HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010/06/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session Jft St., Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES
MINESOTA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
JUNE 21, 2010
The meeting convened at 6:32 p.m.
Councilmembers present Mayor Pro Tem Susan Sanger, Phil Finkelstein, Paul Omodt, and Julia
Ross.
Councilmembers absent Mayor Jeff Jacobs and Councilmembers Anne Mavity and Sue Santa.
Staff present. City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Senior Planner (Mr. Walther), Fire Chief (Mr.
Stemmer), Communications Coordinator (Mr. Zwilling), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Hughes).
Guests: Mohammad Lawal and Mike Clark, KKE Architects, and Pat Simms, Kraus Anderson.
1. Fire Stations Project Update
Mr. Walther presented the staff report and introduced Mohammad Lawal and Mike Clark from
KKE Architects and Pat Simms from Kraus Anderson.
Mr. Stemmer stated that Kraus Anderson was hired to move forward as construction manager and
the project is currently in the schematic design phase with an overall goal of utilizing the sites in the
best possible way and to meet the green policy adopted by the City.
Mr. Clark explained that they are half way through the schematic design phase and the
programming of the sites has been completed He discussed the 2006 space needs study and
indicated the Fire Stations Working Group determined that the space needs should be projected out
for twenty years instead of ten years; the space needs summary indicated that the biggest change was
in the apparatus area and includes one future bay in the expansion space at each station He added
that the ten year projection showed minimal mechanical space and the twenty year projection
attempts to include ample space inside the buildings for this equipment. He stated that there was
also a request for some additional space for City records storage and voter equipment storage; this
storage space would be placed wherever it makes the most sense.
Mr. Harmening pointed out that further information, including costs, with respect to the additional
requested spaces will be brought to the Council for a decision at a later date.
Councilmember Ross requested that this information include not only current costs but projected
costs if it is determined that this will be added at a future date.
Mayor Pro Tem Sanger asked what types of services the fire department envisions it will be
providing in ten or twenty years that are not being provided today.
Mr. Stemmer stated that the fire department may be more involved in providing EMS services such
as transport and ambulance and crew services which will require planning space for that. He stated
he felt that the Highway 394 corridor will see substantial redevelopment in the next twenty years
Special Study Session Minutes -2- June 21,2010
which will increase police and fire call volume, resulting in additional staffing needs. He stated that
the presence of light rail in the area will not require different equipment, but issues regarding route
control will need to be addressed. He added that the City currently responds to HAZMAT calls at
an operational level and the State has a chemical assessment team in Hopkins
Mr. Clark presented an overview of the site challenges and issues related to Fire Station No. 1 and
presented a 3D model of each site. He indicated that site access is limited because Oxford Street is a
one way street. He stated that the major concerns of the neighborhood include buffering the station
from the neighborhood, addressing training noise and smoke, designing a sustainable site, and
designing a station that fits in with their neighborhood. He then discussed the current design
direction for Fire Station No. 1 and presented a conceptual site plan. •
Councilmember Omodt stated that he had no problem with emergency vehicles traveling the wrong
way on Oxford Street and to provide the fire department with an exemption for this purpose
Mr. Stemmer advised that State law allows emergency vehicles to travel the wrong way down a one
way street in an emergency, but the difficulty arises when the emergency vehicles are returning to the
fire station.
Councilmember Omodt encouraged staff to design the fire stations as big and as flexible as possible
and to not be constrained by what exists today He stated that he felt it was important to see' this
project done right the first time.
Councilmembers Finkelstein and Ross agreed.
Mayor Pro Tem Sanger concurred with Councilmember Omodt and added it will be cheaper to
build these fire stations now than to go back to residents later asking for more money because the
fire stations are not meeting the needs of the City. She added that one of her goals for the buildings
is to utilize aesthetically pleasing architecture and to avoid institutional-looking buildings.
Mr. Clark then presented an overview of Fire Station No. 2, including site challenges and the
current design direction. He noted that the design attempts to get as far away from the Cedar Lake
Road intersection as possible to avoid traffic congestion. He added that the working group is aware
of the ongoing park improvements and the parking issues at this site.
Mr. Walther advised that neighborhood meetings are scheduled for Thursday of this week, residents
will be given an opportunity to review the conceptual site plan for each station, as well as for
Northside Park.
It was the consensus of the City Council that no significant changes were required at this time and
that the project goals are consistent with the City Council's expectations
Mr. Walther stated that staff will provide further information to the Council in August and it is
anticipated that cost estimates based on the schematic design will be available at that time.
Special Study Session Minutes -3- June 21, 2010
The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Written Reports provided and documented for recording purposes only.
2. Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Update
3. Project Report—W. 36th Street Streetscape Bri ge,,Enhancement— Project 2010-2600
Nancy Stroth, my Clerk Jeff Jab , M yor