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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003.10.20 CC MinutesMINUTES FOR THE HUGO CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF OCTOBER 20.2003 Mayor Fran Miron called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. PRESENT: Granger, Haas, Puleo, Miron City Administrator Michael Ericson CD Director John Rask City Attorney Dave Snyder City Engineer Dave Mitchell City Clerk Mary Ann Creager PW Director Chris Petree Fire Chief Jim Compton ABSENT: Becky Petryk MINUTES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF OCTOBER 6.2003 Haas made motion, Granger seconded, to approve the minutes for the City Council meeting of October 6, 2003 as presented. All aye. Motion Carried. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Add F.2 — Mr. Bundi — Foreigh Exchange Teacher from Kenya, Africa Add L.2 — Peloquin Industrial Park P.I. Project Miron made motion, Granger seconded, to approve the agenda for October 20, 2003 as amended. All aye. Motion Carried. OCTOBER FIRE PREVENTION MONTH AND OCTOBER 11TH HFD OPEN HOUSE VIDEOTAPE In recognition of Fire Prevention Month, the HFD held its open house on Saturday, October 11, 2003. Hundreds of Hugo residents were in attendance, and they were provided an opportunity to tour the Fire Hall, inspect fire trucks, ride a real fire truck, and most importantly, meet with Hugo firefighters and learn more about fire safety in their homes and community. CommissionerDennisHegberg was in attendance, along with Mayor Fran Miron and Council member Mike Granger. Dennis was encouraged to learn about the award of the hazmat/decon trailer to the HFD. He has requested a presentation of this trailer at an upcoming Washington County Board meeting in an effort to educate and inform the Board of its service to the residents of Washington County. A 15 -minute videotape of the HFD, its training and firefighting activities, was produced by firefighter Tony Bronk, and a portion of the video was played for the City Council at the meeting. MR. BUNDI Mr. Bundi, foreign exchange teacher from Kenya, Africa addressed the Council about his two weeks of service at the Hugo Elementary School. He thanked the Council for the opportunity City Council meeting of October 20, 2003 Page 2 CONSENT AGENDA Granger made motion, Haas seconded, to approve the following Consent Agenda: Approval of Claims Approve Final Acceptance of Oneka Lakeview North Subdivision Approve Reduction of Letter of Credit for Wilderness View Subdivision Approve Reduction of Letter of Credit for Hidden Hills Subdivision Approve Encroachment Agreement for Construction of a Deck (Paul Yelle) Approve Acceptance of Public Lnprovements for Pineview Meadows 2nd Addition Subdivision and Reduction of Letter of Credit All aye. Motion Carried. APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the claims roster for October 20, 2003 as presented. APPROVE FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF ONEKA LAKEVIEW NORTH SUBDIVISION For the past year, City staff has worked with residents from the Oneka Lakeview North subdivision to resolve issues related to the construction and landscaping of their townhomes on Oneka Lake Boulevard. After numerous face-to-face meetings and several telephone calls, the developer completed the necessary work as outlined in the development agreement. Staff recently met with residents and the developer on site to address a couple of minor landscaping issues, which are to be completed by the builder shortly. These improvements are not covered by the development agreement, but will be addressed by the builder. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved final acceptance of the Oneka Lakeview North subdivision and release of the final letter of credit as per the Finance Director. APPROVE REDUCTION OF LETTER OF CREDIT FOR WILDERNESS VIEW SUBDIVISION Paul Keleher requested a reduction in the letter of credit for the Wilderness View subdivision and City Engineer Dave Mitchell recommended that the request be approved. Adoption of the Consent -Agenda approved reduction in the letter of credit for Wilderness View to $40,000. APPROVE REDUCTION OF LETTER OF CREDIT FOR HIDDEN HILLS SUBDIVISION Solid Ground Development requested a reduction in the letter of credit for the Hidden Hills subdivision and City Engineer Dave Mitchell recommended that the request be approved. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved a reduction in the letter of credit for Hidden Hills to $84.844.53. City Council meeting of October 20, 2003 Page 3 APPROVE ENCROAC 1MENT AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A DECK (YELLE) Paul and Jennifer Yelle requested an encroachment agreement to locate a deck within a drainage and utility easement on their property located at 5450159' St. N. (Creekview Preserve). Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the encroachment agreement for the Yelle's. Sedona Homes, Inc requested the City accept the public improvements for the Pineview Meadows 2nd Addition subdivision, as well as a reduction in their letter of credit. City Engineer Dave Mitchell recommended that the requests be approved. Adoption of the Consent Agenda accepted the constructed public improvements for the Pineview Meadows 2nd Addition subdivision, contingent on final walk-thru approval, and reduction of the letter of credit to $97,600. APPROVE FINAL PLAT AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR DIAMOND POINT Emmerich Development requested approval of a development agreement and final plat for 10 single- family lots as part of the Diamond Point West development. These ten lots would allow the applicant to construct model homes this winter. The lots would receive access from an extension of Geneva Avenue North through the Rice Lake Meadows subdivision. Staff reviewed the final plat and construction plans and found them consistent with City standards. Haas made motion, Puleo seconded, to adopt RESOLUTION 2003-57 APPROVING FINAL PLAT AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR DIAMOND POINT WEST. VOTING AYE: Granger, Haas, Puleo, Miron Motion Carried. APPROVE LEASE AGREEMENT W/STONEBRIDGE WIRELESS TO LEASE SPACE ON TWO CITY WATER TOWERS At its October 6, 2003 meeting, Council listened to a presentation from Steve Gowdy from Stonebridge Wireless to introduce wireless internet service to the City of Hugo. After offering information, Steve answered a number of questions from Council, after which Council tabled action on the issue and directed staff to bring back additional information. Staff assembled a significant amount of information for Council consideration. After review of the materials, the only issue for consideration by Council is whether or not to lease space on the City's water towers. Denial of the request would not prohibit Stonebridge Wireless from establishing service in the City, as they could lease space on another structure or erect poles or towers in the City to support their antennas. There are a number of wireless internet providers throughout the Twin Cities, with only one of them currently operating in Hugo, and it is scheduled to terminate service in the very near future. The low number of internet providers is directly related to the small population of the City. The applicant is proposing to pay the City 5% of his gross revenue derived from the equipment located on the towers. City Council meeting of October 20, 2003 Page 4 Since this is a new service in the community, the applicant projects the revenue to be small in the short term, but larger in the future. The applicant is also proposing to provide 10 services (subscriptions to the City) that can be used by Fire Department, which currently has a dial up connection; the future public works facility; on-call staff members; and other City -related needs. CD Director John Rask reviewed a number of issues with Council. City staff recommended Council consider the draft Lease Agreement under the terms and conditions set forth for leasing space on the water towers, which were constructed to accommodate cellular telephone and other wireless antennas. Council member Granger was concerned with potential service interference should another provider operate in town. The possibility of the City owningloperating the service was still an issue. Council member Granger expressed his desire to do some more research on the issue and questioned the need for a 5 -year contract, and whether there could be a different rate for smaller businesses as opposed to bigger businesses like Wilson Tool or Schwieters. Granger made motion, Haas seconded, to table this matter until the Council meeting of 11/3/03. All aye. Motion Carried. ACQUISITION OF 3/ TON TRUCK FOR HAZMAT/DECON TRAILER At its October 6, 2003 meeting, Council formally accepted the hazmat/decon trailer from the U.S. Government and the Division of Homeland Security responsible for providing trailers throughout the United States. The Council accepted the trailer and directed staff to work out the issue of acquiring a used 3/s pickup truck, which will be used to tow the trailer to the 15 other communities and the Region 1 Fire Service District. City staff obtained a Blue Book value for the 2000 red 3/a ton Chevrolet truck in the public works department, and recommended that this value be deducted from the fire department budget with a replacement truck secured at some time in the future for the public works department through the City's sale of equipment certificates. The Council will further discuss this issue at its October 24'h budget workshop. UPDATE ON NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING FOR PAVING ELMCREST AVENUE At its October 6, 2003 meeting, Council accepted staff's recommendation to schedule a neighborhood meeting to discuss the bituminous paving of Elmcrest Avenue, south of CR 8. On Tuesday, October 14, 2003, CD Director John Rask and City staff held a neighborhood meeting to discuss this issue, and more importantly, the funding. CD John Rask presented the results of the meeting for consideration by Council, identifying resident concerns of increased traffic volumes and higher rates of speed. PW Director Chris Petree outlined the amount of time and money that is expended for this stretch of road. Developer Len Pratt approached Council with an offer to blacktop Elmcrest Avenue, with a bituminous 2 W', overlay from the Fable Hills development to Victor Gardens, at no cost to the City. In light of this offer, Council felt it necessary for staff to hold another neighborhood meeting. Miron made motion, Granger seconded, directing staff to move forward with the proposal by incorporating it into the Development Agreement, and schedule another neighborhood meeting with Council to again discuss this matter. All aye. Motion Carried. City Council meeting of October 20, 2003 Page 5 UPDATE ON RAILROAD CROSSING FOR CSAH 8/14 PROJECT At its October 6, 2003 meeting, Council accepted staff's recommendation to change the request for an abandonment of the railroad between 14& Street and 145'' Street to a crossing in order to connect the CR 8/14 project to TH61. City staff was directed to forward this recommendation to the Washington County Board for consideration at its October 28, 2003 meeting. On October 9, 2003, City staff and representatives from Washington County held a meeting to discuss in detail the issues related to the obtaining of a crossing from MnDOT versus the abandonment. County officials were favorable to the City's request for a change in the connection of CR 8/14 to TH61 and agreed that they would place it on the Consent Agenda, with a further follow up, detailed report after the administrative hearing was held before MnDOT. Rick Arnebeck, MnDOT Community Services Manager, was present at the meeting and stated that he would follow up with the City's application and schedule a meeting to further clarify and expedite the application process. No formal Council action was taken. REQUEST FOR SPEED REDUCTION ON TH61 AT 130TH STREET Hugo resident Jill Hughes submitted a letter to the City requesting a speed reduction on TH61 in the area of 130' Street. She outlines in her letter the rationale for such a request and staff forwarded it to Council for discussion. City Engineer Dave Mitchell has submitted a request for a traffic signal to MnDOT for that intersection, and Dave expressed concern that a traffic study in the area could jeopardize the City's effort to obtain the traffic signal. Ms. Hughes makes several important points in her letter, but at this time, staff recommended not to jeopardize the funding request. Miron made motion, Granger seconded, to table this matter until a decision has been made on the traffic signal request. Staff was directed to send a letter to Ms. Hughes. All aye. Motion Carried. WASHINGTON COUNTY 800 MHZ MEETING ON OCTOBER 29, 2003 City staff received a letter from Washington County Administrator Jim Schug regarding the County's interest in the funding of an 800 mhz communication system. The County has requested official City attendance at the Wednesday, October 29, 2003 meeting and City Administrator Mike Ericson will represent the City. No formal Council was taken. RCWD HARDWOOD CREEK STUDY MEETING OF OCTOBER 22, 2003 City staff received a letter from Steve Hobbs, Administrator for the RCWD, about a Wednesday, October 22, 2003 meeting regarding the study of the Hardwood Creek area. Senior Engineering Technician Scott Anderson will be in attendance to represent the City. AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH RFP FOR COMBINED CITY ENGINEERING SERVICES Senior engineering technician Scott Anderson has been with the City for more than two months now, and has had an opportunity to work closely with, and interact with, City Engineer Dave Mitchell from City Council meeting of October 20, 2003 Page 6 SEH Engineers and Water Resource Engineer Pete Willenbring from WSB Engineers. The effective and efficient delivery of City engineering services can now be accomplished by the selection of one professional engineering firm, which would provide both civil and water resource engineering services to the City. CD Director John Rask, PW Director Chris Petree, Senior Engineering Tech Scott Anderson, and City Administrator Mike Ericson have worked to develop a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional engineering services for the City and seeks approval of this draft RFP and authorization to advertise for proposals for engineering services. It was Council's desire to interview the finalists in the selection process, and Mayor Miron asked that the City's two engineering firms of SEH and WSB be automatically added to the short-list of firms. Miron made motion, Haas seconded, directing staff to proceed with the RFP for combined engineering services and advertise for same, and that SEH and WSB be included in the short-list of selected firms. All aye. Motion Carried. UPDATE ON RURAL & OPEN SPACE ADVISORY MEETINGS CD Director John Rask and Council members Haas and Puleo presented an update on the rural and open space citizen advisory committee, which has held eight meetings over the past year on the preservation of open space in the City. CD Director John Rask provided Council with an outline of the work of the Committee. After a lengthy discussion, Council determined that the committee should now focus on the City's cluster housing and PUD ordinances. Miron made motion, Granger seconded, directing the rural and open space citizen advisory committee to finalize their discussions and provide Council with a recommendation for revision of the City's cluster housing and PUD ordinances for discussion at a December 2003 Council meeting. All aye. Motion Carried. PELOOUIN INDUSTRIAL PARK P.I. PROJECT UPDATE City Engineer Dave Mitchell updated Council on the status of the project, reporting that Lametti & Sons had encountered an unanticipated obstruction in the micro tunneling process. They will locate and extract the problem, at an additional cost of $5,000 per day. ADJOURNMENT Haas made motion, Granger seconded, to adjourn 10:00 pm. All aye. Motion Carried. //21 Mary A Vreager City Cl