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UNAPPROIED Mounds View City Council Page 6 Regular Meeting May 22, 1995 1 thirds assessment is adopted, the remaining one-third will come out 2 of general property taxes. If residents prefer a lower assessment, 3 then general property taxes will have to be raised to cover the 4 burden. Although there is no major project planned at the present 5 time, this plan would allow funding for reconstruction projects in 6 the future. 7 8 Ms. Trude expressed her views regarding the street standards. She 9 felt that it would not be necessary to widen the streets in the 10 City= local streetshavesewed the community wet for the last 20 11 to 30 years. She had never heard a resident say that they wanted 12 the streets wider, but she had heard several times that residents 13 thought the traffic was too fast and they were concerned about the 14 safety of the children. 15 16 Ms. Trude felt that widening the streets would involve tearing up 17 a good deal of green space and didn't feel the residents wanted 18 that. She would like to see the City's residential street 19 standards set at 28 feet. Wider streets would mean a bigger demand 20 on the storm sewers and drainage ponds. There were street 21 standards in place when these roads were built. 22 23 Ms. Trude said that we are not rebuilding the City; we are 24 maintaining the City. The major issues she identified when 25 considering the street standards were: cost, stormwater runoff, 26 safety, livability. 27 28 Councilmember Hankner stated that the 32 foot figure for the width 29 of streets was used strictly for public hearing purposes to get 30 input from residents. There has been no vote on this issue. 31 32 Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, read a statement prepared by 33 Councilmember Blanchard who was unable to attend the meeting. The 34 statement specified that Ms. Blanchard opposed the 32 foot street 35 width. She felt that the wider the street, the faster the traffic, 36 and residential streets do not need faster traffic. Narrower 37 streets force drivers to slow down. She also cited the loss of 38 green space that would result from wider streets, as well as the 39 cost factor. 40 41 Mayor Linke explained that it is the policy throughout Ramsey 42 County that streets are being reconstructed at a 32 foot width. 43 This is being done because of safety factors. 44 45 Councilmember Quick stated that the 32 foot width was presented at 46 the public hearing as a figure for input from residents. 47 48 Mayor Linke welcomed comments from the public. 49