Public Works Cte Minutes 04-13-1988 • ��
Roger J. switz, Cha r
MINUTES OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
April 13, 1988 - Room 707 City Hall
PRESENT: Roger J. Goswitz. Chair
Councilmember Tom Dimond
Councilmember Janice Rettman
��THERS PRESENT Gt'c9C��y HBUpt, Nesl Gasman, Peter White, John Saumweber,
Tom Sawyer, Roxanna Ftink, Robert E. Johnson, Glenn M. Kuschly,
Chris Nicosia, Mike Kassan, Paul Bium, Tom Kuhfeld, Roger
Anderson, Edward Loye, Alten Lovejoy, Ann Warner, Bob Roscoe,
Lucy Thompson, Leon Pearson, Peggy Reichert, John McCormick.
1. The minutes of March 30, 1988 were approved as submitted.
At the request of Councilrr�n Dimond, ltem #7 was the first item
discussed.
7. CREATE a time line for studv on Hiqhwood Hills Area.
The Chair read the background information as to why this item is
before the Cortxnnittee. Councilmember Dimond then introduced Bob
• Johnson, President of District 1 Community Councit. Councilmember
Dimond responding to some points that had been raised, said there is
presently an ordinance on the books which places a moratorium on
building in this area, however, this moratorium does not effect
anyone who wants to add on a deck or put on some other kind of
addition. The moratorium also would not effect the Bacchus
development on Lo�u•�r Afton Road because they will receive Cou�cil
approval only after all utilities are provided. He went on to say
any discussions will inctude a}1 property owners, those presently
residing there as well as those owning vacant land. Also the hard to
answer questions such as miniumum lot sizes, cesspools, wells, etc.
will be dealt with and Public Works Department and PED wiil be
involved in any discussions effecting the area, as will all pubtic
agencies. A ten-month timeline seems appropriate, he added.
Councilmember Rettman said she felt the cesspools and wells should
be tested and monitored and that the groundwater should be a part of
the study. Bob Johnson from District 1 Community Council said he is
a member of the Ramsey County Soil b Water Board and will be meeting
with them on Monday alo�g with experts from the State and some
Federal people a�d felt this Board would be a good source regarding
well water and cesspools.
Ms. Rettman then suggested a resolution addressing all these issues
be prepared by the City Attorney's office and Public Works so it is
altogehter in one packet. There was some discussion of whether or
• not the resolution had to be redone and sent back to the Mayor for
signature, however, John McCormick, City Attorney, said the Mayor
did not veto the resolution so that would not be necessary.
Councilmember Dimond commented he had already sent a letter to the
Mayor and also talked with him and he believed this addressed the
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concerns he had. It was suggested that a draft of these items be •
prepared before the next Public Works meeting and that John
McCormick be involved in its preparation.
In answer to Mr. Johnson's question of how the Committee wanted the
report handled the Chair said they would expect them to hold close
to the 10-month timeline, but if it can be done in 6 months that
would be great. Bob Johnson said citizen participation is good,
but it is slow but said the Cortxnunity Council meets a week from
Monday and they will begin working on this study immediately. He
asked about support from city staff and was told that the Mayor has
already assigned Tom Kuhfeld, Donna Drummond and Sheryl Pemberton to
work with them. • It was alsa noted that two studies ha�e already
been done for this area and the District Council should be able to
take advantage of that and go from that point and improve on them.
2. RATIFICATION 4F AWARD OF GAMAGES: F�?r �andemning and taking a
permanent easement for street purposes for Energy Park Drive. west
of Raymond Avenue
Peter White, Valuations, explained this is in the area of Energy
Park Orive and Raymond and is the last piece to help straighten out
that intersection. Burlington Northern is the only property owner
involved and no objections have been received from them.
MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recommend approval was •
unanimously carried.
3. FINAL ORDER: For improving COTTAGE AVENUE from Galtier Street to
Rice Street with a bituminous paving, concrete curb b gutters,
concrete driveways and outwalks, sodded boulevards and a street
lighting system. To be known as the COTTAGE/GALTIER STREET PAVING
AND LIGHTING SYSTEM.
Tom Kuhfeld. Public Works, said this particular street was initially
proposed to be done as part of the Maryland/Galtier project,
however, because of work to be done by MWWC with the Trout Brook
Interceptor, this section was postponed. The reason it is proposed
at this time is because MWWC is putting a sewer in Cottage and in
accordance with our normai policy of repaving oiled streets when a
sewer is put in, we need to coordinate our work with this project.
Councilwoman Rettman raised some questions about several nubs not
included in this project, one at Marion and Woodbridge and the other
going south towards the railroad tracks. Mr. Kuhfeld pointed out
these nubs are paved streets and will be restored , the others are
oiled streets and paving will be delayed until the second 10 year
program. If the Council so desires, Mr. Kuhfeld said. it is possible
to include those in with the add-on requests and bring it before the
Council, but at this point they are not part of the project.
Answering Ms.Rettman's question he said these streets are betwee�
two different drainage areas and he would not know if sewer work is •
to be done until the final design is done. Mr. Kuhfeld said he is
in the process of preparing the last public hearing for the add-on
streets and needs to know if the streets discussed are to be added.
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• MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recommend approval of the above
��-�� :� i ut i on �r i th the reque�t '�.hat A 1 hemar 1 e an�� Mar i on be
added to this project was u�::3nimousiy carried.
4. UPDATE: �n Annual Re�ort of Cornmunit�: !�ccess Saint Paul (CASP)
Gr�eg Hau�t . 1 nformat i on Serv i ces Mgr ., exp i a a,�ed ur7deT' ti�e franch i se
agreement Continental Cable has with the City of St. Paul they are
to provide for public access to cable TV through a designated
agency, which is CASP. One of the terms of the agreement with CASP
is that they must submit quarterly reports and also an annual
update. He then introduced Neai Gosman, Exec. Director of CASP, who
he said will update the Cortmittee on their 1987 activities. He
added that Mr. Gosman has functioned with CASP for several years and
in his opinion has been doing an excellent job.
Mr. Gosman then spoke and said they are a non profit group that
operates public and educational access channels in St. Paul under
contract with the City of St. Paul. His intention was to show a
video tape of their schedule for one week in March, however, he was
nQt set up to do this and instead read the list to show the
diversity of their programming. Some of those listed included those
having to do with Star Wars, Boy Scouts, Senior citizens, Lowertown
Art shows, youth gangs, animal rights, family finance programs,
. smoking marjuana, pornography in Summit-U area, deaf, News council,
river scene at night, video text message. neighborhood politics, bus
schedules, etc. For the benefit of the new people who were not
involved at the time cable came into being he explained what public
access is.
Public access, he said, is set up on first come first served basis,
is non discriminatory, there is no censorship, but no obscenity,
and is non commercial. They currently have 7 channels operating,
and it is working very well. He passed out several pieces, one
showed all the access video programs played on their channels from
local people in 1987 and the other listed their access channels.
Public access. under cable TV, he continued, is currently the only
way for citizens to get their programs and their points of view on
to a distribution system so people can communicate. CASP has to
operate on limited resources of $200,000 which is received from the
cable company. All our programming is produced or brought in by
people in the community volunteering their time and efforts. We do
not solicit one kind of a program over another. CASP's job is to
show the people how to make the program and use the equipment. The
equipment is furnished by the cable company and we are very careful
when it is loaned out, but concerned our equipment is going to begin
to wear out.
Ms. Rettman commented that when cabie access first came before the
• Utility Committee there were some real concerns, and she was happy
to hear that Mr. Haupt was pleased with their performance, it has
gone from an ugly duckling image to a beautiful swan, she added.
The Chair thanked Mr. Gosman for his report.
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5. RESOLUTION: Estabiishin4 rates for the Storm Sewer System Charge. •
It was noted the Committee had already voted to keep the rates the
same as last year and the reason this item is on the agenda is
because there was no information on the green sheet. The following
item, biliing procedures, was the concern of the Committee.
6. DISCUSSION: Billing procedures for Storm Sewer Separation and
Street and Allev Maintenance Charcae.
Roxanna Flink, Valuations, passed out a sheet showing the difference
between the storm sewer system charge and the street maintenance
charge for assessments, the main difference being no puhlic hearing
is required for the storm service charge. The Street maintenance
charge must have a pubtic hearing and property owners have a right
to appeai to district court.
Discussion followed on the cost to produce a post card mailing vs.
the maiting presently in use. Ms. Flink submitted a sample of a
post card mailing that she said does meet ali legal requirements and
also a sheet comparing costs for present mailing with proposed post
card mailing produced inhouse and also produced by outside vendor. • �
She also pointed out last year's mailer included a Public Works Open
House mailing and said this year Public Works would like to include
a recycling mailer. If the post card mailing is used, she said,
there would be additional costs to hire part time and overtime .
people because their computer cannot produce a bar code and a
temporary pe�son would have to be hired to sort the mail. With the
bar code, the Post Office pre sorts all their mail which saves them
a lot of time, also we do not have bursting machine so would need
someone to go down to Ramsey County and use their bursting machine
to tear postcards apart. There would be an additional cost to send
out a separate mailing for recycling information, she added.
Councilmember Rettman questioned sending out the recycling
information when citizen participation organizations pretty much
take care of getting that information out and it is usually carried
in neighborhood newspapers. Ms. Flink agreed it does go out in the
newspapers and people do put signs in their yards, but their
mailings go out to everyone - no one is excluded. Ms. Rettman also
pointed out there are other conveyances where mailings such as
recycling could be included such as Water Department billings,
Northwestern Bell, NSP, etc. Mr. Dimond agreed with Ms. Rettman and
said there are other ways to get information to the people without
adding more expense to our notices and said he felt these things
should be mailed separately.
Ms. Flink said they anticipate they will receive an increase in
telephone calls by going to the postcards because peopie will think
we are adding something to what they already have and look at it as
something new. The old form encourages people to prepay, postcard •
more or less teils them it is going on their taxes, but if don't
want it there, they can send it in now. Also they anticipate with
the new postcards they will receive much less money upfront.
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• Councilmember Oimond said he didn't like the idea of implying they
ought to be paying and thought past policy led to much unneeded
confusion and unhappiness. Postcard mailer is much clearer as to
what their responsibilities are and we ought to reduce costs as much
as possible. The Chair said he was in agreement with this.
Ms. Flink was thanked for the information provided and was told it
was very helpful and made it much easier for the Committee to come
to a decision.
MOTION: by Councilmember Dimond to recommend using the vendor
produced postcard and to not include any other mailing was
passed unanimously. _
Meeting was recessed at 10:20 A.M. and called to order again at 10:30
A. M.
8. DISCUSSION: Shepard/Warner/East CBD Bypass Environmental lmpact
Statement.
Peggy Reichert, PED, said C-1, using the existing lanes and C-2,
moving road closer to bluff have already been talked about and today
Councilmember Dimond's C-2 alternative, will be discussed. This
proposal rrroves the road back even further against the biuff and will
mean an increase in cost. In answer to Councilmember Rettman's
• question, she said as far as the financing goes, we will at a later
date brief you on the overall funding.
Bob Roscoe, consultant, talked on the C-2 alternative pointing out
this modification will provide more room atong the riverfront for a
bicycle and walkway path. A considerable amount of railroad right
of way will be needed, he said, and the Chicago NW Railroad is not
sure if they could live with one track through that area. Post
Office parki�g on old Union Depot deck will not be effected and the
Jackson/Sibley bridge would be replaced. There are some concerns
that this proposal would mean the loss of parking at the Pioneer
Press building and the American Center Building. Another concern is
the lift bridge or the approaches that would have to be removed and
the railroad has said while they do not need the bridge now, they
may need it in the future.
In answer to Ms. Rettman's question as to the railroad's authority,
Mr. Roscoe said you cannot go in and condemn their right-of-way
unless they agree and Ms. Reichert added that if they decide they
want to keep the lift bridge for future operations, the city could
not purchase or remove it. In connection with the lift bridge, Mr.
Roscoe continued, it is a historic structure and that issue has to
be dealt with. It was noted since Ramsey County is purchasing the
American Center Building it will be necessary to work with them.
Cost of C-1 segment is $21.M, C-2 is $11.3 and C-2 modified is
• $14.4M.
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Councilmember Dimond then spoke on his modified plan and dispiayed �
several drawings. He stated his objection to C-1 plan is that it is
like a solid concrete corridor, very narrow and substandard, and
that with the modified plan you would end up with a significant
amount of open space on the shoulders. This is a very important area
because it is the gateway to downtown� he continued, and pleasant
green space would make an attractive entry way to the City of St.
Paul. It wiil also be an attractive area looking across from the
other side of the River at landscaped green space vs. a concrete
wail. He taiked about the rebuilding of the Wabasha and Robert
Street bridges and said i.t would be unwise to wait 15 or 50 years to
make these changes. He advocated moving ahead and said he felt most
of the issues could be resolved. -
Councilmember Rettman said she was not ready to make any decision at
this time because she is trying to understand the whole issue
because we are talking megamillions. She also said she wanted to
have input from Mr. Nygaard on what their position is.
Ms. Reichert aske� for direction from the Cor�nittee on who to touch
base with between now and public hearing, the railroad will have to
be contacted, and Ramsey County regarding American Center Building
so they can testify at the hearing. It was agreed everything
shouid be handled through the Chair.
The Chair suggested delegating a certain amount of time to each •
section, and ask that testimony not be repeated. It was recommended
to Ms. Reichert that a panoramic view of all options and
alternatives be available so that people can look at them. Ms.
' Reichert said they would have a court reporter present to take
testimony and have a transcript prepared for the Council.
Meeting adjourned 11:05.
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