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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985/12/16 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionJanuary 6, 1986 4c MINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION Council Chambers December 16, 1985 5:30 P.M. 1. Call to Order The meting was ca 1 led to order at 5:45 p.m. 2. Roll Call The following members were present at roll call: Mayor Lyle Hanks Councilmembers Ronald Backes Thomas Duffy S. Allen Friedman Keith Meland Larry Mitchell David Strand Also present were the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Planning Director, Park and Recreation Director, Director of Public Works, Assistant City Engineers and Administrative Assistant. 3. Capital Improvement Program STREETS Councilmember Meland asked if the new property owners would pay the assessment for the extension of the 3100 block of Quebec. Answer: Yes, the new property owners would be assessed per the street assessment policy. Councilmember Friedman raised concern for the curve at 25h Street, he asked if the curve would be any worse than the curve at the frontage road near the pedestrian bridge? Answer: No, the curve would not be any worse than the curve that already exists. Mayor Hanks asked what was the schedule was for the 36/Highway 100 interchange project? Answer: The project would be completed in July of 1986 and open to traffic at that time. Landscaping and restoration work would follow but would not interrupt the flow Of traffic. Councilmember Meland asked if the City would have the money available from the State for the Highway 7 south frontage road project this year? Answer: The Cooperative Agreement will be submitted to the State and is anticipated to be signed for approval. Mayor Hanks asked where the middle lanes would exist on Excelsior Boulevard west of Highway 100. Answer: The middle lane would be continuous from Highway 100 to approximately Dakota Avenue where the median exists. BUS SHELTERS Mayor Hanks asked what the age of the bus shelters on Excelsior Boulevard at Louisiana Avenue were? Answer: The bus shelter was constructed at the time that Methodist Hospital was constructed. Councilmember Strand asked whether there would be any "Park and Ride" lots along the I-394 corridor? Answer: Three "Park and R i de" 1 ots are p 1 anned a 1 ong 394, at the fo 11 owing locations: 1. Louisiana Avenue 2. Vernon Avenue 3. Boone Avenue The "Park and Ride" lot at Texas Avenue would also be a time transfer station for the bus scheduled routes. Councilmember Strand also asked who would be funding the "Park and Ride" sites? Answer: The State would fund the "Park and Ride" sites. Councilmember Strand asked how many cars the "Park and Ride" sites would hold? Answer: Available at a later date. WALKS AND TRAILS Councilmember Strand asked what is the anticipated completion date for all trails that are designated on the walks and trails map, included in the C.I.P. document? Answer: The completion is contingent upon council approval and direction. STORM SEWERS Councilmember Hanks asked what area would be filled for the 24th and Webster holding ' pond project? Answer: The area that would be filled would be the potential buildable area northwest of the holding pond. Mayor Hanks asked whether the Hannon Lake project would affect the high water level on the pond on the north side of Cedar Lake Road? Answer: The project would help to minimize the high water level but not alleviate the problem. Councilmember Mitchell asked what would be involved in pumping the high water area? Answer: Pumping has been attempted however, it is only a temporary solution. Significant amount of pumping has to be done in order to realize a minimum of lowering. Substantial rains only interfere with the pumping process. The long term solution would be to introduce the water into the water chain through the construction of a pumping station and sewer system. This project is proposed for 1989 but could be considered for a earlier year. Councilmember Meland asked who would be assessed for the Taft/Lake Street pumping station? Answer: The property proposed to be assessed would be the development immediately adjacent to the pumping station other wise known as the Mandel property. SANITARY SEWERS Councilmember Meland asked would the sanitary sewer project from Ottawa Avenue to 39th Street be coordinated with Excelsior Boulevard street project? Answer: The sanitary sewer project would not involve an open cut hole to Excelsior Boulevard. Rather, the sewer will be jacked underneath and traffic will not interrupted. It is anticipated that this project would be packaged at the end of 1986 or early 1987, following neighborhood meetings with the residents to explain the project. WATER UTILITIES Mayor Hanks asked what is the case to water main breaks and are there more now since the system is getting older? Answer: There are approximately two dozen water main breaks a year with the majority occurring late winter or early spring, when the soil begins to shift. Age is not the reason for water main breaks the majority of the time. The case is usually the result of heavy clay soils interfering with the infrastructure or frost action. STREET LIGHTING No questions were raised for this program. TRAFFIC SIGNALS Mayor Hanks asked if it would be feasible to put a light at both the intersection of Louisiana Avenue and 28th Street and Louisiana Avenue and 27th Street? Answer: From a engineering standpoint both the intersection of Louisiana Avenue/28th Street and Louisiana Avenue/27th Street meet the warrants for a traffic Signal. The council authorized staff to proceed with upgrading the signal at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street in the spring of 1985 and also recommended the monitoring the intersection at Louisiana Avenue/27th Street to determine a need for further consideration of a traffic signal at that intersection. Councilmember Mitchell asked when would the traffic signal at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street be constructed. Answer: 1986 Councilmember Strand asked why expend the money for a mast arm traffic signal at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street? Perhaps the City could just instal 1 an additional signal at 27th Street. Mayor Hanks asked would the State fight the installation of signals one block apart? Answer: The States criteria for evaluation of traffic signals is a question of design and whether the intersection meets the State warrants for the installation of those traffic signals. At this time it appears that both intersections would meet the warrants for the installation of traffic signals. The traffic signals would be designed to interconnect so that the majority of the motoring public would continue through the green phase of both traffic signals. Should the Council wish staff to step back and re-evaluate the need for continuing with the traffic signal at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street and further consider at this time the traffic signal at Louisiana Avenue/27th Street, staff would be prepared to do so. Councilmember Mitchell stated that the City Council authorized staff to proceed with the project at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street due to the increased traffic volumes and the need for a visable signal at this intersection was valued as important. It was the concensus of the Council to proceed with the project at Louisiana Avenue/28th Street, but to continue to look at the installation of a traffic signals for Louisiana Avenue/27th Street. Councilmember Strand asked why a traffic signal was proposed for the intersection of County Road 18/Cedar Lake Road for 1987. He expressed concerns for traffic congestion at this intersection and asked if the project could be moved to 1986? Answer: The traffic signal is included in the 1987 program as a result of the County's schedul ing. It is important that the 1987 time frame be meet so that the signal can be installed prior to and in conjunction with the I-394 work. Councilmember Mitchell asked what would be involved to up -grade the signal at Louisiana Avenue and Cedar Lake Road? Answer: Staff has discussed this proposal with Hennepin County. Hennepin County feels it is necessary to include turn lanes along with the arrow designation which would involve the acquisition of right of way. This project will probably be addressed in 1987. An alternative would be to adjust the signal timing which will be more thoroughly considered and presented to the City Council at a later date. LANDSCAPING Counci lmember Mitchel 1 asked was the retaining wal 1 at 14th and Texas privately constructed? Answer: The wall was constructed by a contractor under a City contract during the time of the street construction approximately 10 years ago. Councilmember Meland commented that the landscaping at 36th Street from Zinran to Utah could occur at the median at approximately Zinran Avenue because the median area is wider at that location. PARKS Counci 1 member M i tche 1 1 asked if right of way wi 11 be required for the north end of the Bass Lake trail? Answer: That property is City owned and the trail systems specific location will be determined following the completion of the development in order to insure the proper trail placement. EXCELSIOR BOULEVARD REDEVELOPMENT AREA No questions were raised for this program. 4. Liquor License Renewal for Garcia's and Classic Motor Compan Mayor Hanks noted in bringing this item up for discussion that liquor license violations had not ocurred at either establishment. He said that this item had been placed on the Study Session agenda to answer the questions about the number of police calls occurring at these businesses. Police Chief Mitchell was present to discuss this matter. He said liquor license holders sometimes feel as though they're operating under a Catch 22. Liquor license holders are encouraged to call police when a situation warrants their presence. Chief Mitchell said both the owners of Garcia's and the Classic Motor Company have been conscientious in their attendance of police -sponsored seminars. Councilmember Mitchell asked if the information presented to the City Council could be broken down in such a way to show which police calls are initiated by the liquor license owners and which are initiated by the police. Chief Mitchell said that the data could be presented in this manner. 5. Adjournment The Study Session was adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Recording Secretary uv Carmen J. Kaplan Administrative Assistant CJK/cmr