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032408 CC WS MinCITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008 MINUTES 1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Mayor Lizee called the meeting to order at 8:25 P.M. 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS Following the Regular City Council meeting Present. Mayor Lizee; Councilmembers Bailey, Turgeon, Wellens and Woodruff; Acting Administrator/Director of Public Works Brown; Finance Director Burton; Planning Director Nielsen; and Engineer Landini Absent: None A. Review Agenda Wellens moved, Turgeon seconded, Approving the Agenda as presented. Motion passed 5/0. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN -ROADWAY TEMPLATE Director Nielsen stated that the City's 2008 Goals and Priorities contained an item to "Develop Roadway Project Templates". When Staff was considering the timeline for the projects, it questioned what the expectation was for that project because the City already had standard street templates as part of the Shorewood Department of Public Works Standard Specifications and Detail Plates. He commented that often developers would paste the City's Detail Plates for new streets on to their plans. He stated the Transportation Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan allowed for a lesser standard in instances where existing substandard streets were in need of reconstruction; it stated the City would allow for the driving surface to be less than the 24-foot-wide standard but no less than 20 feet wide (per the requirement in the Fire Code). Nielsen noted that Staff could not recommend reconstructing any roadway to have a driving surface less than the 20-foot wide requirement specified in the Fire Code. Also, the City Attorney had advised Staff that not satisfying the Fire Code requirement for reconstructed roadways would expose the City to potential serious liability in the event that something would happen on that reconstructed roadway. Nielsen explained the Comprehensive Plan stated the City would install curb and gutter where it was necessary to control drainage. He stated that often times heavily traveled narrow roadways fail because vehicles travel on the edge of the driving surface; without the heavy concrete edge the bituminous surface deteriorated more rapidly. Nielsen reviewed the standards for new roadways and reconstructed roadways. The recommended standard for new roadways was a 24-foot-wide driving surface plus a 28-inch-wide surmountable curb and gutter on each side of the driving surface. For reconstructed roads the recommended standard was a minimum 20-foot-wide driving surface and 12-inch-wide edge control (concrete ribbon) on each side of the driving surface. CITY OF SFIOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES March 24, 2008 Page 2 of 4 Nielsen noted that in the case of the aborted Amlee Road /Manitou Lane /Glen Road road reconstruction project, residents were concerned about the fact that existing trees would be lost along Glen Road when the roadway was widened as well as the width of the proposed street. Residents wanted to maintain the current roadway width which had a driving surface which was less than 20 feet wide. Nielsen stated Staff believed it was the City's duty to take responsibility for the City's infrastructure; it was the City's responsibility to ensure a roadway was repaired in a timely manner so the cost to repair it did not increase significantly as time lapsed. He then stated the process followed for road reconstruction projects may need to be refined, and it should include explaining the rationale for the City's standards to the residents early on in the process. The identification of issues early in the process could help in avoiding spending a great deal of money only to eventually abort a project. Nielsen stated from Staff's vantage point the City had roadway templates; if Council wanted different standards then it should determine what they would be. Councilmember Woodruff stated from his perspective that action item for Staff was to refine the process so major issues were identified early in the process. With regard to the aborting of the Amlee Road / Manitou Lane /Glen Road road reconstruction process, he stated from his vantage point the reason the project was aborted was the City was not able to obtain the necessary easements without invoking the process of eminent domain. He recommended that for future roadway reconstruction projects Staff identify the issues that would result from reconstructing a roadway to have a minimum of a 20-foot-wide driving surface with a 12-inch-wide edge control on each side of the surface; those issues could then be discussed in a Council work session. Councilmember Wellens stated the reason he made a motion to abort the project was the lack of drainage easements. He then stated it did not make sense to reconstruct a roadway without concrete edging; it was prudent to adhere to the 20-foot-wide minimum driving surface standard plus the 12-inch-wide edge control on each side of the surface for reconstructed streets. Director Nielsen stated if Council agreed with Councilmember Wellens's perspective on the standards, then Staff would include the existing templates in the Comprehensive Plan. With regard to the process, Staff would work on refining it so major issues were identified early on in the process; survey work must be done early in the process which results in up-front expense. Councilmember Woodruff questioned what would happen if there would be a situation where a proposed reconstructed roadway would not meet the minimum width for a driving surface yet the roadway was in need of repair; should there be various scenarios defined in advance for dealing with that type of situation or should that be addressed when a situation arose, and if scenarios were identified should they be included in the Comprehensive Plan. Mayor Lizee stated that could be addressed as part of the twenty- year comprehensive infrastructure plan which would include roadway repairs and maintenance; that plan would be updated annually. Director Nielsen stated if a roadway deteriorated to the point where the surface became gravel or bits of bituminous it would cost residents more to maintain that gravel road. He questioned why residents in other parts of the City should have to pay for that extra maintenance because the residents on the street did not want a wider reconstructed street. He stated it took courage to stand before residents and say the City was going to enforce its standards when the residents thought a change in the width of the road would result in a change to the character of their neighborhood. He noted that it did not cost the individual property owners more to have a wider roadway because the City did not assess for its roadways. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES March 24, 2008 Page 3 of 4 Councilmember Woodruff stated his primary reason for aborting the Amlee Road /Manitou Lane /Glen Road road reconstruction project was the City's inability to obtain the necessary drainage easements. Director Nielsen stated if that reason would continue to be the foundation for making a decision about reconstruction then roadways where that could become a problem should not even be considered for reconstruction. Mayor Lizee clarified that project started as a project for Amlee Road and Manitou Lane; Glen Road was added to the project later and that increased the engineering costs incurred prior to the project being aborted. She stated there were many factors that contributed to the inability to move the project forward. Councilmember Turgeon stated the City had not been able to obtain the necessary easements on Amlee Road; therefore, the project would not have been done even if Glen Road had not been added. Acting Administrator Brown stated when the Amlee Road and Manitou Lane project was started Staff presented the roadway standards to Council; the discussions quickly turned to how narrow the roadways could be and that impacted the easement needs. He then stated if Council and Staff agreed in advance to roadway standards then it would be much easier to identify the other requirements early in the process. Councilmember Turgeon stated it was her understanding the standard for reconstructed roadways was they would be constructed to their current driving surface width provided that width was not less than 20 feet. She went on to state it would be difficult to prepare along-range roadway improvement plan with meaning if Council was not willing to enforce standards when there was resistance from residents. She suggested surveys should not ask residents if they wanted edge control, or a ditch, or curb and gutter if that was what was needed; Staff and Council should agree to items like that in advance. Councilmember Woodruff stated the minimum driving surface standard for reconstructed roadways should be 20 feet and it should include either 12-inch edge control on each side of the surface or curb and gutter depending on the need to control drainage. There was consensus the roadway standards for both new roadways and reconstructed roadways would remain as they were. In response to a question from Councilmember Bailey, Acting Administrator Brown stated he would provide him with a copy of the pavement project matrix and that information would be incorporated into the 20-year Capital Improvement Program for roadways. 3. GOALS AND PRIORITIES TIMELINE Acting Administrator Brown explained that Councilmember Turgeon had previously requested Staff prepare a graphical timeline depicting when the 2008 goals and priorities would be worked on. Staff had compiled best estimates- for the various projects. He stated the time frame for projects would shift based on other activities occurring and after a better understanding of the project scope was developed. He suggested Council be provided with quarterly updates. Councilmember Bailey requested that when Staff determined a project would not be completed during the year that Council be informed of that. Councilmember Woodruff stated he wanted the City Hall renovation completed in October 2008; 11e suggested that be the target date and if that date had to change that was fine. He did not mean to imply that all furniture would have been purchased and installed; he was referring to the building envelope, etc. Acting Administrator Brown stated that was "substantial completion" and he would change the description to say that. Director Nielsen noted landscaping would not be done until the spring of 2009. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES March 24, 2008 Page 4 of 4 Director Nielsen stated the Planning Commission's work program focused primarily on updating the Comprehensive Plan. 4. DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY SURVEY Acting Administrator Brown stated Staff was in the progress of gathering information to prepare a draft survey for Council to review and revise. He stated it was his understanding that Council would like to consider an on-line survey; Survey Monkey appeared to be a good tool and cost effective. He had obtained other cities' surveys (both in-state and out-of-state) off of the Internet as well as Decision Resource's surveys that had been done in the past. In response to a question from Councilmember Turgeon, Director Burton explained the City did a mass mailing of the City's monthly newsletter to all residents. Acting Administrator Brown stated some residents had chosen to receive their newsletters electronically. Turgeon stated there was a company that did something like a "blast email" at a cost of three cents per email. Brown stated that Julie Moore, the Communications Technician for the City, had experience with conducting surveys for the Minnetonka School District. Councilmember Wellens questioned if Survey Monkey would prohibit an individual from taking the survey multiple times. Acting Administrator Brown was unsure but he would check on that. There was consensus to have Staff draft a survey and Councilmembers would provide input after they received the draft. Councilmember Wellens questioned what the City would do differently as a result of the survey results. Councilmember Bailey stated a summary report of the survey results would be provided to survey respondents and the Council. 5. OTHER There was no other business for discussion. 6. ADJOURN Wellens moved, Woodruff seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session Meeting of March 24, 2008, at 8:55 P.M. Motion passed 5/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder ATTEST: } ~ :, ~--:~ Christine Lizee, Mayor -~ rence A. Brown, Acting City Administrator/Clerk