Loading...
Public Works Cte Minutes 05-11-1988 • �� � � y� �/��� Roger J. switz, Ch ir MINUTES OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE May I1, 1988 - Room 707 City Hall PRESENT: Rager J. Goswitz, Chair Councilmember Tom Dimond Councilmember Janice Rettman OTHERS PRESENT: Dale Norgren, Geoffrey Miller, Richard A. Kopp, Ruth Tallakson, Roger Sandberg, John Saumweber, Peter White, Jack Davis. Chris Nicosia, John McCormick. Dick McCann. Greg Beckett, Phil Byrne, Bruce Hoheisel, Larry Price. 1. The minutes of April 27, 1988 were approved as submitted. 2. VACATION: Petition of Miller and Holmes, Inc. for the vacation of part of the alley in Block 59, Arlington Hilis Addition. Purpose is to expand their present facilities (bounded by Reaney, Weide, Minnehaha and Arcade Street). Dick McCann. Valuations Division, said there are no objections to this vacation from any departments or agencies and staff recommends • approval. No one appeared. MOTION: by Counci)man Dimond to recommend approval was unanimously carried. 3. FINAL ORDER: Improving the aliey in Block 33, St. Anthony Park by grading and paving from the North line of Lot 8 in said 81ock 33 to the North line of Lot 12 in said Block 33. Also condemning and taking an easement i� the tand necessary for the slopes in the grading and paving of said alley (bounded by Everett Court, Energy Park Drive, Tainter Street and Marsh Court). Dale Norgren, Brissman-Kennedy, 2140 Energy Park Drive. said he is opposed to this improvement because they would receive no economic benefit from it. He said at the time he signed the petition he was told his assessment would probably be around $2,000. They were willing to go along with this as a good neighbor, he said, however, when they found out their assessment would be $3500, they didn't feel they could handle that amount plus the 16X increase they will get in taxes and asked that their name be removed from the petition. Peter White, Valuations Division, explained the petition had 4 signatures and there are 5 pr�p�rtie; 1r�vc�lv�d. lt was noted there was an error made in the Engineering Report given the Committee members wherein it stated 11 of the 14 property owners had signed the petition. Answering a question of Ms. Rettman, Mr. White said • that Lots 4, 5 and 6 would be assessed and Lot 2 would not be assessed because work is already done there. I • I�� �nswer t� a question, Jack Davis, Public Works Department, indicated that Brissman-Kennedy had part of the alley paved at their own expense and this would not have to be redone. It was aiso noted that the west side of the alley is residential whi]e the east side is commercial. The residential rate is $8.50 and the commercial rate is $17.00 and is higher because there is more use by commercial businesses. Total cost for the alley is $4,740. Roger Sandberg. 1052 Everett Court a�d owner of Lot S, said he represents owners of Lots, 4, 5 and 6. He mentioned he started the petition to pave the alleyway and the reason was they wanted a paved alley. We wili have a new Raymond Avenue bridge, new roads on Everett Court, new curbs, nice turnaround at bottom, Tainter Street is being paved and stop lights at Raymond and Energy Park Drive are being installed and this improves our little neighborhood considerabiy, he added. Our neighborhood has been at a standstill for 50 years and we have a very personal intereset in wanting to improve our area because we have 6 owner-occupied homes on both sides of the street and 5 owner-occupied homes on the west side of the alley. Our street is only 330 ft long, and we are probably the oniy residential street that abuts railroad tracks in the city, he said. It is true, he continued, that Brissman-Kennedy paved and paid for • approximately 100 ft. of the alley at the north side, and it is also true they paved the dock area which is actuaily Lot 7. That dock area extends out west from their buitding. Those that signed the petition still want to get the alley paved for the benefit of the community. As far as costs are concerned, he said. we are not tied to the $8.50 rate, and maybe we could do a different split so the cost is not too great for Brissman-Kennedy. We are willing to bend a bit, he added. Richard Kopp. 1048 Everett Court and owner of Lot 6, said his property goes up to the alley where Brissman-Kennedy starts. The reason they are interested in having the alley paved is because all the other improvements will be done in the entire neighborhood and they are now sitting with 4 homes that do not have paving behind it. He commented white Brissman-Kennedy has been a good neighbor and very good to us he did not believe they should have the majority say. Ruth Tallakson, 1056 Everett Court and owner of Lot 4, added her support to her neighbors. She said they have worked very hard for several years to improve their neighborhood, and this improvement is just another piece they want added to the other improvements. Counciimember Dimond said in listening to the testimony,it appears both parties want it done and that they have been good neighbors in the past, but the question is the costs. He suggested laying this • matter over for two weeks and asked that Brissman-Kennedy and the residents get together with staff to sort out the details and pinpoint what should be done and how the assessments should be balanced between the owners. Hopefully, he said. in two weeks some aqreement can be reached. � L • Councilmember Rettman said she could support Mr. Dimond's motion but asked the city attorney if it was legal to change assessments as a good neighbor jester. John McCormick, City Attorney's Office, answered it is legal to do this as long as they are getting benefit in amount of assessment. There would have to be some waiver of appeal to greater amount assessed to their property, he added. Ms. Rettman asked that the owner of Lot 3 be included in the discussions since they have not been heard from, and also asked that Mr. McCormick be a part of these negotiations. Mr. McCormick pointed out that he cannot draft agreements for the private individuals to sign but can only draft the waiver for the city. MOTION: by Councilman Dimond to lay this matter over for two weeks in order to get the residents and businesses together to see what the assessment split will be and pinpoint areas to be improved was unanimously carried. 4. FINAL ORDER: Improving MARYLAND AVENUE by overlaying that portion from Western Avenue to Abeil Street; mitling, leveling and overlaying that portion from Abeil Street to Interstate 35-E and constructing curb and gutter and sidewaik in the easterly 1,200 feet of the project; and constructing a street lighting system from Western Avenue to Interstate 35-E; and repair Westbound Bridge No. • 62526 (located 600 feet east of Jackson) Chris Nicosia, Public Works Dept., explained Maryland Avenue will be grou�d out, resurfaced, and will not be widened. There is some major CSSP work being done at Jackson and Maryland. The work witl be coordinated with the Jackson/Magnolia CSSP project which will begin in June and be completed by August ist. Maryland work wiii begin in August and be completed the latter part of October. Bridge deck rehabbing is scheduled for completion in September. There is some MWCC work being done underneath the Maryland bridge and that will be completed in May. There will be one lane of traffic open at all times. Councilmember Rettman expressed her concern that work be completed so as �ot to interfere with the Rice Street Festival activities and that access be maintained to the businesses along Rice such as Hauser's, Mister Tire and Dr. Sheehan. She asked that a schedule be provided at the time this comes before the Council. Mr. Nicosia pointed out that Maryland wiil be open the whole time and the work being done there moves quickly so they don't anticipate any problems with that. Larry Price, General Sales Mana!�er for Mister Tire Co., expressed concerns they have such as when will work start. Mr. Nicosia expiained the pre-construction meeting has not been held as yet, but • when that happens they will have a schedule and the plan of how they intend to proceed. He said they would make sure the business establishments are given a copy. No one else appeared. MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recor�nend approval was 3 • unanimously carried. 5. FINAL ORDER: Improving LEXINGTON PARKWAY from Jessamine Avenue to Montana Avenue by constructing concrete curb, grading and paving or overlaying with bituminous material, reconstructing a drainage system, constructing a signal system and a street lighting system, repairing existing bridge and doing all other work necessary to compiete said improvements. Jack Davis, Public Works Dept., said this project will be divided into three portions as far as construction is concerned. Jessamine to Horton will be done under traffic and will be narrowed from 4 to 3 lanes. At Hoyt and Horton traffic will be detoured with local access maintained to park and golf course by staging construction. Horton to Montana will be the second section and those sections wiil be closed down one-half at a time. Access to pavillion and golf course will be maintained at all times. Roadway will not exceed present 32 ft. width which is a State requirement. There wiil be a new alignment going approximately from fountain down to old lagoon. The road is being shifted to the west to take traffic away from present paviilion area. , Councilmember Rettman aasked if what is before the Cormiittee today is what was agreed on by the neighbors and city staff as a result of • numerous meetings. Jack Davis said these are compromises fairly weli agreed on as to how this would proceed. In answer to Councilmember Dimond's question Mr. Davis said green lantern lighting will be installed. MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recommend approval was unanimously carried. 6. FINAL OROER: Improving WINTHROP STREET from Lower Afton Road to approximately 250 feet south to the cul-de-sac bv grading. paving, constructing concrete curb and gutter; constructing storm water drainage facilities; constructing a sanitary sewer in Winthrop Street from Lower Afton Road to cui-de-sac, constructing sewer service connections and constructing a water main in Winthrop Street from Lower Afton Road to south to cul-de-sac. Aiso, constructing water service connections. • Jack Davis, Public Works Dept., explained this is a very short street, 250 ft. long, going into a completely undeveloped area and was requested by the developer who wiil be paying for all costs. It is the most northerly limit of what is called the Highwood area. Construction here should not have any impact on any other streets or neighborhood in the area. Sanitary and storm sewers and water will be hooked into existing systems and there shouidn't be any problem at all. He said Mr. Beckett representing the developer is present to answer any questions. Plans are well along, he continued. and • the developer has agreed to pay all engineering costs and if this project is not approved by the Council, they will still pay the costs. Councilmember Rettman complimented the Bacchus developer on their 4 M • quality work and said they have put up qood homes for years and are willin� to �o the extra mile. MOTIQN: bv Councilmember Dimond to recommend approval was unanimously carried. b. ORDINANCE: repealing C.F. 280088 adopted April 14. 1983 and settling claims pertaining to litigation involving the Waldorf steam line. ------- ---- --�_.�. __.— and ----- --- --- 7. ORDINANCE: granting to Nor�enco Corporation pzrmission to construct. operate and maintain a high pressure steam line under and through Qublic riqhts-of-wav at several locations within the City. .__ __ Phil Byrne, City Attorney's office, said these two ordinances are related. The first one settles the past lawsuit and returns to the city all the fees for the steam operation they should have gotten but didn't get during the period of litigation between Norenco {a subsidy of NSP}, Waldorf and the City. The second ordinance is a new permit to Norenco to have their steam line cross public streets and ways and provides for a revised table of compensation to be paid to the city. The old permit was for 8 years and provided $500,000 to city each year. The new permit goes to year 2001 and begins with a fee of $250,000 per year, with an • escalator clause tied to the increases in costs for steam production at the NSP High Bridge plant. There was some discus�ion on who worked on the litigation and to what account this money is credited to. Mr. Byrne pointed out there was a Task Force consisting of Eugene Schiller� Greg Blees, Tom Cran, Karen Swenson, and others. Reference was made to the reduction in fees, and Mr. Byrne explained in settling the litigation a major concern was what is amount of monev Waldorf can pay to the city for their cost of engineering and still be competitive. The City, NSP and Waldorf ail gave a littte to make sure this will continue. Some discussion followed on what impact this has on district heating and Mr. Byrne stated it couid have an indirect impact. He further explained district heating's franchise provides for a fee to be held in abe_yance until a date in the future, but there has been an effort to do away with that waiver and require them to begin to pay franchise fees immediately. No �ne appeared. MOTION: by Cc�uncilmember Rettman to recommend approval of the above two ordinances was unanimously carr•ied. 9. RESOLUTION 88-h79: Releasing City's interest in slo�e easements over a part of Lots 7 and S Block I, and Lots 2, 3, 4 nd �, Block � Hudson Road_ Gardens ,_ho��n�ed_t,y W i 1 son , Na�e 1_, Conway_ _and _ Jayne .__ _ • C���unc i 1 rnember D i mond ask�d t=or a c 1 ar i f i cat i on of whv tt� i s i� r,eecJed and _.:� i d i t shows th i s as a vacated stre� ±. but i t i= paved. Dick McCann. Valuations Division, er,plained 5lf1CP the =tr��� i�, v:�cate�? rhF�ra i; no ne�d for a s?e,:�P ea=,em�nt. Tt��e OW�It�r'S a�+�ed � ,� � • for it to clear up the title as thzy may want to sell it and thi� is merely a housekeepin,y matter. No one appeared. MOTION: by C��uncilman Dimond to recommend approval was unanimously carried. 10. Chr�is Nic�sia asked the Criair to consider holding Committee of the Whole Meetings sometime in the future on the following topics: ' i. Summarv Abatement Procedures 2. Sidewalk Width Policy - some are 5 ft, and some 6 ft. The city should set up some kind of �olicy. 3. Bid procedure on CSSP and street work.-- Where does money go when bids comes in lower than engineering estimates. 4. Lighting fixture policy. Regarding the Summary Abatement procedures, Councilmember Rettman reported that the Elder Council is presently working on this matter and she would like to receive their report before a meeting is scheduled on this item. Meeting adjourned: 10:07 A.M. • � �;