Public Works Cte Minutes 02-24-1988 . •^aA'�.:71ft'YU?u0'{�r;?nwtew.a.tii.-. vt,ahwyMSRrG1MNA�•.m �, ., w..... ,. . .,. ..._.w-...,. . ., . .,.. .. . :.,,, ..,. �
� M
• � �
Roger J.�itz, Cha1'r
MiNUTES OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
February 24, 1988 �
PRESENT: Roger J. Goswit2, Chair
Councilmember Tom Dimond
Counciimember Janice Rettman
OTHERS PRESENT: Carlton E. Mix. Dan Haak, John Saumweber, Tom Kuhfeld,
Chris Nicosia, Zack Johnson, Peter White, Roy Bredahl, Motly
0'Rourke, Ed Warn, John McCormick, Steve Zaccard, Bob Kessier.
l. The minutes of February 10, 1988 were approved as submitted.
2. VACATION: Petition of J. Brook Hauser for the vacation of the north-
south unimproved alley in Biock 7, Wifleburg Hills (bounded by Rice
Street, Maryland Avenue, Park Street and W. Hawthorne Avenue) for
the purpose of building a drug store and upgrade a parking lot for
the surroundina commerciai area
Councilmember Rettman said she is pleased to see this improvement .
being made and feels it will be a great boon to the neighborhood,
but wanted to call attention to a concern raised regarding what
would happen to the sidewalk if Maryland Avenue is widened sometime
• in the future. Should this happen, the sidewalk would be right at
Walgreen's front door. Public Works agreed to check into this. No
one appeared in opposition.
MOTION: by Cauncilmember Dimond to recommend approval was °
unanimously carried.
3. RATIFICATION OF ASSESSMENTS: for the SNELLING AVENUE STORM SEWER
PROJECT.
Peter White, Valuations Division, explained the area being assessed
and said this is for a st�ndard storm relief system. No one
appeared.
MUTION: by Councilmember Dimond to recommend approval was
unanimously carried.
4. RATIFICATION OF ASSESSMENTS: for the storm sewer service stub
connecttons incidentai to the PAYNE/ARCADE EAST ANO WEST STORM SEWER
AND PAVING PROJECT.
Peter White, Valuations, said these are connections that were built
at the request of the property owners and are basically roof drains
that drained into the combined sewer and had to be reconnected into
the storm sewer. Owners were contacted and there were some questions
but not many, and work was done at their request. No one appeared.
• MOTION: by Councilmember Dimond to recommend approval wa�
unanimously carried.
..r . t
5. RATIFICATION OF ASSESSMENTS: for improving GRAND" AVENUE FROM •
MACALE5TER STREET TO SNELLING AVENUE by constructing curb and
gutter, landscapina and widenin4 the boulevards.
Peter White, Valuations, stated the only property owner involved in
this project is Macalester College and the work was done at their
request and this is the assessment for their cost. They wanted to
narrow Gra�d Avenue and that's what this project was all about. No
one appeared.
MOTION: by Councilmember Dimond to recommend approval was
unanimously carried.
6. FINAL ORDER: Constructing a sanitary sewer in DE50T0 STREET FROM
NEBRASKA AVENUE TO MONTANA AVENUE. Alsa construct sanitary sewer
service connections.
Tom Kuhfeld, Public Works Dept., said at the time the Final Order
for the overall street and sewer separation pro,�ect in this area was
before the Council one of the residents got up and said it is silly
to buiid the street without putting in the necessary sewer tn this
particular block. Public Works was asked to check on it, which they
did and faund it did not have a sanitary sewer. There is storm
sewer work being done in that street so this is the time to be doing
the sanitary sewer and tl�is order is before you now so the utility �
work in the street can be completed before it is paved. •
Councilmember Rettrnan commented this land is developable, but
without this improvement it cannot be developed. In answer to her
question, Peter White said the standard notices have been sent to °
the property owners and they have had no response back. There is
only one owner and the property could be subdivided, Ms. Rettman
noted, and even though this did not come through the petition
process she would recommend approval. Mr. Kuhfeld noted this
property is already subciivided and both sewer and water stubs are
part of the original order.
Councilmember Dimond asked why city aid was involved in this
project. Peter White explained it is standard policy not to assess
long side properties. Mr. Dimond aiso said he did not believe it was
right to have the city pick up $7.000 just to keep someone from
having to put in a pump station when they could be served through
long connections. Discussion foilowed on this and it was decided to
lay this item over until later in the meeting when Roy Bredahi,
Sewer Engineer, could be present to answer questions.
Discussion resumed and Mr. Bredahl was asked to answer Councilmember
Dimond's questions. He stated the topography of this area is such
that you can't get the gravity to flow to the sewer. Mr. Dimond
questioned whether some of these lats couldn't be served from
Montana and Mr. Bredahi said that possibly one or two could be •
served with a long connection but added that long connections create
probtems in the future.
,; ..,
�
• Mr. Dimond said he did not feel there was enough information to make
a decision and what is really being talked about is a$7,000 subsidy
to serve lots that have access from Montana. The City shouldn't be
spending $7,000 just because it's a more convenient way to do it or
the least costly to the property owner, he added, and if we are
going to do that then let's do it across the board.
MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recommend approval was passed on
a 2-1 vote, Councilmember Dimond voting "NO".
Peter White, Valuations Division, explained that in cases where
properties were too low to connect to the sewer the city has made
adjustments for cost of the property owner to do the repiping and
installing the pump. In cases where properties were too low and not
served by the sewer, they were not assessed because they did �ot
benefit, he added, and this has been done in other separated sewer
projects the past two or three years. Answering Mr. Dimond's
question, Mr. White said they do not subsidize the maintenance or
operation of these pump stations.
7. F1NAL ORDER: Improving EVERETT COURT FROM ENERGY PARK DR1VE TO
TAINTER AVENUE by grading and paving, curbs and gutters and a green
lantern style street lighting system. Aiso, installation of a new
signal system at the intersection of Energy Park Drive and Raymond.
Constructing sanitary, storm and water connections if requested by
• the property owner and improviny parts of Raymond. Energy Park Drive
and Tainter Avenue. All to be known as tt�e ENERGY PARK/RAYMOND AREA
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Tom Kuhfeld, Public Works Dept., safd this is a companion project to "
the Raymond Avenue Bridge previously approved. There are two
remaining catch basins on Everett Court in this drainage area to be
separated. In addition, because of the way the bridge is being
constructed, access would be taken away from the business ,�ust to
the northeast quad�ant of the bridge. His access now will be through
� Everettt Court and Tainter Place. Tainter looks and functions like
, an alley and since we are taking away his access from Raymond�
{ Public Works agreed to pave Tainter wlthout assessment. Everett
Court is being paved as a residentiai street along with the sewer
separation. At the same time the dog leg intersection at Energy Park
Drive and Raymond will be straightened out and signals will be
installed and this area will be pretty much finished off.
ln answer to Councilmember Rettman's question, Peter White explained
Everett Court is going to be assessed $19.00 a ft. for paving and
$5.00 a ft. for the green lantern lighting which is something the
neighborhood requested. As a result of ineetings in the area, Mr.
Kuhfeld added, they decided tfiey wanted the alley improved also and
this will be done as a separate project.
• [n answer to Councilmember Dimond's question. Mr. Kuhfeld explained �
none of the work on Raymond or Tainter Place or the intersection of
Energy Park Drive 8� Raymond will be assessed. Everett Court will be
assessed for work being done in connection with sewer separation.
This area has been previously assessed for storm sewer relief so
�
there will be no assessment for that. The reason Raymond is not •
assessed is because it is an aid street and aid streets are not
assessed. : The reason Tainter is not assessed is because we took the
only access on to Raymond from a business place and we had to
provide a way for him to get to Everett Court. Mr. Kuhfeld estimated
the cost to pave Tainter at about $6,000.
MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recorr�nend approval was
unanimously carried.
At this point discussion reverted bark to (tem #6.
8. FINAL ORDER: Improviny VtRGIN1A STREET by regrading, paving,
constructing concrete curb and gutters and instaliing a street
lighting system frc�m Iddl�o Avenue to proposed cul-de-sac. Also,
condemning and takiny additional right-of-way for turnaround
purposes.
Tom Kuhfeld, Public Works Dept., said this is a very short street
that abuts Parks property on one side and 3 residences on the other
side, and it came about as a result of the Dale/Hoyt Sewer
Separation Area. We did ]daho and also a portion of Virginia St.to
the south of this little dead end piece. Because of the other work
done the people asked what it would take to get this cul-de-sac done
as well, so according to usual assessment policy, first time
construction would b� 100x assessed. The assessment for the east •
side which is Parks Dept. property is paid through P1A, and the last
house on the corner of Virginia 8 Idaho was assessed for the
frontage on the Dale/Hoyt pro,ject, so there are only two property
owners being assessed. At the neighborhood meeting they didn't have °
any problem with that because they are the ones that wanted it.
Councilmember Rettman added this is a be�utiful area and the peopie
said it looks so nice and they do realize they wili be assessed
100x. This is not a highiy travelled area, she said, but it helps
the looks of the whole area. Assessments for the two property
owners were $4200 and $5400.
MOTION: by Councilmember Rettman to recommend approval was
unanimously carried.
9. FINAL ORDER: for MARSHALL/HAMLINE easements (laid over on February
2� 1988 to March 1, 1988).
Peter White, Valuations Division, presented a map showing the
various permanent and temporary easements in the total geographic
area needed for the Marsfiall/Hamline pro,ject. In trying to finalize
these. he said, they kept running into more and more changes in the
easements. All changes have now been made except for the one behind
the Midway Shopping Center which will be brought in as a separate
easement behind Midway Shopping Center because they have an addition •
planned and the proposed sewer would have run right under where they
were gotng to build. The owner of the Genter is located in Indiana
and the designer is in Syrarruse N.Y. and we haven't been able to
get them all together to decide where the easement will be.
!` 7� ' � . � � � � . ..
• MOTION: by Councilmmember Rettman to recommend a
pproval was
unanimously carried.
� 10. Other Business.
Chris Nicosia, Public Works Dept., said he wanted to report on a
question raised at the last meeting regarding cost difference in use
of ponding areas vs. not using them. For the Stillwater/Nokomis
pro,�ect ponding area at 7th 8 Hazel, figures show there would be a
savings of $6 M by ponding in that area and if the Etna/Third had
not had the ponding it would come closer to $l0 M. and if there was
no ponding aiong the whole Phalen Creek project, it would have cost
$16 M. Ponding is very necessary and also very economical, he added.
Mr. Nicosia also informed the Committee that color coded maps wiil
be sent to each councilmember so that at a quick g)ance they can
tell if streets in ttieir area will be torn up this year or next
year.
11. Sprinkler Systems
Ed Warn, Valuations Dept.. said although this matter has not been in
front of the Council through normal procedures, he wanted to brief
the Committee early as to what they are proposing.
• The resolution presented establishes a policy that will allow the
City to assess for fire sprinkler systems in buildings that are
being rehabilitated. particularly with city sponsored programs. This
comes about because our Fire Marshall has been enforcing the code °
which say buildings have to have sprinkler systems when they are
rehabititated. This is an expensive thing to do and owners are
finding they need help and this method allows us to use the
assessment process to help them finance those sprinkier systems. It
was set up under State enabling legislation which was passed in the
last couple of years.
The reason this is brougl�t up under Other Business today is because
there is a specific case (the Cossetta's Restaurant) under
construction right now that has need for this financing immediately.
Mr. Warn said he would like to get the Committee's generat
� concurrence and have this resolution put on the earliest council
meeting along with a final order approving the project as well as
approving the installation of the necessary water main to connect to
the sprinkler system.
Councilmember Rettman said after reading the resolution she
contacted the SPrinkler Fitters Union because she thought they
should be involved in this process also. This type of legislation is
one of my high priorities because of tf�e safety factor, she added.
• After tatking to Jerry Laumeyer of the Sprinkler Fitters Union, she •
�� t d, �N+r w�u 1 d 1 i kf ta c�ff�rr in Nm�rndm�n�E t� P�q1� � r P�r�qr�ph C-
"ustng contractors and �installers licensed and/or registered tn the
City of St. Paul and the city shall have the right to approve or
reJect contractor listed by owner." In taiking to John McCormick
� � �.
from the City Attorney's Office, she added, this might be a problem •
because he was not sure all installers are licensed. '
Steve Zaccard, Dept. of Fire Safety Services, stated the city has
had an ordinance licensing sprinkler installers for about a year now
. and they are iicensed by the Buildi�g and Inspection Design
Division. Possible not all are licensed at this time. State
Legislature is consideri�g this session a couple versions of a bill
that would require sprinki"ers throughout the State,so your amendment
might also say "the City of St. Paul or the 5tate of Minnesota",
because that bill will supersede the locai bill.
Councilmember Dimond comment.ed while this is a worthwhile project,
he questioned the use of assessments to deal with the financing and
` said the financing needs to t�e separated from the sprinkler system
because this would be setting a precedent that could be dangerous.
He further said he felt this is not a Public Works issue, but a
finance issue. Further discussion followed.
Meet i ng ad,�ourned.
_. _ . _.�.:.. .. �
<
•