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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OCTOBER 15, 1991 PAGE2 day and to promote safe travel through the area the road should be four lanes from the freeway to east of Inwood Avenue. Vehicle counts at the eastern edge of the proposed road improvement is significantly lower. Councilman Mottaz voiced his desire in saving the trees along this road. He asked if the County had a policy for replacing any trees they remove. Councilman Hunt stated the city wants a road that meets our needs, that does not restrict us, and is built for the future, but the scope of the project may be too large. Especially considering that Lake Elmo does not foresee any large development at the eastern edge of the proposed road improvement. He failed to see, at this point, the need to upgrade the road to this level. Councilman Williams felt it was a tremendous overkill and was not a wise conservation of the land to put a 4-lane divided highway through a wetland and a lake. Dick Herold responded he was willing to consider modifying the plan. They would look into grading the entire section and staging the additional 2-lanes somewhere down the road. They will also get a better handle on traffic projections. The Road improvement requires approval by Lake Elmo and Oakdale before state funds can be appropriated. Steve DeLapp pointed out it is stated in the Comp Plan that County Road 70 has the potential of becoming a route between West Lakeland, Woodbury and Oakdale, paralleling the Freeway. The City would oppose any proposal by the County to make this another major east west thoroughfare like TH 5, which has proven to be damaging to the cohesiveness of the city and the safety of the residents. DeLapp encouraged the City Council to refer this plan to the PZ to study because based on past history our County is the only one in the entire Metro area, if not the state, that has never applied for a variance from state rules to save trees such as in Wayzata and Minnetonka. No formal action was requested, they wanted to get the Council's reaction. They will be going to the City of Oakdale now and then back to the drawing board. This plan will come before the Council again. M/S/P Mottaz/Williams - to refer the preliminary plan sheets and aerial layout for CSAH 10 to the Planning Commission for their review. (Motion carried 5-0).