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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-11 MinutesCITY OF COTTAGE GROVE PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION February 11, 2008 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a meeting of the Public Works Commission of Cottage Grove was duly held at Cottage Grove Public Works, 8635 West Point Douglas Road, Cottage Grove, Minnesota on Monday, February 11, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair David Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:59 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: David Anderson, Ken Boyden, Robert Dornsbach, Roger Finnegan, Gary Kjellberg, William Royce Staff Present: Les Burshten, Public Works Director Jennifer Levitt, City Engineer Also Present: Fred Luden, City Council Member 3. APPROVE MINUTES Commission Chair David Anderson indicated a correction was needed on Item 5A, the second paragraph, which now reads as follows: th Commission Chair David Anderson inquired whether Hinton Avenue, between 70 and th 80 Street would be seal coated to which Allan Larson responded that this particular area would be part of this project because of it’s inclusion in the pavement management area. Upon a motion by Robert Dornsbach, seconded by Ken Boyden, the January 14, 2008 minutes were unanimously approved. 4. ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS None. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Developer Fee for Seal Coating and Micro Surfacing Levitt explained the City is proposing to raise the developer fee for seal coating and micro surfacing. When a development comes into the City, one of the initial fees Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 2 charged covers the first seal coat application. In the 1990’s, $.65 per square yard was charged. In 2000, the charge was increased to $.80 per square yard. A recommendation has been made to increase the fee to $.90 per square yard. Initially the program only covered seal coating of the roadways and later, seal coating of the trails was added with developers charged $.80 per square yard. New and better products have come on line for different trail emulsions and the product now being used is in the $2.00 per square yard range. Our recommendation is to increase the trail maintenance fee to $2.25 per square yard. Chair David Anderson asked in comparing our fees to other cities, where does the City of Cottage Grove fall in comparison? Levitt responded she doesn’t have an actual dollar amount, however, she does know other cities charge developers for this type of application. Right now staff is looking to cover costs, not to profit from the procedure. MKB,RD OTION MADE BY ENOYDEN SECONDED BY OBERTORNSBACH TO INCREASE THE $.90/ DEVELOPMENT FEES AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO SQUARE YARD FOR $2.25/ THE STREET SEAL COATING AND SQUARE YARD FOR TRAIL MICRO PAVING OF ALL .M. BITUMINOUS SURFACING WITHIN THAT SUBDIVISIONOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED B. E/W Corridor Study For the last seven months the City has been working with Washington County and various partners to look at an east/west corridor in the south part of the county. It’s now being explored to determine if a road network from a county standpoint is warranted. There have been many issues to work through as they pertained to Highway 61 and how that layout will eventually affect Keats Avenue. A primary objective of the study is to figure out exactly what an interchange would look like at Highway 61 and Keats. The lane configuration and cost for the development proposed for the Drive-In site will need to be determined. Levitt also mentioned that the County is considering realignment of the main entrance of Ravine Regional Park from E. Point Douglas to County Road 19. For this study, the City partnered with Washington County and SEH was the consultant performing the traffic analysis. Along with the City and County, the Project Team also consisted of representatives from Grey Cloud Island Township, St. Paul Park, the Department of Transportation and 3M. A key finding is to measure the effects on the existing streets if a county or road network is not built. It was determined increased pressure could be placed on Jamaica Avenue, but the traffic volumes would not necessarily sustain past the year 2030. The effect on th Hadley Avenue, between 95 and Grange Boulevard is negative with the traffic volumes that could be generated. Through the process, it was concluded that the City, in essence, did need a route through the southern part of the county. Now the question is how large of a road network, and whose road network should it be? Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 3 Levitt commented it’s probably good that the redevelopment has slowed slightly for the Drive-In site providing more time for the design and master planning of how that road network would be laid out. Kjellberg inquired if development can be done before the infrastructure is in place. Levitt responded that the way funding works now there must be a problem before funds become available. The City would most likely know the dollar amount needed to be acquired from the developer for their portion but it’s probable we couldn’t proceed until after the development is in. With enough preplanning efforts the City can stay in line for different funding options. It’s important to have a design far enough along so we can proceed when the dollars become available. Anderson inquired what the developer’s timeline is on the project. Is there a general timetable when they are looking to start on the construction? Levitt responded the developer has pulled back, however, indicated grading could start this summer since there is such a large amount of material to move. Commission Member Ken Boyden inquired whose initial idea was this corridor study, Washington County’s or Cottage Grove’s? Levitt responded she thought the idea was mutual since Cottage Grove possesses so few county roads. The City has been standing alone in funding on a large percent and it would be advantageous to have someone else come to the table and help partner for funding. Levitt also stated there were a number of constraints to be dealt with including not hindering the access to the 3M Site but to enable it to function at an even higher level with easier access and also making accommodations for further development. There were also a number of issues with Homeland Security for 3M that the City had to be conscientious of, along with wetland issues and railroad concerns both from existing lines and a future commuter line. A number of alternatives for the corridor have been presented, one being a new bridge at a skew over Highway 61. If a new bridge was built rather than expanding the existing, there would be the ability to keep traffic flowing through the area during construction. After reviewing the various options, the City and County staff support the following: Alignment 1A : This access improved the access concerns from 3M with the new interchange configuration. The alternative provided for West Point Douglas to be connected which would provide the Langdon area with greater access options. Alignment 3M-1: This alignment meets the land use and Homeland Security objectives of 3M. This option does bisect a small portion of the Langdon area yet provides for good access for West Point Douglas Road. This option minimizes wetland impacts. The option does assume a bridge over the railroad similar to the other options. Levitt also indicated the developer will be responsible for traffic control and an analysis of the intersection will be completed to be certain they conform to the volume of traffic using the model we generate. Ken Boyden stated for the sake of the future, the City Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 4 should not give up the notion of a four-lane roadway stating too often in other cities, long range planning has not been considered Kjellberg stated he knows it’s early, but consideration should be given to acquiring sufficient right of way to allow for expansion to four lanes down the road if two aren’t enough. Levitt stated when the development comes in, East Point Douglas will be built in its ultimate condition because with that level of retail, you want a finished product and the area will be built to what the developer’s model indicates. Considerable time will pass before funds are available which gives the opportunity to put everything in the correct location. Levitt is confident the City has done enough legwork to know what answers we need and have a successful project when it comes forward. C. Washington County 2007 Intersection Control Ranking Each year Washington County reviews all their intersections taking into consideration the level of service, traffic volumes, along with the amount of crashes/incidents and then ranks them. This ranking potentially helps determine which projects will receive th funding. There has been much concern about 70 Street and Hardwood which is #23 on the list. This report is used to help with Capital Improvement Program projects. 6. OLD BUSINESS A. Ice Arena Project Update Levitt commented the City is gearing up for the next phase of the Ice Arena Project with the bid package for the dasher boards and refrigeration system being opened tomorrow. th The rest of the bid package will be opened February 26. Commission members were shown illustrations of the prospective improvements including the expanded front and lobby of the arena which will provide for improved crowd circulation once the new ice sheet is constructed. New viewing areas, restrooms, meeting rooms, a janitor closet, elevator and additional seating will also be added to the interior of the facility. A raised platform and ramp is also part of the design to allow 14 feet of clearance enabling the Zamboni sufficient area to dispose of rink shavings. A sprinkler system was installed to the existing facility to make it code- compliant. New windows will be constructed that look out to the existing JV and Varsity ball fields. Additional storage areas and a future figure skater’s room will also be included. An alley will exist between the existing rink and new sheet of ice on the exterior which will shield the condensing units and equipment from public view. A decision was made to go with an industrial grade, versus a commercial grade of refrigeration equipment. Other communities have made the decision of going cheaper up front and end up paying for this decision later. After analysis, additional parking is not being proposed at this time. Depending on how the facility ultimately gets used, dual events and some other issues, this option will be looked at in the future. Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 5 Boyden inquired whether or not District #833 is contributing to the project. Levitt responded their contribution is in the direction of a lease agreement for an amount of hours they are committed to paying for. Kjellberg asked when construction is expected to begin. A ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5th at 4:00 pm. The work is expected to be completed in September with ice rental commencing in October. 7. ENGINEER’S REPORT rd 103 Street Bridge rd 103 Street under the Burlington Northern Bridge is closed for the next three weeks and will close again in April for approximately three weeks. Currently workers are framing in and assembling beams. After assembly, beams will be moved off to the shoulder and the road will reopen. When crews return in April with the large cranes the actual setting of the bridge will occur. 2008 Pavement Management Project. The bid opening for the project will take place tomorrow with over 35 plan holders. We can hopefully look forward to a large number of bidders with competitive prices. 8. PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE Les Burshten reported the following: th A water main break occurred on Saturday at Hamlet Avenue and 89 Street. Water was reportedly coming out of the ground at approximately 8:00 p.m. Repair was complete by 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Wind chill was nearly 40 degrees below zero making working conditions rough. Public Works is scheduled for an OSHA inspection tomorrow. There hasn’t been much snowfall this year but over the weekend we had a dusting of about ¾”, but the winds were up to 40 mph at times which created some situations where some roads were blocked. Well #6 has been pulled Well #10 has been experiencing some problems with vibration in the motor. Well #5 has gone down so we must do an emergency pull to determine where the problem lies. The Minnesota Department of Health is holding a Neighborhood Meeting March th 4 at All Saints Lutheran Church. Open House will be 6:00-7:00 p.m., 7:00-8:00 p.m. is the presentation and 8:00-9:00 p.m. will be reserved for a question and answer period. Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 6 Tree trimming began today on the Grove side of the highway with completion th expected by March 15. 9. CITY COUNCIL UPDATE Dog Park Proposal Council Member Fred Luden explained the Open Forum portion of the council meeting included a presentation from a group proposing a dog park. The group had earlier spoken to Washington County regarding acquiring land in the Ravine Park and then forming a partnership with the County. They are looking for the City of Cottage Grove to cut the grass, care for the trails, etc. The group was instructed to obtain a space on a future Council Agenda and return with more detail. LGA Reform Proposal Also discussed was LGA (governmental aid) reform. The Mayor of Fridley has put together a proposal changing the way formulas are structured which currently favors St. Paul, Minneapolis and small towns in greater Minnesota. The surrounding Twin City counties pay the majority of sales tax and receive minimal benefit. Formulas were based on pre-1940’s housing. Pine Tree Valley Park Building A decision to upgrade the building, rather than construct a new one was made. This is a significant capital expenditure right now so the building will be re-evaluated in the future. Upgrade Animal Ordinance Public Safety gave a presentation which clarified the position of domestic animals, impounded animals and animals at large. The City will also have the authority to list dangerous and potentially dangerous animals and make this information available to the public. Norris Square We should start to see occupancy of the new unit in March. Volunteer Banquet nd This year’s banquet will take place April 22 at River Oaks Golf Course 10. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Gary Kjellberg stated he’s still working to the get the minutes early enough to have them included in the packets. Public Works Commission February 11, 2008 – Page 7 Kjellberg explained that the topic of housing was covered at the most recent meeting, specifically affordable housing. The consensus was that affordable housing is the type of housing the City has now with the median average being $229,000. Another concern are rental units within the City with research to be done to see exactly how many units of these type exist. Retirement housing was also discussed, whether or not residents will make a decision to stay in the City once they are no longer able to live completely on their own. The group will be meeting with the Council in March. 11. COMMISSION COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Updated Ordinance Info on City Website Kjellberg questioned when an ordinance has been changed, how long is it before it’s updated on the website? Neil Belscamper at City Hall is responsible for the updates and if anyone has any questions, they can contact Neil. Commission Terms David Anderson commented that technically this would have been the last meeting for him and Roger Finnegan. It will be proposed to Council for a three-month extension of the terms until two replacements can be found. It was also noted an additional PW Commission position is vacant. 12. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn was made by Robert Dornsbach, seconded by Gary Kjellberg. Motion was unanimously carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m. Respectfully submitted, íÜÉËÔÚÔÜêÉÎËÛÄ