2009.04.20 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Hugo City Council Minutes for April 20, 2009 Page 6 of 11 I.1 Discussion on Xcel Energy Installation of Redesigned Power Poles in Victor Gardens At its November 3, 2008 meeting, the Hugo City Council listened to a presentation from John Wertish, Community Services Manager from Xcel Energy, as he explained Xcel Energy's need to install additional power poles for additional transmission lines to address the need for power in Water's Edge and Victor Gardens neighborhoods. John explained that Xcel Energy would be installing power poles in Xcel Energy's right-of-way easement, which runs diagonally southwest of its power station on TH61 across the street from the Creekview Preserve neighborhood. Council discussed with John the rational for installing above -ground power lines as well as underground power lines. John explained that if power lines were installed underground in the Victor Gardens retail neighborhood, the City of Hugo would be responsible for that cost as per the City's franchise agreement. John stated that Xcel Energy engineering officials would prepare a construction plan with a redesign of power poles for the Victor Gardens retail center and he would bring back the new redesign at a later date. On April 9, 2009, City staff met with John Wertish and representatives from Xcel Energy to review the proposed power pole redesign and were pleased with the work of the engineering department in order to provide a single pole that is taller than the current power poles, which is necessary to install all transmission lines with a ten - foot separator of the current power lines. Staff was very pleased with the newly designed metal power poles which aesthetically will be much improved over the wooden creosote coated power poles. John Wertish made a presentation to the City Council on the new construction plan for the power poles and project, and he said they hoped to be finished by peak season, which was June, to provide load relief in the Waters Edge Development area. He also pointed out the City would get additional property tax dollars on the increased value of the power poles. Haas made motion, Klein seconded, approve installation of the redesigned power poles in the Victor Gardens neighborhood. All Ayes. Motion carried. Discussion on Establishment of Ordinance Review Committee For the past year, the City Council had established a code enforcement committee that was assigned the task of reviewing ordinances and proposing revisions to those ordinances. The committee had worked on the nuisance ordinance, junk vehicle ordinance, large recreation vehicle ordinance, and most recently, the sign ordinance. On that committee was Council members Becky Petryk and Tom Weidt and former Councilmember Frank Puleo. Planning Commissioner Bob Rosenquist, Adam Moore, and Doug Galler have volunteered to be a part of a new ordinance review committee. This item was table by the Council at its April 6, 2009 meeting due to lack of time. Weidt made motion, Klein seconded, to establish an ordinance review committee. Weidt made motion, Haas seconded, to amend the motion to appoint Weidt and Klein to the ordinance review committee. Miron made motion, Petryk seconded, to amend the amendment to allow the City Council discretion to appoint additional members if they choose to. Vote on the amendment to the amendment: All Ayes. Motion carried.