Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWashington County 2017-2021 CIP AGENDA ITEM MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMUNICATION -- page 1 -- DATE: November 15, 2016 CONSENT ITEM # 15 AGENDA ITEM: Washington County DRAFT 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan – City Comments for Consideration SUBMITTED BY: Jack Griffin, City Engineer THROUGH: Kristina Handt, City Administrator REVIEWED BY: Stephen Wensman, Planning Director SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS if removed from the Consent Agenda): - Questions from Council to Staff ............................................. Mayor Facilitates - Public Input, if Appropriate………………………………….Mayor Facilitates - Call for Motion ............................................................... Mayor & City Council - Discussion ....................................................................... Mayor & City Council - Action on Motion .................................................................... Mayor Facilitates POLICY RECOMMENDER: City Staff. FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time. However County improvement projects completed within the City of Lake Elmo often contain a cost participation by the City. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The City Council is respectfully requested to consider approving, as part of the Consent Agenda, staff comments to be submitted to Washington County regarding the County’s DRAFT 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY/BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On October 11, 2016 City staff received notice from Washington County that the DRAFT 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan was available for review and comment with comments due by November 21, 2016. The County will be holding a public hearing on its DRAFT 2017-2021 CIP on December 13th, 2016 prior to adopting the final document. Following is the notice from the County for accepting public comments: As part of its annual budget process, Washington County prepares a five year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP includes the county’s tentative plans for roads, bridges, parks, land, trails, and public facilities. The first year of this plan is included in the county’s proposed 2017 budget. The “out-years” of City Council Meeting [Consent Agenda Item X] November 15, 2016 -- page 2 -- 2018-2021 reflect projected needs and estimated costs, which may change based on future priorities and funding opportunities. For instance, while there are projects included within the CIP reflecting bond proceeds as a possible funding source, the County Board has not yet determined a formal bonding plan. Projects will be reevaluated at the appropriate time, and may change based on the outcomes of an approved bonding plan. Projects that were budgeted in 2016 (or prior to), and are not yet completed, are not reflected in the draft 2017-2021 CIP; funding sources for those projects have been set aside, and therefore, aren’t reflected in future years’ CIP documents. To review this year’s CIP document, please visit the county’s website, or click on this link: https://www.co.washington.mn.us/1257/Capital-Improvement- Plans. A hardcopy version will also be made available for review at each of the county’s branch libraries later this week. We invite you to send your comments on the proposed projects to Melinda.Kirk@co.washington.mn.us or to Wayne.Sandberg@co.washington.mn.us. Comments must be received by November 21st, 2016 to be considered when developing the final CIP. A public hearing will also be held on December 13th, 2016 prior to adopting the final document. As always, thank you for your continued interest in the capital planning process of Washington County. Staff has reviewed the County’s DRAFT 2017-2021 CIP. The attached packet highlights the substantial projects included within the City of Lake Elmo, however this summary does not attempt to itemize the Park and Public Facilities projects with the exception of a proposed trail connection in the Lake Elmo Park Reserve to Inwood Avenue. It should also be noted that the County completes intersection control projects and pavement preservation projects each year but the specific work related to these improvements is not identified within the CIP document. Staff contacted the County with specific questions related to this annual work and has confirmed that the County is still proposing to install a signalized intersection at CSAH 14 and 50th Street in 2017. The pavement preservation projects includes Lake Elmo Avenue, CR17B, from Hudson Boulevard to 10th Street North in 2018. Finally, the CSAH 15 Phase 2 Improvements that includes the CSAH 15 and CSAH 14 intersection realignment is still proposed for construction in 2018 but is not listed in the CIP document because the funding has already been secured and the project design is in progress. The city local cost participation amount for this project has not yet been provided. The CSAH 15 Phase 2 Improvements has been recently expanded to include center left turn lanes at 30th Street and at Manning Trail since this segment of the Manning Avenue (Phase 3) is not likely to occur until the year 2023. In addition the County is still reviewing whether or not to install a traffic signal at the CSAH 15 and Old Highway 5 intersection to accommodate the Holiday station and Fields of St. Croix neighborhood. City Council Meeting [Consent Agenda Item X] November 15, 2016 -- page 3 -- Notable road projects that are missing from the County’s 2017-2021 CIP include Lake Elmo Avenue (Phase 3) improvements from 30th Street to 10th Street, and CSAH 13 (Ideal/Inwood) Phase 2 improvements from CSAH 14 to 44th Street. Staff has prepared the following comments to be resubmitted to the County prior to the end of the comment period on November 21st. This comment was submitted last year and remains applicable to the City’s request. 1. Last year, the Lake Elmo Parks commission requested that a proposed east-west trail route connecting Oakdale to Stillwater through Lake Elmo along County State Aid Highway 14 be added to the 2016-2020 Washington County CIP. The City of Lake Elmo continues to encourage Washington County to consider this improvement a priority trail connection and is hereby making this request again for the 2017-2021 CIP. We understand from communications with the County that it is unlikely for this trail to be placed within their CIP this year due to the funding source, however, staff believes it remains important for the City to keep this trail route present to encourage the County to begin planning for this trail route as soon as possible. This trail has been programmed in the City’s CIP for 2020-2021 construction. 2. The City of Lake Elmo supports the CSAH 13 (Ideal/Inwood Avenue) Phase 2 Improvements and would request this project to be included in the 2017-2021 CIP in order to complete an important trail connection between CSAH 14 and 50th Street along Olson Lake. RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending that the City Council approve, as part of the Consent Agenda, staff comments to be submitted to Washington County regarding the County’s 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan. If removed from the consent agenda, the recommended motion for the action is as follows: “Move to approve staff comments to be submitted to Washington County regarding the County’s 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan with comments to be submitted on or before November 21, 2016.” ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Summary packet of the Washington County DRAFT 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan to highlight Lake Elmo projects.