HomeMy WebLinkAbout#27 - Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements STAFF REPORT
DATE: December 15, 2020
REGULAR
AGENDA ITEM: Approve Resolution Receiving Feasibility Report and Calling Hearing on
Improvement for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements
SUBMITTED BY: Jack Griffin, City Engineer
REVIEWED BY: Kristina Handt, City Administrator Marty Powers, Public Works Director
Cara Geheren, Project Engineer
ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City Council accept the Feasibility Report and call a public
hearing for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements to be held at the January 19, 2021 Council
meeting?
BACKGROUND: On October 6, 2020, the City Council authorized the preparation of a feasibility report
for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements. Linden Trail North, within the Tamarack Farm Estates
subdivision, is identified for improvement in 2021 in accordance with the City’s Street Capital
Improvement Program which provides for the long-term planning and management of street and
transportation infrastructure throughout the City.
PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: This Feasibility Report has been prepared to address street and
drainage improvements programmed for construction in 2021. The report serves to identify the necessary
improvements, the estimated project costs, and to consider the assessment of a portion of the project costs
to properties adjacent to and benefitting from the improvements.
The proposed project includes the reconstruction of Linden Trail North, within the Tamarack Farm Estates
subdivision, including the one-way loop street at the northwest end of the subdivision, consisting of
approximately 2,100 feet of roadway. The proposed improvements include a fully reconstructed street with
new granular subbase drainage layer, new Class 6 aggregate base and new bituminous pavement. The
existing bituminous curb will be replaced with new concrete curb and gutter to improve drainage, improve
the construction quality, and provide edge control to protect and extend the service life of the new
bituminous surface. Roadway widening is proposed along the one-way loop to increase the street width and
turning radius to better accommodate maintenance and emergency vehicle access.
The timing of these street improvements was determined by the City’s pavement management program.
Upon review of the necessary street improvements, staff also reviews the street drainage systems and
existing public utilities. In addition to the street improvements, the scope of this Report includes the
restoration of the existing street drainage system, including either repair or replacement of existing drainage
pipe and structures, and storm sewer casting replacement. Drainage improvements are limited to the
necessary improvements to meet watershed rules and to prevent water from standing on or along the new
street pavements, and are not intended to resolve pre-existing private property drainage issues.
The Tamarack Farm Estates subdivision is a rural open space development consisting of 19 residential lots.
The subdivision is served by private water wells and a community wastewater treatment system. The
neighborhood resides outside of the City’s Municipal Urban Service Area (MUSA), therefore there are no
current plans to extend public sanitary sewer to the neighborhood. However, public watermain currently
exits directly adjacent to the subdivision, along 50th Street North. This Report therefore includes a
preliminary layout to extend municipal water into the neighborhood to serve each of the 19 properties. An
estimated project cost and corresponding unit assessment is reported to allow the City Council and property
owners to make an informed decision as to whether connecting to the public water system is a desirable
improvement to be completed at the time of the street reconstruction work. The neighborhood is not located
in a known area for PFAS contamination or within a Special Well Construction Area.
The total estimated street and drainage improvement cost is $645,000. The improvements would be partially
assessed against the benefitting properties consistent with the City’s Special Assessment Policy. Street and
drainage improvements are assessed at a rate of 30% of the total project costs for residential properties
using a unit method. Residential properties are considered to provide an equal demand on street use and are
therefore assessed on a per unit basis, including “flag” lots located on private streets. The remaining 70%
of the project costs are paid through the City general fund. Residential properties along Linden Trail North
with direct access to the street, vacant lots, and lots with direct access from a private street, are included as
benefitting properties. Each property is assessed one unit unless the property has the ability to be subdivided
using the current underlying land use and zoning regulations. The City planning department reviews larger
parcels to determine if a parcel can be subdivided and the number of lots that could be obtained.
The total estimated public watermain cost is $312,000. Watermain extension improvements are assessed
100% against the benefitting properties using per residential equivalent unit method. In addition to the
watermain improvement assessment, each property will incur a $3,000 Water Availability Charge (WAC),
a $1,000 Water Connection Charge, a meter fee and permit fee at the time they make the connection to the
public watermain.
Assessments for street and drainage improvements will be levied over a 15-year period. If watermain
improvements are incorporated into the project, assessments for public watermain will be levied over a 20-
year period. All assessments are be charged an interest rate of 1% over the bond rate for the project.
In addition to the recommended improvements, the estimated project costs and the proposed assessments,
this report addresses the permitting requirements and the easement and right-of-way acquisition needed to
implement the improvements. The feasibility report findings and recommendations will be further presented
at the meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT: The total estimated street and drainage improvement cost is $645,000, with $193,800
paid through special assessments and the remaining $451,200 paid through the general tax levy.
If watermain improvements are incorporated into the project, the total estimated public watermain cost is
$312,000, with 100% paid through special assessments.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending that the City Council approve a Resolution, receiving
the Feasibility Report and calling a public hearing for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements.
The recommended motion for this action is as follows:
“Move to approve Resolution No. 2020-104, receiving the Feasibility Report and Calling a Public
Hearing for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements.”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution Receiving Report and Calling for Hearing on Improvements.
2. Notice of Hearing on Improvement.
3. Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements – Location Map.
4. Tamarack Farm Estates Street Improvements – Project Schedule.
Feasibility Report (available for review at City Hall).
CITY OF LAKE ELMO
WASHINGTON COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-104
A RESOLUTION RECEIVING A FEASIBILITY REPORT FOR THE
TAMARACK FARM ESTATES STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND
CALLING HEARING ON IMPROVEMENT
WHEREAS, pursuant to City Council authorization, adopted on October 6, 2020, a feasibility
report has been prepared by FOCUS Engineering, Inc. for the Tamarack Farm Estates Street
Improvements; and
WHEREAS, the feasibility report recommends that benefitting properties be assessed all or a
portion of the cost of the improvements pursuant to the City’s Special Assessment Policy and Minnesota
Statutes, Chapter 429; and
WHEREAS, the feasibility report provides information regarding whether the proposed
improvement is necessary, cost-effective, and feasible; whether it should best be made as proposed or in
connection with some other improvement; the estimated cost of the improvements as recommended; and a
description of the methodology used to calculate individual assessments for affected parcels.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
1. That the City Council will consider the improvements in accordance with the report and the
assessments of the abutting properties for all or a portion of the cost of the improvements
pursuant to Minnesota Statues, Chapter 429 at an estimated total project cost of $$645,000 for
the street and drainage improvements, and $312,000 for extending watermain to the
neighborhood should public watermain be requested or authorized.
2. A public hearing shall be held on such proposed improvements on the 19th day of January, 2021
and may be conducted in the Council Chambers of City Hall, or conducted by electronic means
pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, during a
regularly scheduled City Council meeting at or approximately after 7:00 P.M. and the clerk shall
give mailed and published notice of such hearing and improvement as required by law.
ADOPTED BY THE LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL ON THE FIFTHTEENTH DAY OF
DECEMBER, 2020.
CITY OF LAKE ELMO
By: __________________________
Mike Pearson
(Seal) Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________
Julie Johnson
City Clerk
CITY OF LAKE ELMO
NOTICE OF HEARING ON IMPROVEMENT
TAMARACK FARM ESTATES STREET IMPROVEMENTS
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Lake Elmo will conduct a public hearing
on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at or approximately after 7:00 PM to consider the
making of the following improvements, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Sections 429.011
to 429.111:
Street and drainage improvements along Linden Trail North, within the Tamarack
Farm Estates subdivision, including a reconstructed street with new granular
subbase drainage layer, new Class 6 aggregate base, new bituminous pavement,
and new concrete curb and gutter. The improvements will also incorporate the
restoration of the existing street drainage system, including either repair or
replacement of existing drainage pipe and structures.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, members of the City Council will either
participate in the meeting by telephone or other electronic means pursuant to Minnesota
Statutes, Section 13D.021, or in-person at the City Council’s regular meeting place at
Lake Elmo City Hall, 3800 Laverne Avenue North, Lake Elmo, Minnesota. The City will
provide an update on the meeting method/type for the hearing on the City’s website at
http://www.lakeelmo.org/ as the meeting gets closer and those details can be finalized
with certainty. Additionally, questions or comments related to the public hearing may be
emailed to Julie Johnson, City Clerk at jjohnson@lakeelmo.org, made by phone at
651.747.3914, or mailed to 3880 Laverne Avenue North, Suite 100, Lake Elmo, MN
55042. Comments submitted through these methods must be received by Tuesday,
January 19, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. in order to be considered during the hearing. Please
note that any emails, letters and attachments you send to the City are likely
considered public information and the City staff may use them in staff reports that
go to the City Council and/or the general public.
The area proposed to be assessed for these improvements include properties abutting the
above referenced streets or properties that gain direct driveway access from the above
referenced streets. The estimated total cost for the project is $645,000 for the street and
drainage improvements, and $312,000 for extending watermain to the neighborhood
should public watermain be requested or authorized. A reasonable estimate of the impact
of the assessment will be available at the hearing. Such persons as desiring to be heard
with reference to the proposed improvements will be heard during this meeting.
DATED: December 15, 2020
BY ORDER OF THE LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL
Mike Pearson, Mayor
(Published in the Stillwater Gazette on December 18, 2020 and December 25, 2020)
LOCATION MAP
FIGURE NO. 1
TAMARACK FARM ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD
CITY OF
LAKE ELMO
TAMARACK FARM ESTATES
LEGEND
PROJECT NO. 2020.125
TAMARACK FARM
ESTATES STREET
IMPROVEMENTS
CITY LIMITS
PROJECT STREETS
LINDEN TRAIL N, FROM 50TH STREET N TO
THE CUL-DE-SAC
PROJECT SCHEDULE
CITY OF LAKE ELMO
TAMARACK FARM ESTATES STREET IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT NO. 2020.125
FOCUS ENGINEERING, inc.
Cara Geheren, P.E. 651.300.4261
Jack Griffin, P.E. 651.300.4264
Ryan Stempski, P.E. 651.300.4267
Chad Isakson, P.E. 651.300.4283
OCTOBER 6, 2020 Council orders preparation of Feasibility Report and Topographic Survey.
DECEMBER 15, 2020 Presentation of Feasibility Report. Council accepts Report and calls for
Improvement Hearing.
JANUARY 19, 2021 Public Improvement Hearing. Council Orders the Improvement (4/5th Vote)
and preparation of Plans and Specfications.
APRIL 6, 2021 Council approves Plans and Specifications and orders Advertisement for Bids.
MAY 6, 2021 Project Bid Date: Receive contractor bids.
MAY 18, 2021 Council accepts Bids and awards Contract.
JUNE 14, 2021 Conduct Pre‐Construction Meeting and issue Notice to Proceed.
OCTOBER 1, 2021 Substantial Completion.
NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Final Completion.
*Final Assessment Hearing Schedule TBD