CC MINUTES 03251986 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-9- the Council had decided to hold this hearing to get resident input towards the Council decision in that regard, Mayor Sundland said. Jim Molinard, 2505 St. Anthony Boulevard, was told Short-Elliott-Hendrickson, Inc. , the City' s engineers, that the City would bid the job. He wanted to know whether, if the bid came in below the MSA allocation, the difference could be applied towards reducing the property owners assessment for the project and it was explained to him that under the City's Assessment Policy all residential owners, whether their streets are MSA funded or not, are to be assessed $10.50 per front foot, the assumption being that the first eight feet of street in front of their homes benefit the property owners as parking space and that since the middle of the street is used by everyone, that portion should be paid for from either MSA funds for a 9 ton design or the General Fund for a 5 ton road. Mayor Sundland indicated he perceived the state required the 9 ton design because that type of street could be expected to last longer. At this point, Mr. Kausel said he believed the 9 ton design was required to provide a truck weight load for the street and he questioned why, since the agreement the City has with the Minneapolis Park Board had forbidden any truck traffic on the Boulevard at all , the street had to be built to accomodate trucks. The Mayor told him the City's experience had been that MSA funds were available for only 9 ton streets, which Mr. Campbell indicated was correct, saying it was a statewide MSA policy to require all streets so funded to be 9 ton. When questioned about what it would cost to rebuild the section of the Boulevard south of the bridge, past the golf course, the engineer estimated that project would run in excess of $500,000. • Mr. Gottwalt indicated he had moved away from another MSA street, 33rd Avenue N.E. , to get away from the heavy traffic and trucks, and, although he agreed there are truckers who ignore the signs on the street, and it might help to -have City police. "crack down harder", the homeowner said he perceived it was almost impossible to keep trucks off any street no matter where it is in the metropolitan area. The homeowner saw one advantage for the people living on his street and that was its location between a parkway in Minneapolis and a golf course on the other end because truck drivers might be a little more reticent to drive on a parkway. Mr. Gottwalt said his biggest concern was that, if the MSA funds aren't used now, and might not be available later, the homeowners could eventually pay $50 instead of $10 when the street eventually has to be rebuilt. The property owner indicated he saw no choice but to build the road now to the required design and width while MSA funds are still available. Mr. Smoka asked whether the City could do anything about the truck traffic, saying he had lived on St. Anthony Boulevard since 1951 and perceived "the last years had really been bad, and it's getting worse", He perceived the truck drivers just ignored the "No Trucks" sign and said "even semi 's go through". Mayor Sundland said he wasn't certain the City could legally restrict truck traffic on MSA streets but the City had been posting streets like 2.9th Avenue N.E. against trucks all along. He said the residents on that street are still complaining about truck traffic. The Mayor added that the City's streets are the only ones which are so posted. Mr. Kausel gave the historic background of how fine customized homes had happened • to be built in the 50's along what at that time was the Minneapolis parkway system. He explained that the signature on the "Rebuttal" which the Mayor read, represented the 44 abutting property owners on St. Anthony Boulevard. When the Mayor asked Mr. Kausel if it was the position of those homeowners that the agreement which _