HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWkspMin_3 JuneFalcon Heights City Council Workshop Minutes
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
6:30 p.m.
Members Present: Mayor Lindstrom, Council Member Long, Council Member Harris,
Council Member Mercer -Taylor, and Council Member Brown Thunder
City Staff Present: City Administrator- Sack Thongvanh
City Engineer- Kristine Giga
Administrative Coordinator- Katie Thrasher
Announcements: Mayor Lindstrom presented an update on the Kaboom Playground build. It
was a successful day. Thank you to KABOOM! for their organization, to city staff, and to the
many volunteers.
1) Discussion regarding sidewalks along Garden Ave: How would we move forward
knowing we won't be working on Garden Ave in 2015?
Councilor Harris expressed interest in participating in a task force. The task force would
ideally have eight people, two of which are Falcon Heights Elementary School or District
representatives, potentially the former Planning Commission Chair, a few Planning
Commission members, and a consultant. The City will also need to consider a timeline
for when we want a completed report. The task force would be an opportunity to consider
nation-wide solutions to the issue. The task force should also take into consideration how
the school property is divided up and how that affects traffic.
Councilor Mercer -Taylor recommended reaching out to Transit for Livable Communities,
the group that worked with The City on the bike path. Best practices and cutting edge
solutions should be considered. The City could also consider involving the Center for
Transportation Studies, or potentially utilizing residents who have been a fellow or have
studied at the Center. If The City plans to create an RFP for a consultant planner, it would
be wise to separate that RFP from the recycling RFP happening in the summer.
Councilor Long stated that the council will need to give very specific charge to the
taskforce if we go that route. We will have to consider what questions to ask, and what
we want from them in terms of a work product. Some questions to be addressed in the
charge for the taskforce are: Is there a safety issue on Garden? If so, what is that safety
issue: congestion or speed? What needs to be done to address that if there is a concern in
an efficient, cost effective, and cost -equitable manner?
City Administrator Sack Thongvanh stated that he has eliminated office hours for the
City's planning consultant WSB due to filling a City planner position, but will continue
to use their expertise on a project to project basis. We would need to talk with WSB or
put out an RFP for a consultant for a study on Garden Ave and sidewalks. From not
currently utilizing WSB, the City should save about $6,000411,000 for the year, which
could be used to partial fund the study. The Parks study was about $10,000 to conduct.
Mayor Lindstrom stated that there would be no final decision until Spring of 2016, with
the taskforce and consultant being in operation in September or October in order to
observe Garden Avenue while school is in session. It was reiterated that the taskforce
would be made up of Council Member Harris, a school representative/district
representative, a consultant, the Center for Transportation Studies, and a few planning
commission members.
2) Solar Garden Discussion:
Mayor Lindstrom stated that the MetCouncil is issuing an RFP, and Falcon Heights has
the opportunity to buy into community solar with Minneapolis, Ramsey County, and
Hennepin County. If there is interest we have to write a letter of intent. If The City buys
in it would be a subscriber.
Resident Jim Utne of 1806 Pascal St. N. inquired about traffic count complete by the City of
Roseville and the cost of maintaining Garden for the year.
Resident stated the need to consider street lighting as a factor of safety, parking on the existing
shoulder where pedestrians walk, and refuse hauler traffic on Fridays.
Peter Lindstrom, Mayor
Dated this 3rd day of June, 2015
Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator