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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-047 Council Resolution• • • CITY OF LINO LAKES Resolution No. 47 - 87 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO CONDUCT A METROPOLITAN SIGNIFICANCE REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PHEASANT RIDGE MUSIC CENTER WHEREAS, the Northstar Financial Corporation is proposing an outdoor ampitheater (Pheasant Ridge Music Center) on a 97 acre parcel of land located in the eastern part of the city of Blaine; and WHEREAS, the ampitheater, according to Environmental Quality Board rules, requires a mandatory Environmental Assessment Worksheet as it includes more than 1,000 parking spaces and as it is converting more than 80 acres of naturally vegetated land into developed property; and WHEREAS, Metropolitan Council review of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet stated, The proposed improvements impact a metropolitan facility. That impact is at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and I -35W, where a widened Lexington Avenue and a widened off ramp from the south are needed to handle the music center traffic. "; and WHEREAS, the city of Lino Lakes has taken the opportunity to review the Environ- mental Assessment Worksheet prepared for the ampitheater in accordance with Minnesota Statutes section 116D.04 Subd. 5a; and WHEREAS, it has been determined from the EAW review that noice from the ampitheater would be audible in residential neighborhoods in the city of Lino Lakes; WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes section 473.173 requires the Metropolitan Council to adopt and put into effect rules establishing standards, guidelines and procedures for determining whether any proposed matter is of metro- politan significance; and WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council adopted rules chapter 5700 "Metropolitan Council Matters of Metropolitan Significance" under the Administrative Procedures Act defining issues of metropolitan significance to include facilities that will generate "... 10,000 or more vehicle trips per day or 1,000 or more vehicle trips in any one hour and a substantial effect on a metro- politan transportation facility ... "; and WHEREAS, the adopted rules for determining Metropolitan Significance also include "Local Governmental, Unit Effect and in particular state "(Metropolitan significance exists) when a substantial effect on existing or planned land use or development within a local government unit other than the situs governmental unit (is apparent). ", and • WHEREAS, according to findings of the Metropolitan Council, the ampitheater impact on I -35W might result in "...back -ups onto I -35W from traffic trying to use the ramps on Lexington Avenue. "; and WHEREAS, I -35W is a main transportaion facility servicing the city of Lino Lakes; and WHEREAS, the city of Lino Lakes has determined from its Environmental Assessment Review that noise from the ampitheater would be audible in residential neighborhoods in Lino Lakes; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF LINO LAKES, That the city of Lino Lakes requests the Metropolitan Council to initiate a sig- nificance review of the proposed Pheasant Ridge Music Center in accordance with rules adopted in Chapter 5700 Metropolitan Council Matters of Metropolitan Sig- nificance; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the city of Lino Lakes direct its staff to supply the Metropolitan Council information required for the significance review as required in Chapter 5700 1300 Sub. p. 2. • Adopted by the Lino Lakes City Council this 14th day of September, 1987. a yn G. Anderson, Clerk- Treasurer • • Benjar n G. Benson, Mayor • MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: John Miller, City Planner DATE: September 4, 1987 SUBJECT: Request for Metropolitan Significance Review for the Proposed Pheasant Ridge Music Center At the City Council's second meeting in August, I was directed to research the possibility of requesting the Metropolitan Council to complete a "metropolitan significance review" of Blaine's proposed ampitheater. • Attached is a draft resolution that if adopted by the City Council would require the metropolitan Council by law to complete the significance review. The Minnesota Statutes and subsequent rules adopted by the Metropolitan Council require the Council to complete the significance review if either of two conditions exist: - The proposed project will impact one of the several metropolitan systems, e.g. highways, regional parks, airports. - The proposed project will impact an adjacent community in an adverse way. The attached resolution makes reference to the Metropolitan Council's own review of the Blaine Environmental Assessment Worksheet where the Council's own staff found the project would impact I -35W. The resolution also makes reference to noise from the ampitheater being audible in Lino Lakes, i.e. the adverse affect on the neighboring community. In the past, the Metropolitan Council has acted on sewer requests for significance reviews. These have merged from big issues as the Megamall and the basketball arena to small issues such as drainage from one community to another. These have • • Page 2 usually been resolved by a few direct meetings with the Metropolitan Council staff and the involved individuals. According to Metro Council staff, the only real problems have come when attorneys representing affluent clients have become involved. Lino Lakes staff will have to provide some detail about the request for metropolitan significance review. This should not be major however, and should be similar to a legal writ of mandamus where the ampitheater people would have to show how the impact would be mitigated. I have also attached for your information the staff report prepared by the Metropolitan Council staff. It's there that questions about the ampitheater's impact on I -35 are raised. • M E T R O P O L I T A N • C O U N C I L 300 Metro Square Building, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101 DATE: August 27, 1987 TO: Metropolitan and Community Development Committee FROM: Long Range Planning Department (Barbara Senness) SUBJECT: Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Pheasant Ridge Music Center and Lochness Lake Park Improvements Metropolitan Council Referral File No. 14272 -1 Metropolitan Council District 8 The Northstar Financial Corporation is proposing to develop an outdoor amphitheater on a 97 -acre site in the city of Blaine. The site is bordered by I -35W on the southeast, Lexington Av. on the west and 109th Av. on the north (see Attachment 1). The facility will seat approximately 8,000 under a roof and up to 12,000 on a bermed lawn. Concerts will be offer a full range of musical styles, including symphonic, popular, jazz, country- western and rock, as well as other complimentary activities such as conventions, presentations, assemblies and festival events. Musical performances will be principally in the evening, beginning between the hours of 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. from mid -May to mid - September. Parking will provided for 7,200 cars. As part of the amphitheater project, Lochness Lake Park, located immediately north of 109th Av., will be expanded and improved for recreational and wildlife purposes. The project falls in the mandatory EAW categories for construction projects which include more than 1,000 parking spaces, change protected wetlands and convert more than 80 acres of agricultural or naturally vegetated land into developed property. AUTHORITY FOR REVIEW EAWs prepared under the Minnesota Environmental Review Program must be submitted to the Metropolitan Council and other agencies. Any recipient of an EAW or member of the public may make comments and recommendations to the responsible agency. The responsible agency for this project is the city of Blaine. ANALYSIS The EAW addresses all areas of regional concern, except for transportation and the potential impact of runoff on the quality of nearby.Golden Lake. Transportation The amount of traffic expected at a music center event is a function of assumptions regarding attendance levels, auto occupancy and arrival times. Maximum events will draw larger attendance than what could be considered an average event. Six events per year of 17,000 or more and 12 events of 15,000 or more can be expected. Of 60 events in the year, a median attendance is 2 • expected to be 10,600. The traffic analysis used the 90th percentile (17,000) and median attendance levels. The analysis also assumed 3.0 persons per car and a peak arrival factor of 65 percent. Compared to similar facilities at four or five other locations around the country, the assumptions appear reasonable. The assumptions are also similiar to those independently derived for the Starwood project in Shakopee. Unfortunately, the entire analysis has been carried out for the year 1990, therefore it does not allow the Council to evaluate the long -term impact of the facilities on the metropolitan highway system. Council staff was given the opportunity to review the traffic study in draft form and advised the consultant some weeks ago of the Council's concern on this point. • • In addition, the traffic analysis includes a list of improvements that appear needed to serve the music center traffic. The analysis assumes the improvements would be made in time to serve the project in its first full year of operation, that is 1990. Mitigating measures are discussed separately for major events, but it appears that the traffic analysis assumed the improvements are required for average events. The proposed improvements impact a metropolitan facility. That impact is at the intersection of Lexington Av. and I -35W, where a widened Lexington Av. and widened off ramp from the south are needed to handle the music center traffic. Mn /DOT District 9 staff discussed a Lexington Av. improvement with the developers. Widening of Lexington Av. requires rebuilding of the bridge over I- 35W from a four -lane to a six -lane bridge. Mn /DOT indicated it will not pay for such a project and also that the normal environmental evaluation and design process will need to be followed before construction. Mn /DOT District 9 staff assumes this would not be completed by 1990. If the improvement is required and if the construction does not occur, the implication is that there could be back -ups onto I -35W from traffic trying to use the ramps at Lexington Av. It is not clear from the traffic analysis if this possibility has been studied or would constitute a serious impact on the mainline of I -35W. Since it is possible that a major event could occur on a weekend at the time when this segment of I -35W also receives heavy recreational travel, this issue is of concern. Water Quality Development of the Pheasant Ridge Music Center will increase the volume of runoff of degraded quality. It appears that this water will reach Golden Lake. In the Council's review of NCR Comten, Inc. project (March, 1986), located adjacent to the music center site, the Council recommended that Blaine and Rice Creek Watershed District assess the potential effects of development in this watershed on Golden Lake's water quality. At that time, the planning staff of the city of Blaine indicated that the city would soon be preparing a stormwater management plan which would include this area. Also, the Rice Creek Watershed District is currently preparing a district -wide management plan as required by state law (Laws of Minnesota 1982, Chapter 509). The city has since initiated work on a management plan. RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSIONS That the Council adopt this report and its conclusions as its comments on the Pheasant Ridge Music Center EAW. • 3 1. The EAW is incomplete because the analysis of transportation impacts does not address long -range (year 2000) traffic conditions on affected roads and highways. 2. The Pheasant Ridge Music Center will have an impact on the interchange between Lexington Av. and I -35W. 3. Additional information is needed in order to assess the full impact of the music center on mainline traffic on I -35W. 4. The EAW is incomplete because it does not indicate the receiving body of water, although it appears to be Golden Lake; nor does it assess the impact of the degraded stormwater on Golden Lake. 5. The Council urges the city of Blaine to complete its stormwater management plan as soon as possible. BGS173 PHLPAI @6