HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014/12/15 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session /I/ St. Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES
MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
DECEMBER 15, 2014
The meeting convened at 6.15 p.m.
Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, Tim Brausen, Steve Hallfin, Gregg Lindberg,
Anne Mavity, Susan Sanger, and Jake Spano.
Councilmembers absent: None
Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Director of Engineenng (Ms. Heiser), Chief
Information Officer (Mr. Pires), Senior Engineering Project Manager (Mr. Sullivan),
Planning/Zoning Supervisor (Ms. McMonigal), Civic TV Coordinator(Mr. Dunlap), Community
TV Coordinator (Mr. McHugh), Communications & Marketing Coordinator (Mr Zwilling), and
Recording Secretary(Ms. Hughes).
Guests: Mr. Brian Grogan (Moss & Barnett), Telecommunications Advisory Commission
Members Bruce Browning, Andrew Reinhardt, Toby Keeler, and Chair Cindy Hoffman, and
Comcast representative Kate Hensing.
1. Southwest LRT—Beltline Traffic Follow-Up
Mr. Sullivan presented the staff report and provided further detail regarding the data provided in
the staff report related to existing and future freight rail volumes, historic and future traffic
forecasts around the Beltline station, additional development scenarios envisioned in 2040, and
levels of service along the Beltline corndor using 2030 traffic data and an enhanced 2030
forecast including the SPO proposed improvements as well as grade separation
Councilmember Sanger stated that the level of service analysis appears to indicate that if no
Beltline underpass were built and only the improvements that the SPO is recommending were in
place, the level of service would get worse not better.
Mr. Sullivan stated that this was correct.
Councilmember Sanger stated if there is to be no Beltline underpass, there needs to be other
mitigation measures and she felt that Met Council should pay for those measures because their
design is making the intersection worse.
Mr. Sullivan stated that the SPO's rationale is that light rail operations alone do not contnbute to
the degradation in levels of service and any other improvements are tied to what St. Louis Park
wants its community to be and the growth it wants and accordingly should be paid for by the
City.
Councilmember Sanger requested comment about Hennepin County's willingness to change the
signal timing at CSAH 25 and Ottawa.
Ms. Heiser explained that Hennepin County has indicated it is okay with the improvements
proposed by the SPO and staff will continue to meet with Hennepin County about signal timing
as well as other improvements, including the addition of lanes and replacing the signal.
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Special Study Session Minutes -2- December 15, 2014
Councilmember Sanger felt it would be helpful to have comparative data on Wooddale and
Beltline, adding she did not want to make a decision about the Beltline underpass until Council
can review comparative data in order to make an informed choice.
Councilmember Mavity felt it was fair to review similar data for Wooddale but cautioned that
the data would not provide an apples-to-apples comparison. She stated she was conflicted about
whether to proceed with the Beltline underpass and felt it was premature to make that decision.
Councilmember Spano felt that the City should proceed with the engineering for the Beltline
underpass. He acknowledged this is a momentous decision and he was initially leery of it, but
after reviewing the data and in particular the data showing a 30-50% increase across the board, it
became clear to him this could be a senous issue. He added he also wants to include the
proposed improvements at CSAH 25.
Councilmember Lindberg agreed that the additional data provided by staff made him further
consider whether to proceed with the Beltline underpass, but he did not see the value proposition
here and did not want to spend the money on engineenng costs to design the underpass or for
building the underpass. He felt that the proposed improvements on CSAH 25 made a lot of
sense, but not the grade separation at Beltline. He added he would like to know more about the
conversations with Hennepin County about the regional trails and making sure any decisions are
well coordinated between the City, Hennepin County and Three Rivers and suggested having a
conversation with Dan Freeman
Councilmember Brausen agreed with Councilmember Lindberg and stated that $20+ million is a
lot of money that could be spent on other projects and he felt it was important to push Hennepin
County to make additional improvements at CSAH 25 and Beltline.
Councilmember Hallfin continued to feel strongly that Council should move forward with the
engineering study for the Beltline underpass.
Councilmember Sanger stated she wanted to move forward with the engineenng study
Mayor Jacobs agreed that $23 million was a lot of money but was willing to move forward with
the engineenng study, adding he would rather preserve the option of building the Beltline
underpass than foreclose it.
It was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to provide comparative data for Wooddale
and Beltline pnor to making a final decision in January regarding the Beltline LRCI.
Mayor Jacobs recessed the Special Study Session at 7:02 p.m. in order to convene the Economic
Development Authority and City Council meetings. Mayor Jacobs reconvened the Special Study
Session at 8:56 p.m.
2. Comcast Franchise Transfer
Mr. Pires presented the staff report and introduced Brian Grogan (Moss and Barnett) along with
staff members Jamie Zwilling, Reg Dunlap, and John McHugh, Telecommunications Advisory
Commission Members Bruce Browning, Andrew Reinhardt, Toby Keeler, and TAC Chair Cindy
Hoffman, and Comcast representative Kate Hensing
Special Study Session Minutes -3- December 15, 2014
Mr. Grogan provided background information regarding the Comcast-Time Warner merger and
explained that Comcast has voluntanly agreed to divest itself of four million customers as a
result of the merger, with 2.5 million customers divested to a new entity, Midwest Cable, that
will own the Twin Cities market and will be renamed "GreatLand Connections " He explained
that Midwest Cable does not exist today and will be a new publicly traded company owned 1/3
by Charter and 2/3 by Comcast shareholders and run by a separate Board of Directors with nine
board members, three of whom will have a Charter affiliation. He reviewed the timeline for
local action and stated the deadline has been extended to January 15, 2015, adding that a draft
report is ready but the accountants are waiting for some missing financial information He stated
that all local field operations and technical personnel will be Midwest Cable employees and other
operational services will be provided by Charter personnel such as customer service, billing and
collections, marketing and sales, and administrative services. He advised that a transfer report
along with the financial report will be provided to Council, along with a recommended
resolution, and Council will have an opportunity to include appropriate conditions in the
resolution, e.g., conditions related to customer service.
Councilmember Sanger asked if the City could include a provision in its resolution that sets
standards for customer service.
Mr. Grogan replied in the affirmative.
Councilmember Hallfin asked what would happen if the City denies the transfer? Mr. Grogan
explained that in addition to a court dispute, Comcast would carve out the St. Louis Park
franchise area and contract for all services with Midwest and Charter anyway, because Comcast
won't be operating any other franchises in the State of Minnesota.
Mr. Harmemng asked if Midwest Cable would be required to submit a communications plan as
part of this transaction.
Mr Grogan explained that two transition plans will be necessary, one plan transitioning from
Comcast to Midwest Cable and the other plan transitioning from Midwest Cable to Charter.
Those transition plans are in the process of being finalized and will be reviewed to make sure
they comply with the City's franchise agreement. He said that the North Suburban
Communications Commission recently approved the transfer with conditions and the southwest
suburbs approved a resolution that included conditions related to their existing PEG channels.
Councilmember Spano requested that staff provide Council with information about what other
cities have done.
Mr. Pires agreed to provide this information to Council and stated that Council will be asked to
approve a resolution on January 5, 2015.
Mayor Jacobs requested that general information regarding the transfer be posted on the City's
website and in Park Perspective
Mayor Jacobs adjourned the meeting at 9.49 p.m.
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Nancy Stroth, City Clerk Jeff Jac s/Ma or