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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-10-21 MINUTES MINUTES COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL CHAMBER 12800 RAVINE PARKWAY SOUTH October 21, 2015 SPECIAL MEETING – 6:30 P.M. WORKSHOP SESSION – OPEN TO PUBLIC A. Jamaica Avenue and East Point Douglas Road Signal Timing and Improvements. Bryan Nemeth spoke about signal timing and possible long-range improvements. After Walmart opened in 2013, traffic on East Point Douglas Road increased approximately 25%; since then, traffic has increased another 15%. There are still concerns with traffic congestion at East Point Douglas Road and Jamaica Avenue. The signals are at 90th and Jamaica Avenue, East Point Douglas Road and Jamaica Avenue, and another at East Point Douglas Road at the Cub Foods/Target entrance. Traffic signal timings were updated this week. Goals: Reduce the backup that’s occurring from Jamaica Avenue to the Cub Foods/Target entrance; clear the vehicles at that intersection through; and have no traffic backing up onto Jamaica Avenue. Engineer Levitt asked when the changes were implemented if it worked perfectly the first time; he stated that no, it had not. Some settings were askew so the flashing-yellow arrow wasn’t working correctly and there were some other smaller adjustments that needed to be made, but all were fixed by Tuesday. Council Member Dennis asked when the study was done in July if actual vehicle traffic by direction had been looked at; Mr. Nemeth stated that it had. Council Member Dennis asked with the Hy-Vee opening in approximately 2016-2017, he wondered how the volume load would change with that. Engineer Levitt said it could actually increase the traffic, with people traveling onto East Point Douglas Road from Jamaica Avenue. Mayor Bailey reminded Council that they hadn’t yet opened the drive-in site; he also felt the amount of traffic would increase with the opening of ALDI’s at the former OfficeMax site. CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE 12800 Ravine Parkway Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016  www.cottage-grove.org 651-458-2800 Fax 651-458-2897 Equal Opportunity Employer  Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 2 Mr. Nemeth stated the City was getting what it could out of the traffic signals right now. There are three potential improvements: 1) Add a flashing yellow arrow at the Cub Foods/Target entrance, just for east-west traffic, and the green arrow can be at the beginning or the end. Estimated cost: $85,000. 2) Westbound right-turn lane to add capacity. We could keep the dual left and then separate the through movements into a separate lane and the right-turn movements could still get around. That would add capacity to the intersection, but would require ADA upgrades. Estimated cost: Almost $500,000. 3) Adding more vehicle detectors at Jamaica Avenue. Estimated cost: $115,000. 4) Complete redesign of East Point Douglas Road would make the stacking distance longer. Estimated cost: Not given. Engineer Levitt asked Mr. Nemeth to explain what the difficulty would be with a traffic signal at the existing roundabout. Mr. Nemeth stated with the strip mall that’s on the south side of the roundabout and with the curve, that was actually rated at 25 miles per hour, with a signal at that location it could not actually be seen in enough time for a vehicle to stop for a red indication because the curve is too tight, which could cause safety issues. Engineer Levitt stated they were just trying to give Council a wide variety of options that included only pavement preservation in the CIP. Mayor Bailey felt they should meet with all of the affected businesses and present them with the Council’s concerns, what the options were, as accesses to some of the businesses will be affected. There is also the cost of the project to consider and the assessments that might be incurred. Engineer Levitt stated they had almost two years of lead time to evaluate things and see how pressing these improvements are. However, financial planning for those improvements will be necessary in the long-term view. Engineer Levitt said they’d probably have to look at the 90th Street intersection, as the loop detectors weren’t being hit correctly, with the increased traffic flow at the ALDI’s site, there may be adjustment of those loops needed, as well as possible roadway striping issues. Council Member Thiede asked if there were any possible funding help available, such as grants. Engineer Levitt stated for larger-scale projects, they need to serve a regional benefit and this project is serving a local benefit, so the amount of third-party funding available is very limited. She stated they had three funding options: MSA, assessments, and the general fund. Mayor Bailey asked if this was an MSA road; Engineer Levitt stated that it was. Engineer Levitt felt if they had the meeting with local businesses and they were anxious for improvements that would tell the City how fast they might Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 3 want to act and look at the improvements for the loop detectors, which might help with the Council’s decision process. OPEN FORUM – 7:15 P.M. The following were present: Mayor Myron Bailey, Council Member Steve Dennis, Council Member Justin Olsen, Council Member Jen Peterson, Council Member Dave Thiede. Also present were: Charlene Stevens, City Administrator; Korine Land, City Attorney- LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Les Burshten, Public Works Director; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer; Robin Roland, Finance Director; Craig Woolery, Public Safety Director. Mayor Bailey asked if anyone wanted to address the City Council; as no one wished to address the Council, Mayor Bailey closed the Open Forum. REGULAR MEETING – 7:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor The City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota, held a regular meeting on October 21, 2015, at Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Parkway South. Mayor Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The audience, staff, and Mayor and City Council Members recited the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL – City Clerk The following were present: Mayor Myron Bailey, Council Member Steve Dennis, Council Member Justin Olsen, Council Member Jen Peterson, Council Member Dave Thiede. Also present were: Charlene Stevens, City Administrator; Korine Land, City Attorney- LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Les Burshten, Public Works Director; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer; Robin Roland, Finance Director; Craig Woolery, Public Safety Director. Mayor Bailey presided over the meeting. Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 4 1. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Thiede, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried: 5-0. 2. PRESENTATIONS – None. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – None Submitted. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Accept and Place on File the Following Minutes: None Submitted. B. Approve the Amendment to the Cayden Glen Development Agreement and Escrow Agreement to confirm that the City of Cottage Grove will be responsible for paving the final lift of asphalt on the streets in the Cayden Glen subdivision. C. Approve the Stormwater Management Agreement with Renewal by Andersen. D. Adopt Resolution 2015-106 approving final payment in the amount of $8,147.19 to McNamara Contracting, Inc. for the CP Rail/Hemingway Avenue Final Street Improvements Project. E. Adopt Resolution 2015-107 ordering the nuisance abatement of the property at 9180 79th Street South. Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Dennis, to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion carried: 5-0. 5. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED OPEN FORUM ISSUES – None. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS – None. 7. BID AWARDS – None. 8. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. Consider approving the change order to install an 8-foot parking lane and associated signs on 90th Street as outlined in Option #1; direct staff to review the options for the radar speed limit signs on 90th Street; and schedule a joint meeting of the Public Works and Public Safety Commissions in spring 2016, along with the residents, to evaluate the implementation of Option #1 to determine whether it is necessary to proceed with Option #2. Engineer Levitt reviewed the pavement management project to date. She asked the Council to consider putting a radar speed sign on 90th Street at the base of the hill. She reviewed the proposed 8-foot parking lane for residents, as well as the addition of a sidewalk to 90th Street. A speed study was done Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 5 and showed average speeds between 31 and 35 miles per hour; the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. Mayor Bailey and the Council Members discussed the possible options. Engineer Levitt felt the City could implement a policy regarding the radar speed signs after they had more data, the actual cost, and how they would be implemented in the community. Mayor Bailey asked if perhaps some grant money might be available to help with the funding of the radar sign. Council Member Olsen asked about the sidewalk; with the future inclusive playground, he felt a sidewalk would be imperative for safety of the children. Engineer Levitt said they could work with the Inclusive Playground Task Force to see if they could weigh the benefit of the sidewalk versus the cost and determine if future users of the playground would be arriving via vehicles, rather than walking or biking there. Motion to approve by Council Member Olsen; second by Council Member Dennis. Motion carried: 5-0. B. Consider passing an ordinance amending City Code Title 1-5-3 to change the Regular Meeting start time to 7:00 p.m. and incorporating Open Forum into the Regular Meeting, and consider adopting a resolution changing the Order of Business. Administrator Stevens stated that an ordinance would have to be passed to change the start of the City Council Meeting from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. They would also need to adopt a resolution changing the Order of Business. She felt they should make those changes, which would be put into place on November 4. Council Member Olsen asked Attorney Land if she had reviewed the ordinance and the resolution; she stated she had and most cities had moved to this format and include the Open Forum as part of the regular meeting. It was reiterated that these changes would not eliminate Open Forum. Instead it would be added to the adopted Order of Business. This will be a better utilization of time and resources. If there is not anyone at the meeting to speak at Open Forum, the meeting will move on to the next agenda item. The three minute limit for each individual and fifteen minute total Open Forum, as approved by City Council resolution 2012-037, will still be in effect. Motion by Council Member Olsen to pass Ordinance 949 as written; second by Council Member Thiede. Motion carried: 5-0. Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 6 Motion by Council Member Olsen to approve Resolution 2015-108, second by Council Member Dennis. Motion carried: 5-0. 9. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS – None. 10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Council Member Olsen asked Director Woolery to speak about the winter parking ban in the City. Director Woolery advised the winter parking ban is in effect from November 1 to March 31, from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., so all vehicles have to be off the roadways during that time to allow Public Works to plow the streets. Violators will be given warnings for the first month or so; after that time, they will be issued a citation. Council Member Olsen said on November 12 he and Council Member Dennis will host a “Shop Cottage Grove” business summit at City Hall. The intent is to meet with citizens, local business owners, the EDA, and the Chamber of Commerce to get input and work together to help build the local economy. Council Member Olsen stated Election Day is November 3; he encouraged citizens to register to vote if they hadn’t already done so. He also encouraged everyone to vote. Absentee ballots are available at City Hall. There will be three important ISD 833 referendum questions on the ballot. Council Member Dennis stated the John P. Furber farm, 7310 Lamar Avenue South, will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 22. Council Member Thiede stated the Monster Bash parade will take place on October 31. Council Member Thiede stated there is a 2016 Strawberry Fest theme and logo contest so he encouraged creative people in the community to incorporate strawberries into a theme and logo and submit their entries before December 7 to sfest@cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com. Council Member Peterson stated the next Fare For All will take place on November 12 at All Saints Lutheran Church. In December, because the Holiday Train will arrive on the same day as the Fare For All, December 10, the time for the Fare for All will change from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., an hour earlier. Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 7 Council Member Peterson stated the next Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network monthly Burger Bash will be on November 19 at the VFW Red Barn. She thanked everyone who attended the first Burger Bash, as it was a success. Mayor Bailey asked if Molly Pietruszewski could make a presentation at the next Council Meeting regarding the upcoming holiday festivities, including the tree lighting ceremony, the Holiday Train, etc.; that will be arranged. Mayor Bailey stated on October 27 at Park High School there would be a community conversation to ask questions about the school referendum questions. Council Member Olsen stated there was also another meeting on October 22 at the District Service Center where questions could be answered. Mayor Bailey stated on November 11, Veterans Day, at Park High School, the Air Force Junior ROTC would hold a ceremony; it is open to the public and encouraged everyone to attend. Mayor Bailey stated on November 22, he and the Council Members would be bagging groceries at Cub Foods; it is a fundraising opportunity in that any tips received for bagging the groceries will be given to the Friends in Need Food Shelf. 11. PAY BILLS A. Council Member Thiede asked about a check being issued to Denmark Township for third-quarter building permits; he wondered why we were paying them versus them paying us. Director Roland explained that there is an agreement with Denmark Township where Cottage Grove collects the money for their permits and then we remit 75% of that to the township and the City keeps 25% to cover our costs and fees. Motion by Council Member Peterson, second by Council Member Olsen, to approve payment of check numbers 193370 to 193554 in the amount of $822,602.43 and EFT Payment of $33,988.22. Motion carried: 5-0. 12. WORKSHOP SESSION – OPEN TO PUBLIC 13. WORKSHOP SESSION – CLOSED TO PUBLIC ADJOURNMENT Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Peterson, to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:20 p.m. Motion carried: 5-0. Cottage Grove City Council October 21, 2015 Page 8 Minutes prepared by Judy Graf and reviewed by Human Resources Manager/City Clerk Joe Fischbach.