CC_Minutes_2016_1010 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, October 10, 2016 Page 14 tisement for Bids for Wheeler Street Closure" AND adoption of Resolution No. 11367 entitled, "Resolution Ordering the Improvement for Wheeler Street Clo- sure;" both respectively revised as noted in the bench handouts. In recognizing speakers from Arden Hills, Councilmember McGehee stated she was extremely syrnpathetic to their situation, but opined the public safety con- cerns were not due to closure of Wheeler Street. As a long-time volunteer at Presbyterian homes as well as serving on the City Council throughout this Wheeler Street temporary and permanent closure process, Councilmember McGehee noted her distress in the Presbyterian Homes expansion that used up considerable green space without any apparent consideration by their firm. After consulting with city engineers, Councilmember McGehee stated she had personal- ly met with the architect for Presbyterian Homes seeking a change to plans that would have brought their traffic onto Lake Johanna Boulevard versus Wheeler Street or Shorewood Lane, but opined she had found them intractable and sug- gested the park chop may have been their response. While recognizing that the City of Arden Hills hadn't offered an olive branch to Roseville residents, Councilmember McGehee stated the Roseville City Council's commitment was to their residents. In response to concerns with the permanent closure, Councilmember McGehee referenced a previous closure of County Road B at Highway 280 and similar worries and contention in that neighborhood. However, now that it had been completed, Councilmember McGehee noted the neighborhood was now a quiet and peaceful neighbarhood, with a pathway re- cently installed to facilitate neighborhood pedestrian and bicycle traffic. As a continuing volunteer at Presbyterian Homes, Councilmember McGehee not- ed their parking was inadequate, and if Wheeler Street was to remain open, it would only serve as a shortcut but also would invite Presbyterian Homes parking onWheeler street as well. Councilmember McGehee spoke in support of the permanent closure of Wheeler Street; opining Twin Lakes Parkway may actually turn out to be a positive, even though it would bring additional traffic into and through Roseville. Councilmember Willmus stated he was in agreement with much of Councilmem- ber McGehee's comments; and also sympathized with Arden Hills' resident con- cerns on Shorewood Drive. However, Councilmember Willmus stated he didn't think the answer was to keep Wheeler Street open due to Presbyterian Homes' development north of the intersection at County Road D and Wheeler Street. In- stead, Councilmember Willmus suggested the Roseville City Council reaching out to its colleagues in Arden Hills to take a closer look at the performance of the 5- way intersection to see if improvement measures were available.