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1992-02-18 Council minutesPage No. 1230 February 18, 1992 CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held Tuesday, February 18, 1992 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota Heights, was held at 7:30 o'clock P.M. at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Mayor Mertensotto called the meeting to order at 7:30 o'clock P.M. The following members were present: Mayor Mertensotto, Councilmembers Cummins, Koch and Smith. Councilmember Blesener had notified the Council that she would be absent. AGENDA ADOPTION Councilmember Cummins moved adoption of the revised agenda for the meeting. Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 CONSENT CALENDAR Councilmember Koch moved approval of the consent calendar for the meeting along with authorization for execution of any necessary documents contained therein. a. Acknowledgment of the Treasurer's monthly report for January. b. Acknowledgment of the draft minutes of the February Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. c. Adoption of Resolution No. 92-11, "RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES RELATING TO COMPLIANCE WITH REIMBURSEMENT BOND REGULATIONS UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE." d. Approval of a Joint Powers Agreement with Dakota County for 1992 Landfill Abatement Funding and authorize its execution by the Mayor and City Clerk. e. Approval of the purchase of an Apple Laserwriter IIg for the Police Department from Apple Computer, Inc. for $3,219.00. f. Acknowledgment of a memo from the City Treasurer regarding the city's workers compensation insurance premium. Page No. 3*2.3-1- February 18, 1992 g. Authorization for the purchase of two 1992 Chevrolet Caprice police vehicles from Polar Chevrolet pursuant to State Contract M-3551 for a total cost, including equipment changeover and graphics, not to exceed $28,000. h. Authorization for the Mayor to sign letters to Representatives Vento and Sikorski asking them to co-sponsor HR3560, relating to federal cable television legislation. i. Approval of the list of contractors dated February 18, 1992 and attached hereto. j. Approval of the list of claims dated February 18, 1992 and totalling $141,465.67. k. Acknowledgment of a letter of resignation from Receptionist Maria Karels and authorization to advertise the position. Councilmember Smith seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 PROCLAMATION Councilmember Smith moved to proclaim March 9- 13 as "Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Week." Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 STREET REHABILITATION Council acknowledged a memo from Engineer POLICY Klayton Eckles regarding the street rehabilitation proposal prepared in 1989. Engineer Eckles reviewed the history of the proposal and stated that he is concerned that the 1989 plan will likely not encourage property owners to request urban style street construction, with curb and gutter, because of the significant cost differential between urban and rural type streets, largely because of the difficulties involved in installing storm sewer. He informed Council on the estimated current costs for both types of construction and reviewed several formulas for owner/city cost participation. He asked whether Council is willing to require urban Page No. -32'32 February 18, 1992 design, and if not, to what extent the city will participate in the cost. Mayor Mertensotto pointed out that Council could not get the Ivy Falls property owners to agree to anything but a street overlay when the project was constructed. He stated that West St. Paul is doing a reconstruction program and is using CDBG funding to subsidize costs for senior citizens; South St. Paul is redoing all of its streets and is bringing them all up to certain standards. He further stated that although the city could keep the rural design, he felt that if Council could get the residents to choose urban design it would be much better. He stated that rehabilitation of streets revitalizes neighborhoods and felt the urban design much improves the aesthetic appearance of a neighborhood. He stated that he likes the St. Louis Park program and that he would be in favor of using a revolving infrastructure replacement fund for city participation and also CDBG monies to assist seniors. He felt that a $16.00 per foot city contribution would be reasonable. Responding to a question from Councilmember Cummins, Treasurer Shaughnessy stated that the infrastructure replacement has been accumulating. Each project would be handles as a Chapter 429 improvement project to allow for special levies in addition to the infrastructure fund participation. If one mile of street per year were.done, he did not think the immediate tax impact would be significant, depending on how long it would be levied for. He would try to project out five years and borrow just once during that five year period. Mayor Mertensotto stated that he is convinced that putting in curb and gutter and boulevards in the older neighborhoods would be beneficial to the neighborhoods and the community. Councilmember Koch stated that some streets definitely need to be repaired but that she is not so sure that curb and gutter is better than rural design. Councilmember Smith agreed, stating that where it would be a safety hazard to retain rural design, the urban style should be used, but Page No. February 18, 1992 otherwise she did not believe that curb and gutter should be required. She asked whether curb and gutter would be a definite safety improvement for currently rural-style collector streets. She further asked whether or not the collector streets that are currently of rural design could be designated as MSA to assist in financing reconstruction to urban design. Engineer Eckles responded that it would and that Wagon Wheel and Decorah are good examples of streets which carry more than the normal traffic and would be safer if they were urban design streets. He stated that Wagon Wheel is an MSA route and that he has asked that Decorah be designated as MSA. Mayor Mertensotto stated that street restoration is a problem and that he does not feel Council should require urban design but that it should do what is possible to encourage urban design. Councilmember Cummins stated that perhaps the policy should include disincentives for selecting the rural design, such as requiring that neighborhoods pay for maintenance costs as the streets deteriorate. Councilmember Koch pointed out that if the rural design lasts 20 years versus 30 years for the urban design, it is not likely residents would choose to pay twice as much for the urban design. Councilmember Cummins stated that he would be willing to use the St. Louis Park approach and would like staff to prepare information on the impact on the City for both a 50/50% cost split and a 33/66% split. Councilmember Smith stated that if people choose the rural design, it should be their choice. As long as it is not a safety issue and does not affect a collector street, the property owners should have the right to choose the design. Councilmember Koch stated that she does not mind publicizing the benefits of urban design but that she does have a concern about requiring curb and gutter. Page No. 3Z3--41. February 18, 1992 Staff was directed to prepare information on various participation formulas and the financial impact on the City. HEARING - ALLEY Mayor Mertensotto opened the meeting for the VACATION (T.T. SMITH purpose of a public hearing on an application SUBDIVISION NO. 3) the alley in Block 5, T.T. Smith's Subdivision No. 3. Public Works Director Danielson informed Council that although the application was for vacation of the alley adjoining Lots 5 and12 and Lots 6 and 11, notices had been sent to the owners of all lots in Block 5. He recommended that the entire alley be vacated and that the city retain a 20 foot utility and drainage easement along the length of the alley. Mayor Mertensotto asked for questions and comments from the audience. Mr. Pat Robinson, 660 Brookside Lane, asked what happens when an alley is vacated. Mayor Mertensotto responded that the property to the centerline of the alley would be returned to the adjoining property owners and the city would reserve an easement for repair and maintenance of utilities, including maintenance of the NSP utility lines. He stated that there should be very little impact on property taxes. There being no further questions, Councilmember Cummins moved that the hearing be closed. Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Councilmember Cummins moved adoption of Resolution No. 92-12, "RESOLUTION APPROVING VACATION OF AN ALLEY," revised to state that the city reserves a twenty foot utility easement running ten feet on each side of the centerline of the alley. Councilmember Smith seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 LEGISLATIVE Council acknowledged a report from the REDISTRICTING PLAN City Clerk regarding legislative redistricting and precinct boundary changes. Council discussed the several options for precinct boundaries presented in the report. Page No. 32,TW February 18, 1992 Councilmember Smith moved to adopt the City Clerk's recommended legislative redistricting plan /precinct boundary map identifying one precinct in Legislative District 39 and four precincts in Legislative District 38. Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY Council acknowledged and discussed a memo from the City Clerk recommending use of a single polling place in the Mendota Plaza Shopping Center for the Presidential Primary. Council also acknowledged a proposed resolution to appoint election judges. Councilmember Cummins moved adoption of Resolution No. 92 -13, "RESOLUTION DESIGNATING SINGLE POLLING PLACE FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION," and Resolution No. 92 =15, "RESOLUTION APPOINTING ELECTION JUDGES." Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 SNOW PLOWING POLICY Council acknowledged and discussed the proposed snow plowing policy and request for authorization of the purchase of a fourth truck and snowplow. Mayor Mertensotto pointed out that the section on work schedules for snowplow operators should be revised to state that operators policy should be revised to state "regular work day" rather than nine -hour work shifts. It was the consensus that IIIB should be revised to state that snow removal operations will begin hy 2:00 A.M. rather than at 2:00 A.M. Councilmember Smith felt that the proposed policy does not address the total picture of snow removal and should prioritize what is done when. She asked about follow -up clean- up, and felt that residents should be allowed to protect not only fixed items within the setback but also plantings - asking whether residents could be given the option to mark plantings somehow. She suggested that there should also be guidelines established for such matters as how high the wing should be raised. E Page No. '1235, February 18, 1992 Mayor Mertensotto responded that it is very difficult for a wing operator to get the wing up and down and that part of the purpose of the 13 to 15 feet of city boulevard area is for snow storage. Councilmember Cummins suggested that action on the policy be tabled to allow Councilmember Smith to review her concerns with staff. Councilmember Cummins moved that action on the snow plowing policy be tabled to March 5th. Councilmember Koch seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 COUNCIL COMMENTS Mayor Mertensotto suggested that residents be notified in the city newsletter that when they are walking on the street, wherever practicable they should use the opposing traffic side, as is stated in M.S. 169.21. Councilmember Smith informed Council that she had been contacted by a resident concerned over the safety of the intersection of Mendota Heights Road and T.H. 149. The resident and her child had been involved in an accident at the intersection, and her child had been involved in a second accident. In both accidents, the vehicles were on Mendota Heights Road approaching T.H. 149 from the east. She stated that traffic will certainly increase at the intersection and she would like the city to again approach Mn/DOT to request signals. She also felt that the Mendota Heights Road west of T.H. 149 should be looked at to see if it can be improved. Mayor Mertensotto suggested that city staff put traffic counters on both sides of the intersection to measure traffic and that Mn/DOT be requested to place counters on T.H. 149. The information would then be reviewed to determine if signals are warranted. ADJOURN There being no further business to come before the Council, Councilmember Koch moved that the Page No. '32j6i- February 18, 1992 meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Smith seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: o'clock P.M. K'athleen M. Swanson City Clerk ATTEST: Charles E. Mertensotto Mayor