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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026/04/27 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionOfficial minutes Study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota April 27, 2026 The meeting convened at 6:22 p.m. Council Members present: Daniel Bashore, Jim Engelking, Sue Budd, Tim Brausen, Yolanda Farris, Paul Baudhuin, Mayor Nadia Mohamed Council Members absent: none Staff present: city manager (Ms. Keller), deputy engineering director (Mr. Sullivan) Guests: Will Fenner and Justin J. Scott, SRF Group Discussion Item 1. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad safety study Mr. Sullivan presented the staff report. He was joined by Justin Scott and Will Fenner of SRF Consulting Group, representing their freight rail planning division. The three noted they had previously appeared before the council approximately one year prior to present a high-level overview of quiet zones. Mr. Sullivan explained that the study is formally referred to as a railroad crossing safety study rather than a quiet zone study, as the broader framing opens more funding opportunities. He noted that the community's primary concern driving the study has been train horn noise. He outlined the agenda for the presentation: an overview of quiet zones, a summary of the city's 14 public crossings, findings from the diagnostic field meeting, an introduction to the sub-zone framework and estimated costs. Mr. Sullivan described a quiet zone as a designated segment of railroad track where trains are not required to routinely sound their horns, though they may still do so for safety reasons. Quiet zones are governed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and require crossings to meet four minimum criteria: flashing lights, gate arms, constant warning time devices and power-out indicators. He noted a rough per-crossing implementation cost of approximately $1,250,000, with higher costs anticipated at larger intersections. Mr. Sullivan reported that St. Louis Park has 14 public roadway crossings along the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail line, which runs north-south parallel to Highway 100. The corridor also includes crossings in Golden Valley and Edina due to their proximity. Train frequency currently averages approximately two per day, though the schedule has shifted between daytime and overnight operations over the years and is entirely market driven. Following field visits conducted jointly with CPKC representatives, FRA officials, Minnesota Department of Transit (MnDOT) staff, city staff and SRF consultants, the study found approximately half of the city's crossings do not meet the minimum quiet zone criteria. The study also identified that the city could be organized into five geographic sub-zones rather than treated as a single zone, offering flexibility in implementation. Study session minutes - 2 - April 27, 2026 Sub-zone A covers two crossings in Golden Valley and one in St. Louis Park at Wayzata Boulevard. Sub-zone B covers one crossing at Cedar Lake Road. Sub-zone C covers 28th and 29th Streets near Dakota Park. Sub-zone D covers the Walker Lake area and includes crossings that already meet minimum requirements. Sub-zone E covers crossings extending into Edina. Mr. Sullivan stated that a citywide implementation across all five zones would cost approximately $10,000,000 in St. Louis Park alone, not including costs in Golden Valley or Edina. He noted that sub-zone D could be implemented for as little as $50,000, or up to approximately $190,000 if additional recommended enhancements were included and could be established within approximately 18 months of initiating the FRA process. Council Member Brausen asked whether the Cedar Lake Road crossing in sub-zone B already had crossing arms. Mr. Sullivan confirmed it does not and has only cantilever lights, which is why it does not meet the minimum criteria. Council Member Budd asked whether sub-zone D could be designated as a quiet zone on its own. Mr. Sullivan confirmed it could, and that the application process could begin immediately. Mr. Scott elaborated on the FRA notice process, explaining that a notice of intent allows safety- measure implementation to move forward, followed by a notice of establishment that begins a 21-day review period. He noted this process typically spans approximately 18 to 36 months and that his firm has a 100% approval rate on submitted notices of intent. Council Member Budd asked whether the study incorporated analysis of residential density and demographics along each sub-zone. Mr. Sullivan confirmed that the study included analysis of populations under age 18, multifamily housing, income levels and BIPOC community representation, with greater demographic diversity found in sub-zones B, C and D. Ms. Heiser added that land use factors such as hotels, schools, parks, hospitals and senior care facilities were also mapped. Ms. Heiser noted that the Wayzata Boulevard crossing in sub-zone A is already included in the city's capital improvement plan (CIP) as a 2030 project and the crossing will be constructed to be quiet-zone ready. She also noted that 28th Street is part of the 2026 pavement management project but that the necessary crossing improvements are railroad infrastructure, not roadway work, and were not incorporated into that project's scope. Mr. Sullivan described the crossing closure option, noting that 29th Street and 42nd Street were identified as the strongest closure candidates due to parallel routes on 28th Street and 41st Street respectively. Closing a crossing eliminates the approximately $1,250,000 upgrade cost and may generate up to $100,000 in railroad contributions toward closure costs. Mr. Sullivan noted that closure permanently eliminates the crossing for all users including pedestrians and cyclists. Council Member Engelking noted that 42nd Street serves as a key pedestrian and bicycle connection to Jackley Park and expressed the view that a full closure there would likely be unacceptable to the neighborhood. Study session minutes - 3 - April 27, 2026 Council Member Baudhuin asked whether the crossing closures could reduce costs meaningfully, noting the proximity of sub-zone C crossings to multiple parks, and indicated interest in exploring closure of 29th Street with thorough community engagement. Council Member Baudhuin asked whether the study included any crash history data. Mr. Sullivan confirmed the study did include crash analysis as part of the initial tabletop exercise and stated there are no known crash problems at these locations. Mr. Scott clarified that the federal funding framing as a safety study is strategic, as no federal funding exists specifically for quiet zones, but programs do fund rail crossing safety improvements. He noted that any crossing lacking gate mechanisms is considered unsafe by MnDOT standards and that the Section 130 program, which funds lights, gates and constant warning time improvements, is significantly oversubscribed at the state level. Council Member Budd asked whether there was any risk that the city could invest $9,000,000– $10,000,000 and then have the railroad revert to a daytime schedule, eliminating the noise concern. Mr. Sullivan acknowledged this was entirely possible, as the city has no control over train scheduling, which is driven by market forces. Council Member Engelking, who resides approximately 100 feet from the line, described the current pattern of two overnight trains running approximately 11 to 11:30 p.m. and 1:30–2:30 a.m. and noted the schedule had been consistently daytime for eight years before switching to nights. Council Member Budd asked how long the schedule had historically varied. Mr. Sullivan confirmed it has varied over the years and most recently has moved back to an overnight schedule. Mr. Scott noted that the CPKC line through St. Louis Park is not a major national through- corridor and currently serves a limited number of businesses. He acknowledged that volume could increase if significant industrial or commercial development occurred along the corridor but considered major growth unlikely. Council Member Bashore noted that the safety study framing was partly aspirational given the corridor's low risk profile and asked whether calling it a safety study while acknowledging no safety problems could undermine a grant application. Mr. Scott stated that MnDOT and the FRA do consider any crossing without gates to be a safety concern regardless of crash history and that the narrative would be framed around the Section 130 program's funding limitations in metropolitan areas. Mayor Mohamed acknowledged the quality-of-life impact reported by residents and expressed support for pursuing sub-zone D as a near-term, affordable action. She stated she was not prepared to commit to the 20% local match required for a potential federal 80/20 grant for a larger project without more information and expressed interest in a phased approach. She also noted the importance of understanding what partner cities Golden Valley and Edina intend to do before pursuing zones A or E. Study session minutes - 4 - April 27, 2026 Council Member Bashore asked whether the city could pursue grant funding while retaining the ability to withdraw if external funding was not secured. Ms. Heiser confirmed this was possible and that the council typically adopts a resolution before applying for large grants, similar to the approach used for the Oxford- Louisiana project. Ms. Keller clarified that the city's grant strategy is to ensure projects are already in the CIP before seeking supplemental funds, and that adding items to the CIP involves trade-offs with other planned projects. She stated that if the council directed staff to add sub-zones B, C or beyond to the CIP, those items could be added but would require displacing other priorities. Council Member Baudhuin expressed support for moving forward with sub-zone D promptly. including pursuing the available grant opportunity with an application deadline of June 8, 2026. He also expressed interest in pursuing sub-zones B and C and asked whether a grant application could be submitted for those zones. Ms. Heiser noted that sub-zone D does not qualify for a grant given its scope. Ms. Keller indicated the team needed to review the grant requirements more closely before determining applicability. Council Member Brausen expressed support for sub-zone D but stated he wanted more community engagement before committing to the larger cost of zones A, B, C, or E. He noted the significant constituent concern about tax increases and said residents should be presented with the cost information before the city commits to larger investments. Council Member Baudhuin raised the concern that waiting entirely for passive integration into CIP projects could mean a 20-year delay for 28th and 29th Streets, given that those roads were recently reconstructed. Ms. Heiser clarified that because those crossings require only railroad infrastructure work rather than road reconstruction, they could be addressed at any time independent of pavement management cycles. Council Member Baudhuin asked about staff workload implications of adding zones B and C to the current CIP cycle. Ms. Heiser responded that staff is currently committed to the 2027 and 2028 projects and that the earliest realistic CIP integration would be 2029. She recommended completing community engagement first, then revisiting the CIP in the next annual cycle. Council Member Baudhuin expressed a preference for proactive planning for zones B and C contingent on securing external funding rather than waiting passively. Ms. Keller suggested a middle path of completing sub-zone D implementation, conducting community engagement this year and incorporating findings into the 2027 CIP update process. Council Member Baudhuin noted concern that residents living immediately adjacent to the tracks may push strongly for faster action even at significant cost. Ms. Heiser noted that the Walker Lake District reconstruction project incorporated quiet-zone- ready improvements at sub-zone D crossings, setting the city up for implementation in that sub- zone. Council Member Budd stated she supported sub-zone D and that the prior Walker-Lake investment made it a logical first step. Study session minutes - 5 - April 27, 2026 The council’s consensus was to move forward with sub-zone D implementation. Ms. Keller summarized the direction from council as follows: proceed with sub-zone D implementation; conduct community engagement for sub-zones B and C; coordinate with Golden Valley and Edina on sub-zones A and E; and continue planning for the Wayzata Boulevard crossing as part of the 2030 CIP project. Council confirmed this summary. Council Member Budd requested that staff provide the demographic and land use data compiled during the study, including BIPOC population, age and income information by sub- zone. Ms. Heiser confirmed this would be provided. Council Member Engelking noted that residents were likely to appreciate the thoroughness of the city's analysis even if full implementation was not immediately affordable. He expressed the view that transparency about costs would help residents understand why a comprehensive solution is not immediately feasible. Council Member Engelking shared that he had chosen to purchase a home in St. Louis Park in 2015 partly because trains ran only during the day and indicated he would have reconsidered if overnight operations been in place at that time. Written Report 4. Development update Q2 2026 Council Member Budd noted that at least one development was missing from the written report and asked whether this was an oversight. Staff indicated it may relate to a project still before the board. Council Member Engelking raised a question regarding the workforce diversity goals cited in the report, specifically noting a discrepancy between the 6% female participation goal referenced in the city's inclusionary policy document and the 20% figure reflected on page 11 of the written report. He asked staff to clarify which figure was correct. Ms. Keller indicated she would follow up. Council Member Engelking noted that meeting female workforce participation targets in the skilled trades is structurally difficult given the current composition of trade union membership. The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor These minutes were created with the assistance of a generative AI transcript service, then edited and finalized by a city staff person.