore, Councilmember Laliberte reported that those funds would not be kept in this area for other uses, even though University of Northwest- ern-St. Paul representatives had provided information on their projected ridership and other businesses expressed their interest in incorporating their employee base into plans for a BRT in this area. At the request of Councilmember McGehee, Councilmember Laliberte advised that whether a future Hamline or Lexington Avenue BRT path was chosen, it would eventual- ly serve businesses along that pat and connect to Highway 96, with TCAAP as the end destination for the line. When she asked about phasing of the BRT line, Councilmember Laliberte advised that Metro Transit representatives talked about phasing with regular bus routes rather than and before consideration of extending the BRT line. Mayor Roe thanked Councilmember Laliberte for her ongoing advocacy for improved transportation in Roseville and the northern suburbs. Mayor Roe provided a brief update on the Comcast Cable Franchise Renewal process and formal negotiations proceeding to the administrative hearing stage with dates still pend- ing. Mayor Roe confirmed that the Shoreview City Council, one of the ten member cit- ies, had voted at their recent meeting to pull out of the commission,potentially changing the membership. Mayor Roe advised that the rationale of the City of Shoreview in mak- ing this decision was based in part to legal and consulting fee costs for the renewal pro- cess as well as the general working relationship of the cable commission with Comcast, even though theirs seemed to be a minority view among member cities. Since the City of Shoreview has until October 15, 2014 to make their final decision, Mayor Roe expressed his hope that something happened in the meantime with informal negotiations to resolve the remaining issues. However, Mayor Roe advised that the Shoreview City Council had authorized their City Manager to hire an attorney to negotiate on their behalf in this pro- cess; and as a result were no longer participating in commission negotiations, including