Loading...
2010-03-02 City Council minutesMarch 2, 2010 Page 1 CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held Tuesday, March 2, 2010 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota Heights, Minnesota was held at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Huber called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following members were present: Councilmembers Duggan, Krebsbach, Schneeman (excused from meeting at 9:12 p.m.) and Vitelli. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council, the audience and staff recited the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ADOPTION Councilmember Schneeman moved adoption of the agenda as presented. Ayes: 5 Councilmember Vitelli seconded the motion. Nays: 0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Councilmember Krebsbach moved approval of the minutes of the regular meeting held on February 16, 2010 as Ayes: 4 presented. Nays: 0 Councilmember Schneeman seconded the motion. Abstain: 1 (Duggan) CONSENT CALENDAR Councilmember Krebsbach moved approval of the consent calendar as presented, pulling item h for further discussion, and authorization for execution of any necessary documents contained therein. a. Acknowledgement of the minutes from the February 9, 2010, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting. b. Acknowledgement of the minutes from the February 23, 2010, Planning Commission Meeting. c. Acknowledgement of February 2010 Building Activity Report. d. Acknowledgement of the February 2010 Fire Department Report. e. Authorization to purchase a utility vehicle and sprayer. 1 March 2;2010' Pap 2.... f. Authorization for issuance of a temporary liquor license for St. Thomas Academy. g. Approval of 2010 -2011 LELS Contract. h. Approval of a sign permit for 750 Highway 110 Suite 206, New Heights Physical Therapy. i Adoption of Resolution No. 10 -15: "A RESOLUTION REVISING SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR SERVICES." j. Approval of Contractors List, dated February 24, 2010. k. Approval of the List of Claims, dated March 2, 2010, totaling $140,129.21. Councilmember Schneeman seconded the motion. Councilmember Duggan read Subsection 3.13, Strike, and said the language is confusing and a few changes may be needed for clarity. City Attorney Tami Diehm advised that changes to this contract would have to be presented to the other parties since it has already been signed. Police Chief Mike Aschenbrener stated that is correct and explained that making any changes to the contract language would reopen every clause to the union, possibly resulting in a year or more of renegotiation. He stated this basic language has remained the same since 1974 or 1975 when the first contract was drafted. Councilmember Duggan suggested clarifications be made prior to the next renewal. Councilmember Vitelli moved approval of the 2010 -2011 LELS Contract. Councilmember Schneeman seconded the motion. Greg Barnholdt, Lilydale barbershop owner for 31 years, stated he is planning to relocate his business and Mendota Heights is his first choice. He explained his business requires 500 square feet or less, which is difficult to find in any suburb, but there is a location in the Centre Pointe Office Suites. Mr. Barnhodt said that John Farracci from Sampson Development Company has offered the front 390 square feet of his space and only simple modification to the interior would be needed to extend the plumbing 10 to 12 feet, erect a dividing wall, and install minimal electrical - outlets that will be done by professionals. His hours of business are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. The barbershop would need three to four of the 75 parking spaces. Mr. Barnhodt 2 March 2, 2010 Page 3 suggested the zoning of B -1 or B -2 could be worked out. He asked the Council to consider his request, which he believed would create a win/win situation for all involved by bringing a new business to Mendota Heights, perhaps the only barbershop. Mr. Barnhodt stated his client base is 600 or more customers and there is another barber with a shop in Eagan who is also looking to move and has 600 customers. This would bring 1,200 barber clients to Mendota Heights in a four to six week period who may make other purchases. Mr. Barnhodt provided a handout of his proposal to the Council and requested a response about whether it would be approved. Mayor Huber explained that during public comments, the Council takes comments and questions but does not make decisions of any magnitude since staff has not had the opportunity to research the request and provide the Council with an appropriate recommendation and materials. City Administrator David McKnight stated staff met with the property owners last week regarding this request. The concern is that a barbershop is allowed in the B -2 zone but not listed as allowable or a conditional use in B -1, which is the zoning for the property under discussion. He said staff will list options for the property owner and Mr. Barnholdt, which may involve an ordinance amendment or appeal of a decision by the Zoning Administrator. Mayor Huber reviewed the timeline for consideration of an ordinance amendment. Should an application be received, it would be considered by the Council in May 2010. Councilmember Krebsbach asked Mr. Barnholdt if he had looked at space in Mendota Plaza or The Village. Mr. Barnhodt stated he had but those retail locations require a 1,000 square foot minimum. Councilmember Krebsbach stated she would not be willing to consider a third retail area. She stated she knows people love Mr. Bamholdt's barbershop and encouraged owners of the two major retail areas to accommodate this request, noting it would create significant traffic. -. Councilmember Duggan stated he met with Mr. Barnholdt on this request and noted that the B -1 zoning requires professional and he considers a barbershop to be 3 March 2, 2010 Page 4 professional so he did not think an ordinance change would be needed. He stated this barbershop would be an asset to Mendota Heights and he would welcome it. Councilmember Schneeznan stated she would welcome this business. Councilmember Vitelli stated he would withhold his opinion until a request is submitted and a Planning Commission recommendation is received. Mayor Huber stated he would also withhold his opinion. He noted staff has considered this request and found it required an ordinance amendment. Mr. Barnholdt stated he is under time constraints because his lease expires in 2010 and if it requires several months before Council action and six to eight weeks to build out the space, he may lose this opportunity. In addition, the barber in Eagan would need to make plans to relocate. Ross Fefercorn, RMF Entities, Ltd., updated the Council on a new tenant at The Village, New Heights Physical Therapy, and introduced Physical Therapist Heather Engelbert. Heather Engelbert stated New Heights Physical Therapy opened February 1, 2010, for outpatient physical therapy. She described the treatments and services they provide to their patients and their certifications, and stated they hope to grow to four to five therapists by May. Ms. Engelbert stated their services are covered by insurance and provided their telephone number. Councilmember Krebsbach asked several questions about the services provided and stated this is a great addition to Mendota Heights. Mayor Huber advised that John McDonald passed away suddenly on Sunday, February 28, 2010. He stated John was a classmate of his at St. Thomas Academy, appointed by Gov. Pawlenty to be a commissioner to the Metropolitan Airports Commission for the Mendota Heights area, very gracious to give of his time to that commitment, and an 4 AGENDA REVISION CASE NO. 10 -02, LANDREVILLE March 2, 2010 Page 5 asset to the community. He extended the City's deepest condolences to each of Mr. McDonald's family members. Councilmember Duggan advised that cell phones are charged for telemarketer calls but you can call 888 -382- 1222 to block those telephone calls. Mayor Huber explained the Council will receive the staff report on item 9a at this time and questions will be asked of staff. However, action will not be taken until after item 8a, Lake Drive public hearing. Assistant to the City Administrator Jake Sedlacek presented the application of Jane Landreville for a wetlands peimit to construct a fence and addition of stairs to an existing deck at 2455 Bridgeview Court. The affected parcel is zoned R- 1, guided as low density residential and used as a single - family residence. Mr. Sedlacek displayed an area map to identify the subject site and site plan to describe the location of the proposed fence, which will be constructed of black aluminum and black vinyl - coated chain link fence. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on February 23, 2010, and no comments were received. Mayor Huber entertained questions of the Council, applicant, and audience. Hearing none, he announced that the Council would take action on this request following Item 8a, Lake Drive public hearing. LAKE DRIVE PUBLIC HEARING Acting Public Works Director /City Engineer Ryan Ruzek stated that public testimony received as part of the Visitation Drive /Mendota Heights Road roundabout project centered on traffic flowing through the Rogers Lake neighborhood from both Visitation and St. Thomas Academy. As part of the approval of the roundabout project, Council directed staff to consider options on closing Lake Drive between St. Thomas Academy and Swan Drive. Mr. Ruzek stated staff is presenting the Council with five options to consider: Option 1: Peinianent closure including pavement and curb removal and converting the existing roadway to a trail 5 ) March 2, 2010 Page 6 section. The estimated cost is approximately $120,000. There would be advance warning signs but it would not provide an area for vehicles to turn around on Lake Drive. Option 2: Similar to option 1 but configured as a temporary closure to break the patterns of students, teachers, and parent drivers who use Lake Drive. There would be advance warning signs and is estimated to cost approximately $8,000. Option 3: Lake Drive would remain open but attempts to deter traffic from flowing to the neighborhoods and could be installed for approximately $3,500. Councilmember Krebsbach asked about the use of bumpout curbs. Mr. Ruzek reviewed the costs for that option. Option 4: Defer making any changes to the existing roadway system until the effects of the roundabout can be further analyzed after installation. Option 5: Do nothing, leaving the traffic system as it is. Mr. Ruzek advised that four comments against the closure have been received as well as letters from St. Thomas Academy and Visitation. Three e-mails opposing the closure were received today. Councilmember Krebsbach asked who owned the properties involved in option 1? Mr. Ruzek displayed a map that identified the property lines and stated the City has right-of- way through the corridor. Robley Evans, St. Thomas Academy Director of Business Affairs, identified the parcels owned by St. Thomas and described what is located on each. Mayor Huber opened the public hearing at 7:40 p.m. Robley Evans, St. Thomas Academy Director of Business Affairs, stated their opposition to options 1 and 2 for reasons of safety and access. He suggested they gather statistics on current traffic patterns, wait until the roundabout is completed, and then do further traffic studies. Mr. Evans questioned the effectiveness of option 1 and precedent it would set for other neighborhoods to request 6 March 2, 2010 Page 7 similar closures. He provided his impression of the St. Thomas Academy traffic patterns once the roundabout is completed, noting the location of the parking lot off Mendota Heights Road and Lake Drive. He then described the congestion that would be created at the area south of the curve by service vehicles if Lake Drive is closed. Councilmember Krebsbach asked about the traffic pattern of service vehicles. Mr. Evans used a map to outline the entrance and exit points to the Middle School, noting at that location it would not create backed up vehicles. Mr. Evans also reviewed the route for emergency vehicles should there be an incident and how vehicles would have to exit the campus. He stated they received a lot of comments and one parent had contracted with RLK, Inc. to look at the area and roundabout location. Mr. Evans read a comment from the January 11, 2010, RLK memorandum indicating the installation of a roundabout at the Mendota Heights Road/Visitation Drive intersection will not result in an increase of cut-through traffic in the Rogers Lake neighborhood and will not have adverse effects on the roadway network, and empirical evidence from many similar treatments both locally and nationally show drivers will not go out of the way to avoid this type of roadway treatment. Mr. Evans referenced comments from a parent who is a fire official of another jurisdiction and against knockdown bollards because snow piles against bollards and creates an icewall and, in summer months, debris would collect in the closed off curve area. Mr. Evans stated there has been mention of friction between St. Thomas Academy, Visitation, and neighbors, and they would entertain any suggestions to build good will by meeting with residents to consider service opportunities. In conclusion, Mr. Evans restated their request to not close Lake Drive, conduct further traffic study after construction of the roundabout, and they will continue to discourage students from driving through neighborhood streets. Councilmember Krebsbach asked if there had been any incidents where a vehicle traveling too fast has gone off the sharp curve? Jennifer Naas, 2370 Swan Drive, stated their mail box was run over so many times by students driving to St. Thomas 7 March 2, 2010 Page 8 Academy that they had to relocate it. Now she feared for her safety when getting her mail. Scott Herzog, 903 Bluebill Drive, stated he is the father of nine children who attend St. Thomas Academy and Visitation and his use of Lake Drive to access Mendota Heights Road is a must. He stated with the closure of Lake Drive, his children would have to drive to Mendota Heights Road, stop at Dodd Road, and turn onto Bluebill Drive, which is a safety concern. He also commented on the difficult turn movement onto Dodd Road during morning rush hours when there is also student traffic. Mr. Herzog stated his support to wait until the roundabout is constructed, noting younger drivers will easily maneuver through the roundabout. Jennifer Wiechert, stated she has a St. Thomas Academy freshman, uses Lake Drive periodically, and has spent time watching traffic patterns during different times of the day. She stated in the morning and afternoon there are short periods of time where there is more traffic. She noticed most traffic is middle school parental traffic, not teenage traffic. Ms. Wycert stated she talked with Fire Department personnel who were concerned about the closure of Lake Drive because it would extend the time of their response. They also indicated if there was a fire, the truck would not be able to turn around if Lake Drive is closed. She noted this is also a concern for UPS and Federal Express trucks. Ms. Wycert stated her concern is with restricted emergency traffic routes since her student will be attending school for three more years. In addition, the owner of a house on Diane Road has cerebral palsy so vans and workers are coming day and night. She asked why Diane Road is not considered for closure since it is the same situation as Lake Drive. Ms. Wycert suggested Lake Drive remain open and the ends of other streets be barricaded if they do not want drivers to use their streets. Councilmember Krebsbach clarified that the Council had discussed the issue of safety with the fire chief and this option would not be considered if there had been any concern with response time or safety. Jennifer Naas, 2370 Swan Drive, felt the problem is not the level of traffic but the speed of the traffic on Lake Drive. 8 March 2, 2010 Page 9 She stated residents concerns are with their children as they want to use the streets for their bicycles and skateboards. Ms. Naas noted that those who live on Lake Drive are also part of the Rogers Lake neighborhood. She felt that while St. Thomas Academy administration has indicated they will discourage student traffic on Lake Drive, it continues and the traffic study has identified that Lake Drive is the primary access to the St. Thomas Academy, with 405 right hand turns from Dodd Road to Lake Drive. She suggested the speed of traffic also be considered. Mayor Huber questioned Mr. Naas' statement that "Lake Drive had been identified as the primary access to St. Thomas Academy" and asked Staff to review the traffic study to confirm whether that statement was accurate. Mary Lou Cooper, Heritage Way, said her son is a junior at St. Thomas Academy and she receives multiple e -mails and her son has been told multiple times to avoid use of Lake Drive. She stated St. Thomas Academy does not do just lip service but tells students and parents many times during the school year to avoid the use of Lake Drive. She stated she never uses Lake Drive. Ms. Cooper noted she lives on a city street and would love to have the right to say who can and cannot use her street, but it is a public street so she does, not have that right and should not have that right. Mary Vanasek, 610 Ivy Falls Avenue, reviewed other city roads that could be closed off and pointed out that this neighborhood is fortunate to have the summer off because her road and neighborhood has that kind of traffic even on weekends and year round. Dale Johnson, 2215 Dodd Road, stated he lives north of Lake Drive and is concerned that his driveway would be blocked by traffic in the morning if all the traffic is moved to Mendota Heights Road. Clark Wicklund, 897 Bluebill Drive, stated he has participated in this issue since the beginning and spoken several times with staff. Mr. Wicklund stated he is a civil engineer and works with transportation and residential projects. He opposes the roundabout. Mr. Wicklund reviewed the staff report and pointed out an inaccurate calculation related to unit pricing for removal of 400 feet of 9 March 2, 2010 Page 10 Lake Drive. The staff report estimates the cost at $120,000 based on estimated unit prices for pavement removal of $2.50 per square foot; however, it should be $3.00 per square yard so the actual cost for removal is about $26,000. In addition, the cost estimate for sodding of $4 per square foot and is actually about $3.00 a square yard. Mr. Ruzek concurred the staff report contained an inaccurate estimate. Mr. Wicklund noted that if this project is constructed in cooperation with the roundabout project, soil materials could be swapped, resulting in a cost savings of about $14,000. Mr. Wicklund addressed the issue of increased traffic volumes on a temporary basis until drivers find there is no exit out of the neighborhood. He noted the traffic is not a neighborhood -to- neighborhood connection but neighborhood -to- institution. Mr. Wicklund felt the issue was one of convenience for deliveries and students to get to the school and if he were a student, he would also want that convenience. However, he is a resident of the Rogers Lake neighborhood and knows what the roundabout will do to traffic patterns. He opined RLK wrote its report on behalf of its client but he believes the roundabout would be like putting a large nut in a sewer pipe and having the same amount of flow go through the pipe and that will not happen. People will use the path of least resistance. Mr. Wicklund noted the roundabout resolves one left turn conflict but there are three left turn conflicts on Lake Drive and one left turn conflict at Dodd Road. He stated he will be inconvenienced with the closure but felt there was a significant safety issue to the Rogers Lake neighborhood which should be entitled to some amount of protection. Mr. Wicklund asked if Visitation is to contribute $25,000 but the city is to pay $12,500 in exchange for the right-of- way to construct the roundabout. Mr. McKnight clarified that Visitation will contribute $12,500 cash plus the right - of -way for the roundabout. Mr. McKnight stated they will also contribute up to an additional $10,000 towards the $40,000 cost that the low bid was over the estimate. Mr. Wicklund stated the city is generous in paying to construct a roundabout which is Visitation's responsibility to correct so he felt the City should not have to purchase the right -of -way. He said that based on the City's statistical 10 March 2, 2010 Page 11 crash data, there were 49 accident occurrences on Mendota Heights Road. Councilmember Duggan clarified there were 27 incidents over 9 years, and 3 were considered significant in front of Visitation. The police chief felt this warranted some type of traffic softening to slow traffic and make it safer. Mr. Wicklund stated he is certain traffic to the Rogers Lake neighborhood will increase and asked the Council to consider that a good portion of this institutional traffic involved conflict and was driven by a segment of drivers frequently getting into incidents and they would now be introduced to a residential neighborhood. Mr. Wicklund stated St. Thomas Academy and Visitation have been good neighbors and they have good students but Visitation has elected to not correct this issue on its own but to rely on the city, and residents should have some say on how that is done. He noted points of access that Visitation could construct on their available land, yet they chose to do nothing. He asked what is the responsibility of Visitation and if their land is more sacred than the safety of residents in the Rogers Lake neighborhood? Chip Connelly, 1901 Glenhill Road, stated he has no benefit with this issue but is here on behalf of the rest of Mendota Heights' residents. He believes drivers will master the roundabout traffic pattern quite easily. He stated as a parent of St. Thomas Academy and Visitation students, he drives on Lake Drive and shortcuts as often as he can. He supports construction of the roundabout and to measure effectiveness but not to consider a closure based on exclamations, even if correct. He urged the Council to wait and base its decision on accuracy, not on contemplation. Penny Malecha concurred with Mr. Evans and Mr. Connelly. She described the heavy pedestrian traffic by the middle school and conflict with bus traffic. Ms. Malecha felt closing Lake Drive would increase that safety concern. She disagreed with Mr. Wicklund that anything is known with certainty with regard to traffic patterns and suggested a speed trap be used to discourage speeding traffic, noting the ticket cost is high for student drivers who speed. Ms. Malecha felt it was a drastic decision to consider closure of Lake Drive before traffic numbers are known. She March 2, 2010 Page 12 reviewed the locations of other metro roundabouts and stated they have not been a problem for drivers. Richard Davern, Business Manager of Visitation, stated they are in agreement with Mr. Evans and believe the roundabout should be constructed and then a study conducted on Lake Drive. With regard to the city purchasing right -of -way, he noted that is the usual practice when the city wants to construct a roadway. Mr. Davem advised the value of the right -of -way was $55,000, yet Visitation agreed to accept $12,500. Eric Palmer, 2371 Kressin Avenue, stated the safety concerns are not exclamation but actual concerns for the safety of neighborhood children. He stated they are not trying to dictate the end of the road but to plea with the Council that their concerns of safety are valid, noting that both sides have expressed safety concerns. He pointed out that it is not middle school parents who drag race down Lake Drive but that is a common joke at St. Thomas shared among alumni. Mr Palmer stated his concerns are with trash, speed of traffic, and intensifying traffic on Lake Drive. He does not object to the construction of a roundabout as long as remedial measures are taken elsewhere. Mr. Palmer suggested it is known that a roundabout will create a path of least resistance on Lake Drive to avoid use of Mendota Heights Road and those who are obeying St. Thomas administrators to avoid Lake Drive now have one less reason to do so. He felt the roundabout would force institutional traffic onto a residential roadway where the speed is 30 miles per hour. Councilmember Krebsbach asked about the design of Lake Drive. Mr. Ruzek stated it is designed for nine -ton trucks. Dan Scott stated he has a student at St. Thomas Academy and is a 1981 graduate. He noted that St. Thomas Academy has been there since 1965 and wondered how long the homeowners on Lake Drive have been there. Mr. Scott stated schools are allowed in residential districts and if you move near a school, you will have increased traffic—during school hours. He used a map to describe the location of other schools and points of access. Mr. Scott stated it appears the key concern is the speed of traffic and suggested a solution may be a speed hump that is two to 12 March 2, 2010 Page 13 three feet wide and will slow traffic if strategically placed. He noted most of Lake Drive is fronted by Visitation and on the other side half is St. Thomas Academy. He stated there are other points of access for residents to get to Dodd Road so the main concern is getting to and from the school. Mr. Scott stated that 90 St. Thomas Academy students are from Mendota Heights. He suggested another option would be an adopt -a- highway program by the schools to pick up trash. Doug Hennes, 2351 Swan Drive, stated that seven years ago, when he moved in, his biggest concern was with traffic due to the location of Visitation and St. Thomas Academy. He stated he has seen very little drag racing, felt the traffic was pretty much calm, and had not encountered high volumes or speeding traffic on Lake Drive. He stated speed humps could be tested, or speed platforms, which have been fairly effective in calming traffic in other areas. Mr. Hennes felt it would be premature to close Lake Drive based on perceived traffic issues and a better short -teun solution would be a higher police presence and to work with St. Thomas Academy and Visitation to address traffic calming measures with their students. He is not convinced the roundabout will increase traffic on Lake Drive because it is out of the way and more convenient to access St. Thomas Academy by using Mendota Heights Road and Dodd Road or to use Highway 55. He did not favor closing Lake Drive because he did not feel the traffic would increase. Mike Byrne, Assistant Headmaster of St. Thomas Academy for 36 years, stated they want to be good neighbors and he stresses that all the time. He stated when they receive a neighbor complaint, they have Saturday detention and he requires students to clean the neighborhood. He suggested a survey be done after the roundabout is constructed and stated they will work with the neighborhood and city. Paula Anderson, 790 Lower Colonial Drive, stated someone raised the issue of emergency vehicle access and if Lake Drive -is closed, she would want to- be- assured. students could be quickly evacuated. She was also concerned with the precedent that such a closure would create. Ms. Anderson suggested an outcome study following construction to assure its effectiveness and stated that after 13 March 2, 2010 Page 14 learning how to maneuver through a roundabout, it is easy to navigate. Al Wiik, 2250 Swan Drive, stated people who do not live in this neighborhood are talking about the neighborhood, and he did not believe studies were done when school activities were taking place. He stated he has seen traffic go from Dodd Road to Lake Drive and then south and he felt your life was in your hands if you walked on Lake Drive during winter months when it is dark outside. He used a map to note an area that has stripes that he thought was a walking path but was actually parking for the school. Mr. Wiik felt that was ironic since the school campuses have 40 acres each and asked why the schools did not have to provide adequate on -site parking. He stated he can see the Lake Drive traffic from his front porch and sometimes parents are the worse drivers because they are in a hurry to drop off their students. Mr. Wiik stated that Dodd Road has become a highway because of the high traffic levels, making it difficult to get into and out of the shopping areas. He felt that traffic would use Lake Drive to avoid the stop light at Dodd Road and Mendota Heights Road so something needed to be done to block Lake Drive. Mr. Wiik noted that everything Visitation builds is on the Lake Drive side of their property, not close to Dodd Road or Mendota Heights Road. Robley Evans, St. Thomas Academy Director of Business Affairs, used a map to identify the location where buses park on Lake Drive for students to board. With regard to the drag racing comment, he stated that during the ten years he has been at St. Thomas Academy, they have cooperated with Mendota Heights police and the state patrol and found it never involved St. Thomas or Visitation students. William Herschbach, 2370 Kressin Road, stated that he has picked up headlight pieces in his yard from a car accident and has also stopped cars on Lake Drive from drag racing within the last two years. -Mike `Kosel, 889 Blueb ll "Drive, stated Lake Drive and other neighborhood streets have no sidewalks and the area is becoming more occupied with young children who play in the streets and need to be protected. 14 March 2, 2010 Page 15 Councilmember Krebsbach stated if Lake Drive is not closed, she can see a trail constructed on Lake Drive to protect residents and asked what other roads should have a trail. She stated the worse thing for all is if someone gets injured. Mr. Kosel stated Lake Drive would warrant a trail and suggested closing the street to northbound traffic with a partial barrier, one -way signage, and charging a fine if violated. He also raised the option of installing railroad arms that block traffic during certain tunes of the day. Julie Odendahl, 887 Cheri Lane, stated it was clear after the last meeting that the residents had a strong argument for safety. She noted the need to conduct a study prior to construction of the roundabout so there is a point of comparison for an after -the -fact study. Ms. Odendahl stated she lives close to the corner of Swan Drive and described the squealing of car tires she can hear at about 3:30 p.m. from students driving around the curves from Lake Drive, to Swan Drive, to Cheri Lane. In addition, students wearing uniforms leave a lot of litter at Rogers Lake Park. Ms. Odendahl expressed concern for neighborhood children. Clark Wicldund, 897 Bluebill Drive, said Visitation has a lot of land and asked why they do not correct this problem instead of having residents arguing about it tonight and spending city money. Mayor Huber explained this involves the crossing of two public streets and is a city issue. Pat Randall, 902 Cheri Lane, stated he remains opposed to the roundabout because it is so close to Dodd Road. He noted if Lake Drive is closed, the neighborhood traffic will exit by using Cheri Lane. He stated he has not had a lot of traffic problems by students, parents, or neighbors. He supported option four with a before and after study and then coming up with a solution that makes the most sense. He stated he the uses roads every day but the students are not there all year. He asked the Council to consider the safety of the neighborhood and do a thorough and objective study so the best solution is reached for the neighborhood. Councilmember Krebsbach asked about a partial barrier. Mr. Randall stated ultimately if the residents' main issue is safety it is because of the cars coming up and down on Lake Drive, not turning into their neighborhood. He felt the 15 March 2', 2010 Page 16 roundabout was made without enough study or the right study and asked that a better job be done this time to look at all options. Councilmember Krebsbach explained that to support a partial blockage, she would have to be assured it is what the neighborhood supported. Diane Kasart, West St. Paul, stated she has a freshman son at St. Thomas Academy and asked how many residential driveways come onto Lake Drive. Councilmember Schneeman stated there is one driveway. Ms. Kasart stated she is uncertain if the residents' concern is with traffic driving through the Rogers Lake neighborhood using Swan Drive and Rogers Avenue or the traffic on Lake Drive. Mayor Huber stated the concern is with the speed of traffic on Lake Drive and cut-through traffic to Wagon Wheel Trail. Ms. Kasart stated public roads are meant to be traveled on and if there is only one driveway, Lake Drive is more of an arterial road than a neighborhood road. She suggested the Council look at what can be done to reduce speed limits with road humps or a higher police presence and a sidewalk for pedestrian safety. Mike Povolny stated he has a son at St. Thomas. He noted all schools in Mendota Heights have the same traffic problem and asked how they will be treated fairly. Mr. Povolny stated he sometimes uses Lake Drive but has seen the same traffic jams on Victoria Road and Lexington Avenue due to bus and traffic congestion. Thomas Marks, 2566 Whitfield Drive, stated he lives in the Kensington neighborhood and if streets are going to be blocked off he would like Whitfield Drive blocked from traffic going to and from the park for soccer games. He felt his neighborhood had a bigger safety issue due to the park and if the option of closure was going to be available, he would like the same consideration. Councilmember Krebsbach noted the roundabout resulted in this consideration and any city-lad-erghip rrow-orin the-- - - future will not close roads nonchalantly. She stated this involved a unique set of circumstances and she does not want the city's neighborhoods to be scared that roads are going to be closed. The Lake Drive issue is related to the 16 March 2, 2010 Page 17 roundabout and no other roundabout locations are under consideration. Mr. Marks stated he was referring to a road closure in his neighborhood, not a roundabout. He suggested the Council consider the option of restricting left and/or right turns onto Dodd Road and side streets off Lake Drive Councilmember Duggan moved to close the public hearing at 9:03 p.m. Councilmember Schneeman seconded the motion. Mayor Huber thanked all for attending the meeting tonight to provide comments and for their professional, even - tempered demeanor. Councilmember Duggan congratulated St. Thomas Academy on 125 years, a significant achievement. He stated the assumption of Rogers Lake neighbors is that the roundabout would slow down traffic. Councilmember Duggan agreed that initially, when you approach a roundabout, you slow a bit because you are not familiar with the traffic pattern. The other assumption is that students do not like to go slower so, therefore, they would avoid the roundabout and seek another route, meaning Lake Drive. Councilmember Duggan stated these are perceptions and assumptions and suggested doing a traffic study for the areas of St. Thomas Academy, Visitation, and the Rogers Lake neighborhood. Then, after the roundabout is constructed, another study can be conducted so you can compare apples to apples. He noted it is not unusual, however, to see a slight increase each year in traffic Councilmember Duggan stated he has also watched morning traffic and counted about 100 cars per hour with some going fast and some not going fast. He stated this goes back to a person's perception and that can be done away with by having the facts and figures from before and after studies. Councilmember Kxebsbach stated she supports a systemic approach and looking -at-Mendota - Heights Road, Wagon Wheel Trail, Lake Drive, and the intersection of Dodd Road and Mendota Heights Road. She stated support for forming baseline data and also looking at it during football season to see what would happen to that traffic if Lake 17 March 2, 2010 Page 18 Drive is closed. Councilmember Krebsbach noted the Council is charged with the health, safety, and welfare of its residents so safety of residents and students is a concern for her. She noted Fire Chief Maczko did weigh in on the closing and addressed the use of bollards. She stated support for looking into other solutions since there could be alternatives to handle the traffic short of closing Lake Drive. She would keep that option open and would like St. Thomas Academy to see how they could handle traffic within their own property. Councilmember Krebsbach stated she would like this issue solved and to put to rest for the neighborhood and two schools so it is a benefit to all. She stated she is supportive of putting off the decision until that type of solution is found. Councilmember Schneeman stated she had to leave the Council meeting but wanted to first make her comments. She stated that she likes Lake Drive because it is pretty and she likes to look at the Rogers Lake because it is a peaceful place and all in Mendota Heights should enjoy it. Councilmember Schneeman stated she has served on the Council for twelve years and the Parks and Recreation Commission for six years, and her husband served on the Planning Commission for six years. During that time the city has opened roads between neighborhoods but never considered closing a road. She noted the city's comprehensive . plan, which has been submitted to the Metropolitan Council, is the city's vision plan for the next decade. Councilmember Schneeman read a portion of the transportation plan that addressed connecting local streets between subdivisions and providing residents with convenient avenues to drive from one neighborhood to another by creating connections. She stated she does not agree with Councilmember Krebsbach and thinks this issue got out of whack with the roundabout and she would never favor closing a city road. In closing, Councilmember Schneeman congratulated the two girls from Sibley who were named All Conference for hockey. Councilmember Schneeman was excused from the meeting at 9:12 p.m. Councilmember Vitelli stated he had lived in Germany for four years and became familiar with roundabouts because they were everywhere in that area. He found roundabouts March 2, 2010 Page 19 do not cause a problem, traffic moves through them efficiently, and he did not think the city's roundabout would cause a problem or traffic change to the Rogers Lake neighborhood. He stated he disagrees with Councilmember Krebsbach's statement that the roundabout raised the issue of whether to close Lake Drive. Councilmember Vitelli stated that option three, in his opinion, would cause more traffic to move through Lake Drive and into the neighborhoods because of street blockades. He stated he would oppose cutting off Lake Drive because of the precedent it would establish. Councilmember Vitelli listed other city streets (First Avenue, Warrior Drive, Decorah Lane, Dodd Road and Copperfield Drive, Ivy Falls Avenue, Sylvandale Road, Ashley Lane) that residents would like closed off due to traffic volume, speed or cut - through traffic and asked how the Council can tell them no if a precedent is set with Lake Drive. Councilmember Vitelli stated he would not support setting a precedent because he did not see a linkage between construction of the roundabout and Lake Drive. He stated he has also talked with his daughter who had lived on Kressin Avenue for four to five years and she indicated she had not seen a traffic problem nor had a safety concern for her three girls. Councilmember Vitelli stated he would entertain the good ideas presented tonight, such as left turn restrictions, but wanted to wait for a baseline traffic study to be conducted now and again in a year and a half. Mayor Huber stated he also believed the traffic on Mendota Heights Road and Lake Drive were separate issues and not connected to the roundabout. He stated he did not believe the roundabout would push traffic to Lake Drive but no one knows with certainty until a study is conducted. He agreed with the need for a baseline study so there is something to contrast with after the roundabout is constructed. Mayor Huber stated he would not support a closure of Lake Drive at this time. Mayor Huber noted St. Thomas Academy and Visitation - generate a lot of traffic and encouraged them to. continue . and redouble their on -going safety education of students and parents since new students come into the school each year. He commented on the importance of developing a level of common courtesy towards the neighborhoods they 19 CASE NO. 10 -92, LANDREVILLE March 2, 2010 Page 20 drive through. Mayor Huber stated that when he was a student at St. Thomas he had been told by his dad, who was the mayor at the tune, to never use Lake Drive or he would lose the car. Mayor Huber stated after the traffic study is conducted and data is completed, he would suggest scheduling another meeting to share that data with the residents. Councilmember Duggan advised that he had called Fire Chief John Maczko to ask about the fire department's concern. Fire Chief Maczko indicated the fire trucks use the main roads to access a fire, normally using Dodd Road to Mendota Heights Road to get to the Academy. The fire trucks would not use Lake Drive because it is residential and there are too many children, which may cause a safety hazard. The fire department would also prefer two points of access. Councilmember Duggan asked whether the schools still conduct fire safety drills. Mayor Huber asked about the resident statement indicating Lake Drive was the primary access to St. Thomas. Mr. Ruzek reviewed the peak morning traffic counts for Dodd Road, Lake Drive, and Mendota Heights Road, noting the majority of the traffic gains access from Mendota Heights Road, not Lake Drive as indicated by the resident. Mayor Huber asked staff to quadruple check all cost estimates and traffic numbers to assure they are accurate, and to know the date of the study so it can be deteimined whether school was in session. Mr. Ruzek noted Lake Drive is a state aid road and MnDOT's traffic studies were done during off - school times so it differs from the studies done in April. On behalf of the Council, Mayor Huber directed City Administrator McKnight to work with staff on the numbers and share with the Council how they will get a baseline study that can be used as a point of comparison. It was noted that the staff report for this item was presented prior to item 8a, Lake Drive Public hearing. The Planning Commission considered this request at its February 23, 2010 meeting, held a public hearing, and recommends approval on a 5 -0 vote with the following conditions: 1. The project meets the intent of the Wetlands Ordinance. 20 Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 COUNCIL COMMENTS ADJOURN Ayes: 4 March 2, 2010 Page 21 2. The project has been reviewed and approved by the City Engineer. 3. The grading and vegetation surrounding the pond will be unchanged. 4. The shape.of the pond will be unchanged. Councilmember Krebsbach moved adoption of Resolution No. 10 -16: "RESOLUTION APPROVING A WETLANDS PERMIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FENCE AND STAIRS AT 2455 BRIDGEVIEW COURT." Councilmember Duggan seconded the motion. Councilmember Vitelli thanked Councilmember Schneeman for arranging tours of St. Thomas Academy, Visitation, and Sibley High School. He stated he was impressed with his alma mater, Sibley High School, and a bit staggered when learning of Superintendent Jay Haugen's responsibilities and issues that have to be dealt with. He stated they have a good system and he was very impressed. Councilmember Krebsbach stated she would like to visit Sibley High School. She also stated her respect for Mendota Heights residents, who are eminently reasonable when providing testimony and during the discussion tonight. Councilmember Vitelli agreed with the civility of the audience, noting neighbors with opposite opinions were talking amongst each other in a friendly manner. Councilmember Duggan noted the city administrator will distribute infoimation on the Delaware Avenue issue that came out in the past week or so. Mayor Huber commented on the Dakota County Transportation open house and thanked all who attended. He stated the subcommittee will meet later this month. There being no further business to come before the Council, Councilmember Krebsbach moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Vitelli seconded the motion. 21 Nays: 0 Time of Adjournment 9:31 p.m: M. K thleen M. Swanson City Clerk Prepared by Carla Wirth, Recording Secretary March 2, 2010 Page 22 22