1998.07.29 CC Minutes - Joint meeting with Lino Lakes & White Bear Township

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JOINT COUNCIL MEETING JULY 29, 1998 Mr. Museus explained that at this time, Washington County owns the old Burlington Northern railbed from Chisago County to 145th Street and further down to County Road 8A (Main Street). Burlington Northern still owns the railbed south of County Road 8A. Mr. Sand explained that the problem is that the neighbors to the south are not looking at commuter rail. Mr. Museus said that area to the south is Ramsey County park reserve and Hugo would be supportive of whatever Ramsey County is planning there. He noted that the railbed continues into White Bear so that the commuter rail system could bypass the Park Reserve and go to the Soo Line. Mr. Museus was asked what the current population in Hugo is. He said approximately. 5,800. In about 15 or 20 years, the population will grow to about 15,000. Currently, rural residential lots sizes are 10 acres and sewered lots are 10,400 square feet. Residential development in the agricultural areas has basically the same requirements as rural residential lots. The rural residential areas will not receive sanitary sewer. Cluster housing may be used to tie into what is happening in Ramsey County, Grant Township and May Township. Mr. Angus explained that Hugo, as well as all other cities in the metropolitan areas, is under pressure from Metropolitan Council to develop a transportation plan. Hugo is looking at completing their transportation plan later this fall. The City has a lot of north/south routes including Highway 61 but the east/west routes are limited and traffic tends to come from the east into this area and either goes south on Highway 61 or east to I -35E. One concern is the limited number of accesses to I -35E. Mr. Angus said that there is the desire of a lot of people in Hugo to look at the potential of getting an interchange on 80th Street in Lino Lakes. As 80th Street extends east to the Hugo border, the street name changes to 140th Street. The Hugo transportation plan will look at the amount of traffic that is going to be generated and what impact it will have on Elmcrest and possibly 80th Street and a possible interchange on I -35E. . Mr. Angus addressed the issues of what is happening on the border of Hugo and Lino Lakes. Hugo is looking at possible problems east of Elmcrest Avenue and south of Main Street (County Road 8A in Hugo). He pointed out how this street comes to a "T" in Hugo and then turns right on Highway 61 south and then turns east again. Mr. Angus noted the areas in green on his map and indicated that these areas are proposed for development in the near future. The City already has some plats for that area. One of the issues is moving traffic from Highway 61 to the area of I -35E interchange. A lot of people say that traffic coming west on County Road 8A should continue to make the jog onto Highway 61, north into the City of Hugo and then turn left on County Road 8A (Main Street) and continue to the freeway. However, one thought is to extend a road west of Highway 61 across Clearwater Creek by coming from the area of 140th Street and Fenway and connecting to Cedar Street in Lino Lakes. First the city has to determine if there is the intention of ever extending a road west in this manner. If there is the intention, will the road go straight across and end at Cedar Street. This is something that will concern Lino Lakes. The other thought is to take the extended County Road 8A and swing the PAGE 7