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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />FEBRUARY 13, 2013 <br />the approval must be without conditions. Blesener questioned the worth <br />of the City's approval if there are no conditions. Norris stated that this is <br />why he put together his letter outlining MN DOT's position on the various <br />issues raised. Keis pointed out that several of the "Whereas" clauses <br />reference Norris's letter and asked if this was acceptable to MN DOT. <br />Norris replied that it was, but suggested that if the Municipal Consent <br />Resolution contained conditions, MN DOT would have to get their <br />attorney involved. Norris felt the better approach would be for him to <br />address the $77,000 in his letter. Norris stated that the reference could be <br />additional landscaping or some other options. The Council informed <br />Norris that the City would not support a reimbursement of the $77,000 <br />through additional landscaping. Keis noted that the reimbursement should <br />occur through MN DOT providing assistance on a County project with the <br />County then providing an offset to the City on the Little Canada Road <br />project. The City Administrator indicated that this condition can be <br />changed to a "Whereas" clause that states that MN DOT agrees to directly <br />provide reimbursement. Norris can also clarify this issue in his letter. <br />Norris pointed out Item 12 in his letter which addresses turn lanes and <br />pedestrian ramps at the Little Canada Road interchange with 35E. The <br />City Administrator pointed out that this issue is between MN DOT and the <br />County and is not tied to the $77,000 reimbursement due Little Canada <br />for its cost to upgrade the Little Canada Road bridge. Norris agreed to <br />edit Item #3 in his letter relative to the reimbursement as directed by the <br />City. The City Administrator indicated that the language Norris uses for <br />Item #3 in his letter should mirror that in the resolution. <br />The City Administrator continued his review of the Municipal Consent <br />resolution noting the "Whereas" clause relative to the additional $100,000 <br />in landscaping agreed to by MN DOT. Jennie Read, MN DOT, indicated <br />that the $200,000 allocated for landscaping, plus the additional $100,000 <br />that was committed, would be spread equally over the entire project. The <br />City Administrator stated that the City's position was that the $200,000 <br />would be spread over the entire project, but the additional $100,000 <br />committed as an offset for elimination of some of the sound walls would <br />be used to provide landscaping in the areas where these sound walls would <br />have been installed. If there were excess dollars left from the $100,000 <br />once the additional landscaping was installed, the City would then support <br />these excess landscaping dollars being spread over the entire project. <br />Blesener agreed that the additional $100,000 was to be used to enhance <br />the areas where sound walls would not be installed. Read felt that their <br />landscape architect would be creative with the use of this funding and <br />would be able stretch the dollars and design the landscaping in a way that <br />would meet the City's objectives. Blesener indicated that he would <br />support enhanced landscaping in areas where there will be no sound wall <br />5 <br />