HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-119 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 2001/10/15RESOLUTION NO. 01-119
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR
STATE OF MINNESOTA CAPITAL APPROPRIATION
FOR RAILROAD SWITCHING YARD IN GLENCOE, MN
BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota as follows:
Section 1. Background.
1.01. The Cities of Minnetonka„ St. Louis Park and Hopkins (the Cities) have been Jointly
working to eliminate noise disturbances to their residents living adjacent to segments of
rail lines where rail car sorting operations are performed.
1.02 In 1999, the Cities funded a noise study that concluded these sorting operations generate
noise levels that exceed the State of Minnesota noise standards.
1.03. The Cities have actively pursued short-term and long-term solutions to mitigate the noise
from these rail operations. To date, the short-term solutions have provided little
improvement.
1.04. The railroad operator, Twin Cities & Western (TC&W) is nearing completion of an
agreement with MnDOT and the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authonty that would
expand their operations to include the now defunct Minnesota Praine Line (MPL). The
Cities are concerned that this expansion would further worsen the already untenable noise
problems in the neighborhoods of the three communities.
1.05. The construction of a switching yard in Glencoe, Minnesota was identified as the long-
term solution that would completely eliminate the blocking operations from the
residential communities. A switching yard would be beneficial to Glencoe from both an
operational and an economic development standpoint.
1.06. Minnesota Statute 16A.86 prescnbes the process by which local governments and
political subdivisions may request State of Minnesota capital appropriations.
1.07. The Cities, in cooperation with the City of Glencoe and the McLeod County Rail
authonty, have submitted an application for a State of Minnesota capital appropnation in
the amount of $796,020 for land acquisition and design and development costs for a
railroad switching yard.
Section 2. Council Action
2.01 The City Council of the City of St. Louis Park does hereby support the application for a
State of Minnesota capital appropriation by the Cities of Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and
Hopkins, in cooperation with the City of Glencoe and the McLeod County Rail
Authonty, in the amount of $796,020 for a railroad switching yard in Glencoe,
Minnesota.
Resolution No. 01-119 -2-
Adopted by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, on October 15, 2001.
Reviewed for Administration:
Attest
' y Clerk