HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-03-02 PACKET 05.A.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA
MEETING ITEM #
DATE 3/2/2011
PREPARED BY Administration Ryan Schroeder
ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD
COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST
Receive response to John Schmit regarding Public Safety City Hall location.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Receive response.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
® MEMO /LETTER: Letter to John Schmit.
❑ RESOLUTION:
❑ ORDINANCE:
❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION:
❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION:
❑ OTHER:
ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS
City r dministrator Date
COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ❑ APPROVED ❑ DENIED OTHER
Document2
(M City of
ej Qotta Grove
Minnesota
7516 80th Street South / Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 -3195
www cottage- gfove.org
February 17, 2011
Mr. John Schmit
7319 Innsdale Avenue South
Cottage Grove, MN 55016
Dear Mr, Schmit,
611 -158 -2800 Fax 651458 -2897
TDD 651 -458 -2880
Thank you for your comments and questions at the City Council Open Forum on February 2, 2011. In
addition to a business lead (thank you for that) you had also asked why the future Public Safety /City Hall
will not be constructed at a more central location such as at Fire Station #2.
There are a few reasons why the East Ravine site was selected. Initially, I'd note that this site was
selected through the East Ravine design process which occurred between 2003 and 2006. That process
had significant public input and four community meetings. As a result of the process the City entered
agreements with Washington County and the Metropolitan Council to build a government campus
between 85th and 90th Streets east of Keats. It is because of those agreements that the South Service
Center was constructed at its current location on the Ravine Parkway. Had the Ravine Planning process
identified a preferred government campus elsewhere within the community the County would have
sited their facility at that alternative location. For the City to change course from that site there would
need to be a compelling reason.
The City revisited the campus site question earlier this year (March through June) and determined that
there was not a compelling reason to change the site decision. in fact, the Ravine site was identified as
the site with the greatest long term advantages over any other site option (of which there were ten).
You had noted that the Ravine is a periphery site choice. While that is true currently it is not the case
long term. In fact, at full build -out the Ravine site is much more central than all but one of the other site
options. Given that we are planning this building to provide service to the community at full build -out
we believe we have chosen the site best able to serve the future population. It should be noted that the
current City Hall location was also a periphery site at the time of construction in 1968. At present, the
current City Hall is west of the community population center and as growth continues it will move
further from that population center.
Finally, while a Station 4 #2 location would be a reasonable location from a centrality perspective
currently it has various deficiencies. One of these deficiencies is that it is surrounded by nearby
residential uses while the Ravine site is not, which could create neighborhood concerns. Second, the
Station #2 location is anticipated to be a preferred location for a future water treatment facility and we
need to provide space opportunity for that to occur. Third, as the location of our largest fire facility we
also need to provide for future expansion of that facility for fire purposes. Encumbering that space with
our proposed PSCH project could negatively impact our ability to provide for these future uses. Finally,
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
had Council chosen the Station #2 location we anticipate that there would have been significant delays
and costs associated with preparation of the site and integrating the other existing and future facilities
into the site and perhaps as part of this construction project.
As I believe was mentioned on February 2 we have a significant amount of additional information about
this project on the City website at www.cottage- grove.org. We would be happy to assist you in accessing
this information if you would like. We can offer a workstation at City Hall at which you may peruse the
material at your leisure.
Thank you for your comments and the opportunity to respond.
Administrator
CC: Mayor and City Council