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MOUNDS VIEW CITY COUNCIL <br />FEBRUARY 22,1999 <br />PAGE 9 <br />pay approximately 1/4 of the cost, and the City is going to pick up 3/4 of the cost, through MSA <br />funding out of the pool, to complete realignment of Edgewood Drive. We have not talked about <br />ponding issues yet, which may exceed that. Mr. Stigney's questions what legal obligations he <br />has as a Council member to vote for something that he does not support because the previous <br />Council has brought us to this point where it requires some action. <br />Mr. Long reminded the Council that the Charter require a minimum of three votes to pass any <br />motion. Mr. Long stated the issue of what legal issues would be presented if this new Council <br />decided to change course, and not go forward with the signal, Mr. Long stated if this current <br />Council had to go back to look at, rechange things done by the previous Council, there is case <br />law now out there that suggests that under those circumstances if a prior Council enters into this <br />case a PUD that sets up a development scheme, and the developer relies on that goes forward and <br />spends dollars, that a later change by the City Council in that document that might in some way <br />jeopardize the project, can create legal risks and exposure to the City. If there is litigation over <br />that, it is a very risky thing. Cities have loss under those circumstances. That is the argument <br />that will be made by the developers, that an action was taken, an agreement was put together, and <br />money was expended on reliance of that and if that change detrimentally affects the development, <br />then the cost of damages can be sought against the City. That has happened in a number of cases <br />where cities have lost those cases. Mr. Long stated there is a fairly good risk on that issue. <br />Mr. Stigney questioned the established cost sharing that is presently per the development <br />S agreement, or some agreement with the developer, and the cost sharing basis be asked to be <br />changed at all. <br />Mr. Jopke stated it is in the form after development agreement which the City has signed. <br />Mr. Stigney questioned the point of uncomfortableness with this project, if voted against, or ask for a <br />delay until our next Council meeting, is this going to put anything in jeopardy as far as legal risk. <br />Mr. Long stated he is not sure about the timing of the issues, but if there is some issue relating to <br />when this has to go in order to be approved, the question becomes one of whether or not the delay is <br />unreasonable and is causes detriment to the development project, i.e., starting date, calculate the loss <br />of revenue from that, that could possibly create some risk. That would not be the same issue as if he <br />changed the agreement, but the question of how long a delay before it becomes unreasonable is the <br />factual question. If you were thinking of doing that, or if you don't think you have three votes <br />tonight to pass it, then you can wait for the next Council meeting for additional information would <br />not be unreasonable, but I don't know of the timing of the MNDOT specifications process. <br />Mayor Coughlin stated now is not the time at this point in the game to start standing on principle. <br />Mayor Coughlin stated his respect to the right to stand on principle here. The time involved in this <br />project is fast leaving us. Mayor stated he is in a situation where he is anew Mayor, with most of the <br />decisions made for me up to this point. Mayor Coughlin stated he has to stand on whatever wisdom <br />there was in getting us to this point, and have a theater is going to open, and to put more of the traffic <br />out on Highway 10 faster, or we can dump more of it out on H-2. Mayor Coughlin stated he would <br />