02-13-2013 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 13, 2013 Administrator recommended adoption of the Municipal Consent Resolution as was modified during the Council's workshop meeting this evening. McGraw expressed his frustration in working with MN DOT on the conditions for Municipal Consent for the MN PASS project, and pointed out the time that City staff had to invest in this matter. McGraw stated that he was not sure that utilizing a Memorandum of Understanding to address key issues would give the City the results that it is looking for. McGraw felt that rather than working with the City, it appears to him that MN DOT has worked against Little Canada. McGraw stated that Little Canada has had to push hard in this process, and he was unsure what the end result will be. Blesener agreed and also expressed concern about utilizing a Memorandum of Understanding for key project provisions. Keis agreed with the concerns, but pointed out that the City did get some key concessions such as the repainting of existing sound walls, additional landscaping, and pedestrian ramps at the Little Canada Road Bridge. The City Administrator expressed concern with the design/build process that MN DOT is using for the MN PASS project. He noted that under this process MN DOT, the County, and the City are trying to guess at impacts when project staging is unknown. With regard to utilizing the Memorandum of Understanding, the Administrator pointed out that the County is comfortable with this process. He noted that the Cities of St. Paul and Maplewood have granted Municipal Consent. The Administrator indicated, however, that time will tell. McGraw stated that he felt that MN DOT was trying to place the City and the County against one another. He also expressed frustration with the impact that the MN PASS project will have on Rice Street and the fact that the Rice Street improvement is being delayed because of MN PASS. McGraw felt that Rice Street will be a main alternate route while the MN PASS project is under construction. He noted that earlier this evening MN DOT representatives told the City they did not tell the County to delay the project and indicated that there will be little adverse impact on Rice Street as a result of MN PASS construction. It was also pointed out that at one point MN DOT tried to claim that Municipal Consent was not required for this project. Keis introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 2013 -2 -21— GRANTING LAYOUT APPROVAL - MUNICIPAL CONSENT FOR THE I -35E MNPASS PROJECT #S.P. 6280 -367 AS SPECIFICALLY SPELLED OUT IN THE MUNICIPAL CONSENT RESOLUTION, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 3